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Pledged but to Truth, to Liberty and Law; No Favors Win us and no Pear 8 hall Awe." M'HENRY, ILLINOIS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4. 1885. t f 'A : Published Kr*<*y Wednesday br VAX*. P V toiTOt AWD publisher. 1^"" Office la Bishop's Block, --OWOIITB PSBBT ft Owning. TKBMS or SUBSCRIPTION. -JN»« Tear (Itf Advance) *1.50 K8#t Paid within Three Months 2.00 " Subscriptions received forjthree or six Months in the same proportion. Kates of Advertising-. MMMmefl liberal rate: PUflHrtMUK, and end riU W« annonnce liberal rates for advertising M the PUflHrtMUt, and endeavor to state then so> plainly thai they will be rowdily an. lerstood. They artpii follows: : 1 Inch one year 9 Inches one year M Inches one year- V (Mans one yea* H Oolnmn one year- Column c -. , . 500 ... low - " 15 00 •«•• 9000 •"« ' 60 00 10000 One Inch means the mea lavement of one neh dewn thocolnnm,single oolnmn width. fltrlr advertisers, at the above rates, have the privilege of changing as often as] they ihoose, without extra charge.) tor advertisers (meaning those'having eards) will he entitled to,insertion .fifSS sf tooal notices at the rate of n cents per line melt week. All others will be charged 10 cents per line the fret week, and ft cents per line fereaoh subsequent week. Transient advertisements will be charged at the rate of M cents pe line, (nonpareil type, same as this Is set in) the first issne. and • cents per line for shbeeqaent Issues. This, in inch advertisement will cost t1.00 for one week, |LH for two weeks, 92.00 for three weeks, and so on. The Pt.AnrDRAt.Bft will be liberal in giving editorial notices, but, as a business rule, it will require a suitable fee from everybody seeking the use Of its columns for pecuniary !»*»• BUSINESS CARDS. p y Its H. T. BROWN, M. B. tiTSlOIANAND SURGEON. Offlce A.Mai the Post OIBce, opposite Perry 'tore up stairs, klopenry, 11L over Martin's J. H. 800THILL, M. D. 0HT8IOIAN AND 8UKOEON. Cftce«pg°- fT , site Post Ofllce, Jtiogwood, IU. ,, BUSINESS CARDS. ASA W. SMITH. ATTORNEY AT LAV and Solicitor in Ghancery.--Woodstock, 111. JESSE A. BALDWIN, ATTORNEY AT LAW. Law business in Every part of the State receives prompt attention. Room 24, 98 Washington St., Chi­ cago, 111. S. F. BENNETT, M. 1>. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON. Also United States Examining Surgeon. Richmond, Tilings. v T3S cmso T A. S. CHILDS, M. D., HOMEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN AND SUR­GEON, West McHenrv, III. Calls promptly attended to, day or night. DR. C. R. WELLS. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON, Wanconda, I.akfc Co., 111. All calls promptly attend­ ed, day or night. Office on Main St., east of Barker'* harness chop. MA8I «. BARBIAN. , HAIR WORKER. AH kiu<l« of Hair Work done in first class style and at reasonable prices. Rooms a t residence, north­ east corner of Public Square, McHenry, 111. DR. C. E. WILLIAMS. DENTIST. Residence Dundee. Will be at McHenry, at Parker House, the 10th ilth 95th and 2fltb of each month. When dates occur Saturday or Sunday I make my visits on the following Monday, and the first day of such visit occurs on Friday, I will stay but one day . A. M. CHURCH, Watchmaker and Jeweler NO. 85FIKTHAVE., Chicago, 111. Special attention given to repairing Fine watch • es and Chronome ters. EVA Pull Assortment of Goods in his line AT THE OLD STAND, JACOB BONSLETT, SALOON AND RESTAURANT, at the old stand, oppoeite Bishop's mill, Mc.Henry, III. The choicest Wines, Liquors an't Cigars to he found in the county. Warm or cold meals on short notice on application. GOOD STABLING FOR HORSES. a H. FEGERS, M, D- |>UY8IClAN AND SURGEON, McHenry, 1 Ills. Ofllce at Re»ldence,on the Corner, Opposite Blake's Furniture stote. O. J. HOWARD, M. D. OHYSIOIAN AND 9URGEON. Ofllce at I my residence, opposite M. S. Ohurch, jfeHenry.il!. BARBIAN BROS. CIGAR Manufacturers, McHenry, III. Or­ ders solicited. 9hdp,,in Old. McHenry, # Kelter Block, two doors west of PtAiw- hand. J. PEKOVSKY, CIGAR MANUFACTURER, Wholesale and Retail Dealer. HANDLES nore but his own make, and will compare his Brands with the best mad<9 In the State. Store and Manufactory next door to r.he Post Office, McHenry, III. JOHN WIEDEMANN, HARNESS MAKEtt, WEST McHENRY. ILL. On hand at all times to make on short notice Single or Double Harness,of the best material ana warrant satisfaction. IMPAIRING promptly attended to. Shop opposite West McHenry Post Office. PATRONAGE SOLICITED. German Harness Oil always on John Wiedemann. IN, D. C hotel of the National "Conveniently located and accessible i street car lines of the city. Open all the year. __ , O. G. STAPLES, PBDFBntTOR. Late of the Thousand Island House. MARCUS CERMA MOT Manufactured •DEALER IN-- Smtinw*. uaum Jif X CIGARS. Woodstock III.' >est Tonic in the world. Put tp la id Quart Bottles. - P. MARCUS. PlSntM Alinp, 111 ttEALKBS » Lumber Shinglea, Lath, Fence Post* Coal etc In short, we keep everything In the above mentioned lines, which we are offe ingto the buy­ ing public as cheap as any other house in this section. . Call and See us. J0BBIHG ft BJEPAUHNG. PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO. HELM & PETEB. ,: Alfonquin, Feb. 18,1884, .DON'T YOU FORGET, JT! asaw.smtn, Wooclarfoelf, •>, •"4„ Mllnola. Backed by Millions of monep% o«sr yo« IRDKMMITT against damage by fir*, Lightning, Wind Storms, N CYCLONES AND TORNADOES. stalcard and I will *|sit yon: X will write you a policy, and rear of these destructive ele call «* jee ai wnea either or any peats devaetatee your property, happy mini^r°»io happy will for I you. Ru-'-V'1 K • " . m£Jf£2U« Thoroughly taught by practical stenograph­ ers in Rowetl & Hlc'kcox' Correspondence Class of Phohography. Tuition (6 a terra (13 lessons) two terms in the full course. The most popular, the largest, the oldest, moi>t re­ liable class of shorthand In existence. Through it hundreds have acquired a thor- •ngh knowledge of Phonography. Write for particulars and ciiculai-s. B0WALL k HICKC0X. Boston Xatt American agents for Isaac Pitman's Phono­ graphic Books, and dealers in all Shorthand Bookt and supplies. The Americas Shorthaail Writer. (FOURTH YEAR.) TtraOhaapest Shorthand Journal in th|» United States. Each nnmber contains flic.simile reporting notes of eminent stenographers in the various systems of I$anc and Ben Pitman, Graham, Mnnson, Takgrafy, etc., and all the news in­ teresting to the profession. Contributed to by Iteding stenographers. 81'BSCIPTION SUOO A TEAR Single Numbers, 15 Cents. ROWJBLL A HICKCOK, Boston, Mass. •DO YOU KNOW THAT Plug Tobacco, With Red Tin Tag; Rose Leaf Fine Cut Chew ing; Navy Clippings, and Black, Brown aud Yellow Snuffs nre the best and the cboieest quality cohsidered. Attention Horsemen! I would call the alteutfion of the public to my Stable of Stock Horses, four in number: two Morgans, one 3-4 Percheron, and one Imported Horse. They are all good representatives of their breed. Also a few Merino Sheep u» r sale. The public are cordially invited to call and examine stock, get prices* etc,. business done on Sunday. K. S. COLBY. 10 7-tf MCHKXRY, ILL Culver House, • •••••; JRICHMONO. IL C. N. CULVER, ~ ~ PROPRIETOR. HAVI5T3 recently Vnr*lM»*cd the above House, I have put it in thorough repair, with new furniture throughout, and would respectfully invite the patronage of the trav­ eling public and others. The tables will al­ ways oe provided with the liest that can be procured, and polite and attentive waiters will be in readiness at all times to attend to the wants of guests. No pains will be spared to make this a First Class House. Large and csssraoilior.3 har-.IS on the premises. Free Omnibus to and from all trains. Sample Rooms on first floor. Having t^^^^^^^^snop ni ^^^^^^^^Know pr c us torn HFm Having recently fitted up our snop near the "bridge, we are now prepared to turnish oar customers with ani Salt Meats, OF ALL KINDS, Sausage, Smoked Meast -AT TnE-- Lowest Living Pi'icea. We buy none but the best of Meats, and flatter ourselves that we -can offer our cus­ tomers meats in better shape than any other shop in this section. Thanktul for past favors we solicit a con­ tinuance of the same, and we will guarantee to satisl} you both in quality and price. A- M- FRETT. McHenry, 111., March 17th. 1884. PUMP REPAIRING, CEMENTING, ETC. The undersigned is prepared to do all jobs in the line of Digging Wells, Repairing l'uinpi, Cementing WelU, ar „ will put in ,i j? Pumps On short notice and warrant satisfaction. In short \viii do all work iu this line. Can furui«b you a new l'uinp, either wool or iron, warranted, af cheap as any other man, Good references furnished if desired. If yoa want a Well Dug, a Pump Repaired era new Puiup, give me a call, . 4Sr*Orders bv mail promptly att0nHe<t to. Post Office, Johnsburgh, III. „ • , L. BANTES. Johnsburgh, in., Mayfj&th, KMt. £ r 1 HE. WIGHTMAN, Prop • class rigs, with or without drivers furnished at reasonable rates. Teeming ot all kinds done On short notice. st f--* and RESTAURANT "Buck's Old Stand, McHENRY, ILLINOIS. Fine Kentucky liquors, ;; French Bitters, McHenry Lager Beer, Pim. Best's UilwankM Bmt By the fcottle or Case. We buy none but the best and sell at Reasonable Prices. :> J.'i * V • .'J t •' Call and see me and I' wilt use you well. £jr ANTO^lf; ENGELN. • • McHenry, 111., 1884. . TODEB TIE BSD B., -'!r^l|tpAR 'TOE DEPOT,,' McHenry lltiols. You Will Again Find, 99 mm c. smm, -BREEDER FOWLS KICHMOND, ILL. (FIH8T PREHICM KT MCHEWKT COtrirTV MW) My fowls are of the celebrated DUKB OP YORK strain, remarkable for their great size and laying qualities. I can show a trio of last Season's chicks weighing 31 pounds. Bgfs, per setting of thirteen. $1.50, delivered to purchaser In Bichmond, Shipped, securely BE&T a BENNETT* -•? -i •' .iaJj&S: " Uncle Ben At all hourA rcwdy to showJSokl customers and new ones %ycboice line of FBUITS, dEOCERIES M0 PROVISIONS. . exchange for the Produce of KbeOoentry or even Cash, for 4bet it is worth. Canned Goods, Green and Dried Fruits, And in short everything usually kept in a flr6t clnss Grocery, and at PRICES as Low as the Lowest, quality of ttooda considered. WThe Highest Market Price paid forall kinds of Country Produce. B. GILBERT. West McHenry, III., Sept IB, 188C * For '•History, Romance I and Philosophy of Great American Crimes and Criminals." The most startling book ot recent vears. Biographical, Pictorial, 161 Superb Engravings witn perstmai Portraits of the (Celebrated Criminals. t»9 Royal Octave pages. Low retail price, W 5C. It is a work of art as well as of thrilling historic interest. Is bound to produce a profound impression. Agents sell it by the thousands. A grand chance for canvassers. Send for particular* and .lie convinced that this is the most salable and pro 11 table book published; or, to save time, send 75 cents at once for c mvassing Book and state your choice of townships. Address -*• i*. THOMFSON & Co., Publishers, St. Louis, Mo., - 4W Soldiers* Department. CONDUCTED BV Da. s. f. RKNNKTT. County C. A- R. Directory. RTCHMOKD K>8T Meets the first and third Friuaj evenings of each [month. D«. 4. F, BENNETT,|Coui. WOODSTOCK JOST, KO 70S. ^ jfeet^ the,1 f'1 Monday evenings of each B. N. SMITH. Com. "^;PIRI9*I>A.'FOET, KO--. Meets the first and third Wednesday even* Ings of each mon th. f WM. BTITLKR, Com. HARVA1RD POST, NO 255. ^ Meets the second amftfourth Monday «vei- ingo ot each month. 4 L»B H. f. W<K»DRLFF. Com. A Dreary tairistnuie ptent in Andersoa- vltle Pfison. , Aleuts Wanted. The Writer wa«coaflned in the above named prison pen during Christmas of 1864, mid there ne?er has passed a Christmas 'since thlt memorable one* but that Im thinks"#»f tho sufferings there esperinnge<l bf thousands of his comradeb. ® The day was d.«rk-4Ht<i dreary.especi­ ally the latter portion of it. and just cold enough to be disagreeable. I'lie poor, half clothed priajiiers--those who «ou!d walk--uioved afout the enclosure or endeavored to ke«|f warm by build­ ing little pUch-ptnjg fires, which as many as possibly co«d would gather closely around, ap(4p*ently la many Instances to keep the^poor excuse for a fere war 11, as wood or fiicl of any kind was one of the nei^ssaries that we were sadly deprived «f. And yet there was an abundance of wood all arou id onr prison, it being situated In a forest consisting principally of pine trees. This is an article of comfort that Jailor Wirts could have been geuerous with. Yet so afraid was he ^that he wight possibly lose one of those sent out to gather fuel that but few were thus privileged. (The writer was permitted to go outsida the enclosure for wood Just once during his, long Imprison­ ment.) Bnt to return to that dreary Christmas. Our then tcauty and coarse rations consisted of * piece of corn bread, made from ouboKed meal--hulls and all--simply mixed with water, no Salt, nothing to make it palatable. Yet V> us it njras sweeter than the (host tempting morsel would be te day. Tliis Johnny cake usyalli About one half baked, or baked to lite aoout rTur oy four and one-half or Ave inches long; the thickness being tro n one aud one half to two incites. It wan hardly ever two days alike, being often smaller, but very seldom larger than the dimensions given. The above was the rations for a day with the excep tlon of about two table spoonsful of molasses or two ounces of very poor beef. When one was issued the other was not--and often the latter was not forthcoming. No salt In the bread, none to eat on the meat; Yet if we bad been given enough of such as It was, oil how thankful *re should have been. For two or three days prior some trouble had been.experienced with the forwarding of supplies, caused by some break l:i the only railroad running through our out-of-the-way habitation, so that.ou this Christmas day there was not (as had oiten been the case previously) enough rations to reach half way round, and we in the hospital enclosure, or tht gr< ater number of us, were told that our Christmas dinner was on the road and would likely be along late !n the afternoon. How im­ patient was our waiting and watching for something to appease cruel hunger. To think that on this day of all others, when our friends and loved ones in their far ofl northern homes were com­ fortably housed, clothed and fed, with Itn abundance to spare, while s& many £f their husbands, sous and brothers were undergoing so great privation and suflering so intensely. These were some of the thoughts that would'con­ tinually crowd themselves to the front. Here we were, thrust together, a body of suflering jiumanlty, while only a few hundred miles dsstaut were thoso who cared so much for us. Many were the conjectures among little groups of those who were thrown together as more than ordinary prison companions, as to what was taking placo Jn their far away homes in Illinois, Iowa, New York, or wherever their kindred resid­ ed, 'For our comrades were from every state iu the Union, and from some few of those that had secec'ed. It was in­ deed touching to hear some one speak of a fond mother aud loving little ones Who knew not whether husband and father were in the land of the living, and for us to perceive that that same husband and father was fa»t approach­ ing th3 time when he, »oo, would join that army whose remains lie in the cemetery where "from out our prison gateyard there's a graveyard close at hand, where lie nearly fourteen thous­ and Union men beneath the Georgia eatul." Of the four or five with whom we personally mingled that day only two, including the writer, were spared to reach "Qod's country." No train arrived, hence no Christmas cheer. Evening wore on and the same scenes as iu days past took place, The same oft repealed story of news regarding an exchange of prisoners, or that we «vere likely to be rescued by 8QiU!? that ^ always sweeping down tipou us from some of our armies, but who never cane. This Was a theme the prisoners in general never tired of, yet oh how many times had they been disappointed, but in moat eases it was '"hope on, hope ever." It was almost dark when some one drew gently up to me as I was standing with some others beside one of our "pitch pine" Arcs wiiicli was burning and smoking just enough to make us nioro black than warm, and touched me on my ar o. Upon turning around my gaze rested on one whom I should judge had been in times past a rugged and healthy man, but who now presented tire «ad spectacle of scarcely the sem­ blance of a human being. Yet there were thousands of just such God's crea­ tures in that vtle place. No picture Could possible be drawn with pen, neither could Tongue portray ti.e ap­ pearance of my comrades. This fellow soldier said upon my*turning around, "Partuer, can you give me'just a little salt f I have some soup here'* (hold! ng up an old fruit or oyster can which he used for a cup. and in wi^ch he had a small piece of meat and a little corn meal mixed with water) adding, "I have been trying to get just a little' salt to put in it." He was told that we had none (for just then our larder was sadly deficient of such commodities) As he turned to »o away I asked his name, wmpaay and regiment. (This was always in order). On being told he In return tasked to what company I be­ longed. And receiving the desired In­ formation, he said, "I have a brother living and doing business iu Chicago, Geo. L. Webb." This was the source of numerous qttestions. tor Geo. L. Webb was well kiiewu to us. he having taken one of Woodstock's fair oues to be a life partner only a short time be- fora our entering, the army. Our com- r.a«le was told tilts, a»d both soup and salt were soon forgotten. Down we sat on the cold sandy ground, ,knd talked as only soldiers would uuder existing circumstances. The poor, half starved fellow talked of home and friends whom lie, never ekpected to. see again, and of' the sad Christmas we had aimost passed. The tears filled his eyes many times as he recounted how the night would be spent at home, and how he longed to be there. As my new friend prepared to leave me after an hour's chat, I could but perceive how weak aud cmaciated he appeared. His clothing was little better than rags, and orily an article or £wo at that. Hi was without either boots or hat, apd, like scores of his companions In misery wa* a most pitiable object to behold. What I particularly noticed, however, was the fact that the suflerh g he had undergoue during his then several months' imprisonment had proved too much for his mind and although physi­ cally weak, yet mentally he was a total wreck. I could readily perceive he had once been a man of more than ordinary intellectual powers and business quali­ fications. Yet here we were so accus­ tomed to meet hundreds of such cases that at that tlma I thought little of this particular one, never supposing he would live to see home and friends again; or that I would ever meet hi in outside that charnel house. Yet, singu­ lar enough, $ome seven or eight years ago while standing In the doorway of my then place of busluess Iu this city, a horse attached to n covered wagon was driven by, and the only occupant at once claimed my attention, for 1 thought at a glance that the person driving it was none other than my old Andersonville friend. I went out and accosted him, aud soon found that my surmises were correct, but that he did not recoguiae me. Yet after telling him the circumstances of our first meet­ ing, ami speaking or our after friend* ship durim; Imprisonment (for we both remained prisoners until the close of war) he to some exteut placed me in memory. Although appearing so much better physically, the fact was very apparent that at this very late date he was far from being the man he had been, and that his miud was still in a deplorable and shattered condition. To be sure there was a great improvement inasmuch as he could now remember much better than formerly. My object in diverging from the dreary Christmas and speaking at such length of this comrade is that perchance some in this vicinity may read and learn the cause of his mental trouble, and with the hope that some few may ponder well over the manner in which they have dealt with him during the past year in matters pertaining to business. But let us now return to that never to be forgotten Christmas. Ne rations arrived until sometime in the night or early the next morning, hence those spoken of fasted, as was often the case thereafter. Next morning about the usual hour we itad our rations, only It was, If anything, poorer in quality and less in quantity than ever before. There were many who were sadly dis­ appointed, having fully concluded that we siiould receive with to-day's our yesterday's allowance. The Confeder ates laughed at tho idea, and were probably flattering themselves that the break iu the road saved them several hundred rations. Prison life moved on as before, only deaths became more frequent, and our suffering much greater as we noared the close of the war. Nevertheless: "There were hopes In hearts stiil beating in our pleasant northern homes, Waiting, watching for the footstop that would never, never come. . While we in prison were eager, tattered, pale and gaunt, Growing weakei, weaker daily from hunger, cold and want. Wm. H. COWUK. Woodatsck, III., Jan. 28,1®V • Written tor the Plaindealer. ! ^ DRRSSKR'S DROLLERtnt i > . No. *. os'.V. . yrt. us., »T. units, II% i'-'1 i / */.4..vt. . . * krl, if ^"..,A • J MY Dfckit BOB:--As I wasLBTNMII^ OHT of the window the o'her day, watching the many passers by, I observed those one of unnatural fools who delight In attracting attention to themselves by wearing peculiar articles of dress. This being to whom my notice was attracted, had on a coat of remarkable make and color; his head was decorated with a hat similar to the kind Uncle Sam is usually portrayed as wearing, and his pantaloons were evidently Im­ ported from the land of the Turks. He seetued sublimely and unaffectedly happy, apparently enjoying the obser­ vation of which he was the center. Such an extravagant foible goes be­ yond the bouuds of eccentricity, and borders upon lunacy. However, he was no worse than some men who delight to parade tllelr thoughts before the public--thoughts clothed In lust such fanatic und Impotent raiment. You can never And a fool who has control of his tongue--the less brain he has the more he is sure to chatter. Such men, like our next Vlce-Presl- dent, nre able to talk for hours at a time, and yet say absolutely nothing. I enticed one of these fiends, one who was worse than a threshing machine, into the cellar, aud another "mysteri­ ous disappearance" is chronicled by the press. The devil probably has got htm by this time. Death is ever near us with his" blighting hjtad, and, as our hair grows white with the frost of years our blood also gently chills until its life current Is froseo for everlasting time. When a loved friend Is called away tearful emotions thrill our heart-strings --and other strings,as music thrills the chords of a hat p. A little child--a boy, witb whose name and parents i am acquainted, died the other day, and, weeping bitterly, bat vainly, I Wrote the following beautiiul emotional obituary: Moses O'ftaiHy, a good sort Of boy, Is dead aoa tarnin. 1 know; Ho had a red head, his «ye« shone with joy-- "Blow your trumpet, Gabriel, blow! Even Tennyson's •'In Memoranda" can not possibly beat tint. Since Its publication I have been sliot at eighty* seven times by the father of deceased, and missed each time, the shot laying out some other poultry. I presume ho tmuk* l lo«k. *luioat MMK Jmany libera ties with the corpse for a mere ac­ quaintance, I wrote It chiefly to soothe him. but it seems, like a quaok doctor's prescription, to have had just e opposite effect. My aunt judges he ill wing me if he persists iu trying, nd I have come to the conclusion she ir^i^lit. Tlie ohl -tlme tradition of Watts' dis­ covering the motive power of steam with a spoon 1 have ascertained to be Incorrect. A learned scientist, Mr. Leanover Gurnpy Yungkjit, has In­ formed me that it happened lit the following manner: Watts, who was an absent tninded, devil-may-care sort of ysouth, once put his mouth over the nozzle of the tea-kettle while the water jvss yet cool, and, falling info' a reverie he soon dozed oft into a sleep. When he awoke be was chcCk full of steam-?-had full power on. His legs and arms commenced mov> i ng In an alarmingly rapid manner, and by Hctuil count, his head bounced up to the celling ninety-four times in six­ teen seconds. So it seems Watts was not much of a genius after all, and that the discovery ot the power of steam, so far from being the result of careful study, and hours of, spooning, was purely accidental. 8ome. men lie just for the romance of thb thing, and it must have been a romance that get up that spoon story. However, Watts is no worse off an spoons than is Ben­ jamin F. Butler. Anna, my sweetheart, Is the very soul of brightness, has a kind heart, plenty of corns, and all her ways have the charm of being truly feminine. One evening as we sat conversing be­ fore the ruddy glow of the coals In the fire-place, I broached the weird topic of radishes. I said: "Anna m' life, radishes are my favorite fruit, and it is <fto me a delightful recreation to pull them in their blushing virgin beauty from- the graceful trees and throw them at the ruminating hen." As I glanced up to hear what she would re­ ply I perceived that she was weeping, and then mine own eyes suffused with tears. "Anna!" I shrieked, "the tenrs that now diws my vision Is one o(. deeply felt sympathy, not weakness! Ah! Ah! Speak girl, what is't?" "O, Lovell," she said, in seraphic tones which Unfiled me like a toad, taYuu ha/e spoken In too solemn and poetic a mood for such an occasion as this, and by doing so yon have ignited coals of memory which had better have lain silently slumbering beneath the ashes of forgetfulness, Long months ago (weary, dreary, jeery months) my be­ loved Henry Goodness Mumps Sidelong Jones, a soulful terrier, departed to the starry realms, leaving his tail be­ hind him. Forget bim will I never!" Mv face grew ashen white, and I was In imminent danger of fainting onto the cat, but by a superhuman effort I arose ou my trembling knees, and said: "Nice girl--the dog is a dangerous vegetable; so am I. Therefore, on my knee-caps, I bej£ you^wUI permit me to r*„>' ( take the noble creature'* pliw la yoor heart, your bosom, or aaywlere." I was blushing searlot »t Cfco 'i|d sf Mils what I justly considered oeMly worded s e n t i m e n t -- a l s o A t t h o e » 4 « t f a M o o . My nose is always that way, however. She opened her arms and came rushing towards me, but I had novel of a maiden who lover In that manner, and 'it W«» hftdly scared. So, with a shrill cry of horror, I made for safer regions under the bed, weeping like a hysterical by** Hat nervous bird. "Oh! come fcMkl Otl? come back!" cried the tender maiden "and I will yoa wed." So I seized my pocket knife and came warily out. Sh» twined her perfect rounded aittts oboat my neck In a soft entrany!ng manner, and vowed vows to love me, aod mo alone. Bat 'as she spoke her breath mingled with my own, and I perceived that she had been eating enlona-- cussed onions, just tHInk of it! Tho onion lias a very romantic sm«ll, and It harJer to get dowu\ than are most restaurant biscuits. Off course it woald not be right to wea a woapa^who might blight my happiness by keeping such thing* atoxic the lioute--so we parted. Besides, ber ta>lt££je etath footed, and I would just as soot| s» n#ar a mule as a man with a club foot. I left the room a ruined and broken hearted masculine. Now, even tho sight ot an onion will move ine to tears--when I am close to It. Bat I gain surcease of sorrow by sort of drop ping Into poetry, as the following will show. It does not deal with posies, but sets forth ghastly faets to undress uniform: roEX. How natural it is (or a man to co WTien he falls in the beautiful WtttlriM How certain it ia that a woman When she has a big cornouheBieek. Yours truly, if <Vrad« lnaproviag. ;» There is a prevalent notloq ln com­ mercial circle* that a "rise to staplee" is an essential precursor of ytwil business and Industrial r«Cu|jiif*!eii and expansion. If there is any wjurrMt in this opinion It would seem'MM the preliminary conditions of vlval are iu a fair way of betq Cotton prices have reoovmtf^iMNR *nd one-half cents per pound fH>i^t|&lew- est rates of the seasoi^tii&i Ing tendency has hesMl i Itself in the mtrl&fcjjg? cents per bushel sad per barrel within a month and tllire Is every Indication that the Hi* h4s been prompted by legitimate 'demand, although speculation In grain has been the active InQueixf* jfc.,^frfc la the market. Other lines of hwiittiifls have been steadily advattda£ 'far eev- eral weeks past, In the. j|^f|gral bat> termontof financial ooaditloaof the agricultural sections and lift"fjtfMpee* tive advantage of the ^ijg^f'^lBtar* ests of the whole country. BmMooi and dairy products also ani Irijfher than they Were before the holidays Wool values remain at the low level reached during the mooeUtry con­ traction last summer.but tbe^remark able firmness under the CftWbtaed effect of large stocks and Igeseaed consumption is an encouraglftcfoaiare. Iron and steel show no InpONmaent and on coal lower prices seett I* ba Inevitable. Cheaper fuel, however will better fulfill the conditions form revival of Industrial activity and a ra» turn of general prosperity. On the whole, the situation iu business circles at this early stage of the new year la such as to afford gronnd for encour­ agement, and there is a genertl dls> position to view It in this light,-- Philadelphia Record. Rather bo Blfht than * '4 Hon. Erastas Brooks of New York lias been In the city all the week ID at* tendance on the conference of the representatives of the various state boards of health, says a Washlngtaa letter. He acted as cbalrnaa Of the conference throughout the proceed- ings. He is vigorous health, thongh now advanced in years. Turning to­ ward the old senate chamber now the supreme court room, his eye brigtitea- ing with the pleasure of the reminle* scence, Mr. Brooks said: "I was here when Henry Clay made his famous^ speech, iu which he declared: *1 would rather be right thaa be president. Clay is tho only aah I ever idolized. He was a grand man I do not knoW but what I was Instrumental in having Clay declare: *f wibuld rather be right than president.' It was |n tbie way: I was president of a young man% Clay club, on the moral ng of the day ou which 'Jlay was tw make the speech I wer:t to him in behalf of tM elafo and expressed the hope that he would sot say anything which would Injur* hloi as a candidate lor the presidential nomination. He looked at mesosheerhat severely aud said: 'Young man, do you not tbink yon should attend to your own affairs?' That day Clay made his great speech, and after h« had concluded It be came over to me, and lesnine over the desk In the chart ber where I was writing, he eat#: *Youmc man, I may have spoken harshly this moroing, aed i kegN iiavc said nothing injure our friends la theeaetj I saiu I would rather be ~ president. I meant tt» mean It," S i A , .