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s+¥¥;+++++++++++++++++ + I Ballame’s Bank Balance. s++++++++++++++++++++ I. There was a crowd blocking' the pavement, and gazing with evident interest at one of the great plateâ€" glass windows of the Lombard Na- tional Bank. At a distance it look- ed like a "run," but a closer View showed the entrance of the bank unâ€" obstructed. A notice, written in .a bold hand, and hung inside the Win- dow, was the object of the crowd's curiosity. It read : “At the opening of this Bank to- day, Mr. T. Fillmore Ballaine’s Balance was £2,117 16s. 8d." For two weeks a similar notice had appeared regularly upon the Window of the bank. It began on a Monday morning, and the few that glanced at it learned that T. .lr‘ill- more Ballaine had £660 25 1d there- in. Who Mr. T. Fillmore Ballaine was no one seemed to know, and Why the bank should make public a matter usually regarded as a busiâ€" ness secret none could guess. But everyone who read it puzzled over it, and looked up at the notice the next time they passed the Lombard National Bank. On Tuesday the notice read £300 12s. 7d., and on Wednesday it read £876 95. 5d. in the morning, but was replaced at the hour of closing by a new notice which read £720 195. 3d. Dy Thursday the affair was in the papers, and on Friday the daily balance was the topic of the town. All day long on Saturday a crowd stood at the big window and ' 'H+'+++ +4»? +. discussed Mr. Ballaine’s balance of £1,250 75. 8d, and passed coni- ments thereon. At the hour of closing a new noâ€" tice proclaimed that Mr. Ballaine had £1,499 19s. 11d. therein, and some wag in the crowd gravely pass~ ed his hat, saying : "Let's make it even money !" On Monday morning Mr. Ballaine was surprised to find that someone had left a deposit of one penny for him, and that his bal- ance stood at an even £1,500. During the second week Mr. Balâ€" laine’s bank balance climbed more slowly ; but every increase was hail- ed with delight by the crowd in front of the window, who knew neither Mr. Ballaine nor the secret of his peculiar advertisement, yet who thoroughly enjoyed both. Not till Wednesday of the second week did the notice in the window credit Ballaine with £1,600. Then a man in the crowd offered to bet a hundred that it would touch £2,000 by Saturday. For a moment the crowd thought he must be Ballaine, and guyed him unmercifully; but someone recognized him as a city sporting man, and his bet was not taken. Thursday was the tenth of the month, and Mr. Ballaine evidently paid a few bills, for on Friday the balance in the window went down to £1,486, where it hung till the close of business of Saturday. Then the clerk put up a new notice, and the eager crowd cheered when it readâ€"£2,200 16s. 4d. On Monday morning a portly man, ruddy of face, grizzled and grumblâ€" ing, pushed into the crowd and read the notice. With a grunt of disgust he enterel the bank. The cashier reâ€" cognized him as one of his heaviest depositors, and greeted him pleaâ€" santly. “Good morning, Mr. Penny.” "Good morning. I heard about your remarkable window, and came to have a look. Strikes me as be- ing ridiculous. I don’t see how you came to allow it." said Mr. Penny, removing his silk hat and wiping a moist brow. "Mr. Ballaine obtained permission from the manager,” replied the Cashier, smiling. "He did, ch ‘2 Who is this man Ballaine ‘2" "A young solicitor. Very bright fellow, quite original in his methods. This plan was his own. He brought enough influence to bear through his friends to obtain the necessary per- mission from the powers that be. It has proved a remarkable attrac- tion to the public.” “Friends. eh ? Who were they The cashier enumerated the most prominent of business men of the city. “All right,” interrupted the capi- talist. with the air of a man who had heard displeasing news. "When the young man comes in tell him he wins." Then he left the bank. The cashier smiled, for he knew what Ballaine’s "winning" meant, and he reported the conversation to the manager. But the crowd outside knew noâ€" thing of this, and only gapcd as usual at the sign. That day it dropped to £1,920 9s. 5d. and re- some of the young mained there for ten days. when it' jumped to £10,400 113. 2d. I That night. the eveni u g papers proclaimed the sale of Mr. Penny's famous riverside mansion for a fabulous sum, and conveyed the interesting information : “The deal was consummated Mr. T. Fillmore Rallaine in Essex Chambers. sion on this 480.” Next day many people looked up at the big window of the Lombard National, but there was no trace of by . a solicitor whose commisâ€" deal alone was .98, Mr. Ballaine’s balance. In its accus- tomed place hung a sign, which read 5 RENO WAIST. This waist is a simple blouse made over a fitted lining. The collar of lace is extended into the velvet straps that are laced over and under each other, and caught to position by frequent tacking. Old rose, pas- tel blue. or leaf green (:loth will develop a. charming waist with trimâ€" ming of black ribbon and cream lace. I . Quantities of materlal required.â€" ‘The size for 13 years will require one and threeâ€"fourths yards of goods fortyâ€"four illCl‘lCS wide, oneâ€"half yard of all-over lace and six yards of velâ€" vet ribbon. The size for 16 years will require two yards of goods forty-four inches wide, with oneâ€"half yard of lace and seven yards of velâ€" vet ribbon. "Assay Office: Values Paid for Gold Dust and Nuggets.” But the public had become curious, and the newspapers were worried into doubling their efforts at solving the puzzle; to no purpose, however, as Mr. Ballaine frankly told the re- presentatives of the press to “go to Jericho," and Mr. Penny was the most silent man in Richmond. There matters rested for a time ; but when certain society leaders began giving recherche five o’clock teas for Miss Penny, the Society Girl on the "Daily Record" added suspicion to speculation, and arrived safely at the facts. II. The story as told in the "Record" was widely read. It related the coming of Mr. Balâ€" laine to town, where he opened an office as a solicitor, and proceeded to get himself known. Without waitâ€" ing for business to come to him, he went about making business, and with the small capital given him by his father on which to begin life he bought and sold, and at the same time made friends, and studied men and things. Then he met the charming Miss Penny, only child of Penny the proâ€" moter, Penny the owner of shares and financial interests galore, a man of quick temper, who took delight in a business encounter with a strong mind. With Miss Penny the young solicitor prospered ; but with Mr. Penny the sign never seemed to be right. In the quiet of his oflice the young solicitor planned assaults on the father, having already won the daughter’s blushing permission to do so. He knew that the battle must be a commercial one, but as the weapons were all on his adversnry’s side he figured that he must capâ€" ture Mr. Penny with Mr. Penny’s own ammunition. That took ncr\e, but nerve was nothing to young Ballaine. The scene between Mr. Penny andl the young Ballaine, when the latter asked for Miss Penny, was one of the most delightful conflicts of the former’s business career. Mr. Penny heaped up conditions which no felt sure the young man could not satisâ€" fy, and as Ballaine met them one by one the elder man warmed to the contest. l-le rather clljo_\ cd being bested in the preliminaries, us he ‘felt sure of the main issue. Character ‘? The young man namâ€" .0d the best men in town as his asâ€" isociatcs. Family '2 The Balluines were known in Yorkshire before Pennys were coined. Prospects '.’ The lyoung man had his proftssion. seine irenl estate, mining stocks enough to , ipupcr a boardingâ€"house. thrcc thou- lsand in the bank, and a nerve that iwas worth ilftccnpcuce to the shilâ€" ling. Out of the question ‘2 Not at $3.11 ; the girl lo\cd him. and he was ’mercly calling on llcr father to arâ€" Irangc matters. “No young man can marry my idaughtcr till he has £10,000 of his lown in the bank.” 5 "That's easy. What will you take, for your building lands, Mr. Penny?" ' Building lands were Mr. Penny's proud distinction. He had the bull; of the best acres in Essex. Bal- laine was striking at the very pearl of the elder man's possessions. No one had ever succeeded in getting him to put a price on them. “No joking," said the young man. “How much ‘7" l l r l | l | Mr. Penny's soul expanded in an ecstasy as he named a price. "I told you not to joke.” said "proaching completion the young man severely. thirtyâ€"day option on that property. Name a reasonable cash price." Mr. Penny knew that the Gleat Eastern wanted the land, but would not buy because someone, who held a bit between the Penny acres the railway company's and proposed station at Danvillc, would not sell. But Penny did not know that the young man an option strip. The on the option had cost facing him had secured muchâ€"discussed h i m dear, but it was the key to the whole battlefleld. So Mr. Penny, thinking to tantalize the young man, named a very reasonable figure. "I’ll take an option at that price for ten days," said Ballaine. "I want replied Mr. Penny. month to get that sum. When bring the cash I'll give you option." "That is fair," said Ballaine, ing to leave the room. “Keep me posted," shouted Penny, as peared through the door. "I will,” shouted £2,000 for the option,” "I'll give you a you the risâ€" Mr. the younger man disap- the retreating voice pleasantly. And then Mr. Penny heard a ringing laugh come back through the long ball, for the lover had been struck with a sudden inspiration. That week dozen young men, leaders in the city's commercial at a. dinner. he told them his the Lombard National to his A telegram to headquarters, on‘eriug the lands under Ballainc's Ballaine gathered a personal friends, life. At the proper moment; plan, and they helped him to win the manager of aid. the Great Eastern l‘cnny promised op- tion, and the heretofore unpurchasâ€" able strip with it, brought a prompt acceptance ; and for two weeks young man and left to secure the required the sold his property right £2,- 000, while the notice in the window kept. Mr. Penny, and half the town, also, posted as to his success. He could have borrowed amount, but he had a larger that game on fmt that spurred him to win on his own merits. crowded with men who llis oflice became desired to, buy or sell some bit of real property and do it quickly. Men who wanted a certain bit of property wrote Ballaine confidential letters for them. By prompt buying selling Ballaine to buy the coveted corners an (I took comm Lssions.‘ from both sides, and the balance on the window climbed. ed £2,000 mark When it reachâ€" Mr. Penny Capituâ€" lated. The word which he left at the bank that Monday morning brought Ballaine promptly to his oflicc. young man for £2,000. "I don't want your cheque." the elder man. that notice out of the bank dew.” "Not just yet,” The carred a signed chcquel said “I want you to take winâ€" said Ballaine. "Not till my commission for selling your land to the Great Eastern been paid to me." "Do you want to ruin nic ?" mandcd Mr. Penny has (1 eâ€" in well-assumed alarm. “A moment ago," said Ballaine. "you declared that I could not sell. Now you are afraid I can. Your change of sentiment is a com- pliment, sir." And the young man bowed. "After that option has expired,” said Mr. Penny. "you can frame it and hang it in your otlice. Keep your cheque. Ballaine and then, with You will need it.” the option and raced back to his office. C01" tain abstracts and title, went to the _ I A general manager of the company helthe Black, which it also resembles 111 had been progress. the papers completion, and called in treaty The manager. in all their Dallaine a brick. business settled, the young man re-‘Pl‘OdllCliVC‘llCSS. it turned with vouchers and (locume with to report‘sizc, shape, carriage when he saw ‘iln size the white are said to have a deliglnful jslight adi antage, pounded on the table. “11129913 but it is not so The nts MM. _ o? {a doe? ¢:o ctnzoo:»:o oz. o:oo:“:»:”:«:0 0:”:0 9:”:0 9:0 0? 0:. .:. %. ‘ o o? P 0:. 'z' 0 u r y '3' 0:. .z. ‘3 0’ 0’. 0'. .3. .:‘ e Notes a 0:. O C O O 0:. 0? 0:9 {9 0:. 0:9 0:. 0:00} 0:”:0 0:0 0:9 £09 0:. 0:9 0:9 0:0 o:o¢:o {9.} 0:6 o:oo:oo:o ozo 0:0 CLEAN NESTS. The hens prefer clean nests, and .when they refuse to lay in the poulâ€" .tryâ€"house, and begin to deposit their eggs in the hayâ€"loft, in the foods troughs, or away in the fields, the chances are that lice have taken posâ€" session of the nests and driven the lions away. A single broken egg in the nest will soon cause millions of lice, and once they secure a foothold they stick closely until they are driv- on off by heroic treatment. Keep the nests clean, and always have tobac- coâ€"dust, or earth saturated with car- bolicâ€"acid, convenient for scattering in the nests when cleaning them. CHOOSING A BREEDING COCK. In choosing a breeding cock, be sure he possesses, as near as possible all the qualities sought after in his breed; and that he is exempt from disease and deformity. It is much more important that the cock should be comparatively perfect than that :any of the hens allowml him should be, as his blood will assist in the forâ€" mation of every chicken; whereas, each hcn will assist in only a frac- ,tion of the Whole. The cock should be the very personification of activiâ€" ty and vigor; his comb and Wattles should be a fine red; his head neat and carried high; his breast broad and prominent, body deep; legs medium in length and set well apart; and his whole. frame broad and trim. A twoâ€"yearâ€"old bird should be given the preference as a breeder. HAMBURGS. Hamburgs are among the most beautiful of the breeds. The Hamâ€" burgs are more popular in England than in America, and as a. natural consequence they are found much 1nearer perfection there than here. All l‘the varieties possess so many charâ€" acteristics in common that the best ,authorities agree that originally they ‘all sprung from a common stock. iAll the varieties are commonly desigâ€" 'nated as non-sitters. They are acâ€" tive and need free range, being com- Jparatively of little use when penned up. They seem to require at least a ,moderate range, and will require litâ€" :tle food beside what they forage for ithcmselves under favorable circum- They are great eggâ€"producâ€" istances. Kers, and under good management a ‘single female has been known to pro- ‘duce in a year as many as two hunâ€" dred eggs. It is not true, however, filiat they never desire to sit. The ‘spangled variety is perhaps better known than the penciled, and breedâ€" iers claim that they are hardier, but ‘the golden are not so numerous as the other varieties. It is difficult, if ‘not impossible, to judge what the ,markings of the adult fowl will be by the feathering of the chick until afâ€" ‘ter its first molt. Indeed, it fre- ,quently happens that they do not show their finest plumage until after 3they have once or twice changed .thcir feathers. WHITE MlNORCAS. The White Minorca should have a :red face and white ear lobes, as in and symmetry. somewhat claimed in as to vitality and stands on an equal {footing with the other variety, and being the “Standard”; proving preliminary settlements, and.has the lt'piltatlon oi hung a great planted the papers down for Penny’s inspection. The old gentleman was much surâ€" €310 Il‘dl'or. prised, but he signed his deeds accepted his price without a murmur. stain. - said the produced, but as all black birds ocâ€" “llliss Penny's “llccord, " dower," in conclusion, "is on good authority to be a qliarteridollbt the White val‘i means that will of a million. That l’lallaine Bank Balance take another jump.” lint the public that balance on don Answers. FOR THE CORONATION PliUCl-ISâ€"land gliders ham: bu‘n h i for SIGN. The State carriage ‘Edward will enter the city is at the riage works of Messrs. W. and Thorn. Great Portland street, Mr. and said the short 1y lpcrfccted, window.â€"Lon- in which King,Arins and the several orders ap-ithe panels. (‘11 1‘â€" IV Lonâ€"; bullion, "I want a ldon. The landau is a mass of gold, :lnycr of eggs, large and uniform in J‘Size and color, and of the same deli- The plumage is snow ‘white and should be within a single I It is not known how it was white chicks, no cty was thus acâ€" Icidenlally originated, improved and until we have one of the attractiveâ€"looking and truest ‘casioually throw liuost never again S‘aWI‘bl'C‘C‘dlllfl varieties among our domes- the “0 Pouul'y- The chicks are very 1-0. imarkably precooious and mature very at work ard the lleraldic Painter is also painting the Royal the past month ; upon The new hammock cloth is of riCh \crinilion cloth, purple‘ winding engine are safeguarded by U :- velvct, and gold lace, frieze and with gold coats-oiâ€"arms ‘beautix‘ully chased in centre. early, the pullets sometimes laying at twenty to twenty-four weevs old. They are not much unlike the White Leghorn in color, shape and general appearance, though they are larger in size that the Leghorns. The main difference in the appearance of the two breeds is in the legs. In this variety of Minorcas the legs are of a pinky white, while in the Leghorns the color is yellow. The Minorca al- so has a larger comb. POULTRY-HOUSES. The poultry-houses should be sep- arate and apart from other buildings where farm-animals are kept. Fowls need treatment which they cannot get when allowed to run and roost with other stock; and, besides tLeir unâ€" cleanly habits make them unfit com- panions for live stock, and it is dis- agreeable to have them roosting about the barn. They take on ver- min more readily than any other creatures, and when allowed to roost in the sheds or stables are almost sure to cause lice on the cattle and horses. Kept in a house of their own these evils are avoided, and the fowls themselves can be kept in a much better condition. Fowls should never be allowed to roost in the stables. Although the hens will lay in the troughs and racks, yet they do more damage to the hay than the eggs can repay. Not only do they fowl the stalls and floors. but are noisy and disagreeable to the ani< mals, to say nothing of the fact that they can transfer lice from their bod- ies to every portion of the stables, which become hard to eradicate and entail much labor and annoyance. Have the poultryâ€"house dry and warm. In making a. tarredâ€"paper roof on the poultry-house it is better to fasten the paper with plastering- lath, as the tins made for the purâ€" pose of holding the paper in place often cut into it and allow it to be ripped up by hard winds. If a coat of coalâ€"tar be applied every six months the roof will soon become hard like tin and shed water pletely. â€"â€"+ GENERAL IN FORMATION. C OID‘ Tit-Bits of Knowledge About A1- most Everything. Nine-tenths of England’s railway passengers travel third-class. Venice has a cafe which has been open day and night for 150 years. In every 1,000,000 British people 7,700 have incomes of over $1,000. There are in London 850,000 peo- ple, in families of five, occupying one room. At Brighton two men played pingâ€" pong in a cage containing a dozen lions. About forty tons of letters pass daily through the General Post Office London. The growth of girls is greatest in their fifteenth year, of boys in their seventeenth. The cost of firing a single shot from a. 16in. gun would pay a pri- vate soldier for five years. The Laplanders are the shortest people in Europe, men averaging 4ft. 11in., women 4ft. .9in. In 1871 Germany had only cities with over 100,000 inhabit Now there are thirtyâ€"three. Instead of an engagement-ring, the Japanese lover gives his sweetheart a piece of beautiful silk for her sash. Belgium and Spain are the only countries where patents are granted for so long a term as twenty years. A palm tree which grows on the banks of the Amazon has leaves 30 feet to 50 feet in length and 10 feet to 12 feet in breadth. If the earth were equally divided among its inhabitants, each person would get about twenty-three and a. half acres. The corporation of IIarrogate, England, make some $75000 a year out of the mineral spring-s owned by the town. In nearly every street in Japanese cities is a public oven where, for a small fee, housewives may have their dinners and Slippers cooked for them. Water thrown upon ice in the Arc- tic regions will shiver it just as boiling water breaks glass. This is because the ice is so much colder than the water. Berlin’s black book, the criminal record kept by the police, now conâ€" sists of thirtyâ€"seven volumes con- taining 21,000 photographs of crim- inals of all classes. liingagcd girls in l‘r-ninurk wear a plain gold ring on the third finger of the left hand. “tr-n they get married the ring i.» name! to the eight ants. ~third finger of the right. hand. The highest price {“vl‘l' imid for a poem was 6.000 golden crowns paid to Satin-azure l}: the iiti/cns of Venice for his vulva-3: m. Lllt'll‘ cityâ€" a poem of six lines only. The cows in lit-lyl‘llii w: The law decrees illut every cow when it has attained the age of three months mum l;;i‘.f‘ in its car a rirw to which is altmbcd a number- ur earrings. ‘0 ed metal tag. in parts of Norway and Swndcn. where. during the 1-H immw "are is almost continuous (3-... it. l‘arir-y crops are grown \xizh on iron: >lX to eight \Vl-cks inlrr'u .. : .ctwccn scctlrliiuc and harvest. The olden. steam emitt- now at work is helium! to lv u ‘\r\l.'v'or..n:n :it 1;. :.( lollit‘r'V. Ruthcrglcn, near (linqgm. 11 “is built in 1800. am! in» viz-fled um- tinuously to tie [-10- In Japan. small cl: poor, who haw: l|-- and no nurses 1-: ’o. . caution of li:x..ti:;., . their necks which to: and addresses.