The Daily Republican from Monongahela, Pennsylvania • Page 2

BUDGET OP FUN. No explorer ha ewet wintered the Antarctic circle. that John thought her countrified, compared her to the youngest Miss Vallas Isabella, she believed the name was to her disadvantage. Now, Nannie had at naughty little temper, which was nobody's bnt her own and though in her best moments she resolutely struggled to check it, it AFTER THE SUMMER. Fruition? Ah, yes the corn is rich gold i The fields are close-mown, and pale With giving of life to hungering fold The wild blooms of bill and vale Have languidly tossed worn petals aside To die in the late-month sun The call of the bird to his springtime bride Tells forth that their work is done.

Suitor "What is her mania, then? Pater "Her desire to marry too." Puck. HEB IMPRESSION. "When I am near you," he sighed, 1 feel that I could conquer destiny itself." "Oh, go 'way she replied. "It is true. Did you realize that you fire me with enthusiasm?" "No," she replied.

"I don't know anything about that. But I do know, she went on, after a moment's reflection, "that if you stay around here much longer Paw wilL" Washington Star. lane and orchard, the blue-birds mated and the violets came, Nannie realized that she had lost forever the heart that loved her, and that she loved, oh, so dearly! No one guessed all the truth, but she was very ill, and they were all kind and by-and-by she got up, when the roses blossomed, and walked about the garden, wondering at its cheer and bloom. Was it the same world, after all? Everything seemed so different to Nannie so very, very different That she had repented did not seem to matter. She must bear her punishment and bear it she did with no unwonted patience.

And, ah, what a patient girl she was assisting her mother, teaching her sisters, tending the teething baby who HUMOROUS SKETCHES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. Where He Made a Mistake A Characteristic Statement Tit for Tat A Problem In the Cirocery, Etc. He seems to think, since at the fair He took the highest prize. There is no further call for him His goods to advertise. is where to make mistakes The fellow has begun, For since he doesn't advertise, Why no one knows he won.

Detroit Tribune. A CHARACTERISTIC STATEMENT. First Girl "Cholly says lie read an article that set him to thinking." Second Girl "That bov never could tell the truth." Washington Star. TIT FOB TAT. The Wife (during a spat) The vil-lian in the play is always a man." The Husband "Yes, and it is always a woman that makes him one." New York World.

IS THE GROCERY. Customer "Have you any mackerel?" Clerk "Yessum." Customer "What kind are they?" Clerk "Dead ones, mum." Detroit Free Press. A PROBLEM. Kingley "You look thoughful, old man." Dauber "I am. My father-in-law just gave my wife fifty dollars for a birthday present, and I was wondering how I would spend it." Pack.

SMALL BOY 6 VIEW. Mother "There goes another one of those dirty tramps. I can't see why they don't keep clean, anyhow." Small Son "Mebby w'en they was little their mothers made them wash so often they got sick of it. Good News. A MAN OP HIS WORD.

Office-boy "Won't you sit down? Mr. Quill left word that he would be back in ten minutes. Client "How long has he been gone?" Office-boy "Oh, 'bout two hours. Judge. NOT- IN HIS POWER.

Janitor of Sky flats (gruffly) "What are you doing in the vestibule at this time of night? Are you one of the tenants?" TomDe Witt "No, I'm not! So you'd better be civil or I'll break your Life. STORMY WEATHER. Wishlets "Did you get wet the other night, going home in that terrible rainstorm?" Bishlets "No; I got home all right but when 1 got into the house my wife soaked me for staying out so late." Brooklgn Eagle. NOT THE ONLY ONE. Teacher "Who was it that supported the world on his shoulders?" Br ightPupil 'It was Atlas, ma'am.

Teaoher "And who supported Atlas?" Bright Pupil "The book don't say, but I guess his wife supported him." Truth. EASILY EXPLAINED. Jones "I wonder why poets wear their hair long?" Brown "Didd'tyou ever have your hair cut?" "Yes, of course. What's that got to do with it?" "Lots. you have to pay for it?" Life.

PRACTICAL. Susan (after the proposal) "And shall Ijhave to send all back the letters I ever received from my former admirers?" Tom "Oh, no They may come in handy for lighting the kitchen fire some morning after we are married. Brooklyn Eagle. MEMORY ASSISTERS. Bruce have you got that piece of red ribbon on your watch for?" Spruce "My wife put it there for me to remember something for her." Bruce "Remember what Spruce "That's just what I can't remember." Judge.

AN UNREASONABLE PUBLIC. Clerk "Mr. Blinks was just in to say that you hadn't sent a man to fix his pipes." Plumber "He's about the fortieth man to come in with that story to-day. I wonder if people think we haven't anything to do but sit here and listen to complaints." Puck. AN OBJECTION.

Mr. Push "I regret to hear that you are opposing the nomination of Major Rantwell to the Legislature: He is a good talker, and would make a useful member." Mr. Pull "My objection is that his speeches are too much like a political procession he is always four hours in passing a given point. "Puck. A SHREWD MATCHMAKER.

rater "No, sir; I can not allow you to marry my daughter." Suitor "But I lovo her 1" Pater "There's a family secret I miwt tell you." Suitor "Speak, Bpeak Pater "There's insanity in the family. She is deranged." Insanity is most prevalent in great industrial, business and speculative centers, and least in country districts. In Si Petersburg, Rnssia, people (may not ride a bicycle without having previously passed an examination to test their fitness. The exact future status of wheat as stock food is uncertain, believes the New York World, as it costs more to grow wheat than corn. The Hartford Journal says that Japan is the place for a poor man to live.

There he can keep up a house, have plenty of food and pay rent on $500 a year. But what troubles the Japs most is how to get that $500. Americans import from Japan about 40,000,000 pounds of tea a year and 45, 000, 000 pounds from China. If the tea market eventually becomes much disturbed there will be an increase of interest in the tea-growing experiments in South Carolina and Florida. With every year that passes American men read lees of what is called "literature," while American women read more.

Already the success or failure of a novel depends upon the women, asserts the Chicago Herald, and they make it or mar it in abso-lute'disregard of the opinions of the critics. The Japanese pay for all they get in Korea, instead of levying on the community whose territory they occupy, showing a civilized amelioration of the old customs of Oriental as of other warfare. They have not only learned in the schools of the West how to fight well, but how to restrain their armies in victory, as well as to impel and direct them in action. A new chapter in Eastern history is opened by this ingenious, progressive and courageous people. One sees in the waters of the lower Chesapeake little groups of slender piles, set close and rising perhaps six feet above the surface.

These are called hurdles, and it is here that the sheepshead are caught. The hurdles are often of sassafras. This wood is peculiarly favorable to the growth of the barnacle upon which the fish feed, and perhaps there is something in the wood that attracts them. At any rate, fishermen often wrap their hooks with the pliant inner bark of the sassafras for the purpose of insuring good luck. Some statistical fiend, who has been pouring over the returns of the last census, gives the following rather startling figures to prove that the American people are rapidly becoming a homeless race.

More than half the people of the country live in rented houses, and nearly half those who live in their own houses have not paid for them. These are the figures Number of families, number of tenants, 6,623,735, or fifty-two per cent, of the whole number number of families whose places of abode are incumbered by mortgages, or fourteen per cent. number of families whose homes are free from debt, 4,369,527, or thirty-four per cent, of the total number. These figures include farmers and the people who live in villages, towns and the smaller cities. The New York Herald states that while no absolutely conclusive statistics of this year's harvest abroad are obtainable recent accounts indicate that they have been generally more bountiful than usual.

France usually has to buy 40,000,000 bushels of wheat for her own use. and often much more but so abundant is her own wheat crop this year that she will not require to import, it is said, more than 16,000,000 bushels at the most. India has not been favored with redundant crops, but the London Mark Lane Express says: "If we group India, Russia, Persia, Turkey and Egypt together, we shall find that the total exports (of wheat) are quite as large as ever." The Argentine Republic, however, has not been standing still, and is now the most formidable rival of the United States in the world's grain markets. Argentina exported 40,000,000 bushels more of her last wheat crop than she exported in previous years, and her new crop (to be harvested in Decomber and January next) promises to be very large. Our Consul at Buenos Ayres has just reported "The estimates of the (Argentine) area in wheat this year vary from 7,436,250 acres (which is an increase of fifty per cent, over last year's acreage) to 5,453,250 acres, which is only ten per cent, increase.

The wheat looks well." blazed forth now. She gave John a sharp glance, and flounced down upon the rustic seat. "I do not pretend to be a mirror of fashion "What?" exclaimed John, sharply. He was astonished. He had never seen Nannie look like that before.

And innocent as a babe, he had simply asked for information regarding the ribbons. The girl twisted her bracelet, a very pretty one, with John hair in the clasp, and finally burst forth "I don't pretend to dress in perfect taste, and I know I don suit you. am homely and countrified. You didn't think so once, perhaps but I know you do now. You associate with a different kind of people from what you did when you lived here, and saw the difference between me and and Miss Yallas, for instance.

I can not help it. We are poor, and it takes money to dress well. I do not suit you I know that very well and I hate pretending. You need never feel obliged to come to the Junipers again. Let us go back to the house, "Certainly, if you wish," he said.

Back they went, over the red clover-tops, their backs to the luminous glory of the west, which framed with its flood of gold John's stern white face and Nannie pout. "Who would have thought she had such a temper and was so unreason able? he was saying to himself. "He hated me and I hate myself. Oh, dear!" Nannie was wailing in spirit, but sha yet tossed her curly head with an unrelentant air. They reached the old blue door- stone.

"I can catch the six o'clock train, I think," said John, looking at his watch. "I think you can," syllabled Nan nie, icily, with a bleeding heart. John stepped into the hall and took down his linen duster from a peg. Nannie airily selected some sprays from the blossomed door vine, and took no notice of the pale face and stormy blue eyes. John did not usually go until the 8 o'clock train, and he was going going "As we were about parting, I had better sav, perhaps, that I meant no offense," he said, his hat in his hand, but with a manner distant as her own, and a tone hard as iron.

"That makes no difference," re sponded Nannie," coldly and indifferently. John straightway put on his hat and marched out at the gate. Nannie listened to the dying tread a moment, her eyes fixed on the ground then, looking up, seeing him gone, hearing all still but the accustomed twilight sounds, she started, flew up to her room, and, casting herself upon the bed, uttered a cry of grief and broke into a passion of tears. A year passed away. The lovely weather, the clover-tops in the lane, the apple-orchard were all the same.

The Junipers was still Nannie's home, and only she had changed, how much can scarcely be told. The infantile roundness of cheeks, the air of extreme youth, the vivid bloom were gone the girl had suffered, and was purified. "You 11 go to the picnic, won you, Nannie said her friend Mollie Hale. The Gays will be there, and Ed. Da- vine.

I shall go. And lots of people from the city are coming out." No, Nannie was not going, and Mollie did not attempt further to persuade her. She was the only one who complained of the change in Nannie. It pleased others. Mollie declared that Nannie had grown "sober and old maidish." She was a good-hearted girl she divined that Nannie had snffered and was sorry for her.

None the less Bhe resented being shut out of of her confidence. For Nannie had never lisped one word of what had caused the estrangement between her and John Grandmont. A whole year had passed, and she had never mentioned his name. Oh, how bitterly she repented What a period of suffering it had been At first Bhe expected to hear from John. He would write, of course, to upbraid her probably to request the return of his gifts the pretty bracelet, a book, a fan, a scarf there had been no ring.

She would not have parted with them for the world. Did he dream of the truth, and leave them with her out of mercy? Probably so and indeed it was not so. The truth was John thought nothing of these trifles. After their silly, wicked quarrel, which Nannie could see now was all her fault, she had wept herself sick but on preparing for the night, had dissovered one of the pink ribbons she had worn with her gray carriage dress knotted in her hair. She had forgotten to remove it when donning the white muslin.

The pink and blue ribbons certainly were not in harmony, and probably John had meant no harm. Oh, why did sho fly out in such an unreasonable way? No wonder he had taken offense and left her. And for so little cause What kind of a wife was she going to make if she could not bear a momentary cross like that? Poor Nannie was ashamed to the bottom of her soul. Her cheeks burned hot on her pillow in tho darkness. But John did not write.

No the spice sweetings ripened to gold, and fell among the brown grasses of October. The long, white winter came and melted into spring's brightness and then, when tho green sprang in the The gloss of the leaves that clothe the old trees Has dulled to a modest crown, That quivered and gasped, athirst for a breeze, Then faded to dun and brown. The delicate bloom hangs strong, sturdy fruit; Faint perfume, to incense grown The dream of a hymn, to strain of the lute Toung whispering wind, to moan. We lived you and I in Life's summertide Our feet pressed the carpet green That God flung about, on every side My King, and I was your Queen The sun gave its blessing the trees lent their shade The storms swept us, swift and strong We breathe, as we glance to see the Past fade, A sweet, soft thanksgiving song. Emma J.

Gompf, in Lippincott. SPICE SWEETINGS. ANNIE Wilde and John Grandmont, from being happy lovers, were the two most miserable people on the face of the globe on that lovely evening when they parted at the garden gate of the Junipers. It had been such a clear, long, cloudless day, while a west wind ruffled the lake and tempered the fervid sun. John was at the Junipers for a holiday.

He enjoyed it thoroughly the escape from the city's confinement the change to the country, where, among verdant fields, under clear skies, "the blue and green were glad together." He had health, hope and the girl of his choice by his side. What more could he ask But when they had chatted and sung, and gone to drive and come home to a delightful tea under the junipers on the lawn, there arose a little cloud no larger than a man's hand. Nannie had hurriedly changed her soft gray carriage dress for a white muslin knotted with blue ribbons. "Hurry, Nannie," her mamma had said, "or the peaches and cream will be spoiled." And Nannie had made her toilet for the evening without once looking in the mirror. After supper she jumped up brightly.

"Come, John, let us go down into the orchard and see if the spice sweetings are ripe." "Spice sweetings John jumped up, too. Do you know what spice sweetings are? They are the fairest, smoothest, most fragrant, pale-green globes that ever hung in an apple orchard. It was hardly time for them to be ripe but, then, Nannie thought they might be. Besides, the lane was so pleasant and the seat under the old russet tree so comfortable. She wanted one cozy hour with John to think of when he should be gone for he could not come often to the Junipers.

She might not see him again for months. And then, if John had anything special to say, she ought to give him opportunity. To-be-sure, they hod been alone while driving, but the horse was very gay, and required the most of John's attention. Together they went down the lane to the orchard in the sunset glow. "By George! this is pleasant said handsome John Grandmont, walking through the red clover-tops and sniffing the scent of the ripening apples.

Nannie was silent, though she smiled. How handsome he was, and how dear, with his strength, and bravery, and sweet temper How lonesome she should be to-morrow when he had gone, and all the to-morrows afterward until he came again She wished he would run away with her, Nannie had a good home and kind friends, but there were three younger girls by her mother's second marriage, and sometimes the nest seemed a little crowded, and she wished she had a home of her own. John's salary was not enough for them to marry on last Christmas; perhaps by next "Nannie," said John, "is it the style to wear pink and blue ribbons together?" How quickly Nannie reddened 1 John had stopped under the old rnsset tree, and was looking down at her very coolly, she thought. Now there was a little drop of dark blood in pretty Nannie's fair body, inherited from a suspicious and morose old ancestor, who feared and hated all the world. That is why she lost hope so quickly and confidence so soon, and was never quite sure of anybody.

That is why she remembered all of a sudden the rumor Mollie Hnle had repeated, that John frequented general society considerably in the city, and was attentive to his employer's beautiful daughters, the Misses Vallas. Of course they dressed in perfect taste. They had the means to do so. Nannie was miserably conscious all at once that her ribbons were not quite fresh, that sho had ironed her own dress, and couldn't do it to suit her. bho fancied she looked dowdy, and TOO CAUTIOUS.

Cautious people are sometimes too cautions. The story of a man who considered seriously for a week whether it would be wise for him to pay 500 for a lot, and after deciding in the affirmative learned from the real estate man in a more careful conversation that it was $500 per front foot is a case in point. A few days ago a stranger, while passing a haberdasher's store, was attracted by a display of shirts, which were further distinguished by a placard on which was printed the legend, "These are seventy-five cents." It happened that in the same case were a few silk umbrellas, which command about $6 each on a pleasant day, with a slight tendency to raise if clouds gather. The pedestrian gazed long and earnestly into the window then he wandered away, only to return soon and gaze again. This was repeated several times.

Finally he entered the store and asked to look at the umbrellas. One was brought out and he opened and examined it with the utmost care. It seemed to suit him exactly, and he turned to the proprietor and remarked, "I'll give you an even sixty cents for it." The proprietor evidently didn't think he understood aright, for he leaned forward and said, "What?" The stranger again informed him, "I'll give you an even sixty cents for the umbrella." The proprietor was dazed. Then he began to recover. "How much do you think it costs?" he inquired.

"Se venty -five cents. "And you have been debating all this time whether you would give that amount for a silk umbrella?" The stranger said he had. The proprietor led him gently but firmly to the door. "My friend," he said tenderly, "you are too far from home, and you'd better scoot before some hungry car horse gets a chance to nibble at you and makes a funeral before the mistake is discovered." St. Paul Pioneer-Press.

The Peanut and Chestnut Season. The chestnut supply of this market oomes mainly from Maryland, Virginia and this State. The first shipments come in late in September, and the last about two months afterward. About 200,000 bushels, equal to 000,000 pounds, of domestic chestnuts are annually sold in this market. Italian and i rench chestnuts, which are larger and with coarser and less sweet kernels than domestic chestnuts, begin to arrive about the middle of October, and cease about New Year's.

The wholesale price of the first lots received is usually twelve cents a pound, and of the last lots six eents a pound. The quantity usually imported, mainly from Italy, is about 20,000 packages of 250 pounds each, equal to 5,000,000 pounds, which, together with the domestic crop of pounds, gives a total annual supply of about 17,000,000 pounds. Peanuts, which formerly came almost wholly from Africa, are now nearly all produced in Virginia. They begin to come in about November 1, and re-' ceipts continue throughout the year, large stocks being held in Virginia storehouses annually. The average yearly supply ranges from 85,000 to 90,000 sacks, of 100 pounds each, or from 8,500,000 to 9,000,000 pounds.

The opening price is usually about $4.25 a sack, and the closing price about $3 a sack. On account of the oily nature of raw peanuts, they may be held in store for a full year without deteriorating more than about three per cent, in quality. Chestnuts compete sharply with peanuts, while they last, but, asthechest-nutwithers and becomes worthless in a few months, it invariably has to yield the palm to the greater longevity of the plebian peanut. Rivalry between peanut-sellers and chestnut-sellers is always active throughout the chestnut season, and during the next two or three months, wherever the cry of "Roasta peanutta may be heard from one vender, there will go forth from another the equally resonant announcement, "Roasta chesta-nutta New York Tribuae. The Elevator Sickness.

"Cases of elevator sickness are on the increase," said Dr. E. C. Knowl-ton, of Chicago. "When physicians first began to claim that there was such a thing as elevator sickness their statements were usually discredited, but it is now becoming well defined.

Its effects are found in an increased nutn- ber of cases of brain fever aud disordered nervous systems. Every one has felt a sense of emptiness in their heads, a sensation as if they were falling when riding rapidly in an elevator, especially if it was going down. This creates a dizziness, slight it is true, but the constant repetition of which brings on headaches and often brain fever. If not so serious then it is felt in the nerves. Those who habitually ride up and down eight or ten stories cannot fail to realize that it is bringing on a disordered condition of the nerves.

For this reason elevators should be run slowly, especially whoa descending. Cincinnati Enquirer, had worn everybody else out not a bit like the imperious, 'passionate, pretty Nannie of old. "I declare, Nannie, you are quite plaiu since your sickness her mother said, not dreaming what a stab she gave her daughter's sore heart. Had that gone, too even her little bit of beauty, which had found favor in John Grandmont's eyes? And now, after the long, dreary summer, people who enjoyed life were going to have a picnic in Harebell Hollow. No she did not care to go.

Besides, it was just a year since the day she had last met her sweetheart. Nannie's heart was too full of memories of those last hours for her to attempt to mingle with happy people. "Mollie," she whispered to her friend, as the latter went away in a trim new suit with its Scotch plaid ribbons, "come down into the orchard when you come back, and perhaps I will tell you something. "Yes, dear, I will," said good na-tured Mollie, kissing her on both cheeks. "And don't you fret." People never stayed late in Harebell Hollow it was too damp, though such a pretty place and just at sunset, Nannie, lying on the old rustic settee, heard a step in" the rustling grass.

"Have you come, Mollie?" she said, in a stifled voice. She had been crying, and did not lift her swollen face. Some one sat down on the old seat's head, and put a gentle hand upon her brown curls. "1 know you're sorry for me, Mollie. You're a real good girl and we've been friends for a long time, and I might have told you, perhaps, but I couldn't bear to speak John Grandmont's name.

Oh, Mollie, I loved him so He was all the world to me. Yet I got cross and scolded about the least little thing my wearing pink and blue ribbons together and he meant no harm, and he was offended. He didn't dream I could be so cross and unreasonable, I know and he left me. I deserve it. But, oh, Mollie, it seems sometimes as if I couldn't bear it.

Tonightjust such a night again, cool, and the west wind so balmy, and the smell of the spice sweetings ripening and all the other nights like this I must be left alone Sobs choked the rest. "My little darling!" But it wasn't Mollie's voices it wasn't Mollie's face bending closer above Nannie's tear-filled, startled eyes. "My poor little Nannie said John Grandmont, kneeling at her side and taking her in his arms. "We have both suffered enough. Let us forgive each other.

And we won't quarrel again while 6pice sweetings ripen Ah, two such happy hearts under the spice sweeting trees John had come to the picnic, hoping for a glimpse of Nannie, and Mollie had beguiled him to the gate of the Junipers. "Nannie is in the orchard she had said. Saturday Night. Shrimp In the South. The Charleston gourmet is now joy ously feasting daily on our own little dish, the shrimp.

There is hardly a family in the city that does not have this dainty little crustacean served for breakfast in some shape or form. When the dark shades of night drop over the harbor the hardy shrimp men man their little canoes, and with their cast nets neatly arranged and ready to be thrown, they make for the long dark shores of marsh where their prey makes its feeding grounds. They have to wait silently and patiently on the edges of the marsh until a certain time of the tide, when out come the shrimp in millions, and out fly the heavy nets and the work commences. The oarsmen pull or punt or paddle along the shores, and the man with the net keeps his eyes and ears open for the ripple and sound of the sportive shrimp. As the shrimp moves through the water he is a beautiful sight.

The most beautiful colors shine from his long body and his fan shaped tail stirs the phosphorescence and leaves behind a subdued trail of fire. When the usual quantity is caught and the turning of the tide takes the shrimp to other spots, the shrimpers pull for the wharves to sell their spoil. Long before daybreak the venders, men and women, are on hand with thoir travs to get their morning's supply for their numerous customers. The number of these venders can be safely put at 300. Charleston (S.

News and Courier. Cannot Stop the Sale ot Horso Meat. After working for weoks to discover butchers who have been slaughtering horses and placing the meat on the market, officers of the Health Department have found them, and thoy are now frank in admitting that they are powerless to prevent the sale of such meat on the market in Chicago, and they can only prevent the slaughter ing of horses within tho city limits. Chicago Journal..