Then Sir John Blunt, one of the leaders, sold out, others followed,
and the stock began to fall. By the close of September the company
stopped payment and thousands were beggared. An investigation ordered
by Parliament disclosed much fraud and corruption, and many prominent
persons were implicated, some of the directors were imprisoned, and
all of them were fined to an aggregate amount of £2,000,000 for the
benefit of the stockholders. A great part of the valid assets was
distributed among them, yielding a dividend of about 33 per cent.


AREA OF NORTH AMERICA.--The following figures show the extent of
the United States as compared with the British possessions in
North America: United States, 3,602,884 square miles. British
possessions--Ontario, 121,260; Quebec, 210,020; Nova Scotia, 18,670;
New Brunswick, 27,037; British Columbia, 233,000; Manitoba, 16,000;
N.W. and Hudson Bay Territories, 2,206,725; Labrador and Arctic Ocean
Islands, make a total of 3,500,000.


* * * * *

[Illustration: HOUSEHOLD RECIPES]

HOUSEHOLD RECIPES


MISCELLANEOUS.

AXLE GREASE.--1. Water, 1 gallon; soda, 1/3 pound; palm oil, 10
pounds. Mix by heat, and stir till nearly cold.