1897. 



THE AMERICAN BEE KEEPER. 



87 



A Clever Rascal. ' 

 While a well to do Parisian was re- 

 turning recently by train from Havre, 

 during the first hour his only fellov? 

 passenger in the compartment was a 

 young man who made himself very 

 agreeable. Then others got in, and talk 

 was general. Finally the Parisian drop- 

 ped asleep. Presently the young man, 

 turning to the other passengers, with a 

 wink toward the sleeping man, said in 

 an undertone, "I'll play a good joke on 

 my uncle. " And he unfastened the strap 

 by which a small traveling bag was 

 slung over the shoulder of the sleeper. 

 "I'll change into the next compartment 

 at the first stop, and my uncle will 

 wake up and think he has been robbed. 

 It will be fun to see his face, and I can 

 watch through the little glass in the 

 partition. Don't give it away." The 

 others grinned appreciatively, and the 

 young man presently slipped out with 

 the bag. 



Soon after the owner of the bag woke 

 up. He missed his pouch from the strap 

 and jumped ap in great excitement, ex- 

 claiming, "I've been robbed!" The re- 

 sponse of his fellow passengers was a 

 roar of laughter. This added anger tc 

 the victim's excitement, and he stormed 

 furiously. Finally one of the passengers 

 assured the angry man that his bag was 

 all right; his nephew had it in the next 

 compartment. "My nephew!" shouted 

 the bewildered man. ' 'I haven't any 

 nephew. I never had a nephew. I don't 

 know anything about any nephew." 

 Then it was the turn of the other pas- 

 sengers to be dumfounded. But the 

 thief got away, and there were several 

 thousand francs in the bag. — Paris Let- 

 ter. 



Nourishing: Gruels. 



Nourishing gruels are always in de- 

 mand for delicate persons as well as in- 

 valids. Those most called for are of In- 

 dian meal or oatmeal. For oatmeal 

 gruel put into a pan over the fire a 

 quart of boiling water, add to it 2 table- 

 spoonfuls of oatmeal by sifting it in 

 slowly between the fingers, stirring all 

 the while. When well mixed cover the 

 saucepan and place it at the back of the 

 fire, where it will simmer for two hours. 

 Season with salt enough to make it pal- 

 atable and sweeten it if desired. Strain 

 it through a medium fine sieve. To a 



small teacup two- thirds full of this hot 

 gruel add a teaspoonful of cream when 

 serving it to an invalid. Indian meal 

 gruel is made by mixing 2 level table- 

 spoonfuls of meal with half a spoonful 

 of flour, stirring into the dry ingredients 

 half a cup of cold water before mixing 

 them with a quart . of boiling water. 

 Let this mixture cook slowly at the 

 back of the fire two hours, stirring it 

 occasionally to prevent its sticking to 

 the bottom of the pan, season generous- 

 ly with salt, a very little sugar and a 

 suspicion of nutmeg. This gruel should 

 also be served with cream, like the oat- 

 meal gruel. — Chicago Times-Herald. 



Two of Tait's Stories. 



The late archbishop of Canterbury 

 had many good stories to tell. Two are 

 recalled by his private secretary, Man- 

 deville B. Phillips, in some personal 

 reminiscences, which he contributes 

 to the London Sunday Magazine. One 

 concerned Archbishop Tait's coachman, 

 who was a very original character. One 

 day a clergyman who called at the pal- 

 ace asked him whether he had still as 

 much to do as ever. The answer was 

 sublime. "There's always a goodish bit 

 doing, sir, but it's been a trifle easier 

 since we took young Mr. Parry into the 

 business. ' ' The Right Rev. Edward 

 Parry had recently been appointed bishop 

 suffragen of Dover. 



Another of the archbishop's stories, 

 also of a coachman, will be new to 

 many. A gentleman living in the neigh- 

 borhood of Addington, finding that the 

 stablemen were not in the habit of at- 

 tending church, spoke to his coachman 

 about it. "They ought to go," he said. 

 "That's just what I say myself, " was 

 the rejoinder. "I says to them: 'Look 

 at me. I go. And what harm does it do 

 me?' " 



A lyiving Record. 



A white man sued a black man in 

 Natal the other day, and while the trial 

 was proceeding the litigants came to an 

 amicable settlement. 



The counsel for the plaintiff announc- 

 ed this circumstance to the court. 



"The agreement must be in writing, " 

 said the judge. 



* ' We have it here in black and white, ' ' 

 replied the counsel, pointing to the par- 

 ties. "What more is necessary?" ~ '*- 



