1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



227 



DiBConie raDia. 



This superstitious notion has prevailed 

 for ages, and may still be entertained 

 in certain quarters. However this may 

 be, the fashion of removing a portion of 

 the tail of many breeds of dogs is quite 

 common, and if it is done with a view 

 to the prevention of madness, it is at 

 any rate considered most desirable for 

 these animals to have a short, blunt tail, 

 because it improves their appearance. 

 Some dogs have scarctly any tail left. 

 I have seen grooms and dog fanciers bite 

 off puppies' tails ai a matter of busi- 

 ness, and some of these people have 

 shown me a fragment of sinew attached 

 to the amputated portion as the "worm 

 in the tail. " 



It should be noted, in speaking of this 

 fashion, that a mongrel dog has been 

 termed a "cur" (Latin curtus, or crop- 

 tailed,) because it usually had the tail 

 shorteaed, and according to ancient for- 

 est laws, a man who had no right to the 

 privilege of the chase was obliged to 

 cut off the tail of his dog, on the plea 

 that, if a dog has n© tail to act as a 

 rudder, he cannot hunt game. — Nine- 

 teenth Century. 



Swordsmanship Against a Tiger. 



Sir James Outram, known as the Bay- 

 ard of India, was a "mighty hunter" 

 and an accomplished swordsman. He 

 •nee performed the hazardous feat of 

 killing a tiger with his sword and from 

 the back of his horse. General Nichol- 

 son performed a similar feat. 



He rode round and round the tiger at 

 a gallop, gradually narrowing the circle, 

 mntil at last he was near enough to de- 

 liver his blow. He had only the one 

 blow, and if he had failed to kill the 

 tiger he himself would have been slain. 



The explanation of the feat is that 

 the tiger does not spring upon the horse- 

 man during the circling process, because 

 he is watching his opportunity. As the 

 circle draw closer and closer upon him, 

 he becomes bewildered by the strange 

 maneuver, so unlike that of any hunter 

 he has ever encountered. — Youth's 

 Companion. 



Franklin's Tribute to Paul Jones. 



From the beginning of his acquaint- 

 ance with Franklin a mutual respect 

 and a deep atf'ection sprang up between 

 them. Tlie wise Franklin saw at a 



glance what manner of man Paul Jones 



was, and in one noble sentence described 

 him ]i9tter than many volumes could, 

 "For Captain Paul Jones ever loved 

 close ilgliting. " — Molly Elliot Seawell 

 in Century 



Why He Loved His Father. 



"Which do you love most, your papa or 

 your mamma?" 



Little Charlie — I love papa most. 



Charlie's Mother — Why, Charlie, I am 

 surprised at you ! I thought you loved me 

 most. 



Charlie — Can't help it, mamma. We 

 men have to hold together. — Jewish Times 

 and OljS'irver. 



THE SLANDERER. 



TSie angels of the living God, 

 Marked from of old with mystic name, 

 O'ervt il their vifsion, lest they see 

 One sinner prostrate in his shame. 



And God himself, the only great, 

 Pre.serves in heaven one holy spot. 

 Where, sv^ept hy purifying flame, 

 Transgression is remembered not. 



Yet thou, O banqueter on worms, 

 Who wilt not let corruption pass, 

 Dost search out mildew, mold and skem 

 Beneath a magnifying glass! 



If one lies wounded, there art thou 

 To pricl-- him deeper where he bleeds; 

 Thy bn.hi a luilinipsest of crime, 

 Thy tonvue the trump of evil deeds, 

 — Alice i3rown in Youth's CompanioKi. 



A MORAVIAN BEIDE. 



It was the 1st of August, that brightest, 

 ■tinniest month of all the year, when the 

 bloak northern coast of Labrador takes cm 

 a fleeting garb of emerald green, when 

 the boistwous winds subside to gentl« 

 zephyrs, anil the tumultous ocean, seem- 

 ingly entranced, rests from its labors and 

 lovingl}' lap.s the shore. 



In one of the broad channels between 

 the thousand rocky islss which gird the 

 main a lar^e brig lay becalmed. Her sails 

 hung idly from the yellow yards, and the 

 helmsman no longer maintained a pretense 

 of direetiu J her. 



In the ves.si I'fl waist the captain, a 

 bachelor of 40 years, promenaded back and 

 forth with a .young woman, who lightly 

 rested a gloved luuul on his arm. 



"So you have never seen his photo- 

 graph?" he asked. 



"No; not even that," she answered ab- 

 sently. 



"Yon know id iiior(M)f hiinthan merely 

 this: Tiiat hi' i^ \ et in liis uoviti- te. aqti,ne: 



