have met in some mid-air smoking-room day after day, and somehow, between the soothing of a good cigar and the wonderful view, have come into better understanding. Nor can any one say how many deals have gone through by the friendly mediation of a midair meal together in one of those favorite corners, where the boats pass, or what troublesome business tangles have untangled themselves through the magic of an afterdinner coffee, with the breeze blowing in. It is hard for a man to be petty or mean or to higgle for trifles with the majesty of those patient rivers bearing in on him. These are the business advantages I mentioned, and experience has shown that they are very real.

*

The Richest Nation in the World.

The richest nation in the world proportionately is not Great Britain, not fat little Holland, not even the United States.

For the greatest average individual wealth we must look to the Australian commonwealth.

Australia is a continental island, rich in land fit for settlement and industry. Its national prosperity is dependent upon no single product, but embraces pastoral, agricultural and mining industries in almost equal degree, and to these are rapidly being added manufactures.

Last year the total value of the products of the colonies forming the Australian Commonwealth amounted to fully $550,000,000, of which their pastoral industries represented $150,000,000, their agricultural $140,000,000, their mineral products fully $100,000,000, and their manufacturing and other industries the remaining $160,000,000.

The wool alone from the hundred and twenty million sheep raised in 1900 was worth $100,000,000.

The mineral resources of Australia cannot even be guessed at. In the last forty-eight years the country has produced gold to the value of $1,800,000,000, in the last twenty silver to the value of $150,000,000.

Diamonds are found in one district, rubies in another. There is at least one emerald mine in New South Wales, and opals equal to any in the world are found in Queensland, while the pearl fisheries of the northwestern coast produce a considerable portion of the most valuable pearls of commerce.-N. Y. World.

* * *

Was Willing, But

The father was quite anxious for his son to marry, and on every occasion he was picking out what he thought was a suitable girl. One night at dinner the old gentleman sat next to a very attractive young woman, savs the New York Telegraph, and on his way home he was loud in his praises. "My boy," he said, "she's the very girl for you."

"Not much," replied the boy, with peculiar emphasis.

"But I say she is," persisted papa. "And I say not," insisted the son. The father became testy on the subject. "You're hard to please. You don't expect a woman to be perfect, do you?" "No."

"Then why isn't this one just the girl for you?"

"Because." replied the young man, with an effort, "she's for some other fellow. She told me so last night."-Exchange.

The Way in Which Some College Men Got Even With an Exacting Instructor.

Among some intensely amusing college scrapes told by "A Graduate." in the September Ladies' Home Journal, is the story of a certain professor, not much liked by his pupils, who was to be married. The lady lived in Cleveland. And the students that loved (?) him were not, of course, invited. But they determined that in some way he should hear from them. And he did. On the day appointed the professor took the train at 10 a. m., due to arrive at Cleveland at 12:30 p. m. About 11 o'clock Jim Townsend rushed to the telegraph office and sent off this dispatch:

Man

"Chief of Police. Cleveland, Ohio: coming on train No. 6, tall, well dressed, frock coat. silk hat, side whiskers. Escaped Junatic. Hold! Shrewd, therefore beware! Strange case. Will say name Finalli. Mistake. Thinks he is Professor in a college. Deluson. Escort to home of friends at No. Euclid avenue."

This message reached its destination long before train No. 6 reached Cleveland, so that when Professor Finalli alighted it was to walk straight into the custody of three detectives. They would listen to no words of reason, but escorted him out to the house on Euclid avenue, the home of his intended bride.

bal

Recent experiments with dirigible loons, together with the interest aroused by the forthcoming competition for airships at Paris, lead optimists to think that aerial navigation is much nearer than ever before. To these Prof. Simon Newcomb's conservative article in the September McClure's, "Is the Airship Coming?" will be incontrovertible testimony in rebuttal. Looking at the question of aerial navigation both from the scientific standpoint and from the practical standpoint, Prof. Newcomb points out the very serious difficulties which must be overcome. He also shows that, from a commercial standpoint, there is no demand for, or need of, transportation by airship. This he considers a very serious obstacle in the solution of the problem. There is, he be

I'm wondering whether my Father,
The Father of rich and of poor,
The One whom we all call Our Father,
Whose mercies are great and endure,
While Justice seems slow or seems sleeping,
And Wrong has the full "right of way,"-
I'm wondering whether he's keeping

His watch in the night and the day,

If His breath will destroy all the combines

As bubbles are burst by my boy,

If He'll let in the light of His sunshine,
And turn the world's sorrow to joy.
-George M. Gage.

* * *

Do You Know English?

Let him who thinks he knows the English language try writing this from the Boston Writer at some one's dictation:

"In promulgating your esoteric cogitations or articulating superficial sentimentalities and philosophical or psychological observations, beware of platitudinious ponderosity. Let your conversation possess clarified conciseness, compacted comprehensibleness, coalescent consistency, and concatinated cogency. Eschew all conglomerations, flatulent garrulity, jejune bablement, and asinine affections. Let you extemporaneous decantatings and unpremeditated expatiations have intelligibility, without rho

Albert H. Tanner

MITCHELL & TANNER

Attorneys at Law

Commercial Block

PORTLAND, OR

A. C. & R. W. EMMONS

Attorneys at Law

PORTLAND AND SEATTLE

Chamber of Commerce Portland, Ore.

THE J. K. GILL CO.

BOOKSELLERS and STATIONERS

THIRD AND ALDER STREETS
PORTLAND, ORE.

Library Association
of Portland

STARK STREET Bet. 7th and Park

24,000 Volumes and over 200 Periodicals. $5.00 a year and $1.50 a Quarter. Two Books Allowed on all Subscriptions. HOURS: From 9 A. M. to 9 P. M. Daily Except Sundays and Holidays.

lously avoid all polysyllabical profundity, pompous prolixity, and ventriloquial verbosity. Shun double entendre and prurient jocosity, whether obscure or apparent. other words, speak truthfully, naturally, clearly, purely and don't use big words."

In

"The Oregon State Fair at Salem, September 23 to 28, 1901, inclusive, promises to be the best this year that has yet been held. New features for amusement and instruction have been added, and particular attention will be given to the stock exhibit, owing to the great and constantly increasing interest in dairying throughout the state.

"For this occasion, the Southern Pacific Company will make a rate of one fare for the round trip, from all its stations in Oregon to Salem and return, and it is to be hoped that everyone who can do so will show his appreciation by taking advantage of this opportunity to pass a few days pleasantly and profitably at our State Capital."

"The Great Carnival, which opens at Portland on September 19th and continues until October 19, 1901, will be well worth a visit to the metropolis.

at

"Exhibits of agricultural and horticultural products, mining and manufacturing industries, athletic exercises, a horse show which feats of horsemanship and the various forms of fancy riding will be seen, and a magnificent military tournament, participated in by picked companies from the Oregon National Guard, are a few of the attractions at the Carnival this year.

"The Southern Pacific Company will sell tickets at low rates for this occasion, and will also run a special excursion from Ashland to Portland and return, stopping at all intermediate stations, the date and rates for which will be announced hereafter."

PORTLAND,

-B. Keene.

OREGON.