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....... |TttK""^ Mf*HBNKY. TMJ <•••;- ••• »?n »S-:SSS§i #S- . .- ***v M **#%»• L * # - * v , „ • y ETHEL HUESTON Copyright Bobbs-MerriD Co. DUE WEST RAILWAY Hi. Trains Stop Anywhere % | commodate Passengers! H. *7 Quick! -- I tpf!' •". v -I><- ' ' tj ' p : - • • * • • •; ,lv, . n, « $&v; , & V CHAPTER I. The Chapentaw "Girls -- come down! want to see how you look!" Prudence stood at the foot of the stairs, deftly drawing on her black silk gloves--gloves still good in Pru­ dence's eyes, though Fairy had long since discarded them as unfit for serv­ ice. There was open anxiety in Pru­ dence's expression, and puckers of worry perpendicularly creased her white forehead. "Girls!" she called again. "Girls, are you <leaf?" A door opened in the hallway above, and Connie started down the stairs, fully dressed, except that she limped along: in oife stocking foot, her shoe in her hand. "It's so silly of you to get ail dressed before you put on your shoes, Connie," Prudence reproved her as she came down. "It wrinkles you up so. But you do look nice. Wasn't it dear of the Ladies' Aid to give you that dress for your birthday? Do be careful, dear, and don't get mussed before we come back. Aunt Grace will be so much gladder to live with us if we ail look sweet and clean. And you'll be good, won't you, Connie, and--Twins, will you come?" "They are sewing tip the holes in each other's stockings." Connie vouch­ safed. "They're all dressed." The twins, evidently realizing that Prudence's patience was near the breaking point, started downstairs for approval, a curious procession. All dressed as Connie had said, and most charming, but they walked close to­ gether, Carol stepping gingerly on one foot and Lark stooping low. carrying a needle with great solicitude--the thread reaching from the needle to a small hole on Carol's instep. "What on earth are you doing?" Tm sewing up the holes in Carol's stocking," Lark explained. Prudence frowned disapprovingly. "It's a very bad habit to sew up holes In your stockings when you are wear­ ing them. Mercy, Lark, you have too much powder on!" "I know it--Carol did it. She said she wanted me to be of- intellectual pallor." Lark mopped her face with one Itand. "You look nice, twins." Prudence advanced a step, her eyes on Carol's hair, sniffing suspiciously. "Carol, did you curl your hair?" Carol blushed. "Well, just a little," she confessed. "I thought Aunt Grace would appreciate me more with a crown of frizzy ringlets." "You'll spoil your hair If you don't leave it alone, and it will serve you right, too. Oh, Fairy, I know Aunt Grace will love you," she cried ec­ statically. "You look like a dream, you--" "Yea--a nightmare," said Carol Knip- ptiy. "If I saw Fairy coming at me on a dark night I'd--" "Papa, we'll miss the train!" Then as he came slowly down the stairs, she said to her sisters again anxiously: "Oh, girls, do keep nice and clean, won't you? And be very sweet to •unt Grace! It's so awfully good of her--to come--and take care of us--" Prudence's voice broke a little. The admission of another to the parson­ age mothering hurt her. Mr. Starr stopped on the bottom step, and with one foot as a pivot, slowly revolved for his daughters' In­ spection. "How do I look?" he demanded. "Do you think this suit will convince Grace that I am worth taking care of? Do I look twenty-five dollars better than I did yesterday?" The girls gazed at him with most sdoring approval. x "Father! You look perfectly grand! --Isn't It beautiful ?--Of course you looked nicer than anybody else even In the old suit, but--it--well, it was--" "Perfectly disgracefully shabby," put in Fairy quickly. "Entirely un­ worthy a minister of your--er--lovely family!" "I hope none of you have let It out among the members bow long I wore that old suit. I don't believe I could face my congregation on Sundays if I thought they were mentally calculat­ ing the wearing value of my various garments.--We'll have to go, Pru­ dence." , "And don't muss, the house up," begged Prudence, as her father opened the door and pushed her gently out on the step. The four sisters left behind looked at once another solemnly. It was a serious business--most serious. Con­ nie gravely put on her shoe, and but­ toned it. Lark sewed up the last hole In v Carol's stocking--Carol balancing herself on one foot with nice precision for the purpose. Then, all ready, they looked at one another again--even more solemnly. "Well," said Fairy, "let's go in--and wait" ' Silently the others followed her In, and they all sat about, irreproachably, on the well-dusted chairs, their hands folded in their smooth and spotless laps. The silence and the solemnity were very oppressive. "We look all right," said Carol bel­ ligerently. No one answered. When the silence continued, Carol's courage waned. "Oh, girls," she whim­ pered, "isn't it awful? It's the begin­ ning of the end of everything. Out- aiders have to come In now and take care of us, and Prudence'll get mar­ ried, and then Fairy will, and maybe US twins--I mean, we twins. And then there'll only be father and Connie left, and Miss Greet, or someone, will get ahead of father after all--and Con- nle'il have to live with a stepmother, and--It'll never seem like home any more., and--" Connie burst into loud and 4" : Mi- This charming story depicts the life of five loveable girls lit the Methodist parsonage at Mount Mark, Iowa. They preside over the home and make things interesting for their widowed father. Pru­ dence, the eldest, is the "little mother" of the family. Fairy is Tier able lieutenant. Carol and Lark, the twins, fill the place with mis­ chief. Connie, the "baby," aids and abets them in every prank they play. This is a wholesome tale, with dashes of joy_^d_TOrrow, !<>v« and laughter, light and shadow. THE EDITOR. "You're very silly, Carol." Fairy said sternly.- "Prudence will be at the head of things for nearly a year, and--I think we're mighty lucky to get Aunt Grace. It's not many women would be willing to leave a fine, stylish home, with n hundred dollars a month to spend ori just herself, and with u maid to wait on her, and come to an ugly old house like this to take care of a preacher and a. riotous family like ours. It's very., generous of Aunt Grace--'very." "Yes, it is." admitted I.iU:k. "And as lor g us* she was our aunt with her fine home, and her hundred dollars a month, and her maid, I loved her dearly. But--I don't want anybody coming in to manage us. We can man­ age ourselves. We--" "We need a chaperon," pit la Fairy deftly. "It isn't proper for us to live without o^e, you know. We're too young. It isn't--Conventional." "And for goodness' sake, Connie." said Cfrol, "remember and call her our chaperon, and don't talk about a house­ keeper. There's some st/le to a chaperon." "Yes, indeed," said Fairy Cheerfully. "And she wears such prett;? clothes, and has such pretty manner? that she will be a distinct acquisition to the parsonage. We can put on lots more style, of course. And then it was aw-' fully nice of her to send so much of her good furniture--the piano, for in­ stance. t<> take the place of that old tin pan of ours. And do you remem­ ber, girls, that you mustn't tsk t.er to darn your stockings and waiih your handkerch'efs and do your task:? about the house. It would be disgraceful. And be careful not to hint for things you want, for, of course, Aunt Grace will trot off and buy them for you. and papa will not like it. You twins'll have to be very careful to quit dream­ ing about s'lk stockings, for instance." There was a tinge of sarcasm in Fai­ ry's voice as she said this. "Fairy, we did dream about silk stockings--you don't need to believe it if you don't wqnt to. But we did dream about therh, just the same!" Carol sighed. "I think I could be more reconciled to Aunt Grace if I thought she'd give me a pair of silk stockings. You know. Fairy, sometimes lately I almost--don't like Aunt Grace--any more." That's very foolish and very wick­ ed," declared Fairy. "I love her dear­ ly. I'm so glad she's come to live with us.:' Are you?" asked Connie innocently. "Then why did you go up In the attic and cry all the morning when Pru­ dence was fixing the room for her?" Fairy blushtd, and caught her under lip between Iter teeth for a minute. And then, in a changed voice she said, I--I do love her, and--I am glad--but keep thinking ahead to when Pru­ dence gets married, and--and--oh, girls, when she Is gone It--it won't be any home to me at all!" For a moment there was a stricken silence. Oh, pooh!" Carol said at last, bravely. "You wouldn't want Prue to stick around and be an old maid, would you? I think she's mighty lucky to get a fellow as nice as Jerry Harmer myself. I'll bet you don't make out half as well, Fairy. Lthink she'd be awfully silly not to gobble him right up while she has a chance. For my oWn part, I .don't believe in old maids. I think it is a religious duty for folks to get married, and--and--you know what I mean--race suicide, you know." She nodded her head sagely, winking one eye in a most intelligent fas-hion. "And Aunt Grace is so quiet she'l.' not be any bother at all," added Lark. "She won't scold a biU--Maybe Carol and I will get a chance to spend some of our spending money when she takes charge. Prudence confiscates It all for punishment. I think it's going to be lots of fun having Aunt Grace with us." "I'm going to take my dime and buy her something," Connie unnounced sud­ denly. "I didn't know you had a dime," said LaVk. ' Connie flushed a little. "Yes--oh, yes--" she said, "I've got a dime. I-- I hid It. I've got a dime all right." "It's nearlj time," said Fairy rest­ lessly. "Number nine has been on time for two mornings now--so she'll prob­ ably be here In time for dinner. It's only ten o'clock now." "Where'd you get that dime, Con­ nie?" "Oh, I've liad it some time," Connie admitted reluctantly. • » • --- "But whe#e huve you had It?" in­ quired Lark. "I thought you acted suspicious gome way, so I went around and looked for myself." "Where d'd you look?" The twins laughed gleefully. "Oh, on top of the windows and doors," said Carol. "How dl4. you know--" began Con­ nie. "You aren't slick enough for us, Connie. W«j knew you had some funny place to hide your money, so I gave you that penny and then I went up­ stairs very noisily so you could hear me, and Lark sneaked around and watched, and saw where you put it. We've been able to keep pretty good track of your finances lately." Carol rose and looked at herself In the glass. "I'm going upstairs," she said. "What for?" Inquired Lark, rising "I need a little more powder. My nose is shiny." So the twins went upstairs, and Fairy,-after calling out to them to be very careful and not get disheveled, went out into the yard and wandered dolefully about by herself. "Connie meantime decided to get her well-hidden dime and figure out what ten cents could buy for her fastidious and • wealthy aunt.. Connie was in many "•.ays unique. Her system: of hioney-h'dihg was born of nothing less than gei'ius, prompted by necessity, for the twins were clever as well as grasping. The cookstove sat In the darkest and most remote corner ot the kitchen, and where the chimney fitted into the wall it was protected by a small zinc plate. This zinc plate protruded bare­ ly an incn, but that Irch was quite sufficient for coimi the s'«ze of Connie's, and there, high and secure in the shadowy corner, lay Connie's dime. She went into the kitchen cautiously, careful of her white eahvas shoes, and put t chair beside the stove. She had discovered that the dish}>an turned upsidi down on the chair, gave her sufficient height to reach her novel banking place. But alas for Connie's calculations-- Carol was born for higher things than dishwashing, and she had splashed soapsuds on the table. The pan had been set among them--and then, neatly wiped on the inside, it hud been hung ip behind the table--with the sud^ on 'die b ittom. And It was upon this same lishpan that Connie climbed so • ;arefmly iu search of her darling dime. The result was certain. As she slow- -y and breathlessly raised herself on tiptoe, steadying herself with the tips of her fingers lightly touching the stovepipe, her foot moved treacher­ ously into the soapy area and slipped. Connie screamed, caught desperately at ilie pipe, and fell to the floor in a siffienirg jumble of stovepipe, dish- pan and soot beyond her wildest fan­ cies ! Her cries brought her sisters flying, and the sight of the blackened kitchen, and the unfortunate child in the midst of disaster, banished from their minds all memory of the coming chaperon, of Prudence's warning words --Connie was in trouble. With sis­ terly affection they rescued her, and did not hear the ringing of the bell. And when Prudence and her father, with Aunt Grace in tow, despaired of gaining entrance at the hands of the girls, came in unannounced, it was a sorry scene that greeted thepi. Fairy and the twins were only less socty than Connie and the kitchen. And Connie wept loudly, her tears making hideous trails upon her blackened face. "I might have known" it," Prudence thought, with sorrow. But her mother­ ly pride vanished before her motherly solicitude, and Connie was soon qui­ eted by her tender ministrations. "We love you, Aunt Grace," cried Carol earnestly, "but we can't kiss you." Mr. Starr anxiously scanned the sur­ face of the kitchen table with an eye to future spots oa the new suit, and then sat down on the edge of it and laughed as only the young heart and old experience can laugh! "Disgraced agaia," he said. "Grace, think well before you take the plunge. Do you dare cast In your fortunes with a parsonage bunch that revels in mis­ fortune? Can you te.ke the responsi­ bility of rearing a fcjnily that knows trouble only? This is your last chance. Weigh well your words." Fairy pursed up her lips, puffing vainly at the soot that had settled upon her face. Th^n she laughed. "Very true, Auni Grace." she said. "We admit that wo're a luckless fam­ ily. But we're expecting, with you to help us, to do much better. You see, we've never had half a chance so far, witli only father behind us." The twins revived at this, and joined in the laughter Uieir father led against himself. Later in the day Prudence drew her aunt to one side and asked softly, "Was it much of k shock to you, Aunt Grace? The family drowned In soot to welcome you? I'm sure you expect­ ed to find e*-eryihing trim and fresh and orderly. Was it a bitter disap­ pointment?" Aunt^Grac^ smiled brightly. "Why, no, Prudence," she said in her low, slow, even voice. "I really expected something t« be wrong! I'd have been disappointed if everything had gone Just right!" ilv - & ' Whenever you >vant a trip away for a, while, you must feel free to go." ' "I shan't want to go," said Aunt Grace quickly. "Not right away, of course," Pru­ dence agreed. "But you'll find our liveliness tiring. Whenever you do want to go--" "I don't think I shall want to go at all," she answered. "I like it here. I--I like liveliness." Then Prudence kissed her grate­ fully. For several weeks after her Initia­ tion in the parsonage, life rolled along sweetly and serenely. For ten entirfe and successive days the twins had lived blameless lives. Their voices rang out gladly and sweetly. They treated Connie with a sisterly tender­ ness and gentleness quite out of ac­ cord with their Usual drastic disci­ pline. They obeyed the word of Pru­ dence with a cheerful readiness that was startlingly ?herubimic. The most distasteful of orders called forth noth­ ing stronger than a bright "Yes, Pru­ dence." The twins read Mrs. Eddy's "Science and Health" and their amazing behavior in conse­ quence upsets the peace and quiet of the Methodist house­ hold. Prudence solves the prob­ lem. (TO BE CONTINUED.) WHERE "PEP" WAS NEEDED Secretary Daniels, Discussing Effi­ ciency, Relates Story of Girl's Ad­ vising Beau to Kiss Old Mare. Secretary of the Nqvy liautf«!s Is a firm believer in speeding Effi­ ciency Is the watchword of his Apart­ ment. A big navy can't be bulrt fast enough for him. And he was discuss­ ing efficiency and hfgh speed. He wants to cut out: red tape. "Discussion is well and good*" said Secretary Daniels, "but the main ques­ tion is whether it is idle talk or not. Is it practical or Is It foolish? Is it like Torkins and his girl? "Torkins, by the way, was out with his girl during the days before the au­ tomobile, when a young man who wanted to be popular would call on his girl with a horse and buggy to take her for a drive. You know, the faster the horse the better the impression. "Torkins, on his first call, took the girl for a long drive, and when they found themselves in the midst of a country road, he ventured for a kiss. " 'A kiss?' asked the girl. 'What good would a kiss do?' " 'Oh,' replied the embarrassed youth, 'it would make me feel gay and lively.' " 'Well, Charley,' the cold-blooded, unemotional damsel retorted, 'If it is as you say, and we expect to get any­ where before it's time to return home, you'd better get out and kiss the old mare once!'" CHAPTER II. Scipnce arid Health. After all, the udvent of a chaperon made surpnsingly little difference In the life of the parsonage family, but what change theie was was aN to the good. ThUr aunt assumed no active directorate over household mattersr. She Just slipped in, happily, unobtru­ sively, smiling much, saying little. The meoibers of the Ladles' Aid, Who hastened to call, said, "She is per­ fectly charming--such a fine conversa­ tionalist !" She was always attractively dressed, always self-posse»sed, always friendly, always good-natured, and the girls found her presence only pleasing. She relieved Prudence, admired Fairy, laughed at the twins, adored Connie, "Of course, Aunt Grace," Prudence told her sweetly, "we aren't going to be selfish with you. We don't expect you I to bury yourself in' the parsonage. The Serious Side. The summer is past, the harvest at Its end. What have you to show for your work? The days speed quickly, and "going to do it tomorrow" does not, get deeds done. "Work today," "do it now," are trite mottoes, but use­ ful admonition. Cloudy and chilly days come occa> slonally, reminding one that another season is at its close. What have you gained from your summer days? Is your body stronger, your mind fuller of stored knowledge, your soul grown to wider appreciation of the true things of life? Are you more human, more charitable? Have you a better understanding of the rights and needs of men? What memories have you stored up for future reflection during the long Winter nights? Recreation and entertainment have their rightful place In life, but serious thought must fill the mind or one will not grow. Not to advance means de­ cay, death. To be ever growing Is a necessity through life. *Put to ad­ vance, time must be given td the high­ er things In life. To what end are you speeding? What are your aims, your purposes?--Milwaukee Journal. William Had a Poser. "Good morning, children," said the arithmetic teacher. "How many of you have prepared an original prob­ lem in multiplication, as I requested?" Only one hand went up. "Well, William, you may give your problem and the rest of the class may solve it." "If my baby sister Is a year old now and weighs twenty pounds, and keeps on gaining two ounces a day until she is sixteen years old, and If the price of living doubles again in the next ten years, how much will my sister's grad­ uation outfit cost? Mother says she would like to know." Rights of Man. The superstitious awe, the enslaving reverence, that formerly surrounded affluence, is passing away In all coun­ tries, and leaving the possessor of property to the convulsion of acci­ dents. When wealth and splendor, in­ stead of fascinating the multitude, ex­ cite emotions of disgust; when, Instead of drawing forth admiration, it is be­ held as an insult upon wretchedness; when the ostentatious appearance it makes serves to call the right of It In question, the case of property becomes critical, and it Is only In a system of justice that the possessor can contem­ plate security.--Thomas Paine. Duties of Criticism. Justly to discriminate, firmly to e»- tabllsh, wisely to prescribe, and hon­ estly to award--these are the true alms and duties ot criticism.--Bimms, IMIMl'^Kk Consists of • tlves, Two Combination Baggage and .Passenger Coaches and .. On* Flat- Car. For uniqueness in appearance and in­ formality in service the Due West railroad is perhaps without an equal In the entire South, the Greenville (S. C.) News says. Although the engines, Nos. 2 and 3, are very small, and out of date compared with modern locomotives, they have a record that is enviable. On Christmas eve, In 1907, the same little engine that now does the major duty pulled the fast train over the new railroad. The first trip was made without any demonstration or show of any kind, and since that time It has Continued to perform its duty, never missing a day or a trip, except on the Sabbath/ when no train is run. Uses 1,000 Pounds of Coal Dally.. The rolling stock of the Due West railroad consists of two engines, two combination baggage and passenger •coaches and one flat car. Contrary to a report that has been widely cir­ culated, the engine is not put under a shelter at night, neither is It chained to the track, as others have stated. The engine and coach are not so treated. The engines are small, as has been stated, but are not narrow gauge. A comparison of the amount of coal con­ sumed by one of these engines with that used by a large, modern locomo­ tive Is interesting. Sixteen hundred pounds of coal are used each day on this road, while from 18 to 20 tons is the amount ordinarily consumed by a large locomotive in a day's time. When either engine (Nos. 2 and 3 are prac­ tically the same In every way) couples up to a box car it suggests an ant at­ tacking a mole-hill--but, like the ant, the engine "gets off' with the load. Never Had an Accident. Three or four things stand out as worthy of notice. First, the train has never been operated on Sundays. (One trip was made about two years ago to the town of Donalds In order to catch a train that a patient might be rushed to the hospital). Second, in that nine years of service not one person has been injured, either employee, passen­ ger or tramp, nor has the engine ever been turned since being placed on the tracks of the Due West railroad. The fact that the engine is always headed toward Due West may be due to the fact that It was just placed that way In the beginning or It may denote loy­ alty toward the place that is "home, sweet home." ~ Anyway, the engine has never turned its back on the town and the chances are that the town will never turn a cold shoulder to the railroad. Lastly, although perhaps that should have been stated first, the railroad owes nothing and yet it pays no dividends. It is self sustaining, and, In the lan­ guage of the president of the road, that is all that is desired. It was es­ tablished not only to prove but to ac­ commodate the public, and it is doing that dally, despite the derision of a great many. Trair* Stops Anywhere. The distance from Due West to Don­ alds is four and seven-eighths miles, or a fraction of a mile longer than the dirt road. In that distance there are several grade road crossings, and al­ though they may not be termed regu­ lar stops it is a rule of the road that anywhere a person desires to board the train is a stopping place. All that is necessary is to make the engineer understand that a passenger desires to get on and the train comes to a standstill. This is also in accordance with the policy of service, and no per­ son is denied the privilege of riding Just because that person failed to reach the depot In tlipe--the simple process is to cut across the fields to the track and beckon to the engineer to stop. After the passenger or pas­ sengers are taken on the train pro­ ceeds without any undue excitement. * Only Three Employees. * The employees of the road number three. J. T. Boland is the engineer, haying made the first trip over the road in 1907. John McDIU Is conduc­ tor. Mr. McDiU also runs the automo­ bile which is operated by the railroad company and which makes connections with the lnterurban cars. Jim Gilbaugh is the fireman. He also serves as switchman and brakeman, when one Is necessary. Mr. R. S. Galloway Is pres­ ident and chief owner of the railroad. Mr. Galloway was the founder of the road and he has the satisfaction of having established a road that has meant more than words can express to the section traversed by it. RAILWAY GATE IS AUTOMATIC Persons and Cattle Prevented From • entering Certain Territory Along Track by Guard. The Scientific American In illustrat­ ing and describing an automatic gate, invented by C. N. Jay Of Marlow, Okla., says: The invention provides a guard for railways to prevent persons and cattle from entering certain territory, so that trains and cars rnay be operated with­ out endangering life and property. The invention relates to a guard which is normally projected across the track and which is automatically withdrawn, below the surface of the road bed, by Automatic Guard for Railways. the train or car to admit of Its unob­ structed passage, the guard automat­ ically returning to operative position when relieved of the action of the train. AUTOMOBILE TO THE RESCUE Helping Out Railroads Unable to Pro* vide Transportation Demanded by United States. The patent inability of the railroads of the United States to provide the transportation demanded by the United States government as a result of the war and ordinary passenger and freight business, has brought the au­ tomobile and the motor truck to the rescue. The automobile factories are aiding the government in the produc­ tion of munitions and are planning fur­ ther aid by relieving the railroads of most of the transportation of automo­ biles from factory to -owner. After the automobile reaches the owner it gives further help by relieving the railroads of short-haul traffic and this hauling radius Is extending day by day. SIGNALS ON JAPANESE ROADS 8afety 8yatem Is Very Much 8imllar to That In Use on Different ( English Railways. The safety system on Japanese rail­ ways has very much in common with that in use on English reads. Traffic on main lines is handled exclusively under the block system, the manual block instrument being used on double- track lines and the tablet controlling block apparatus on single-track lines. The electric lines are protected by au­ tomatic signals of the Hall type. Sema­ phores are in general use on sidings. The important stations are provided with a mechanical interlocking sys­ tem, whll« at smaller, Intermediate stations, where traffic is not heavy, a very simple interlocking method is In use.--Railway Age Gazette. ------ BIG SHIPMENTS OF SUPPLIES RUSHED TO THE STRICKEN CITY OF HALIFAX Scene iu railroad yards at New York where immense shipments of sup­ plies were hurriedly loaded on trains to be sent to Halifax, N. S., for the Tellef of the thousands left homeless and destitute by the awful munition ship explosion and resulting conflagration. Install Electric Headlights. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad has commenced the Installation of elec­ tric headlights on all of Its locomo­ tives, totaling about 2,500. The Im­ provement will be made at the rate of from 75 to 100 engines a month. Telephone From Car. (Connections which permit a person to telephone from a moving street car to any other instrument in a city's tel­ ephone system have been patented by % I'hlladelphian. Locomotives for Franee. * Thirty locomotives a day are being made in the United States for use in France. They will incorporate the American verb "to hustle" In the French language when our work Is well under way over there. Don't Trespass on Trades. "A number of leading American rail­ roads are at present conducting a pub lielty campaign which has for Its ot* ject the warning of the public not to trespass on railroad tracks. fc \ ' One of the Best Ever Harvested. The cereal crop of Western Canada for 1917 was the most valuable one ever harvested; the returns from all classes of live stock have been equally satisfactory. The wool clip was not only greater than is any previous year, but the price obtained was double that of 1916, which in turn was almost double that of the year before. As was the case In 1915 and 1918, many farmers were able to pay for their land outrlgh, with the proceeds of their first year's crop. Further evi­ dence of the prosperity of Western Canada is shown by the fact that qnls in every twenty of the population Is now the owner of an automobile. Jf the farming community alone Is takeh, it will be found that the proportion df automobile owners Is still greater. The bank clearings of the leading cities of Western Canada were consistently higher than they were in the corre­ sponding periods of 1916, and then they were higher than the year preceding. In Winnipeg $500,000,000 more was cleared In the 11 months ending No­ vember 30 than in the same months • year ago. / r The entry of the United States Into the war has strengthened the bonds between that country and Canada. We are now working together for th^ Bame ends. Those who are not fighting are promoting a greater production of foodstuffs. In this connection Western Canada offers a wonderful opportu­ nity. Not only can larger quantities of staple foodstuffs be produced, but the cost of production is lower and the remuneration greater than where land Is more expensive. Notwithstanding the fact that the price cf farm prod­ ucts has doubled during the past three years, there are millions of acres of arable land in Western Canada which can still be bought at a low price. Western Canada has an enormous acreage prepared ii&r seeding to wheat In 1918. It is larger than In 1917, and will probably surpass the record area put Into crop In the year 1915, when the largest crop ever known in the West was harvested. The year 1918 should also see a further Increase ltt live stock activity. *> Farmers have been Investing consid­ erable sums In cattle; the high prices secured for wool and mutton have opened the eyes of Western farmers to the possibilities of sheep, and such was the demand for breeding animals last fall that it was impossible to meet It adequately; the campaign for greater hog production Is expected to yield an increase of between 25 and 50 per cent In 1918. Those who are contemplating coming to Western Canada cannot do better than come early In the spring when they can put in a crop and harvest it In the fall. In this way they will be able to achieve something that will not only be of great benefit to them­ selves, but also to the great cause for which the Allies, Including the United States, are now fighting.--Advertise­ ment WHERE HE DREW THE LINE Driver of Balky Horse Would Net Stand for Any Witticism Di- . rected at Quadruped. A horse, attached to a milk wagon deliberately tied up Herald square traffic recently by lying down in the middle of Sixth avenue and beginning what threatened to be a day-long sies­ ta, muses a New York writer. The driver went about his arrangements deliberately. Evidently the horse's fileep-walking proclivities were as a primer to him. The principal ingre­ dient of his preparations was a care­ fully selected torrent of language, and this soon brought an admiring crowd. But, as always in a crowd, there are those who know better. "Pull his tall," advised one, who wouldn't have dared do it himself. "Ever try build­ ing a fire under him?" suggested an­ other. "Make a noise like a carrot," said the third wise man. And then came, the blow that shattered the serenity of the driver. "Aw, get a real horse," sneezed an Individual. Then it was that the driver turned and lunged savagely about him. By the time the police arrived to scatter the crowd the driver already had It in flight. And to the police he explained in fierce tones his creed of loyalty: "Dey can kid me all they wanter, see? But when dey tries to start some- thin' about the horse--then I calls 'em. I won't stand for no man te kid xom horse. See?" Thought Cakes Fainted. Virginia loved to help her mother. One day her mother was making a special efTort to bake a prize cake for the church fair and Virginia was all Interest. The cake rose beautifully and appeared to be thoroughly done, but when ̂ removed from the stove it fell flat and had a sad streak through the center. Another cake was Immedi­ ately mixed in haste and little Vir- glnla's eyes grew large as she listened to her mother lamenting over the first sad cake that had fallen. The second baking proved the same as the first, but the third attempt resulted In a veritable triumph. Virginia, however, could not rally from the morning's tragedy, and when her aunt came over she exclaimed In great excitement: "Oh, auntie, mother made three ca|CM and two of 'em fainted." Economizing Time. "What will you have for dinner7* asked the affable waiter. "Go ahead and bring what you are serving today," replied the hungry man. "Don't make me guess." Had Similar Falling. " Mistress--It's only fair to warn jo% Bridget, that my husband swears a little sometimes. V Bridget--That's all right, mm. Be do L--Life. "Certainly," says the average "if all the tools were dead our id would soon become universaL" iM %»&£• •