McHenry Public Library District Digital Archives

McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL), 20 May 1896, p. 6

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e DADDY JOHN'S NEW CLOTHES THERE had been a royal tire in "Ruddy John's cabin, and there was still a great bed of glowing coals when his daughter Liz railed him Urn dinner. Daddy warmed his thin. Mhp hands at the fire and the sweet vtncll of the corn pone and the fra- gmnce of the coffee jvere very pit-as- •st to him. His old, wizened face .wrinkled into something meant for a snlle. •"The doctor woman's bar'l hes come!": fcp said. "f seen ft on Jule Fraley's wngou,'• .•jgqtjicd: Lia* her dark, weathor-lH-^u n firr^'JIgMing. "Come an' eat dinner, dad." she- ad% dL "Flo a-tnuuihY^qua verod the old man. r^ering forward and pulling along an nld splint chair. -'. • "Whar's 'thet piece: er, saddle blan- fcetT'he .croaked. > "1 bed it er ridin' Pomp." declared Bud.. • • < "Yon git it mighty quick." said hi? mother. Bad brought a tattered sheepskin which the old man carefully tolded in the- chair and then sat down. That part of Daddy John's apparel which came in contact with th% sheep ekio was so attenuated as to fabric "Mint the interposition of the worn fleece was most comforting. "I've .got" ter hev some new does, life," said Daddy, presently. She looked at Bud. "Bud wants some new clo'es powerful iMid. too. but he eats sech a heap, 'pears Bke 1 eayn't never git him noan." "Bud kin git erlong." said the old aian, testily. "Don't you reckon the doctor wom­ an's got clo'es in her bar'l?" asked Liz. "I reckon. But mebby tlier ain't nary thing fer me." "Ef you should go up thar " "I ain't er goin'," interrupted the old aaacu almost angrily. "Doctor wom­ an's al'ays been good ter we uns an I don't aim ter ax her fer ary thing. ' His feeble hands trembled as he' took up his torn hat. "She got plenty of everything." said Liz, sullenly. "It don't differ. I ain't goin"." Daddy John went out. "Dad al'ays wus er fool!" mused Liz. as she lit her pipe. "You go an' help yer granda-l pick --^ap-taters-^ she called to Bud. "Jest what I needed," he muttered, huskily. "You look very nice, Daddy. There's only one thing more, and here it la­ the finest, warmest coat in Buncombe County." „ ; . She held it up by the shoulders and drew it on. "Now, is not that a lovely coat?" He stroked the soft cloth gently, pull­ ing at the fronts with his stubby fiu- gers., , "It's lined with silk," said the (Joe- tor. "Daddy, I shouldn't know you." He looked dojyn at himself in a dazed way. Then he started. . . "I'd better go home nbw," he said, hurriedly. "I never had nary suit o' cifres afore. . God bless ye, doctor." He caught her hand. "I'm so glad to give them to you. Daddy," she said softly, with tears. ;• The next day Jule Fraiey came up to mend the roof and while he warmed himself at the fire he told uie story of Daddy's return home. "We wuz a pullin' corn, me an' Liz an' Bud, an' I see the old man er coin- in' down the hill, an' I says: 'Look yon, Liz! Is thet yer dad?' " 'Naw!' says Liz: "Thet ain't dad. Looks like ole Preacher Freeman.' "Sure nuff--he did look pint blank like ole Preacher Freeman. An' we watched 'im tell he crossed the branch, Jin' when he clim' up the bank he stag­ gered a bit--yer know daddy's mighty onstiddy on his legs--an' I knowed who hit was, an' I said: " ' 'Tis yer daddy, Liz.' An' Liz were plum outdone 'at she didn't know her own daddy," concluded Jule, indulging in one of those silent laughs peculiar to his.kind. He went up on the roof presently and tt1 doctor came out to overlook the work, always charmed in­ to lingering by the wonderful beauty of the landscape. The house sat upon one of the foothills of the great Appal­ achian range, east of the French Broad. Looking west one saw a wood­ ed, undulating country, rolling away to the valley and there stayed by the mas­ sive wall of a great mountain, that rose far into the blue. Along the mountain side the railroad made its way over high trestles and red oiay embank­ ments, and at times one caught the sound of the whistle, the rumble of wheels and saw the train rush along, small in the distance like a child's toy. All at once there was a shout and at the same instant a shot rang out. "Thar's a convict got off," cried .Tule, I saw him believed that the clothes would never be recovered, . .. 1 JACKSON IS TO HANG. Bud. sauntering lazily toward the po­ tato bank, saw somebody swinging along the mountain toward the cabin. "Thar's the doctor -woman's nigger I when the doctor appeared, ercoinin' atter you, grandad," ho called, jump off the train. Daddy ,Tohn set his spade down hard and leaned forward on the handle. "Comin' atter me? You'se a plum idjit. Bud." But he stared from under his shaggy Itrows and breathed hard as the hand­ some yellow woman came up. "Howdy. Sally!" I "Howdy, Daddy John. Bankin' up | y«r taters?'* "I reckon." He was shaking all over and felt sici*. "Got some permaters yit. daddy ? <5i* me some! I want a permater pie, I does." "Yis. yis," said the old man, shortly. "Doctor wants yon to come up 'lmr, daddy- She's got sumfin fer you'se out- iii her bar'l." "Yessum. I'll come atter I gits my faters done banked up." Sally started off with her tomatoes. "Tell her I'm obleeged to her," call 3d daddy's cracked voice. "What my missis wants to throw away good clo'es on that pore white trash fer, I don't know," grumbled Sal ly. "Me and Jake could er make use o* ail or them things." Daddy John went on with his work. "Ain't yer er goin', grandad?" cried Bud. "Yis. I'm er goin' right now." He toddled off to the cabin, washed bis hands at the porch and dried them «n a bit of burlaps. The doctor was watching for the old man. He gave a queer pull at his tattered hat brim as fee came near. "Howdy, Daddy John! I'm *ight glad to see you.® Gome in!" He stood at the edge of the hearth, gazing at the barrel. The doctor smil- cd. The doctor shivered. "And they didn't stop?" "Why, no, but the guard tired on him. They'll send a party back when they gits to Biltmore, an' offer $100 reward fer him, likely. Don't I wish I c'd git it." "Will he get caught, do you think?" "Your hat is getting pretty old. daddy. The brim is torn and there's such a big bole in the crown!" "Yessum. Hit's plum worn out, sure "Never mind/' said the doctor. "I Fiaresuch a nice cap for you," showing it to him. "Made of soft fur and with var lappets to tie down." The old face altered. It lost ten weary years. "Try it on, daddy! Now, is it not sice? You won't freeze your poor ears this winter." f "No, ma'am! Thankee, ma'am. 1 TOtkon I'd better go new." "Wait a bit. You need some shoe* daddy. Here are some--good ones." "Mighty fine shoes, mighty fine." mumbled'the old man. "Now, you need some soft warm Bocks. Here they are. You want to pat them on, don't you? Come in here. And now I must go--go--oh, yes--go to feed my chickens. But there's one thing more. Here is a nice pair of trousers!" "Doctor!" "IPs all right, Daddy! They will Just lit you, I'm sure." Such a droll figure awaited the doc­ tor's return. A little gray old man. his •mall spindle legs rattling around in Hie fine black trousers, his ragged, fad­ ed calico shirt abashed in such coin patty- looked at her speechleks, bis wrinkled face working. She smiled at him. r "I have a vest here for you, Daddy, and'I'll give you a clean white shirt to take home:" "Doctor!." the old man gasped. . "I cay n't " "Don't worry, Daddy. Try on the wrst.7 He put it on, tugging weakly at the •nitons. 1 * "I reckon. They gin'ally does. He's tuk ter the woods now. They al'ays does when they makes a bneak. But he'll git an outing, anyhow. Dog-goned ef 1 blame 'im." "Mr. Farley, where do they go when they escape like that?" "They lays in the woods. Mebby they know niggers that'll feed 'em and give 'em clo'es. They're al'ays in a mighty hurry to git shet o' their striped suit, an' ef they do sometimes they git away fer good." Daddy John came once to visit the doctor, wearing his new clothes, and then he paid visits to all his kinsfolks and old neighbors, and the queer, pa­ thetic figure in the fine black suit, weakly climbing over the hills, became a familiar sight. Then one night a terrible calamity befell, and the next morning it was known all over the settlement that "Daddy John's new clo'es 'at come in the doctor woman's bar'l had been stole." Horsemen riding to town drew rein and discussed the theft for hours. Ev­ ery other woman put on her sunbonnet and called on her next neighbor, and then the two went together to see Dad­ dy John. So it happened that when the doctor arrived she found the house so full that two of the women rose and sat on the floor to offer her a chair. There was a curious stillness in the house. One of the women whispered: •"Hit's just like a buryin', only thar ain't no corpse." Daddy John was sitting by the fire, huddled together, the picture of mis­ ery. "I've lost my new clo'es," he quaver ed. "I'm so sorry,ifDaddy John," said the doctor, taking his hard, bony hand. "I never had no new clo'es afore,' he croaked, piteously A few frosty tears dropped on his grizzled cheek. Liz took up a corner of her apron and wiped her eyes. All the other women dipped snuff. "They wuz sech fine clo'es!" mused the old man. "The coat hed a silk lln- in'. Doctor said it war silk. Ajt' the purtiest buttons!" . / "An* them clo'es could a' ben fixed up fer Bud when dad got done with em," said Liz. The old man paled with sudden pas­ sion. "I ain't er goin' ter git done with 'em!" he said, in a high voice. "Bud shan't hev 'em. Doctor woman give 'em ter me. I. never hed no new clo'es afore. But I ain't got 'em now. They're stole. He broke down into tearless sobs, that shook the old chair. -. "Don't cry, Daddy!" alr^Jie women called in unison, and they shed a few- perfunctory tears and passed the snuff­ box around. Out in the woods one frosty morning a heavy foot crushed into the dead leaves,, and a big chestnut, falling, struck the owner of the foot on the nose. He Raised his black face toward Jhe treetops. "Hi! *Dey's drappin' all de time now, an' deys a heap better'n co'n." He sat down in his tracks and filled his pockets and shirt-front, eating vo­ raciously the while. "Reckon I'd better be gwine now," he said presently. Rising, he picked his way', like a cat, through the underbrush, climbing con­ stant^' till he reached a spot where a huge bowlder cropped out and over­ hung the mountain side. Its crest com­ manded the whole valley, and its shelv­ ing underside made a cozy, shelter. Thick pines crowded up and concealed the entrance. The convict had been so sharply hunted that he had been un­ able to escape from the neighborhood, and it was in the boldness of desperar tion that he had chosen his retreat so near the State road that he could hear the voices of the country folk as they passed to and from town. "He sat down to cogitate. "Ef I could git word to Rosy, or git to Rosy, I'd be all right;'but, Lordy! I can't do nary one on 'em." ' -j. . > The train whizzed out from a cutting and whistled sharply as it tore along. The negro grinned with pleasure. He was so much a savage that this nomad­ ic existence, though hunted and tortpr- ed by fear, was sweet to him. "Howdy, gemmen!" he chuckled, as, peering through the pine boughs, he recognized some of his fellow-convicts on the train. "Don't you wish you was me? Plenty grub, heap o' new clo'es and no work to do. Ho, ho!" He rose and drew out a bundle, undid it. viewed its contents with a series of laughing explosions, and then present­ ly doffed his striped suit and arrayed himself anew. 4 "Mighty fine clo'es fer a fac'; cost a heap o' money." He softly patted his limbs, twisted his neck to get a glimpse of his back, and creased all his black face into one big smile. A mirror would have made his rapture perfect. "Rosy won't know me in dese yere. She'll tek me fer a preacher jest from confuuce." He changed back to his striped suit and tied up his bundle. A sharp wind sprang up and drove before it icy drops of rain. "Golly!" muttered the darky. "Ain't it cold? I'll resk a fire arter dark." Down to the doctor's farm everybody was hurrying to get the crops under shelter. The last load had gone in when Jule Fraiey looked up at the sky. The clouds were rolling up like a cur­ tain, showing the far mountains a deep, intense blue etched with an amber sky. "Durned ef it's going to storm, after all," said Jule. Suddenly he straightened himself. "Bud!" he called sharply. "Look yon--on the mountain. Ain't thet smoke?" Bud could see as far as an Indian. "Yes. Thet's smoke." "Ther' ain't no house thar?" "Naw. Nary house." Jule walked away briskly. Two hours later five men parted the umbrageous pines and tip-toed cautious­ ly toward a small opening under a great rock on the mountain side. A whiff of warm air stole out to them. A great bed of coals glowed redly, and, with his feet to the fire, a negro in convict dress lay sound asleep. The men had their guns ready. One pointed his piece upward and a shot tore through the tree tops. The negro was on his feet in an instant. "We've got you!" said one. He looked from one to the other and his dark face grew a shade lighter. I surrender, gemmen!" he said, calmly. Shortly after this event Daddy John reappeared in his new clothes. He wrore them almost constantly for a few weeks, and then they were suddenly re­ tired from public observation, and Dad­ dy went about looking as if the scare­ crow in the cornfield had stepped down from his perch and toddled off to seek winter quarters. The doctor was puz­ zled. When, at last, she questioned Jule Fraiey, Jule shook his head mys­ teriously. "I reckon I kin tell yer ef yer won't be put out about it." "Well, well! Do so!" "I reckon," in a hushed voice, " 'at he's keepin' of 'em ter be buried in."-- New York Tribune. JURY FINDS HIM GUILTY O F M URO ER. ' One of the Sla.vers of I'carl Iiryau Con­ victed ,of the Atrocious Crime--How the River and Harbor Bill Appropri­ ations Are Distributed. Speedy. Justice in Kentucky. Scott Jackson wtis found guilty at New­ port, Ivy., of the murder of Pearl Bryan and Tils" punishment was fixed at death. The jury entered and was ordered to re­ main standing. Judge Helm asked if they had agreed, and Foreman Murty Shea announced that they had. The court warned the spectators against any demon­ stration, no matter what the verdict, and instructed the clerk to read: "We, the jury, find Seott Jackson guilty of the murder of Pearl Bryan, and fix his pun­ ishment at death." Immediately there was an uproar. Sev­ eral persons clapped their hands in ap­ proval, despite* the judge's warning. Sher­ iff Plummer rapped for order and the-offi­ cers fiercely jumped to their feet to find the offenders, but no attention was. paid to them. Ail eyes were riveted on Jack­ son. He gave a sudden startVwh'en the words condemning him to death fell on his ears. He turned an ashen color, hut thirty second* la ter %va s h is -old -self-itgairi. Jackson was seen in his cell shortly" af­ ter his removal from the court room. There he showed the first signs of weak­ ening. His face was blanched and pinch - SCOTT JACKSON, Ml'RDEREK. ed and his voice husky. He talked with a lump in his throat. He asserted that he had established a complete alibi and there was not a single reason why lie should be convicted. While he talked he could scarcely suppress the tears. It was the first sign of real weakening shown since his arrest. Alonzo Walling, his al­ leged accomplice, said on hearing the ver­ dict: "Why, he is guilty, and it's only right that he should hang." The Bryan family--the father and two sons--were delighted with the verdict. They speak highly of Kentucky and Ken­ tucky justice. They shook hands with Texas i.. 1,403,853 Ohio :...... .VW..' 1,354,000 •Wisconsin 168,737 Minnesota .~... 3;080,553 California ................. 4,006,000 Washington I.. 980,00C Rhode Island • • , 707,000 Pennsylvania . . . ........... 894,500 West Virginia ............. 1,200,000 T e n n e s s e e • . . . . . • 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 "Kentucky , 1,346,000 Mississippi 860,000 Michigan • • 1,065,000 Illinois 6,360,960 Ohio river 2,807,250 Mississippi river 13,400,000 Oregon ..... 4,664,000 Grand total. ; $64,211,760 The following table shows the river and harbor appropriatlons-for the last twelve years: , 1885 $14,948,300 00 1886 .... 1S87 14,464,900 00 1888 '*_•...... 1889 ..... ... ..'. ..' '.. 22,410,791 69 1890 500,000 00 1891 25,292,395 00 1892 2,951,200 00 1893 . 22,068,218 00 1894 .. ... 14,181,153 00 1895 . 20,055,005 30 1896 ... .<11,452,115 00 Total ..$148,324,077 99 AN EX TR A OR D IN A R Y RACE When the Sextet Bicycle Goes Against the Empire State Expressi One of the most .extraordinary races on record is scheduled for-the 5th of June., Oh that date six athletic cyclis.s, headed by Dah.Cabanne, of St-Louis, all riding on one machine, called a "sextuplef," will endeavor to beat the-Empire State Ex­ press, which is the fastest railway train iifcjhe world, The race is to be over one mile, at a point where the huge flying lo­ comotive may safely crowd on its great­ est speed. In order to test the claims of the makers of the "sextuplet," that, with their machine, the unaided muscles and sinews of man can carry him niore rap­ idly than the most perfected application of the powers of steam, a five-mile track is to be laid at the side of the New York Central Railroad, near Poughkeepsie, and here the test will be made. It is necessary that the track should be five miles in length, as the full speed of the sextuplet cannot be attained in less than two miles, and it takes two more to come to a stop so that the six riders may alight safely. The race will, therefore, be over the third or center mile of the track. The start will be so timed that both train and cyclisfs will commence the racing mile together and then both will be sent along at the utmost speed. The sextuplet is a bicycle in every sense of the word. It has only two wheels, but it has seats and pedalling gear for six riders. In the hands of the front man only is the steering apparatus. The whole machine is built of aluminum, and though it is 156 inches long over all, with a wheel base of 125 inches, it only weigh.s 137y2 pounds. The machine is said to be such that it could bear a weight of 20,000 pounds. It. is, geared to 19(1 THE L IO N ' S S HARE. Ha pplly Thie^Kiiad of Marital" Chivalry Is Scarce. ^ well-dressed, respectable-looking man--we will not mention his national­ ity---traveling witli his wife iu a remote quarter of England, was delayed by defective railway service, and was un able to reach his destination until i0 o'clock, in the evening. He had left the railway train at a small station where there was no res|aui*ant, and had hired a coach to carry him with his wife and his baggage to the little village where he was to spend the night. When the travelers drew up at the old-f.ishioned inn in the village street they were very weary and faint with hunger. They had eaten nothing since their early breakfast. - As soon as the rooms had befen en­ gaged and the baggage properly stow­ ed, the husband sent for the portly landlord and said: ^ "We are the hungriest pair you ever saw. We have lost our train connec­ tions, and beer, delayed at stations Where food was not served. For this reason we have had neither luncheon nor dinner. Now you must do your best for us.'* We want a hearty supper." The landlord murmured that, it was very T^te, and he had not been expecting any one to arrive, but that he would go down and talk with the cbok. He re­ turned in ten minutes with a troubled face. „ - - •.... ' "You have taken us by surprise," he said with an apologetic air. "The mar­ ket stalls are closed and nothing can be had in the shops at this hour. This is only a modest, .quiet country inn. I have been talking with the cook and find that the pantries are quite empty." "Have you no meat?" asked the anx­ ious husband in a tone of irritation. "I regret to say," answered the land­ lord* "that there is only one mutton- chop in the house, but I think that is a good sized one." The husband glanred at his wife and then stared at the landlord. "What is my wife to have?" he asked grimly after an nwkivard pause. The matter-of-fact way in which this lord of creation appropriated for his exclusive use' the only chop, revealed his idea of the relations of the sexes. The stronger half of the family was to be served first, whatever might be the necessities of the weaker half. Of course, the affectionate wife pro­ tested that she was not very hungry and wobld be satisfied with a little toast and tea, as she needed sleep more than any thing else. The brute ate the chop and grumbled when he finished it because his hunger was not satisfied. This true Incident makes a very un­ satisfactory study of "the kind of marital chivalry that is sometimes found in this closing decade of the nineteenth eenturv. COMING RACE BETWEEN A BICYCLE AND EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS. each other on hearing the finding of the jury. The news of the conviction created the most intense excitement in Greencastle, Ind., the home of Miss Bryan. The news spread, over the city rapidly, and men, women and children were soon upon the streets discussing it. The public, schools were just opening for the afternoon ses­ sion when the tidings came over the wires, and the pupils could not be restrained, but joined the crowd upon the streets, and were soon followed by their teachers. A Public Reservoir. I saw an interesting sight while in Venice. Entering a little square shut in by high houses, and, like most Ve»e- tian squares, dominated by the unfin­ ished facade of a time-stained church, I noticed a singular activity among the people. They were scurrying in from every alley, and hastening from every house door, with odd-shaped copper buckets ou hook-ended wooden bows, and with little coils of rope. Old men and women, boys, and girls, all gathered closely about a covered well curb in the middle of the square; and still they hurried on, until they stood a dozen deep around it. Pres­ ently the clock in the church tower slowly struck 8, and a little man forced his way through the crowd, passed his ponderous iron key through the lid, and unlocked the well. There immediately ensued a scene of great activity. The kettles went jan­ gling Into it, and came slopping out again at an amazing rate, and the people trudged off home, each with a pair of them swung from each shoul­ der. The wells are deep cisterns, which are filled during the night, and it is out of amiable consideration for those who love their morning nap that they are given as good a chance as their neighbors of getting an unsoiled sup­ ply. It is the first instance that has come to my notice of a commendable municipal restraint upon the repre­ hensible practice of early rising. I found, on closer investigation, that the water was of excellent quality. R IV ER A N D HARBOR BILL. How the Appropriations of This Great Measure Are Distributed. The river and harbor bill passed by the Senate the other day is the largest river and harbor bill in the history of the na­ tion. It appropriates $75,000,000, of which more than $12,000,000 is for im­ mediate use and nearly $63,000,000 for continuing contracts. The appropriations have been skillfully distributed among the States. New York gets the largest sum of the direct appropriations, but Illi­ nois secures the largest authorization for the future, her share thereof being over $6,000,000, or one-tenth of the whole. The bill as passed by the Senate con­ tains appropriations as follows: Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island . . Connecticut .. New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland District of Columbia Virginia West Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia .. i Florida Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Texas Arkansas . . .., Tennessee inches. If the men to ride it can turn their pedals three times each second, as is hoped, the train record for a mile will be beaten 2 2-5 seconds. There are four sprockets used in gearing, so that at each revolution of the pedals the bicycle moves ahead 42 feet. The friends of the sextet claim that with good riders the "bike" will prove that it is the fastest method of locomotion on earth. AN IRISH CLERGYMAN. Rev. Crawford Johnson, Who Spoke in Chicano on Wesley Day. Rev. R. Crawford Johnson, who spoke at the Wesley day celebration in Central Music Hall, Chicago, is an Irish clergy­ man who preaches to a charge in Belfast, yet he is neither Roman Catholic nor Episcopal. An Irish cleric Who is not Anglican or Roman Catholic is a rarity, but Mr. Johnson is a Methodist. He has a fine church in Belfast and is one of the most attractive preachers in the Emerald Isle. He is native Irish, born in the County of Antrim, which is in the north- There! Hew? I am sick with thinking and with- jt dreams: With memories of struggles, lately past. Here come to me the town's sharp, fretful • streams ' Of jarring sounds--that all sweet sounds outlast. There in the wood's shut heart is spa­ cious calm; And vast, deep silence; and sweef spicery -- v. Shed downward from the dusky pines like balm-- Good to sad souls that ache for sym­ pathy. There,, from the open mouth of one cool r spring, " • /•.-'• v- The gurgling laughter breaks in silvery streams-- . ' t - • Too soft to mock the quiet of a human thing, Beside it resting from late fever- dreams. There vague, fresh airs uplift, like finger-" tips, '; " • ; ' " The matted eurls ifrom off the throbbing .• 'brain"; • And vapory kisses, from the mist's light . • lips, ' Dissolve upon t- cheek in fine, sweet . rain. There is green shadow, shot with threads of gold-- Too mellow-toned to strain an aching eye-- And there a heavei. of bluets, on a wold Far up the sloping hillside that lies by. There can one catch, too--prone in emer­ ald gloom-- , Semblance of dawn; rose billows, foam­ ing fair,^ Of a peach orchard -. full of clustered bloom / That blows pink flakes afar--Would I were there! --Lulu Ragadale, in Harper's Magazine. "You don't use terbaceo in any f/otan, do yer, doctor?" asked one. C~" ^ The doctor admitted that she did not, and they looked steadily at her, trying to realize the phenomenon. Weeks passed and Daddy still eroorted over the fire in utter dejection. Old age, poverty and loneliness, unhappy trio, were his sole companions. It was now Insects on Hawaii. Prof. Albert Koebele, of California, has made a three years' contract with the Hawaiian Government to destroy the insect pests of the islands. His method is to get insects harmless to man to kill noxious insects. Kentucky Ohio Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Indiana Illinois Mississippi river Missouri (State) Missouri river .. Montana - California Oregon Idaho Washington Surveys $251,500 25,000 15,000 424,000 149.HOO 267,000 823,500 193,660 337,500 184.160 492,800 25,000 324,000 37,500 242,000 154,000 235,000 578,000 314,000 • 55,400 258,000 252,000 233,000 307,000 156,000 741,000 572,150 3(58,440 127,000 103,500 280,000 1,564,000 275,000 350,000 35,000 626,550 506,390 33,000 335,000 200,000 A school teacher.goes through a book or newspaper lookiiig for grammatical errors with as much fierce Interests a mother goes through her boy's bead. Total $12,561,850 The bill contains provisions authorizing continuing contracts as follows: Maine *••••„ $1,570,500 Massachusetts ..... 1,145,000 New York' 3,655,558 Delaware 4,885,846 South Carolina ......o. ...... 1,996,250 Georgia 3,572,500 Louisiana 1,488,250 REV. R. CRAWFORD JOHNSON. ern end of tlie island. He has devoted most of his life to pastoral work in his native land and has spent his life in Ire­ land, with the exception of the years he gave to culture, study, and thought in Didsbury College, which is hard by Man­ chester. About six years ago Mr. John­ son was given charge of the city missions in Belfast in order to reach the masses, and his work there has been a fiue success. He preaches in a great auditorium called Grosvenor Hall and is the leading man in the "forward movement" in Ireland. This movement aims to lift the masses by giv­ ing them libraries, reading rooms and training schools. During his stay in America Dr. Johnson will look into kin- Not New. Much of the slang considered new by those who depend upon current chat rather than books for information, is in realitjr old. A young man was show­ ing his country cousin around the city. He told him all the latest stories, had sprung all tlie latest gags, ha^i shown him all the sights that are supposed to interest the bucolic visitor, and in the meantime was dropping all of the latest slang phrases. He emphasized each and repeated it a time or two, in order to impress it upon the listener, who presently observed that city peo­ ple seemed to use a great many old slang phrases.^"Well," said the other, in surprise, "you're a good thing, I don't think. We are " "There you go again. If that expression isn't an oldfbfaestnut. I don't know what is. Why, Dickens wore those out half a century ago. Noddy Biflin regarded himself as a good thing, and Tom Pinch, quoting John Westlock, said: 'I am a nice man, I don't think.' It strikes me you are a few years be­ hind the times." The .voting man de­ cided to read Dickens and find some­ thing new. Kasily Managed. Sheep are not commonly regarded as beasts of burden, but in a large part of Northwest India thousands of sheep carrv for many miles the commodities purchased by the sale of their- own wool. The load for each sheep is from sixteen to twenty pounds. The sheep are driven from village to village with the wool still growing, and in each town the farmer shears as much wool as he can sell there, and loads the sheep with the grain which he receives in ex­ change. After his whole flock has been sheared lie turns it towards home, each sheep having on its back a small bag containing the purchased grain. An American Dodo. She was an extremely pretty young woman and distinctly undomestic in her tastes; she consequently found tlie baby very wearing. Her husband's finances made it im­ possible to have a nurse, but she did not propose to stop at home just for that baby! A bright idea came to her. She put the infant in a bureau drawer, leaving a crack open to give it air, and sallied gayly forth. She has been divorced twide siuce then. The baby, strange to relate, still survives.--New York Journal. Sunflowers. As a plant tlie sunflower has no supe­ rior for vigor, rapid growth and pro­ lific yield of seed, leaves and stalk, all of which can be utilized. In China a valuable fiber, used in silk weaving, is obtained from the stalk, and they are of service as fuel and a source of pot­ ash. The Orientals mix their tobacco with cured sunflower leaves, and make a yellow dye from the flowers, which are also rich in honey and wax. The sunflower grows riotously in the United States and stands all extremes of weather well. It is worthy -of genera) cultivation. The OM Barn. Low, swallow-swept and gray, Between the orchard and the spring, All its wide windows overflowing hay, And' crannied doors a-swing, Tlie old barn stands to-day. Deep in its hay tlx® Leghorn hides A round, wnite nest; and, humming soft On roof and rafter, or it3 log-rude- sides* Black in the sun:shot loft, The building aprnei glide?. (•*%"$& V - / Along its corn-crib, cautiodsly> : * • As thieving fingers, skulks' the rat; Or, in warped stalb of fragrant timothy, Gnaws at some loosened slat, Or passes shadowy. A dream of drouth made audible Before its door, liot, smooth, and shrill All day the locust sings * * * What other spell Shall liolu ii, lazier still, Than the long day's, now tell?-- Dusk and the cricket and the strain Of tree-toad and of frog; and stars That burn abov the rich west's ribbed stain; And dropping pasture bars, And cow bells up the lane. Night and the moon and katydid, And leaf-list of the wind-touched boughs And mazy shadows that the fire-flies thrid; And sweet breath of the cows; And the lone owl here are hid. --Madison Cawein. Tying the Knot. ^ • At a Babylonish wedding ceremony .the priest, it is said, took a thread from the garment of the bride and an­ other from the garment of the bride- dred institutions and take back with him „room an(j tied them into a knot, which --ha ^ ^T(J t0 tiie bride. This is prob- A Sonnet. Come, sweetest spring! Too long hath winter old Held o'er the frozen earth his cruel sway; Too long hath Bore is liad his blust'ring way, And chilled our hearts with his embraces bold. The snows yet lie on plain and mountain cold, The trees lift up bare branches to the day, The fettered waters fret at thy delay, The songful birds their presence still withhold. Oh, come! replace the icy northern blast With balmy zepnyr3 blowing o'er the lea; Melt the dre.ar snow; bid flowers spring at last, Crocus and vi'let; set the waters free; Clothe the bare trees; and bring on joy­ ous wing The bluebird and the robin, sweetest spring! --F. F. Harding, in Brooklyn Standard- Union. His Sweetheart. Mj sweetheart--she just loves me through every shining day; She's a rose to me in winter an' the sweet­ est rose in May; , I never mind the seasons; they're always fair to see; » A rainbow's in the heavens, for my sweet­ heart--she loves me! -> My sweetheart--still she loves me; no matter where I roam, I see her eyes, like bright blue skies, that woo an' win me home; And never where my footsteps stray- wherever I may be, Will any skies seem dark, for still my sweetheart--she loves me! My sweetheart--she just loves me! I see in her bright eyes All that I've heard of heaven, and it'* nearer than the skies! The seasons change, but what to me ia fruit of flower or tree When we go through life together, and cay sweetheart--she loves me' --Atlanta Constitution. A Dream Dreamed Over. The music was throbbing and pulsing; The flowers and the palms and the light In smooth, waxed floors were reflected That glorious gala ntght. With the fragrance of roses about her^ In her dainty, pure white gown/ t She was, as he whispered to her, ' "The prettiest girl in town." - i She smiled and flushed and denied it. As a pretty girl must do, But by her heart's deep contentment She knew that he thought it true to Belfast whatever^improvements he thinks can be adopted with profit. The doctor's Wife and son accompany him. Consul Read, the chairman of the Cheng-Tu commission, has succeeded in securing payihent in full of the Baptist missionary claims for property" losses in the Se-Chuen riots. i ° 1. Simon Schultmann, arrested in Los"An­ geles, lias confessed to the burning of several stores in Denver and other cities. This is aoly the origin of the modern saying about tying the knot with regard to marriage. ^ £ How we love a woman who remem­ bers compliments that have been paid bar husband years ago! Nature knows what it is about; it is the little girls, and not the boys, who want ta "hold the baby." And they danced to the thrilling O, life was rapture then-- When she was the prettiest girl in town And he was the first of men! They parted with anguished sorrow; Time cleared the clOutfed sky; But at last night's ball she lived again In the charmed days gone by. His son and her daughter were dancing, The girl in a pure white gown, And she heard him say, as they passed her, "You're the prettiest girl in town!" --Oakland Echoes. "I hate a man who chews tobacco but I chew."--Parson Twine.

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