' knelt beside her and said:
PATIENCE.
If your foes torment and taunt you,
If your fears harass and haunt you,
If the world seems dark and dreary.
.“ Wait a wee and dinna weary."
If the hopes you £011 13' cherish,
Dashed to earth, seem sureto perish,
Wait with patience for to-morrow—
No man‘s life is wholly sorrow.
If your plans don‘t work to please you.
If the fates should vex and tease you,
If yr- -u can be bright and cheer y,
“ Wait a w ee and dinna \\ ear, v. "
If God give you leisure. take it:
' ’Tis His gift, a. blessing make it;
Faith in Him no whit abating. '
Serve His will by patient waiting.
t. 01'. if work, instead of leisure,
Pain, instead of longed—for pleasure,
Howsoe’er your lot seem dreary,
“ Wait a. wee and dinna weary.”
' —-Mrs. W. H. Powers.
(A Innsunnnonox
“Can I trust you, Maude?” _
“Trust me! in what way, Gerald? 1
.am afraid I have not been paying
much attention to all that you were
saying.”
His wife—this bewitching, lovely, ir-
responsible being! He went 'over to
where she was lying in a long chair in
the shadiest, coolest corner of the ve-
randa, and taking her two slim white
hands in his strong brown ones, he
“Mantle, I
have to leave you here with Mrs. Tail-
your, and I want to feel sure that
While I am away from you. my dear-
est one. that you will be prudent. and
do nothing foolish 01' unsuited to your
position as my wife, for which after-
ward you would be sorry or ashamed
H
"(,iel'ald!” she interrupted, with petu-
lant indignation.
"Yes, my darling, I must speak plain-
ly. You remember last winter, it was
unintentionalbn your part, I know;
but still, how unhappy you were made
by all the wretched talk and gossip
that.followedl”
"That was three months ago, Gerald.
I am older now and more experienced.
I am sure you need not remind me of
that miserable affair;- it is unkind of
you.”
She withdrew her hands from his
clasp with a reproachful gesture, and
added, pouting:
“After all, it is not my fault that I
am pretty. and I cannot help it if your
friends will admire me and pay me at-
tention. ”
‘But you will be careful, my darl-
ing: promise me—; this fellow Per-
ceva1——”
"Oh! now you are going to abuse
Lord Perceval again, I suppose; I am
so tired of that topic; I shall not lis—
ten to a word against 'him. Gerald, I
have known him all my life; he is my
oldest and greatest friend, and I do
not intend to give him up for any one;
no, not for any one, not even for you,
Gerald—so there!”
A week has passed since Gerald had
bade farewell to his young wife and
started on his journey through the des-
ert to join the troops in advance. The
still blue heat of an Egyptian day
brooded over the quiet villa, which
from its, lack of sign or sound of life
seemed to be prolonging its mid-day
siesta into the evening hours. The clat-
ter of hoofs outside aroused the atten-
ion of the solitary inhabitant of the ve-
r,anda a middle-aged woman, whose
strongly maiked features and keen
daik eyes proclaimed her a. person of
intelligence and decided characte1. She
threw aside the book she was reading,
and advanced toward the flight of
steps Where the rider, an artillery of-
ficer, was already dismounting from
his horse. As he caught sight of her,
the dark cloud of sorrowful anxiety
which hung over his countenance was
visibly lightened. \
“Ah, Mrs. Tailyour,
thankful to see you! You are the very
person who can help me,” he cried.
"Anything wrong, Capt. Ferguson?”
she asked eagerly, as he joined her in
the shade. Then taking in the details
of his horse‘s heaving sides and his
own worn appearance, she added with
increased apprehension, “You have rid-
den fast—no bad neWs I trust?”
"Yes, very bad news: the worst, as
far as I am concerned! Poor Jocelyn
—my greatest friend, as you know—
such a good sort he was. I never was
so cut tip about anything in my whole
life. ”
He sank beside her on a seat with an
air of dejected melancholy, and passed
his hand wearily across his brow.
"Has- there been a skirmish al-
ready?” Mrs. Tailyour'asked, breath-
lessly. “I did not know any fighting
res expected yet; the Colonel re-
ported all quiet in his last; is poor
Jocelyn wounded?”
"He is dead. poor fellow! There has
been no fighting; it was an accident
——vith one of the guns, I imagine, but
the telegram only said: ‘Accident,
Joctlyn killed; meet train to-night.’
Thrt is all I know.”
"(flood Gall!” Mrs.
Tailyour ex-
claimed. “Gerald Jocelyn killed! How
. . . 1 i - .
shocking! 1 am terribly grieved. His
poor young wife! only married six
months!" The tears “rose in her eyes
as she spoke. ‘
"Yes, his wife," Capt. Ferguson an-
s .1112 anxiously. I rode out at once
hoping to find you here and that you
Would kindly relieve me of the painful
11 ,o;.s1b111ty. I have not the courage
1 1;, though I dont suppose she
“ f. .v'. :f much. ”
up, snake. with some bitterness, and
‘11s.1anyour answered him quickly.
'1c..1 n1....n..e1sta1.d her—indeed you
‘ ”v.1f‘Yfel-rrirsnn
um... is now out riding with Lord
Peri-eviil; they started soon after
breakfast and may return at any mo-
.1115 ;:.t." _,
"Tit” fellow Perceval! Brute! I
wonder Jocelyn did not put his feet
um. 11 flicl'e.” Capt. Ferguson frowned
111.11 ”M15011 into gloomy silence.
I am indeed _
‘-
V
“See that little cloud of dust. That
is theii party, no doubt.‘
Mrs. Tailyour pointed to the distant
undulating line in the'desert.
Some few minutes later the little ca-
vnlc‘ade rode up, laughing and joking,
to the villa,pall unconscious of the two
people who awaited its arrival in sor-
rowful silence, dreading the moment
when their sad intelligence must be
made known. Maude Jocelyn sprang
from her horse and ran lightly up the
steps toward them with a laugh on her
lips—then something in the strange ex-
pression on the two faces that con-
fronted her froze the words of merry
. greeting on her tongue.
“011, my dear! my dear!” Mrs. Tail-
your said pitifully, taking her by the
hand and drawing her away.
“Oh, what is it, Mrs. Tailyour. What
has happened? Geraldi—is he ill?—
tell me quickly; you have heard bad
news! Maud stammered in terrified
accents.
“Yes, dear child, there is bad news,
be brave!” and the older woman led
the girl quickly away to her room.
There, later,a voice wailed forth in
anguish, “Gerald, my love! Gerald.
Oh, I cannot hear lt—it is not true.
Dead, my dear love! Dead Gerald,
husband! Lying dead while I rode
laughing and jesting across the des-
ert!”
Then the thought of their last words
together flashed across her mind; she
seemed to see again the proud hand,
some face, and hear again that plead-
ing, earnest voice, “Can I trust you,
Maudie? Promise me.”
That evening, outside the railway
station, a detachment of soldiers
awaited, in melancholy silence, the
coming of the train which was convey-
ing to them the body of their dead of-
ficer and comrade, whom they had all
respected and admired. Close by the
gun carriage was standing on which
Gerald Jocelyn was to make his last
journey to the cemetery on the hillside
a mile away; and at a few yards’ dis-
tance a closed carriage was drawn up
in which sat Mrs. Tailyour holding in
mute sympathy the hand of the girl
widow, who. white and tearless, leaned
back beside her, immovable in calm dc-
spair.
Capt. Ferguson was standing near
the carriage, and whispered to Mrs.
Tailyour that the train was signalled;
then he withdrew from her sight in
side the station. Puffing and panting,
the train swept in; there was a strange
silence for a few sec‘onds, followed by
a muffled murmur of voices, the sol.
diers bent for and eagerly, and a mes-
sage was passed down their line from
one to another, accompanied by looks
of amazed surprise. Mrs. Tailyour.
pressed her companion’s hand tighter,
the terrible moment had arrived—how
would the girl face it? Was it possible
that she possessed sufficient strength
of mind and body for the terrible or-
deal which she had set herself?
Then Mrs. Tailyour saw Capt. Fer-
guson emerge from the station with
a dazed look of consternation on his
face, the result evidently of great. over-.
pOWering emotion. .
He came hurriedly toward them
making signs to Mrs. Tailyou'r, which
she failed to understand.
“Has it not come?” she whispered to.
him as he approached.
“There has been a mistake,” he mur-
mured in reply; and Maud-thongh
apparently unaware of what was pass-
ing around her—Caught the words; her
face woke to animation, she leaned
,forward crying:
“A mistake! He has not come! 011,
tell me quickly, I can bear it, he is not
dead, he is alive—I see it on your face,
for pity’s sake don't keep me in sus-
pense—let me out—I must go to him."
She was struggling to open the door
when some one put Capt. Ferguson
quietly aside, and then with a loud cry
Maud sprang past Mrs. Tailyour, and
fell sobbing on her husband's breast.
Yes! there was a mistake. Gerald
was alive, though not uninjured; for
he carried one arm in a sling, and a
bandage r011n°t1 his head accentuated
the startling pallor of his face.
' Two words omitted in the telegram
that day explained the mystery of his
resurrection. “Accident, Jocelyn
wounded, gunner killed,” altered the
whole meaning of the message. Pri-
vate Brown, R. A.. bad the honors ac-
corded to him which had been pre-
pared for Major Jocelyn’s funeral, and
Gerald drove back to the villa with
Mrs. Tailyour and his unconscious
wife. Joy never kills, they said, but
Maud approached very nearly to the
shadow land of the Great Unknown.
She came back from the borderland of
Eternity. no longer a laughing,
thoughtless child, .but a. woman in
mind and feeling. The shock of a great
sorrow. followed by a great and over-
whelming joy, had awakened her
sleeping soul, and brought to matur-
ity the deeper and finer traits of char-
acter which she possessed, but which.
hitherto untouched by the moulding
hand of sorrow. had lain quiescent in
1191 and unknow 11.
Capt :Firguson averred that he had
faced the lllelmS of war and en’luied
many terrible experiences. but at no
time in his life. had he come so near ut-
terly losing his presume of mind as
in that moment when his dear friend,
Gerald Jocelyn. stepped from the train,
and laid a hand upon his arm—St.
Paul‘s.
Sea Serpent Seen Again.
,H. A. Dawes. second officer of the
steamer Columbian. reports the, sea
serpent as having been seen on De-
cember 1 forty miles off Sable Island.
and booming eastward at an 8-knot
gait. From the description of Mr.
Dawes it is the same old sea serpent,
81) feet long, 5 feet across the back,
thick—lipped and with eyes about the
size of a saucer. According to "Mr.
Dawes. the creature. when abreast of
the ship, raised itself item the watei,
shook itself, and then went along
about. its business.
[M
1’ - ..- ..... . ._~:
“11:11. Y
GOVERNMENT CAR‘RIER PIGEONS.
Howard Carter Has Charge of Then: at
' the‘Brooklyn'Navy Yard.
An important branch of the naval
service is conducted by an eighteen-
year-old boy. He is Howard Carter,
:1 son of Major J. F. Carter of Mary-
land. ’
Young Carter is stationed at the
Navy Yard, Brooklyn. His duties con-
sist in training the Government’s hom-
ing pigeons to carry messages from
shipsat sea. The boy was engaged by
Secretary Herbert, who purchased his
loft of: pigeons as well. °
Twice a week a basketful of the
youngsters are sent down the bay to
varying distances. The covers of their
rage are thrown back and they are al—
lowed to escape. Under the leadership
of the veteran the young birds mount
high in the air, circle about once 01'
twice, and off they start on an airline
for home. The attraction is the well-
filled grain dishes which they know
await them.‘ The pigeons are always
started off with an appetite.
When the birds are still very young
small aluminum bands are placed on
their right legs. Branded in the metal
is an anchor and a number containing
four figures, for example, 6310. The
1‘. is for the year, 3 for the number of
the Brooklyn loft and the other figures
represent the individual number of the
bird. Each bird is registered as soon
as this band is put on. and a record is
thereafter kept of all it does.
Secretary Herbert considers this a
very important branch of the service.
‘he birds are able to carry messages
fivehundred miles at a single flight. A
bird can thus he released that distance
from port and announce the coming
of the vessel. The disabling of a ship
anywhere within a radius of that dis-
tance from port could be communi-
cated to the Department. It can be
readily seen 110w important such a ser-
vice would become in case of war.
Messages are writtefi on tissue pa-
per. rolled up and stuck in a quill
which is tied in the pigeon’s tail. This
is so that the message will ofier no re-
sistance to the air. A pigeon, when it
is known that it is to be released with
a messsagc, is kept without food. This
is so that it will lose no time in getting
away for the cote when it is free.
On the cote at the yard there is a
small wire trap. A small platform pro-
jects from beneath this cage. The re-
turning pigeons alight on the platform
and go into the trap.
Once in they are unable to get out
or through into the cote. They are held
here until the trainer releases them.
The cage or trap is connected with the
receiving ship Vermont by an electric
wire. The arrival of a bird is indicated
by the ringing of a hell on the ship.
The trainer is supposed to be on hand.
He goes to the cote, releases the pigeon
from the trap secures the message, and
the bird is tinned loose in the cote to
appease its hunger at the feed
tiough.
Pigeons, so young Carter asseits, can
be kept aboard ship for a year or even
longer in a foreign port. On the re-
. turn of the vessel a bird released when
the ship is 500 miles at sea will fly
with unerring course straight to .the
cote where it was bred. '
Arrangements are to be made in the
ships hereafter to accommodate birds
for indefinite lengths of time. When
the fleet sets out upon important
cruises a number of the birds willlbe
taken along. They will be released
one by one and sent home with mes-
sages for the Department. The birds
fly as well alone as in numbers, al-
though when relcasedtogether they
keep in a flock.
The Aligaior’s Visitor.
The alligator was resting himself
‘ under the pile of stones in his tub of
water. All at once he heard footsteps
coming into the room, and he opened
his black beads of eyes and went out
to see what was there. Then a sweet
little voice said:
“Why, grandma, he isn’t vel y big, is
he?” '
A face with blue eyes and red cheeks
“we ‘.)e1 1' down over the tub, and
5011;: ,. ellow curls almost touched
the \\ Let-'1'. '
“I think I’m pretty big,” said the
alligator to himself, and he really was
almost six inches long. So, being
rather quick-tempered, he went back
under his stones again and watched to
see what that blue and pink and yel—
low cieatuxe would do.
“Oh. he’s gone," said Dorothy, “and
I’m afiaid he thinks I don’t like him.
But I do, _I do! I’d rather have him to
play with than all my dolls, even the
new paper ones. He is so live and
nice, and his little eyes shine so!
Grandma, do take him in your lap,.and
then we can see him better.”
So grandma put a towel around her
hand, and she lifted the little alligator
carefully out and held him for a n10-
ment. But he was wet and slippery,
and frightened besides, and pretty
soon got away somehow, running
swiftly about on the floor. ‘hen. they
could not find him.
“What will Jack say, if we have
lost his alligator?” said grandma.
They looked everywhere, and two
bright tears began to shine in Dor-
othy’s eyes.
“W’hat’s the matter?” said Cousin
Jack’s voice at the door. “Lost him?
I guess not. Have you looked in my
rubbers under the cupboard? That’s
where he always hides.”
Sure enough, there he was, curled up
' safely in one of Jack's overshoes!
“Mrs. Lease says Tom W tson is no
gentleman.”
“And what does Tom
“He says Mrs. Lease "s a mighty
poor imitation of a gentlr man herself."
-~Chicago Record.
. ‘tson Say ‘3’“
Asbestos Mats.
Table mats, on which to place hot
dishes, are no longer used, as the
heavy felt undercloth is intended to
be sufficient protection for the table:
but many housewives have found the
top of their handsomely polished ta:
bles defaced by the marks made by
the hot dishes. If a sheet of asbestos
paper is put under the felt cloth the
table will not be injured in the least
from this cause. At teas or luncheons,
when 'the polished table is used with
doylies instead of a cloth, asbestos
mats may be cove1ed fiath prettily em-
broidered doylies for 'the hot dishes.
One of these mats cove1ed with a doy-
lie, which should be larger than the
mat, is much prettier to use than any
teapot stand that can be purchased.
Castor Oil Biscuits.
Give castor oil, if it must be given,
in the form of castor oil biscuit or gin-
gerbread, and the difficulties are easily
overcome. Take 1/1 lb of flour. 2 oz of
moist sugar, :1 small quantity of spice
and 114- oz of castor oil. Mix all to-
gether, roll it out and cut it in 10 ‘
cakes. Bake them quickly in a 'hot
oven. Each cake will contain a dose
of castor oil, pleasantly disguised. One
or more of theicakes may be given at
a time, according to the age of the
child. By adding ginger and using
molasses instead of sugar, castor oil
ginger nuts may be made, and the chil.
dren will eat them readily without
perceiving 'the taste of the oil.
01d Silk Handkerchiefs.
Save all old silk handkerchicfs. Ya-
rious are the uses they can be put to.
They make better dusters for polished
wood than anything one can buy. .An
old white silk handkerchief, folded
smoothly and laid over a sore caused
by lying in bed has been known to
give relief and heal it when nothing
else would. An English ladies’ maid
always uses a soft silk handkerchief
for stroking her mistress's hair, using
it night and morning in place of a
brush, and with excellent results.
Beef Marrow.
It willbe of interest to housewives
to know that celebrated foreign physi-
cians are recommending the marrow
bone for. a strengthening diet and
tonic. The marrow bone is served
upon a piece of hot dry toast. When
it is to be eaten the matrow is taken
out and spread upon the toast. It is
also served in small portions of fillet»
of beef, and in this manner is consid-
ered a desirable course for luncheon
parties. _______________
To‘Test Black Silk.
The best and most simple way of
doing this is to cut a small piece of
the silk and'burn it. If it burns out
quickly, leaving a clear, crisp, gray
ash, the silk is pure ; but if it smold«
ers and leaves a heavy red or reddiSh~
brown ash, it has been treated with
chemicals and will not wear well.
A Good Use for Pipes.
Fancy pipes with large bowls can be
made very ornamental by filling the
bowls with good earth and setting in
them plants like the little W'andering
Jew, 01' some easily growing, graceful
vines. Hang the pipes by cords or
ribbons from brackets, 01' on window
frames.
An Oven Thermometer.
~A thermometer intended to be fas—
tened upon the oven door is one of the
most useful articles to the cook. With
this the heat of the oven can be deter~
mined without opening the door, and
the baking of cakes, puddings and
souflles can be accomplished much
more successfully.
Low Heels in Favor.
The high, unsightly heels 011 ladies’
hoes are being abandontd for the more
sensible and ..more comfortable low
heel. The demand for low-heeled foot-
wear is increasing everyday, accord-
ing to the reports of shoe dealers.
HELPFUL HINTS.
It is claimed that the white rubber
nipples sold for babies’ nursing bottles
are very inju1ious if not slowly poi-
sonous, and that the plain black rub-
ber one is by far the better and safer.
Andirons, lamips, candle lanterns, or‘
anything made of the wrought hon
now so much used can be freed from
dirt by wiping the iron with a cotton
cloth slightly dampened with kerosene
oil. .
In all cases of infantile convulsions
the hot bath is one of the,best reme-
dial measures. The child ,may be im-
mersed up to its arms 'in water as hot
as the tender flesh will bear in safety;
at the same time its head and face
should be sponged wLLh celd water. If
this treatment does not relieve, send
at once for a physician. ,
If convulsions occur from overload--
ing the stomach, an emetic of synu:
of ipecac will relieve the child, anvl a
tepid bath given to soothe its irrita bil-
ity. Dyspepsia is fastened on even
small infants by too frequent nursing.
Many mothers feed a baby, or try to.
every time it cries, night and day, and
so injure its stomach.
An embroidered center-piece, or even
a plain square of linen with a small
growing plant placed in the ceniie, is
possible in any home where there is .1
love for the beautiful, and such a 11:2
coration glorifies even coarse linen and
coarser dishes. Refinement is never a
question of money. The linen may not
be fine, but it will never show the hoof
' sf darnlng‘.
SEALSKINS" ARE CHEAPENING.
How the Most Popular Garments 1.1 {final
skin are M ad 9.
(By Special Arrangement with the )7. Y. 51111.
The storekeepers tell ,us that sea}
skins are cheapening, but the good oh
days‘when-a sealskin sacque held in
own in style for years without any-:11
teration have passed, and ea C11 sauce .5'
sive season brings almost as disdncl
changes in furs as it does in gowns.
The coat which is such a delight 0111;
season is either a thorn in one‘s pride
' the next or a source of great expense
to bring it up to date.
The most popular scalskin coats this
season are short, moderately full
around the bottom, close-fitting in the
back, and loose and double breasted in
front, with deep revcrs and a high
rolling collar. Some of these little
jackets have three immense tortoise
shell buttons down either side, while
others are 'cut single breasted. partial-
ly fitted in and fastened with the
usual cords and small olive buttons of
seal. Coats of seal with double collar
and rovers, the upper one being of
chinchilla or sable, are made up by the
furriers to keep pace with the season’s
craze for combinations, but nothing,
unless it is sable, can add very nfuch
to the beauty of a handsome seal.
Much of the aristocratic elegance of
dress this season is decidedly evident
in the diversity of fur garments whicn
fashion prescribes for our use.
have been an important item on the
list of luxuries and comforts ever
since society began, but they have at.
tained a height in the scale of magnif-
icence and price, anti a variety i—n com-
paratively inexpensive efiects as well,
beyond anything we have ever known
before. There are imitation-_'sealskin,
chinchilla, and a fur called moufilon,
which is really plaid sheepskin of some
kind net at all costly, in addition to
all the other cheap furs. but it is the
genuine article that gives the wearer
the apcarance of wealth and luxury
of living so gratifying to her pride.
Despite the depression in trade, sag
ble, the most expensive of all furs, is
the most sought after, and leading
furriers are selling more" sable gar-
ments, at prices anywhere between
one and eight dollars, than cheaper va-
rieties. The skins cost from $25 to
$250 apiece. and are considered a good
' investment. by those who can afford to
own them at all, as they never wear
out or go out of style. Sable is un-
dyed, unpluckcd fur, and is handed
down with the family jewels from one
generatiOn to another, increasing rath-
er than lessening in-value.
Silver fox stands next to sable in
value, and is used for collars, boas,
mods and trimmings of various sorts.
Blue fox is also fashionable for the
same purpose, and both white and
black fox are very much worn.
sian lamb in all its various degrees of.
moire and curled effects from the old-
er and more durable skins, is in high
favor this season. The moire Persian,
~ which is recommended as fairly dura-
ble, is the skin of the lamb soon after
d: is born. and the curing gives it the
watered finish so desirable just at
present. The tiniest skins are glossy
and very pretty to look at, but very
expensive for capes, collarettes, and
all sorts of fancy neckwear, and very
useful for .dress trimmings, since the
‘ skin is so soft and pliable that it can
be managed as if it were .r-loth.
In Deep “'a'ucr.
Bixby (very near sighted)—Who is
that dumpy fright coming up the road
on the wheel? '
Stinchcomb—That’s my wife.
Bixby—N-no, I don’t mean that one.
1 mean the grand guy with the bologna
bloomers.
Stinchcomb—That’s your wife.—
Bits. -
Tid
Furs '
Per-. _
W1 nter Management of Poultry. /
Mrs. 31. A. De Cou w’rites afterten
years of varied experiences, I have
learned to differ from many poultry.
raisers and have settled down to plain,
solid business. To make'money, one
hen, nor breed, simply for its beauty.
To have'eggs the year round I keep
both the Plymouth Rock and Leghorn,
whether white, brown, or black mat-
ters little. The. capacity of the Fly
mouth Rock for eating, so long as there
shall be any good within reach, ena-
bles it to accumulate fat, which, with
its heavier feathering, renders it more
impervious to the cold. This fatten-
ing quality, also makes it the more de~
sirable for broilers and toasters. But,
if, as in my own case, eggs are the sub-
ject, then the bustling, industrious
Leghorn is the hen ten months out of
the year. And 'such beautiful, great,
snowy-white eggs as she lays!
.To get the best results in eggs there
should be a day parlor, or shed, where
poultry may feed and exercise, shel-
tered securely from storm and biting
winds. For this any old pieces of
board may be utilized; cover with tar
paper, and have all the glass front pos~
sible. The regular house, 011 the con-
trary, should have very little glass,
only one or two half-sash. Glass col—
lects moisture, and cold at nights.
Keep straw spread on the floor of shed,
in which scatter all grain. It is absm
lutely essential for healthy. laying
stock, that poultry houses be kept free
from vermin. This may be done by,
kerosening and ashing every two
weeks. Kerosene may be run along
the roosts; but a better way is to
make a kerosene emulsion. For this,
melt one-half bar of laundry soap. add
one quart of kerosene and four of, hot
water. Church well together: then
fill a garden syringe, and squirt the
mixture over the inside, of poultry
building. Eggs are great absorbents
of odors. Therefore he sure to put
fresh straw in nests after each kero—
sening. Take coal ashes—the limy
cinders are also goOd for the fowls to
pick at—and throw wildly around the
house, to make as much dust as possi-
ble. It is sure death to the tiny blood—
sucking mites. Air-slak‘ed lime, or
land plaster, should also be scattered
around occasionally, to purify the at
mosphere.
Goats on Every Farm.
Eight years’ experience with a flock
of goats, at times containing seventy-
five animals, leads me to believe that
one or two could be profitable on ev-
ery farm. They have paid me. I can
sell them faster than I can raise them.
The milk is very nutritious and
healthful, especially for delicate chil-
dren, feeble women and old people.
licious. For my own use, I can raise
it cheaper than from any other domes-
tic animal. The skins, after tanning,
make beautiful coverings for rugs,
chairs and lounges, as well as beauti.
ful robes and coats.
The females are very prolific, usual~
ly raising two kids each year. One or
my goats have raised me ten kids infive
years. Disease does not seem to affect
them, and they can be raised in large
or small herds. They are long lived.
They crave coarse feeds, such as
weeds and brush. -In the weed king
dom, they are nature's scavengers. If
the Russian thistle problem could be
settled cheaper than by legislative
enactment. I do not think they are
more troublesome on the farm than
sheep. They are intelligent and appre‘
ciate good treatment. I cross natives
with the Angora. with good results.—
C. D. Teethill in Agriculturist.
’ A Bad Practice With Colts.
It is a common practice to allow the
unweaned colt to run beside the mare
when the latter is being driven upon
the road. This is a bad plan for sew
eral reasons. The ordinary drive is
too long for the soft muscles of a
young ‘colt, ,and an overtaxing of these
may piodu'ce a lifelong injury. This
point cannot be made too stlong. Then
the colt forms the bad habit of roam-
ing about the road, from side to side,
and out into the gutter, and over to the
roadside fences. It will try to do the
same thing when placed between the
shafts, a little later, for training. The
colt should know the highway only as
a stretch in which he is to keep “the
middle of the road,” turning neither to
the right nor the left. The running of
a colt at large upon the highway is a
nuisance both to other travelers and
also to those driving the foal’s mother.
If the colt must go with the dam,
teach it to lead by the halter, and then
hitch to the off side of the dam and let
it travel by its mother’s side, learning
restraint, and keeping out of the Way
of teams. Even then a colt should not
be taken on long drives, for the reason
first statcd.—-K. Hill, Maine.
i Look to the Legislature.
ccr vene this winter. The farmer mem-
bers should organize a club at the very
begining of the session, in which all
measures pertaining to agriculture
should be considered and formulated
in a way that all can agree upon. Then'
there will be no doubt about securing
in the farmers‘ interests. As‘ nearly all
nature, such organization should em-
brace ‘every farmer legislator, irrespec-
tive of party. The plan has worked add
mirably in several legislatures; enabl‘
,, ing a minority to head 01! objectionable
bills and to put
{ laws.
must not indulge sentiment—never buy,
goats were given a chance, I believe "
The meat when properly fattened, is de— '-
o
the enactment of any reasonable law '
such measures are of a non-partisan '
I
The legislatme in most states will
through desirable ' . _
Norwalk Chronicler