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“ Yonder,” said 'l’reli'ry, pointing to a thin thread of smoke which rose from some gaunt trees into the sullen wintry air, “ yonder is the house~if, indeed, it deserves so grand a nameâ€"the hovel, ratheriof one whose case is the hardest of all the hard ones in my un- happy cure. This man is a mere hedger and ditcherâ€"one who works forany master, most often for the railvay, but who is never certain of a job all the year round. He has a swarm of young children, and he has just lost his wife. He is absolutely prostrated- aghast prolmhly at the future before him and his utter incapacity to do his duty by his mothorhtss littlu ones. Jack W said the pairson, stopning suddenly, and kinking straight into his (tonipauion’s face, “ I won» der if you would rouse himfiif you could only got him to m.ch a sign~ifio my, or laugh, or tube, ilm smallest intorest in com» mon allii rs ‘f Ja ‘h, I believe you’re the \‘ory nrm ! You might: get at him through the children ~thnt marvelous hunky}; why of yours Ln . , su» pr . r trivks. A child take»; to you inxlurally at tun-,0. Try and make frivnds with thus n Perhaps when the father SAWS tlu-m inter d and amused he may Warm a little Aspeak, perhaps approve, perhaps smile wand in the end give in. Jack, will you try 2" A new parsonâ€"Harold Trcflnrywrhad come lately t0 Kirlington. He was an earnest, energetic young man, who had won his spurs in an East End parish, and had now accepted this country living because it seem- ed to open up a new field of usefulness. He had plunged bravely info the midst of his work; he was forever going up and down among his parishioners, solzwing and com- forting, pr mulling manful endurance and trustfulness to all. VVinter-tide again, six years later, but this season is wet and slushy. Once more we are at Kirlington, a. long, straggling vil- lage, which might have slumbered on in ob- scurity forever had not the Northwestern line been carried close by it to give it a. place in Bradshaw and a. certain importance as a junction and centre for good traflie. But the activity was all about the station. All the permanent officials had houses and cot- tages there; in the village lived only the field laborers who worked at the neighbor- ing estate or sometimes lent their hand for a job of navvying on the line. These poor folks had a gruesome life of it, a herd hand- to-mouth struggle for bare existence against perpetual privation, accompanied by unre- mitting toil. He his now paying a. round of parochial visits, accompanied by an old college chum, who is spending Christmas with him. The little mite’s linen was White and of fine material, but he lay upon an old shawl and a few bits of dirty flannclwAll Q1531 found was a. dilapideted purseâ€"8. common snap-lock bag purge of faded brown leather. Inside was a brass thimhle and a. pawn ticket and the half of a Bank of England note for £100. “ What good’s half a bank note to you ‘2” “ Half a loaf is better than no bread.” “ Yes, but you can eat one, but you can’t pass the other. \Von’t you catch it from your wife? How’ll you face her, Dan? VVhat‘Il she say ‘3” “So are you, Dan; that’s a. fact. God bless you, too,” said more than one rough voice in softened accents. “ Perhaps the brat’ll bring you luck, after all.” FIRST 11 ALF. Wet and dreary. It is midwinter; the scene is Kirlington 011 the London & North< western; the time, 10:45; just after the night mail had flashed through without stopping~bound for Liverpool and the north. The railway officials~pointsmem signalmen, porters, platelayersmare collect- ing preparatory to going off duty for the night. “ No ; hé said he’d seen something drop from the train, and went down the line to Pick i? EP- A Bank Note in Two Halves. L“ I suw‘him in the hut just: after the 10:- 45 Went through. Can’t have come to any 1mm}L surgaly.”_ _ ‘ And mu had picked up something. It was a. basket, 3. common White whicker basket, with a. lid fastened down by a string. What did it contain? Refreshments ? Dirty clothes ? What ? A babyva child half a. dozen weeks old ; no more. A pink-and-White piece of human china, as fragile as Dresden and as delicate- ly fashioned and tinted as biscuit or Rose Pompadour. “Lying on the line, just where it fell. Perhaps it didn’t fall ; perhaps it was chuck ed out. \Vhat matter? I’ve got it, and got to look after ibâ€"that’s enough for ms. Some day, maybe, I’ll come across them as owns it, and then they shall pay me and take it back.” “She‘ll say I done quite right,” replied Dan, stoutly. “ She’s a. good sort, God bless her I” 7‘ Where’s Dan '3” asked one of the crowd upprl the Elgtfqrm: “ Where did you come across it '3” asked one. “ls there nothing about him? Turn him over.” Man’s forte is earning gold alone : In spending is his weakness shown A woman’s forte, by nature meant, 13 taking care of every cent. And he who 19%;; his wile do this, Is always rich and lives in bliss. At length his debts and worries grew 80 big he knew not what to do. Then he, in time to save his life, Gave all his earnings to hint wife. " Now, wife," he moaned, in woe complete, “ See if you can make both ends meet.” Bright years now passed; Tom, [reed from care Waxed fat upon his wife’s good fare. His debts were paid, and laid away Was somethingfor a rainy day. He earned enough to live with pride, And lay a little up beside. Althouzli he nothing did for sport, He borrowed, and was always short. “ 0, Tom,” his wife would any, “ a man Can’fimanage as a woman can.” “ Do try me once, and soon you‘ll be From horrid debts and worries free.” Tom only laughed, “ No woman can Handle finances like a man.” What had Tom‘s burden been in life Was pleasure to his careful wife. Tom Brown was always in a fret Because, somehow, he kept in debt. Yet he imagined he was wise, And he knew how to economize. For Husbands Only. MORAL. “ A uhzm'mxhlo imputation. “ch whom did it Orignmte ?" “ Sir anis Malll‘aby." “ Phramqmim him out to mo.” He was slmwu in grave, wrm‘ling face upsm the right of the hOaL IL fiwv like 21 mmk, its snrfu, lo, 1‘011«_;h and wrinkled, 1111'o1mh which the eye shone with Lalcful lighL, like corpse-can flu: in n. supuhfln'c. “ Pleasant, creature 1 I'd ruthernob meet him alone on a dark night.” “ He has a. terrible character, cefitaixfiv. “ They were talking at lunch of your wonderful knack in cojuring, and some one said Lhat the skill might prove inuon Venicnv~whcn you played czmls, for in‘ stance.” When Jack Newbiggen got back to the parsonage he found that his host had ac- cepted an invitation for them both to dine at the “ Big House," as it was called, the country seat of the ’Squire 0f the parish. They were cordially received at the “ Big House.” Jack was handed over forthwith to his old friends, who figuratively 1‘11 hed into his arms. They were London acquaint- ances, no more; of the sort we meet here and there and everywhere during the season, who care for us and we for them as much as for South Sea Islanders, but whom we greet with rapturous effusion when we meet them in a strange place. Jack knew the lady whom he esenrted in to dinner as a. gossipy dame, who, when his back was turned, made as much sport of him as of her other frieinh “ I have been fighting your battles all day,” began Mrs. Sibwcll. “\Vas it necessary? I should have than 1% myself too insignificant.” “ There was the linen ; I’ve kept it. See here; all marked quite pretty and proper, with lace around the edges, as though its mother loved to make the little one smart.” “ I cannot give you much hope that I shall succeed, but I will do my best. Will you lgrlls§1ne with lh-e 119te for a time 2” “ Surely, sir, with the greatest of plea,» sure. If you could but find the other half it would give Harrywâ€"that’s what we call himâ€"such a. grand start in life, schooling and the price of binding him to some honest trade.” Jack shook the man’s hand, promised to do his best, and left the cottage. “ That’s what I thought, air, or I’d have given youajob to do. I’ve been in want of a real conjuror many a long day, and nothing less’ll (10. See here, sir,” he said, 113 he took a, small, carefully-folded paper from between the leaves of the Bible; “ do you see this ‘3” It was a Bank of England note for £100. “ N 0w, sir, could any conjuror help me to “I’ll tell you, sir, short as I can make it. Conjurer or no conjuror, you’ve got a. kindly heart, and I’m main sure you’ll help me if you can.” ' Dan then described how he bald picked up the hasth from the 10:45 Liverpool ex- press; Like a trué detective, Jack examined every article minutely. The purse bore the name Hester Gorrigan in rude letters inside, and the pawn~ticket was made out in the same manner. They had now ceased their gambols, and Were staring hard at; their visitors ; the mo- ment was propitious; Jack Newbiggin be- gan. He had fortunately filled his pockets with nuts, oranges, and cakes before leaving the parsonage ; so he haul half his apparatus ready to hand. ‘ “ It be very good of you, sir, surely ; very good of you to take so kindly to the chicks. It does them good to laugh a. bit, and it ain’t much as they’ve had to make ’em lately.” “ It is good for us, now and again, I take it,” said Jack desisting, and going towards himâ€"the children gradually collecting in a far-off corner and comparing notes. V‘ I’m an untaught, mug}; countryman, sir, but I’ve heard ten that these strange things you (10»ar_e 01_11y tricks ;fla~jn’t it so.” Jack examined the linen ; it bore a mono- gram and crest; the first he made out to mean H. L. M., and the crest was plainly two hammers crossed, and the motto, “ F. strike”â€"not a. common crest~and he never remembered to have seen it before. “ And this ' 'as all ‘3” “’Cept the bank note. That was in a poor old purse, with a. pawn-ticket and a thin-{1:16. I kept {ahem all.” _ ‘ They entered the miserable dwelling to- gether. The childrenâ€"eight oi them~~were skirimishingjr all over the floor. They were quite unmanageable and beyond the control of the eldest sister, who was busied in set- ting out the table for the midday mele. One other child of 6 01‘ 7, a. bright-eyed, exceedâ€" ineg lynultiful boy, the leastâ€"were not nu- ture's vagaries well knownâ€"likely to be born among and belong to such surroundings, stood between the legs of the man himself, who had his back to the visitors and was crouching low over the scanty fire. The man turned his head for a moment, gave a blank stare, then an imperceptible nod, and once more he glowered down upon the fire. “ Here, little ones ; do you know this gentleman? he’s a. conjurer. Know what a. conjurcr is, Tommy ? cried the parson, catch- ing up a. mite of four or five from the floor. No, not you ; nor you, Sarah ; nor you, Jacky”â€"and he ran through all their names. The pretty boy had very soon left the father at the fire, and had come over to join in the fun, going back, however, to exhibit his share of the spoil and describe volumin- ously what had occurred. This and the repeated shouts of laughter seemed to pro- duce some impression on him. Presently he looked over his shoulder and saidâ€"but with- out animation : VVhi'le He was speaking he had taken the Bible from the shelf, and, resuming his seat: beggg to turn the Iegufes slow_ly over. Here was, indeed; a hopéful symptom ! He was roused, then, to take some interest in what had occurred. “ All trick, of course ; it all comes of long practice,” said Jack, as he proceeded to ex plain some of the simple processes, hoping to cuchain the man’s attention. A‘U‘V, nu, uuuu film-«other half 3” h “ How did you at once. “You can‘t laugh; sir, if your heart’s hezw ; if you do it can only be a. sham.” J ack Newbiggin was by profession a con. veyancer, but nature has intended him for a new Houdin, or a. wizard of the North. He was more than a. professional by the time. he was full-grown. in addition to the quick eye and the facile wrist, he had the rarer gifts of the suqu manner and the face of brass. He had even studied mesmerism and clairvoyzmce, and could, upon occasion, sur- priw his audience considerably by his power. ’ow didfiyou come by it 2” J ack asked ECOND HALF, " \\'!m ri<liaz :«ms rmzmmm: ! I give 3011 my wmni thul, mm pm-kctimok contains, m;- t'lingâ€"~41]usulntwly mnhingi~but 2x Bunk of England none for .000. “Stay !” cried Jack Newbiggin, facing him abruptly am} speaking in a voice of “Are you prepared to go on 7” said the Zaronethnughtily to Jack. “ Certainly.” “ \tht does this pocketbook contain '3” “ Evidence.” The contest between them was now an out- rancv. “ Iiividence Of what '3” “ 0f facts that nmst sooner or later come to 1' fht. You liaxn'uin than?“ puckuiimnk links in 221011;; chain of circumstmwos whirl]. imu 7 Curr ('m'vfully (‘mu‘ulewi o ‘ :mximmiy «frond- (11, time. in ifis invxmuz‘ble mun (a, must bring (E\‘<’,Hillyl,i5_\f to Hr: ‘ Then: is Jim bond," buys Till Np‘mi‘h [H on 1'1), ‘whivh i> not S‘IIHA,‘ day 5111111114 : nu tight til‘rLi' in the lung I'HIX is nu: paid.” “This borders upon impertinence,” said Sir Lewis, with a hut flush on his cheek and passion 111 his eyes. “ But let us leave ah- straetions and try tangible realities. Can you tell me what I have in this pocket ‘3" He touched the left breast of his tail coat. “ A povkethooh.” “ Bah ! Cave sans dire. Every one ear- ries a pocketbook in his pocket." “ But do you ‘2” asked several of the by- standers, all of whom were growing deeply interested in this strange duel. Sir Lewis Malluhy confessed that he did, and produm d itwan ordinary morocco leath- er purse and pocketbook all in one. >Wfl-K‘hm it” ‘Smnetilmlg expwiafiy' uncanny about these tricks, ahd Jack’s renu- tation rapidly increased with this new exhibition of his powers. Thanks to his cross-examination'of Mrs. Sitwell at dinner, he was in possession of many facts connected with the company, although mostly strangers to him ; and some of his hits were so palp- ably happy that he raised shouts of surprise followed by that terrified hush which not uncommonly succeeds the display of seem- ingly supernatural powers. “0, but that is too preposterous,” Sir Lewis Mallaby was heard to say quite an- grily. The continued applause profoundly isgusted him. “This is the meanest Charla- tanism. It is the commonest imposture. These are things which he has coached up in advance. Let him be tried with some» thing which upon the face of it he cannot have learnt beforehand by artificial means.” ” The memory of a. harsh deed you now strive in vain to redeem.” “ Try him, Sir Lewis, try him yourself,” cried several voices. u “ Tell me what is most on my mind at this present moment 1‘” A “ The want of a. male heir,” Jack replied promptly, and thanked Mrs. Sitwell in his heart. “ Psha ! You have learnt from Burke that I have no children,” said Sir Lewis, boldly ; but he was a little taken aback. “ Anything Another watch, however, was pounded up in a jelly, and brought out whole from a. cabinet in an adjoining room ; and, this trick successfully accomplished. Jack New- biggiu, who was now completely on his mettle, passed on to higher flights. He had spent the vacation of the year previous in France as the pupil of a wizard of European fame, and had mastered many of the strange foams which are usually attributed to oiair- “I scarcer like to lend myself to such folly, to encourage so pitiable an exhibi- tion.” ' 7‘ Proceed,” said Jack giavely, meeting his e37§§fi{1ply 1mg] without flinching.‘ else A curious oldiesshioned Watch it was, which would have gladdened the heart of a watch-collector ; all jeweled and enameled, adorned with crest and inscriptionâ€"an heirloom, which had probably been in the Mallaby family for years. J ack looked it over curiously, meditatively ; then, suddenâ€" ly raising his eyes, he stared intently into Sir Lewis Mallaby’s face, and almost as quickly dropped them again. And he handed it back to Sir Lewis, who received it with illâ€"concealed satisfaction. He was as much pleased, probably, at Jack’s expression of possible failure in the proposed trick as at the recovery of his property. But he seemed to Be conscious that further protgst {mum tellrin Jack’s favor. “ I will admit that you have considerable power in this strange branch of necromaucy if you will answer a. few questions of mme.” “ This is far too valuable,” he said, cour- teously, “ too much of a treasure to be risked in any canjuring trick; an ordinary modern watch I might; replace, but no work of art like this.” When the whole party was assembled in the drawin'r-room after dinnerJ a chorus of voices howled by that of the hostess aum~ moned Jack to his work. There appeared to be only one dissentient, Sir Lewis Mal- luby, who not only did not trouble himself to back up the invitation, but when the performance was actually begun was at no pains to conceal his contempt and disgust. The conjuror made the conventional plum pudding in a hat, fired \vedding~rings into quartern loaves, did all manner of card tricks, pistol tricks, and juggled on con- scientiously right through his repertoire. Jack hungered for that watch directly he saw it. Perhaps through it he might make its owner uncomfortable, if only for a mo- ment. But how to get it into his hands? He asked for a. watchâ€"a dozen were offered. No; none of them would do. It must be a gold watch, a. repeater. Sir Lewis Mal~ lahy’s was the only one in the room, and he at first distinctly refused to lend it. But so many entreaties were addressed to him, the hostess leading the attack, that he could not in common courtesy continue to refuse. \Vith something like a. growl he took his Watch 011' the chain and handed it to Jack Newbiggin. Jack let his companion chatter 0n. Itwas his habit; to get. all the information passible; about any company in which he found him- self, for his own purposes as a clairvoyant ; and when Mrs. Sitwell flagged he plied her with. artlcss questions and led her on from one person to another, making mental notes to serve him hereafter. It is thus by careful and laborious preparation that many of theTstmnge and seemingly mysterious feats of the clairvoyant conjuror are performed. "here was never a smile on Sir Lewis’ face; he sneered unmistakably. Finally, with an oatentation that savored of rude- ness, he took out his watch, a great gold repeater, looked at it, and unmistakably yawned. Turned his Wife out of doors because she would not give him an heir. It is this want of children to inherit his title and estates which preys upon his mind, they say, and makes him so morose and melancholy.” 9n uhpillh'd thv melm)’ Hull tlnnkvy curt and mm sluwéy has}: mwm‘d Lhc villuge of Unwaflost I found that among the reservists from nearly all the towns near the frontier line there were many attempts made to desert, and at least two hundred and fifty men have succeeded in reaching French territory. TO PREVENT DESE ITIUN. It is solely to prevent these desertions that villages and cross-roads contiguous to the frontier were occupied by squads of lerman infantry and by patrols of the Sixth Uhlans. \Vith the exception of calling out the reserves for instruction, the movements of a few hundred infantry and cavalry to prevent deserters crossing the frontier, and the arrival of large supplies of new repeatâ€" ing rifles and ammunition, and a few earâ€" loads of steel plates for the forts around Metz, I can safely say that neither men, stores nor fortifications are being added to. A nlcslanrlm’s NARROW ESCAPE, On Thursday, Il-S I was driving in an open Victoria, on a cold but fine sunny wintry day, along the road from Gravelotte to the Chateau-tle-Verteville, l happened to notice quite a. lively incident. About iive hundred yards ahead of me I noticed a small donkey cart that seemed to be making very rapidly for the French frontier. About half a mile distunt, looking behind me, I saw several horsemen galloping along,r at full speed. As they approached 1 saw a mounted police cor poral of dragoons and three troopers evi dently in chase of deserters The little donkey curt was nearly over man by the drngoons, when suddenly the driver of it sprang from his seat. At the same time a longlogged young follow (emerged from the body of the cart, where he had been conceded beneath a houp of mzhhugm. onions and potatoes, and both mu 1 , door toward the frontier posts on the mad, nnw (miy in few yards disnmt. They I'muulmi the, 1m.st uhnutv qu mihutes helm-c, the, dulgwms‘ zmd \‘(urc :gmm sufva :mtl vomâ€" fz'n'mhly swam] hm‘m‘c a, sf we in the wine 3§ll();)ltf1]lt‘.1i{‘lll‘,1“R'()H<Zh \ 4:: 1-fJuunvillc. The :1: 1-; mm»: ll!"4‘\\' up bhvil' Muwn horses I'v,~,.u:l;(,(1 the lmsLs a! the dulgunxm :xml fr'mey swam] in-f who“) Hf fluxli!‘.1r‘, I": The 11: I'; um»: ll]".‘\' Rm‘x'd H‘w 11ml}; None of imr rclmiwus gave away Nina Henry August VMl Spies at the wedding. She did that herself. A.(.'orrcspondent's Tan- 01’ Inspection Bo- lwccn France and Germany. A special correspondent, writing from Metz, sends a very interesting account of a. tour of 250 miles along the line devidiug France and Germany. He sayszâ€"During the past five days I have made a tourâ€"partly by rail, partly in hired carriagesâ€"of the two hundred and fifty miles of Franco-German frontier ex tending from Mulhansen (Mulliouse), near Switzerland, to Diedcnhofcn (Thinville), near Luxembourg. I have also paid {lying vitits to Nell-Breifach (Neuf-Brisach), Stras- burg, Metz, Trier (’l‘revers, and Keblcnz.) EverywhereI have seen reservists joining their colours to take part in the annual per- iod of instruction, which this year is more important that heretofore, owing to the ne- cessity of their learning the use of the new repeating rifle. Lewis Mall-(thy’s confession soon reinstat- ed the rightful heir, and Dan Blockit in af- ter years had no reason to regret the gener- osiiy which had prompted him to give the iittle ioundling the shelter of his rude 101110. V “As you have dared me to my worst,” said Jaflk, “ listen now to what I have to say. Not only did I know that was only the half of a note, but I know where the other half is to be found.” “So much the better for me,” said the Baronet, with an efibrt to appear humor- H ous. “ That other half was given toHshuH I say, Sir Lewis?” Sir Lewis nodded indifierently. “ It was given to one Hester Gorrigan, an Irish nurse, six years ago. It was the price of adeed of which youâ€"” It was the watch borrowed from Sir Lew- is Mallaby which first aroused J ack’s sus- picion. It bore the strange crestâ€"~two ham- mers crossed, with the motto “ I strike ”â€"â€" which was marked upon the linen of the child that Dan Blockit picked up \at Kirlimr- ton Station. The initial of the name Malla- by coincided with the monogram H. L. M. Jack rapidly drew his conclusions and made a bold shot, which hit the mark, as we have seen. There was much applause at this harmless and successful dcnoumnent of What threat» ened at one stage to lead to (m ultereation perhaps to a. quarrel. But Jack Newbig- gin was not satisfied. 7 ’ “ Silence ! Say no more,’ cried Sir Lew- is, in horror. “ I see you know all. I swear I have had no peace since I was tempted so sorely and so weakly fell. But I am prepared to make all the restitution and reparation in my power, unless, unhap- pilyâ€"unless it be already too late. ” It was a paralytic seizure. They took him up-staira and tended him ; but the case was desperate from the first. Only just beâ€" fore the and did he so far recover power of speech as to be able to make full confession of what. had occurred. Sir Lewis had been a younger son. The eldest inherited the family title, but died early, leaving his Widow to give him a pos- thumous heir, the title remaining in abey- ance until time showed whether the infant was a. boy or a girl. It proved to bea. boy, whereupon Lewis Mallaby, Who had the earliest intimation of the fact, put into exe- cution a nefarious project which he had carefully concocted in advance. A girl was obtained from a foundling hospital and sub- stituted by Lady Mallaby’s nurse, who was in Lewis’ pay, for the newly-born son and heir. This son and heir was handed over to another accomplice, Hester Gorrigan, who was bribed with £100, half down in the shape of a. half note, the other half to be paid when she announced her safe arrival in Texas with the stolen child. Mrs. Gor- rigan had an unquenchahle thirst, and in her transit between London and Liverpool allowed her charge to slip out of her hands, with the consequences we know. And as he spoke he took the crumpled pa.- per from the really stupcfied Baronet. It was exhibited for inspectionvmtim half of a Bank of England note, for £100. Even while he was speaking his face turn- ed ghastly pale, his lips covered with fine white foam, he made one or two convulsive attempts to steady himself ; then, with a. wild, terrified look around, he fell heavily to the floor. thunder. “It is not soâ€"you know itâ€"it is only thq half 13’ _ ALONG THE LINE. ALONG THE FRONTIER. The laundry ivork of the (lllinmnan is un~ surpassed, and he seems to gain the result by suitable irons and the expenditure of physical strength. The ordinary ironer will succeed just as well if, after being sure the articles are washed thoroughly, rinsed free from all traces of soap and dipped in pure, clean starch, she will use clean, smooth irons and bear down heavily upon the round top of the iron in rubbing the linen. Prac~ tiee will give a. good degree of success. It might be easier to try a cuff at first, then a collar, because the former has a broad, smooth surface, with fewer seams and edges to turn yellow if the iron is too hot, There are starches of various kinds, patent glosses and divers inventh us, said to proâ€" duce a polish upon linen; but the better way is to depend upon the common starch. bought in the hull; and of the best grade. You can add the other ingredients to suit yourself. Sumo lziundresses stir the hot starch once or twice round with a spermaccti candle kept for the purpose, and others add a hit of clean mutton tallnw; hut foreign substances, like wax, ginnarahie, salt or sugar may he added with emution, Very nice laundry Wm k is done by the aid of pure st; eh alone, with no additions. \\'hntever may be the preparations used in large launâ€" (lries, we know they do not depend entirely upon the starch to produce the coveted. gloss. “Can you tell our readers something about; this interesting animal ‘2” queried’ the re‘ 1) min as he sharpened his pencil preparatory to the attack. “There is no reason why it should not pay. I have studied the habits of the beav- er for upwards of a quarter of a. century and believe there is as much money and far less risk in raising beavers as in bee keep“ ing.” This was interesting information, coming as it did from a gentleman who has made the study of natural history for the past forty years something more than a. mere: pastime. “ I think I can,” he replied in his quiet, matter-()f-fact way. “ Why, for more than a. century the beaver has been domesticated and made a. pet of by hunters. It is in many mes more intelligent than the dog ar'l 13 g:'- atly attached to its master.” ‘ Haw: any attempts ever been made to raise beavur from 2‘. commercial point of The beaver breeds from about the third to the fifteenth year, and hst frum three to eight at a. birth. The average weight of a. full grown animal is about forty pounds. llow John (illimunan Puts .1 Glassy Surface on Linen. John Chinamnn’s secret of putting a beautiful gloss on the collar and oufi's of the y u “ barbariavns ’ who patronize his washee shop ” is a. secret no lo‘ngm‘, The laundries presided over by whim nnan do just as good work. John is slowly, but co inly, find ing that his customers are dropping off. The secret referred to is pew Isure, nothing more. In large steam lnundncsa the articles to be ironed are run between hunted cylinders under a pressure ofalmut 200 pounds. This, however, is very hard on the linen. An Industry that Prnmlws a Big Return 01 Dullurs and E‘s-nus. A gentleman who knows every mile of rock, river and range between Northern 0n~ Luuo and the “ Great Lone Sea” being: asked the question, “ Do you think the raising of beaver will pay ‘3” replied : view “ There are plenty of places north of here. In timber berth (32 the surveyor re‘ ports no less than 31 lakes. limb of these would maintain one (11‘ 1mm: colonies of bea~ vars, so that, as I said before, it is possible that beaver farming may prove as remuner-- ative in the northern parts of Ontario as beekeeping or stock raising in the older and more settled districts.” “ Beaver skim: are worth from one to four dollars per pound, the latter being the price. now paid for them in Toronto. The skin of a full grown animal will weigh from one and a half to two and a half poumlb. The flesh brings about $1.50, and the custom 500., so that a, (load beaver is worth in the neighborhood of $10.” “ For over twenty-five years,” he replied, “ the Hudson’s Bay Company have bred beavers near Moose Factory, Jam es Buy, the result being that it is one of the most profit- able branches of their business. They have a large, low-lying island. in the bay suf- ticiently far from land to prevent the beav» ers leaving. Every fell their hunters repair to the island and kill a. certain number, leaving enough for breeding purposes. Mr. McConnell, of Mzmttawa, tried the do mestication of the beaver also, but of course on a. small scale. He enclosed With a stone Wall a smell piece of ground round a spring on his property, but the space was too limited and the animals left via. a tun- nel under the wall. A hotel keeper of the same place secured a tame beaver some time afterwards which he kept in the house At night when all were in bed it would build a dam across the her-room with chairs. On one occasion it undertook to improve the structure by cutting the legs from under a table. This was carrying the joke a. little too far, and an execution was issued against him for his hide, which was duly carried out. “ W'th is a beaver worth ‘2” was the next question, the reporter being prompted to ask this question froma. desire to enter some business in which the profits were. large compared with the lab wr. A): INDIAN CHIEF CAUGHT USP; near the head-waters of the St. Maurice; which he kept all winter. In the spring it came down the river with him sometimes in his canoe and sometimes swimming along- side. Ithathed and combed its 1111' every night preparatory to “ turning in ” with its master. He tamed another last summer at Uncheng Falls, which he taught; to perform several tricks. Every morning on the door being opuied, it would go to the wood pile and selecting a. stick of suitable length, carry it in and lay it down beside the stove. Then it would take its place at the table, and if not at once reward- ed with a. lump of sugar, would call atten- tion to the fact by rapping with its tail on the chair. This beaver was sent to a friend in Outaws who still has it.” ment “ Do you intend to go into me raising of beavers?" asked the reporter. \VE) THAT HEAU’I‘IFEIL GLOSS. BOMESTICATI®N 0F THE BEAVER. 9n