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[ ♦m>g^«4<^g^«4«><H>!eWg^»>XH-»^XWg >^ A House of Mystery OR, THE QIRL IN BLUE «-f ©-♦-«+0^JCH«+«4«+«-H3>»+ ^jOf O-HQ^Q-fO-f «+« â- â-º^•♦-O-fSC^a-f CHAPTER IX.-{Conlinued). Dinily I wuM disUngiiish ha slvort. irtirly toim between •iiiys«'lt und tlw faiiilt liglit or th^ lialf-openM blinds, t)Ut t;wn lhouf,'li: all was ;ls yet iiiiaty and indlstmct, I knew that what had t<;en averrwl was the actual' truths â€" iU<! sjotiiuliils haili L^oeix iiii>lal«,'ii. Willi care and coirtinuod trealincul my sight wcukl .'itivngllK'n aiilil I Ix'caiiio lilic â- other nioii. " "I can sot'!' I wk'd cxcitmJly. "I can we you, (i-octorâ€" unil Lht? !ig!it-an<I Uic Iblnwis!" "Then yoti ncknowlpdge that what I told you was tho Irulti â€" Iha'l 1 <lui not lie lo you whon I tol<l you llial ymir ca.sc was not beyond i>ocovrry7'' "Ccrtafnly. Yon told ino thfl truth.'' I said hastily. "At the ILmk' it s<y.-mod loo iniprobabte, but now that you have Shosvn me proof, I must a^k y<5ur par- don if liny words of mine have j^iven you offence. ' "You've not offended mo in the sl.iffht- •cst, my doar.sir,' be answered pleasant- ly. "Porsevore with, tho treatment, arnd continu'e f«jr anothor few days in dark- nessv and tUea I feci confident tluit a perfectly satisfactory cure will have been effect<x1. Of course, we must not expi'.'Ct a clear vision at once, but by degrees ycur sight will slowly become stronger." And with tlMse words be clo«rtI I ho bliiidn and drew the ciirliiin." close, so that tho ix)o«n was agaim darkened. Imagine the Ihankfulncsoi that filK-d tny heart! It was no Illusion:. I had actually swu the narrow rays of sun- light bctwc<>n the ]ialf-o|>en<\l blind and Ih" dark -^iilhouetto <>[ tlw> short, st'iut, fuK-beaivdod man wlio was cffrcting Buch a. maTvelIou.s cure. I griippedi his hanO in the darkness, and Ihankt.'d hiin. "IIow can I .'vufllciently repay you?" 1 said. "This service you have render- ftl mo bm.s opened- up to iro an abso- lutely iiiew lilft'." "1 desire no ix'jiaymenl, Mr. Hcjiiton," ho aiiswere^l in hi;s dwp, he;irly voice. That my tivalmcnt of maligniinl scle- rotitis m Miccessiful, and that I have been tho niean.s of restoring sight U> one â- ot 'jiiy fellow men is .siiflloitMit ijii i1.;elf.' 'But 1 have one qtiestioii I wi.sh to osk yo\i,' I saXl. "The mode in wrich â- you were introduced lo me Ls extreme- ly iiuzzl'ing. P) y<iH know nothing of the l;idy named Pld'tUL?" "I know tierâ€" tlwt is all." "Where dors .she live?" "I reyi-ct th-at I am not ali'ie lo amswer your quosli'Mi." "You arc bound lo seci-ecv rc1gal^Iing tier?' "I may a's well admit tlw ti\ilh â€" I am.' "It's exlr.iordinary," 1 ejaculated. "Very ex t n^ ord i na.ry !" "Not so extra irdinnry as the recovery «! y:)ur vLsiHin,' he olwervetl. "Itemain .perrcL-llv (piict, and doni'l take up<Hi youi-M'lf any menial problem.s. A great deal now depen<.ts upon your own culnirw'.=i>." The fact that my sight was gradually rel'urning to me .seenK-d too 'astonLshiiig lo believe. This mam Slade, whower lit! wii.s, had performed a feat In sur- gery which seemed to 'me ininiciiloujs. Again and Sigain I lhankr<l hi-m, but when lio had gone and I told I'nrkor. she only gave vent to a grunt of iur â- credulity. Yet had I not «etually seen the silhouelte of Slude. and the .streaks ot s-unlight beyond? Had I nut aliwdy had iin-ular proof that a cuiv was be- ing effecl'i\!? What w-tkuld Diok. dear old Dick, say on his roturn when he found -me cured? I laughed as 1 pictured to iny.«iel'f his amazement at finding me at the rail- woy-slation art his ai-rivnlâ€" looklnig for him. Through a whole month Sla.le came re'gnjlarly each day at noon, and surely. tiy slow degreeis, my vision liccaine slronglheiK^I', until at length I found thai, even though I wore siu' ike-dark- enedi gla.sses, I could, .see abtuiwl as well MS I had done in. Ihe day.s of my youlh. TIk" g!ji.s.ses deslmyed all color. It wiw true, yet I oould now go forth into the b",!.sy Strand, mingle with the tiUistling crowds, and revcl'ln Ihoir life and movenKMits. Indeed, in those (Irst days of the ixvovery <d my visliin I went atout Londnjn in caljs and onmiibi!.S4\s, hither and thither, with all the eniini- Siasm of a oounlry cousin or a ciiild on his firs!, visit to the Metjix3p<jlis. \Xl was novel and interesting ou niy return to n knowledge of life. .'^laile. I found, vvas a. gentleninnly fellow with Ilk? air of a. clever physici- an, but all my efforts to discfi\er his aixxlf proved luiavaiting, and, ii-.ore- over, '{».<[ as tho cure \v<i,s compU'le he oiw day failed to call as usual. With- out word he rellnquishn^l me ju.^! as sud<lenly n.s h-> had come; Ijijt hi- Iwid rps.tor«Hl ta me lliat preciou.s scn.se which i.s one of God's chief gKts. In those .'September da.vs. when all (he ^vxld .<»(>ome(l gay and bright, I went forth into live wnrUl with a n w zo«l foi- ilte. I took short trips lo ntehmond and Hampton Court, so tint I might agHiii gaze upon the green, trees, the wmdinig rcver, and tho llelds that 1 V^voi ;o weU; and I si>ent a d,:iy at Brighton, and stood for a full couple of hours watching llie rolling .sea beat- ing uix)n the Iwaoh. Six weeks before I was a hopeless misanlbrope whose li'e had been ullei-ly sapped by the blighl- ii.g idlliiction upon me. Xow I was strou'g and healthy in mind a;nd in t'idy, preiiarol to do anything or lo go unywliere. When Parker was at last forced to ail'mil that I wa.s iin) long.?r blind, she il-ecianxl that the man Slude was an emwsary of tho Evil One, and express- fu u, pious hope Hint lie would never "darken my door" agaiji. It was a. fancy of mine to go down -lo the home of my ycnilh. I!e;ilon Ma- nor, a place- well known to lliase ac- (p.ainted with the dLsfrict around Tew- kesbury. The great old m^unsiun, stand- ing in the centre of a wide, wi U-\vooded ..•urk Iha.t skipes down to tlu^ .Severn c'lo-e to tlM Haw Bridge. h.ad Ibcen ckisExl. and in the hands of the old .ser- vant Baxter and hi.s wi.fe. Ind-e-l I had never lived there sinice, on luy father's death, it had passed into my posse.s..>ion. Tlie rooms were opeivjd for my inspec- tion, and a.9 I w^andered thivmgh tliem and iVwn tin? long oak-panuelled gal- Ury, from the walls ol which rows of my linie-diiniJiKxl ancestors, in their riifllfs, vchets, and Laos knived down •solemnly, a Hood of recolk'clions o' >ii.>' .sunny days of Childhoud crowded ujxm me. Seven years had pi's.^o*l •^ince my last visit thtiv. The old ivy-coveivd manor was, indeed, diimpidalotl, ami .sadly out 'j[ repair. Th«; Mrnituro and hangings in many of the rooms .^cemed i-clUng with damp and m^glcct, and as 1 enter- ed the niu'sery, and was ;di iwiv iny own toys, it s<vincd as thougli. liko Hip \an Winkle ,1 had returnetl again to lite alter a long <ib.seiice. Alone. I wander-ed in Ihe park down the uvenuo of grand old: elni.'^. The w;d4> view acro-s the brimming ri.ver. with Ila.s.llvld Church, and IJie old Tithe Harn at Chaceley standing piy>mineiit in lb', Uiiidsscape, I saw that it IwiJ in no way cbiinged. I lookml back wpon the house â€" a grand old home it was, one llMt any man might have Ix-en r-ri^ud of. yet of what use was it to n,o? .Should I sell it? Or should I al- low it to still rot W1I.1 decay until my will became proved, and it jjiLssod into the tiand.s of my heirs and u>sign>? 1 ielil loth to I'xirt with it. f ir the old place fiad- Iv-i-n buiPt s-xni after the Hercc andi historic battle ha<l U'.mi foiight at Tewkeybury. and over .since Michard HeaSon had commnndtxl one of Ihe fri- gales which w^â- nt forth lo jiiect the Armada it had been the ancestral home of lbs IbNit<wis. lnde<.d, the village of Waler Heaton, now-a-tkiy.s (piilo an ancient pl.ace, with its little .squat squ.ii'c-spired church and. quaint strag- gling street, had sprung up aiviund the manor. To me the place was .some- thing of a while elei)b.ant, yet. as ttic l;;st of a sbihvart riioe who had evei' rendcrett loyul .sei'viec to their sover- eign, and the solo desceiKkinl of an bcnorable family, it .seemed incunitent ujion me lo relaim it, and nol allow it !i; go und,fr tN> a'uclioncor's haiimu.'r. My persoixil needs were .small, un<l I wais not in want of m-Jiiey. therefor*', ere I ivturned lo TewUe.si])ury, and. thenoc to IxJndon, I gave order.s for o<rtain nece.*>aiy repair.^ to be done, and Ihat a couple of rooms might l.>c cienreit and kciil in readiness for my use whenever I might retfiwre them. ' How strange il all wa.s! .\| overy turn I iKcred union the world through my grey gLa.ss spectacles, luid look as kion nil intei'cst in it a.s does a child. ,\'l .'ceuicd new to ine; my brain, lUii^ a child's, I.H'ciinie filliHi with new im- pTes.-.is)ns and fresh kit-as. After my dull, colorless cxislence of s^)und ayil toi.<;h, this bright li.fe of movement till- e<l mi,' wilh » delight that pen cannot de.^cri'JK. Imagine, however, what joy it is lo one who has teen pixjiiounce.J incurably blind lo kxik upon tho world ogiiin and taste of its ])leii.siircs. II was that joy which gave lightness to my heart. Yet over all was one grim shadow â€" Ihe rememfbrance uf that fateful night wi'lh ils grim tragedy. Who was F.dnu? Where w.is she? Wh.vl was .â- -lie? Through her in.slrimienlallty I had re- gained my .sight, but her identity and her whereabmls .still remained hid<lcn, as shi- had plainly l«ild mo they would be Ixforo we bad purled. Hither and Ihillier I went, feted and fe.'LS'b^d by my friends at Ihe Savage, tho ^vonsliTO, and other clKi'bs, yet my minil was ever troubled by the mystery of the woman who had, fry.Mn molives Ihat were entirely hidden, exert- ed her.self on my behalf, first in .saving my life from iiascrupnlyjiis a.SkSa.s.sin,s, and, .secomlly. in reslorinii.' rny viskm. I enlerlnined a sirong d'\sire lo meet her, lo grasip her .sm.ill hand, lo thank her. 1 lonjfed to sec her. GHAITER X. Tho man who abandons all hoi>o is constantly haunted by fe.ar.s. Thiii is as strange as it Is unju.st, like much else in our c%'cryday life. Even tl'jough there luid returned to me all the joys cl existence, yet I was still huunlod by an cver-pivssont dread â€" a terror lest some tejTible mandate should suddenly Ifc launched uixin mo by the unknown dUoctor of my actions. My situation was, to say tho least, a most exiraorduiary one. Valiantly I strove to rid myself of the obsession which constanfly crept upon me when- ever my altenlioii was nol actually dis- traeled by the new cxi:iU;nce (hat had .so niystei-iously been Oipened up U> me. l-'o' a little while I would let my mind dwell upon Ihe terrifying thought that I was entirely helpless in the luind.s of one who wils, without doutil, luiscru- pulous. 1 had pleiliged my Ikju^x lo keep secret that appalling midnight crime, and to act always a.s dirwied. Edna herself, the woman wh<vse voice .sounde^l so tender, whose hands were s? smaU and soft to the touch, bud f<,rryd me to tlii.s. To her alone was Une thi,s slate ot constant anxi<'ty as to what might ra'xt be demandixl of ine. The thought would creep upon me, now pausing, now udv>-incing, until at length it wrajiped m<> round aTuI round, and stifled out my breath, liko a dcatiwiiusk of cold clay. Then my hvart would sink, my .'^iight seejned to die, even •sound wouki die until there seemed an awful v<Hdâ€" tho void ot death for ever and for ever dumb, a dreadful, conqfuer- ing .silence. A tliousiind limes 1 regretted that 1 had ui thai moment of my utter help- l(«siness given my juvmiii-c U> conceal the mysterious Jrime. Yet, wheiii 1 ro- collected with whul extraordinary in- genuity I iHid been deceived by llic man whom I hod believed to be a polke- coiiislable, Uie deep cunning which had Ixeii displayed in obtaining from my li|>s a statv^nitiil of all the facts I knew, and llie subs<-(pionl actions of the eoiil-head- <sl Edna, my mind bwame confusiHi. 1 could see no solution of Ihe extiiKJr- dinary pr*/blem, save that I believed tier lo !be deeply LmplicaU-d in .stimc l)lol whk'h had culininaled in the murder » f the young man, and that .^he h<*r- â- H'lf hflii .s<inie strong persoiud motive ill concealing llic terrible truth. I ought, I kni-w, to have gone lo Scot- land Yard mud made a full and slia'glit- fiiiward depi/isiUon of the wh'le mat- ter .Neverlhelcs.s, my story was a very strange oneâ€" stranger, perha!>s, than of the many curious ruiminces which aie daily laid before the Director ol Crianinal Iii>v<'stigations. ,\fter all. It might nol have been 'believed. I had no idea where tho scene of the tragedy was sitMalcd, and, having been s:ghl- leas at the tune, had actually witnes.sed nothing. Theory uixin tho ny I foriiiod, but when I dug down to their louls I found that they merely drew tlieir .slivnglli fmm my own fear or imagin- ation, and were utterly worthless. Once or twice 1 cont<'mpliited di-srega.rding my promise, anil making a full state- ment tn the police; but on calm rclloc- ton I saw Ihat siich a course was now alL-idu'lely useless. Two months had elapsed' since tho f<ileful night, and the bodyâ€" or bodiesâ€" had. wilhoul doiibl. l-i'en disposed of long ago. Stich in- g( iiiou.s evildoers ^voll!d exert tho iil- mosl care in the dwpositioiii of the cor- pus <lilecti, and would mn-er run ri'K ofdeteclim. They feared me, I fellas- siired, and it wiis llii-s 1li<jiiglit wh'ch c-irtislantly hara.iss'd me for if such w"v aclunlly Ihe ca.se. ther; tli y had eveiy inrenlive lo tni';e my lr.fc on the wei'- establi.shed principle llial c'ead men tell n> tales. Wilh tho return of niv vsion my .s<ii^i) of hearing ha<l. curiously enouiih, lee line bolh weakened and disloited S inid.s which I heaid when hi. id p/'O .sciiled qiiile a diffi-ix^nt ini!)iess''->ii miv. Ihat I could -â- ^-e. Tho blin;l hea'' where those wilh eyesight can delert nolhiiij Tlie ears of Ihe former Iriiin Ihemselve* to arl as eyes also, yet the mo -lui' the vi.sinn. is reeover<Hi tlie sb'iriieni-.l s;iise of hearing ii-gain assunit-s ts i"r- inal c.ipiicity. Hence I fiMj)! Ih'd 1 eo-u'd nol iKvw dLslinguish vven p.nd i+,.uiids so quickly as before: inde -d. the v<iiecs iif Ihnse ajwil me sounded si"'ne^ how iliffeient n.hW Ihal I h'.il rocoveivd my sight. My friends, into whose circle tlicy declaredi I had nil'irned like one from Ihe grave, weleomed me everywhere, and I c -nfess that, notwitbslan-.ling the 1 ippression constantly upon. me. I en- joyed iinyself lo tho toip of my bent. 1 .still i-oiiiiiined in my dingy, smoke- grimed room.s in Essex .Street, really more for Parker's sake than for my own. «iid also, <if course, in <irdcr to lie near Dick when he n liirneil, but nearly every eveiilnig 1 was out soiiic- whr^je or other, going here and there a.lxflil biwn. I had long ago boon a member of the Oevon.sbire, and had now relumed, and sient a good deal of time there, even lliough the main distinction of Ihe club WHS the number of old f'i>gies w1k> af- fvctc-l it. nut 1 f'.und it a eon.ven.iently central' place lo dine and idle awaoi' any iKur.s c<f Ihe day thai I h.nd lo spare. In the middle of October, when most men I knew were away on the moors. 1 had a dinner eiiigagemeii.t one even- ing wilh tbo Chaiuiiiigs, In Cornwall Gr.rdcns. Colonel r.haiiniiig, a retred oinc*ir of Ihe Ouiij-ds, was a mnn I had krjown during tho greater part o( my lltelijne. His .s<rvicc had bci'n mainly u-f a d'pkiiniatie chnrneter, for he had soivixl n-i Britisli military allache nt Berlin and Vienna, and now live«| wilh h'<; wffe nn<t dmighleir in Tytini'i'i, (I-kI sccincd lo divide his tiini; nir,i-;lv be- tween the -St. Jame»'.4 and the United Service (ilubs. He was a niei'iy old fellow, wilh while hair and moustache ami a fkirid complexion, the dandilled air of attache still clinging to ban. His cturlesy was distinctive, save when in tho heal <jf aj-gumcnt ujvjn Eiu'opeaa affairsâ€"of whicJi lie prided him.self on his extensive and peculiar kuoAvledge â€" he would use strong and rather imiio- !llc spitliels iiegiu'diiig lli.osc who dis- agreed With liini. Aa lie sat at tho lieod of his tat>lc, li.s habitual monocle in his eye, ajid the liuy green ribbon of the order of li'o Crown of Italy in llic lu.])pel of his dinmig-jac'ket, he luok<>d a pei'lect type of the ex-attache. His wife, a rather soare woman <A fifty, wh:> .seemed to exi.st externally in a toilette of black satin and luce, was pleasant, tli'sugh just a trifle sliff, probably because of l.ei- long a-s-^ociulion wilh oilier diplo- niatiHls' wives; while .\ellio Channing â- as a happy, fair-haired gii-l. who wore rctly blouses, cycled, g<iif.Hi. Ilirted, nd shopiied in the High Street in the losl approv<Hi manner of the average rl of South Kensington. N4>riia and I hifd alw-iy.s bwn gooil frienriis. She had ibeen at school in England while her parenU Iwd Ijeen abroad, but on completing her educa- t.on she had lived some live yeare or s.i in Vienna, and had thus acquh-cd I50inelhing of the ccsnwpolitan habit <if lK>.r father. She looked charming 'n bor pink byjiise a trifle d'eollolc', as she .sat on my left at dinner, and con- gratulated me u-.jon my recovery. (To be Continued.) SENTE.\'CE SEII.MONS. Faith easily diea without fellowship. What Is given in lo'.-o never is lost. Many niislaiio faulUiiKlmg for lldel- ity. Envy is a confession of inner desti- tution. Siiund doctrine does not cure a dls- ca-^^d' heart. Tho pursuit of Irulh is the secret of lelenial youth. Tho riclH St g fis come out of the poor- est jiockets. TIk; life of sondco has tew diflicullies of conduct. A man's title to glory docs not de- jH'iid on the glory of his title. Y<u never lose j<iur own joy by Iciid- ill{» an ear to anotlur's woe. It doivn t lake much forliludo to bear unollier's misfortune. Happy is he who Is too rich in failh to worry ov<>r a fortuiDi'. -A square deal has sonu'thing beside sharj) olgcs and angles to il. Th' cross is irksome only when we try txj climb it a.s a pedeslul. Tho man who ciimiol find a god in the universe discovers one in a mirror. Only the muraily .isligmatic .see ly- ing as the only refuge in time of trouble. .So'ine m<rn are ix'ady to forgive Iheir encmit'S when their enemies have them down. Too imany giving the iKWr crusts on tlic stR'Ct ai-o stealing their bread in the alley. Wlicn a man t<'!ls the tnith aboiil hiin- s<^lf he is anxious for same one to cull liiin a bar. He who belicvos nothing unlil he iin- ^••rslands it fuMy must have a limited lange of knowl<'<lge. lU'ligioii never makes a permanent- ly p'lv M-fiil impression without steady practical expression. Whoii' you hear a mini decrying the good) you .may know he is diacuuiiliiig what, 1k' cannot acquire. Theiv would Ih^ litlle ndigious infidel- ity ill this Work! but tor our allenqils Ic force the forms of one man's failh en olher men. GROWN UP Wnil HI.Vl. \n Irishman wa.^ in tioublc nlxnit a gun fouiiil in his possession. The law, iiiif.jriiinutely for him, adoiiled the uii- Kind' .suggestion that he bad .slulen il. While awaiting his liiiil, he was visit- ed! by a friend, wtio urged him to slead- f.islly adhere to the staleiiKiit that he had owiKil the gun tor yours. The Ineiul, furlliermore. cik"! Iriw he him- self, when In siniiliir dilliciilly abuul a hen, had .],<re.seivod' Nitli tho hen and his cha.racler by swearing he had iios- sessed llie bird .sine.' il was a chicken. The wi.sdoin of this advice was n<.t liist on I'at, and he lieneor<irlh regarded his trial with Ihe settled serenily of, i' not coii.sciuus innocente, sanguine an- ticipalkin. On the day apiioinled, wlien eonclu- .siv<.' evidence against him had been ton- (li ivhI, he was asked f<irMiiilly whellirr 11.' liMil anything to say f-ir himself. I'at lliir'iwing a gluiic<.' of .shrivolUiig con- teiii])! at Ihe pi'oscculoi', turmd to the judge and said': "The ni.iirs a iierjiired villain, yer lion- <ir. That gun s bin in my |xi.ssls.sion, yer lionor, iver since it wiisi a pistol. ' THE DOOll IX) OUIl EEELI.NtJS. Every persons feelings have a front door and a sid<' door by which they may be eiitend. Tlic front door is on Ihc sli'oet. Some keep it always oihmi, some lieep it lalchisl, ."xime locked, .some bu'ltetl with a chain that will let you IKcp ill but not get In, and .^oine nail it uij). .«to that nolhing can pa.s,s its threshold. This front dooi- leads inio a pa.ssage which oi>tms into an ante- room, and tills into the interior apart- ments. TIh! side d<.or o|X'ns at once into the secret chamber. There Is al- most always one key to the side duor This i.<5 carried for years hidden in a ni0lher«i lo om. Fathers, brolhcr.--. si.s- t<i's, and friends, often, but by no ncans .so universally, have duplicales ol It. The w-edding-ring conveys a 1 right to .:ie; nln.s. if none i.s given with ' 1:1 Re very careful to whom y<iu Iru.sl oiv - f the.s! keys ol Ihc sid« d or. _ ON 1 FIIRII. TES'I' OF SEED COllN. II isi a mislake to buy seed corn shclt od whero il can Ixi had on Ihe ear, but inasmuch as the great bulk ul (-nsilaga ised 00.111 which pusses through the trade in Canuda is .shelled, it is large- ly a ease of Holjson's choice. Eur com IS pr 'fei able for s<'veral I'ciis ins. In the first jiluce, one can see what kind and viirii ly of ears he i."* planting fro'n, ami reject inferior <ines. The t'inbryo will be sumewhal less liable lo have had ils f.;einiiiiuting qiiulilics impaii-eU by lieuting in storage or in transit. .VKxst immirtant of all. ho can test his corn by the. ear, thereby culling out th;.se that .show inferior germinating (|ualily. There are almost sure lo be a c<rlain projiortion of these which, il u.s^^d for planting, would mean either blank spaces in the field, or, what ia pr.ib:ibiy a iiioie seriouis disadvantage in drilied corn, weak-gnwing, poorly eaivd stalks. Ear bett<T in every way to buy an extra qiiaulily of .seid corn, plant the stioiig-.i;einriiuliny eaiy. und uiSL'. the ri»l for fe'^d. .\ tremendous lo.ss oocur.s tv<'ry year in .America as a lesiill i)f inferior .-^oed corn, iwy.s llio l'',.rmer's .XdvocnUi. Eor testing oorii by the car, several ca.sy .syslenis have been devised. They d.'iii.slst in numlieriiig the ears, say, with a label on the butt, then selecting f iiir <ir five npiesenliilivc Icernels fr<Tin I ach ear, and iihinting in u .small box <'f .sand or gurdm moiiid, divkled off inti .sijuuiy^s corrc-Siiendng to Ihe niiin- Uril purs. By the p:vimptne.ss and vig- ' wilh whicii these reiuc-cntativp kcrncla .siroul, Ih" uuTi-sab 1 ly or oitierwise o' ii-sing e;ich particular ear is deU-rmtn- e'd. liiitl.s and lijis .should be broken off and used for chicken or pig f<'ed. A man is sup)0s<>d, by this method, lo be able lo lest from fivo lo eight bushels <if sc<'d corn in a <lay, kicuU ing all weak <ir bad ears. As one wriU ("• has- expre.ssed it, lliere are dimes for 'minutes in this work. Those wIk) are obliged lo buy shelled corn, as well as IlKise who ciiiinot be jiersuiidiKl to take the slight trouble of testing tlieir corn by the car, should at ka-t make a general germinat.on tejit, in order to guard Hgain--it the possibil- ity ut -sowing seed sa kiw iji vitality Ihal il will nol produce n crop. This is jian- ticulaily ini|K;rliiiil in u coid, wet soa- .soii, when only seid corn of the high- f-.sl vitalily iiiiiy be depended on. 'I'hid lest .should b> made, if puss be. bi'foio purehu>ing llie .seed, and wrbiiily bo- foiy sowing any of il in llie Held. In a Mile box of earth in th(! w iidow, or between ikiUble. folds ol llaiiiiel or bbit- ting pa|K'r, place one or two hundred average kernels. Keep Ihe eirtli, cloth or paper moist, but m.-l wet. If clolh II- piiiier is iKseil, it should be in the iKiltum of a plat' or dish, wilh another pluU'. inverted <iver il. 'I'lH' lii'ompliie.'ss, vigor and percentage of gerininaluni will indicate whether the omn is til l<i .sow or not, and, if .sown, how much <'xtra .Sfv^xl sluiuM be usid lo inake up for defunct grains. .\ tew non-viiibU' oiic-i in a .-iimiilc are not <it very .serious con- .siiqiiento in ensilage corn, pr<iviiiing tlio l)r<i])iiilion is known and allowed for, but any coiisideriibli.' numU'r of weak, lu.n-vigiiou.s kernel.9 may occasion much loss. Seed corn .should be tesUid every year, as a matter of ooiir.M*. but iiidiealions are llnil il will be pailieiilarly necessary this spring, a.s l!|e unusually ookl, w'ot .s<-uson of l'.»()7. in the corii-lk'lt Slale-s, did nol alliiw lb-.' corn to iiiatiiro und dry <iiit well bif^rc tlies.a>on of [losl. cHUHN cnE.'Ui sweet .\S TO.-SIIJI.R I have coiii'O to the conclusion Ihat the shiirler the lime elaji.sea betw<'en the miking of the cmv, mid the maiiii- f.iclinv of hull<-r, llie belbr will be the qimlily ot the biiller. What we call a ri| eni-sl cr<:uni lluvor of tho butler ia iin neipiired tasle. The Irii-e butter fia- vor is Hint which is iiiaile from .sweet ereiim, churned as seuii iis pussibl • af- ter the milk comes from ihe cow. 'I'his .s<i-ciilled ripened cream llavor. .,s ..^luie- tliiiig for wliicli uc have to tkiveloii an iiniiatunil lash-, ami I put il in Ihe .s»ime class a.s smoking cigars, drink- ing whiskey, mid all tliose bad hiiii'ls which the aji'nial iiiiin lia.s acituir-il. 'i'he biiller which lirings Ihe hi'^lii'st piico in the iiiarkels < f Crenl Hrituiii is made from cream with very little iicid 111 it. I Uiiiik it is w-iviiig for Ihe but- t<r-niaker lo develop "i-G of acid in Ihc cK'iini l)efiire churning. It would lio letter lo eliiirn the rrriini d .reetly a'ter .sie.:niraling. pasteurizing und cooling. 1 thing I mil .siife ill .siiyiiig Ihiil we Iwivo been making a iiiistuke in our iiielU id.-i <.I niniiufiiiliiriMg butler. Tlu- .so uier w< gel. it made iiilo liuller afler Mia milk coiiiis Iroiii tl:e ciw Ihe belt«n" 't will bo. Many of Ihe bad llavors in cream are inused by holding il loo lung before churiiint;.â€" Prof. liJean. P.V.SSING 01' Till', fVVri-lNT. Higginsiâ€" "What are you blacking tlM'se sho(s forâ€" aren'l Ihey palcnl lea- llicr?" Wtf.lgin.'*â€" 'They were, but llw pat- eni bus expired.' SIMII..MI i!i:r niKEi':muNT. •'I reckon you ain't iniich like your ma," s.rd the old-fa.sliione<l woimiii iia tliey met on Ihe .street corner. "Oh. yes I am," proUsIrd Ihc over dressed y.nmg July. "Ma's at home pi<.-ciiig a quilt anvk I'm out making a .ipread."