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â€"i â€" , p.â€" ^„ ... ^ ^^ i rffl ii ilii r-'li Fall of the Eleci â- â- 'V said storaijit. drowniDg soiue weak de- !e.nae of Mrs. Carbcrry as bo everyone ruling aow. " litouujuiU',r. uiy dear, no iiitU lueasiires, alhe must xiot use it " 1 do hop«, my dear, that she i« n<jl 0oe ol lh««e dreadful new women." "1 trust not, indeed." I The d©;iu of Chircbester impiiered liU \ chop with a thoughtful air, and Mrs. GWrljerry poured out hia lea with a- hand which abe-ilutely shook with ap- pruheiision. Chirchester was a cathed- ral town which had not travelod api*ce with the reet of the world ; tliey diaap- proved «v»Mn of tennia, except when phiy- m1 mildly on private grounds, and hacl flayed croquet sleadily when croquet traa dead, with a lordly disregard ot ;h6ir guesis' aumsfuient. Now that it md come in again they played it joy- ully, but siill with the old li«ht nial- ets and w ide hoops of their youth. The nothens of Chirchester read the new brary Ixtoks with horror-stricken oka and little tricklas of guilty en- oyment. Cricket hunting, and the iew â- â€¢ biking," wore things their daugh- Urs mi«ht not do ; riUiug gently along the roads was ladylike and permLsbable, out the arohdeaoon's wife actually olujihed when a thoughllesa person ask- ed uer what safoty habit her daughter wore, for Louisa Holroyd's pretty fig- ure was hidden in an ample garment made by the loch tailor, the skirt of which ciinie well below her deepest grievance, her tiny buttoned boots. The archdeacon's wife was the Hternestand moat unbending of the " select," as the oouutry people dubbed the church cir- ole. The bishop and his fat merry wife bad no children, and were given to laughing leniently, at the vagaries of the new woman. So it full on the arch- deacon and the dean to koe|) the se- lect circle together, and, though there wua a twinkle in the bandaomie dean's e>e and a swing of his Uroad shoulders which hinted he had sometimes played brighter games I ban cro(iui.t, that, as Uudyard Kipling would say, was " an- other story," and, so fur, he and the archdeacon had been equal to their task. To-day the dean was dialurljed as he looked at the open letter on the table. The letter was from a cousin who was ablige<l to go abroad for an indefinite time on bu-siuess. and liad written ask- ing th« dean if he would give hia only daughter a home during his aliM'.nce. " \ bright, piicoAant girl ; I feel sure you would like her iia a companion to your own girl," and. If the ilean ron- sunte<l, she was to o<«ue in a week. How could be say no? He was to \ye lilieral- ly paid for his guest, and her father Wiis an old friend ; he mnst write to aay be should i/e delighted. " t am glad," said Mrs. Carberry, ner- vously, " that Cia.-4io is away ; very glad. More tea, dear?" and in sheer aljsence of mijul she >vuterud the tea|M>t from the hot milk jug, and handed a cup of tlie strange liquid to the dean, who lookiKl at it resignedly anil rose, for Ix* w.is an equally tem^red man. ' Yes." iie wikI, " it is an excellent thijig, for then, if the girl is at all ad- vanced, tliere will be time to get her into our ways l>efore Cissie returns." • ••••••••• A. week later. 'J'he dean and Mns. "ore. , .. Then Helen came in, and matters might have run smoothly had they not i>egun to discuss with bated brmth one Of the newest Ixxdcs, an<l Helen joined â- .n carelessly. "It's ratUtr clever," she said. , , , Mrs. Holrojd droiiped her ghisses with a clatter. " \ouâ€" haveâ€" read- thatâ€" book," she said, dropping each word out slowly. . " Oh. yes," Helon snoLled. It is a very ordinary book, you know," I rath- er agree with the authoress." Mrs. Holroyd rose slowly; she could only show ho\v shocked she wits by withdrawing her stately presence. "No, thank you, Mrs. Carlwrry," she said, "I cannot stav for tea this evening. Good afternoon, "ML-is Adair. I cannot under- stand what your father must have bcaD thinlting of to allow you even to h«vir that lx)ok's np-me." And. not without an inkling that her last sentence was slightly overdrawn, she withdrew, leav- ing lirtlen to laugh muchly at her anti- quated ideas. And cx>wardly Mrs. Car- berry forgot to defend her. There gradually came a rift from that time among the select; the girls murmured openijr because they were not allowed to ride bicycles ; thev groaned enviously when they saw Hel- en's numerous tennis prizes. And Lou- isa Holroyd was said to have wept bit- terly when she s;iw Helen riding in a smart covert coating habit, and caught a glimiiee of the neat "tops" which juat showed below the skirt. The eld- ers, to quell the rel>eIlion, were strict- er even uhiLn usual to their daughters, and prided theiiiselvea more ilum ever on their customs not being as othor men's. • • • • Mrs. Carberry was "at home" to the surrounding country and town ; cro- quot was IjeLng played on the trimly kept lawn, archery, t»owLs, even Aunt Sally in a faraway corner, where shouts of anseeiuly lauffhler were KuioLhered by sujTounding shrubs. Kveryone bad come, the day was clooullesa, ajid Mrs. Carberry felt it was all a tremendow) success. Nearly everyone had gone into tea only Helen and two flannel-clad men were on the oroqujet lawn, aimleaaly bitting the balls alwut. They had vot- ed the tea room too hot to l,ear. "ritiiijid game^ i.su't it I" said one of the meoi. as be missxil a hix>p and hit the IxiU away in dis^cust. "Ves. fen't it?" said Hnilen, "and," re- gretfolly, "whaL a lovely cricket ground it would make. 1 havon't played lor ages â€" no one does here." "Oh. lota of the country girl do. Look here, 1 came on from a cricket practice. I've luts and a l>aU sLm>k in the trees over thjre; lei's have up these hoops, and I'll bowl to you." Helen was delighted, and in a luom- c>nt walking sticks and an umbrella represeate<l the wu:keta. and Helen was hitting dititinctly easy l>allH in all dire.liontt. The (lean's i>ortly figuae ai>- iwareu at the cud of the walk. Be stood stlU, ama<!e<l. "Cri^^kot, Ht.lent'" 'he exclaimed, laughing. "If Mrs. Holroyd saw you I Have you seen a parasol anywhere ? Old Lady XJauier siut me to look for hers; it's all real lace, and She's anxious al>oul it." "No, I haven't. I aay.HJnole Joe, she hud long ago said Mr. Dean was loo formal, liowl mo a ball; Uhoy can't get me out," m>diling contemptuously at the offi;iors. A distinctly ungrateful ajieech, coiuii/ienng tlixy had only l>een Ux> grateful to leave ber in. Tiie dean's fingers olosed mechanical- ly on the lejitlier-covered ball, whi'h Captain Kltfjn hail led to him. The trim !,iwn faded away, and lw< heard again the tnujupliant yeJJs of bis side at OxfonI, wilien, with the victory "Out!" cried Mr. Ely, banging down a walking st'ick "Oh, do; int" aaiti Helen. The dean had no breath to argue with. , , "In or out, my lord? the rivals ap- pealed both together to the bishop, who was holding his sides as he laughed. But, th«n, whit a sight met their eyes as tlxey turnod. The whole of the dean s large paity stood looking on, on the edge of the ground, led by Mrs. Holroyd, and what had they seen a» they came unl Tlie dean, their dean, flyinj? coat- less and batlwa, up and down, Play^B cricket in the aacred precincts of the deanery, and the bishop cheering him and lau«hiijg. Ho^v could the s.^ect ever hold up their heads agann, and before all the country, too-th« country vvhch they had so often le^^ured on its ad- vanced ways? airs. Holroyd looked round in stony de.Hpair; "ord^that were loc) bitter to utter trembled ovk her "rhe dean hurriedly J'iJ'i«'^br^atVi- their superfluous power in impregnat- ^ person insMe"it as was possible. ; ing the earth with carlxmic a*.id and The bishop had decided he was fair- , other gases, so that vegetation might It in, so his iriuni.i.th enabled^ bim to ^^ [oTced forward desoiU all the or- face without flinching the the e.ye.s ot his circle and TRAINS FOR DEADLY WORK ARMORED COACHES PREPARED TO MEET THE ENEMY. RralivUc rroofii ef What loBliI be Acconip- ll»hed IM Warâ€" lu«<-«lou» i;xpi-rliufB(!i .Hiidr Kr «'nptalB Manr. In l-^usluuil â€" Pracllc«l Dldlrultlr« Ovrrcoaie uud *it»a MtavwIiiB .Hade lu an luiHsliirry Kncoanlrr \eur houdttn. It is always interesting to turn tack to records ot the past and note the wild, cbimerical schemes that have been associated with the birth of nearly ev- ery great invention or discovery. In connection with that of stea.m power and railruads, imagination soared to unusually giddy heights; engines it uas said, should be made to employ a»x armored train furnished realistla proofs o( its capabilities. Tlhe railway company placed at its disposal a cer- tain strebb of line near LydA. and though the engine was in the wrong pitK-eâ€" that is in front inst>>ad of l»- hind since the Board of 'Irade regula- tions must be iusiiesled in mimic war- fare, and the same do not allow tran»- [Mjrts to l« pushed, they mu.st bepull- ckI â€" tiiB tiaiu'M special duties were clearly e.\eniplifleill. A screen of cavalry scouts having re- ported the line all clear, tbe train ad- vamed, and emerging from a i^utting caught sight of a lattery of tlie eu- eiuy's artillery in the dlsadvantageoiia position of being in tbe act of limLer- lug up some 2,UO0 yards away, la a trifle over five minutes five shots, dis- charging five imaginary forty-pouind siiells had been drupjied among tbein, and the gun was speeding back befora I a shot could be fired in return. On the return journey the train bad to run the gauntlet of a heavy musketry fire directed frona a liridge above, but the defenders were presuma.bly safe ia their BULLET-PROOF OOACHES. Again, in tbe miitary maneuvers piteous face. no great invention could long remain ther proof of its peculiar qualities for uneocpected attack.. Beptemler lo the general idea of the 1 without making its influence felt on , maneuvepi on that day was to the ef- , , , . ,.,..,„ fett that an invading army, havinf I war and warfare at large, crat,k-l>rain jj^jjj,gj ^^ j^ ,^.^^ advancing on Lon- dinary vicissitudes of the weather and ; held in the Southeastern district last 1 , , 4 „;i,.,.„ ono,>rt i autumn the armore<l train gave fur- ^^^^^ corn be made to grow at railway speea. •»"••""'" ... ». . mT parasol, Mr. Dean?" said Lady] ^^ain, a ting on the theory that Darner, -smiling, "yo« ai'Pe«r t<> ''"'^ ' '"••rIm°so"s;lrry." stammered tl»edean| "It wtuui't here, and ^- . ^. . - , L:uly Darner put up her _pince nei ^^i axiiiUvy enthut-.asts lame forward j,^ To meet the enemy, the defend- doubtedly. "I really bflieve. shesam, ^.^^^ gchemes for huge steam plows, ing fone had Ijeeu moved from Dover "ves imleedâ€" why. you were using it „â-  „;»), mv- to Wingham, and while the first o\y ait widcet," and rihe fished the middle smittmg mjxious vapors, and with «y , .^.^ ^^^^^ .^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ stump which was adorned with lace, thes affixed to their wheels after tne , ^^ ^y |j^^ between Canterbury and out of the (rround. ' pattern of Boadicta's chariots. These Folkestone line where the armored â- ^lrw=[s"m;"L.?rexlim^'%e.n;were to take the place of cavalry in "I n«'ver looked for it." future campaigns wbere driven at hign "Never mind, my dear," said the old s,jeed, they might crash through the lady, laughijig. "you must com« mit „,„„„ „„ ^PPn^iw; ARMIES and plav oricket with my prandchil- , itAJVKfa OF OFl ObINU AH-HIW. drejj. XVe'll get up a matph, Mrs. Car- gyff^^.^^j ^^^^^ whom they did. not; berry, as you don't object to cnrk-t " n«w T^.t me see, shall we say next °i''"^ "P- ,•„«'. •- - - weekâ€" TJuirsdayf" And Mrs. Carberry ; As time went on calmer suggestions . cuddle of the enemy's cavalry scouts, said "Yes." \ prevailed. The enormous importance ' Five rounds from the forty-pounder The fall of th^.sMert was rcnnplete' railroads for the rapid transit of troops and a leaden ball from the Maxim forfhev Bcked sides and played more f ,, , a fh» iH..a Qmckly put the latter to flight. crirkVtLat .name afternoon, minus the '"'aaie f"lly recognized, and the idea ^j^^.^. ^^^^^j^t „^, followe.! up, and dean. >frs. Hrtlrovd accepted her de- of utilizing the iron road as a means a running fight ensued at a range of f^at •-nd wan silelnt, ev^-.n when Alicia for the establishment of armored trains about J,t;0O yards, but the enemy did H«ilrbvd amnounred openly that she „>«,.«„. nf fi„in<r mArtpUo towers, ^°^ ^'^"^ â- ^ chance in this unequal con- mu.st oome up to trv a ride on Helen's °J * ^^^^"^ °^ "y'°8 â- â€¢ittrtello to«ers^ j,^^.^ j,..^^^|j^. ^^ armored train cam» bicycle. Only Txwi.sa Holroyd sat away , t" patrol our coast line, first made its ,^{.0 touch with the main body of the train wab standing, shunted un a sid- ing, but ready to ateam off and harass his retreat. The tiain left Canterbury and pro- ceeded to IJarham. but. nijt seeing anji signs of the enemy, a.ivani-ed Iwldly in- to the Klhajn Valley. Still unsuccess- . ful in its searcJj the train returned t« , Barham where it ran right into the and jip'^^ko no rebellioiLs words, hut Ishe was dpridijifr what color her n«''w habit Hrtul'! be n.nd n'b.«ther she would buy browit top boots or black. IS WOMAN SKLFISH ? There are a numher of pessimists who insist that women are growing sel- fish â€" that they are mora concerned with their own pleasures, their own apiJt'Arance. Tbere have l>een many claimants for the honor of this practi- i "i;T}''„*'' f""* \^^ ^"° ... , , ,. „ tor ation, broatlside on. lai but strangely ne,<l6cted suggestion. Captain Fisher's armor-<''.ad train during the first stages of the campaign against Arabi Pasha in Egypt was tbe first practical example of railways be- ing put to such a usei. ThLs train was the suggestion constructed at Alexandria by a party of bluejai-kets spoiling for tbe v.ant of aggressive occupation. It was com- caprices than they are for thai welfare i „ . / , ^- i»„ ..f ', , ,. ^, . ,^ , , . , .. l>osed of a locomotive anu a numler of and comfort of their husbands andchi dren, says an exchange. How far such { opinions are justified by tbe fact each j parson must determine fur himself or herself. Some have gone so far as to designate womankind generally .as "tbe selfish sex," and not, perhaps, without reason. A writer in an Kast- ern publitaiion takes the ground that a majority of wives pay little heed to the wi«hi'S or interests ot their hus- bands, particularly when it cmues to select ing the places where they will enjoy their outings, and the manner trucks protected by iron railit ii'on plate'4 and sandi,a)iS. The engine was p.aed in tbe middle of the train, while nvaders, and then tbe gun truck was slowed round At this junc- ture the "cea.se-fire" siunded, and tht train returned to t'anterbury. having done a good day's work. Tbe obieLtions rased against the pra ticability of armon>d trams in real warfare are as follows: First, there is that tbe enemy, with a few men tarrying SMALL PARCELS OF DYNAMITE Could easily destroy the pernianenk way. UtWotiees tliwy could do so it the defender's cavalry stood idle while they ailvaui-ed for this purpose; while, again if Lite ?fl«fitj-i>ushed forward any considerable force with -.iiat object h« . . , , , , ,. would lie obliged to advan e Wiin â€" li- a >ordenfelt wa.s pla ed on the fust considerable front, the defending force protected truck, and a 40-pounder on naturally possessing a bread front in the next. The latter, by means of a proportion. * , , . - ..,. . , -iu n 1 • t<jnsidering tbe successful issues ol small crane carried with the train. t,,„ nuu.eroa.s triaia and experiments couul Iw quickly remounted aud dis- to which the .Suis^x ira^n hasleensuli- nmunted, one minute sufficing for the jected, the leasibility of mouutiug more halting of the train to remount aud fire tbe gun. An empty truck or two was run in front of the working por- tion of the train, so us to minimize any danger that might arise from the ex- y i'P- iiarontly a certaiaily for the others, be bad tiowled tliree iiK-n for three Uills _._ __. ami lift his aide vi.-.lor l>y two runs. Cartwrry stepped iKrvously forv\ardas He sU'm)e<l carefully up to the walk- tlie iitall thundered in from liondon and i ing stick which marked the second dutcltarged its living freight on the I wi«'ket, flourished his arm once or pbitlorui; then their eyes lit joyous- ; twa:e, and lx>wled. It was a nasty, Ij on a girl clad lu the quiett-et of trav- j slow Ixill. breakiiog in, and Helen's off eliag •ostuiiiea, who was evidently ntujup went down with a crash, their guest. "Wliut a sidemlid 1>alH" exclaimed â- ' Vou are Helen Aihiir?" the two lm^n, and Helen clamored for "Ah, >ee, and you are Mrs. Carbcr- nu>re, "for practu-e." The dean laughed ry (" I Ik> girl bebl oui lier h.md, dex- triumplianlly. 'then Ukden .suiWlenly trousi} evading tlie afte»^tU>nate jieck exclaimed: "LctVi have a match. Uncle whudi the eldcir lady would have be- | Joe, Church vorsus .Stjite; I'm sure we â- towed on iKir. >She was a tall, slim coiUil iMMit th««e two." aud Imfore the girl, witU l)ig jiiLsi-bievoua gr.iy eyes \ dean knew whore ho was they had '<«^- and peculiarly dainty hands and feet. ; xl fi>r goimg in. und found hiniself " Would you we to my things for i bowling vigcurou-sly at Captain Kllon, me, Mr. IJeiin . Here is the list," and wlio, arm6<l with a rake handle, was at •he vanished in I he, crowd. I'lio de;iu t1ie wickets. DUuLe hi» way to the luggage compart- "It is very hot," he gasjied, and. look- muut, aud liud juttl tiiiisbed his task img round guiltily, he quickly flung Ills whon UeliMi's voii« sounded sweet and c<»at un the gni.ss and flew loi-atch a low at his ellM«w. I«ll whii-li Captain Klton had returned " Kvery thing's there, I see. Would to blin. Thun ho stiod appalletl for the you get a siMsoial messenger to w Iwel birfiop's vodce came to his ears, and this ui<. or (diall I ridiv n {" rihe bad tiuning. he niw the l«.shop and his wife blu- band ou a smart Uumber, which standing clo-se lie'bind bim. ''Cricket!" â- lie was rolling tendi^rly through the , 'l''he bishop's |>ale, intellectual face was oi.uHd. 1 fu^ll of Uugbtt^r as he saw the dean. If the Ik>x next to him bad not U-en coitle.ss and bniat'biless, flyiing for the a wicker one the dean would have sal. IkiII. " 1 thought tins wasstru-tly for- on it and ga.siM>d ; us it was Itu gasi>ed liinlden.'' â- twmding. "'>h. my lord, coma and umpire; we ' M.y dear, a bicyole," be said weakly. ' want one liaiUy," call6<l out Helen, A bicycle in tbe innermost circle of the quite unatoslied, and the dean, w-bo hail BBlectI «UM»d atill, horror-strickHn. iiicked up He-ion Adair caugbt tbe stony despair tbe linll again wlum he saw the lenient in Mrs. Carlwrry's eyee and saw tbe exprension on the cj>i8copal face, and dam's flushed cbeeks, and her eyes saw the bishop move in to umpire, \> hi le in which they will conduct themselves pioaiou of auy mince laid in the per- wlien away from the society of their maneut way by the enemy, husbands. "It isn't merely the seek- 1 I nfoitunately. Captain Fisher did ing of eujoymenU in which bo cannot n^t have many opportunities given share that makes it reprehensible," the; him to proving its mettle. In one writer says. "It is the fact tb it by so | slight skirmish only did it have a real doing sii« makes the conditions of life j i-hance. and then this strange assort- so much harder for blm, for to a, man i ment ol rolling stocks daiKxtd sudileiily as she took in the situ stion. " Uoii't jou ride one, either of you?" â- he sjiid sweetly. " I'erha.iis I'd lietter rule it up; I'jii very pr<'<;ious of it." A girl on a bii-yido follow ing tlie dean- ery carri.igel l Ih' dean gfisiieil again, and gave some hasty orders to tbe )>or- ter, and Uelerii was bundled into tbe Mi-s. Howard sat down onaoench and absolutely shook with merrimeut. Cra-kot in llie de:in's garden, it was too amusing. By dint of what Helen called poking, the twosoliliers had made fifteen runs, and then H«len tcM>k her place at the wii'ket. .She was really a fair lady cricketer, and, as fielders were scarce of domestic tastes w luit is home with- out a wife but a more or less luxuri- ous prison cell, in which he is cuudeinu- ed to endure solitary confinement? And yet year by year the number of women who tbus seltisbly desert their bus- bauds wljen they most stand in need of their ministering care is steadily In- creasing. Day after day in the list of new arrivals one reads the names of •cores of married women whose bus- bauds are not w lib them because thuy have to stay Ln the city and earn ACQUITKU ll"lSiCLF UltlHT WKLL. Coming uuon the siene at a critical munient and creating a great effect by its unexpm-teil fire. ^inco then, however, both J' ran.e and tiormany have awakened to the value of armored trains as a projierly recognized unit of a natiou's fighting equipuieut. tvime five years ago Captain, now Major, .Stone, U. A., when a ting aa lirigaile Major. H- .A., in the .Soutliea.s- tern Listri.l of Kng.and, luiind that if wagonette, her eyes l<K.king soiiiewbat ahe ran up the siore to eleven in a few anxiously Uok at t lie pleasant HuihIht. minutes, retiring with a cry of illsgust ltetwo<m her natural kindliness and as Captain Htou caaf^ht ber out clever- her Iwrror at nvcoiving a new woman 'y with his left Iwind. into her home, Mrs. (^irlwrry siient a, "Now, Mr.. Ue-m," tJhe bishops wife restless evening, for they B<K>n gathered called out iinpatumtly, . as be dean th.ll Helen huiiUMl aud fished and sliot, BUK>d hesitatingly, go m; there s no and yet slie siioke of n<me of those ' one else t« s«(o. ... , , things, bui drew the dean ini» un ani- ' And the dean went in. A. rake han- mvitod discu-ssion on the Transvaal , die is not the best of bats, but it he dean qu.«tion at dinner, and told Mrs. Oar- ! made a might.y smite caught t ho ball berry of tlie latest things In chiffons , on the half volley, and away tt went aftivrward. The dean could not help over all their heads into a clump of thinking ho lui<l not sjient such a plea- Bant evening for a long time, and Mrs. ' Cart>erry would liave Hgree<l with bim buid it not t>e«n for the metal steed re- j (Mming in tbe front ball. As it was, | •h«^ thought of tbe aust4U'e arcbdeao- ^ on and bis wife, of Mrs. Gretin, the doo- | tor s wife, and otliers, and she sighed , oc4'asi.onally Mrs. Holrovd liasteneil t.o call next d;iy, and cii/me in with heightened ool- m, having iNiased the wheeled luonster in rhe lia.ll " You mu3t put your foot down," ah* bushes. t->nce, twice, thrice did the dean fly to the stick and backâ€" hia breath was gone, his face was scarlet â€"four tunea "1 can't go again," he gasped, pite- ously. "â- you must!"â€" Helen bod set her heart on winning. "Once more and we win; run. Uncle Joe, run!" Uut the delay was almost fatal, for, as this dean turned to run back Captain Elton flung in tbe ball. "Run onl" crMd the b'ishop s wife "Oh, do hurry." tlie First tiussex Artillery Volunteers there would lie with tbe curp.s some 3tK) aiera to whom. un<ler the moliilizatioii ».lieiue, no special duties were allotted; and. further, tbat at Sborebam there was with the coriw a forty-poun<ler brt'tu'b-u ading gun nut destined to auy particular emtirasure or position. lie then conceived tbe idea of utilizing both men au<l gun on an armored train. 'I'he ^beuie was no sooner broacbed than it was well lia ked up by private lapital, and the train's construction followed the money which their wives are spend- 1 ever it le amo noce.-sary to mobilize t'liey arc entirely free from any com- puuiUion of conscience as to the recti- tude of theli' conduct. Apparently thiiy have all partaken of smue opiate wbicb has lulled to sleep tbat iuvisilile men- tor wbicb is supposed to discriminate between right and wrong. 1 he faint- est suggislion tbat they should stay at huuie aud strive to make a life of toll in torrid weather a little easier for their husbands is met with a scornful tixss of tbe head or wide-ejed astonishment tbat un idea »<> grotesque and absurd should be seriously enter- tained for a moment. "Tbe truth is," the writer in ques- tion avers, "tluit tbe women oC to-day are more selfish than their mothers used to l)f, because they have been spoiled by too much flattery. Tbe so- cial atmosphere is surcharged with it. Every newspaper lias its woman's page, filled with fulscMiiu adulation of the sex; every city lias its score on more of clul)s, where there is much elo- quent discussion of women's rights, hut no consideration of woman's duties The moral suiwriority of woman over man is assumed by all women who con- descend to make comparison between the sexes, and the man who has the temerity to dispute the assumption is regarded as a brute, to argue with whom would be like casting pearls be- fore swine.' ' "And BO it has come about that the average modern, or so-called "up-to- date" woanan regards herself as a law unto herself, whatever she does is right because she does it. Her moat firmly rooted idea is that she was sent into this world to get a good time out of It, and tbat man wa4 made to help her get it. From her poioit ot view, therefore, when she marries one, it Is perfectly right and proper that he should work like a slave through the hottest part of tbe year that she may enjoy herself in the coolest spot that she can find. ujvto-date weapuns on similarly con- struited trains s.iema apiiarent. The 4 7-in -h quick-liiiiig gun, and even guns of s line considerable power, such as the si\-in,b II. L.. would lie an in- teresting evpcrinient. Objection is ta- ken to their weight; but this is a mia- take. Artillery experts are of opinion tbat the gun truik \.ould safely carry the ;.7-inch gun were the fonuer coun- t«!r weighted with five to ten tons of metal; while for heavier ordinance larger trucks mounted ui>on lio^jie* could be i>rovidad; Whien in action tile pins of these bogies could l)0 se- curely boltevl, curbing their lateral play, additional clips constructed to latch tbe slteiwrs, an.l the strain fur- ther distributed by rigidly connecting tlie vaiijus trucks and carriages form- ing the armored train. ' 'Ihc c»)st of such tiain-s is not great; artillery of fi eis have reported favor- alily uii.in tbieir efficiency, and iiowt tbat the old martelln towers have Iwouie buiielessly obsolete their placw might l>e filled by flying prototypesj whi h would l>e quite capable of offer- ing .serious and unexiw.ted resistance to piei'atory guulioats or small land- ing parties. ANOIIfKR AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM. During the last two years, Victoria, Australia, has successfully dealt with the lalKir que.st.ion b.y the formation of latior colonies and village settlements for the unemployed. Tbe colonists re- ceived governmental help in raising their fir.st crops. This came in the shape I'he train consists of an or- of loans at low rates of interest, and dinary locorqotive. a truck specially, eei'ured »)n the crops. The village set- constructed fc* (lie gun, that is, the tleiin'nts were made near swamp lands, gun and its carriage are numnted up- , tbe reclaiming of whilch provided ani- on a turntable platform pivoted on the p'e lalH>r and support for all able to center of the track and revolving om wopk. Tbus, wlii.e aiding tbe settlers a circular racer, and two third-clasa to supi>ort themselves, the government carriages, rendered bullet-proof with baa realized large profits from the en- iron p.ating, for convoying the men. , hanced value of the lanils In this way the limlwr and tbe projectiles. When ,2,500 famllieB have been provided torj working the gun, the gun detabmcnt i and are now permanently settled un is protected l>y a plating some six feet these once waste lands high around tlin-e aides of the turn- table, and the gun is fired through an aperture. The main problem involved was tbe mastering of the lecoil so as to prevenb the truck capsizing bodily when tbe gun had tt> t« fired cixisswise to the Charles Darwin's statue in bronne has Iteon set up inl bis native town, Sbrew.s- bttry. i railway line, and also to prevent the rails being torn up or damaged by the 6UOCK OF TUF FIUINCL These difficulties were succe.ssfully overcome by the aildition of a hydrau- lic brake, and by rising slides on which the gun wheels rest, causing the gun to return automatically to the firing position after the exhaustion of the recoil. Again by an ingenious arrangement of cross girdexs, which can be run out and supported un blocks, a broad l>ase can be obtained for tbe truck when the gun is fired at right anglea to the permanent way, while to in- crease that stability the truck can h& connec.t«-.d with tbe metals by strong' clips, acting upon tbe principle of the ordinary railway couplings, and capa- ble of lieing screwed up to any degree of tightneHA. During the maneuvers ot 1895 in the souUieostern military district the Siw- PR.ESERVING HIS BOOl-S. A new wrinkle toay be learned from am Kiigliab soldier w'ho was noted for keeping his boots in bettor condition aind making them last longer than any of his brother officers. When asked wluit be did to them to prevenit the leather from crackln*? and keeping ik soft umd siuoi>tl> his reply was "Mut- ton lK)iie." When an expb'nation was demanded he said: "It is nothing, I assure you. My man tisks the cook for a knuckle boMo, which he cleans and thon bakes, .\fter rubbing the leath- er witih cream,, (he then, frotes them aa bard as be can with the tione. U'svb- ally my tioots last me three yearsi." A HANK OFF^lNaE. May WW bdvfc the pleasure of youf wiuiiiany, this evening. Colonel* sh* asked. The colonel drew hLiuself u(p haught- ily a,iwl rciiliicd,' with every efitlence ol offended dlgniity. Madam,, I oommaiul a reginieilti i Mi