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. . 7-'C »' "V i '<• ¥ j » » * " . W «• . , ""*", .y't. n-, (t, 'i I v ' i f 3 * , , * ^ V*'* ' t *» . UPANDALI A,C.MKX\FFT«^ » co THE McHENRY •wipiillpi i t " K' 'I~< FRLLFC-. i *A '̂ TSv M ¥-3"* »*»•£ " <v * ( ***;, '1 ; S3' 5|BaR "; - 'b; ̂ t 4, &' 4 •sr®- ; "'- **V4. ;v,< * J1 ,, t ' V,. * $<* fcHAPTEK XXI--Continued. • --16--- ' ^' ••• AH 1 could do was pray, and wait, 'erhaps no word would be given me-- e escape might already be accom­ plished, and I left here to my fate, isrondet knew nothing of my decl- n to accompany D'Artigny in his le. If the way was difficult and ngerous, he might not consider It sen tin I to communicate with me at ill. Dt» Tonty had promised, to be lure. yet be might hare failed to mo Jhstruct the younger man. - I clan? to the window, the agony of this possi­ bility driving me wild. • t Mon Dieu! was that a noise over- d? I could see nothing. yet. as I ned farther out, a cord touched my face. I era sped It. and drew the dah- fcling end in. It was weighted with a bit of wood. A single coal glowed 1c the Sreplace.and from this. I ignited • splinter, barely yielding me light jipough to decipher the few words traced on the white surface: "Safe sq • Jjtr: have you any word?" h £ My veins throbbed: I could have fipreahied In delfght or sobbed in sud­ den joy and relief. I fairly crept to i&e open window on hands and knees, animated now With but one thought. Oiie hope--the desire not to be ieft there behind, alone. I hung far out, nay face upturned, staring into the darkness. The distance was not great, iiily a few feet to the roof above, yet in black was the night that the edge apove me blended imperceptibly against the sky. . I could perceive rfo riovement, no outline. Could they have already gone? Was It possible tiat they merely dropped this brief message, and instantly vanished? No. tike cord still dangled: somewhere In f&st piooni the two men peered ©per the roof edge, waiting toy re­ sponse. 1 "Monsieur," I called up softly.* ott- < Jjble to restrain my eagerness. "Yes. madame." it was D'Aftlghy's twice, although a mere whisper. "Too ^ r - tuive some word for me?" , ' "Ay, listen; is there any way by % 4," Irbich I can Join you?" *V. "Join me--here?" astonishment at "My request made him incoherent. "Why, madame, the risk is great--" Never mind that; my reason is wor- y, nor have we time now to discuss e matter. Monsieur Boisrondet is there a way?" f I heard them speak to each other, . J- ( ft mere murmur of sound; then another »olce reached my ears clearly. 'V' "IT "We ^ave a strong grass rope, ma- ** ' lame, which will safely bear your height The risk will not be great. ' '•! I have made a noose, and will lower •A- * ^ I reached It with my hand, but felt ,.i| doubt- as my fingers clasped it % s^M' „ " "ns very small, monsieur.'* / . "But strong enough for double "s^reight, as 'twas Indian woven. Put wfo;-' ; |%3 ^ C, % \v'< «v Vfev ?v';r 5S'-;' 'J * J<. . I' - is/ • I stood befor*• darkness. ' "Monsieur, I have know; the choice la take me?" Then I was in his strong arms, and for the first time, his Vfps- met mine. faced it all. I made--will you "».y K- % .4' \ ?»V I? Ma i- Ibot in the' noose., and hold tight, ^/v.fhere are two of us holding it above." The memory, of the depth below • Z-/ ^frightened me. yet I crept forth on the , ' . »arrow glh, clinging desperately to the iaut rope, until 1 felt my foot safely pressed Into the noose, which tightened ;.*|5/3nnly. fbout it. v "Now," I said, barely able to make |a ; |ny lips speak. "I am ready." iff "Then swing clear, madame; n»*ll •(*' f bold you safe." >• I doubt if It was a full minute in r\: •' 'kbi^h I swung out over that gulf amid ||!•/•lihe black night. My heart seemed to ,**top beating, and I retained no sense "k. Other than to cling desperately to the K awaying cord which alone held me ^ • from being dashed to death on the Jag- |ted rocks below. Inch by fnch they - jSrew me up, the continuous jerks • fielding a sickening sensation, but the 'v,/. ,^l8tance was so short I could scarcely 1 f'! - fealize the full danger, before D'Ar- •| figny grasped me with his hands, and |lrew me in beside him oh the roof , J atood upon my feet, trembling from /i. £\ *. ifxcitpment, yet encouraged in my pur- ' %' |>o«e by his first words of welcome. if,: •M i/W • :4i "Adele." he exclaimed, forgetful of the presence of hia comrade. "Surely I'j- } you had serious caiise for joining us $ : ,|iete." . , "Am I welcome, monsieur?" t , t "Can you doubt? Yet surely it wits i ;/t hot merely to say farewell that you ! Assumed such risk?" t : "No, monsieur, it was not to any j*. 'farewell. I would accompany you in ...your flight Do not start like thai at my words; I cannot see your face- perhap^ if I could 1 should lose cour -age. I have made my choice, mon ; /••' M/ ' sieur. will not remain the slave "f M. Casgion Whether for good or evil 1 give you my faith." "You--you/,' his hands grasped mine "You mean you will go with me into exile, into the woods?" "Yes, monsieur." ••But do you realize,.what*It a means? I am a fugitive, a buntw! man: never again can I venture wltli in French civilization. I must live among savages. No, no, Adele. tin- eacrltice is too great I cannot accept of it." " "Do you love me; mon«leurf«,:::; MMon Dleu--y^fc." "Tben there is no sacrif¥c»& My heart would break here. God' Would1 yon doom me to live out my iife witli that brute--that murderer? I am a young woman, a mere girl, and this is my one chance to save myself from hell. I am not afraid of the woods, of «i!e, of anything, so I am with you. I would rather die than go to him to confess him husband." "The lady is right. Rene." Boisrondet said earnestly. "You must think of her as well as yourself." "Think of her! Mon Dieu, of whom •tse do I think? Adele, 'do you mean your words? Would yon give up all lor owF "Yes, monsieur.** "But do you know wbat your choice <vo*a»f CHAPTER XXII. We Reach the River. It was the voice of Boisrondet wblcb recalled us to a sense of danger. / "It is late, and we must not linger here," be insisted, touching D' Artigny's sleey^. "The guard may discover your absence, Rene, before we get beyond the stoekii<$e. Yet how can we get madame safely ov;er the logs?" - / "She must venture the same aa tre; Follow me closely, and ^ tread with care." •/: » So dark was the night I was obliged to trust entirely to D'Artigny's guid­ ance. but it was evident that both men were familiar with the way. and had thoroughly considered the best method of escape. No doubt De Tonty and his young lieutenant had arranged all details, so as to assure success. We traversed the flat roofs Of .the chain of log houses along the west side of the stockade until we came to the end. The only light visible was a dull glow of etnbers before the guardhouse near the center of the parade, which re vealed a group of soldiers on duty. The stockade extended some distance beyond where we halted, crouched low on the flat r«of to escape being seen. There would be armed men along that wall, especially near the gates, guard7 ing against attack, but the darkness gave us no glimpse. There wai no firing, no movement to be perceived. The two men crept to the edge, and looked cautiousiy over, and I clung close to D'Artigny. nervous from the silence, and afraid to become separat­ ed. Below us was the dense blackness of the gorge. > "This is the spot," whispered D'Ar­ tigny, "and no alarm yet. How far to the rocks?" "De Tonty figured the distance at forty feet below the stockade; we hare fifty feet of rope here. The rock shelf Is harrow, and the great risk will be not to stop off in the darkness. There shonid be an iron ring here somewhere --*y. here It is; help me draw the knot taut, Rene." "Do we--do we go down here, mon­ sieur?" I questioned, my voice falter­ ing. "Here, or not at all; there are guards po>sted yonder every two yards. This is our only chance to escape' unseen." Boisrondet tested the rope, letting it slip slowly through his hands down into the darkness below, until it bqng at full length. "It does not touch," he said, "yet it cannot lack more than a foot or two. Faith! We must take the risk. I go first -Bene--hush! 'tis best so--the lady would prefer that you remain, while I tejtf the passage. The devil himself may be waiting there." He gazed down, balancing himself on the edge, the cord gripped in his hands. "Now mfnd my word: once on th° rock below, I will signal with three jerks on the cord. H$ul up thin slow­ ly, so as to make no noise; make a noose for the lady's foot, and lower her with care. You have the strength?" "Ay, for twice her weight." "Good: there will be naught to fear, madame.. for I will be below to aid your footing. When I give the signal again Rene will descend and join ns." "The rope is to be left dangling?" "Only until I return. Once I leave you safe beyond the Iroquois, 'tis my part to climb this rope againr Some task that," cheerfully, "yet De Tonty deems It beat that no evidence connect us with this escape. What make you the hour?" "Between one Ad two." "Which will give me time before day dawn; so here, I chance it." He swung himself over the edge, and slipped silently down into the black myf-tcvy. We leaned over to watch. r y.ii K7 I 'Now," 1 8aId, Barely Able to Make My Lips 8peak. but could see nothing, our only evi­ dence of his progress the jerking of the coM; D'Artigny's hand closed on mipff. "Dear." he whispered tenderly, "jfe are alone now--you are sorryT\ r I am happier than I have ever been in my life," I answered honestly "1 have done what I believe to be light, and trust God. All I care to know ikiw la that you love mo." i "With every throb of my be said solemnly. "It la my love whlefa makes me dread lest you regret." "That will never be, monsieur; I am ol the frontier, and do not fear the woods. Ah! he has reached the rock safely--'tis the signal." D'Artigny drew up the cord, testing It to make sure the strands held firm, and made careful noose. Into which he slipped my foot. ; "Now_Adele, yon are ready?" . "Yes, sweetheart /kiss me first." , . "You have no fear?" :';Klh "Not with your strong bands to sup­ ports but do not keep me waiting long i'elow." Ay, but I was frightened as I swung <CT into the black void, clinging des- rerntel-y to that slight rope, steadily sinking dotmward. My body rubbed s gainst/ the rough logs, and then fgainst rock. Once a jagged edge wounded me, yet I dare not release my s rip. or utter a sound. I sank down. <Jown,' the strain ever greater on my terves. I retained no knowledge of distance, but grew apprehensive. of what awaited me below. Would the rope reach to the rock? Would I swing clear? Evsn as .these thoughts began to horrify. I felt a hand grip me, and Boisrondet s whisper gave cheerful greeting. * "It is all right, madame: release your foot, and trust me. Good, now do not venture to move, until Rene joins us. Faith, he wastes little time; he is bom- ihg now." I could see nothing, not even the outlines of5my comjpanion, who stood holding the cord taut. I could feel the jagged facg of the rock, against which I stood, arid ventured, by reaching out with one foot, to explore my immedi­ ate surroundings. The groping toe touched the edge.of the narrow shelf, and I drew back startled at thought of another sheer -drop into the black depths. My heart w,as still pounding when D'Artigny found foothold beside me. As he swung free from the cord, his fingers touched my dress. . "A fine test of courage that, Adele," he whispered, "but with Francois here below there was small peril. Now what next?" "A ticklish passage for a few yards. Stand close until I get by; now cling to the wall, and follow me. Once off this shelf we can plan our journey. Madame, take hold of ray jacket. Rene, you have walked this path before." J Ay, years since, but I recall its peril." We crept forward, so cautiously It seemed we scarcely' moved, the rock shelf we traversed so narrow in places that I could scarce find space in which to plant my feet firmly. Suddenly we clambered on to a flat rock, crossed it. and came to the edge of a wood, with a murmur of water not far away. Here Boisrondet paused, and we cam® close about him. There seemed to be more light here, although the tree shadows were grim, and. the night rested abQit us in impressive Silence. "Here is where the river trail comes down." and Boisrondet made motiorf to the left "You should remember, that well, Rene." "I was first to pass over it; it ̂ eads to the water edge." , "Yes; not so easily followed in the night, yet you are woodsman enough to make it. So far as we know from above the. Iroquois, have not discov­ ered there is a passage here. Listen. Rene: I l^ave you now, for tltose were De Tonty's orders. He said that from now on you would be safe alone. Of course he knew nothing "of madame> purpose." I "Monsieur shall not find me a bur­ den," I interrupted. ' "I am sure of that." he said gallant­ ly. "and so think it best to return while the night conceals my movements. 'Fhere will be hot words when M. Gas- aion discovers your escape, and my chief may need my sword beside him. if it comes to blows. Is my decision to return right Rene?" "Ay, right; would that I might be with you. But what plan did M.^e Tonty outline for me to follow?" "'Twas what I started to tell. At the edge of the water, but concealed from the river by rocks, is a small hut where we keep hidden a canoe ready fitted for any secret service. 'Twas Sieur de la Salle's thought that it might prove of great use in time of siege. No doubt it is there now. Just as we left it, undiscovered of the Iro­ quois. This will bear you down the river until daylight when you can hide along shore." "There 4a a rifle?" "Two of them. With powder and ball." He -laid bis hand on the other's shoulder. "There is nothing more to say. and time is of value. Farewell, my friend." "Farewell," their Angers clasped. "There will be'other days. Francois: my gratitude to M. de Tonty." Bois­ rondet stepped back. and. bat in band, bowed to me. "Adieu, madame; a pleaaant Jour- ney." "A moment, monsieur," I saTIT/a fal­ ter in my voice. "You are M. d'Ar- tlgny's friend, an officer of France, and a Catholic." f "Yes. madame.** * "And you think that I ant^ ffBbt tor my choice--that I am doing naught un­ worthy of my womanhood?" Even In the darkness I saw him make the symbol of the cross, before be bent forward and kissed my hand "Madame," he said gravely. "I am but « plain soldier, with all my service on the frontier. I leave to the priests the discussion of doctrines, arid to God my publshtnent and reward. I can only answer you as D'Artigny's friend, and an officer of France. I give you honor and respect and deem your love and trust fur more holy than your mar­ riage. My raitn, and my aword are .JMTA , • V.,?*' >. • j - • % • •" :--~-- . *lt hta «4m upon my yet •tne* not be had gone. I atood there, my eyes blinded with tears *1 his gal­ lant words, only becoming ccnwclous of his disappearance *rher, D'Artigny drew me to hita, hia ch«wk pressed against my hair. "Hte hfts gone! We are alone!" "Yes, dear one; but I thank God for those last words. Thn7 have given me courage and faith. So my old com­ rades believe us right the criticism of others does not move me. You love me. Adele? You do not regret?" 1 My arms found way about hia neck: my lips uplifted to his. "Monsieur, I shall never regret; I trust God and you." How he ever found hia way along that dim trail I shall never knoW. Some memory of its windings, together with the Instinct of a woodsman, must have given guidance, while no doubt bis feet, clad in soft Indian mocca­ sins, enabled him to feel the faint track, imperceivable in the darkness. It led along a-steep bank, through low. tangled bushes, and about great trees, with here and there a rock thrust across the path, compelling detour. The branches scratched my face and tore my dress, confusing me so that had I not clung to his arm, I should have been instantly lost in the gloom. Our advance was slow and cautious, every step taken in silence. Snakes criuld,not have moved with less noise, and the precaution was well taken. Suddenly D'Artigny stopped, gripping me In warning: For a moment there was no sound except the distant mur­ mur of waters, and the chatter of some night bird. Yet some instinct of the woods held the man motionless, listen­ ing. A twig cracked to our left, and, then a voice spoke, low and rumbling. It sounded So close at hand the fellow could scarcely have been five yards away. Another voice answered, and we were aware of bodies, stealing along through the wood; there was a faint rustling of dead leaves, and the occasional sWiah of a branch. We crouched low in th<| trail,' fairly hold­ ing our breath, every nerve tense. There was no sound from below, but in the other direction one warrior-- I could see the dim outline of his na­ ked figure--passed within easy reach of my outstretched hand. Assured that all had passed beyond hearing D'Artigny rose to his feet and assisted, me to rise, his band still grasp­ ing mine. "Ireiquois, by the look of that war­ rior," he whispered, "and enough of them to mean mischief." . " 'Twas the tongue of the Tuscaro- ras," I answered. "My father taught me a little of it years ago. The first words spoken were a warning to be still; the other answered that the white inen are all asleep."" "And I am not sure but that Is true. If De Tonty was in command the walls would be well guarded, but De Baugis and Cassion know nothing of Indian war." "You believe it to be an assault?" "It hath the look; 'lis not Indian na­ ture to gather thus at this night hour, without a purpose. But, pouf. there is little they can do against that stockade of logs for all their numbers. It is our duty to be Well away by daylight" The remaining distance to the wa­ ter's edge was not far--a direct de­ scent amid a litter of rocks, shadowed by great trees. Nothing opposed our passage, nor did we hear any sound from the savages concealed Irf the for­ est above. D'Artigny led the way along the shore until we reached the log hut. Its door stood open; the can<$e was gone. "I would that > iimstf t<MW *n«t was going en yonder 'neaflt the ecreafl of trees." he said gravely. "Some In­ dian trick, perchance, which it might be In ray jjpwer to circumvent--at least bear to the lads fair warning.** t "You would risk life for that?" ; "Ay. my own readily. That ia a lap son <>f the wilderness; the duty of a comrade. But for your presence 1 should be climbing the bill, seeking to lean* the purpose Of those savages-- else f. were no true soldier of Franca." "What think you their purpose ia. monHeur?" "An attack In force at dawn. OTiose wh* passed us Were heavily %rmed, and crept forwafrd stealthily, stripped and tainted for war. There were other p*rtiws, no doubt. Weeping up through the »'Cods from all sides. - 'Tie my thou>3\t the hour has struck for them to m#*e their great effort. They have scattel**d the friendly Indians, killed them, driven them in terror down the rivefr. Their villages have been destroyed, Now all the warriors who have beeft at that business have re­ turned, filled with blood lust, and eager to strike at The French." "But they cannot win? Surely they cannot capture the fort monsieur?' Why, it is all rock?" * "On'three sides--yes: but to the south there Is ample space for attack In force. Those woods yonder would conceal a thousand savages within a feW hundred yards of the fort gates. Ofti of 15 New Engines Recently Put Into Service on a Western Road; the 5 Weight of Each, Which Is 215 Tons, Is So Evenly Distributed That it p, > ^ Does Not Subject the Track to as Much Strain as Is Caused by Some / *j^/ Smaller Locomotives. \ V/ Fifteen passenger locomotives of the \ glues used by thla >road on other thaa?, /^ "Pacific" type, whicll well illustrate the j its main lines are 53 feet long Wltli^-'.V; steady tendency that has existed'1 for > tender, weigh 77 tons and have a trac-P>||| many years to huild larger and larger j tive power of 13,000 pounds. The * , : engine#, have recently been put into i great weight, of the new locomotives ^ service by the Chicago, Burlington <1 is so evenly distributed that they dov' *r"h*1 Quincy railroad. These new giants of j not pound the rails as do some of/ smaller size, and it is said they subject'/ ,/^/ the tracks to less wear and tear than ' many lighter engines. Their power is*' * more than sufficient to haul their loads.--Popular Mechanics Magazine. / •'- / /v RECKLESS DRIVERS TO BLAME - 5 *5 "We Are Alone Now--Are You 8orry?H and what of the defense? Opposing them Is one hundred and fifty feet of stockade, protected at best by fifty rifles. There are no more in the fort, officers, Indians, and all; and Boisron­ det says scarcely a dozen rounds of powder and ball to a man. If the Iroquois know this--and why shonid they not?--'twill be no great feat of arms to batter their way in. I would do that which is right, Adele, if I saw clearly." »• (TO BE CONTINUED.) SOME FACTS ABOUT MERCURY ,*/,/ *4. CHAPTER XXIII. We Meet Surprise. Not until we had felt*carefully from wall to wall did we admit our disap­ pointment. There were no overshad­ owing trees here, and what small glim­ mer of light came from the dull skies found reflection on river and rocks, so that we could perceive each other, and gain dim view of our surroundings. > Of the canoe thjere was absolutely no trace, and, if arms had been hidden there alsd. they had likewise disap­ peared. The vety fact that the dooi stood wide open, its wooden lock broken, told the story clearly. I re­ mained silent, staring ahput through the semi-darkness of the interior, ren­ dered speechless by a feeling of utter helplessness. 5 D'Artigny, after an ut­ terance of disappointment, felt his way along the walls; as he came back to the open door our eyes met. and he must have read despair in mine, for he smiled encouragingly.. "Swept bare, little girl,'1 he said. "Not so much as an ounce of powder left. The savages, got here before us. it -seems. Never mind; we shall have to travel a ways on woodcraft, and. it will not be the first wilderness jour­ ney I have- made without arms. Did De Tonty mention to you where he believed the lllinl were in hiding?" "No, monsieur--are they Indians?" "Yes; the river tribes, the most loyal of all to La Salle. It was one of their villages we saw on the bank of the stream as we approached the fort from the- west. I told Boisrondet that It stood there deserted, but not desti-oyed, and it was our Judgment the Inhabitants were hiding among the river bluffs. Without canoes they could not travel far. and are probably concealed out yonder. If we can find them our greatest peril is past" "They are friendly?" « "Ay, and have never shed white blood. I know them well, and with leadership they would be a match even for the Iroquois. De Tonty led them once against these same warriors, and they foueht like fiends. Come, we will follow the stream, and see if we cannot And trace of their covert" It was but a cluster of rocks Where the hut stood, and a few yards below we found the forest creeping down to the very bank of the river. The sky had lightened above us. the obscuring clouds opening to let the silver gleam of stars through, and we paused a mo­ ment ga/Jng back and upward at the vast rock on which perched the be­ leaguered fort. We could dimly per­ ceive the vague outline of it silhouet­ ted against the lighter arch of sky. ' In massive gloom and silence It seemed to dominate the night, the grim forest sweeping up to Its very walls. "Not gleam of light appeared; not a sound reached us. I felt DrAxtlgny'« arm VTC--V* - Astronomers Have Been Studying the Planet and Published the Con­ clusions Arrived At The planet Mercury Is the smallest of the major planets and the nearest to the sun, >vhich it circles in a little less than three months. It reaches its greatest distance from the sun at periods about sixty days apart. During the year Mercury is morning star three times and evening star three times. Owing to its nearness to the sun, it Is never visible for more than a period of about two hours after sunset or thu same length of ti$ie before sunrise. The eccentricity of its orbit is greater than that of any other major planet; fts greutest and Its least distance from the sun differ by nearly 16.000,000 miles. According to A. W. McCurdy of the Itoyal Astronomical society of Canada, the most remarkable chitrac teristic in the motion of Mercury la that when It Is nearest to the «^n It travels faster than it should if it moved only by the solar system. As­ tronomers have loqg sought an expla­ nation of the accelerated motion. Bothe believe' that there are other planets at present unknown between Mercury and the sun--bodies that although nu­ merous are too small to be seen. The movements of Mercury Indicate an tnk llueuce that might be accounted for by the presence of another planet revolv­ ing within its orbit. If such a planet really exists, there should come a time when it will appear* as a dark spot moving across the face of the sun. An­ other way to detect the presence of new planets In the vicinity of the sun is to take observations during a total eclipse. If there are no clouds at such, a time, the stars become visible as the sun disappears. During the total eclipse of the sun in 1878 one ob­ server saw an object that he thought might be the long-sought planet; but no other astronomer has been able to confirm the discovery and many now believe that the bidden source of tlM unusual movement of Mercury must b« looked for elsewhere than in the orbit of the planet.--Youth's Companion. Dilemma., "What's the trouble?" asked th* friend." seem to have something on your niil;d." •1 have," replied the connclentloos citizen. "I'm trying to figure out ( proper course of action. If I neglect to apply for enlistment my wife wtU s»y 1 don't love my country. And if I display «a willingness to leave houM and march away to,the wars, ske'U w I don't love her." " i * / &>• Bound to Have Change. In the absence of her husband tfc fHsclmirtng young murried womM went boating with an old admirer. * "Ah." sighed the old udmirer, U only y^n had ma fried me instead Wilkinson." "Then 1 should^; have been with IA Wilkinson at tills moment instead o yuu." sold the fitsHnnttng wotWx klo* etraugely Udtigu iur» *ntf* S" ,v .'•> the rails are 75 feet long with tender, 15 feet 3 inches high, and weigh 215 tons; their drivers are 74 Inches in diameter and they have a tractive power of 42,000 pounds. Ordinary en- NEW RAILROAD 1 '"Safety Agent" Occupies Impor­ tant Ptac^in Service* His Dvtiibs Are to Send Literature to All Employees, Painting the v rors That Result From Carelessness. - Most accidents that occur 6n rail­ roads, either to employees or passen­ gers, are due mainly to Individual neg­ ligence. Indeed, the figures compiled for the year 1915 on one of the largest railroads In the United States show that of all the deaths of Its employees because of accidents, 98 per cent were due to individual carelessness, 1 per cent might be chargeable to the rail­ road company, and the other 1 per cent \vas due to unavoidable causes. From these figures it will be seen how little railroad employees regard the oft re­ peated warning, "Safety First." Signs help somewhat, but signs can­ not follow a man all Over the_coad. A foreman has so many duties he cannot keep his eye on every one. The result has been, therefore, that every rail­ road In the country now has a man who looks after the safeguarding of employees and passengers from them­ selves--and who does nothing else. This man Is known under various titles, but generally as the safety su­ pervisor or the general safety agent, The duties of such a man are multi­ farious. He must, send out broadcast literature that will reach every man on the railroad. And this literature must be lurid and paint so horribly the results of carelessness that the memory of it will remain with a man and serve as a continual warning. He must make himself familiar with all the unsafe practices indulged in by employees and passengers, and must then devise ways and means to combat them. He must know the right and the wrong way to do everything on the railroad, and he must insist it be done the right way- • The safety agent must have the eye of a general. He must be able to size up In an Instant every unsafe condi^ tion, and be able to remedy it as quick­ ly. It is part of his duties and that of his, underlings to see that there are no obstructions on the station plat­ forms. Baggage trucks, for instance, must not be left with their handles on the ground lest someone trip over them. There must be no material lying near the tracks over which brakemen or«ewttchmen might tumble and be precipitated beneath moving wheels. There must be no nails jut­ ting from the roofs of freight cars that. nright Imperil the lives of men walking on the tops of these cags. Editorial Frlflhtfulness. My literary career under enforced editorial guidance has steadily ad­ vanced from suavity to violence. At first I tried merely to "compel atten­ tion;" next I obediently served "gin­ ger" and "pep;" after that weakly and mildly have I endeavored to "punch," but there are progressive ordeals yet before me. To "punch" and the prize­ fight there Is allowed a degree of de­ corum ; there are still rules for the games In "punching," but I discover that even "punch" is obsolescent. This morning an editor returns my offerings with the comment "excellent of their kind, but I prefer stories with more 'kick.'" Can I, must I, "kick?"--From the Contributors' Club, }he Atlantic . Locomotives Use Much OH* * - Locomotives- of the United States used more than 36,600,000 barrels of oil for fuel last year, the greatest amount on record and a gain of about 18 per cent from the year before. Com Mats Absorb Vibration. Some German railroads equip their locomotive cabs with coco mats to absorb the vibration, which is said to the hearing of their crews. Where It Went. ' "If you had worked harder," said" his wife, "you could have doubled your income." "But what's the use?" replied her husband. *Td have had to work twice as hard, and I wouldn't have had a chance to spend a cent more of it on myself." New York Newspaper Criticizes Auto, mobillsts Who Fail to Display Judgment at Crosalnga. Is the recklessness of the automobll- ist at a railroad crossing an echo of the old daredevil spirit df the fox hunt­ er, or is it merely stupid? Its results are such that no one would hesitate^, y.. to call it both stupid and criminal, and yet even sucl^ well-directed meas-i, V'-, ures for lessening it as the Long Isl^pd ̂ railroad has undertaken seem compara- ^ ; / tively fruitless. That road reports. f WAn /I • v i vuu I c^rui < says the New York Evening Post, that|yy after all Its "safety-first" advertising ? ~ „ the, instances of recklessness In 1916 p r o m i s e t o e x c e e d t h o s e f o r 1 9 1 5 . I t ' records an incident of three weeks ago, vyhen a driver approached a set of^j : crossing gates, found them lowered,}" demanded that they be raised, andfe when the gateman refused, catapulted his car through them Just inljj* t time to have it grazed by the- rushing train. It records another of last week when a boy driving a farm automobile truck ran It past all warn-; ' ing signs and struck the middle of a passing locomotive--and yet escaped * conviction in court. Thus far this year * 62 lowered gates have been broken ^-'7"^ down by automobiles and 16 automo­ biles have been destroyed or damaged by collisions with trains. Under such circumstances everyone must feel that . the railroad should prosecute offend­ ers to the limit of Its power, and that the courts should show them no mercy. v Alaskan Road Hauls Coal. The government's Alaskan railroad Is now carrying coal from the famous Matanuska coal fields to tidewater at Anchorage, a distance of 71 miles. tThe first coal was loaded into a train of cars recently and was taken from the Doherty mine at Moose Creek. The event was celebrated by the pioneers In the territory. There was a large crowd on the scene when the loading of the coal from the bunkers to the cars was beguta. A special train that had been chartered by the An­ chorage chamber of commerce carried an enthusiastic party of citizens from, that city and vicinity. Chairman*Wil- • I him C. Edes and Lieutenant Mears of the Alaskan engineering corporation, which is in charge of the construction of the railroad, were also in attend­ ance, as was Bishop Rowe of Alaska. The honor of dumping the first car­ load of coal from the bunkers to the. train was enjoyed by Miss Babe White of Anchorage, who also has the dis­ tinction of having driven the first spiktt on the railroad. Such Rudeneaai "My face is my fortune^" she said. "Well, you are lucky," rejoined the rude man. "You'll never be called mon to pay any t»xp« on It" S ' - * . • ; Made Insane by Submarine Attack. The parents off George Augusta, also known as Gallagher, seventeen years old, who disappeared under mys­ terious circumstances from his home, at Philadelphia a year ago, notified Acting Detective Captain Wood that he had been located In a hospital for the insane In London, and asked how they should proceed to have him brought back. They said they had been informed that on leaving home Augusta shipped as a sailor on a steamer loaded with munitions, plying between Chesapeake bay and England. On one of the voyages he became vio­ lently insane after his ship had been attacked by a German submarine and had to be placed in irons until the vessel reached port. He was then sent to the hospital. Lieutenant Wood ad­ vised the youth's parents to consult the. British consul. Because of his Ger­ man name he was said to have under the name of Gallagh^^ ""Wf Russian Railroads. The first Russian railroad dates from 1835 and was built from Petro- grad to Tsarskoe Selo, 18 mile* south of the capital and a favorite imperial | resort. The project for this line was laid before Czar Nicholas I by Pro res- ^ sor Gerstner of the Polytechrtlc insti- • tute of Vienna, and the csar author- ^ ized the construction as an expert- t ̂ J' Fair Enough. - "fou are tike fourth tra fees .% a come here begging today." said tne jTix lady of the house, "and I'm all out oft patience." ; ^ ri m all out o' Tittles myself." ro- ^ plied the tramp. •'Couldn't we naako: a trader--New York World.. | Not Affected. --" - ^ "Isn't meat dreadfully high, Mrs, \ ? Paddy?". - V; •..*>>. "Yes, hut I don't mind ao much" \ since my family all turned valetudfc aariana," JMMM ...