The Opelousas courier., 1898-08-27
"A FfCkIc WcatECcCCCK.

cock" onCe received a striking refu-
tation in the experience Of Or. w. T..
Claiming. The famous Boston preach
er, being of Il feeble constitution. was
led to go to extremes in protecting him
self against the cold, penetrating air Of
the winter in Boston; at such times
nothing would induce him to go out of
the house, even in a carriage, If the
wind was from the east.
A friend not having heard from DR..
Claiming for three weeks, notWith-
standing that the weather had been I'M
usually mild and agreeable, feared that
he might be i'll and called at his home
to inquire. He found Claiming in ,lOt,
library, the sun streaming thror the
closed windows, and a lten's fire in
the CRATE; the Don wa:s-.ost su4o-
eating. The doctor hink If seemed in
his usual health and %.pirits. Natural
ly, the visitor askC why he was not
enjoying the sc"Ilair and sunshine,
Charming shoe, ais head and said:
"Impossfb1t,, - friend. dare not,
di' WV hLoN LtAV'Sl ftLlulS pQl VI
f.tors in an c~ast-wind."
But the wind has been in the south
for the 'asss three weeks!" urged his
friend.
you are greatly mistaken" rejoined
the doctor. Look at the weather
vane." and he printed triumphantly to
the weathercotk Of a neighboring
church. "
but hat vane has not moved for the
last three weeks. 1t wants oiling," was
the response.
The good doctor had been kept a pris-
oner for three weeks by a rusty wealth
ercock!-Youth's Companion.
Dr. Frederick II. Wines, of Illinois,
has been discussing the subject of the
youth Of the prisoners in the penal in
situations Of the United States. and his
conclusions show that the %convicts of
the country are q more youthful set OF
men than it is generally supposed they
are. or the S2,32J prisoners i'll the
country one-eighth are to be found in
y Aolh, SlllloN oAN AAt''%'A
chusetts. The average age of the pris-
Oners was under 81, and nearly one
half We're under 80, about a third under
70 and nearly One-eighth under ~. The
average age Of the public pauper is 81
years. The average age of a negro
prisoner is 271a years, Of a native white
prisoner so years and of a foreign white
prisoner 81 years and 8 months. The
youth Of these convicts raises the
queries whether they are born GRIMM
ais, and, if not. what has driven them
to q life Of crime at so early an age!
If they have become eyil-doers through
force Of circumstances, what proper
ton OF them can be saved by proper
treatment. so that they will become
law-abidinS citizens! 1t Is a matter Of
no little Importance that the Volunteers
Of America have undertaken to deal
with all the questions involved in this
condition Of affairs. in 4 practical way,
with 4 View to rescuing these young
criminals when they shall have com
pleted their term of servitu1e. The
directors Of this movement assume that
i'll the hearts Of most Of these men there
is 4 sincere wish to live better lives.
and that if the opportunity is given
them very many will embrace 1t aud
become upright and reputable citizens.
At the New York State reformatory
at Elmira the system Of manual train
ing has been introduced to educate the
to work, 1t being proved
that they have been led into lives of
crime through associations that have
brought about a total adherence of
honest labor. The system employed
tends to q civilization of the will
we'll as the education of the hand,
and so far it has been remarkably sue
cessful.
SO finely are The SCALES Of nature aG-
justed that it IS probable every defect
has is compensation near at hand.
Mans part is 70 find Il. in Kansas and
.7cbrasxa the Rainfall is insufficient to
supply the pSds of agricultural vege-
tation. Nevertheless it has recently
ben ascertaiuud that an incxhaustible
deposit Of water lies directly below all
the arid region; while the wind. ma
agent 70 lift the water, blows
the wlHle summer. 1t was from
air res:sterindone hundred degrees be-
zero that Nansen, by means of a
windmill, wrested the power to light
and heat his ice-bound Fran. The
Kansas farmers should not be slow to
conquer nature as Nansen did.
Tho world moves, but it docs not