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ipp t K jASA * IfitfPSil - »l < AFFAIRS IN ILLINOIS. IKTEKESTIXO ITEMS GATHERED rFROM VARIOUS SOURCES. What Oar Neighbor* Are Doing Jtatters of Goneral an<l Local Interest -- Mar- T%os and Dosthsr-AccWenU and Crimes --Personal Pointers. --The following officers were chosen by ' the Illinois Grand Army encampment, in session at Quincy last week: Department Commander, William L. Distill, of Quincy. Senior Vice Department Commander, <f. T. Harral, of Aurora. Junior Vice Department Commander, N. B. Thistlewood, of Cairo. Modical Director of the Bepartment, P. L. Mc- Kinnie, of Evans ton. Deportment Chaplain. Toaiah Moore, of Ke- vanee. Council of A dm lnistrn 11 on, W. W. Bean, of Streator ; Willia u Venable. of Macomb: A. K Avery, of-Pontia?; William Olemlenin, of Mo- line ; Thomas W. Cole, of Hock ford. DELEGATES TO THE NATI0NA1, <-.Nl AMPMKKT. Delegate-at-Imrge--H. K. Hit l rich of Chicago. From tbe Congressional l)int icts--H. B. Brooks, Jumes O'lioniK II. J. C. Corbns, Samuel B. Cl'.aje, A. S. Wripht, Oeorgo S. Hop r. J. W. Avohibild Mtans, H. H. McDowell, 8. 8. Tripp. John Klder, H. T. Shaw, James H. Alath- "iiv. A. D. Cadwallftder, O. W. Harwood, John Ijj-nch, 8. McKnigbt, Louis KrughotF, A. U. Huvdiek, C. O. Pati» r. The Twelve Chosen bv the Convention--The Rev. H. "W. Bolton, H. A. Oliver. H. H. Evans, li. J. i/ambcrfc, J. R. Htri-ing, Bens<m Wood, W. H. Collins. J. 13. Taylor, ti. \V. One, George R. Xyon, Horace S. Clark, P. G. Galvin. The report of the Committee on Reso- lotions, instead of indorsing the service- pension bill, as General Alger advocated, simply declared in favor of the disability lull,, adding that it was inadvisable at this time to take action on the subject of the eervice-pension measure. Another of the resolutions asks the Legislature to pass a law to provide for paying the ex­ penses of maintaining insane veterans, and for the burial of old soldiers when they die. In the annual report of the Grand Commander espoc al attention is paid to the condition of affairs at the Soldiers and Snilors' Home. There have been 1,564 men admitted, and there are 900 there now. Olio hundred and eighteen have been buried in three years. Nearly every county in Illinois and twenty-eight States of tbe Union are represented in the institution. The j>er capita cost of maintenance in 1888 was $1.95, and is now $1.73. Decatur was selected as tbe site of the next k w ' %*¥?> * Si:>" •* * iv.- K" >•>, v* *•* • \% ' £ * *• $ " : - •' • encamp. uient after a spirited figbt, that city hav­ ing a majority of cigbteeu over Rockford. --A meeting of the stockholders of the Illinois (^tral Railroad Company was held in Chicago last week. It was the date for tbe annual meeting, but it WAS decided io change tbe time of the annual meeting fiom the second Wednosday in March to the second Wednesday in Octo­ ber. The election of directors was post­ poned until that <lrtte, tbe present tourd holding over. Of the ".S4G persons who own the $40,009,000 capital stock there were l,82t stockholders, owning $25,- 170,200, lepresented in person or by proxy. The number of stockholders in Illinois is niuety-eight aud they hold 13,027 shares. In 1873 there were only 338 American share-owners, their hold­ ings being 34,515 shares; at present there are 1,577 American stockholders, owning 139,613 shares, being $13,961,300, or more than one-third of the entire capital. <--Two men are under arrest at Peoria a charge of having murdered Bern­ hardt Junghaus, whose body was dragged from the Illinois River. It is said the murdered man was a fugitive from Ger­ man political justice. The affair cansed something of a sensation at Peoria. Oet. 4. 1889, Jnnghaus was in St. Louis, Mo., with two women who, ho said, were from Peoria. He put up with them at the Green Tree Hotel, a favorite German re­ sort. He gave the clerk a roll of bills amounting to & 1,500 to put in the safe for turn. 'ihe landlord objected to the women and Junghaus left the house in anger. He was lavish w th his money, especially with his female companions. ...HoJelt: St. Louis on the night of Oct. 14, ostensibly for Peoria. accompanied by the women. The Green Tree Hotel proprietor states that one of the women, while under tbe influence of liquor, said they W<TQ "working the old man for his money." --Rowland Leach, the New Ycrk drum­ mer who mysteriously disappeared from the Palmer House, Chicago, was not mur­ dered., but while in a drunken stupor walked off the wharf at the foot of North Market street, fell into the Chicago River, and was drowned. On tbe Sunday night of Leach's disappearance a sailor named Casey found a man in a helpless con­ dition at the corner of Michigan and Market streets. He roused him and^at- temptedto get him into a cab to send him to the Palmer House. "With drunken in­ gratitude Leach roundly cursed him for hiB kindly offices, and Casey walked away in disgust, leaving Leach to go to his death. He went into a saloon and re­ mained there among strangers till two o'clock next morning. He spent $2 for liquor there, and then reeled out of the place and dewn in the darkness to the river, into wbich'he stumbled. The police dragged the river snd brought Leach's body to the surfaco from beneath some old SCOTS. Papers in his pockets made his identification complete. Updn Leach's person was found a diamond collar button and diamond ring, his gold watch and rhain, and a small sum of money. Leach was a drummer for a New York house, and was one of tbe best known and most popu­ lar traveling men on the road. --'The officers of the prohibition or­ ganizations throughout the Slate are holding conference meetings with a view of getting the sentiment of the third- party workers as to the best time for holding the State Convention. This is being done at the suggestion of the Chairman of the State Cential Com­ mittee. --Dwiqht ITolbrook. aged 73 years, a native of Milford, Conn., and for the last fifteen yearB a prominent resident of Chicago, committed suicide by hanging. --The next Legislature will undoubt­ edly have'before it all the information necessary for decided action in connec­ tion with the prison system of the State. A Springfield dispatch says: Fred H. Wines, Secretary of the State Board of Charities, has i»st returned from an extend- <*1 tour through the Eastern States in c- aiiection with tho committee appointed by 1h_> last legis­ lature f< r this purpose, in order to formulate •ome plan for tho employment of the prisoners •who are no v irils on account of the repeal of the contract convict labor system. The systems of •emplovtnen' which receive the m< st favor abroad a-e thy public account, contract, and price systems, any of which, the commit tea was assured, can be operated successfully by honest management, and no doubt some recommenda­ tions iu this direction will be incorporated ijithu --Referring to the muddled condition of politics in McLean County, the Bloom-. ington Eye says: The political outlook in McLean County is very murky, and the old-timers of both parties are "not quite cer'nln whether to appear hopeful or despondent. There are so many ways to'skin a poiitical cat that the Democrats don't know whether to begin at the htai or the tail, while the Ke.cublii ans are undecided whether to let the hida go with tbe 1 allow or try to save tbe entire carcass. It is this periurbatiou of spirit and uncprtaintv of mind among the partisan leaders that makes the coining political strug­ gle such an interesting study to stricilv non­ par tis-ui people. Here iu McL<( an County the eleux nts ar.- at work that may revolutionize even a political community aeeiririgly as one­ sided as this, for tbe caloiic is in the atmos­ phere that will Kent-rate a lorce before which old political traditions must fall away. --The following Illinois pensions have been granted: Original Invalid--.Toel Tobias.Haldane; Chris­ topher Bust, Belleville; Win. H. Shaver. Terra Cotta; William P. Williams (deceasedi. HarU- ville; navy. .Tolm D. Sullivan. Blooatington; Wm. Fonner, Belleville; Joseph Viera(deceased), Springfield; 'Ihoinas Siuxnson, Springfield; Ja­ cob F. Adams (deceased!. Hillsboro ; Frank Ke?l, Quincy : Charles M. I vers. Marseilles; Anderson M. Mitchell, Bethany; DeForest D. Vincent, Ottawa; Samuel Marsh, Klgin; Jacob Howell, Honey Bend; Tohn McDermott, Quincy; Fur- guson Bafferty. Abiticton; Presley P. Boyer, Kansas ; Michael Crackel. Sailor Springs ; Isaac Miller, Grafton; John II. Widmer. Ottawa; John W. Kckman, Bidge Farm ; Andrew J.Wood­ ruff, McLeansboro; Elijah H. Clark, Charles­ ton ; David Gigley, Chenoa ; Daniel Thornton, lvidley; Wm. C. Gustine. Gaiesburg. Increase--Allen T. Baker, Robinson ; Geo. W. Doyle, Barry; Joshua Worthen, Ava; Barrea J. Hobbs, Now Burnside; Bevin W. Jones, Crab Orchard; John Eurifiht, Vernon; Hervey IJ. Stockey, Decatur; Thos. C. Goforth, Ridge- way; John Virgil, l^wiston; Jas. Cook, Hen­ derson ; John II. Brown. Utah ; Francis Hatton, Stone Fort; Jas. I. Randal, Olnev; Wyatt M. NftKce, Makanda; Burrel T. Goodwin, Trella; Robert J. Tate, l'arrishjWm. Shook, Olnev; John Henderson, Jacksonville; Samuel C. Fer- rill, Oobdon; Weldon S. Mannon, Benton ; Dan­ iel Lees, Bernadotte; Gillis V. Hender­ son, New G. Chain; Wm. G. Cum- mings. Rose Hill; John W. Creek, Flora; David W. White, Georgetown; Georgo Spaid, Port Byron ; Theovhilus Parker. Carmi; Elijah Moore, Parrish; Hudson Burr, Bloomington ; Paris C. Arnold, Shetbyville; William Sutton, Jefifersonvillo; Lucius D. Nolan, Carrier's Mills: Benjamin F. Heap, Olnev: Anderson McMain, Armstrong; Thomas D. Snaw, Lilly; William T. Roberts, Cottage Home; Henry G. Sternberger, Blair; Oliver S. Baldwin, George­ town ; James H. Courtney, Wayne City. Restoration--Klisha W. fctaflord, MarcelUne; John Domback, Deer Plains. Reissue--Charles H. Lemons, Sanborn ; James N. Chase, Macomb ; Mabury H. Pi-esley, Flora; Klisha Jenner, West Salem ; AndrewD. iieely, , Kewanee ; Thos. J. Donovan, Donovan. Restoration and Increase--Warren F. Alden, McLeansboro. Original Widows. Etc.--Minors of James M. Allison. SpringOeld; minors of George Jones, Astoria; Catherine, widow of Samuel L. Shirts, Chicago ; Francis M , father of John C. Bennett, New baleui; Ellen, widbw of James Gleeson, Worth ; Anna 15., widow' of Henry Bremi. Mt. Olive; Sarah J„ widow of Jacob F. Adams, Hillsboro; Nancy C., widow of Wm. 1'. Will­ iams. Hartsvillrt ; Mary F,, widow of Wm. Vau- gcrdon. Altamont ; Mary A., mother of Ed­ ward V. Tate, Fairfield': Mnry A., widow of John F. Cox. Kaston; Elizabeth, mother of James C. Emmons, Bird's; Mary J., widow.of Lyman W. Curiif r, 1! looming ton ; m'nora of John T. White, Golc mda ; hiirali. mother of James H. .Giles, Monnioiith; Jane, widow of Joseph Vieira, Hpriiigfiela ; Marv K. Flvnn, for­ mer widow of Edward Schofield, Fairfield. --Tbe State Board of Agriculture, at a ; meeting held in Peoria last week, dis- j cassed the World's Fair situation. The board decided to bold another fut-stock show in Chicago, having been guaran­ teed against loss. It was%lso decided to hold t>o State Fair in 1892, so as not to conflict with the World's Fair. The board passed resolutions that Gov. Fifer be earnestly requested to convene at an early day a special session of the Legis­ lature. and to recommend a sufficient ap­ propriation from the State Treasury to place the display from the department of Illinois abreast of all other State ex­ hibits. and that the Governor be request­ ed to invite similar action by all other States. The board asked Peoria for six acres more for State Fair grounds and 300 feet more of amphitheater and tun­ nels under the race track, all of whieh will be granted. --The appointment of James C. Conk- ling as postmaster at Springfield settles a somewhat hotly cont ested fight for the place which has been waged for months- Mr. «Conkling has been a resident of Springfield since 1838. He is a lawyer of acknowledged ability, and has served as Mayor of that city and member of the Legislature. He did much to secure the location of the capital at Springfield. --Information from Southern and Cen­ tral Illinois indidates more or less dam* ago to the wheat ctop by freezing. The warm weather last month advanced the growth to such an exteut that it was in a very tender condition when the sharp freeze began. The Fnltz wheat is a swamp variety, and has suffered most. It advances much more rapidly in growth in tbe early season than the old golden chaff or Mediterauean. All of the variety between Springfield and Peoria is severe­ ly injured. On account of the peculiar condition of the soil in the region named the other varieties have fared better. From the reports on fruit in the southern part of the State, it may be safely stated that the peach crop is ruined. Apples and cherries ore safe, but pears are in- •I jured to a considerable extent. Straw­ berries, where properly covered and pro­ tected, are not extensively injuied; bnt where they were not cared for they are killed or have suffered badly. --An effort to declare tbe "short-cause calendar" law unconstitutional and void has been made in the Supreme Court on an appeal from the Cogk County Superior Court. The objections as made to it by the lawyer who raises the question are that it is in violation of tbe constitution, • which provides that the General Assem­ bly shall not pass local or special laws enumerating with other subjects tbe regu­ lation of praotice in courts of justice> and also that it conflicts with sections 14, 15. and 1G, chapter 110, of the general practice act, which provides that the clerk shall keep a docket of all cases pending, and the causes to which the people may be a party shall be firet set down, after which shall be set down all cases in law in order according to the date of their commencement. --There was quite an exodus of citi­ zens from Benton, Franklin County, last week. A Deputy United States Marshal swooped down and a delegation of twenty men were soon on tbe road to Cairo to appear before the Federal Grand Jury on charges of felling illicit whisky. --The resignation of Judite Samuel S. Page, of Peorin, one of the Judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, has been re­ ceived by the Governor. The latter has called a special election for April 1 to fill the vacancy. --The Illinois Central Railroad Com­ pany last week posted notices in its ex­ tensive shops at Centralia reducing the working time to nine hours a day, which is equivalent to a 10 per cent, reduction in wages. The men were greatly sur­ prised at the action. --Beraard Juneghans, a horse-dealer possessing considerable means, was mur­ dered at Peoria, and bis body thrown into the river. It was discovered floating on a cake of ice two mile * below the city. The police are investi< ting the case, but with scant hopes of discovering the mox- derer. • .- Ik THE GREEN DIAMOND mm AND NOTES ABOtnr TBI n*. - TIOKAL OA MB. ^ ° Til* Will Consist of t«n CluHi, "id Will Open the Season April #6-- Kas*-Ball In Kngland and Australia-- Gossip About Clubs and Players. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.[ Iflfl League^ base-ball magnates, at ~ their recent meeting in Cleveland, decided up­ on a ten-club circuit, a&d adopte 1 a schedule accordingly. The clubs composing the League and the qames of the piayers under contract are herewith uppended: Eosti n -- W. S. Brod'e, John G. Clarkson. P. J. Donovan. Chnrles W. Gnn- :ell. Louis VV. Hardie, H. C. Long, Robert L. Lowe, James McGarr. C". A. Nich­ ols, C. M. b-aith, A. Shellhasae, T. J. Tucker, John P. later. Brooklyn--T. P. Br.ras. H. Collins, K. L. Car- rnthers, J. S. COrkhiil, B. H. Clark, Thomas P. Dalv. D. L. Fouti, M. F. Hughes, J. Newman, W. I>. O'Brien, G. B. Piackney, C. S. Reynolds, G. J. Smith, George T. Stalling. W. H. Terry. Chicago--A. C. Anson, J. P.Andrews. Thomai E, Burns, W. E. Blair. J. J. Coonev. VV. E. Congblin, Cliff Can-oil, Howard Earl. Bert L. CJarvin, W. F. Hutchinson, W. B. Inks, M. J. Kittrid»:e. J. C. La nor, Th«mas Nagle, Peter J. O'Brien, M. J. Sullivan. W. R. Wilmot. Cincinnati--C. J3. Baldwin, Ollie P. Beard, W. W. Carpenter, William Earl, J. W. Hollidnv, Jerry Harrington. James W. Keenan, ,T. W\ Knight, T. J. Mullane. J. A. McThee, H. Nicol, J. G. fteilly, George l ebeau, L. Viau, William Wilhrock, Frmeis J. Foreman. < Cloveland--Ed Dealin, George Davis, Thomas J. Dowsu, Viucent Daily, R. J. Gilks, Ezra P. Lincoln, E. J. McKeau", Charles J. Parsons, Joseph Somers, W. D. Smallev, L. L. Stockwell, W. W. Veach. John Wads worth, C. L. Ztmmer. Indianapolis--C. E. Bassett, H. J. Boyle, R. D. Buckley, Jesse Burkett, Jerry Denny, Ed H. Eiteljoy, J. W. Glasscock, William George, Nick T. Ivory, Albert ,i. Inks, C. B. Miller, Georgo C. Mtakim", A. Manas sun, A. W. Russie, J. A. ham­ mers, M. J. Scanlan, l'eto Week booker. New York--1'. J. Murphy, M. Tiernan, SI. Welch. Philadelphia--David Anderson, R. G. Allen, El 1>. Burke, John Clements, K. H. Decker, K. J. Di lehantv, William Dav, William Gleason, A1 Myers, Joseph Mulvey, L l Mayer, Allan Mc- Caulley, William Shriver, John F. Smith, S. L. Thompson. Pittsburg--J. P. Bock ley, John P. Btfrger, Kirttiey Baker, Howard Brandenburg, P. J. Daniels,Charles Gray,Guy Hacker, W. H. Hemp, Henry Jones, John J. lveltie, S. H. Laroque, tj. F. Miller, Ed Mulhearn,. Fred Root, P. J. Rout- Cliffe, William Sowders, Fred Schmitt, W. A. Sunday. William Wilson, Henry Youngman. Washington--Frank Bird, Herman Bader, Beldon Hill, Michael Jordan, James Maloouey, Harry L. Mace, Peter McCoy, F. F. Nichols, \V. C. Phillips, J. H. Riddle, F. H. Stover, Lewis Whisilor. Ch}cago will open the season at Cin­ cinnati on April 26. The opening game in Chicago will be bctweon the same teams on May 10. On Decoration Day the Chicagos will be in Brooklyn, and on the Fourth of July the Bostous, with Clarkson and Bennett, will play in Chi­ cago. The rest of tha Chicago dates on the home grouuds are: With Boston--July 3, 4 (two games); July 29, 30; Sept. 13, 15. Wilh Brooklyn--June '50, July 1, i ; July i*i, 28; Sept. 18, "19. With New York- July 10, 11, 115; Aug. 2. 4; Sept. 11, 12. With Philadelphia-- June 20 ,'J7, '28; July 31, .Aug. 1; Sept. 20. 22. With Washington--July 5, 7, 8; Aug. 5, 6; Sept. 10, 1?. With Cincinnati--May 10, 12; June 4, 5; Sept. 23, 21. 25. With Cleve­ land--May la, 16; June 13, ^4; Aug. 18, 18, 20. With Pittsburgh--May 13,14: June C, 7; Aug. 14, 15, ie. With Indianapolis--May 17,19; June 20, 21; Au£. 11, 12, 18. , The Chicago League Club will be found the coming season at the old stand, Con­ gress and Loomis streets. The grounds arc to bs *iEprc7£d >u ?uch u, way that old patrons will scarcely kuow them. New gates are to be made, the gr nd stand is to be improved, and the turf blocked in such form as to make it look like a bill­ iard table. The Brotherhood grounds will be at Thirty-fifth street and Wentworth ave­ nue, ou the South Side, nearly four mile* from the City Hall. The uniforms of the Boston League team will be white, with red trimmings and stockings. While traveling they will wear gray suits with red trimmings. There will be thirty uniforms in all, mak­ ing an outfit for fifteen men. t Mr. Schmelz, President of tbe Cleve­ land National League club, says, regard­ ing Brotherhood affairs: "This new scheme may last until June, perhaps a less length of time. Tho Brotherhood players have been killing the old League all winter behind a big store, but the time is about here when tbev must stop the cry, "Let tbe wine go round,' and do something to back their pretenses." Duryea, the cyclone pitche? of last year's Cincinnati team, has jumped the Brotherhood and signed a contract with the Cincinnati League Club. Hutchinson is doing some.rreat pitch­ ing, dc'-n South, for the Chicago team. The Chicago and Philadelphia League teams have met on the green diamond down in Florida eight or ten times, and Anson's colts have downed Hurry \\ right's ponies in nearly every bout." Captain Anson, in his letters to President .Spiild- inp, speaks in enthusiastic terms of bis new men. He says tbe club is stronger in every respect tban it was last year, and that he wouldn't think of exchanging his new blood for the old fossils who desert­ ed to the Brotherhood. The first step in the new series of the lawsuits of the Metropolitan Exhibition Company against the local Players' L >ague Club was taken when Lawyor Duysters sent out notice B to President McAlpine, Vice President Talcott, Secre­ tary llobinson, and other Directors of the New l'orks, limited, warning them to keep tbeir hands off the old Giant ball­ players or take the chances of a lawsuit for damages. It is gratifying to know that tbe na­ tional game has "caught on" in the anti­ podes and is now a recognized sport. The Australian papers have now a regular base-ball column in each issue, and de­ vote considerable space to the game. Tbe writers on base-ball are yet fishing for points and do not go into any elaborate discussion of the various plays mude by the members of the teams, but, while willing to wait for more light on the beauties of base-ball, aie not by any means backward in aiding to the best of their ability the success of tbe game. Tbe fact that England is going into the experiment of base-ball in a liberal way is also worthy of note. The English Association has asked A. G. Spaulding to send over a dozen men who can in­ struct teams in the game. With our na­ tional outdoor sport thus spreading throughout tbe English-speaking race it is not unreasonable to pre iict that ii two years more there will be international clubs in the field seeking supremacy in the game even on the diamonds of tbe United States. Charlev Bennett, the famous catcher, will be found in his old place in the Boston League Club the coming season. His salary is said to $4,000, with $6,000 bonus. Following is the Players' League staff of umpires: John H. Gtiffuey, 'Worces­ ter, Mass.; Robert Furguson, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Alonzo Knight. Boston, Mass.; Robert Matthews, Philadelphia, Pa.; Thomas F. Gnnn ng, Four Rivers, Mass.; Charles Jones,, New York; William H. Holbert, New York; and Ross Barnes, of Chicago. The new Players' Leogne grounds in New York will be named "Atlantic Park," in honor of the old-time champions of the diamond. The Chicago League C^ub has signed Schnell of last year s Springfield Club. He is a good pitcher, and was largely in­ strumental in the victories of tho Spring­ field team last season. FIKST BASE. Fashion Notes*' Cliatelain bags of lizard leatiter are considered very chic. And now thero arc enameled violet bair pins for tho tresses of Madam Mam­ mon. A stunning street glove called the Tuxedo, made of heavy leather and ornamented with largo steel button Uielhvest hand covering. : , OLD MEEK BEX PEE, DM Accommodating Stare-Keeper at Mnyer's Cro**-Ko*dg, Tenn. At Meyer's Cross-Roads, Tenn., a de­ serted shanty marks the spot where once flourished a great commercial em­ porium. This Imsv mart of merchan­ dize was presided over by a weezing old fellow who was knowu as Meek Bender. His whole life seemed to be a continu­ ous round of apology. His fear was not of a drouth whtoh might injure trade, or of an overflow of the creek, which might wash his house away, but that he might a.1 some thoughtless time, wound the feelings of his fellow-man. His name was John, but his habit of ex­ treme care, his manner which had been refined into gentleness and then soft­ ened into timidity, brought to him the name of Meek. His business was good, for there was no other store in the com­ munity, yet he was always hard pushed. The fact is, he was too timid, and too much afraid of giving offense to refuse credit, and, when credit had been given, he was too gentle to ask for the money that was due him. Even people that were regarded as strictly honest were not slow in imposingon old Meek. Hon­ esty has many a balm which it ever holds ready to pour upon itself--there is many a sweet-seonted salve that will heal the pickings of a conscience. The back room of Meek's store was the wet-d&y gathering placo for th« neighborhood. Contracts for the year were drawn up there, and many an old score was settled in the dingy back room. When the weather was cold and the fire was burning low, no one would offer to go out and bring in wood from tbe rick, a short distance away, but some strapping fellow would call old Meek, no matter how busy he might be. "Here, old boy, you will have to oalk up this room to keep the fire from get­ ting out if you don't mind." "Gentlemen," he would reply in the most apologetic manner, "you must really excuse m6. You'll pardon me, won't you ? I will promise to do better in the future." One day 'Lige Parker came into the store, and, calling old Meek aside, said: "Meek, I've got to have twenty-Aye dollars." "Lige," Meek answered with embar­ rassment, "you know that if I had it you could get it." "What, haven't you got it?" "Not to save my life, Lige." ° "Oh, come now, Meek. "Who ever beam of you bein' out of money ? The rest of us mount be hard up, but you air alius fixed. Let pe have t wenty- five." "Lige I lent the lastjsent of money I had this very mornin'. "Go and look in' the drawer, Meek. I reckon you'll find some sneakin' round in thar." "I took out the last cent. Lige." "Wall, darn it, go on an'look when I tell you." "\es. Lige, I'll look." Lige followed him to the money drawer. The old man pulled the drawer open and said. "Thar now, Lige, don't you see thar ain't none ?" , "Thar ain't none tJio nutf, but wfeo did you lend it to?" "I don't like to say Lige." "Oh, it's all right. What difference can-it make ?" "None, only I don't like to be tellin' who I lend money to." Come, tell me.' I won't say anything about it." "Not a word, Lige?" ; "Not a single word. "Wall, tell you, jest to 'commodate you, but please don't mention it. Jim Henly come to me this mornin' an' 'lowed that he must have twenty-five, an' I let him have it, although I've got a bill that I must pay this week, or shut up the house." Jim Henly, oh? W'y, he oughter have plenty money. He's got some colts that he can sell any time fur a good price. Say, when he pays you back will you let me have the twenty- five ?" "Of course, Lige, you know 111 let you have it as soon as I get it." 'That afternoon, Lige met Jim Henly in the road. "Hello, Jim, which way?" "Oh, sorter ridin"roun'for my health, as the feller 'lowed when he was gittin' outen the way of the Sheriff." "Didn't know but you was goin' over to old Meek's." "Wall, I didn't know but I mout ride over that way befo' the thing is done with." " "Goin' to pay him that money, I reckon." "What money?" Jim asked in sur­ prise. "The twenty-five you borrowed from him." "How the devil do you 'know I bor­ rowed any money from him?" "You won't say nothin' about it, will you?" "No. Go ahead." "Wall, I was over to the store this mornin', an the old man was sorter com- plainin' about a bill he's got to pay or shut up the house. Said he needed the money he let you have." "Ah, hah, the old fool is paradin'it 'round that he let me have a few dollars, is he?" "Not particularly paradin' it, Jim. He 'lows that he- needs the money, an' I reckon he do. Don't say nothin' about it, but if you can raise the money, w'y go an' give it to him. Wall, so long." It was a chilly evening. A number of the "boys" sat in old Meek's back room playing cards. "You've got me failed now," said Alf Moore, bunching his cards. "Got me down whar the ground is mighty rocky. Hello, Jim Henly. how air they comin'? Squat and take a hand." "Whar is old Meek?" Henly asked. "Gone out to git some wood, I b'lieve. Here he comes now." Meelp came in and put a back-log on the fire. W'y, howdy, Jim," said'the old man, as he brushed the dirt off his sleeves. "Sorter chilly an' saft outside." Jim stood looking at him. After awhile he remarked: "Yea, a little chilly, but not as much so as it will be if people don't stop talkin' about thar betters." "Anything wrong Jim?" the old man asked. "Yes, thar is. Thar's a blame sight wrong, I can tell you that." "What is it, Jimmy?" the old man asked, almost affectionately. "Why, it's this, an' I want you to un- derstau' me whet} I say it. If you don't stop blowin' an' a-suortin' about lendin' me that money, I'il shut off your air. Ob, you needn't try to look like a sick kitten. You've been talkin' about me, an' you know it, an', more'n that, I don't intend to let you lie out of it. Don't say a word, you old blatherskite. The tongues of old fools have caused me enough trouble, lately--caused me an' Eiy wife to part--shut up," Old Meek had attempted to Bay some­ thing. "Jest stan'thar an' take your medicine MI asa a mind to give it ion have been playin" the hypcrcrit with us long enough, an' me for one ain't goin' to stand it no longer. Don' say a word, I tell you--don't open your chops. You git about ever' cent that's made in this neighborhood, an' then when a man wants a little accommoda­ tion you go around an' blow about it." Every one gazed at Jim, but not a word was spoken. The violence of Jim's temper was well known, No one moved except Alf, and he, taking out his buck-horn handle knife, began to cut off a ohew of tobacco. "Yes," Jim went on, "we've been thinkin' all along that yon was so harm­ less an' all that, when we mout 'a' knowed that you was a snake in the grass. What, you will say sometliin' whuther or no! By G--I'll show you r He snatched the knife out of Alfs hand, aud so quickly that a wide-awake eye could scarcely follow his motion, stabbed the old man. Jim sprang through the door and dis­ appeared in the darkness. They took old Meek from the floor and tenderly placed hint on the bed. "Alf," said the old man, "I've bled on vour hand, but I couldn't help it," Alf. ' •" ..." • , - i, * • ' « r * * • The boys w^re in the back room of the store, sitting up with the old man. Several days had elapsed and a physician who had just left thought that he* might recover. He was resting, quietly; the boys were playing cards. "Gentlemen "Want anything, Meek?" Alf asked. "No, I don't want nothin', an', above till, I don't want to interrupt the game, but I jest wanted to tell you that I be; lieve that I am dyin'." "Oh, I reckon not," Alf replied, get­ ting up, but when he reached the bed­ side, the old man was dead. * * * « « * * . "Who's thar?" Jim called, opening the door and gazing into the darkness. "Alf an' the boys," came the reply. " What do you want, boye?" "Come out here." " What's up ?" he asked, when he came out to the gate. "Jestice." "I don't understand." "But you shall. Meed is dead." "I understand." *Cy, hand me the rope," said Alf* • • * * * .. The men that were putting the grave clothes on old Meek the next morning could look through the door--the door through which he used to bring in wood --and see Jim hanging from a tree.-- Opie F. Read. - : Close Customers. There are plenty of men, too. Who want to get the thing done as cheaply as possible, and are prepared to haggle over the fee. " 'Is that all there is to it ?' they say, when the ceremony is over. 'Pretty short, ain't it? Didn't take much trouble. What's the fee, sir? Times is hard just now and-- ' " 'Oh, just pav me whatever you think your wife i« worth,' I always say- to these fellows With a smile at the bride. That generally stops the hag­ gler and raises a laugh agaiust him. "The thriftiest man who ever came to me for this purpose, however, was one I met with in Canada, where I had a parish for a short time just after I came out from England, my native land. He came alone and opened the conversa­ tion in this way: " 4 What will it cost me, minister^ to get married?' " 'Two dollars for the license,' I said, 'and $2 for my fee.' " 'Wh-e-e-w,' he whistled. "Four dollars! Isn't there any cheaper way that that ?' " 'You oan get along Without the license,' 1 said, 'by having the bans published by me for three successive Sundays in the church.' " 'Won't twice do?' he asked. " 'No,' I replied. * 'I can't leave them that long in the ground,' he said, in a troubled tone, 'and it will cost me $5 to tell yon about them ?' " * What are you talking about, man ?' I said, thinking he perhaps was drunk. "* 'The potatoes, of course,' he said. 'Didn't I tell you about them ?' " 'No,' I said, 'what about them?' " *jyell,' he said, 'there is my field of potatoes. They're ripe and ready to gather. I must get to work at once aud fork them out of the hills, but I have no one to pick them up after me. Did you ever pick potatoes ?' " 'No,' I said, 'I never did, but I un­ derstand it's hard work.' ^ " 'It's that,' he replied, 'and I'll have to pay a man or boy at least $5 to pick that field and board him besides. Now, the woman I'm going to marry is a stout and willing girl, and she'll pick the field for nothing, if I can only get her in time. But the three weeks of bans is going to put the work off too late. What would you do ?' " 'It's a case where I don't feel called on to give any advice,' 1 answered, a little testily, as I could not help think­ ing of ' the willing bride breaking her back picking potatoes for such a churl. "He considered awhile, and at last decided to spend $2 for a license, as he would thus save $3 in cash on the po­ tato picking and get three weeks of hard work out of the willing bride into the bargain."--Boston Globe. Ills Whiskers Support Mm. A New York reporter the other night stumbled against a rather odd piece of humanity. While engaged on his nightly rounds he was accosted by an anthletic and well-dressed young fellow with a heavy, scrubby growth of red beard, who asked him for 15 cents with which to get a shave. He stated that he had come into the city from a New England town three days before to look for work and that he was so unfortunate as to lose his pocketbook containing every cent of money he had. He had an en­ gagement for the next morning with a merchant who had promised him a job as a book-keeper, bnt he could hardly expect to be employed if he showed up with his unshaven face. The reporter doubted the truth of his story and ex­ pressed his doubt so forcibly that the fellow admitted it to be false. He said that he hid come to New York a month ago, desiring to get work, which, how­ ever, he did not find. He needed a shave badly, aud one night appealed to a gentleman for aid, telling the same story he told the reporter. The man gave him a quarter. The ease with which the quarter came to him led him to tackle others, and before the night was over he had made $4. He then gave up all idea of working and went at this trade. He makes about $20 in four days of the week. The rest of the week he cannot work at his trade, for he has to shave then and to allow his beard to again grow until it becomes scrubby. WOMAN'S hand may be pale and deli­ cate, but Bhe can pick up a hotter plate than a man.--^tfcA»it«on Globe. (Jnw Answers. Some very funny answers are occa­ sionally met with by people who have to do with school children, no matter of what age. A government inspector was question­ ing a class of children, about six years of age, in one of the poorest London in-- fant schools. The questions were on general matters, to test the intelligence of the youngsters. He got to the snl> ject of birds, and fonni that most of the children knew only the names of two birds, the sparrow and the canary. "What are those birds that sing high up in the air, right in the clouds?",he asked., After a few moments* hesitation, he got the answer from a little girl: "Angels, sir." ' : After that he went on to flowers. • He asked for the names of some flowers, and received, amongst other answers, "The rose." "Yes," said he; "and what must I be very careful of when I go to pick a rose -- something that would hurt me if I did not take care?" This was not so hard. They knew what they had to look out for when picking flowers of any kind, and the an­ swer came; . "The 'tec, sir." * r It had to be explained to tho official gentleman that this shortened form of "detective" was the slum child's word for park-keeper. Another inspector was questioning some boys on "Casabianca," the poem prepared for his visit, and asked: "Why did the boy stand there on the burning deck?" » "Because it was too hot to sit down," was the answer he got from one boy. "Give some account of the habits and customs of the early Britons," was the subject for an essay given to a sixth standard. One boy finished up with the follow­ ing: "They slept all together in caves, ly­ ing on the floor, quite naked, and with no covering over them, for they was so eminen ly social." Perhaps the funniest answers are got i." response to scriptural questions. "Here are one or two examples. An ac­ count of the life of Joseph contained the following: 3 "When his brother saw him, they iaid, 'Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come, let ns kill him.' So they killed him, and took a goat and dipped it in his blood, and took it to their father, and said, 'We have found this; > Tell us whether it be thv son or no.'" In answer to the question, "How was Lot's wife punished?" one answer read: "She was turned info a pillar of salt by day, and a pillar of fire by niglit." The following has been given as the work of a sixth standard boy, but it is doubtful whether it is quite genuine: t "And Jezebel painted her face and tired her hair, and sat at the window of the palaca And Jehu rode up aud said, 'Throw her drown.' And they threw her down. And Jehu said, 'Do it a second time.' And they did it a second time. And he said, 'Do it a third time.' And they did it a third time, and they gathered up the frag­ ments that remained--twelve baskets- ful." Better Than Pockets. It was in the Pennsylvania depot at Jersey City. A man' who had been half asleep on one of the benches for some time suddenly roused up, carried hi* hand to the breast pocked of his ooat, and then called out: "I have been robbed! Some one has picked my pocket!" - "Have much money?" asked i^ lAd lady who sat near him. " ' Over $40." "Sakes alive! but what a loss! Store you had it when you left home?" "Of course I am!" *„ "Didn't leave it nnder your pillar, or change your coat?" • ; "No!" "I noticed you " feeling around your coat tails before you went to sleep. Better look back there before you give it up." He carried hit hand back,, aqd ten seconds later held his lost wallet Up to sight. He began to apologize and atammer, but she checked him with: "Young man, you Qrter be more keerful, you might of accused me of stealin' that money, and it would have been a nice thing for my Church folks to hear of, wouldn't it? When the news got home to my old man he'd have been so kerflustrated that he'd have forgotten to fee4 the shoats or milk the cows, and there's no knowing how he'd have got along locking up the hpuse and going to bed." "Oh, I shouldn't have accused you, ma'am," protested the man. "Wall, I'm glad on it,I <and being as this excitement has come up about pickpockets I guess III see if my money and ticket is safe," And she reached down, slipped off a calfskin shoe from her right foot, and peered into it with the remark: "There's the ticket and there's the dollar bill, and I hain't been robbed. Jist try it, young man. Beats coat tail and all other pockets all holler. Got to stand you on your head to git it, and every time you sot your foot down you kuow its thar. I've carried seventeen dollars all over New York that way, and got out alive and safe. --New Xwfc Sun. ' Women Depositors. A cashier in a Chicago bank recently said to a newspaper mpn: "A man in a bank is not allowed to talk about its business, and I reckon that's right. But what you have just been saying prompts me to tell you something under cover. There isn't one depositor in 200 who will allow his wife to check against his mofley. Occasionally a man leaving town will come in and ask us to honor his wife's check to a certain amount. A woman doesn't seem to have any seuse about money in a bank unless she is her own depositor, and then she is apt to be a good deal of a nuisance. She will come down shopping, for in­ stance. She buys a bill at one house for thirteen dollars and eighty-nine cents, and she gives a check for that sum. She makes purchases at another house to the amount of three dollars and thirty-nine cents and she gives a check for that. And she goes on shop­ ping a half day, giving a check for every purchase. The next day rflie comes to the bank and wants to know if the checks have been presented, and then she wants to know if we can't bal­ ance up her book; she wants to know how she stands. Women depositors, fortunately, are few. Most women prefer to keep their money in a safety deposit vault, w here they can go and look at it and count it for their own comfort. I know one bank president's wife in this city who has her own money which her husband allows her. She won't deposit it in his bank, and he told her one day be was jglad of it. She has her own tin box in % a a f e t y d e p o a i t v a n & | ^ " ' - - J KOUJOtlSS lUXWffr The VB*ptal*0d Way tn WMefc Tkqr WglMr fwiwiit Tfiiiiin.* ia flm il> Some twenty extraordinary "bandits ;'fe| have been terrorizing the peapatits in the vicinity of the small village of Bela , 3 Erkwa, West Servia, for the last two . years. Nine days out of everv ten they " pass in a decent an orderly fashion in % their mountain home. On the tenth day they descend in a body on some little village, plunder the well-to-do 1 ^ citizens with moderation, and right the ^ wrongs of the community according to ' '¥£'•• their own unicjne ideas of justice. Tbe , . Belgrade newspapers recently gave the particulars of the last raid of these .J Jj Continental White Caps. The town W. clock was just striking midnight io Bela1 • "w Erkwa when the leader of the gang , entered the door of the village tavern. | -He found the parson and the Town Council and other big bugs in a very ^ $ mellow condition. The sight disgusted the bandit very much. He had the - landlady lock all the doors and give him the key. Then he fecolded the ; twenty men present severely for their intemperance and boxed the ears of the *• parson and the Mayor. At 12:30 J" o'clock he called in fifteen followers to consult with them as to the best way of punishing the drunken dignitaries. The parson was voted to be the worst ot- fender and the land ady next to the ^ worst. The parson was laid across a ; « table face downward and the landlady \ -If , was compelled to spank him hard fifty times with a piece of two-inch plank. .'i|j Salt and red pepper were rubbed on the ^ $ parson's skin where the landlady's stout > j,. arm and the plank had torn it, and he ' ;• <; % was asked how much money he had. About $6. The bandit chief took $5.50. ' The landlady was fiued $400 by the. . White Cap court for getting the parson and Town Council full. She protested she hadn't a cent in the world. She was placed under the same treatments, <'J| from the parson and the plank that she 'S and the plank had given to the parson. . , % This brought $25 from her cash drawer. , Mi A peasant, whose sister had saved for her marriage dowry, fetched the ' «. ii money from home during the ensuing 7 .. armistice, and gave it to the landlady to ' help her pay her fine. The bandit chief told the landlady that she must give , back the dowry within a week, and, to - ' . impress his instruction on her mind. * '"-vi burned a little cross on the back of her . ; hand with a red-hot iron. He allowed , six months in which to get tKe$367 still .""fllf due him on his $400 demand. Just as» the chief began to make a farewell ,"ft speech, he was interrupted by a build- , - jS * lng contractor who had recently signal an agreement with the Town Council ^ to erect a $275 church for $237. The contractor explained that the C mncil, had held him to his contract, although ^3 he had told them that the contract;. would ruin him. The chief had the Town Clerk produce the oontract in> ./*1§ question, burn it up, and draw up an- * ^ ^ ; other, in .which the builder was allowed- -'fv $300 for his work. After this contract - had been duly signed and sealed th* bandit drank a bottle of wine, sang a patriotic song, led a tripple cheer for 7 Jl the Servian Kiug, and bade the para-., ly zed big bugs of Bela Erkwa good- bye, with the warning that he would. . 3 return in three months to see that every one whom he had taken under hia protection was getting his rights. ^ :;C Decaying a Burglar. Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher tells this 'Jur­ atory : A lady of wealth was one even- *A ing alone, with only one servant in the is house. Being in her chamber, as she JP laid aside articles of jewelry and placed them in their appropriate places in the bureau, she chanced to raise her eye§ ..V, to a mirror opposite, and from a light in the other corner of the room, she ^ cought in the mirror the reflection ot J| the figure of a man curled up under <k large center-table, but hidden from all > sight save what was gained by this re- .;i| flection in the mirror. * In this way she saw one of the resting on the floor. This hand was' minus two fingers, and she knew at once that dose by her was one of the ^ most desperate characters, whose crime» . ' and fiendish deeds had been the terror * * v $ of Ihe surrounding country for miles. ' ", ^ ^ Now, who could blame her if she hac| , | screamed ' or made a hurried effort to ,.*S ^ reach the door? Had she doue< so, it * ;£• would have sealed her fate. But fore- , "£ ing herself to be calm, she finished^ ^ ^ what she was doing at the bureau, then -;j/ quietly stepping to the bell rang for «. vfi the one servant in the house. - ^ 'k \\rhen the girl appeared, she quietly " said, "Mary, I want you to run over to ^ Mr. (a jeweler in the neighbor- hood), and say I wish he would send i back the diamonds he has been reset- - % ting--they are the most valuable I have^' and I am uneasy to have them so long? - out out of the house. Tell him to send ^1, j them by you to-night, even if not tin- , ^ ' J ished; wait, I'll write a note, for fear of- ^ any mistake." -; i * ' J '" So, seating herself with the greatest* ) "J ' | apparent .composure at the very tablet ' ̂ | where the man lay concealed, she wrote - | the note. Of course she wrote not for t hi' ^ diamonds, but for help! The girl took „ v H'4 the note, and alone, absolutely, with 1 this great terror concealed close by her, the lady waited. * 1 That no suspicion might be aroused, /j! **3 she busied herself putting various things - in different places. How terrible must t-| have been that waiting! How full of joy and safety the sound of the bell " 'J* \ J when the girl returned, and with her the y,vV friend and the police, who captured the V >£ man before he could resist--Yankee \ 'KV? B l a d e . * ' / s . M •A W '• "*5 Water Didn't Hart Her Coaiplexiea. |g The Hughos-Hallet controversy re- , vives muny reminiscences of the time when Mrs. jHallet--Emily. Schoinberg-- was the most famous society woman of ^4 her day. Her beauty was of a striking order, but her manifold accomplish- --:M ments made her even mow distin- . ^! guished. Cosmetics were by no means ' so generally used in those days as now. ' but :o marvellously perfect was Miss Scho.iiberg's complexion that a whisper » |||~ went around to the efleet that she had ' been emamelled, a process which fire- queutly defies criticism, although it makes*washing or dampening the face d i f f i c u l t . , j g . Knowing this, a party of young peo- , m pie who were seeing to a Seventh Regi- - % ment ball at Cape May contrived to give , Miss Schomberg a seat where the cin- ders flew freely, that they might decide ( for themselves whether she was willing > t o b a t h e h e r f a c e b e f o r e a r i v i n g a t C a p e » < May. To the surprise and pechaps dis- - 31 comfiture of some present. Miss Schom- * . ̂ berg calmly took out her cologne bottle 1 " ^ and generously applied the contents to her brow and cheeks, after which there -i ; was no further question iu her coteri^ •- as to the genuineness of her fefeMaa.*** • J- Epoch. • _ • j A CONTEMPORARY reports that kissing - matches are popular in various parts of the country. This mav be true, but it amaokaof improbability. < ," , f W * I -"U. - V r *£ % WsMMiMMSMk