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THE BLUB CLOAK. â- â- Reul»n," raid my mother, as abelay in her lost illness, "there was one thing wlhicih youT (at her impressed upom rae before he died: "Never let Reuben put loot in Sicily 'I " ' "Why, mother?" I a«lked. "I know not, my 8od," she replied. "But I always understood that some greail danger awaited your father if he returned to Sicily, and those were al- most his last wordii to me." My falher, Rubino Vincetti, who had died ijj my very early infancy, had been of Sicilian birth* but my mother was English. I bad always resided in England and was a thorough English- in my habits, although I took Arthur bent his head and reduced his I authorities. Hentated he/ore the Judige speech to a whisper. ' tbM their father bad tieein killed in a "Hut 'the two menl'" be said. "I did duel nisny years a«o by Rubino Vin- not think anything of it at the time, [cetti, that a vendetta bad Ijeen sworn, but those two fellows who are now in and that recognizing me l>y luy name front were talking la«t night. Nobody and my features as the son of their things that I underatand the lingo, and aiter my father in features, and, as I could speak Ualian like a native, Iwas often taken for one. For a young man of 23 to be told tbart. be is not' to go to a certain p4ace is rather likely to send turn there,ae it is "daring" him to do so, and hod I any desire to go to Sicily I feax that even then my mother's rep- etition of my father's warning would not ba-ve prevented me. However, 1 bad nothing to call me from England until nearly four years 8fterward,when I visited Italy for the purpose of study- ing painting, to which art I bad de- voted myself, and whatever impreesion the warning b^ made upon me at the time it was spoken bad then faded from my memory. > An Englieb friend, Arthur Attwood, a fellow artist was staying with me at Naples, and ha expressed a wish to see Mount Aetna., and I consented to •coompany him. We arrived at Mea- aina in due course, and enjoyed the beautiee of the island in the orthodox fwsbion. On the day ol our visit to Aetna we were prevented from return- ing to our hotel at Catania as soon as we expected, owing to a violent thund- erstorm.during which we look shelter in a Sicilian cottage, the only occupants of which were an did wrinkled, gypsy- looking woman, who seemed to b« any age between 8U and l(10,and her grand- daug.bter, who was a beautiful specimen of soutbern girlhood, not more than 17 years of age. • < Tiie old woman, bent with age, her dark face wrinkled and crodued with lines in all directions, but witii eyes aluioet as bright as the girl's looked the very picture of an old witch, and at my request she salt while 1 sketched her. 1 gave ber a small piece of money in return for her (belter and the willingi- oess with which she bad posed for me, at w hicb she was highly delighted, ex- pressing her gratitude in overwhelm- ing thanks. She insisted upon telling me oiy fortune amd entering into llie Joke as I thought it, 1 held out my hand for her examination. "Signor Vincetti," she btgan, "youâ€"" "Hold hard, old lady," 1 interrupted. "How do you know my nameT' "1 know what 1 know," i<be replied, witb a cumiiug Kiuile that gave her ancient featuifis un expression whicb was weird in the (\xtr«mu. "Signor Vin- cetti, you win live long and have much bappineas and pnwpcrily, it you suo- ceeil in cHcaping a great peril w hiioh will cross your patU on the eve of the ne wmoon next after your 27tl) birth- day. Ueware of two men, who will seek youx life." Mjr curiosity was excited, but do all that 1 could, 1 was unat>le to olitain any- thing more from lihe old rrune. She refused to utter another syllable except to repeat her warning. "He ware of the eve of the new moon next after your ',27th birthday I" The stonu Ibaving almted we took our depart urc and rt^turiied to Catania with OUT guide, who had lx!en Hojouru- ing in an adjacent hovel. I'tbe next day was l!'ri<lay, and we made up our minds to return to Messina and take leave of tli« ijtland on Saturday. I coulld not quite shake off the old gypsy's word.s, althougb I tried my licst to cIIh- mise them from my mind, and in think- ing of tbeiu a fact occurred to me which *1 had oveHiMyked; I was 27 years old on tibe previous day, Thur.sdny. ThiokiiiK of niy birUulay led me to think of my ruolher, and brought back her repetition of niy falher's warning, "that I was never to put uiy foot in Sicily." Yet Hicrc Iwas, in direct de- fiance of it. I tnrmMl to my pocdcet aJ- mana<'., and found I bat it was a new moon on the fnllowiua niurning at & o'dwJc, M> that according lo the old dame's pn>phci>y, that (Kriday) evening watt my time of |)eril. I am not a ner- vous man, but 1 must confeastbat when 1 put all the incidents together I felt a bit creepy. I bad never told Attwood of my moth- ers words; in fa<-t, I had almost for- gotten Ibcm until the thought of my birthday re«'all<sd I hem lo me. Now, as we sauntered lihmg under llie shade of some lives and iniutled the nerfume of the growing lemons, mixed with the smoke of boiho vile Italian cigars we were puffing, 1 rrilaled the incident lo him, amd told him that it had l)een my twenty-seventh t>ir(bday ycslerduy, and that to-night wtt« the ev«« of the new moon. If anything, my friend Arthur was less nervous and more uhleguialic than myself, but he seemed si rang<>ly agitated. "I-e( us leave liert! at once, old fel- low/' he cried, "I don't like it." "P.shaw I" I returned. "What can there lie in it al allV The old woman bad heard my name, I supiKMe, and anyone could make up a few enigmati- cal words ulioul a new moon and dan- ger." We were, ol course, talking in Kng- llsb. Arthur understood enough Ital- ian to catch the meaning of anyone speaking it, hut ho could hardly litter a word correctly liiniHelf.and he 'always relied upon me an ibis inlcipreter, so tbalt strangers thought lie was totally unacquainted with the langi)age. "Hutâ€"" he liegan, when two Italian gentlemen who were slaying at the they took no notice of me. 1 saw they were tbrowing dice. They bad no stakes.lmt the winner said to the loser: "Then you must do iti" "Verily, I will," replied the loser, "t>ut it will not be safe in the daytimeâ€" the consul will be on the track." "Now. what were they referring to!" asked Arthur. "Depend upon it tiere"8 more in the old woman's warning than you think. Why should they mind a conHul ? Because you are a British Butuect I They are your enemies. Let us Tie gone at once I" AV^e returned to the hotel, engaged a conveyance to take us to Messina,paid our reckoning and started off. Just as we were driving away, two Italians (whose names we bad ascertained from the hotel book where (liueeppe andGuil- lemo Ferrari) strolled up. It may have been our fancy, but they looked surprised at seeing us going away, and they immediately began to talk and §esticulate one to the other. As we rove through the town the old fortune teller's pretty granddaughter sprang out from somewhere suddenly and bailed the coachman who pulled up. Running to the side of the carriage,she whispered to me: t "Grandmother says 'your enemies are upon you. Beware I' " And she flew off and disappeared as suddenly and mysteriously as she bad come upon tlie scene. "It is an enigma!" I cried. "Why should the.se men wish to do me harm? They don't know me." "I'll tell you what it is," said Att- wood. "I've heard of Sicilian vendet- tas, and I'll bet any money this is one." Several Mood c urdling tales I had read upon the 8ul>j«ct occurred to me. "My mother said that some great dan- ger awaited my father if be returned here. Perhaps be killed a relation of these fellows at some time or the oth- er, and they are seeking my life in turn," I said. "That's iust about it, I expect," he replied. "I l^hall be glad when we're well out of it." ^Vben we reached Messina we were hulf famished,and at ome went to the hotel at which we had pn'viously stayed and had some dinner. Then we went down in the hartior to see about getting to the mainland, t>ut there was no lioal whicb couJd lake us to l« bad for an hour. Leaving our {lorlinanteaus in the care of the officer at the pier, wc strolled bock toward the town. The evening was closing in, and as we wended our way up the narrow, irregular street my companion i-iutched me tightly by the arm. Coming toward us were the two Ferrarih. 'ITiey must hav>- f<«llowfd us from Catania, and they no doubt caught sight of un, lor they turned into a little wine Khop. Acting on a com- mon impulse wu followed I hem and took our seats at another talile. They con- versed togethiT under their breaths for awhile, and then (.liu.iepiie, whom Att- wood rec^rgnized as tiie loser at dice, gui up and came toward us a.s if to leave the place. It was very dim in- side the shop and prolmlily they bad not seen u.s, for as soon as lut came nearer us bn went lw<>k, an<l, after whispering a few words to bis (Mun- panion, turned again and took bis de- parture. It was clear tb->y had U-cn drinking), as siie reeled percejilibly when he pa.sseil us. I're.sently (^uillemo nx*', fiom his chair and crossed the room lo the Liind- lord, whom be evidently knew, and they retired to an inner room. Both the Ferraris were wearing lilaiik coats and soft felt hats. We were similarly di'es.sed,except I'luiit my olooik was rath- er u stylish one, being of a blue color an<l Allwood's was a lirown one. The place wa.s now uluiost in darknes-s, as the landlord, who bad iN'en preparing to light tlie lamps had lieeu interrupted by Guiilrmo. "Tbe villain w ho has gone out will try to stal) you, or sometlung, as you go down to the Iw.il," said Attwood, "1 have an ideal (^baiigt! cloaks with me; the otJier fellow's left bis cludk hanging over I be back of bis chair, and I'll swop with him." "What g<KKl will that do?" I asked "If Giu."!eppe ivally meant mischief be will go for a man in a blue cloak," Ihe erplied, "don't you see?" "Y-a-s," 1 said, " and kill his own brother or whatever he is. Ii'.h worth trying, though if be notices it there will l)e a row." "He could not see the differenc<' in thi.s darkness, even i flie were solier," Attwood returned. "He's half drunk and will never noAioe it." Arlbiir handed me his cloak and sil- ently slip|)ed to tb«' other seat and laid mine on the Italian's chair, taking Ihe other one and putting item him.self. When (Juillemo came out with the land- lord again he ap|ieared in a hurry, for be flung my coal over bis shoulders and walked quickly, all bough unstead- ily out of the shop. We followed in a trice, walked one U-bind Ihe other down the hill towaT<l tbe Uuit. It was so dark now we could only distinguish liuilleino's form without seeing tlu- color of bis clothes, but as he falher's slayer, Lbey bad determined to take my life; that Giuseppe had lieen cast to wreak vengeance upon me, but that by some means. Which be <»uld not explain, his brother had been wear- ing my cloak and he had killed him by mistake. Giuseppe expressed a desire to retire to a monastry, so be was re- leased, and was then in a religious bouse, which the conoul named. I need hardly add that,allbougb there would now pnA>aiAy be no danger in it,I have since paid heed to my father's last wish, and have never "put my foot in Sicily" again. But bow aiwut the cfld fortune teller, you ask? Abl I cannot explain that. She, per- haps, recognized me as Vincetti by my features, and may have even been consulted by tbe brothers Ferrari be- fore attempting my life, but I have stated the facts as tbey occurred, and I know no mora. IMPORTANT PAPERS. Aa iMCaaee »t Qaeea Victoria'* Bopcct far Ihe MablMtli. Queen Victoria has given so many proofs of tbe possession of sterling vir- tues that no one ever expects her to swerve from the path approved by her judgment and her conscience. When she first liecame queen, however, the world bad yet to learn how determin- ed the young ruler could be. Lord Melbourne, her prime minister, is said to have declared that be would rather have ten kings to manage than one queen. On one occasion, he arrived at Wind- sor late on Saturday night, and in- formed his youthful sovereign that he had brought for her inspection some papers of importance. " But," said he, "as they must l>e gone into at length, I will not trouble your majesty with them to-night, but will request your attention to them to-morrow morning." "To-morrow morning f" refilled the queen. " To-morrow is Sunday, my lord." " Hut business ol state, please your majesty." * Must be attended to, I know." re- LOOK OUT FOR BAD BILLS HERE IS A LIST OF SOME COUNTER- FEIT BANK NOTES. Dlreetloan by Wklch Horn May Detect Them-Besd and Proat by Ike Know- ledge Voa Shall Rave Saiaed. Tbere is in circulation a one dollar Dominion of Canada bill of the new issue which is a very poor counter- feit, and baa the appearance of having been printed from a wood cut. A more dangerous couaterleit is that ol tbe old Government issue dated Ottawa, July 1, 1870, and payable at Toronto, This has an isdiffereot portrait of Jacques Cartier on tbe upper left end ol tbe note, a white streak extending Irom the ear to the ohin which ia not lorn tbe ear to tbe chin which is not found on the genuine, while the lathe work around the tigure 1 on the right ol tbe note is irregular. A photograph- ic counterfeit is in circulation on the Union Bank ol Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, numbered No. 30,252,and dated January 1, 8112. TWO DOLLAR COUNTERFEITS. A very deceptive bill is a Dominion ol Canada counterfeit ol tbe new issue dated June Ist, 1878, and payable at Toronto. Lord Cuflerin'e portrait In the centre ol tbe note is very badly engraved, and tbere are no dots over the i's in the words "British Ameri- can Bank Note Company, Montreal," on the lower edge ol tbe note. The ink in which the numl)ers are printed, is brick red, while tbe genuine bills are numbered in bright carmine. Tbe shad- ing ol the words " Dominion ol Can- ada," IS coarse, and the notes are ol dillerent numbers. Another counterfeit Dominion ol Canada |2 bill is better en(;-aved, but tbe paper has a yellowish tint, and tbe linal " e" in the word " Finance " is larger than the other letters. Still an- other is dated Ottawa, July 2, 1887. Tbe words " To Bearer ' are omitted, U.S also are tbe words "lor Minister ol Finance " under J. M. Courtney's signa- ture. A brownish photographic counter- plied the que.-.-^. 'and as, ol cour^.. ; f^;. „, d^tj,, January i. l'872, and is on you could not g--' -town earlier to-nigh' '.. -•'-<.• j *. ioi», auu is «a I will, if tb»se pij.^ -•' -' sui-bi vTt; importance, .'fend to iiiom after -^e come Irom rbuich to-morrow." In tbe mori â- vu the r";-' •.^s.itv v to cbuivh. and i' â- â-  ir.ble statesman was not alisent. M'j !i » " -i surprise, the sermon was on 'U' duties of the Sab- Ixilli " Mow (lid your lordship like the ser- mon f" a^ked tbe queen. " Very much, your majesty." he re- plied. I will not conceal from you." said tbe queen. " that last night I sent Ihe clergyman the text from which lo preach. I hope we shall all he the liet- ler for his words." It is presumable that tbey were let- ter for the day pa-ssed, and no word was beard of the papers. At night, when her ni.ajesty was about to withdraw, she said To-morrow morning, my lord, at any hour you please, we will go into thixse paiiersâ€" at seven o'clock, if you like." liut tbe papers bad suddenly grown less pressing, for the prime minister, found that nine o'clock would lie quite early enough to attend to them. BUILT TO BAR OUT MICROBES. tl." union Bnnk of Prince Edward Island. Another on the same hank is coarse and too short, and bears date ila rch ,1 1875. Tbe lathe work is poor and tbe stamp of British American Bank Note Company is omitted. A Bank ol Toronto two-dollar UJl is an alteration Irom the notes of tbe failed International Bank of Canada. The title " Bank of Toronto " is pasted over tbe title ol the failed bank, and in some instances the signatures are erased and others are substituted. The altered note is dated September 15.1858. and can readily be detected when held up to the light. A strip of paper is frequently pasted on the back of the note to conceal the alteration. FOl'R DOLLAR RILLS. There are five kinds of counterfeit four dollar notes floating about. One is ol tbe old Dominion Hank issue ol February 1, 1871. The c-isbier'.s signa- ture is engraved, while in the genuine note it is written. A white line separ- ates Prince Arthur's picture from the l>ackground and the letter work is very irregular. A poor uhotograpbio counterfeit Ik twred 74,981 and purports to be oi places printed in blue ink in the coun- terfeit. There is a counterfeit on the Ottawa branch, and its date and num- l)e.r8 are printed in red ink. A photographic counterfeit ol tbe Port Hope issue on the Bank of 'To- ronto is very poor. It is signed "Wm. Gooderham, President," and there is a similar counterfeit on tbe Peterboro' Issue. Theie are several other photo- Sraphed counterfeit live dollar bills, ne is on tbe Union Bank of Charlotte- town, P.E.I. , and is f.aded in appearance; another is a photographic pen and ink note numbered 126,304 and dated Hali- fax, N.S., Julv 5, 1887; and a bill ot the old Maritime Bank ol St. John, N. B., was counterfeited clumsily, so that its general appearance easily betrays it. LOOK OUT FOR THESE TENS. A very dangerous counterfeit is that of tbe Canadian Bank ol Commerce, dated May Ist, 1871, and signed " Wm. McMaster. President," and " W. Cooke, Cashier." Tbe colour ol the blue num- bers is a trifle light and the vignette is coarse, especially the head of the lion. The bases of the Letter A. in the word " dollar " are connected by a lin« in the counterfeit while in the genuine tbe line is broken. The perpendicular line of the letter P in the word " Pre- sident " extends below the line, wbile In the genuine it does not. Under the words Ten Dollars there are live shad- ed lines, where the genuine bill has but four. The shading ol the title " Bank ol Commerce " is coarse and scratchy and the latbe work presents several defects. The green ink on the back of the note is lighter coloured than the genuine and the paper is a trllle thinner. Tbe counterfeit is of an is- sue that has been lor several years withdrawn from circulation and tbere are very few notes of it now out- standing. The counterfeit ten dollar bill of the Ontario Bank of Bowmanville, dated November 1. 1870, is a trifle shorter than tbe genuine note, and the vignette of Wcodmian is poorly engraved. Some of these bills have not tne Lmprint ot the British American Bank Note' Com- pany, and where it is present it is Very irregular. Tbe general appearance of this counterfeit is very bad. A photo- lithographio counterleit on tbe Mer- chants' Bank of Halifax is dated Janu- ary 1, 1874, and when a little used is vei7 blurred. The counterfeit on La Banque Na- tionaiei, Quebec, is April 28, I860. and is very poor. The P of the word " President " is over tbe IX of the word " Dix," just below, while in the genu- ine note it coiurs over tbe D. The coun- terfeit on tbe City Bank of Montreal has the word " Parliament " spelled " Parliment." There is a poor photo- graphic counterfeit on the People's Bank of New Brunswick, and another on the defunct Maritime Bank, of St. John. N.D., dated October 5, 1881. Dominion of Canada ten dollar coun- terfeits are one dollar bills, and have been raised by careful scraping with a knife and a little artistic pen and in kfwork. The border ol the note ha* not been altered except that lines have l>een added to make tbe bill indistinct. There are no $10 Dominion of Canada notes. Tbere is a ten dollar counter- feit bill ol tbe Bank ol Britbih North America at Ottawa. It is made by tbe photographic process, and is rather ijft- terior. It is numbered 16,279. JUST hXftb FUN. Moled HrlralUt* Pul I p m lahohama Oae «r Ihe Oddral KIrHrliirr* oa »:arlb. One of the oldest domiciles on earth I numoereu n.sm ana ourpt „ is that recently erected at Yokohama ! \^h..^'^I^"' A^„'l'ifil %i? ^.^."il;"'.^' by Dr. W. Van der Heyden, the noted '" " "' ~ ' ' Imcteriologist. of Utrecht, and Japan The doctor's bouse is a dust-poof, air- proof, microbe-proof, building of glass. It stands on the open, unshaded grounds John. N.U. Another poor conterteit Is on the City Bank, Montreal, P.Q. rhe ink and lathe work on this latter bill U'lng very defective, while the bank is not in existence. A bill ol the defunct Hank of Western Canada has lieen altered by acids and pasting to a four of tbe batpital of Yokohama. The i dollar bill of tbe Baiik ol T'pper Can bou-ie is 44 te<'t long, '23 feet wide,and ' ?,'.^^',.'"'^,^ l!'". o'^theone time Colonial 17 feet bigh. Large panes of glass one-half inch thick, and atiout four in cbes apart are set in iron frames, so as to form the sides of a cellular build- ing block. Of these blocks the walls are constructed'. 'Ibere Hank of Canada has lieen changed to a four dollar Bank of Toronto bill. FIVF; DOLLAR COUNTERFEITS. Five dollar bills are many and have lieen widely circulated. A pen and ink counterfeit witb poor portraits and poor ueared ii lump which bung dangling from the door of another .shop we could net', tbe blue color of the cloak. He had just pa.ssed iin<ler the lamp when a man darted across the street fnmi a rcc<!ss in which be biwl lieen conceal- ed, and we could see the gleam of steel in bis hand. He nan lieliind the blue cloak, and striking witb all bis force, plunged the stiletto in the back of its weaiv.r's neck, the man falling forward on his face without a groan, so skillful- ly had the blow l>e«Mi planted. The murderer never turned, hut crossing the road diagonally, disap- lieaied up a dark jias-sage and we passed tbe body an<l went on to our Umt as if nothing bad oiHiurred. "It is not the first man that fellmv's killed," said Atlwoo<l. "He must have severed the spinal cord at a blow. It wan neatly done, wasn't it?" "God bless you Arthur," 1 cried. "You liave saved my life." I should never have heard any more of tbe mailer, but, Iniing somewhat curious to know tbe rights of tbe thing, I wrote to the British consul, explain- inp all I know al>oul it, and asking him privately if he had beard anylbiiig as to the death of (Suillemo Ferrari. He replied that the man had lieen found deadâ€" .staUlied in the baciki. That (liuseppe, who was his 1 1 .u â-  ^''^ .^''â- ^ "V "'"â-  letterwork is issued against the Banoue dowsasbes. he air escape InMng through Uxi Peuplc of Montreal, ?VnotherT8^of ner â- ?. H n "Tl"'"*^''' Y°1'"* ^'"' ,""."'•'"• "'<* 'â- ^â- â€¢"'« "^ ""' Canadian Bank of ft ^ L I â-  .."'* ^'"."•' â- "'"'â- ey- l?"! Comiaerc* dated May 1, 1871 The en- s s;b!!m^.'""Th".'',^ir ""â- ", *''^ "}'!'"•''* «'^^"^ '» ^â- Â«"'-^' 1'^'rti.ularly the po?- .!i fr^.. r ^ ""^1 ''".^1'^ '^ obtain- trait, and the cuibier's signature is •1 from a considerable di.stancc. forced witten on it instead of being euKravJl Ir'^'ISh " ?,'»'•' ""'', ?"'«^f»l'>- f''.l«"'-«'J . â- lh«' paper is also verv poof. ?V^ l^dly hrmgh CO ton wool to cleanse it of photographic counterfeit on the Ha, L bacteria, lo insure further sterilira- {If UritisVi North America Quebec i, IL''" '.::'.. !.7 ..!*... ^"",«1?,.'^«'""1* " «'y- "al«' November 22. 1871. and nuX'rJd ,, ,„, . *nd numljered 44.4tH>. Perh- ps the most extensively circu- lated counterfeit five-dollar bill is on the Hank of British North America. Kingston, (tnt., and dated May 1st. 187.''>. The .shading in tbe scroll "work eriiie coated plate of glass, which cap turee all the microljes the wool spares. The few microlies brought into the house in the clothes of the visitors swm die in the warm sunlight witb which the bouse is flooded. The .space be- twee,, .the gla.s.,es of I be ' building of 'Tbis' T,iirTs"'o^iU«i,"''wbire"' ii.The bUicks IS filled with a solution of sa ts, Kenuine bill it is fin.' .iml Mo-fr c ... whicb absorbs the heat of the sun, so f,::?";^J."''i/\^l/'?^,„7*ire«-; ^.^^f^' that the rooms of this house ar,< much from 3I),0:U to 30,000, indu^ivewhUe cooler than those protected by^ the the counterfeits bear other numbers thickest shades. In the evening tbe in- The latbe work is verv ironil It ih.^.i^' he'rJr }r''i^ '^ 'i^*' «alts radiating ll^^lmemCed that ' ?erv ' few â€" the heat they bavealaorlK-d during the ine note« of this date and Ware He (telling a hair-breadth adven- ture); "And in tbe bright moonlight we could see tbe dark muzzles of tbe wolves." SIhe (breathlessly): "Oh, how glad you must have been that tbey bad th? muzzles on !'' Mias Klderly (taking politely proffer- ed seat in crowded traonrar): Thank: you. uy little man. You have been taught to be polite., I! am glad to oee^ Did your cuotber tell you to alwaya give up your seat to ladieiif Polite boy: No'm; not all ladies â€" only old Ladies. Willie: Mamma, they say history re- peats itself, don't they? Mother: Yes, dear. Willie i Well, why don't it re- peat itself when I'm trying to learn itf Father (trying lo read a newspaper) : What was that racket in tbe hall just nowf Mother: One ol the children fell downstairs. Falher: Well, tellJ them that if they can't fall downslairs quietly, 1 won't let theml fall down at all. Bobby : Hopp?r, what is a mutual friend ? .Mr. Ferry ; He is generally one who iuak".s it his bu.siness to see that you don't miss hearing the mean things your frir'nds say alxnit yoo. Inquisitive Boy: Say, pop. what doea the boa constrictor tie himself up in a bard knot like that for? Pop: Oh, that's to rfmind hUmseif of somethinip wh?n he wakes up. "What's tbe matter now?" asked the luilkuiau when the pretty young house- wifi' -said silie must quit bim. "The milk seem.s nice and white when you deliver it, but if .1. I^i it stand for a fewi hours it turn an ugly yellow." day. So effective is the system of re ifulating the temperature," that a tew hours of sunlight even in freezing weather, render the bouse habitable. It is only when several doudv days fol- low in succession that artificial heat is needed. Then it is s ing in hot air thinks be has s _ complete germicide upon a" big scale. now in circulation 'there is a third note,, on the Rink of British North Ainejica. iVIontreal, P. Q. It is a counterfeit of the old is- sue, and the d.ite of tbe month is omitted, genuine notes iK-ing dated 3rd ifr" 'nl"'X^n'l'^''T"- •'"'>•â-  •«'" 'I'h'' i".print " Sritish Am- t «nl2.,i ,Y*".,''l,"«>"'fn'.Pri<''»n Hank Note Companv. Montreal," s solved the problem of a , in the upper left corner of the note nicide upon a big scale. j is poorly engraved, and the vignettw â€" ^ I are also poor. Another counterfeit is W HA r TWO DOLLARS WILL DO. | made from the same plate, as in other Tramp- Pieaae, sir, a couple ol dollars ""J',*" 1^ answers to the note just de- would give me a nice, comfortable home *"'"'"*°- .... .. .. ,^ ,. for the winter. ' ^ rounterfeil on the Bank of Mont- Benevolent Partyâ€" It wxmld I Well l'^[ ''* ."' •}'* old issue and dated 18,-)a, no man shall suffer all winter long for ?«Pt«mber 1. It liears in a large panel the sake of two oollars. Here is the '" *'"' centre of the note the inscription money. , "TWRNTY-FIVE SHILLINGS CY.," 'I'hankee, sir. i i while a small panel in the lower left But stop. How is that amount to give corner of the note is stamped " FIVE you (I hoane? ... DOLLARS." The date and numliers are A WANDERINtJ LAKE. The. Swedish explorer of Central Asia, Sven lledin. gives the latest informa- tion concerning ihe " wandering " of Lake Nor in the Gobi Desert, a phen- omenon about whicb contradictory view.s have lieen entertained. He says that (he Tarim Hiver, entering the lake from the west, brings down, during the period of high water late in summer, a great quantity of silt, which has the effect ot driving Ihe lake, lying on the level floor of the desert, toward the soul beast. IJul the summer wind,drift- ing llie surface s.iiid ami darkening tbe heavens with dust, blows generally from the northeast, and it, too, tends to drive the lake lit?fore it. The combined effect of the urging by the wind, and the river is to fori* the lake southward. Y'et Sven Hodin thinks, the migration of the lake is not constant in direction, but it shifts back and forth intermit- tently, according as the circumstances change. did 90 in Kw tone* Jdone Ihet he gave bim8.Jf up to the|Ure me to wmter quarters, sir. .The word " Quebeck," appears in thr«» HK SOMETIMES ESCAPES. Preacherâ€" And do you always say your prayers at uighl ? Johnnyâ€" Not alJwus. When p» don't coine home to supper ma gets so excit- ed and (ears around so that she forgits, and 1 sneak off to bed without saying 'e^m.