Baggage checked through and rates of fare always as low as competitors that offer less advantages. For detailed information, get the Maps and Folders of the GREAT ROCK ISLAND ROUTE, At your nearest Ticket Office, or address R.R. CABLE, Vice-Pres. & Gen'l M'g'r, E. ST. JOHN, Gen'l Tkt. & Pass. Agt. CHICAGO. * * * * * STANDARD BOOKS. NOW READY FOR DISTRIBUTION. VOLUMES ONE AND TWO OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER NORMAN HORSES The most reliable, concise, and exhaustive history of the horse in general, and by far the most complete and authentic one of the Norman horse in particular, ever published in the United States. PRICES: Volume I.........................................$ 2.00 Volume II........................................ 1.50 When the two volumes are sent in one package to one address, $3.00. Sent, postpaid, on receipt of price. Address your orders to PRAIRIE FARMER PUBLISHING CO., Chicago * * * * * REMEMBER _that_ $2.00 _pays for_ THE PRAIRIE FARMER _one year and, the subscriber gets a copy of_ THE PRAIRIE FARMER COUNTY MAP OF THE UNITED STATES, FREE! _This is the most liberal offer ever made by any first-class weekly agricultural paper in this country._ SCIENTIFIC. THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM. "We have seen his star in the East," said the wise men. From what remote region of antiquity may we suppose that this fancy came, that important events to the world of man were heralded by marvelous phenomena of the heavens? To the ignorant man, there can never be any world outside of that with which he is concerned. So the primitive man had no use for planets, comets, and the like, that were not in some way concerned with his destiny. And we no doubt own our magnificent modern science of astronomy to the quack system of astrology, which was only a device to induce the heavenly bodies to minister to the importance and conceit of man. The accepted Scriptures tell us that the birth of the Savior of mankind was heralded by the appearance of a remarkable star in the sky. Taking this assertion to be true, it might be a matter of some interest to consider what explanations have been made of this phenomenon. A large majority of religious teachers, we admit, even to the present day, have attempted no explanation whatever, but have settled the subject by calling the star a miraculous appearance, concerning whose true nature we can know nothing. But two solutions of the phenomenon have been given by well-known astronomers, either of which, if accepted, will place the miracle in the list of purely natural occurrences.