The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 7, 1904, Page 6

JANUARY 7, 1904 . b5 A Little F BY CHARLES | (Author of *“The (Copyright, 1904, by Joseph B. Bowles) In every one of us th is a “best” and “‘wors! We have cream and skim milk, s fustian in our makeup. It is a test question, “What do you do with the best that is in the best that is in business. If there is error it is for this vess is terribly exacting. | Competition was never so fierce. Men were never so consecrated to money getti Others are putting their no- blest powers into rival enterprises, and it we do not follow their example we £hall ge § shuffle. Some en give their best to their boon comj at the midday lunch or 1g banquet or at the “‘un’c gue” that you see the full display of their mental re- sources. All their powers are saved up to be consecrated upon these al- tars. It is th their wit, their grace, their e e all consumed. As for the women, many devote their supreme talents to society It is for the afternoon tea, the evening re- ception, the card party that they ength. Thither they est smil d t Many upon the “¢ shr lectual which greatest gifts To that insatiable offerings of piritual graces of is and their chil- e they moral and carry dren ne imed. Nothing is too | good for the club! Time, money, | strength, cheerfulness, courage, pur- pose tself are thrown into that Lottomless pit with a1l the abandon of devoteeism. “And how is your moth- er getting along?” asked her teacher | of a little girl who had just been tojd | the arrival of a baby sister. “Oh, was at the | ol msother wasn’t there—she c'ub!” the child replied. It is to none of these objects, how- | ever good (and not even to the ckurch, nor to the communi nor te philrnthropy) that we ought to gmive our “best”; but to our homes. It is in our homes that we ought to wear our best clothes and our richest jew- eis. Put the , now and then, just for your husb: and your children. Don’t you thi t * good to see you 1 it is in our homes that we ought ©0 put on our best manners; the: sught to wear our most smiling there we ought to display our richest mental resour 3 But what are the facts? People give to tbeir homes the frazzled ends of thelr time, their strength and their talents. There is something both pite- ous and monstrous about the niggard- liness of our life at home. Men come back to it wrung out like sponges and squeezed out like oranges. They say they cannot help it. Well, give them the bemefit of all the doubt there is. The exactions of the outside world are terrible. But after all, it is not so much “necessity” as lack of correct fdeas that accounts for most men bringing home nothing but the dregs | of their best selves. Women pour their strength into the toil of mere house- keeping with the reckless wagte of prodigals and have nothing left but quivering nerves and exasperated tem- pers for the evening hour at the fire- side. They exonerate themselves by describing the tyranny of cooking and cleaning and mending. But who does not know that a higher conception of domestic life and nobler ideals of moth- erhood and wifehood would make them save up the best of all their fund of energy for the contact with children | and husband? The fundamental and unpardonable error always and everywhere is the failure to perceive the relative values of things. It is the creation of a true home atmosphere that is the first busi- ness of all married people. Every power of body, mind and spirit is pri- marily indebted to this great end and its achievement is worthy of the exer- | cise of your highest talents. Of your | “highest” talents, 1 say! And right here, believe me, we shall find the almost universal trouble. It! s because most people do mnot like to: slay their “best parts” to such “small | wudiences” that you see 8o little high 1t on the diminutive domestic stage. ‘What!” we say, away down out of aearing in our souls, “you don't think | [ ean put forth my best efforts to be brave and cheerful and witty and charming in this little, pitiful domestic circle, do you? I need a greater arena for my talents. How can I work my- self up to my highest pitch before this petty, unappreciative audience? There's my oid father or mother—half senile and wholly self-centered. There's my wife (or my busband) tired and stupid to a degree. Besides these—there is no one but the chiidren and they aren't old enough to appreciate my powers! No indeed! T can't tell my good stories bere! 1 can’t put on.my grand manner in this poor presence!" Be honest now! Have you ever felt that way? When the meals daull and the evening hour stupid and you ook around at the famillar faces and semember how often you hate heard | and told the same old ‘“chestnuts’— | jossn’t the selfish, wretched, unmanly p _comec to you?—“the audience 't worth the play and I must go {len, W. H. Newman ard M. E. Ingalls, | | general manager, ete. | tically owned outright by Rockefeller ' { SE AR £ down to the club or the saloon to get appreciation?” . For shame! At your own fireside you are in the most sacred spot on earth. This little audience ought to move you as deeply as the 60,000 people who used to gather in the Roman amphitheater. Have you any story toc good to tell that group of beloved beings? Do you know where there is any crowd before whom you ought to try harder to show off all your best gifts and graces? How polite you were to those rich ladies who came into the store to buy silk dresses to-day! How charmingly you entertained those people who came to make their party calll You put your best foot forward sure! Why not do it at the evening meal for the benefit of your loved ones? It seems such a pity to show everybody else the best side of your nature and them the worst. If you can he considerate and sweet tempered and charming everywhere else, why not at home? Of course. it cannot be denied that homes are dull places sometimes. We get ¢id and accustomed to each other. Trouble comes to sadden us. It's very hard to rise above the atmosphere of grief and melancholy that comes with the advancing shadows of life. But we owe all the light and sweetness there is in us to that sacred group of be- ings who assemble around the fireside. Coming Magnates. BY EARL D. . A (Former Railroad Editor New York Times and ew York Sun.) (Copyright, 1904; by Joseph B. Bowles.) Howard Elliott’s election to the presi- dency of the Northern Pacific Pailway, Corneliu: Vanderbilt's active Interest in the affairs of the Illinois Central, the entry of Willlam K. Vanderbilt Jr. into t.» financial department of the New York Central, the placing of John D. Rockefeller Jr. on importan: commit- | tees in the Lackawanna directorate and the designation of Fourth Vice Presi- dent Samuel Rea of the Pennsylvania to have full charge of the $50,000,000 tunnel and terminal work at ..ew York are the most recent and conspicuous evidences that young men are rapidly coming to the front in railroad man- | agement. James J. Hill, who is training his son to take his place as the head of the Great Northern system, said to the writer of this sketch not long z3o: “It is to the young men that the railroads of this country must look f:r progres- sive development within the next few years,” Present conditions affecting railroad | management are radically different | from what they were a decade ago. | Quicker action, greater alertness and | the tireless energy of youth are now essentials in making a great railway stem pay. The older men, like Mr. | Hill, A. J. Cassatt, Marvin Hughitt, Roswell Miller, Horace Burt, Samuel Spencer, E. P. Ripley, Charles S. Mel- have all done splendid pioneer work. Howard Elliott, the new president of the Northern Pacific system, is one of the best types of the capable, self- | reliant and progress voung railroad | man. At the age of 40 years he is at | the head of one of the most important | and presperous railway systems in the | world and so great is the confidence that the principal owners of the prop- | erty repose in him that no restraint has been placed upon his policy or methods. | Mr. Elliott attended Harvard College | while Theodore Roosevelt was there, and although they were not class- mates they became close friends. Dur- | ing Mr. iott's first visit to New York | after his election to his present posi- tion he was summoned to the White House to receive comgratulations and | enjoy a sociable luncheon with his dis- tinguished college mate. The advancement of Mr. Ellott| made way for the advancement of an- other young man who has shown re- markable capacity for doing a great variety of things in the railway ser- vice. Daniel Willard, who succeeds El- liott as second vice president of the great Burlington system, had just be- gun to make a record as first vice president of the Erie. His new posi- tion, however, will give him a larger sphere of action. Beginning as a track laborer, Mr. Willard has come up through every grade in the operating department—brakeman, fireman, en-| gineer, conductor, station agent, sec- tion boss, division superintendent, as- | sistant superintendent, superintendent, Cornelius Vanderbilt’s activities in the railroad field now embrace both the mechanical and financial depart- ments. It is just ten years ago that | this young man first put on overalls and went into the New York Central | machine shops to find out how to| build a locomotive. He learned his les- son thoroughly and he has been devis- ing alterations and improvements to the locomotive ever since. He has taken out a dozen or more patents and | the Vanderbilt firebox is now widely' used on freight engines. For the past, few years Mr. Vanderbilt has been giv- ing much attention to the perfection of a new type of tank car. John D. Rockefeller Jr. came into public view as a railroad man about three years ago, when Wall-street brokers traced purchases of several blocks of Missouri Pacific stock to him | and Howard Gould. Young Rocke- feller showed astuteness in buying when prices were at their lowest. He is credited with having picked up con- siderable St. Paul, Union Pacific and Lackawanna stock during the succes- sive “bear raids” on the general mar- ket. It was through young Rockefel- led’s initiative that his family be- came—as it is now believed to be— the largest individual stockholder in the Missouri Pacific road. John D. Jr. is a director of the Missouri, Kan- sas and Texas Railroad, which is prac- interests. It is the policy of John D. Rockefeller Sr. to keep in the back- ground and put his son, as well as his brother, William, into the directorates of the properties in which the family | has an important interest. At pres- ent therefore John D. Jr. is simply his father’s representative in railroad boards. He is intelligent, cool-headed and judicious and may yet develop forceful individuality of his own. | back where they belonged. THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprietor ¢ « + + « + + » » . Address All Communications to JOHN McNAUGHT, Manager =7 Publcation O™Ce. .. couveinrssnscsncssnocssnccan @mmwsm&' JANUARY 7, 1904 THE CHICAGO DISASTER. THURSDAY... S the investigation of the Chicago disaster pro- A gresses, it becomes more and more evident that the calamity was the result not so much of any defect in the construction of the Iroquois Theater as of carelessness on the part of those in charge of the opera- tion of the mechanism of its various departments. From evidence reported as having been given before the coro- ner, it appears that the fire might have been extinguished or burned itself out harmlessly if only the employes‘héd been thoroughly drilled in the duties expected of them in case of just such an emergency as occurred. The asbestos drop curtain would have swung down in- to place between the stage and the auditorium all right if the reflector lights along the arch had been first swung It was the projection of those lamps that interfered and prevented the descent of the curtain, and it would have been easy to swing them out of the way had any one thought of doing so. One witness testifies there had been a small blaze on the stage some two weeks before the big fire took place, and that it was noted at the time that the asbestos curtain could not work while the obstruction was in the way; and yet after that fact was made known nothing was done ecither to free the curtain of the obstruction, or to drill some one into the practice of swinging the reflec- tors out of the way the moment the call for dropping the asbestos curtain was given. One of the chief causes of the terrible loss of life was the darkness that fell upon the theater almost as soon as the flames burst forth into the auditorium. It seems clear that had there been ample light there would have been less of a panic, and a chance for the escape of many who perished because they could not see which way to turn for safety. It is now reported that the theater was equipped with an emergency lighting plant for use in case the ordinary lights went out. That equipment was in place and in good order, and had any one of the offi- cers or employes of the theater thought to turn the switch there would have been an immediate illumination of the auditorium, the corridors and the halls of the building. A third cause of the great fatality was the lack of a shaft for the escape of the flames upward through the roof; and yet just such a means of providing for the safety of the theater had been arranged by the architect, Above the stage were skylights which were designed to open automatically under certain conditions, and thus make a draft that would carry flames on the stage straight upward and away from the auditorium or the dressing-rooms. The skylight, it appears, did not open. Efforts are now being made to find out why, and there is an ugly story of its having been battened down. At any rate it might have been opened even after the automatic mechanism had failed to work if only some one had been drilled into doing it whenever fire occurred. Here then are three instances of gross carelessness re- ported on that one ocasion, and each of them had much io do with augmenting the calamity. By reason of one the flames could find ‘no outlet through the roof and were driven into the auditorium; by reason of another the asbestos curtain designed to protect the auditorium would not work; by reason of the third the building was left in total darkness when it might have been amply lighted. What possible architectural foresight could guard against such terrible mistakes on the part of the persons in charge cf the building? The evidence given in the case ought to be carefully | followed by all persons charged with responsibility in the management of theaters or with the official duty of inspect- ing them. It will not do to attribute the calamity wholly to bad architecture, and limit inspection to similar mat- ters in other theaters. Attention should be paid to the evidence concerning the blunders of the employes at the time of the fire, and efforts made to see to it that in all theaters the employes be carefully drilled and disci- plined in the duties required of them when fire occurs. San Francisco is now in contented possession of three Justices of the Peace for one bench, each exponent of the law holding disputed commission from antagonis- tic authorities. While it is only a drop in the bucket, this row of the lawyers, enlisting their energies against | themselves, leaves the public gratefully unconcerned, at least for a while. RUSSIA’S MENACE AGAINST SWEDEN. ECENT reports from Helsingfors, a town in the R north of Finland, carry the news of a piece of Russian officialism which may have more import to it than appears on the surface. A Swedish engineer, Mr. Bjordklund, acting as the agent in Finland for a Ger- man manufacturer, was suddenly seized as a spy and cast into prison, and because he refused to confess to any se- ditious acts against the Government was compelled to remain in a cell all night, entirely stripped of his cloth- ing. The next morning the Russian officials pretended to discover that their prisoner was a subject of the Swedish King, and they dismissed him summarily. King Oscar’s Ministers have set an inquiry on foot at the court of St. Petersburg, but after the lapse of almost three months no diplomatic reply has been made by the Czar’s Government. Idle as it may seem to attempt a prediction of future events, this latest piece of despotism in down-trodden Finland, considered in conjunction with the well-known devious ways of Russian diplomacy, must compel a thoughtful consideration of the bit of underground statecraft this seemingly insignificant incident re- veals. Great as the roar and the bluster may be be- tween the Muscovite and the Jap in their sparring about for an opportune moment in which to knock the chip off the other fellow’s shoulder, the wise ones who know the tricks of the Tartar of the north are instinctively look- ing about to find the cause of his recent movements in Finland. One of the most characteristic features of Russian di- plomacy has been that of taking advantage of a diver- sion to effect a coup in a direction undreamed of. Here is Russia on the verge of a war which must necessarily be a bitter one and which will carry with it the destinies of all the East. So delicately poised is the balance of European diplomacy that England and France are al- ready beginning to polish up their sabers for use in cade of emergency. Diplomatists have not hesitated to say that the Eastern embroglio might develop into a general European conflict such as that which marked the Rus- sian move to annex the Crimea. Granting the possi- bility of even a partial fulfillment of these predictions, it is not beyond the power of belief that in the confusion of a war between herself and one or more of the powers Russia would make a sudden grab at a piece of terri- tory within the locked province of Europe itself. v That territory would be upon the Scandinavian insula. Tt is ‘mot for naught that for the past ten years Russia has been systematically breaking the spirit of the Finns and make that province an absolutely passive and tractable part of the great empire. A national senti- ment and an unbending spirit do mnot comport well with a conquered people who lie upon the frontier of a coveted patch of the world’s surface.. Making sure their foothold upon the frontier before taking a grab at the be- yond is the set rule of the Russians. Peter, the greatest Czar of them all, did exactly the same thing in Finland after the Swedish Charles had lost Pultowa. That the country north of the Baltic should again see Swede and Russian in death grapples is well within the bounds oi possibility. David Bennett Hill, rising to the stern emergency of public address, has spoken and says he doesn’t like President Roosevelt. Nobody expected that Hill would, nobody wanted him to and everybody is glad he doesn't. The American people are too sensitive of their associa- tions not to feel an intimate concern for the character of the company the President keeps. We are glad Hill spoke for him. F nominated by a caucus of Congressmen. This was | before conventions had been devised. - The first national political convention was held in 1832 to nomi- nate a running mate for Andrew Jackson. Prior to that time there was not much platform making. Mr. Jeffer- son’s inaugural served as the platform of the Republi- can party, which he organized. Sometimes an action in Congress or a resolution in caucus was all the expres- | sion of partisan purpose that was necessary, and then the people fell to and fell as foul of each other as they do now. The convention of 1832 changed all of that. It was seen that a national convention was a better place than | Congress to bring men together for consultation. The party orators, who theretofore had mixed spell binding with grain binding in campaigns in the rural districts, were proud to put their figures of speech on the market in a great convention. So political oratory rose as the | contentions gained in importance, and reached its cli- max in Ingersoll's speech nominating Blaine. Since then no nominating orator in any convention, State or | National, has ever got away from the ascriptive “the man who,” until Mr. Lane was nominated for Governor of California. That nominating speech, made by Mr. Seth! Mann, was a model of good taste and was free from ghe? Ingersollian echo. There is evidence abroad now that the power of the convention is about to be shorn, at least in the Demo- cratic party. There is a visible tendency to settle the Presidential nomination by agreement of members of | A RANK TAIL-ENDER. ORMERLY candidates . for the Presidency were Congress, leaving to the convention the lighter duty of | ratifying such action and the heavy task of listening to | speeches. With this in view there is repeated polling of | Democratic members of Congress, to develop their Presidential preferences. In these several pollings the strength of some of the candidates fluctuates. It ebbs | and flows like the tide, and rises and falls like the sounds of the night. But one candidate holds his | strength without variableness or shadow of turning. He | holds his own every time. His party in California will | be proud to know that this inflexible and non-fluctuat- ing candidate is Mr. William Randolph Hearst. While Cleveland, Gorman, Olney and Parker experi- ence the vicissitudes of political fortune, our own Will- iam Randolph simply-and strongly dittos his vote every time. But when the matter is looked at in another ! light its features are less reassuring. His total strength is three votes. While the others run up into the scores he gets always three votes, no more, no less. When it is remembered that since the middle of November Wil- | liam Randolph Hearst has been seated in the House hob- nobbing with his fellow members and meeting the large number who have been his guests on yachts and special trains, and who have acted as “commissioners” of his several papers in settling the gyrations of the solar system, this seems a small result. But who are the three? Livernash is one, and it is said that another hired man of Mr. Hearst graces a seat from Chicago, who makes the second. But who, who is the third? Perish the thought, or at least let something unpleasant be done to the thought, that it is the Hon. William Randolph Hearst himself! He informs us every day in his newspapers that he is the noblest American and the dandiest leader now up for public inspection, and what must we think of our countrymen, or at least that part of our fellow citizens who sit on the Demo- cratic side in Congress, if this leader of leaders is com- pelled to pull himself from oblivion by the seat of his political trousers by voting for himself to make it three! What are we to think of Cleveland getting more votes than Hearst! More, do we say? So much more that the champion of the people, whose left hand stands yell- ing its achievements at his right until his dexter paw has the earache, seems not in it. What ails his unappre- ciative brother members? Don’t they take his news- | papers and read therein what a matchless man he is? The installation in theaters of steel curtains, to be operated several times during every performance, has been suggested as a necessary precaution against dis- asters such as that which so recently threw the nation into gloom. Common sense dictates that no theater should be permitted to open its doors without this ordi- nary protection to its patrons. It will be interesting to follow the spirit with which municipal officers accept the suggestion. J equal of any. They have watched the aggressions of Russia upon China, that would have caused war with any buf that helpless power. They have protested, and have asked for explanation and for understanding, but no satisfactory response has come from Russia. Now, instead of declaring war and assuming the awful responsibility of breaking the world's peace, Japan in- vests Korea, occupies the seaports of that hermit king- dom and says to Russia hands off, just as Russia says hands off in Manchuria. 5 ( If Russia attempt to interfere, there will be powder burned, but Russia, by this highly stritegic move, is compelled to assume the offensive and intrude upon or JAPAN’S KEEN MOVE. APANESE statesmen are proving themselves the | for renomination, but his friends were | @ man eame up before the Judge on a | had sentenced him to three months for attack Japan. China and the Western nations as well know well the position of Japan toward Korea, made necessary by the peninsula’s command of the Japanese islands. What she hu done now is entirely within her rights, necessary to her protection and justified by her G, 2 K S e TALK ™ Railroad Santa Claus. “T never go out on the Ogden run,” said a railway mail clerk, “without thinking of ‘Old Man’ Woods’ Santa Claus story. . Woods, by the way. l} ofie of the veterans in the railway mail service and his name is known among the men over the whole Rocky Moun- tain and Pacific divisions. But to the story. “One night late in December the east- bound mail train stopped at Rocklin to change engines. Woollsstepped to the mail car door to get a breath of fresh alr, when he was attracted by a piping cry of ‘Mister, oh, mister.” Looking into the darkness the old man made out the form of a little girl, the daughter of a section foreman, whose house was near the station. Woods bent down, for the child’s head wouldn’t near reach ‘I the sill of the car door. TRe child was barefooted and shivering from the cold Evidently some strong desire had sent her out to the train at tnat late hour. “‘What do you want, little one/’ kindly queried the interested mall clerk. “‘I was afraid I'd be too late. I ran out with this letter to Santa Claus. Tt won't be too late, will it?" eagerly asked the tot, passing an envelope up to ‘Woods. “‘I do want a dolly so badly and | papva is too sick to write to Santa| Claus for me this year,’ explained the | anxious child. “‘No, mo,*it isn't too late,” replied Woods. ‘You be here to meet me when 1 come back and I think there will be an answer from Santa Claus. Good | night,’ and the train started out into the Sierras. “Christmas morning at 4 o'clock the westbound overland with Woods in the mail car stopped at Rocklin. Wonder- ing whether his little friend was there the clerk went out to the car door. Sure enough there she stood. ““ ‘Here's your answer,’ called Woods, handing a bulky package to the wait- ing slip of a girl. She tore off the cover and in the dim light from the car windows was revealed a lovely doll, dresses and what not. And then the delighted child hugged ‘Old Man’ ‘Woods and he was more than rewarded. He had bought the finest doll outfit he could find in Ogden. “The girl is a grown woman now, but she always remembers ‘Santa Claus’ Woods and the story is a legend in the R. M. S. annals.” The Quality of Mercy. The last time the late Police Judge Campbell was elected he was not slated too powerful and the slate was broken. The campaign was an exciting one and the Judge was elected by the largest majority ever given him. About two weeks prior to the election charge of disturbing the peace. His attorney made a strong plea for him, telling the Judge that the defendant was a good man and had a wife and three children dependent upon him. “Well,” said the Judge, “I guess we might let him go this time, for the sake of his family.” “Your Honor,” the arresting officer chipped in, ‘“the beginning of the trouble was caused by the defendant shouting that he was against you and wanted to see you beateny because you | beating his wife.” “Is that so,” said the Judge, as he stroked his long whiskers. ‘“Well, I'll just give him three months again and that will be one vote less for the other side. Call the next case.” A New Year's Sermon. De preacher come at me A-singin’ a psalm, En he want maq ter swear off Fum drinkin” my dram; But I tell him he talkin’ A text dat is vain, Fer I drinkin’ my dram Fer my trouble an’ pain! He tell me dat Satan Got pitchfork en pike; “It ain’t fer yo’ pain— It's de liquor ‘you like! En de heavenly gate In you' face gwine ter slam; You de trifiin'est nigger Dat ever drinked a dram!™ Den he smackin’ his mouf, En he tell me: “I think Fer my min's satisfaction I'll taste what you drink!” En he lif' up de jug— Take de whole er de crap! Please God, he ain't lef Of dat, licker one drap! —Atlanta Constitution, Progressive ¥ ouths. By industriously tending a patch of corn all last summer three Missouri boys earned not only the handsome sum of $4154 52, but soon suficient dis- tinction to have the fruit of their in- dustry selected to be one of the fea- tures of Missourl's exhibit at the World’s Fair, and to cause the com- mission to place their photographs in a place of honor in the Missouri building. The boys are John, George and Joseph Christian, aged 19, 16 and 12 years, re- spectively. They are the sons of C. A. Christian, and their homes is in Tarkio, Atchison County. The work was all done in the time intervening between May 1 and November 1, and the boys are now in school and laying plans for enjoying to the utmost the World's Fair next year. The Christian boys accepted an offer from Davis Rankin of Atchison County, Missouri, who is the most extensive cattle feeder in the world. Mr. Rankin has 30,000 acres of land in Atchison County, and each year he raises corn on from 15,000 to 20,000 acres. £ ‘When the Christian boys applied for a tract of land on which to raise corn for Mr. Rankin the wealthy land owner, after taiking with them, did not hesi. tate. He promptly closed a deal where- hyhetnmedaverltmtc!:oodhnd_ 50 acres in extent. He agreed to pay them 12 cents for every bushel of corn th;:g:o&ld raise on the land. e boys showed stuff they were made of. Tk a requisition made on the Missouri mule, and six were attached to each of three two-row cultivators. The weeds were kept down, the soil loosened and the corn grew. This cultivaling was gone through with three times. Mean- while the corn had grown and ripened and when November rolled around the crop was made and the harvest was begun. Up to this time the work of making the crop had been done altogether by the three boys, with an occasicnal bit of assistance from their father. Extra help was employed in the harvest, how- ever, and when the corn was gathered and measured into Mr. Rankin’s great corn bins, it was found that the boys had grown 34,621 bushels of corn. At 12 cents per bushel this netted the hand- some sum of $4154 52, and Mr. Rankin gave them a check for that amount. The corn was of splendid quality. ‘When the account of the feat reached the Missouri World's Fair Commission- ers they determined to honor the boys by a World’s Fair exhibit. Some of the corn was obtained, and it will cccupy a place of honor in the Missouri agricul- ture exhibit. Old Romance Unveiled. A romance of the curiosity shop has just come to light in London. Three hundred and fifty years ago Henry II, King of France, presented a magnificent casket to his favorite, Diana of Poitiers. Passing a West End curio shop re- cently, Mr. Hubbard, a well-known city architect, of Gresham street, saw & tarnished casket in the window. He entered and asked the price, which he was told was £35. Mr. Hubbard took the casket home on approval, and after a day or two wrote, asking the dealer whether he would ac- cept a check for £25 or have the cas- ket returned. The dealer accepted the check. On examining his prize, Mr. Hubbard found the interwined monograms of Henry II. and Diana of Poitiers—two “D's” and an “H"—in ten places, as well as the three interlaced crescents which formed Diana's own crest, while on the four corners was the crowned “H™ of the monarch. There is no doubt that the casket is one presented by the King to his favorite. The box, which is about eighteen inches long and nine inches wide, is of wood covered with beautiful gesso work. It stands on eight silver acorns, and at the corners of the lid and body are elaborate silver ornaments. The most curious feature is a silver Moorish dome on the top. Experts suggest that it may be hcllow, and that there may be something concealed within it. But Mr. Hubbard has been unable to find any opening. “The find is unique,” said an expert, “and it would probably fetch £5000 to- morrow if put up for sale by auction.” In a few days the casket will be ex- hibited at South Kensington Museum,— London Daily Mail. —_————— Answers to Queries. EDISON—J. L. J., Fort Baker, Cal. Thomas A. Edison Jr. is a son of the inventor of that name. DRAMATIC PAPERS—A Call Sub- scriber, City. Any first-class dealer in periodicals will give you the informa- tion desired. There are a number such in this city. OBLIGATIONS—S. F., City. If the United States Government had suf- ficient coin in its treasury to meet all its paper obligations if presented at one time it would not have to issue bonds and pay interest upon them. — NO CONFESSION—A Subscriber, Battle Mountain, Cal. You have evi- dently heard the story that has been denied a hundred times in the past year. No one ever confessed having murdered the Lamont and Willlams girls ig a church in San Franeisco. MORTGAGE—A Subscriber, Battle Mountain, Cal. In the State of Cali- fornig : mortgage does not have to be renewed every year. A mortsage is obligation in writing and all.;bllg:.: tions for the payment of money, In writing, run for four Yerm 1 ecu in the State and tw b o if out of —_— PRIVATE LAND CLAIM: S—W. C. Escondido; Cal. There is a dechion(ijn Land Owner which says that “When land has been granted by the United States to private parties, other parties have no right afterward to enter upon :n:mhnd and prospect for gold, No can be initiated b; respass private lands.” Ay . —_—— IN THE ARMY—Subsecriber, Ci The only place where the rolbwl:y.. questions can be answered is the War Department at Washis it is doubttal if that dmiacnntlt would have the statistics cept for extraor “What proportion of the soldiers . Civil War were married men?>* 'h o proportion of the American soldiers in the ish- ’Bbu American War were mar. collated ex- purposes: