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mm KANE CREEK was a railroad crossing on the S. & C. C. Rail­road, about two miles from the Btvision terminal at Mercer . It was in the midst of a scrubby pine forest, with a sandy road crooking out from the trees on one, side and into the trees on the other. There were only two or three houses, a little general store with ft porch like the visor of a military cap, and a school house, all arranged in a Bcraggly row along the railroad track. A dozen trains whirled through Kane Greek every day with only a shriek of greeting and a whipping wake of fine band. Only two of them paid the slight­ est attention to the girl in a blue ging­ ham dress who stood in the little ob­ servation window. One of them was the way freight which stopped at Kane's every time it came along while the conductor handed the girl a bundle yellow j>apers and received another Hke it in return. The other was the night express, westward bound from St Paul, and running at forty miles an hour. It was a splendid train--ten cars, with the finest engine on the road, big No, 60G. As its glaring eye flashed around the bend in the direction of Mercer the girl in the gingham dress •ften thought of the great train as a powerful and ferocious beast snorting and roaring westward ou a race with the sun. It was a beast, but it was well trained, and she knew the hand that trained it. When the train was a mile away there were always two blasts on the whistle. Every one else In Kane's thought they meant simply, "Wake up, lo&k out!"--for that is what all locomotives say at every crossing-- but the girl in the gingham dress heard "Hello, Polly," and darted out on the platform and waved her handkerchief. As the great train thundered nearer a hand was thrust, from the engineer's Window, and, although it was usually dark, she could see the flutter of some­ thing white, and oftentimes as the en­ gine darted past the station she heard the blurred souud of a voice and caught the glimpse of a grimy face and a blue jean jacket And then she went back to her place in the little station with a «igh of deep contentment. For it was a moment of great joy to (Polly Marshall when her fathers en­ gine went through. Polly was the sta­ tion agent at Kane Creek--any one could have told that a woman presided In the little depot, for was there not always a bouquet in the window and dainty pictures surrounding the grimy time tobies on the walls, and a kitten curling upon the doorstep? At 17 Polly had gone in as assistant to learn te- 'Ifegraphy and when Clark, the agent, was called to Mercer the company had lfeft the independent girl in charge. She and her father lived in one of the wood­ en houses a stone's throw back from the depot, and since Polly's mother died they had been everything to each other, v Engineer Marshall was a big, silent man, and his companions, some of them, thought him gruff and ill temper­ ed, but to Polly he was always tender as a kitten. Often when she was a lit­ tle girl he took her down with him to Mercer on his engine, and while she sat on his black leather seat at the cab window, clinging on with both hands, he explained to her how the big black creature under them was started and stopped, what this brass crank was for, and how, when the engine squeaked here or squealed there, a little oil was needed' in this cup or in that crevice. And Polly had learned to know an en­ gine as well as she knew the neat little pantry in the house at home. Indeed, she had more than once managed the levers and the throttle, although it was very heavy work for a girl to do. It was one night late in the fall that Polly Marshall had need of all her knowledge of engines. She was sitting at her desk in the little observation window, a shaded light throwing its rays down on her telegraph instru­ ments and the sounder clicking sleepily. Suddenly she was startled by the sud­ den call of her number. Instantly her fingers sought the keys, and she gave the answer that signified that she was all attention. "Look out for " clicked the sound­ er, and then it suddenly ceased, and try as she would Polly could get no further swarming around the engine, she heard fierce oaths, and then the engine start­ ed up again. She saw in an instant that it had been cut free from the train. In the cab window, where her father usually stood, there was a big, unfamil­ iar figure managing the lever and throt­ tle. Terrified, Polly sprung to one side into a clump of bushes. As the locomo­ tive passed her on its way up the track she saw that the man in the cab wore a black mask on his face, and then she knew what had happened. She under­ stood why Pinckney had tried to warn her and failed. Robbers had held up the train and were preparing to rob the express car. 0 For a moment Polly was torn with doubt and terror. Had they shot her father? She knew that he never would submit to have his train captured with­ out a struggle. Should she go to him? Then she remembered her station artd the telegraph, and without a moment's delay she was flying down the track toward the depot.. . She would send for help to Mercer. But squarely in front of the little depot the locomotive stop­ ped and the black-masked man sprung from the cab window and darted across the platform. Hardly thinking what she was doing, Polly ran up on the other side, the fireman's side of the engine, and, raising herself up, peered into the cab. She had half expected to see her father's dead body lying on the floor, forj she had heard much about the terrible doings of train rob­ bers. "" Through the cab window she could see the robber sitting at her own little desk in the depot sending a message. It flashed over her all at once that he was w iring Mercer that the express was delayed, thus preventing any alarm. The robber had pushed up his mask and she saw him plainly. What should she do? She dared not enter {tlie office, and she, a mere girl, could be, of no, service where the rob­ bers were making their attack on the train. If only she had the little revolv­ er that lay in the drawer of her desk- she set her teeth as she thought what she would do with it. At that moment three shots rang out, Engineer Marshall was not badly hurt, and he was able to be in iftercer when the general manager of the road thanked the blushing Polly officially and offered a new and better position in Mercer. And of course all the pas­ sengers and express messengers heard about Polly's brave deed and said a great many pleasant things about her, but Polly, being a sensible girl, only blushed and said that she had to do it, and that any other girl would have done the same under like circumstan­ ces--which no one believed, of course. I Later, when the robbers were cap­ tured, Polly was able to identify one of them positively--the one who had run the engine--^.nd through him the entire party was convicted and sentenc­ ed to the penitentiary.--Chicago Rec­ ord. CLEVER ADVERTISERS IN PARIS. Even Quick-witted Americana Blight Be Given Pointers. The recently notorious Barrison sis­ ters first came into notice as an adver- - tisement of a play, "The Fairy's Well," run by Owen Ferree in New York, and while hardly more than babes were seen every day riding in an Irish jaunt­ ing car through the streets of New York. That was ten years ago. All these methods are common enough in the States, and much more frequently used than such of the public as is not familiar with the business section of the city knows. . Now hear how it is done in France: "To-day," writes a Paris correspond­ ent, "on the boulevards I came across a wedding party, which, to my aston-< ishment, drove up in a splendidly ap­ pointed equipage and alighted in front of a fashionable restaurant. The men were in evening dress. The bride had on her orange blossoms and veil; a pret­ ty bride she was too. Everything about the party was au fait. They took their seats on the terasse and, of course, a crowd at once began to gather near them, for while bridal parties are not an uncommon sight in Paris, still, as a rule, the blushing bride hides herself discreetly in some far-off, obscure res­ taurant, father than flaunt herself In the face and eyes of the boulevards. Sipping their absinthe, the party ehat- ted and laughed and the gaping people about them drank in every word. They talked in unconscious audlbleness, andi every word they said was simply a glorification of the Montmartre eafe. That done they passed on to their next stand," : H "HE STOPPED AND FIRED, THE BULLET RIPPING THROUGH THE CAB.' clear and distinct, from the detached train. The man at the telegraph instru­ ment sprung to his feet and ran to a side window io^he waitmg room and looked up the tr»k. f Now was her chance. " Hardly think­ ing what she did. Polly sprung to the engineer's side of the cab, threw back the reverse lever and opened the throt­ tle steadily. The big steel:wheels be­ gan to turn, very slowly at first. Far­ ther and farther the throttle opened and faster and faster turned the wheels, and yet they did not go half fast enough to stiit Polly, who was no-re glancing fearfully over her shoulder. Suddenly the depot door was thrown open and she saw the robber darting up the track. He had his pistol in hia hand. He was pointing it at her anrt DOMESTIC LIFE. OUSEKEEPING has its trials, no doubt; but systematic work, and a determination not to fret over little things, will go far toward lightening them. Every woman should make it the aim and purpose of her life to attain perfection in her home. A day for mending, a day for washing, another for ironing, for sewing, and so on, and at once the work becomes simplified and less of a hardship. "Oh, dear me, to-morrow is washing day! How I hate it!" This is a common say­ ing, and there is nothing very wrong about it, for no one will assert that washing is an agreeable pastime. Yet it must be done, so it is worse than use­ less to fret over it; as a consequence every sensible woman should deter­ mine to look on the bright side of the washtub and soapsuds. Make a few good rules and keep them. Determine not to put the whole house in disorder and to make everyone else miserable, because the clothes must be washed, the bread baked, etc. Suppose dinner is to be served at a certain hour, and dear husband forgets all about it and arrives in the best of humor when ev­ erything is cold. Don't cry and scold, but make the best of it. He will enjoy his cold meat if hot words are not served with it. We all know women who are constantly finding fault with something or other, and Who are nev­ er happy unless there is something to scold about. But every such little wor­ ry, every harsh word, every disagree­ able look, makes life {harder, and but deepens the lines of trouble about the eyes and mouth. There are plenty of real troubles to be met with, without allowing household cares to become a source of torment. For a Garden Fete. ^ There is no better chance to. show a beautiful gown in all its daintiness and grace than at a garden party. The girl among the sunflowers wears a costume of golden brown, ivory and; yellow. The skirt is accordion plaited silk of the first mentioned color; the corsage is soft and ivory satin, with yoke of net and impieoements of lace over canary- colored satin. Yellow ribbon and am­ ber buckles further decorate the bod­ ice, and the hat, a broad, picture af­ fair, is trimmed with folds of yellow chiffon. shouting for her to stop. But the en- eommunication with the station next to j gine was now going at good speed, and, the eastward. What could the trouble i run as he would, the robber could not be? What was she to look out for? | catch it. But he stopped and fired, the Polly sprung to her feet, remembering ; bullet ripping through the cab cover that the night express, of which her father was engineer, was the next train due. Could anything be the matter? She ran out on the dark platform to see that her lights were all in place and that the switches were properly set, so that the express would slip past the station without an accident. Then she went back and called up Mercer. "Can you get Pinckney ?" she asked. Pinckney was the station which had sent, her the warning dispatch so mys­ teriously interrupted. She knew the operator at Pinckney well--every night he told her of the approach of her fath­ er's train, and whether or not it left his station on time. "Pinckney quiet; can't get answer," was the report of the wires. "What's the trouble?" Polly answered as well as she could. Her father's train was now due. It should be whistling cheerily at the low­ er bend. Polly stepped out on the plat­ form and peered up the track. Yes, there was the familiar headlight--she would have known it among a hundred. Then came the whistle. "Hello. Polly," and Polly ran back into her office much relieved and sat down to warn Mercer. At that instant she heard a peculiar cracking sound that sent her heart quivering deep in her bosom. Then there was the shrill scream of the loco- Inotive whistle, suddenly interrupted, as if the hand that had drawn the lever had been struck from its place. Polly knew it was a cry of distress. It seem­ ed to say, "Help," iu a long, tremulous wail. Instantly Polly darted outside and fiew up the track. Already the ex­ press should have thundered past the station, but she could see its headlight a hundred yards or more away. The train had stopped. With a hundred terrifying questions flashing through her mind, Polly ran ©n through the gloom. When she was almost within range of the big head­ light she saw a half dozen armed men above Polly's head. The engine was now tearing down the track at fjull speed. Polly knew that It must bt fired, or'it Wpuld not go fa?, and so,;-.leaving th^jihrottle open, she sprung to the coal pit, flung open the fire hole, and with the heavy shovel in her small white hands threw in load after load of coal. When she returned to her place; she could see the first sig­ nal light Of Mercfer -Olready blinking Into view. She pulled down on tic whistle cord and the engine shrieked its distress.4* $?/•'," '.1. Five minutes later Polly-strained at the heavy reverse lever, turned hard on the air brake and,brought the great iron horse to a suddetri standstill. How she ever managed to stammer the story she never knew, but in a few minutes the engine \v:is headed back with half a dozen armed men aboard of her. Ice­ land them came a.nother load of men on a switch engine and |wo men were rac­ ing up the street of1 Mercer calling the alarm. . ',i >: I ' I. ' :oi They heard firing beforo?they. reached Kane Creek, but it ceased Woon after­ ward. The robbers had gone. They had taken with them, inuch plunder from the passengers, ,lhjt they had not been able to get into the express safe, although they were at work drilling it open when relief came. Ffom the time that the engine stop ped Polly was missing. When the res cued and excited passengers and ex­ press messengers began to crowd around and inquire the Mercer men re membered her. .> A party of them went out to find the gifrl whpfjijad brought help to the beleaguered train. In a little clump of bushes they heard a man moaning, and an instant later they saw Polly kneeling in the sand with her father's head in her lap, cry ing bitterly. And they gathered up the brave engineer and his daughter and carried them down to. the train, cheer , ing all the way. ul- Yet even that has not yet discounted the manner in which Yvette Guilbort was advertised last year. At that time* during the racing season, long light overcoats became the fashion in France --those startling affairs that reached to the heels, and only became slight and elegant figures, although in Paris at that time almost every smart man who- 1 could wore one. Never more than half a dozen ever came to- Boston. At that time one constantly met on the streets in Paris a dozen well-dressed men wearing these coats. They wore silk hats and patent leathers, and had field glasses swung over their shoulders. They looked so clean, so happy, so alto­ gether attractive and correct that everyone stared at them--and envied them--until the leader shouted out "Yvette Guilbert," and the rest of the crowd responded "To-night--9 o'clock-- at La Scala." The snap being given away, the crowd marched on, laughing and jesting, to attract another hearing, and like Frenchmen they played the part well. It seems to me that alter that it may well be claimed that the rench want no lessons from us.--Bos­ ton Herald. llairpina. Until, the year 1878 hairpins were brought to this country from England or France. There are now several, large factories in the United. Staites that turn out an article equal, if not superior, to the best finished, foreign' made pin. The trade is such a large one that it takes 50,U00 packages, each containing from twelve to twenty pins, to supply the wholesale demand daily in New York. The machinery used is of a delicate and intricate character, as the small prices at which the pins- are at present sold necessitate the most rapid and cheapest process. The wire- is made expressly for the purpose, and is put up in large coils, which are plac­ ed on reels. The end of the wire is put into a clamp, which carries it to a ma­ chine while straightening it. There it is run through a machine which cuts, binds ifrJuh by a delicate and instanta­ neous process, sharpens the pins. These machines will turn out from 300 to 350 hairpins every minute. The most difficult part of the work is the enameling, which is done by dipping the pin in a preparation and baking it in an oven. Here is where the most constant attention is required, as the pin must be perfectly smooth and the enamel have a faultless p . h. The slightest particles of dust cause im­ perfections and roughness. higher. When a suitable woman la found the young man Is asked how many blankets and animal skins he is willing to pay for her. When that Important question is settled a feast Is arranged at the home of the bride, and the friends of both families are invited. When the company is assembled the woman's people extol the greatness of their family. The young man's mar­ riage gifts are spread out where they will make a fine show, and then his family sound their praises. The cere­ mony lasts from one to two days, and finally tlie young bridegroom takes his wife to his own abode., Cured by Divorce. After ag San Diego man procured a divorce from his wife the other day, lie went home and found her there. She asked him to sit down to dinner, after which she asked him how he liked the new arrangement. "First-rate," he re­ plied, "but I can't understand it." "Oh, that's all right," said she; "we can live this way in contentment. The other way we quarrel. Now, then, sup­ pose you retain me as housekeeper? Twenty dollars per month and board is all 1 ask." This struck the ex-husband favorably, and the bargain was closed on the spot. The couple have not had a sign of trouble since, although they were in hot water for thirty-two years, fretting under the marital yoke. They dare not quarrel much now, for fear one will leave the other in a lurch. He must have his meals cooked, and she must have a place to stay. Together they are happy now, and the bargain promises to last to the end.--Tribune. Gettincr a Good Photograph. A local authority on photography says: "A veil imparts a patchy appear­ ance to the face. Gloves make the hands appear much larger than they are in reality. It is unwise to wear a new dress; it always falls In backward folds. Whenever possible; it is money well spent to drive to the photogra­ pher's. A feather boa or a lace fichu has a wonderfully softening effect on the features. Generally speaking, the head and shoulders take a far prettier picture than a full length portrait Above all, if yow want your sun picture to have a natural expression you must forget where you are. Unless there is any urgent reason for it, it is a great mistake to be photographed if you are either out of health or in tow spirits. A just-the-mode-of-the^moment style of costume or coiffure will 'date7 the pho­ tograph, and soon make it look out of fashion; A white dress, or one that takes 'white,' gives a ghastly effect, and one far from becoming, unJess the sitter is young and pretty." Box Irntead of Brisket. The best scheme for a picnic or lunch basket is to have no basket at all, but to substitute it by a number of boxes- shoe boxes, if not too large--strapped together with a shawl strap. These are easily carried, and can be thrown aside when lunch is over. Line the boxes with oiled paper, and let one contain sandwiches, another cake, another cups, napkins and such necessities. They can thus be kept fresh and open­ ed as desired, and altogether are am improvement on the basket, where things start in compartments and fin* ish in confusion. Feed for Farm Horsca. Equal parts of old oats and shelled corn, mixed with a little bran, and made slightly moist, is a strong, healthy feed. Idle horses may be given two quarts at a feed, and then turned to pasture. Horses at hard work should be fed four quarts at a feed. Feed oat hay. If new hay is fed, salt it. New oats should not be fed tooearly. Let them dry out a few weeks first. Horses should be salted twice a week, iving a tablespoonful at a time. Curry the horses morning and night, and wash the shoulders off with cold water when they come in from work, and rub dry. If the skin is rubbed off by the collar, rub on a little rock oil, and then dust with air-slacked lime. This will harden the skin, and, if the collar fits properly, there will be no sore shoul­ ders. The collars should be cleaned off every morning before being put on the horses. Women Painted the Fence. Several weeks ago the men in the Calvary Baptist congregation at Tren­ ton, N. J., painted the little chapel after obtaining from the ladies the promise that they would paint the fence. None of the men believed that the promise would be kept. The ladies did not wait until darkness came, but went to work. When the (i o'clock whistles blew they rested until the next day, when they completed their task. The fence is about 275 feet long. The only assist­ ance the men gave was the mixing of the paint, and some of the ladies'believe the results would have been even more satisfactory had they done the mixing themselves. A Good Story of day. "There never was a more disappoint­ ed candidate for the Presidency than Mr. Clay was in 1844," sa.ys one who knew him, "for be fully expected to tenant the White House from 1845 to 1849. He was then on his third run for the Presidency, and had long been the idol of his party. In his first run, against Jackson and John Quincy Ad' ams, in ,1824, he received less than 50,- 000 votes; in his second, against Jack­ son, in 1832, over half a million, and in his third run he received in a total pop­ ular vote of 2,GOO,000 votes, within 40,- 000 of a majority over Mr. Polk. Thus he had much ground for hope, and his friends, both here and throughout the country, were certaiu of his election. In fact, that being the day for news by slow mall, it was a week before his de­ feat was acknowledged, and several times was the victory (?) celebrated by the burning of bonfires. I was then employed as a messenger boy in the old Intelligencer office, and by that means 1 came to know Mr. Clay, frequently being sent by Mr. Gales and Mr. Seaton with messages to him. Sometimes I found him at the Capitol, but generally at his rooms in the building at the northwest corner of Eighth street and Market space, the site now occupied by Mr. Wm. H. Hoeke. At his rooms he was friendly with me,, and seemed pleased with the manner in which I performed my duties. • . "One day he said: 'My lad, when I become President, I will do something for you. I want you to come to see me at the White House.' " 'Wby, Mr. Clay,' I responded, 'how will I get to/SecTypu when your doors are guarde< " 'Sure e: picking up Admit Mr. it to me, he s it will pass j-ou "I fully f-xpected to have occasion to use it, but like Mr. Clay and thousands of others, I was disappointed. I have had the card for over half a century, and have treasured it as an evidence of Mr. Clay's good intentions."--Washing­ ton Star. Over Half a Million for a Book. The highest price ever offered for a single volume was tendered by a num ber of wealthy Hebrew merchants of, Venice to Pope Julius II. for a very ancient Hebrew bible. It was believed to be an original copy of the Septtta- gent version of the scriptures, trans­ lated from the Hebrew into Greek in 277 B. C. The sum mentioned to Julius was $000,000, but the Pope declined the offer. v „ The Sides. Reporter--"There are two sides to the story, of course." Editor (in a hurry)--"The end Is more important than the other side."-*-De- trolt Journal. Makitur Lemon Flavor. An old housekeeper says it is by far the best plan to make one's, own lemon flavoring for cakes and puddings. Be­ fore- cutting a lemon to extract the juice, wash and wipe it with a soft cloth; then grate off all the delicate yellow skin, not taking any of the white bitter part. Place the grated peel in a wide-mouthed bottle and cov­ er it thickly with granulated sugar. Keep the bottle tightly corked. The sugar becomes saturated with the oil from tlie peel, and when used in place of extracts gives a most delicious flavor. Marriaue Customs in A1 xsko. Wooing and wedding in Alaska among the natives are interesting and peculiar rites. When a young man is of a suit­ able age to marry, his mother, his aunt or his sister looks up a wife for him. He seldom marries a woman younger than himself; she is much older, and sometimes is double his ago, and even more. She is selected from a family j vhose position equals Uis or Is even A teaspoonful of aromatic syrup of rhubarb given every three hours is a good remedy for hives in children. Cinnamon bark is said to be an ex­ cellent remedy for toothache. Let the children chew the pleasant-tasting wood if they want it rather than re sort to the injurious clove oil or other strong medicines to destroy the sensi­ bility of the teeth and the lining of the stomaeh at one and the same time. The baby in his'second summer re­ quires more variety in food than his bottle can supply, but the diet must be carefully selected and simple. Watch tlie effect of the new food offered and choose tlie one proved best by the re­ sults. Broths with rice boiled in them; rice flour gruel and thoroughly cooked meal; and then, occasionally, a soft boiled egg or a little milk toast. A nursery table is an excellent sub­ stitute for baby's dressing basket. Get a well-made pine table, provided with a commodious drawer; paint it with white enamel and cut down the legs so It will stand twelve or fifteen inches from the floor. At this height it makes a safe support for the child's bath-tub; if a chair is lowered in propoi'tion mamma or nurse may give the morn­ ing bath seated. The drawer, which will be divided into compartments, will hold brushes, sponges, powder, soap and all the necessary adjuncts to baby's toilet. Home Notes. The wife has troubles of her own, re­ member. We did it, wife and I, made the mon­ ey, if any has been made. Make the best of your surroundings Nothing is gained by fretting. The telephone in the country greatly lightens the life of-the women and chil dren. ^ The church lias no stronger support ers than the women and children of our rural homes. Encourage the child to assert its in dlviduaiity aud independence, within limits, of course. „ Let the women frown upon all baAvdy shows and gambling at the State and county fairs. Teach your child the practical things of life, whether it gets a knowledge of the ornamental or not. Give her a vacation, the hard work­ ing wife. A little trip amongst new scenes will do her a world of good. A sunburnt brow may be the evi dence of true nobility. Soft hands and white brows are not particularly orna­ mental. emjrrked Mr. Clay, which he wrote H. Clay.' Handing 'Take care of it, and Be sure to come.' A Protest Indorsed. As the excursion boat left the wharf a baby began to cry. Its mdSfcer en deavored to comfort it into silence, but the wail continued, to the great annoy­ ance of a young man with large hands and a small mustache. He doesn't feel at all well/' the mother explained to an elderly woman, who was sitting near her, "and i thought the cool breeze might do him, good." "Of course It will," was the sympa­ thetic ad hearty reply. "Let him cry If he wants to. It'll open liis lungs wide and give him the full benefit of the fresh air." But the young man with large hands and a small mustache was of a differ­ ent mind. It's a pity," he remarked, apparently in confidence to a friend, but loud enough to be heard by all, "that people don't know better than to bring babies- on an excursion. It's no place for tliem." The baby's mother looked grieved,, and the new-found friend looked de­ fiant. When the boat landed that night at the wharf, the elderly woman handed the baby back to Its mother and hur­ ried away so as to place herself in frout of the youth with large hands and a small mustache. Young man," she said, "I want to compliment you." "What for?" "For having so much more sense than gave you credit for. Earlier in the day I heard j-ou say that people had no business to bring babies on board an excursion boat. I kind of thought you were wrong at first; but I'm prepared to acknowledge you hit the nail on the head." Babies are too young to know how to behave," he commented a little doubtfully. "It takes a lot of train­ ing." That's just it. A baby can't be ex­ pected to smoke bad cigars and holler at the boy who sells soft dfinks, and sing "Just Tell Them That You Saw Me" off the key, and snuggle their heads on somebody's shoulder and talk sickening foolishness about 'Whose urns Is oo?' loud enough for everybody to hear. I kept my eye on you, and 1 own up that you knew what you were talkin' about when you laid down the law that babies are out of place on ex­ cursions."--Washington Star. Pieces and Wholes. Proprietors of stores where musical Instruments are sold say that many people seem quite unable to discrimi­ nate between such establishments and those in which printed music is dealt in. As an instance, it is related that a young man came into a piano store and asked: "Do you sell piano pieces here?" "No," answered the salesman, "noth­ ing but pianos whole!" The intending purchaser opened his eyes in a wide and puzzled way, and went out apparently wondering wheth­ er the salesman thought he wanted a fragment of a piano. Rocky Road for the Doctors. In Beloocliistan, when the physician gives a dose, lie is expected to partake of a similar one himself as a guarantee of his good faith. Should the patient die under his hands the relatives though they rarely exercise it--have the right of putting him to death, un­ less a special agreement has been made freeing him from all responsibility as to consequence; while, if they should decide upon immolating him, he is ful­ ly expected to yield to his fate like a man. ". . ;. Doe* It Pay to Bnild Them? Specific examples of the benefits ae» cruing from the building of igood roads are not very plentiful in the United States, systematic road construction upon improved plans having thus far been but little practiced in this coun­ try; but in all instances where *oad im­ provement has been undertaken the re­ sults Lave abundantly jla&tffiedi the ex­ pense by cutting down the cost of transporting farm products- to market and enhancing real estate values. A case In point is reported! from Union County, New Jersey, where forty miles ot good rock roads were built in JS891 and 1890, and this illustration is in one respect peculiarly appropriate in the. West, for the conditions affecting road construction in that part of New Jer­ sey, which Is for the greater, part flat, with a yielding soil, are much the same, as are to be found on the prairies of Nebraska. „ " The forty miles of roads under con­ sideration cost about $350,000, or less than 1 per cent upon the valuation of the property in the county at the time they were buiit. Since they were com­ pleted farm lands have advanced from 5 to 25 per cent in value and building sites from 50 to 300 per cent. The addi­ tion in value to the taxable property through which the roads pass is said to have been not less than $1,500,000 In a year and a half, and this embraces less than one-half the territory in the county. The increase in taxes upon this sum alone will pay the yearly in­ terest on the cost of the roads aud leave enough, if put at interest, to discharge the entire bonded debt as it falls due. The increase in the value of building sites within a short distance of New York City might be in part accounted for without considering the improved roads as a factor at all, but the general advance in farm lands is due almost wholly to improved facilities for mar­ keting the products of the farm. In other words, the lands are worth more because they will yield a greater profit for the labor of the husbandman. But It Is not alone the farmer who receives benefit. Chauncey B. Ripley, a promi­ nent New York lawyer, who resides in the New Jersey county In which these road improvements have been made, has this to say of them: "The evidences of improvement are to be seen on every hand. We have come to regard the ex­ cellent roads of Union County as con­ tributing incomparably more to our present prosperous condition than any other agency. To one unfamiliar with our road reform the transformations, which are real and substantial, would seem to be tha work of enchantment. Tlie husbandman, the mechanic, the merchant, the general citizen, whatever his calling or occupation, is satisfied and delighted with the new road sys­ tem. He emphatically declares that the roads are worth more than they cost, and, therefore, that good roads pajr. This is the opinion, so far as is known, of every citizen of Uniou Coun­ ty. There is no one who would substi­ tute the old condit.'on for the new and have his money back. T^liis is the result of the work of three years." There is nothing exceptional about this case. In the main it may be taken as a fair example of what road im­ provement is capable of accomplishing. Douglas County has $150,000 to spend in road building this year and the tax­ payers of the county are certain to de­ rive a handsome return for their money. The country road movement is gaining great force all over the country; con­ ventions are being held and organiza­ tions formed, and the agitation is pro­ ceeding with vigor and with promise of practical results wherever It has been started. Nebraska needs improv­ ed roads as much as any other State, and a more general awakening of her people to its importance is necessary. Counties, townships and school dis­ tricts can carry this work forward without awaiting the issue of the pres­ ent effort to establish a national road department. An Automatic Singer. An "automatic singer" was exhibited to the editorial staff of a Paris newspa­ per. The apparatus is in the form of a tripod, on the top of which is a ma chine smaller than the phonograph, in­ to which tlie cylinders are put. The sound is transmitted by highly perfect­ ed boards to a metallic trumpet, and it is stated that the voice can be heard 220 yards off. A Hasty Opinion. "There was ouly one joke in Life last week." "That's funny." "How do you know? You haven't heard It."--Cleveland Plain Dealer. lixactly. She--Do you usually bull the market? He--Yes, and bear the loss. Listen for the Whistle. An important point was brought out at au inquiry into death of some mem­ bers of a coaching party, who were kill­ ed by a locomotive, which dashed into the coach at a crossing iu Long Island. It was sought to determine whether or not a warning signal had been given by the engineer on tlie approach of the train to the crossing. The burden of evidence went to show that no such signal had been heard. On behalf of the railway company it was urged that sound often traveled In belts, and that a person in its immediate vicinity might be out of its line of travel while at a much greater distance it could be distinctly heard. Iu corroboration, a singular incident was described that took place on the Central Vermont Railway some time ago. One of the division superintend­ ents of that road received repeated com­ plaints that at a certain crossing the prescribed signals from the locomotive were omitted. The engineers all pro­ tested that they had never neglected their duty. Finally, the superintendent determined to get his own evidence, and privately stationing himself in a suitable position, he saw a locomotive approach and pass without whistling or ringing the bell. On the locomotive, however, there happened to be one of the railroad detectives, who had mad© up his mind to look Into the matter for; himself, and who actually blew the whistle and rang the bell with his own hands. When the superintendent re­ turned to write the discharge of the guilty engineer, he was confronted with the evidence of the defective. To end the matter, they both went to the spot and found that from a certain point they could see the puff of steam at the whistle ai^il the bell in motion, but heard no sound from either. An expert, wlio was called in, recommended the removal of a piece of forest. This was carried out and the signals became au­ dible at the crossing.--Philadelphia Item. Every time a man is cross to his wife, she vents her feelings by going down town and picking a quarrel with her grocer.