Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-04-18

named Newhall Joined the Legion of
Honor in 1893. At that time the by laws
of the order provided that a member who
paid his dues and otherwise complied
with the rules should be paid certain
allowances when sick, and that his heirs
should receive $1,000 less the amounts
he had had as sick benefits when he died.
Subsequently, in 1900, the order voted to
change its bylaws so as to reduce the
sick benefit to $1,000, and deduct from
that five per cent to provide an emerg-
ency fund. Soon afterwards Newhall,
who had paid his dues promptly and had
received 5000 10 sick benefits. died and
the order offered his widow about $500.
She demanded the $1,000. less the 5000
received in sick benefits, and brought
suit to recover it. The court holds that
she is entitled to recover, on the ground
that when the Legion accepted her
husband as a member it entered into a
contract with him to pay his heirs $1,000
when he died In return for his dues, and
that having made this contract could
not change it without his consent by
any amendment to the bylaws or in any
other way.
1t follows, We suppose, that such an
order cannot raise the dues above the
rates in force when a member Joins.
which is contrary to the theory and
practice in the past. OF course it is
possible to make the contracts with new
members so as to provide for such
changes in dues and benefits, as may be
necessary. but as to old members, 1t
would seem that they can enforce the
terms given at the time of their initiation,
which in some cases is a very serious
matter.-Mirror and Farmer.
900
LARGEST COLLECTION OF BUTTERFLIES.
The largest and most valuable collec-
ton of butterflies in the world was made
by Herman Strecker, who died in Read
ing, Pa, recently. at the age of sixty
five years. Mr.. Strecker was sculptor
and an author. He was butterfly en-
thusiast, and devoted all his spare time
to capturing specimens from field and
wood. He also employed butterfly
hunters and made liberal purchases in
all parts of the world. His collection
numbers nearly 250, 900 specimens, for
some of which he paid from s. to $50,
and all together represents a cash outlay
of about S25, 900. Missionaries, travel
lers and natives of all sorts of countries
were in his service, and even the govern
ment of Russia gave him valuable aid.
The collection includes hundreds OF
unique and extinct species.
Mr.. Strecker published several scien-
tific works for which he made his own
photographic illustrations, and was con-
tributor to American and English scien.
tfic periodicals. As a naturalist he had
a wide reputation, and in INDUCING his
special delight he accumulated treasure
rep esentng fifty years of persistent
labor done in time borrowed from other
pursuits - Rochester Democrat and
Chronicle.
HOW THE BUFFALO HAS FALLEN.
Thirty years ago the number of wild
buffalo roaming the Western plains was
more than 1000, 900, according to trust
worthy estimates. In letter to the SEN
ate Secretary of Agriculture Wilson says
the number of wild bison now in the
United States is about thirty-three, OF
possibly thirty-five. The best that he can
promise for this race of splendid animals
is that its determination may be delayed
for considerable period by prompt
congressional action.
Trade has been chiefly responsible fol
the wiping out of the great buffalo herds
In the single season of lS7S-lS79 over
200,0 hides were shipped down the
Missouri River. But purposeless hunters
men whose sole desire was to kill, have
done their full share of the mischief
Commerce and "spOrt," in the reckless
combination which has marked this as
the age of determination, have robbed
the plains of the most majestic of Ameri
can wild animals.
The elephant is being wiped out O
Asia and Africa. The giraffe is so neal
to extinction that individual specimens
sell for $4,000 to $4,000, where they would
have brought only $3.50 or 5000 quartz
of century ago. Other "big game
everywhere is in peril of the buffalo
fate.-New York World.