Evening Star Newspaper, September 16, 1923, Page 83

i et THE SUNDAY ST ), WASHINGTON, D. 0, SEPTEMBER 16, . 1923—PART 5 § AT THE NATION'S BEAUTY CONTESTBelief in the Last Real Witches Wallace Irwin’s Letters of a Japanese Schooolboy To Editor The Star, who must realize by now thiat the Atlantick Monthly are not published at Atlantick City. EAREST SIR: If you have a heart-febbleness or s high blood press, please do not read this Letter, because it con- tains a shock. Following is it: Me & Nogi are now at Atlantick City, walking out of the grandy hostillery just like we lived there. And why are we here? Ah!! Now I shall shoot the Shock, We are here to walk around with *, Mack Senate Bathing Beauty expression to watch all those very pretty Venuses from U. 8., Canada and Kingdom of Eu- rope while they come here to struggle for 10,000 cash-prize. I should hate to be Judge of this « ~ Beauty Combat, Mr. Editor. Hon. Cal. Coolldge of U. 8. & Hon. MacKenzle King of Canada might melt their brains together without deciding the Whiches from the Whiches. And how are it pos- sible to be fair with all the beauty in the Earth making glow-worm eyes at samo time? How could Judge in such a Event keep from breaking his own neck by twisting it rapidly? I ask to know, Mr. Bditor, T enjoyed & very close es- cape yestdy p. m. In another instant of time T should have been obliged to do- nate that 10,0008 prize & because I have onl; 50c to my signature that situation would have required axtreme diplomissy & tack. _ Mo & Nogi stood on Bored Walk los- {ng our brain rapidly when sets of sky- olored eyes attached to hansome eye- brows march at us with arm & le £feld’s Foolies. “By Geo!" I swore, “that 3rd one This from Nogi ““Becausé of her winning ways,” T in- srain. Yes, we got pretty dazzle, by golly. Sa much beauty was walking around that we merely got shuved into Hon. Ocean. One enlarged female Apollo from ©-Hio step on Nogl before she knew he was human. “I hope I did not pain you!” she say ! with sweet opera. “Maybe you know what the Mayor of Greece sals when the Statue of Liberty fall on him,” require Nogi with flirt expression peculiar to Jno. | ©Orew. “He say-so, ‘It are always pleasure to be crushed by Works of Art.' " “Thanks so many,” she twit. “Never before have I met an insex that could sing like a chnary.” * ok %k ¥ O she pass away. But we do not O mies her, because there was such L quantity more. Queens everywhere. Queen of Ireland with broguish smile; Queen of Cuba with expensive eyes Jike 9 1bs. of coal; Queen of Canada like the N. Pole in strawberry fce cream; | Cow Queens from Arizona; Racehorse Queens from Ky.; Egg Queens (soft) frem Petaluma, Cdl.—oh yes, Atlan- tick City are every inch a Queen this I stood there and gaz & Gaz o long that my head twirled. While I was looking at several Paris Beauties making a dash with their clothes I could not observe Ocean whero can- iderable . American Beautles making a dash without them. 'Which *"way should I Jook? How I did wish T could be cross-ey aver my should But such happl- ness comes to few (Shakspere). “I enjoy headache from too many bright faces,” renlg Nogl “Let us &9 over to Training Quarters & watch Hon. Angel Firpo knock out some eyes.” “From where I are standing I can get my eyes knocked out'too plenty,” T corrode. “Soot yourself,” he narrate while walking off in a high dungeon. was | d so 1 could see | twirling my head each way while watching each Fair Peramulator go by. Yards & yards of fancy hair, quarts & quarts of liquid eyes, tons & tons of perfect formation pass along Bored Walk, each axpecting to win 10,0008, Yot how could I choose from so many? When it are raining diamond hailstones it are umpossible to know which one to put in your pocket. Pretty soonly long come an un- expected lady wearing her teeth quite jumbled; also she had put her nose on wrong and had an expression of the neck pecullar to ostriches. She stood befront of me like a wooden fence so I could not observe more than % of any Venus at a time. “On, Mrs. Madam, if convenient, !'would you chivalrously sidestep away ! slightly so that I°can have a better view to fall in love with?” I ask to know. “Who are you?" sho require peevly, ! pointing her outside teeth. | “Hashimura Togo, if necessary” 1 oxpunge. “I have arrived here wish- ing to give 10,0008 prize to Queen of | "0 joyful!” she shreech while tak- ing my neck in her hard elbow. “Then you the gentleman for who I look. You realize who it is strangling you so industriously?”’ “Tell before I choak!” T glubber. “I are no more or less than the Onion Queen from Bermuda,” she re- hash. “And now I have found you {T shall win the prize” | “Unheok me! 1 cummute, and | when she hag sprang off, “Now relato to me 6 or 13 reasons why you should |be choosea?” “Firstly, she narrate, “yo observe the moal on' my chi; “I cannot help doing s0.” This from me. “But ses yon Swedish Afroditty just coming near. Could your beauty knock her out?” “Most insuredly!” poor Swedish have Ingrowing nose. {This could never winn. Observe my Are it ingrowing?’ ot the least.” I peruse. quite outbreaking. she dib. “That “It are | Therefore I stood quite sélfishly, i | | | | | rible mistake reward to that Girl From Alabama. | “I STOOD QUITE SELFISHLY, TWIRLING MY HEAD EACH WAY, AMBULATOR GO BY. “So there. she crew. “But kindly to ploase throw your eyes at This Coming.” I derange. “She looks like she was loaned by Harrison Fisher, kipdness: of Hon. Mike Angelo.” “She got two (3) dumples in her chin,” narrate this Onfon Queen. “That are fattal blemish. You will see that my chin have but one (1) dumple.” “1 could not behold it, “It are under the moal,” she ampu- tate. everthelessly, it are there. Therefore 1 win Round Tow.” “1e * % % % u\d\' sakes in heaven!” I holla. 1 you have time to enjoy your- self, see thut Pleasant Dream elop- ing along! I bet my bootwear she are from Aldbama. O see those red- colored bairs arranged to look at! 1 have won Round One,” I decry. And she got a complexion like puffed | rice! Let me o cape after her to give her Prize before she get away!” “Stop!" snarrel Onion Queen with traflick movement of thum & fingers. “Beauty Prizes must not be gave away with emotion. They must be calculated by sclentifick tables & measyrements. You would make hor- if you donated cash- Why 807 T tell you. Her face are % inch too short:; Now kindly to look at my face—" “I must be axcused from too must effort,” I'venom. *Very * ‘nicely!” she pas “Then Isfiave won Point 3. “How many points must you have to win Prize?” I require, fainting away slightly. “10,000," she manipulate, “but it you will give me your time and ob- serve me more closely you will find that I got that many and a few to spare. I have been sent here by a Board of Artists.” “What variety of Artists?” I ask to know. “Cubists,” she annihflate. *I am called most beautiful gel in greenitch village, N. Y. “I shall look at you as a cube,” back. WATCHING EACH FAIR PER. pronounce. “Now I see. Your head are quite square. But how could I give Prise to a face that makes me look the other way?" “How old fashioneq you are! she dib. “Beauty should bs judged by the bones. 1 have most perfected bones In America.’ elop. "1 ean count 83 in your neck. They are splandid. But I dv not see the meat. “I am a vegetarian,” she snub. “Arg now, Mr. Togo, ploase hand me the Prize beforo somebody el along. At that junction, Mr. Bditor, I saw such a large nolwo coming down the Walk that I could not say more re proaches. With wave of flag, ahoot of fireworks, halr-raising, rab-rah and throwing of bright-colored spaghetti big crowded mod march forth, shouting horsely. “Beholt Queen of Beauty! |our Cholce. She have Wor {to the Queen of Queens! | “Queen of Queens are quite a lot,” I ldentify, and I could ses a vision- ary beauty with sweethearted face and a erown on it being carrled forth |& 'k on excited shoulders of all. ‘What are ail this shouting & tum. ulty? I ask to know “Can you not unstand?” hissy the Onion Queen. “That have won the Prize.” “How you sippose they made thet mistake? I require. “The Jury was made silly by her pretty face,” she snarrel. “That are always the way with men. Deserv ing Women with nobile aims & swol- |len hearts gets nothing. At sight of Beholt Salutes | g0od looking female men lose thelr | |entire heads. And the Beauty Prize should have went to me for reasons 1 axplained. I am bitter.” | "I sippose you might taste that way” 1 amble while tfollowing Crowded Mobb in Gen. Direction of botel where I eat lunching in very high style. Hoping you ars the same Yours truly, HASBHIMURA TOGO. (Copyright, 1923.) i we« THE CALL OF THE CARBURETOR == Stephen Leacock Tells How Blinks Regained Friends- (“First get a motor in your own eye and then you will overlook more casily the motor in your brother's ‘eyo."-—~Somewhere in the Bible.) “It's the quickest and i B nicest way to meet our old friends again after all these years. And goodness knows this house is big renough for {t"—she gave a glance, she spoke, round the blg reception room of the Blinks residence. “Only don't let's ask a whole lot of chatter- ing young people that we don't kno Iet's have the older people, the ones that can talk about someéthing really worth while.” “That's just what I say,” answered Mr. Blinks—he was a small man with insignificance written all over him— “lot me listen to people talk; that's what I llke. I'm not much on the soclal side myself, but I do enjoy hearing good talk. Thats what I Jiked so much over in England. -All them—all those people that we used to meet talked so well. And in France those ladies that run saloons on Sun- day afternoons—" “Sallongs,” corrected Mrs. Blinks. She picked up a pencil and paper. “Well, then,” she sald, as she be- * gan to write down names, “we'll ask Judge Ponderus—"" “gure!” assented Mr. Blinks, rub- bing his hands, “He's a fine talker, it he'll come!” “They'll all come” sald his wife, “tp & house as big as this; and we'll ‘ask the Rev. Dr. Domb and his wife— or, no, he's Archdeacon Domb now, I hear—and we'll Invite Bishop Sollem, a0 they can talk together.” “That'll be good,” sald Mr. Biinks. «1 pemember years and years ago hearing them two—those two—talk- ing about religion, and about the soul and the body. Man! It was deep. It was olean beyond me. That's what 1 like to llsten to” #Aad Prof. Potofax from the col- Jege,” went on Mrs. Blinks. “You re- member, the big stout one.” “1 know,” sald her husband. «“wand his daughter, she's musical, end Mrs, Buncomtalk, she's a great light on women's politics, and Miss Seragg 8% Mr. Underdone—they both 0 théy can talk about Y.all means 1ét’s have a re- ception,” sald Mrs. Blinks. * x ok WEEK later, on the day of the Blinks’ rectption, thera vas a string ot motors three deep alonx o line of a bundréd yards in front of the house. Inside the reception rooms were filled. Archdeacon Domb and Dean Sollem wire standing side by side, with their heads gravely lowered as they talked over cups of tea. Mr. Biinks edged to- wards them, “ThisTl ba something pretty good,” he murmured to himself. “What do vou do about your body?* the archdeacon was asking {n his deep, solemn tones. “‘Practically nothing,” said the bishop. “A Mlttle rub of shellac now and then, but practically nothing.” “You wash it, of course?” asked Dr. Domb. “Only now and again, but far less than you would think.” “Ah,” sald Dr. Domb, reflectively, “1 went all over mine last summer with linseed oil.” “But @idn’t you find,” said the bishop, “that it got into your pipes and choked your feed?" “It 4id,” said Dr. Domb, munching a bit of toast a¢ he spoke. “In fact, I have had a lot of trouble with my feed ever since. . “Motor cars!” murmured Mr. Blinks in something like dismay. “Who'd have thought it?” i But at this moment & genial, hearty- “IN FACT,” SAID DR. DOMB, “P'VE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE & WITH MY FEED EVER SINCE” quietly into another group of guests. Prof. Potofax and Miss Scragg and a number of others were evidently,talking about books. ‘A beautiful book,” the professor was saying. *‘One of the best things, to my mind at any sate, that has appeared for years. There's 4 chapter on the sllencing of ey must gas which is simply marvel- oyl Mr. Blinks moved on. ‘Wherever he went among his guests he caught thelr conversation in little scraps. “I ran her up to forty with the great- est oase, then threw in my high speed and got seventy out of her without any trouble.”—~"‘No, I simply used a socket wrench, it answers perfectly.”'~''Yes, a solution of ealefum chloride is very good, but of course the hydrochloric acid in it has a powerful effect on the metal.” * ok k¥ BANTIME, around his wife, who stood recelving in state at one and of the room, the guests surged to and looking person came pushing toward |fro, him with a cheery greeting. , “I'm afrald I'm rather late, Blinks,™ he sald. “Delayed in court, eh, Judge?” said Blinks as he shook han g “No, blew out a plug!” sald the judge. *gtalled me right up.” “Blew out a plugl” exclaimea Dr. Domb aud the bishop, deeply interested at once, “A eracked insulator, I think,” said the judge. “Possibly,” said the archdeacon, very gravely, “the terminal nuts of your dry battery were loose.” Mr. Blinks moved slowly away. It was @ relief to him to sdge bis way Shakespeare's country. “So charmed to ses you again,” exclalmed one. “You've been. in Europe a long time, haven't you? in the south of England? ? Last year my went all through It's just de- lightful. They sprinkle it 8o thar- oughly. And Stratford-on-Avon itself is just a treat. It's all oiled, every bit of it—except the little Shakespeare's house—but we didn't g0 along that. - Then later we went up to the Lake district; but it's not 80 good—they dor't ofl it.” She floated away, to give place teo another ladys St S | “In France every summer?’ she exs claimed. “Oh, how perfectly lovely, Don’t you think the French cars sime ply divine? My husband thinks the French body is far better modeled than ours. He saw ever so many of them. Ho thought of bringing one over with him, but it costs such a lot to keep them in goor order.” ¢ o » “Have they.all gone insane?”’ said Mr. Blinks to his wife, after the guests had departed. . “Dreadful, isn't it?" she assented. And the guests as they went home talked of the Blinkses. “1 fear,” said Dr. Domb to Judge Ponderus, “that Blinks has hardly profited by his time in Europe as much as he ought to have. He seems to have observed nothing. I was asking him about the new Itallan touring car that they are usin much in Rome. He sald he had never noticed it. And he was there a month!” All of which showed that Mr. and Mrs. Blinks were in danger of losing their friends forever. But it happened 8o that about thres weeks later Blinks came home to his residence-in an obvious state of ex- citement. His face was flushed and he had on & silly little round cap with = glased peak. . ““Why, Clarence!” cried his wife “Whatever is the matter?” “Matter!” he exclaimed. ‘“There isn’t anything the matter! I bought @ ¢ar this merning, that's all. Say, it's a beauty, a regular peach; four thousand with ten off. I ran it clean round the shed alone first time. The 1 chauffeur says he never saw anybody get on to the hang of it so quick. Get on your hat and come right on down to the garage. I've got a man waiting there to teach you to run it. Hurry up!” ) Within a week of two after that one might see the Blinkses any méorn- Ing—in faSt, every morning—out in their car! “Good morning, Judge!” calls Blinks gayly as he passes. “How's that car- buretor acting? Good morning, Arche Suitgr—Do_you think your sister would give mo one of her curls? Johnny—1 don't think she oould Siiop Snargts Rer auite » Tot . u Produces Strange Doings in Brittany Annic iClonree Called Tato Ganaultation Whest Woman'of Property Desired to Divide Her Pos- sessions Among Younger Generation of Family—Failure to Keep Agreements Proves Disas- trous and Aids Reputation of Feared Woman. * BY STERLING HEILIG. CARNAC, French Coast, Below Brest, September €, 1923, SHALL tell only what is said here, and some of the things which have set people to talke ing. It is the tail-end of Brit- tany. You comé by way of Vannes and change cars twice. The people wear the old Breton costumes, but there is a Carnac plage (or beach), ‘with summer resort, hotels and motor car partles all over the place. The unusual thing is that oity peo- ple hear any of the talk. Old Carnac town is a mile and a half from the beach, but in point of time they are 260 years apart! Two hundred and fifty years ago our New England populations believs ed in witches; and they were edu- cated people. In the same way, these Breton natives are not ignorant; but they keep to themselves for a dozen reasons—one of which Is because outsiders smile at their belief in witches. But the Kermadecs affair dragged 8o long (awaking curiosity of sums mer boarders at the beach three Beasons and stirring up the natives by its implacable continuity) that they have been drawn togther, city folks and natives, 5o to speak, &s by the unrolling of an antique tradegy before their eyes—because the things were there, for all to see them. The Kermadecs were a rather numerous, industrious and completely correct family of peasant farmers, clinging to the old inherited lands,; but not particularly lucky. Even the schoolmaster (who is one of “them,” born in Morblhan, but educated up in Paris, where he got a veneer of sclentific rationalism) speaks of the pact of the Kermadecs with curfous respect. The Bretons are thrifty and éun- ning. Like all Fronchmen, they are partioularly honest in this sense, that they pay their bills on the nail, if you can show that they have given their signature; but the new war taxes seem burdensoms to them; they shrink from paying heavy succession fees in full; and the yet heavier collateral inheritance tax seems to them rank governmental oppression. LR HE Kermadecs had a rich maiden aunt who proposed to circumvent the fiso by dividing up her property among them while she lived. To each member she would give the share coming to them by inheritance, on the understanding that she should live In honor with each household, at her choice, and, have whatever cash for clothes and pocket money she j might ask for. d | Here, of course, was opportunity for misunderstanding. The aunt might find herselt pleased in a par- |ticular hquscheld—and stick to it longer than might seem fair to the sufferers. In such case it would be for the other nephews and nieces to make it up to them. But, of course, such eventdality was not even men- tioned to the aunt while still rich and Gesirable—beforo she had divided up her property among them. Now, here comes the strange part. Instead of going to a lawyer or & OLD ANNIE, “THE GREATEST OF REAL AND MODERN WITCHES,” AS SHE | aunt began to complain of unfalr treatment. * % %k ¥ HE aunt eomplained against this or that niece or nephew. In turn, | these complained against the others | for putting unfair shares of duty on | them. At last, quite disillusioned, | she was fn full ¢ry against the lot of them — who were enjoying her go0ds and treating her without honor! She went to the feared woman. “Glve me my remedy? she de- ‘manded. “No need,” replied Annie. “As each breaks the pact his bad luck follows. Sit and walt!” Now, it is common knowledge of the town and beach (some ity fam- flies have stayed at the same hotels ot Carnac-Plago three summers in Succession) that bad luck pursued the entire lot of nephews and nieces | and their familles fn the most aston- ishing manner. The Kermadecs were covetous and stingy, like many peasants. They could not refrain from grudging and denying the old aunt. They could not | ! | l } ANNIE THE WITCH, PAINTED IN 1900, BY A BRETON ARTIST. THE PORTRAIT HAS BEEN EXHIBITED IN PARIS. “crooked stick,” which natives claim to be “the” crooked stick, which has come down to Annic ¥for a thousand years,” through “the kings of the sorcerere.” There are none to claim it from her—all the sorcerers are gone, except “the man of Kervern,” who is & “g0od” sorcerer and deals chiefly in luck charms to make fields fertile. * * x % ‘T has become a common excursion for the folks of Carnac-Plage to motor out to Garpard, or to Katt Logall, “the good witch,” for a luck charm, and old Annic herself is fre- quently apptoached these days by respectful parties, bearing gifts. She fumbles in a bag at her girdie and brings out a tiny sachet bag for each—probably containing burnt mise tletoe. It is the kind which farmers got for 40 cents aplece from Gaspard, at Kervern, to bury in the corners of their flelds. All of which has no meaning—as to the feared woman. Annic accepts the homage of outsiders with indiffer- ence (except in the case, perhaps, of APPEARS TODAY—A FORMIDABLE AND DISCONCERTING FIGURE. notary for the agreement, the Ker- madecs called in “the feared woman” —a twitch, “one of the last real witches” still living in this old- fashioned community. ¢ She is Annic Cloaroc, calle@ “the bad witch” and, without doubt, the most feared woman {n all Morbihan —or in all Brittany or Franoe, for that matter. Annic was asked to bind them by strong spells to do their duty, each, to tho old aunt, { when suoh duty should become oper- ative by her dividing up her prop- am them. ‘HA'nnlu o':;“. them an appointment on the moor, when the full moon wes at midnight. The deserted wasts i3 mournful enough by day- light; but, under the moon, the ancient Druid monolithe for which Carnsc 1s famous look like ghostly ts. “?n this setting the bad which led them through & ceremony, which, it s certain, strongly impresssd the Kermadeos—and othérs. saw and trembled. Then the Kermadoecs went home, divided up the property, and tried honestly to live up. to their agree ment with the old aunt, now no longer rich, because they . had her property! But human nature is weak. When not pinned down to ex- R help mutual - squabbling. Neither could they help bad crops, rotting potatoes, sickening cattle, bad pur- chases and a full line of petty mis- eries, up to typhold and diphtheria The aunt had revenge, In yuantity; but as for “remedy,” the Kermadecs have lost s0 much that it would break them, now, to square her! This, too, they say, Is n . keeping with the mentality of a bad witch, Annic lives in & Druid dolmon, on the moor. It is her *hiouse,” on which she Pays no taxes—"house” belived to be 10,000 years old, composed of five glgantio slabs ‘of rock—four stands ing. .solldly on edge, for walls, and ona, fiat, three feet thick, and weigh- ing, at an estimate, 100 tons, for roof! A witch, they say, has always lived in “Anaie’s house.” It always was a land of witohcraft, The peaxants come honestly by their beliets, Oute ‘side Carnac are the antijue menhirs "I‘ dolmens of Monao, Kermario, and Kerlowean, enormous and mysterious elongated rocka placed end-up to form avesues and “houses” by nobedy can gueas what possidle mechanics of pre= The Drulds used them: but they wore’ theto before the Druids. The witches Inherited them = from the Drutds, 2,000 years ago: ana now Annie, “last of the bad witches” has her choice of the best. She i1s called a frail and wisened old woman; but the truth {s that her body Is mo masked by o long dirt~ colored cloak that her physiqué is hard to determine. . When excited, she 1s sald to straighten up like & mlddie~ aged woman! £ walle with het queer staffeey stray bellevers whom I shall men- tion later, the most mysterious of all); but the abject fear and obe- dience of all manner of natives toward her is another story. Her mother was a dreaded witch. Her father was the famous sorcerer of Kervignac. And 'so on back, “witeh blood fér unknown genera- tions, and lonely folk,” says the schoolmaster, Annto takes toll of what she needs from the entive neighborhood. Ap- parently she 1s tos proud of indife ferent to abuse, but the moment any onie 6f the natives dies Annio i8 on tho spot. They give her food, money and clothes. Bo, at weddings, they hand her money and spread her a 1ittle table of the Best in a dark cor- ner. 1f Aunic wants anything in pars tioular she sends word to a town shopkeeper. She gets it. .When anything goes Wrong in a family Anhlo is suspected of having cast a spell. The proceeding Is quite simple, with nothing traglo about it Somie member manages to meot her, 'as, by sccident, in presence of wite nessed, and hands her & nice gfft This publicity 15 to aveid suspicion of paying ‘her to hoodeo & nelghbor Then, Annie squared, things are exe pected to go better, or, at lsast, re- same their natural course. It is no more than a kind of Insurance: Reluctance ‘to be alorie with Annie for tliese considérations has & good mioral efrect, after all. People become afrafd to offend cach other and are gentle, just and honest—lest the bad witsh be employed to do summary Justics! Only in cases of the most grave lojury, will & peasant around Carnac go to the bad witch for a spell against his neighbor, Algo, these old-fashioned natives are not the only bellevers. Orice, the past summer (and the story is too widely told not to be true), the bad witeh was visited by a party of five unknown Parisians in a touring car— who came directly. They neither asked their way to Annic’s house nor spoke a word to any native. There was no need. They knew—and the natives know Three twilights in suc- cession, peasants all agog with curi- osity lay hidden, watching for Annic to come and do her stuff at the ac- cursed rock! e T is a particularly bad-renowned menhir (vast rock monolith) that has a vague old, old tradition of being the “demons’ stone,” and in whose shadow one manslaughter and one assassination took place within the past fifty years. There, the third twilight, they saw Annic standing by it, silhouetted against the evoning £ky, her cloak spread like a bat's wings, writhing, bending, squatting. rising—*“cursing unknown people, up in Paris. Also, at Carnac Beach, certaln of the summer boarders aro said to have gone seriously to Katt Legall for love charme. One couple, they say, desired to cease to love—they had no right. They went with death in their faces—perhaps, to think, each, that tha other could consent to give up. They had treatment. It sucoeeded. They looked coldly at each other, each when the other accepted treat- ment, The second couple asked for a charm to centinue loving. They had loved dearly, and were panic-stricken at their coldness. ‘The only case I saw with my own eyes was when Katt Legall gave treatment to a humble village lad whose soul was that of a pure knight, The poor bumpkin lolled on a’bench beside the door of the good witch. His head hung like a drooping flower. The pain. of unrequited love is some- thing horrid. She eodthed, and cooed, and dandled him until his sighs grew weaker and ceased altogether. It was all serious. They have no false pride, these peasants. The boy saw nothing distreditable 1n having loved and been jilted, to seek to root the sad love from his heart. *He will return to Katt twice more,” they told us, “and his cure will be gomplete and sure. He will cease to care for the gir! who does not care for NMm, Knowing that he has re- ceived high-class treatment, he will be courageodus Ingenious Gas Lighter. N scientist discovered some years ago that a certain iron alloy on being Jightly rubbed with a file, would emit intensive sparks that instently ignite gas. The practical application of this discovery consists of a metal rod holding on its top a little plece of this alloy. On the lower end of the rod is @ button which, on being pressed. rubs the alloy against a rough sur- face, and the spark is emitted. Up- right and inverted lamps may thus be ignited. Another very useful application of this principle {s seen in a stove- lighter. The alloy is fastened on the end of the lower leg which, on being pressed upward, rubs against a ver- tical roughened surface. In releasing the hand pressure the lower leg Jumps back to its original position by means of the springlike action of the rod, thus causing the alloy to spark vio- lently. It is even possible to light lamps at the top of masts, merely by turning the cock, a slight gas pres- sure Starting a mechanism to light it. The alloy itself is practically inde- structible and very cheap. ———— Plow Lays Cable. HE plow bas been set to work lay~ ing electric light cables. A oast- steel implement for deep plowing was adapted for the purpose, and with a #mall force of workers thé plow {n- stalled 1,800 feet of single, leadcov- ered cable in one day. 1t fitted with a clamp to hold the end of the cable, and a gasoline engine, with & drum, was hitched to the drawbar. The cable was pulled along beneath the surface of the ground by the plowshare, so that, as the plow proceded the cable was lald in the trench made. The company making the experiment attained a still better record when the plow was pulled by a more powerful gasoline engine. Application of the device is limited to use in city parks or in suburban inetallations where cable has to be strung aoross s large lawn. The outfit can be hauled any- whera by & small truok. Boat Climbs Up-Hiil. is reported that Bartolomel, an Italian engificer, has destgned an ingenious scheme destined to replace the complicated operation of present canal locks. The Italian's arrange- ment comprises a paddle wheel mov- able with its axie fitted with wheels to fun on iron rails on the banks.j Tha boat is driven up hill by the er, contained in an inclined canal, flow- ing against the wheel, causing it to "h':"e and, tf:nflhm to turn the wheels on the 8, theredby pushing the boat forward. The gradient of the canal is Inter- medlary betwoen 8 and 7 per cent and feed by no means be constant throughout its length, Fig Coffee. TT is repbrted that in Czechoslovakin figs. are prepared In substitution for coffee. Dried cither in the sun or in evaporating pans, according to the ¢limate, they are then roasted in ovens until they are quite brown and brittle, ‘after which they are ground into a powder that it pressed into tablets. 'These are gissolved in hot water when “coflee” is desired. eminent