The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

are giv- en out so authoritatively by the French press as to indicate that agreement is not far from completion. . that the negotiations ducted on the principle of give and d by the Par-1 sa, and so the Niger. being tempered by an ex- tension of French rights to the west ' as to trade routes. Britain has had the largely on her side, French contention has been most stubborn, with respect to the region on the right bank of the Niger, and especially the province of Borgu, which forms the hinterland of both the British colony of Lagos and the French possession of gu was the King of Niki. 'l'nereupuuv the Niger Company promptly made a! treaty with that potenate, thus es-l tablishing beyond doubt its right tol the territory; but as it failed to fol-‘ low this action by actual occupancy,‘ the French, on the ground that treat-i ies with savages without occupation amounted to nothing. invaded the pro-‘ Vince and took [)(BSQSS ; ion of the prin- cipal towns. As the effect of thisi occupation. if acquiesced in. would be 7 the British colony of Lagos! narrow strip of coast. just as the Brig tish colonies of Gumbia, Sierra Leonei and the Gold Coast have already been hemmed in by th’ extension of thei hinterland of French Senegal, and a1â€"é so to give France control of the Mid? dle Niger. the London Government de- manded the immediate evacuation of the province. The negotiations follow- ing this demand have been prolonged but have, apparently, reached a con- clusion in the establishment of anew boundary between the British and French spheres in that quarter. This boundary begins at 110, a. town‘ n4 on the west bank of the Niger. in about latitude eleven degrees thirty sevenjaf minutes north. and runs somewhat‘ west of south to Niki. thence to thei t] ossing of the river Nanou and the‘a \V or ninth degree of latitude. and thence with a slight deviation to the mosti n northeasterly point of Dahomey; all e west of this line remaining French. and t all east being British. As the tem- porary boundary. previously in force. ran from the northeastern part of Dahomey due north to Say on the Niger. France gains under the new territory extending from [.o to Say‘ and south to the ninth parallel. 0n; her side. Great Britain secures the 1.3-! : gos hinterland. though somewhat re-i duoed by the French wedge. with con-i, trol of the whole of the lower Niger,l and possessions of Boussa, on the right.2 bank. the commercial port of the re-- gion and the head of navigation in the dry season. With this settlement the‘ chief cause of contention between the': .two powers in \Vest Africa is removed,’ but a definition of the boundaries of. the Gold Coast hinterland. and of theirE [£8p5'tive spheres of influence eastward. L from the Niger to Lake Chad. must be reached before all questions at issue i t l < 1 1 1 1 negotiators have thus far been ahle to make the concessions deemed impera- tive by British opinion, there is no rea- nn to believe that they will not find a. vmy of doing so in the remaining matters of dispute. l Daowstxe. ( : l | The sudden drowning of a good swimmer is not due to a cramp, as; generally supposed. There is no rea- non. says a high medical authority, why cramp in a leg should prevent. an ordinary swunmer supporting himself' in the water by the hands or on ’hisi back, or cause him to throw up his! hands and sink once for all like a stone. ' fie explanation is that the drum ofi the ear is perforated and the pres! we 0; water causes vertigo and un- ' oqnsciusness. Noted Anarchist, explaining his pos- itjpn' mienom-passengers on Western nilway tmin~Ve xam all laws ban- uhed from the statute packs. Ve vant our, gait.- An _!o do as he- bleaseâ€" Léadut of Western Outlaws. sudden- _|y tgoayding the trainâ€"lbw up y’r A TASTE OF IT. fuln'ess that. i ' ‘ the parsonage study,w1th1 AL _ _. va 1-3V-i fulness that. 3 to have mtlived his use (1y,with1 one night, in‘ the parsonage stu only Mary, and his brothar, Joey Lav- endar, as witnesses, he married Pet- er Day. Peter. with a. pretty girl on his arm, drifted in out of the windy and rainy darkness. with a license from the Mayor’s office in Upper Ches- ter, and a demand that Dr. Lavendar perform the marriage service. Both the " â€"‘â€"nnnnrfl tn him them sharply for a minute or two â€"- :2 how. But the m be had misgivings, some 1 was old enough, and looked perâ€"i c, and intelligent, and' fe simple and honestâ€"i 1‘; besides, the license was all right. So' 8' he asked one or two grave and kindly i; qu'stions: “You’ve thought this wellim over? You know what a solemn thing' :3 y friends? You are well. It soberly, ; a; gir fectly satisfied the man’s face was marriage is, m assured that you are acting discreetly, and in fear of God i” ‘ “Yes, sir,” said Peter Day; and the‘fi‘ . a pretty, sick-looking creature” 9, eyes with a - f; ° ' ' .” So Dr. Lavendar did 1; 'his duty, and found a surprisingly t ‘large fee in his hand, and went back I lto smoke his pipe and write at least 2 la page of his great work, The History c l ‘of Precious Stones. 1 ‘ That was the last he saw: of the un- 5 known bride and groom for many a ( l E ilong year. Once he heard of a new , ‘threshing machine that was being ; itried at the Day farm, in the next 1 Lcounty, and was interesting two or ' ‘three farmers in his own parish; but ‘he did not connect the rich and 5118- . 'loessful farmer of Grafton, a village ' 'lnear Upper Chester, with the man he 'lhad married that stormy June night. "50. though his neighbors had found B'affairs had never come to Dr. Lav- ’ ‘ endar’s ears. l Peter had been commiserated for -3 forty years. His farm was prosper- tgous: it kept pace with all the new ma- ‘ichinery, fertilizers were not despised, 3" and there was no waste; the Day t-l‘heifers had a name all through the “State; and a thousand acres of hay- dling-land meant a capital as reliable las government bonds. "I guess he’s worth 873,000 if he’s worth a cent,"'his n neighbors said, "but the old lady, she It won’t let on but what they’re as poor '3 i as poverty.” There was no doubt that it i Peter Day was prosperous; but. never- theless, he was commiseratedzâ€"ne nan a mother. "The farm is the best farm in West- moreland County, but whether Peter can keep it up when the old lady goes. that’s another question." "He may not keep the farm up but he can let himself down,” Henry Da- vis, who was the blaoksmith, declared; "and I’ll be glad of it! Before Peter Day goes to heavenâ€"I guess there’s noI doubt of Peter’s going there in due: time tâ€"he ought to know something} = about the earth. He’s acquainted with; ". the Other Place, dear knows, with the; " old woman lâ€"not that I’d say anything ' eagainst her now she’s on her death-l glied.” Henry lot a hand on the bel-ii glows, and a roar of blue flame burst : through the heap of black fuel on the :forge. “Don’t you let on to anybody, but Idoubt if Peter’li ever be more ’an three years old. His mother’s bossâ€" ed him every breath he breathed since ‘ he was born, and he’ll be just real «'mis- erable learning to walk alone at forty." It must be admitted that here was cause for commiseration: All his forty years Mrs. Day had dominated her son’s life; she had managed his farm. and he had fetched and carried and improved according to her very excel- lent judgment. She had formed his opinionsâ€"or rather, she had given him i The August afternoon that the lit-" train of silent. people carried her out‘ inf her own door up to the family thinning-ground in the pasture (the 'lmys were of New England stock. and ihad the feeling of race permanence in gtheir blood, which shows itself in this i idea of a burying-ground on their own i lambâ€"that. August afternoon was sun- gny and still, except for the sudden her opinions; she had directed his ae- tions, she had bought his clothes. she had doled out. every dollar he spent, and taken scrugulous account of the spending; she had crushed, long ago, any vague thought of marriage he may have had. and she had assured him ov- er and over that he was a £001. A hard, shrewish, hideously plain, mar- vellously capable old woman, with a temper which in her later years drew very near the line of insanity. Then she died. pm lUl Lumwlmnuvsvuo a-.. u-.. -v--.’ ears Mrs. Day had dominated her beret. He went to church. and sleptlt ln’s life; she had managed his farm. h98v1|y during the servnce; but he nev- : rid he had fetched and carried and er went to therhurch somables. His 1 nproved according to her very excel- mother had despised them. and .he was * tut judgment. She had formed his too Old to acquire 890".“ habits. Hp . pinionsâ€"or rather, she had given him made no effort to be intimate With his i er opinions: she had directed his aC- DélgthI‘S. MI‘B. Day had quarrelled ions, she had bought his clothes, shefinth them, and would not have their ad doled out every dollar he spent, ' names spoken in her presence if she nd taken scrupulous account of the could help it, 80,.lf Peter had a capa- pending; she had crushed, long agohcrty for friendship. these speechless .ny vague thought of marriage he may T, years had made it dumb. Hence he was lave had. and she had assured him ov-iSngularly isolated, untouched by the- r and over that, he was a, fool, A} interest. 01‘ the gossip 01‘ the know-‘ lard, shrewish, hideously plain, mar-i ledge of the life. about him. He spent rellously capable old woman, with a‘ his days as he had always spent them. sniper Which in her later years drew '. following the lines his mother had laid :ery near the line of insanity. Then‘down for him. He went through the she died. {usual round of daily work. In the ev- 'l‘he August afternoon that the lit-‘enings he read his agricultural paper train of silent people carried her out; or an old book on sermons. There was Tlf her own door up to no one to tell hlm to go to “bed. and the family burying-ground in the pasture (theionce he fell asleep, his arms stretched Days were of New England stock, and l on the table in front of him. and wak- had the feeling of race permanence inlened in the cold early light. stiff and their blood, which shows itself in thisi bewildered. and heavy with fatigue. idea of a burying-ground on their own But there was one point on which lambâ€"that. August afternoon was sun-ipebcl‘ Day “'38 perfectly 0103?; he ny and still. except for the sudden might, through Stupidity or dulness, song of a locust in the stubble. stab-igo on in the tread-mill now that the hing the silence and melting into it halter was slipped. butâ€"he was glad again. Some sumacs were reddening to miss. the goadl . on the Opposite hillâ€"side; and the The final awakening to a knowledge blossoming buckwheat in the next that he was free came some ten months field was full of the murmur of bees; later. It was in June; a hot. spark- its hot fragrance lifted and drifted on any wandering breath of wind. Peter Day walked behind the coffin in his best black clot hes, with his hat’in his hand; then came the friends and nei- tghbors, two by two. A path had been ; mowed through the thin second crop ' of grass; but the women’s skirts brush- ed the early golden-rod growing In ling day. when every hand on the farm had twice as much as he could do. Something had gone wrong about the mower; and Peter, with Jim at hi: heels, went into the village to get tht blacksmith to weld a broken rod to gether. It was a loss of time. thi: hanging about the blacksmith’s she} waiting for the work to be done. an: untangle nth-ins in “bangles“ thaold habitatuesshesmboamseo 'oman were strangers to him ttle old minister looked at ply for a minute or two -- sgivlngs, somehow. But the lid enough, and looked per- sfied and intelligent, and face was simple and honestâ€" (V, was 'commiseratedzâ€"he had "uu '"\- a. longer breath perhaps, their voices to chatter t' dead woman’s temper and the money she had 1..- Uta l and the money she had left. . The little whirl of shrewrsh Wind had fallen into calm; it was “all over.” as the saying isâ€"and so much greater is Life than living that it was as thought it never had been. Except to Peter Day. The house had the stillness ofthat grave he had left up in the pas- ture. He heard some one move shout out in the kitchen, and the clock tick- ing in the hall. But there was no strident old voice to bid him do this or that; no orders to obey, no fierce and insane fault-finding. The silence was deafening. He sat down in the parlorâ€"the occasion seemed to de- mand the dignity of the parlor. The 'chairs had been put back in their “18098..th the open space in front of the fireplace struck him like ablow; and the lingering scent of the flow- ers made him feel sick. ‘ ‘ 0‘ -- _ “an“ CID lucvuv u a... -‘e- _.-_ Be “as a short, sturdy-looking man, with a soft black beard, and kind. quiet, near-sighted eyes, which his round swctacles magnified into law- bent moons. There “as no weakness in his face; but there was patience in every line; just now there was be- w ilde rment “Dead 2” He was trying, dumbly, to adjust himself to the fact; to under- stand it, or at least to believe it. He felt something swell in his throat, and very likely he thought it was grief. Habit does much for us in this way; a carping. uncomfortable companion-I ship of forty years is yet a compan- ionship. Life runs in rough grooves, but they are grooves, and when it lea- ves them there is a wrench and jolt, and perhaps even a crashâ€"and very often it is all mistaken for grief. Pet- er. in his simple way, called it grief. As he sat there in his black clothes; looking at that open space where the‘ coffin had stood, he was vaguely con- scious that he wished he had his dog Jim beside him: but after forty years ;of being told that he “could not. bring dogs and cattle into the house,” and that “he was a fool to want to,” he would have found the effort of free- dom absolute pain. So he sat still until it grew dusk, trying to believe that. she was dead, thinking about heaven-for Ot course, as the weeks passed, he ad- 'justed himself to the difference in his {condition; he grew acoustomed to cer- 'tain reliefs. Yet he did not realize * that he was free. He was like a horse {who slips his halter in a tread-mill, E but goes on and on and on. He was not harassed by the goad of the strident.‘ Lvoioe, but he did the same work, in‘ 'the same way, in the same harsh and unlovely surroundings;â€"and he did not. ‘ bring Jim into the house for company! :He spent his money on certain meagre essentials of food and fuel, and on ne- . oessary improvements of the farm: a but he missed his mother’s judgment - and her shrewd foresight in such mat- “0-3 \lCflu, hula-snub u‘I-Ivut- ”VU-v‘-- â€"â€"_ he was a religimxs manâ€"and saying to himself that she was ”far better off.” But never saying that he was “far bet- ter off.” too. The final awakening to a knowledge] that he was free came some ten months‘ later. It was in June; a hot, spark- ling day. when every hand on the farm had twice as much as he could do. Something had gone wrong about the mower; and Peter, with Jim at hi2? heels, went into the village to get the blacksmith to weld a. broken rod to- gether. It was a loss of time, this hanging about the blackemith’a shop waiting for the work to be done. :1an “the old habit of uneasiness. because of who has been ordered to six fighting ships across th tie to meet the Spanish on their home is one of the youngest comâ€" coasts. It is within the manders of the navy. possibilities that another Manila may ' but however that may be, Commodore Watson will have hips and big guns battle. The most. â€"Commodore John Critt ' \ no lack of good 8 with which to do important of the in the Watson fleet are his own fiag- l ,ship, the Newark, and the big battle} ships Iowa and Oregon. The three; others are the Yosemite. Yankee and Dixie. They are auxiliary cruisers ipurchased by the United States after gthe war began. The Dixie was for- imerly El Rio. She has a displacement lof.4,664 tons, is 3930 feet long, is mounted ‘w1th twenty-two guns, and has a crew of 350 men. The Yankee was formerly El Norte. She is of the same tonnage. gun power and man power :as the Dixie, and the Yosemite, which was formerly El Sud. is a sister ship .of the other two, with the same men iand arms. The flagship Newark is a l his mother’s rage at any delay. made him tramp about, frowning and press»- ing his lips together, and looking up the road as though fearing some messenger, sent to b' ' . t The shop was dark. except for the ired flicker when the smith thrust his; pincers into tm heap of ashes with' one hand and started the bellows with the other. Then a shower of sparks flew i ‘ ' en iron whiten in the flames. He look- ed at his watch restlessly and walked to the door and back. i I “Ain’t. you ’most done 8” § " I ain’t. And I won’t be for shalt-l. hour,’ Henry Davis said. ” What’s the '1‘ matter with you. Peter. anyway 31‘ What’s your hurry? It wouldn’t kin.“ anybody if you didn‘t get back till toâ€"! morrow. Your other machine’s going.‘;‘ 'There ain’t no dyin’ need of this here. one, anyhow.” i “Well, I ain’t one to waste time,"? Peter said. Jim yawned and stretched1 himself on the bare black earth of the floor. He. at least, was in no hurry. i “ Well, whose time are you wastin’?" i the smith insisted. good-naturedly.‘ " It’s your own. ain’t it? I guess youi got a right to loaf. There's no one to say you nay.” he ended. "That’s so,” said Peter. But he still! txamned back and forth, until the, "That’s 80.” said Peter. But tramwd back and forth, um smith, turning the bar about anvil, cried: 'uVOO' ‘-.vâ€"v " For. the Lord’s sake. Peter Day. get out! Go on up to Main Street and get a shave. Get out 0’ here. anyhow.” Peter laughed. and went, saying that he’d be back in ten minutes. “ And mind you have tpau done I” Jv- -â€"‘v He loitered along. looking at his --' it“ watch more than once, and coming to “I“, ”a, n... "w and ”" a standstill before the window of a gr0- um. um cery-store. He did not go in. All these years the curb of his mother's will ed into the dusty window. Thete were materials. : wooden rakes stacked up at one side. highest type , ,and boxes of cotton lace, and two jnrs' roads avemge'i i “111.» Writ! of red and white sticks of candy. and‘ smaller 0095 3 "'1;:l.;;“{wi£ fly-spooked cups and saucers in thick' muunuiin “@an ”W“ white earthen-wear there were some ed down w H ”“919 “lk‘ we“ advertisements of multry food past- meters. I‘m sin 9“ d ~1?‘duced ed against the glass. and a print at near the viii“ ’fximflmier' l l n nan-r mn‘nnr "a 1m]: *hfi.“ in flm31‘t- ffln‘ hfi Of a ”19‘ t, ;(I' Xg'mâ€"xrsithe €121.86. an?! a pridt of a. new mower. He took these in absent- “VG-.wv vâ€"v c â€"â€"â€"â€"â€" _ a. new mower. He took these in absent- . tenths of a wet"! 1y, looking at his watch. and wonder. They “er. built f ing it the bar was nearly then his eye caught. a colored litho-x mounting sh graph propped up against done. And; on the lml‘tlHi \n'F‘ some tin-l every 109“ pun» ware. A row of girls. smiling. coquet-Z the heats rmdf \ tish, marching each with slippered foot‘ Me. The mm.» well advanced. holding out. a gay skirt ‘were But sn mito‘ with the thumb and forefinger of one; a solidity “ii“ “ hand. and flirting mth the other 8‘ can culnpafl‘. \ huge feather fan across arch .ina eves. The flutter of th and ““8“" solid earth \\ hi“ 9 pink nude or swim; the”: Dana. an“ [IMIDE ‘VILII LDC OLDER u' can [nun-u“ huge feather fan across arch and 1:“;th solid earth “mm w 1118 eyes. The flutter of the pink and! or stake-(1;: then H“ 5‘. blue and white skirts. the slender an-9 or 15 ventinwwh M11,“ kles, the 1nvitation and challenge and‘ tar was spread. H“: [“0“ unpertinenoe of-the upward kick. seem- of the (um. “I...” . ‘ Hr~ ed to Peter Day .perfectly beautifulf the road. 'I‘lw_ : Hegamed at the mcture. absorbed and: several 1:1)‘9’3‘ "‘ {m entranced. The owner of the shop.i hard cement *" ““59“. HI . '1: ('rll'w stondrng in his doorway. watched him' usuallv - sfifnlémg. . twice 11m in We “" ‘ 1,0u better go see ’an. 811‘. Day. a. concrete “f ”Md” Theyre to be here to-night. The Dar-.en bricks. SUM”: sons mad. I tell you." ’sheathed 1 ' 5' Peter came to himself with a start. thickness of x . and read the announcement of the pro- ters. ’ ‘ ”if; “ You better go see '60:. Mr. Day. They’re to be here to-night. The par- sons mad. I tell you." Peter came to himself with a start. and read the announcement of the pro- duction in the towubhall. on such a date and at such wn hour. of Sweet Rosy. The. notice below the picture schnfol‘th: The Four Montague'Sistexs will Per~ form their Charming. Refined and Side- splitting Farce, with all Accessories S'tm'fifini'tfée'xié "SSenét'. "Bi niaite'enuy, accul Music. fwd Elaborate Cesium“? The! hand- “ ‘3 Ballet. :3 Pronounced to be the most' stone or ‘3' Beautiful m Loneliness of Form. and or metaled. on his noble protected cruiser of lmt displacement. She is 310 aim“ 49 feet two inches in the beam steams at the rate of nineteenth. .an hour. Her main battery m‘ twelve 6oinoh breech-loading rifles“ her secondary battery of four 61mg. era. [our 3ppouuders and two 1.90m quick titers, four 37-mm., Hotchk'ug, volving cannon and four Gatling; has a complement of 3“ men. ' commodore himself, although my his fifties, served on Formgut‘sf ship all through ther civil war, He i born in Frankfort, Ky. and was ated with honors from the naval demy at Annapolis. After making tour of the world he was assigned Farragut’s ship, and did not leave ‘ hero till peace “as? declared.C idore \Vatson is a grandson otJoh ‘ Crittenden. “ho was once mo. tenant of the L‘niterl States and .wrote the {HULIUS CrittendeE promise bill. He is 'l nephew 0! 3 oral George. B. (‘ritieuden and ‘ ‘ L. Crittenden. “h“ were heroesolil icivil war. COU'lnlndOl‘t‘ Watson“! 3 “'88 a. Miss Thornton of Ban FM 00. He has two hulls; one Edwardl \Vatson. is an ensign on thech :Detroit. and the other Thomml ‘18 now a private in the Seventh lalry. and walked home ' shouldn‘t hr gm 10 390 did not ask hlmswlf whetht’rtw hnwsJ anything Wrong in such 5 er had asked himswlf such Q00 There was nothing at ' ' ‘ - ‘ Annlmd and‘ ' \Vfiy didn't ht: .’ k’e t0 the blacksmith} and walked home BhOUldn‘t hr gm 10 did not ask hlms'vlf er. He. had simp . under his math?“ “my“ and; t ed her decisions of “'th “'3‘. ort of 11‘ wrong: avoiding by a s ' the things that mused the {11er - ‘ ‘---~~c madv 10 ‘1 en, who was once we of the United Statesud Lhe famous Crittendw bill. He is u nephewot “out Brian 0"“ Eve.“ 0‘ '0“ y..lnta-¢stlng HI! - “-5- 0‘ “hat a "plmw" is 0 County COUIM‘II 1 3" [Gill tdvice as in NW ‘1‘“. The Council TH‘NI ‘0! man before a 1mm "“0 r aying out a 51 we Ml", ' . ' ' Permission. '10! a atreet, but :1 (‘ 'II ”I t5. “IQ of his “mums. . W“! said that he vuuh ‘I . ['0th till the Cuum‘il': 5 “‘3'" “1"“ the ré'pgr‘l fir”! . but ‘0‘ his form’s Inge Mud t , . , mantra} Soudan. H» is £8 Ki 0‘ Kim“, h} hqglg’an9 xi!" 0.. .1- whitey ° Spain. havm‘ [oat 3‘ “tea to the conference on 1 tion at sugar bOIIDUeb helm Bra-Ell Personally conducted tours lihnd. with a chance to 5-11.... Old O‘hfl' large game. are :4 _4 -_ __ u..._ Porsomlly conducted tours “had. with a chance to sh... and other large game, are . p, a London Tourist agnm-‘V will lut three months and v Wnles. which was made a by itself three years am. by “a now been raised to :1 din a the name of Menevm J) the thr ADOStOHC, het'unjps London vestries are ”1.3.. flying burial (99.8 10 Vivrg: Cervical that are never held, the suppression of pmsl undo. In Lamheth Mum been paid out in this ua nut. “I once more. .. Liquor may be sold in 1hr Commons without a limmsv. 1 “Write having dismiwa .9. minst its barkt‘t‘pt’l M! New puts it, If thv m will“ ”(plan th Mon}; will have liquur, 4.1 3:22;". Enflllnd cannot r) Russia's cross on m» M. «noted to the memory nl‘ the Who perished in SURIU‘Uffa [ “IO Allfi in 1799. is 00“ (mm ”Ids in the right bank uf t ”unite the Devil's ln‘idgw u 18 no entrance {w {M htou, but any one “In; vb: but on psying a shilling. :md .5 M'lod out can go in agzm Oxford University this you (int time had more muhd honors in modern hismry In: chains. the numbers being 14 Int-er and 125 {or Hw lat glory of a “Double First" i “((101 per of firms that I w on the Imam per: he invaded H ‘. Was at first R