The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, in reviewing a discussion of the removal of the tonsils, expresses the opinion that the operation is a much more serious one than it is popularly considered, and should certainly not be entered upon lightly, but discreetly, advisedly and soberly. This admonition coming, as it does at a season where the tonsils, especially in children, are most subject to irritation and inflammation, should be borne in mind.

Thief River Falls.—After Escaping with his family from a burning cabin on his claim near Grygia yesterday, L. O. Markland, 65 years old, returned for clothing for his wife and sons and was burned to death. Only a few charred bones were found among the ruins. Markland and wife, occupying a bedroom on the ground floor, were awakened by smoke and flames. They aroused their two sons, who leaped from upstairs windows. The temperature was 40 degrees below zero and the family was only clothed scantily.

A kite lifted a boy aloft at Rouchin, near Lille, recently. Experiments were being made with the kite when the anchor rope broke, and the boy, who was standing near, seized the end of the cord as the kite rose in the air, in an attempt to hold it down. As the kite lifted him off his feet he seemed powerless to release his hold and was carried aloft, while his mother, who was present, shrieked and implored the inventor to save her son. The kite rose quickly to a height of about fifty feet, with the boy dangling at the end of the cord and screaming for help. Then suddenly it dipped, and when it was at a height of about twenty feet the boy let go. He crashed heavily to the ground and was picked up suffering from severe internal injuries.

In the face of world-wide tendency toward shorter hours for the worker, a determined effort is being made in England to make the hen work overtime. The motto of the movement is "A longer working day for hens." It has current interest just now because of the row over the high price of eggs—the purpose of the "long day" obviously being a larger crop of eggs per hen. Mr. William H. Cook has, for nearly a year, kept his poultry house lighted artificially in the weary morning and evening He uses 300 incandescent electric lamps, and has them so arranged that he can imitate sunrise and sunset by turning them on or off gradually.

Los Angeles, Cal., Jan. 27.—The "third degree" with a "ghost" as the central figure was applied by arresting officers in an attempt to obtain from John H. Grondin, a young druggist, a confession to the slaying of his wife, Zella, according to a statement made public by his attorney.

Grondin's counsel declared that shortly after he was arrested Saturday night he was taken by detectives into a darkened room where a "ghost" soon appeared and demanded in gloomy tones, "Why did you murder me?"

His attorneys said the question and the "ghost" failed to shake their client's protestations of innocence.

Reno, Nev., Jan. 27.—The craze for the tango and similar dances has seized the Shoeshone Nation of Nevada Indians. Both old and young Indians are abandoning time-honored tribal dances, notably the redskins throughout White Pine county, and are raising funds for the construction of a large dance hall for their own use in learning and dancing the tango. One of the Indian girls has so perfected herself in the tango that she is giving complete course lessons for $2.50. Many other maidens of the tribes are learning rapidly.

Character actors, according to producers, are becoming scarce. Not, however, in the sense of “character” acting as it is known today, for all comedians have listed themselves under the head of “character” people. But the real old timers, who could change grease paint with costumes and do “Brutus” one act and “Uncle Tom” the next, are disappearing. This condition is due, actors say, to the mangers insisting that men and women specialize in one line of acting. It has resulted in thousands of “At Liberty” ads being published every season.