The Washington Post from Washington, District of Columbia • Page 38

FOURTH PART: PAGES 1 TO 12. PART: PAGES 1 TO 12. SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 1905. A FAILURE UP TO DATE Fifteen Months of Splatter in the Canal Zone. SHOUTS IS GIVEN A SHOCK Nothing Ione and' WtotHng Doing.

New Projects of Bousing AdSnirtistra- tiore Employes and Establishing Sanitation Undertaken aa a Belated Attempt to Restore Lost Confidence. Special Correspondence ol Tho Washington Pott. Culebra, Isthmian Canal Zone, Aug. personal movements and official action of Chairman Shonts and the new chief engineer, Mr. Stevens, hava been fallowed with singular Intentness since their arrival in the Zone.

It is now fully recognized that here men are nothing, a man everything. "We are eagerly watch- Ing to see if the man has at last been found. There is adequate reason for this burning anxiety. Work, so-called, has now been progress- Ing at Culebra Cut one year and three months since the American occupation. Culebra wos pronounced by former Chief Engineer "Wallace, in his capacity of specialist, to bo "the key of the entire canal problem." All else is held to be subsidiary to success here.

Now, It is notorious that no substantial advance has been made in excavating this great cut since May 1, 19O4. A prs- tense at operations has, of course, been kept up. Nothing unforeseen or extraordinary has Intervened to obstruct thflr success within reasonable limitations. An Impression has been officially fostered from here that everything was going on satisfactorily. The employes, high and low, have known better.

It has been a record of failure from the beginning. The staring, pictorial shortcoming at the outset was the total lack of Intelligent, courageous leadership. There has been no organization, no forethought, no preparation, no co-operation or co-ordination, no morale on top or underneath. "Without exaggeration, it has been utter disorganization, even demoralization; reckless or ignorant disregard of certain precautions fundamental to the successful prosecution of an undertaking of this magnitude In this latitude. "Innocuous Splutter." Therefore, the meager results of fifteen months' innocuous splutter with Its dismal background wear and tear are a and derision.

Not unseldom one hears American experts at this sort of work seriously assert that it will take fifty jears to complete the canal, and they proceed to make good with unanswerable reasons. Even the indolent Jamaica negroes ridicule the progress made by its new promoters. One of them facetiously remarked the other day that the Spaniards had talked about a canal, the French had undertaken the job and failed, the Yankees were now taking their turn and fail, and that ultimately the negroes would have to step in and complete tha canal. Such is the dubious tone prevailing at the "key of the entire canal problem." It is all but universal In the Zone. This condition of affairs, which really compelled Wallace to throw up his hands, made the men morbidly anxious to note what effect ocular demonstration of the truth would have on Chairman Shonts and Mr.

Wallace's successor. Messrs Shonts and Stevens left the States predisposed to hold cheap the stories from here of chaos and discontent, believing them to be the exaggerated expression of stampeded, prejudiced witnesses But they are disillusioned. Mr. Shonts, the head of the Washington, bureau, has seen a great light One tour of inspection has changed his smile of superior confidence into the worried scowl of the official who finds himself up against a tough proposition. Shonts Is Disappointed.

In short. Chairman Shonts is surprised and displeased at what he sees in the Canal Zone. He is distinctly disappointed at the small amount of excavation work accomplished. He was unable to discern much advance in the work since the French turned over the job, upon a critical examination of photographs showing conditions at that date in comparison with Ha present stage. Hocussed 'by the confidential rose-colored reports received from.

Panama, he under the impression th-at reason-able progress had been. made. Shonts was the victim orf the old game of gullery, juggle, and shuffle, reduced to a fine art as applied to affairs by the late cle Lesseps That wily Frenchman spent some $90000,000 of the people's -money and two years' time 'before his excavators lifted a pound of dirt. These extraordinary and costlj initiatory delays were juggled out of sgrht by "installation" and "preparatory excuses. All that Has Been Done.

What has been the cost of our experimental, installation, and preparatory evolutions of the -p-ast year and a quarter the Treasury alone knows. Meanwhile, one oanal commission has 'been dissolved and a new one installed. One chief engineer has resigned for reasons "personal himself" and another has succeeded th johnny-on-the-spot prerogatives. One general of the Zone has gone it and another come in. A few test bor- for bed rock have been made at aaid Bohio to settle the great dam lestton These axe about all the mate- .1 things- accomplished, 'heoretically, under the head of "time," toe former chief engineer officially ventured the opinion, based on his "experimental" work to February 1, 1905, that it "would be possible" to complete a sea- level oanal in ten years, certainly in twelve, "allowing two years for preparation" and two more for 'Vontingencies and unforeseen delays." By working night and day.

Sundays and holidays, the limit could be correspondingly shortened On the thirty-foot lock level (plan, also allon-lng t-wo years for "organization and Installation of machinery," tie time limit is red-need to a minimum and maximum of eight and ten years, and o-n a sixty- foot level to seven and eight years, respectively. All this sounds very much Lke the du canal" jarg-on of de Lesseps when he was out after another loan from, the poor peasants of France No machinery has toeen installed, except perhaps a. dozen modern American eteam. shovels. One hundred of these machines should now have 'teen on the ground, because their worth and capacity are known the world over.

N'o Provision for Labor. No adequate provision has been made for labor, and where the thousands required are coming from is apparently yet In doubt. No proper accommodations were provided tor the lange supervisory force sent down, by "Wallace himself. It wraa this neglect that caused and continues the stampede -back to the States. Arriving by the score, they were practically left to -shift for themselves.

At Colon, the other day I saw two or three dozen, -resigned and discharged employes eaU tot Now York on tho steamship Ad- AMl-CIGAfiETTE LAW FAIUS. Indiana, Authorities Powerless to Prevent Bringing in of Paper. Special Correspondence ol The Washington- Poit. Indianapolis, Aug. Indiana authorities are thoroughly disgusted with tha anti-cigarette law, and if the legislature were In session to-day the measure would be repealed.

The law Is practically a dead letter, and tho old law, -which prohibited tha sale of cigarettes to children, and which waa being enforced with reasonable diligence, has fallen Into disrespect with It There Is no statute to prevent the sale of tobacco in any form In which one may choose to purchase, and It Is not an offense to sell it to a person of any age. A boy may buy a package of smoking tobacco, and the dealer who sells It to him violates no law. Give the child the cigarette paper--the "makings," as It has come to be known--and he is prepared to make his own cigarettes. The courts have held that It Is not an offense to smoke, but It Is a violation of the law either to sell cigarettes or "makings," or to gtye either away if you have them in your possession. The tobacco trust, so-called, steps In at this juncture and.

provides the paper without cost The company is not liable because It Is a foreign corporation and it utilizes the mails for sending the paper. When the tobacco company first began to send cigarette paper Into the State it waa evident that they had secured the names of people in cities from directories and In smaller towns from poll books, for many of the packages reached men who never smoked, while many others were sent to addresses at which ths persons did not live. All such packages were destroyed by the postmaster, and these aggregated several bushels In a week. But system has taken the place of this haphazard distribution. Persons who received them and who wanted them, together with friends to whom they communicated the good news, have sent their names to the trust and are receiving the packeiges regularly.

The post-office authorities at "Washington have been appealed to, but have replied that they are powerless to act; that the American Tobacco Company cannot be deprived of the use of the mails, for it Is doing a legitimate business; and, in any event, a fraud order would not work a cure, for that only prevents a person from receiving mall, and not from sending It out. Under these circumstances the State Is powerless to enforce the statute. But even the law's supporters admit that the worst feature of the situation arises from the fact that, while under former conditions very few boys were able to buy cigarettes or cigarette paper, thousands are now supplied without cost Of course, the tobacco company has no means of knowing that many children are writing to it for cigarette paper, but thousands are. Some Idea of the amount of paper that is being thus freely distributed can be IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMER TIME. THIS one gained from the fact that every envelope contains seven packages or books of cigarette paper, and each book contains twenty-five sheets, a total of 175.

Five bushels of these envelopes were destroyed by the local post-office officials In one day, owing to faulty addresses. GOV. MICKEY OJT RUWJERS. He Tells About 'Rules of Quoits and Asks a Question. Special Correspondence ot The Washington Post.

Lincoln, Aug. am surprised," said Gov. Mickey, of Nebraska, as his eye wandered over a recent story In which his skill as a thrower of horseshoes was extolled, "that after displaying such apparently thorough knowledge of I insist ought really to be our national game, there should appear so egregious an error as to speak ot a ringer as being a shoe or quoit so thrown as to hang on the peg. "A ringer Is nothing of the kind. I speak thus positively because this Is a game I know as well as I do my letters.

I played It in boyhood, a fact that has a great deal to do with my present ability as the best horseshoe thrower at the State House. "'What Is described as a ringer Is, under all rules, nothing but a leaner. A ringer counts three and a leaner but two. Anybody can throw a leaner, but It requires the highest skill to throw ringers. is a ringer? A ringer Is a shoe thrown In such a way that after It has settled down over the peg 1 It completely encircles It, no part of the shoe leaning upon or touching the peg.

"Under tho rules, when It Js disputed whether the throw la a ringep the laying ot a straw, piece ot string, or corncob across the heel of the shoe will furnish conclusive evidence If any portion of It touches. As has been pointed out In some of the State' papers, this measurement often gives rise to violent disputes, but I maintain this only develops the sturdy type of countrymen of which the nation stands In. need. "Some people seem surprised that I should mako ringers In the method described. I see nothing unusual about my playing.

I am informed that billiard players make their best shots by caroming off a selected spot, and that Is simply the secret of my skill In this matter. "There la one point left In doubt, and that Is, Is It good horseshoe throwing form to allow the right suspender to droop from the waist while the trousers remains Imbedded in the boot top, or should both be shucked?" JEWS PA PER I country can now found! some estimate of the probable duration of this undertaking and Its approximate cost. Chairman Shonts and Chief Engineer Stevens are now pondering them. It Is to be hoped. that the realization of the true cofedl- tions here will not have the ultimate effect on them it did on Mr.

'Wallace. The upshot of their observations Is something of a sensation to the Zone. The Canal Commission, that Is, the executive committee, Messrs. Shonts, Magoon, and Stevens, announce the practical suspension of excavating operations in Culebra. The forc3 Is to be diverted to aid in the work of sanitation, in fact, large numbers are already engaged In clearing away the brush and filling in swampy holes to kill off the fever-bearing mos- auitoes.

New Projects Under Wa7- It has just been discovered that Ancon Is the healthiest and only spot In the Zone for the government buildings and quarters for the administration employes. These are to be Immediately erected. The force not required in the sanitary work newly laid out is to be turned upon the repair of old buildings and the construction of new ones throughout the Zone. There Is an affected assumption that the work of building the canal has not yet begun, and will not be "Installed" until the sanitation and other preliminary works are fully completed Then excavation will begin. This agrees pretty well with the fact, but there has been pretense at least of something else for fifteen months.

Like the pretended excavation, now abandoned, the new projects of building and sanitation are "progressing rapidly." All this Is proper, and meets the approval of the force. It io, in fact, a belated attempt to restore confidence and morale, lost through past mismanagement. These things should have been clone in 1904. The new-born energy in a good cause is a cover to the humiliating confession of failure here--a "Bulletin du Canal" trick which will satisfy the country for the time being. It obscures the loss oT time.

The period of "installation," notwithstanding all the preliminary work of the French, is likely to continue two or three 5-ears. Meanwhile, time is the item that will maOce this canal a costly undertaking, not tho estimated intrinsic cost of excavation per cubic yard. That and the cube to be excavated are measurably fixed quantities. Time Is the great unknown In this job. LESLIE J.

PERKY. ELIHD ROOT'S BEAUTIFUL Special Correspondence of The Washington Post. TTtlqa, N. Aug. 11.

EN of XJtica, lying peacefully in 'thWSlW of the almost at the top of College Hill and next to the residence of his brother, Prof. Oren Root, The house is not a new one, but the five or six years "fl)at Mr; Root win? uito lanckuy ma jocn.c| jlfflir JM.A-* J.vwi Is the little village of Clinton, the psas owned it extensive; improvemeiitaljavo home of Hamilton College, with which Secretary of State Root's family has long been associated. It Is here that Mr. Boot has his summer home. One of the most beautiful summer homes In this part of the State is the one occupied by Secretary Boot.

It Is situated been made. Of late Mr. Root has bought up much property on the hill, and largely out of sentiment, for the price he pays is out of proportion to the value. The Harding farm, a late acquisition, was much admired by his parents. Especially admired by his father.

Prof. Oren Boot, was a splen- did elm tree, and often he expressed the hope that its life might be spared. Only time and the elements can-; disturb it now that Secretary Root Is The house adjoining the homestead Mr. Root secured because of the- pleasant associations centered there. He has gathered In one room, the portraits of Its former residents, Including Simon North and Prof.

Upson, his former teachers. This dwelling now constitutes the Secretary's summer home. Mr. Root's home overlooks the campus of Hamilton college. SZOOT'J BIGOEST PLUM.

California Horticultural Wizard Places His Latest Triumph on View. Special Correspondence ot Washington Post. 'Portland, Aug. Lu-ther Burbank, tho California, horticultural wizard, has just sent to the Lewis and Clark Exposition his latest triumph in the production of a plum. A dozen specimens of this fruit, a golden-red plum, nearly as large as an average apple, and full and round in shape, are to be seen In the California State building.

Mr. Burbank, In a letter to the California commissioners, nounces this the finest plum that he has produced. It is the result of about 25.COO experiments in the crossing and cultivation of various species. Those who have seen f5ie wpnderful fruit never tire of praising it, and they speak in awe of the genius of its producer. Visitors from the East, as e.

rule, are almost as much amazed by the size of some of the Oregon and "Washington fruit as the general public is toy big plums. Cherries In Oregon grow as Jarge as crab apples They are rich and meaty, with a flavor that leaves a most pleasant memory. "When you eat a dozen of these Oregon cherries," said a visitor, recently, "you feel as If you had had a beefs-teaR or something else, equally From time toj time the cherry displays in the horticulture are and in a short time the exhibits of this years' artples will begin to come in from Washington and Oregon. It should be remembered that the biggest apple ever seen was on display at St. Louis last year, and, it came from the State of "Washington, while the apple that took the grand prize at Chicago, 1893, was from Oregon, HOUSEBOATS AS BOBBIES.

Society Folks Take More to Floating Slimmer Homes. From the- New York Press. More and more is society taking to the woods to rest after the exhausting routine of the season. Houseboats have become extremely popular as a pleasurable means for using up time. Lake Placid, which Is distinguished for the beauty of its rocky cliffs and bold woody slopes that run abruptly from the shores, presents a somewhat difficult problem to those who have succumbed to its charms and wish to build structures on its edge which will be more substantial than houses of cards.

However, it has been met more ingeniously, and buildings have been placed upon floats a little way from the shore. These dwellings vie with bungalows for favor, and generally are preferred by those persons who enjoy the feeling of being cut off from communication with the world. Mrs. Whltelaw Reid was the first to be attracted by the spot, and occupied the first house of this kind that was built there. CHILDREN'S TANGiLED MINDS.

Odd Mistakes They Make in Scripture Texts and Songs They're Taught. The kindergarten teacher and the Sunday-school teacher were comparing notes. "It's perfectly amazing how children can get things wrong when you are- sure that there is no possibility for a mistake," said the kindergarten, teacher. "I told some of the older children to buy a. certain primary reader.

I emphasized the word and repeated It again and again slowly. Yet the next day one little boy brought a note from, his mother asking me what a 'Cranberry reader" was, anyway. "I told the children one day that I wanted them, to use black carbon pencils, and one tot asked her father to buy her 'a conductor's He. came to- me and we finally discovered that the chiidi child thought I saJd car-barn pencil, and she reasoned that it must be a conductor's pencil." "But listen to this," said the Sunday- school teacher. "One of my little pupils amazed me the other day by repeating as her Scripture verse, 'With God there Is no respectable persons nor taking of Of course she meant, 'respect of persons, nor taking of Another child recited the well-known verse, 'I think when I read that sweet story of old, of when Jesus was here among in this way, 'I think when I read that sweet story of old when Jesus was here a young man." "They way they mix up the hymns Is the most wonderful thing," continued the Sunday-school teacher." I happened to be near on earnest singer when we were rendering 'Pull for the and he was singing, 'Leave the poor old strangled wretch, and pull for the And a dear little girl, who was one of my best singers electrified me tha other day by singing In a sweet treble, 'Come to happy land, come, come away.

Why will ye dumplings "Well, talking about songs," said the kindergarten teacher, "one of my boys had the strangest, weirdest rendering for a simple little song. This is what he went home and howled at the top of his lungs to his mother, and the came into school to ask me why I taught such nonsense: Some fine day you sly old shingle. Where our hearte may be You will find yourself a ninner. Where you cannot tee. "And what was the song really? Why, the one everybody knows: Some fine day, you sly old sinner.

When the huataonen meet, You -will yourself at dinner, Where you cannot eat I BOOMING PORIO RICAN COFEEE HEN Scott Truxtun, commercial agent of the Porto JUcan government, arrived in New York late in June he carried a large sack of coffee and the knowledge that there was a prejudice in America against the berry that is produced in Porto Rico The sack had been sealed at the custom house before he sailed and he did not break the seal until he was in the presence of a witness in his hotel. Then he took two trays, filled! each from the sack and had the witness carry them, himself accompanying, to the office of a. coffee roaster, whom he had been told was not only expert, but also honest. Mr. Truxtun did not tell the roaster who he was, but he did tell him enough to assure him that they had common friends.

"Now," said Mr. Truxtun, "the gentleman with, me has two trays of coffee. One of them, I assure you--and! I can present proofs of It--Is the best grade of Porto Rican coffee. The other tray contains berries that to me look exactly Ilka the other. I -wish you would tell me what this coffee is." "The samples do look alike," said the roaster, "and I cannot give you an answer offhand.

Come In to-morrow." To-morrow came, and the commercial agent was on the spot. "I'll admit," said the roaster, "that I have been prejudiced? against Porto Rican coffee, for it has a twahg that I don't like. But the sample you have left with me Is very good coffee. Your second tray contains a coffee that has puzzled me a bit, but it more resembles Guatemala coffee than anything else that I have ever tasted, and I am of the opinion, that it is Guatemala." The blank space represents the trademark, of the-bMt coffee "Well," said Mr. Truxtun, "both trays of coffee came out of the same sack." "You've been trying to make a fool of me," said the roaster, hotly.

"No," said Mr. Truxtun, "I came to you to show you how one's prejudice unconsciously gets the best of him. It has been getting the best of nearly all the coffee importers in the United 1 States, and I've been sent by Porto Rico to try to overcome the prejudice. Now, if you'll send for the best Guatemala coffee you can find and test It against Porto Rican coffee; perhaps you'll discover something more." The roaster, mollified by a knowledge of Mr. Truxtun's errand, complied with his request.

On a 250 point basis, Mr. Truxtun says, allowing so nmch each for strength, flavor and color, his Porto Rican coffee won by' 130 points against 120 points for the Guatemalan berry. That Incident Is an example of the way Mr. Truxtun Is going about Ms mission of turning the eyes of coffee Importers toward the Island that employs Mm. admit that Americans had an excuse for being prejudiced against Porto Rican coffee," said the commercial agent.

"The Porto Rican planters formerly had the idea that Americans did not anore- clate good coffee. Defective beans were sent hero and the Americans would not buy them. "That's all changed since the government has'taken the aupervlaloji' of tha coffee exportation Into its own hands. The government will guarantee the quality of the coffee. It has sent me to aat as an intermediary for the planter and the American trade, to see that both have a fair deal.

"Now, when a sack of coffee is shipped from Porto Rico the United States custom house win. require a certificate from was grown and what quality It has. The coffee all comes to one house in Front street, New York, and there, if the wholesaler finds that it is not exactly what he bargained for, it Is refused, and 1 If the shipper wants It he must pay the freight back. "The government broker has the right to refuse every that Is not up to the Standard. That will be a guarantee to the American buyer that he is getting just what he expects and pays for.

"My job is seeing that the trade Is protected. I don't get a cent more If the trade increases a million dollars a minute, but I'm here to see that It does Increase." Mr. Truxtun pays little attention to tho other products of Porto RJco, sugar anrf tobacco; they can take care of themselves. "We want a greater coffee trade," he said, "because the Island must greater crops to rely on. Porto Rico Is not any bigger than IXhode Island, and If one of the three crops falls there is not enough cultivable land to give work to the people.

"Coffee has had a rather unfortunate experience on 'the island. In 1896 Its good qualities were exploited In 'France and Italy, certain brands were sold at extraordinary prices, and there 'Was a boom. Planters bought new lands and gave mortgages at rates of interest as high as 18 per cent "Fifty-eight million pounds were exported that year, but the exporters -were not careful as to the quality, and the competition from Brazil was strong. The market began to fail. The Spanish-American war came along, deteriorated the exchange value of the peso, and the bottom of the boom fell out.

"The coffee- business might have recovered but for the hurricane of 1899. Tha planters had to raise money, for It takes a plantation five years to mature, but Gen. Henry prorogued the right of foreclosure, cutting off credit." Mr. Truxtun Is a son of Commander 'William T. Truxtun, of the navy.

He went to Porto Rico four years ago and assistant to the superintendent of public until waa sent to New STUDY OF ESPERANTO SPREADING From the Philadelphia Public Ledger. HE new universal language, known as "Esperanto," Intended to become an international medium of communication, has spread widely in Europe, especially in France, and also in China and Japan. It will be taught next year In the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art. Esperanto was invented by Dp. Zamen- hof, of Wasovle, Poland, three years ago.

It Is a simple language, constructed half of Latin stock and partly of English. German, and Russian roots. Various vowel terminations are characteristic of parts of speech. If we take the root am, by adding we have the noun amo, love; with the verb to love; as, the three persons, singular and plural, of the present tense, ds will represent all tihe pist forms; os, the future forms, c. Half the ad- jectlves only are used.

Their contrary Is up by mal: bona, malbona (good, bad); granda, malgranda Nouns designating females are obtained from the name of the male, with the suffix in: patro, patrino, father, mother; kna-bo, knablno, boy, girl, c. No vowel has more than one sound," while the pro- nounclatlon of words Is entirely phonetic. There are many Esperanto societies In Europe, and magazines are published in the new language. Among these publications are "Lingvo Internacla," a French Esperanto Journal, and "L'Esperantlste," published in Paris. Probably the first man in thto city who spoke of Esperanto is Prof.

A. Grlllon, professor of French and Spanish at the Central Manual Training- School and the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art. Prof. Grillon eays: "No one- asserts that Esperanto will take the place of any living language. That ta not its purpose.

Its: object is almost entirely commercial and scientific. the schools o-f Japan, It does not pay me to learn Japanese for this, but, looking over the lists of I find so- and-so In Tokyo. 4 write to him In Esperanto and he replies In, the sama language. Commercial houses -who do business with foreign countries will do well eien now to use It. Travelers will need it.

'Of course. It will be used only by the educated and upper commercial classes. "Several attempts have been made to establish ah International language. The last was Volapufc. This failed -because It had not the requirements--rules without exception.

Esperanto Is such that It cannot change. Other living languages change." Esperanto was named from, the nom de pliime used by Dr. Zamenbof. The language has not made much progress in this country. MORE HATPINS EVER.

Ifrom the New York Preas- Although there has been a rumor of a crusade against hatpins, Jewelers are turning out even many more than usual. Ono reason for this increase Is that according- to fashion's decree it Is no longer correct to secure one's headgear w'lth odd pins, but it must be fastened in place by four pins of the same design. Moet women--although they may not admit It--realize that the hatpin In the process of adjustment Is one of the very best of attracting attention to a wall shapad head and beautifully colffured hair--to say nothing of the hat. And ha.ts are well worth looking at Just i.ow. The tiny up-tilted affairs have at last made their exit Into obHvlon, and women of fashion have decided to return to wide-brimmed, flower-laden picture stylet The perky effect is no more and all the Possible, to the vanity DAN LAMONT'S START Went to Help Cleveland with His Correspondence.

BEGAN HIS WOEK BIGHT OFF New York's New Governor Who Afterward Became President Twice, Cooked a Heal for His Clerk--Worked Till Half Past One and Were at It Again aft Four o'clock is the Morning. "The late Col. Daniel S. Lamont used to relate most amusingly to Ills intimate friends," said Col. J.

B. Jones, "how It came about that he first met Grover Cleveland after Cleveland had been elected governor of New York. "liamont was then a reporter on the Albany Argus, which was controlled by Daniel 'Manning, and he bad little Idea of being anything else for a long time to come. Grover Cleveland had only a limited acquaintance with the leaders of his party throughout the State at that ttntt. and though he had not yet been inaugurated, he was being deluged with letters from, all over the State, filled with all sorts of suggestions, making all sorts of demands and calculated to make the days and nights unpleasant for' one with the little experience In politics that Cleveland then had.

"But those letters had to answered, -and as they piled up before him day by day, Cleveland saw the necessity of having some one who knew State politics and politicians to help him out of the muddle. He wrote to Dan Manning and told him of the dilemma he was in. 'For heaven's he wrote, 'send some one to help Called on By Chance. "Dan Lament entered the Argus office as Manning was reading Cleveland's tatter, and when he had finished reading he looked up and saw Lament. He pondered moment and then said: I shouldn't wonder If you might be able to help Cleveland out in this.

Suppose you run up to Buffalo and try it." "Manning handed Lamont the letter. Lamont read it and said: 'All right. When shall I go 'Better go right said (Manning. "So Lamont packed his grip 'And It didn't take much of a grip to carry all I had In those Lamont used to say, in telling about It and took the first train for Buffalo It was late in the evening when he arrived there, but he thought he had better report to the governor before going to a hotel, so he had himself guided to where Cleveland waa keeping bachelor quarters, over a store or something. Lamont knocked at the door.

'Come said a vigorous voice. "Col. Lamont and his handbag went in. The governor-elect was sitting at a table Letters opened and unopened were pi'ed and scattered about the floor and littered the table, while their recipient was plainly working hard to get them in shape for answering, his coat off and sleeves rolled up. "He glanced inquiringly up as Lamont entered the room.

'Mr. Manning sent me from Albany, in response to your letter, to see whether I could be of any service to said Lamont, by way of introduction. "Col. Lamont used to say that Cleveland's face brightened, and he rose and shook hands heartily with his visitor. 'Sit said he.

'I'm mighty glad you've "Lamont sat down, and they chatted awhile. Then Lamont said: Governor Prepares His Luncheon. governor, I guess I'll be going now to hunt up a place to stay. What time shall I come around in tjie morning to begin the 'In the exclaimed Cleveland, looking surprised. 'You're not going to begin work at all In the morning.

You're going to begin right "Now, Lamont was tired and hungry and sleepy. He kept the tired and sleepy part to himself, however, but admitted to the governor that he was hungry, and said he would go out and get a bite of something before starting In with tha business in hand. 'Entirely replied Cleveland. 'I can feed you right "And Dan said the governor bustled around and soon had a good enough spread of cold victuals and a nice cup of hot coffee, the latter made on the stove in the room, ready for Don to pitch In and eat and drink, Cleveland taking snack himself, to keep company. The meal finished, the governor hastily cleared the table said he, 'let's get to "They went to work, and from Lament's knowledge and experience and training In the matters to be attended to he was by half-past 1 In the morning to get such a good showing of order out of the mass and had outlined such practical plans for facilitating the work that tha governor said he guessed they could spare the rest of the night for sleeping.

He. had a bed tor Lamont, and when Lamont turned In he asked what tlma he should get up In the morning. 'Oh, never mind said Cleveland; 'I will call "As the late Secretary used to say he went to bed. so tired that his head had hardly touched the pillow before he waa asleep. He knew nothing further until he was awakened by a.

noise In the adjoining room. He rose in bed and listened. Up Again at 4. "He heard the stove being shaken down vigorously and the rattle of coal being put on, and recognized the voice of the governor, who It waa that was doing the shaking down and coaling up, humming the then new and popular song, "When the Robins Nest "Lamont looked at his watch. It was Just 4 o'clock! The governor was up getting breakfast ready, preparatory to the beginning of work for the day.

"Lamont didn't wait to be called, but got up right then and dressed himself and reported to the governor, who was plainly pleased with the staying and recuperating qualities of his young lieutenant. "The system that Lamont put Into the work of straightening out that tangled mass of correspondence and In a remarkably short time getting It moving in easy and proper channels favorably impressed Grover Cleveland. At any rate, that is the way, so Lamont used to say, that ho and Grover Cleveland first met. How much that meeting meant to the future of each Is history now." The Old John Bull. South China Morningr Post, Hongkong.

"John Bull" la as dead xs the dodo John Bun, read "the Times." who spent his week In bis "counting-house;" who never mined going; to cnurch on Sunday mornings, and compensated for tfift length and dullness of the eervlce by Bleeping In hia family pew during the sermon; who enjoyed his very heavy midday Sunday dinner and hto glass or UFO ol port afterward! Does be to-day? Not a bit ot It. Even the Policemen. Prom the Panama Journal. Bven tie policemen on, tie ictlunu he added, thoughtfully, glancing at himself In a mirror opposite, "as It was my heye as quelled 'em." He spent a few minutes going rapidly through the house collecting some more articles of value, and then, realizing that he was running' unnecessary risks by delaying so Jons, he went out by the front door, and bad only Jiart time to dodge behind a laburnum bosh as a young man, in a kind of dream-like and Ideal- ised copy of Mr. Potter's own attire, ran hurriedly up the garden path and began knocking loudly at-the front'door: "That.

I Buppoae," said fat. Potter' to himself, very disgustedly, "Is what they call a screwsman's get up. Why, It wouldn't take to any one. Blowed If he 'asn't dress shoes on and a silk wipe, and Lord knows what." He" shook MB head sadly and crawled away toward the garden gate, while the genuine Mr. de Vere, apparently puezled that his knocks brought no response, pushed open the door, which Mr.

Potter had neglected to close, -and somewhat hesitatingly stepped Inside. And so absorbed was Mr. Potter In watching him that he quite forgot bis natural caution, and was only called to himself band fell on bis shoulder and a voice Inquired: "Who In -thunder are you, and what are you crawling about here for? Light a match, Lizzie, and let's see what I've got." For a moment Mr. Potter gave himself up for lost, for he was held very firmly by the collar, there was plenty of help within call, and within his pockets there was no lack of incriminating evidence. But the name his captor bad -used gave him an idea.

"Beggin' your pardon, sir," he said, humbly touching the brim of his hat, "but is you John and Elizabeth? I don't know your other names." "What the dickens do you mean?" was the amazed response. "And does you," pursued Mr. Potter, "know a lady called Mrs, Leyland, with four young ladles, as was all badly scared by a burglar, or some one like that, a bit ago? 'Cause If you do, there's a game they've got on with a Mr. de Vere to pretend to be a burglar hlsself to frighten you In your turn," and Mr. Potter touched his hat again and paused to wait for developments.

His captor asked him a few brief questions, to which Mr. Potter replied, representing that he had come by his knowledge through overhearing the ladies talk- Ing about It. "So I thought, sir," he concluded, meekly touching his halt again, "as you might make It worth my while to 'ang about to tell you, sir." "I am very much obliged to you, my man," said the other heartily, pressing a sovereign into his hand. "Call here tomorrow and I'll see you again. Come on, Lizzie.

As soon as you" see him, go for one side and I'll tackle him on the other. Above all things, mind, don't let him speak, and If you break your umbrella I'll buy you a better to-morrow." With hurried and silent steps they sped toward the house, while Mr. Potter, a sweet smile on his lips, lingered to light his pipe. "There they go," he muttered, as a sudden tumult broke out upon the peaceful night. "That'll be John," he observed at a particularly loud bang.

"And that," he added hearing a shrill scream, "will be Elizabeth earning her new umbrella. And that," he concluded with satisfaction at a succession of piercing howls of anguish, 'will be the bloke what 'ad the Imperence to pretend to be me." He lounged away, tout had not gone far when a still louder and more confused babel of shouts and cries reached his ears. 'Ah!" he said, "that'll be them In the cellar. Just like women," he added com- plalningly; "seems to be a sheer impossibility for 'em, to keep their tongues still. A dead silence succeeded and Mr.

Potter put his pipe Into his pocket. "Now," he muttered, "they'll be 'avlng explanations and it's time for me to do a guy. But, on the 'ole," he concluded, stroking with satisfaction his bulging pockets. "I call this a most successful joke." OSTRICH EGG LUNCH FOR TWELYE From hale and hearty persona dined off one egg at Coney Island one day last month, and every person went away full--that is, they went- away feeling like they didn't want to eat any more that day or probably that month. The occasion was a luncheon at Dreamland, Coney Island's famed amusement resort.

The guests, who Included -some of New York's smartest, were Invited to what was promised to be a noted egg feast and expected many choice chicken eggs would be employed In Its preparation. They were assured that the egg preparation would be the most toothsome they ever ate, and each was promised that he should have plenty. There was an unusual wait on their arriving, which caused the dozens of persons to become extremely hungry. Then the host appeared with the assertion: "Ladies and gentlemen, the eggs from your feast will be prepared to-day ccst $800 a dozen. They are the rarest In the world, and very few of them are laid In America.

The fowls that lay them are brought all the way from Florida." This caused the guests to smile, for they were now so hungry that they would not have scrupled about eating them even if the eggs had been brought all the way from Florida. But still the host said nothing about when the luncheon would be served. And still they waited. Finally the host appeared again with another announcement and guests were Invited to take their seate about the tsble. Bach was seated before an empty plate and a glass of water and longingly waited for the eggs to appear.

Visions of omelets, shirred eggs, boiled eggs, and even egg sandwiches loomed before their mind's eye, but yet no eggs appeared, and still they waited. Imagine the consternation among that dozen when the host appeared again and told them, that owing to a shortage In the supply there would be only one of tha rare eggs for the whole party, that each 6f them -would have to be satisfied with his twelfth part of this one egg. Vhe guests were about to leave the place la Indignation and disgust when the waiter with the egg appeare-J. But Holy (Hens, such an egg- as it wast No fowl of chicken hatched ever laid an egg like that. Five pounds it weighed, and it was as big as a melon.

A glanca of alarm and consternation, and then the guests resumed their composure- in their seats. They would eat it If It were an egg made by human hands. The waiter placed the gigantic fowl fruit in the center of the table The dozen peered at It intently. Surely it was a real egg. It was a hard-boiled egg.

The waiters peeled the shell from It before their eyes. There could be no mistake. What became of the hen that laid It?" one of the women asked, despite her hunger. "She is laying them yet, laying them just as big as ever, and she Is alive and doing well," was the assurance of the host. It was an ostrich egg.

An unusually large ostrich egg it was, laid by a peculiar kina of ostrich that produces eatable eggs. But eatable or not, the guests ate it. They declared it tasted fine. The yolk In It was as big as several hen eggs. How did it taste? Well, none of the guests were able to exactly answer that question.

The flavor was something like a cross between a chicken egg, a cottage cheese, and a welsh rarebit with something of a meaty flavor. Bach guest was given two some had one slice of white and one' of yolk, and some a circumferential slice of the white encircled around the yolk. After they had eaten enough to satisfy their appetites, the host began to explain to them the great nutritive value of ostrich eggs. They would make women beautiful and healthful, and they would make men strong and wise, clared. The laying- ostrich, as he Called a certain breed of them, is different from the plumed ostrich.

These thrive in America, and soon, he It jto so that ostrich eggs are common in this country. The laying ostrich Is very prolific and when people learn about how good the eggs are every farmer will be raising them. The eggs will be on the market for sale. The housewife will go down and get one egg on Monday and with that rihe can have ham and egg for breakfast for the family for the rest of the week. The egg will keep In a refrigerator with a part of it scooped out, or It can be boiled and served by degrees like boiled ham, and the housewife may thus always have something novel in readiness for the guests.

It is said that in California and Florida several concerns have engaged exclusively in the raising of laying ostrlchs, and that there are proposed plans for extending the enterprise to different parts ot the Kast, West, and South In the vicinity of large cities. It will be a happy day, the host seemed to think, when Americans learn to cat ostrich eggs. BAD MITSKMKLUON YEAR. QUEEN AND SWITCH TENDER Season. Baa Been Too Wet and Fruit Has Been Picked Green, Prom the Mall and Express.

It becomes a painful duty to record the fact that muskmelons offered for sale this year will be no better than they are now. That a bad beginning makes a good ending will not apply to the fruit this season. Muskmelons were very bad at the beginning of the season, and are a little better now, but there will be no further improvement in quality. Wholesale dealers blame the weather. There has been too much rain, they say.

It is a fact that muskmelons do better in a hot, dry season. This city always had good melons until the local growers became discouraged and gave up the business because people would persist in buying- the trash sent in from the far West and South. The flret melons received here this season came from California and Florida. Their sale ought to have been stopped by the Board of Health, many lovers of melons claim. They were either unrioe cr, if they appeared to be ripe, It was because they had been mashed soft in handling.

Tha growers in the South waited only for the melons to rib up a little. Then they picked them and rushed them to market to oatch the high prices that rule early In the season. They were not fit to eat. As the point of shipment moved northward the quality ot the fruit improved slightly. Many who purchased melons early in the season sighed when they were obliged to throw them away and thought the better ones were coming from Pelaware and Maryland.

Since the Jersey and Long Island growers practically gave up the business the best melons have come from the two States named. Now that the Maryland "and Delaware melons are In the market, the worst Is known. They have been picked early, in the fear the wet weather will cause- them to rot they are allowed to ripen on the vine. They are being sect here by the train load. Many crates are sold every day at such a low price that they do not pay the freight charges.

Street Sprinklers and Red Tape. From the Panama Journal. The Canal Commission has received from the States a number of American street sprinklers, which will be turned over to the sanitary department for use of the street-cleaning bureau of this capital. Before the rains set in these sprinklers were much needed, but, owing to the red-tape methods, their purchase was delayed until the close of the dry However, they will be of value next year. Acton, Singers, Talkers Are all more or less subject to bad throat, hoarseness, tonellltls.

and catarrh. Dr. ARnew'e Catarrhal Powder never disappoints. "1 can but proclaim Dr. Agnew's Catarrhal Powder a wonderful medicine fcr actors, singers, and public speakers.

Myself and my wife have tried everything, but have never found anything to equal this great remedy for quick car- talnly to a wonder Bmmvtt Tork From the French of Francois Coppee. EIR -majesty the Queen of Bohemia --there is always a kingdom of Bohemia for convenience of story-tellers--was traveling most modestly and strictly incognito under the name of the Countess of the "Seven Castles and accompanied only by old Baroness de Georgenthal, lady of the bed chamber, and Gen. Horscho- her gentleman usher. In spite of the hot stones at her feet and the furs which were piled around her, the Queen felt; cold, and, tired of her novel and the general's continued knitting-- for the old soldier was an expert with wools --she rubbed Impatiently at the frost window to see what was happening outside. It was a sudden and irresistible caprice had started her majesty, In the very middle of the winter, on a trip to Paris to see her mother, when she had only to wait for the spring, when her mother would have joined her at home.

The Queen was accustomed to consult only her Immediate wishes, and, regardless of the thermometer being 10 degrees below zero, she shook up the baroness from her rheumatism and her warm seal by the, fire and summoned the general, to his despair, for he was obliged to leave a magnificent afghari which he was knitting for his daughter and take only a modest pair of stockings to beguile the weariness of the journey. The traveling had been hard, for all Europe was covered with snow, but at last they were reaching their destination. Tney had had a hasty supper at Macon, and now, although the hot bottles were scarcely warm and outside the big flakes were falling fast, the baroness and the general, In their corners, dreamed contentedly of their arrival In Paris, where the old lady would perform a little special devotion anil the white-haired soldier would repair to a certain shop of wools and yarns, where he could match shades to perfection. The Queen, however, was- not so content. Feverish and shivering beneath her woroderful cape of blue fox, her head, with its wealth of straw-colored hair tumbling from beneath her dark hat, resting on her arm, she Was staring ahead into the -blackness of the night, listening wearily to the rattle and grinding of wheels on the rails.

In memory she was living over her short young life, the poor little Queen, and she felt that no one was so unhappy as she. Her thoughts went back first to the time when she waa a little princess, short and plump, with red hands, playing with her itwln sister, the sister whom ahe loved so dearly, and who resembled her so closely that they had always been obliged to wear different colored ribbons to distinguish them. This was before the Insurrection had overturned the throne of her parents, and she had loved the calm, peaceful atmosphere of the little court of Oltnutz, where etiquette was tempered with good-natured fellowship. This was during the days of her father's reign, good King Louis whose custom it had been, to walk unescorted across the royal park, dressed in his court clothes, to the little Chinese pavilion, covered with woodbine and honeysuckle, where he drank his cup of afternoon coffee with his sister and watched the river, like a necklace of greaming silver, at the foot of autumn-colored hills. Then came her marriage and the great ball of the presentation on the beautiful July evening, when, through the open win-dows, she had heard the aauTmur of the gathering crowd In the Brightly illuminated gardens.

How she had trembled when they had left her alone In the conservatory with the young King! She loved him already; she had lovod him from the first instant she had looked at him, as he advanced toward her, so graceful an-d proud In his blue uniform, with the diamond orders glittering on his breast. After the first waltz, Ottokar had taken her arm and led her Into the long, cool corridor, where they had sat down together beneath a spreading palm, and then he had looked deep Into her eyes, saying softly: 'Princess will you do me the honor to become my wife?" She had blushed and looked down as she replied In a voice which she tried in vain to render natural: Tes, sire!" and in the ballroom the orchestra breathed the notes of the march, a paean of triumph and enthusiasm. Alas! so brief a period of happiness, and then her Joy had' fled forever. Then she learned what every one else had known--that Ottokar had no real love for her and that he had deceived her continually. Something seemed to freeze then in her heart, something that never melted even at the sight of her son, the little Vladis- las, who was only a miniature copy of his father.

Besides, she never had him to herself. There was always a swarm of duennas and stately nurses with enormous bonnets hovering around the royal cradle, and whenever the Queen wisflftd to Inquire for her son and embrace him a little, she was solemnly Informed: "His royal highness has coughed a Httle to-day," or "his oroyal highness Is suffering from his teeth." There was always a barrier raised between them. No, she could not stand It any longer; life was too bitter. She had obtained permission from the King to go and see her mother, the Queen of Moravia, now exiled In Paris, and there she would cry out all her grief In her mother's arms. Only she had been obliged to leave her baby, for the tradition of the Bohemian court forbade that the crown prince should 1 travel without his father.

Suddenly, the Queen awoke from her revery. What had happened? For some moments the train had been gradually slowing ita speed and now It had stopped altogether. What did It mean, stopping here in the open fields. In the middle of ihe night? The baroness and the general awoke abruptly, vaguely anxions. The latter, catching sight of the lantern of a guard, sprang from his seat and put his head out of the door.

"What has happened? What are we stopping for?" he "Two feet of snow on the track, sir." was the reply. "We are stalled here for an hour or more; can't possibly get ahead as we are. "What! Will we have to spend an hour here in this weather? Why, the water- bottles are stone cold?" "But what can we do, sir? They have telegraphed to Tonnerre for a snowplow. But, as I said, we won't move from here for an hour." The man disappeared with his lantern. Such a thing is abominable! Tour majesty will certainly take cold," complained the baroness, "I am chilled through sow," replied the Queen.

The general understood that the moment had came to be heroic. Wrapping his coat tightly around him, he Jumped from the compartment, landing in a drift of snow to his knees, and once more stopped the man with the lantern. He spoke to him in a wfclsper. "But I coulSn't do anything If It was the grand mogul himself," replied the guard. "Still, I think the switch tender lives somewhere wear here, and he ought to have a fire.

If the lady wouldn't mind walking a step or two. Here, Sabatler!" A second lantern approached. "Go and see if the switch tender has a fire in Ws house." Fortunately, he did have. The general was more delighted than if he had- won a battle or finished the last strip of his famous afghan. He returned to the compartment, made known the result of his search, and a moment later the three travelers, stamping heir feet to get off the snow that had accumulated beneath their shoes stood before a glowing fire in the little bouse while the switch tender piled dry logs upon the flamea.

The Queen took her seat close to tha Jtrttota month. throwing her rfcfr cape over the hack of tfce straw- bottomed chair, she pulled oft her long gloves ana looked about her. It was the room of a peasant The floor was rough and uneven, bunches of onions hutogr from the blackened rafters, an old gun was suspended toy two nails above the fireplace, and a few flowered plates stood on a table against the wall. But the young- Queen's attention was fixed upon a cradle of wicker work, half hidden by the curtains of the big bed, from which came the -cooing of an awakened baby. The switch tender hastily left his fire and turned to the cradle, rocking it gently "Go to sleep again, little one, go to sleep.

There's nothing to be afraid of these are some friends of papa's." His was voice good father, this man with the hardened skin and the bald pate of St. Peter, the bristly mustaches of an old soldier, and the two deep lines which told of sorrow. "Is that your IMtle daughter?" demanded the Queen, interested. "Yes, madame, it is my little Ceclle, She will be three years old next month." "But ha-s she no mother?" Inquired her majesty, hesitating; and as the man shook his head, "You are a widower?" But he shook his head again. Then the Queen, much touched, rose from her seal and approached the cradle.

The llttlt gir had fallen asleep again, hugging a wooden dog tightly to her breast. "Poor child," she murmured. "Is it not sad, madame?" said the switch tender, in a heavy voice which broke slightly. "She oould not have had much heart, a mother who -would leave her baby at that age. But, after all, It is my own tault that she left me "I did wrong to have married a girl so much younger and gayer than I but 1 loved her so-- and I should not have left her to go alone to the city.

But how could I dream that she would leave her baby? "Was It not cruel? Well, It means that I shall have to bring- har up all alone, poor little thing! It is hard, too, because of my work. "Often In the evening I have to leave her crying and hungry when I hear the train htetle but during the day time etie is as good as gold, the little Jewel, and I can't take her with me and she never gives a cry when the engines come thundering along. I held her -with one arm while I turned the switch with the other hand, and she only trembled -when the express went by. But the hardest part, you see, is to make her dresses and bonnets. It's a good thing I got acquainted with needles and threads while I was a corporal in the Zouaves." "But that is too difficult for you, my man," said the Queen.

"Listen, I should like to help you. There must be a village near by, with some good woman in it who would take charge of your daughter. If it is only a question of money But the switch-tender shook his head. "No, no, rnadame, although you are very kind. I am not proud, and I would accept anything gladly that would help my little Ceclle but I can never let her be separated from, me, never Not even for an hour." "But why?" "Why?" replied the man, sorrowfully, "Because I -will trust no one but myself to teach this child to be what her mother never was a good woman! But, don, will you be so good as to rock Cecile for a moment? They need me on the No one ever knew what the young Queen of Bohemia was thinking about on that winter night, when, for nearly an hour, she rocked the cradle of the switch-tender's daughter.

At last, when the door opened and the guard came to say that the train was once more ready to start, her majesty laid her pocketbook, full of gold pieces, in one corner of the wicker cradle, and besides thejn the bunch of violets from her belt. The general had barely time to match his wools when they finally arrived in Paris, for scarcely had they reached there when the Queen turned around and -went home. After that she rarely went away again, but spent all her time devoting herself to her son's education. The withered governesses and stately nurses, whose large bonnets cast so wide a shadow over the young prince's babyhood, beoame mere slnecurlsts. And if there are still kings In Europe -When the Httle Vladislas grows up he will be what his father never can be a good king.

Already, at the age of five, he i-s very popular, and when he travels with his mother on the good trains of Bohemia and sees, standing by the door of the royal compartment, a switch-tender with a baby on one arm and a flag In the other, at a sign from his mother, the young prince always blows the little girl a kiss. HARDWOOD DISAPPEARING. Problem of the Supply Twenty Years Hence a Serious One. From the Milwaukee Free Frees. "Where the American people will draw their supply of hardwood from in 1925 or 1950 is a perplexing question," said William J.

Tisdale, of Bay City. "Walnut has practically disappeared from the face of the earth, commercially speaking, and oak, ash, and cherry will go the same way In another quarter or half century. They are fast being cut down and nothing is done to renew the supply. The day Is not far distant when the world will look to the vast forests of Siberia, South America, and Africa for hardwood, and even this apparently limitless supply must some day 'be exhausted. There is a big quantity there yet, as the manufacturing In those regions IB quite limited but when the saw-mills of America get to work on them they can't survive long.

There are many mills in Michigan and In other States that use up fifty acres of lumber In one day and get away with twenty- five square miles of it in a year. That IB fast work, and the forests of this planei are limited. It Is estimated that In a few years, say four or five, the supply of oak, ash, cherry, and mahogany be as completely exhausted as Is that of walnut at the present time. Unsettled countries must then contribute their hardwood freely to the furniture factories of America, and oak or ash kitchen ca-blnets will be unknown in the homes of people of moderate means." A Sermon Without Words. We Pay Interest.

HOME SAVINGS BANK, Seventh St. and Malss. Deposits over a million and a quarter. STORIES OF MUSICAL FISH. The Marriage From tha Philadelphia Public Ledger.

young maa who was at a loss to find an appropriate way of proposing to the object of his affections, was, with the lady, strolling through the park, when the subject of conversation drifted to a review of people who do not show their age. His companion who was proud of the fact that she was older than she appeared, wanted to confess her years. "Now, -what would you take me for?" she asked, expecting to surprise him with the answer "Dearest," he said quickly, "I would take you for nothing!" Welsh Coal Purchase. Prom The London Country Life. The statement that a syndicate of Germans hag purchased one of the most extensive CMlflelds In Wales baa been received with a considerable amount of apprehension by English-speaking people.

We do not believe that prominent politicians, either on the opposition or the government side of the House, allow thiq transaction to be completed without raising the Question, anct the mind of the people upon it. How's This? We offer One Hundred Dollap? Reward for any case of Catarrh that cannot be cured by Hall's Catarrh Cure. F. J. CHENEY Toledo, Ohio.

We, the undersigned, have known F. J. Cheney for the last 15 years, and believe him perfectly honorable in all business transactions and financially able to carry out any obligations made 'by his firm. WAIJDINCr, KINNAN MARVIN, Wholesale Druggists, Toledo, Ohio. Catarrh Cure Is taken Internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous fcurfaees of the system.

Testimonials sent free. Price, 75c per bottle. Sold by all druggists. Take HaU'a Family PUta toe tton. How Some Remarkable Sounds Heard at Sea Are Explained.

Prom the London Answers. Do flsh sing? It -is said that thev do, and it is possible that from their music has arisen the legend of the singing of the sirens of the sea. Some most fascinating stcries have been told of these musical sounds of the ocean, which are attributed to singing flsh. Humboldt tells how, being in the South Sea, the whole crew became frightened by a strange noise that resembled the beating of drums hi the open air. It was at first thought that this noise was produced by the wind, but scon it was clearly alonside the ship, chiefly forward.

It resembled the noise of boiling water when the bubbles burst. Then it was feared that the ship had sprung a leak, but the noise extended successively to all parts of the vessel, and about 9 a. m. it ceased entirely. It was afterward accredited to sounds produced by shoals of fish.

Lieut. John White, of the United States a reports that when In the mouth of the Cambodia River he and his parly heard extraordinary sounds around the ship. They were like the mixture of the bass notes of an organ, the ringing of bells, the guttural cries of a huge bullfrog and noises that seemed to come from an enormous harp. They seemed to shake the very vessel. These noises Increased, and finally formed a universa.1 chorus on both sides of the ship and along its entire length.

As the party ascended the river the sounds weakened, and then ceased entirely. The interpreter told them that the cause was a shoal of fish of flat, oval form, which had the power of adhering strongly to various bodies by the mouth. I The pogonias, or drumfish, which In- i habit the Atlantic coast, also make noises that are often heard at great distances, It is thought--but this is not certain-that the noise is produced by rubbing the pharyngeal teeth together. In the fresh water of the Rio Mataje and Rio del Molino are found musical fish, which, because of this peculiarity, are called by the natives by the name of "musicos." During an exploration of the Bay of Pallons In the northern part of the republic of Ecuador, M. Thornton, with his party, while skirting a shore one day at about sunset, all at once heard a strange sound, extremely low and prolonged, which they thought at first to be the humming of a large bea or insect.

Seeing nothing of the kind, however, M. Thornton asked his oarsman where the noise came from, and was told that it a of flsh, called by some "sirens" and by others "muslcos." Advancing a little farther, a multitude of different voices were heard, that Imitated perfectly the lower middle tones of a charch organ heard outside the building, as in the church porch. The concert began about sunset continued several hours, the executants not oeing disturbed by the presence of men, but not showing themselves at the surface of the water. Another traveler, Le Mosle, describes a concert of singing fishes, each one of which emits, as in Russian music, onlj a single note--full, long, and grave--a sound like that of an ap-hloieide. These make up a most extraordinary "ensemble," each playing a unique air In a dlffer- mt key.

The tonea arise everywhere--before, behind, in the boat--and the water which thev are produced gives them a peculiar quality. The author of this mel- irjcholy melody Is a long flsh, with a arge, flat nead. The natives call it "ma- chovlan." It is greenish, spotted, with a silvery belly, and has short antennae oil the snout. Prayer relates that one night when he was on the Pontlnac, the largest river on he -west coast of Borneo, he heard very distinct music, sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes distant, sometimes near It came from the depths, like the song of he sirens, sometimes sounding like a powerful organ, sometimes like a sweet and larmonlous Aeolian harp. A diver hears this music much more clearly and per- that it comes from several distinct The music, so the natives declare, produced by fish.

Several other kinds of flsh are able to but their identity Is not certain in many cases. The "doree" (John Dory), or flsh of St. Peter, manifests its presence low tide by a sort of clucking, that has given it name of "water chicken The "baliste" (trigger flsh), gives out plaintive and melancholy sounds like the creaking of a wagon wheel. A pristipome Imitates exactly the quack of a duck. Even the tunny can thrust Its head out of water and sing In a voice that imitates a crying child GYPSIES HOARDED THE SOAP.

Officers of Vessel Are Surprised and Gladly Furnish Cleansing Stuff. Prom the San Francisco Call Cleanliness Is not characteristic of the children of Romany, but this fact did not enter the minds of the officers of the Pac'flc Mail Company's steamer San Jose on the last trip -when they acqulesaU to the request for soap each clay It was not until the steamT reached the disembarking point that those connected with the vessel learned that they ha-d fallen victims of the nomads The soap which had been given tn individuals each day was carefully hidden away, and on leaving the steamer they were burdened with cakes of soap accumulated during the trip. The gypsies, numbering about twenty- five, boarded the at Ancon and traveled to Mazatlan. They were an uncleanly lot, and when they washed no soap was used. This attracted the attention of an officer, and ne handed a bar of soap to them.

As soon as his back was turned the piece was secreted. Their avarice was now aroused and each day they would apply for soap The officers of the steamer encouraged the use of soap When the gypsies asked for It It was given without a question. The storekeeper and his superiors were In blissful ignorance of what was going on, but when the grpsiea marched off the vessel they were a to be carrying huge bundles, which proved to be the soap of the Pacific Mail Company. A Widow and a Wit. From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.

A caller stopped at the house of a certain man and asked If he wa at home. 'Deed, an' he's not," replied the woman who answered his ring "Can you tell me where he Is?" could not." "When did you see him "At his funeral." "And who may you be?" "I'm hla remains," said the widow, and she dosed the door. Britain's Example. From Harper's 'Weekly. ztxe of navy shall we need? This would Ira a Terr hard question to answer, if It were not for the example of the only other In the world great, and as hich, and as aa Uolated In her grandeur as we ourselves.

That cation In Great Britain. Her wise policy decides on a navy of certain size. IB our only guide. if -mm gnat 7thSt. and Mass.

Ave. N. W. We Have MEN'S SUITS from YOUNG MEN'S SUITS from BOYS' SUITS from 1.98 And yet are not making a great howl about it, because such things are not unusual in this store. 25c Lace Lfsle Half Hose I5c $1 Leather Belts 25o $1 Sflk Suspenders 48c 98c Neglige Shirts 49c 50c Neckwear 25c A variety of Straw Hats 25c And various other articles of beauty and utility at a mere mite of a price.

4-ply Linen Collars 9o Cuffs, a pair I2o Victor E. Adler, Ten Per Cent Clothing House, 923-925-927-929 7th St. H.W. Our Soft Coal Is Practically SMOKELESS. Try It.

JOHNSON (312 Street. Hubbard Heating Co. Twenty-five experience. Steam and Hot Water Heating. Largest, most complete, and beat equipped shop In Washington devoted exclusively to this clau of work.

Repairing and Remodeling. We will estimate for yon. Offices, 918 St. N. W.

Telephone. Main 448. C-O-K-E preferred to all other fuel for cooking It ts the most economical, as well as the most satisfactory fuel to use. We'll supply you vilh coke 25 Bushels Large Coke, delivered 59 Bushels Large Coke, delivered 60 Bushels Large Coke, delivered SJ Buchela Crushed Coke, delivered 13 00 40 Bushels Crushed Coke, delivered. 50 60 Bushels Crushed-Coke, delivered.

WASHINGTON GAS LIGHT CO, 413 10th St. N. W. 'L Close at p. Saturday p.

Remember, if it'j made of keep if. and tvt tin lowest market price. No order too or too sm.ll for fill. Prompt, quick 'Phone 2495. Deliveries made promptly.

R. Andrews Paper 627-629 La. Ava. St. Pure Soda Jwateri! 5c and lOc.

I The best complexion lotion In world. Take a bottle with you If you are going away. Prevents tan cures sunburn. Price, 25c. All flavors--the best g'jda In tows.

MANDOLINE. WILLIAMS' TempIeDrogaore, Cor. Oth and SPAPFRl.