, and the Best Line
of Dining Cars in the World. Three Trains between Chicago and Missouri
River Points. Two Trains between Chicago and Minneapolis and St. Paul,
via the Famous

"ALBERT LEA ROUTE."

A New and Direct Line, via Seneca and Kankakee, has recently been opened
between Richmond, Norfolk, Newport News, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Augusta,
Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and
Lafayette, and Omaha, Minneapolis and St. Paul and intermediate points.

All Through Passengers Travel on Fast Express Trains.

Tickets for sale at all principal Ticket Offices in the United States
and Canada.

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
astronom