McHenry Public Library District Digital Archives

McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL), 8 Jan 1890, p. 6

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:v v.- • >%y * ' • ; • cfe. 'ftwtttytM *ttlftn(»w* tfpreafa,. And jiili'twi, cf pure vhUn. Hn% fondly 1 to tn»«drtt«' i.lgh, 'Ml Whoij comes tl.e BO eu<n UJtt ! *J»« •)*.'?• Then worn In* care, «b, conch most rarat Betwf-en the nheots 1 creep, .And fram my mini seeks sweet repoato In quiot, holy si ep, , , "When drives the rain Against the - a v - - , And ni; pin# In the air. m &i 'tV cover o'er tny form I draw, And nestle snugly there. Vv (.• MM',. And then I think of those who slak Noglecte 1 niid aloii', s : Their clotlios in shreds, anU ItMith their heads Mo pillow Bave a atone. ' '.'•BgH,..' Ah, then to me, whou pnvarty Soama doubly to affright. , ' t; 4t,ii ^ ' A prayer 1 breni he. "Ob. Hod raUet£'. .kg- t The wrptche.i poor to-night l" P ' Tork Weekly. .•• A WOMAN'S JEALOUSY b - The party, though small, was a very fcriiJinnt oue; and as the night was lorcelj, and the spacious grounds apunkhxl with starlight and flowers, We ml) emerged from the stately mansion into die open air, and were soon scat­ tered ;n knots, here and there, enjoying -file soft, balmy breezes thai wc« »hib- petiny; through the summer leaves, and gpsxtng on the miniature lake in Central !r&rk, close by, that, in the silvery Vteams of the rising moon, had just be- ^jou fco sparkle as though it were some gigantic jewel scintillating in the bosom ,43i the landscape. Daring the evening I had been pre- Itonted to several ladies of exceeding 'fcwwity And of great wealth, among •^rtiom I noted one of such surpassing liveliness that now, as I chanced to jerceive her leaning on the arm of my Attend Frederick--the son of our gener- •o«s host--I thought him one of the Most fortunate fellows in the world; for I could comprehend that his head and of the exquisite and accomplished ure by his side were entangled iu e meshes of the same silken not. Frederick was a very handsome fel- ir of about twenty-seven, while Miss , or "the beautiful Florence,"--as 0 was sometimes called--had just pleted her twenty-first year. They engaged in low and earnest con­ ation as they sauntered close by a ) tided arbor to which I had uncon- )usly wandered, and where I found a aolit&ry seat. From the denseness of tike foliage that surrounded me, they passed without observing me, and left we to a train of thought which I was pa renin g, when the entrance of the •arbor was suddenly darkened by the Jpgnne of a man, who had just darted •crass the rustic path out of a clump of evergreens. I perceived at a glance 4iia& he was not one of the guests, for lie wore thick boots, a slouched hat and m coarse pea-jacket; while a single glimpse of his heavy under-jaw I was, as might be presumed, in a state of the most dreadful excitement and alarm, for here I was in a secluded part of the grounds, with an assassin within a few feet of me meditating a terrible deed, aud not knoving at what instant be might dart out aud plant his deadly weaposi in the heart of Miss L oi\ce she had passed the entrance of the arbor. My hope of escape was cot off com­ pletely, for it was impossible for me to work my way through the dense sides of the retreat without a noise that would lead to my disoovery. So I kept my eye fastened steadily on the open­ ing, determined, when I heard the ap­ proaching footsteps of my friend and companion, to burst forth from my con­ cealment and apprise them of their dan­ ger. * This decided upon, without a mo­ ment's hesitation, I cautiously sank on my knee and began to take off my shoes, which, although very light, would still make considerable noise on the gravel. I had removed one of them, and was about to relieve myself of the other, when my hand touched some­ thing cold that was lying on the grouud. I grasped it noiselessly, and found it to be a small crowbar, that had, I suppose, been used iu removing- stones from the walks. 1 was now armed, and, regaining my feet, I stood divested of my shoes, de­ termined to cope with the murderer when the moment arrived. I was not kept long in suspense, for scarcely had I stood erect with the crowbar in my hand, when the silvery laugh of Florence and the gay voice of Frederick fell upon my ear. There was a slight rustle &mong the leaves, near the entrance of the arbor, and I observed Caston cautiously peering through the opening, while his terrible blade glit­ tered again in the moonbeams. His back was turned toward me,and as the young lovers were now close by, he seemed preparing himself to spring out from his concealment the iustaut they had passed. There was not a second to be lost, for they were already opposite the grotto, and ia another moment the murderer would, be uprfn them. My breath came thick and fast, and before I was aware of my movements I found that I had crept within a single pace of him. His knife was suddenly lifted above his head, and perceiviog that Fred­ erick and Florence had now left the arbor a few paces behind, he stepped forth softly on the grass, careful not to tempt the noi*y gravel, and was in the. act of stealing upon them, when, with a swift and terrible blow, I felled him sense'es3 to the earth, while uttering, at the same tine e, a cry for help that reached the lawn near the mansion. In a moment Frederick was by my side, wild with surprise and alarm, while Florence fell, almost fainting, into the extended arms of the beautiful Clara, who, with several ladies and gen- and brum, rough hands, not to speak of his _ matuive, low heap of a form, induced tlemek quicldTreached thTspot mm to steal cautiously from where I sat Enraeed at such oerfidv on th and conceal myself behind the trunk of * iivc, that stood within the leafy grotto. Enraged at such perfidy on the part of a woman. I instantly whispered a few words ia the ear of the fiendish rival ol I secreted here but a Miss L , who had supposed her in- few seconds, when the man, who apr jpfeared to be intensely watching the yoang couple who had just gone down ike walk, uttered a suppressed exclama­ tion, and the next instant a second a stood in the opening also. This time, however, it was that of n, beautiful as the day, but with jression of countenance so fiendish, the moment she threw back the of the mantle that enveloped her te form and revealed her features ia der luster that fell upon them, I almost betrayed myself, so great was my surprise. On making some ob- . uassiwitaon to the man, which I was un­ able to hear, she suddenly drew him -deeper into the grotto, until they both 4<fcood within a single yard of me in al- < most inpenetrable gloom. Here, after ikrief pause, she exclaimed, in a voice although suppressed, seemed ter- udbly cruel and excited: "Have you seen them? have you seen then/* They passed but a few moments «tnoe, and alone! Caston, you have de­ ceived me! In this remote part of the grounds, which 1 knew they would »ek, you might have done the work from behind securely and without de­ fection, for yoa could have escaped the moment she fell. And here was the Eint that you yourself selected. I ve been drawn toward the spot I can't 4*11 how! Why did you not strike? He •wiMiki not have deserted her to pursue joa! After them, man! after them, IMKI avenge me, if you would have wealth and the protection of one who *ean almost set the law at defiance!" I was paralyzed, but dared not at- "tampt to move, as I was totally un- ;«nied; for I knew that the desperate "villain would make short work of me, if ihe was aware that I had overheard what tad been just uttered. I therefore de­ termined to remain concealed until I Iward tended victim stabbed to the heart, which caused her to disappe ir from the scene with a sudden cry th&t was inex­ plicable save to myself only. In the meantime, and without further explanation, I caused Caston to be firmly bound by some of the servants, and carried, while still insensible, to one of the outbuildings of the mansion, where a watch was set over him, while, taking Frederick aside, I related to him all that had just occurred in the grotto, and what a narrow escape Miss I* had of her life. I thought the poor fel­ low would have fallen to the earth as I recounted the particulars of the fearful scene. Bat, as I was desirous that a knowledge of them should be communi­ cated to no other pers n for the pres­ ent, it was agreed that we should pre­ sent Caston in the light of a robber only, whose career had been arrested summarily. Next morning it was discovered that the blow received by the intended as­ sassin, although not mortal, had not only effectually destroyed his memory but left him a harmless simpleton for the rest of his life. And, by 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we learned that the beautiful Clara and her gentle aunt had sailed for Europe. In due time Flor­ ence was made aware of all the circum­ stances of the case, when, as may be supposed, we became fast friends. Even long after her marriage with Frederick, we persisted in keeping the true partic­ ulars of the secret among ourselves. There were reasons for this which need not be explained here. However, as recently I have had the fullest assur­ ance that Clara, which is, of course, a fictitious name, was lost with her amia­ ble relative on the Seine, and as I am aware that Caston in the inmate of an asylum for the insane, where he must . , , . , spend the remainder of his days, the the leturnmg footsteps of my j disclosure can now effect neither, while friend and his fair companion, or until ttm conspirators had settled upon some definite plau of action. I had arrived at this hurried conclusion when the cur- .wmm of my thoughts wa3 interrupted by "ike ruffian Caston, who, in a low, coarse, kiuky tone, replied to the beautiful «4femon who had just spoken: "1 should ha' done the work, Miss •CSar®, but another customer was down ifca paUa a little before 'em, that I lost en somewhere hereabouts. That's how it is; but there is plenty of time It's not late, and a chauoe may filler before she leaves. If I could «*Uih her alone for a siugle moment all •would be right; for, let me tell you, it's •n easy matter when two on 'em's to- -gether to do the job clean." **I«aust return to the party, now, pay absence may attract attention," , Clara. "Tormented with forebodings, I seized this cloak managed to approach this point unobserved. It was incautious, but I eouid not withstand the fearful tempta­ tion. They will return this way, and, It they should be alone, strike! All is *»ady for your escape, and no suspicion •40aa attach to me, as I am one of the /.^oe-its, and I have been on apparently 4gHite friendly terms with this destroyer -Of my peace during the whole evening. Jf you are unable to avenge me to-night, -1 shall be at the cottage of the gardner to-morrow forenoon, I must now >«*«?ay." _ Once more the entrance of . the arbor darkened by the two figures, that ••m tiie lady quickly disappearing, while idpaston remained. On finding himself alone, the. villain timnoved his hat for a moment, dis- ;*#laeing a low, retreating forehead, and the most repulsive, which he be- to mop with a red pockethandker- ' <dkieL This latter accomplished, he drew horn his bosom a long, shining knife or v blade, which flashed for an instant in the moon, and then stepping aside, he .<oeooetiled himself among the foliage, as -iif" it may, perchance, purpose. serve some good Betting on a Sure Thing. A young man with a baby in his arfh? stood on a street corner. The baby was at peace with itself, the young man who held it, and the world iu general. The young man didn't appear so well satis­ fied. He looked quite anxious and ill at ease. He had been standing these with the b»by in his arms for almost an hour when two young men, who had been standing on the opposite corner enjoy- ing the situation, crossed the street and walked up to liim, "I say, old chappie, where did you get the kid?" "^byoung ladv asked me to hold it for ner a few moments while she went into a store," answered the yoiptg man, beginning to look as if he Wished she hadn't. "She did, eh? Well, the best thing you can do is to take the child up tc police headquarters and leport the case. That nfbther has deserted the baby." "I don't believe it,'* said the holder of the baby, but the expression on his face seemed to belie the statement. "You don't?" exclaimed the pecoud young man. "I'll bet vou $0 to $1 it's a fact." " I'll take that bet," and the money was put up. About five minutes later a very trim little lady came out of the store with her arms full of bundles. "Oh, John, how long I've kept you waiting. Has baby been behaving it­ self? Come to the mother, poor little dear. What? You've got to see a friend? All right; hurry up." And as the couple walked off the young gents on the corner could heal the fond father sav: "See, it will just buy baby that car­ riage you want HO badly." TOBACCO LAW IN FRANCE, 'tfci State (Iwna liw Itmhwas TTIMH?# aad ' - Hons It Itaeit Visitors to France have noticed how careful the custom officers are to see that no ooe is smuggliug in matches or tobacco. The importation of matches is prohibited and there is a very heavy duty on tobacco. Any one who has made the acquaintance of a French match will not readily forget it. Its peculiarity is that it is very reluctant to ignite, and is no sooner alight than it proceeds to extinguish itself. Matches have hitherto been made solely by one company, which had, paid the Govern­ ment a large sum every year for the privilege of supplying Frenchmen with bad matches. As a proposal to continue this system threatened to overthrow the Tirard Ministry the other day, the Gov­ ernment has decided to take the manu­ facture of bad matches into its own hands. The tobacco is made to suit the matches. It is also bad and dear. The tobacoo business has long been a State monopoly, and is one of the principal sources of revenue. The latest report on the subject shows that last vear's crop was 20,175,000 kilogrammes, which was valued at 16,423,000 franc3, or $3,- 284,600. This wag s, poor vear, giving oaly 035 Iinuus worth- per hectare^ while in 1887 the value per hectare was i,811 francs. This was the home pro­ duction, but the Government imports a great deal of American tobacco in leaf, and manufactures it in France. The Government sells it after it is made, aud the smallest tobacco store in France is part of this huge State monopoly. The State gives the privilege of growl­ ing the weed to planters, and looks after them with motherly care. It fixes in what departments tobacco m^ be grown. It marks off the number of acres to be planted. It selects the variety of plant and settlos what number may be grown on each acre. Not only so, but the army of officers, who are always prowl­ ing about on fcehalf of the State, count the plants in each acre and the number of leaves on each plant. Should a planter have less than the inventoried number of leaves when the harvest comes the officials will be down on him. A much graver offence, however, is to have too many leaves. This is regarded as an attempt to defraud the State, and unless satisfactorily explained is folj- lowed by fines and imprisonment. When he reaps his crop the planter has not the privilege of asking a price for it. The price is fixed by the State. Tobacco is grown in twenty-eight de­ partments. There are 62,284 planters, and 16,507 hectares of plantations. There are twenty-seven stores for the reception of indigenous tobacoo, and stores at Bordeaux. Dieppe, Dunkerque, Havre and Marseilles for imported to­ bacco. The State has twenty-one man­ ufactories. The largest is that at Lille, which turns out six million kilogrammes of tobacco a year. There are 20,871 employes in the factories, of whom 2,- 560 are men and 18,311 women. This does not include officials and agents. The Government does not treat its em- piujrwr. vci v r,i", ituu ulrikes iu tobacco factories are frequent. All the tobaceo stores in France .be­ long to the State. There are over 40,- 000 of them. The State does not sell tobacco at retail except in three stores. All the others are let to widows of of­ ficers, Government officials, and some­ times to the widows of Senators, Depu­ ties, and Prefects. They take the place of pensions. If the Government grants a pension to the wife of some man who has died in the service of the country, that generally means she gets a tobacco store, or bureau, as it is called. As the social position of the pensioners will not allow them to run the bureaus directly, they let them. The dealer is allowed 10 per cent profit by the Government, and is prohibited from selling any to­ bacco except that supplied and priced by the State. Neither must they make ci­ garettes out of the Government tobacco. Every cigarette must bear the official stamp. The State has three bureaus in Paris where the best quality of cigars can be obtained. These are either im­ ported or made out of imported tobacco. It was Napoleon,who established this monopoly in tobacco. The weed had been introduced into France by a Frenchman named Jfean Nicot, and its manufacture was free in 1621. A mo­ nopoly was established in 1674, but waa abolished long before the Revolution. Tobacco proved a profitable business when the culture was free. Napoleon was attracted at a ball in the Tuileries by a lady gorgeously arrayed with dia­ monds and jewols. "Who is that princess?" he inquired. When told that she was only a tobacco manufac­ turer's wife, he at once resolved to take charge of this means of acquiring wealth. (Joeer Fish, One would think thfit almost any one would know the meaning of the word "squab," especially a girl who had eaten young pigeons, broiled, at her own home breakfast-table. But Squire Brimmer, of ode of the great ranches of the Sacramento Val­ ley, never tires of quoting the amusing ignorance of one of his nieces who had come from New York to visit her Cali­ fornia relatives. He tells the story; "Just like all Eastern folks that come out here, Carrie was all for fun, for good times, riding, driving, fishing, camping--everything that came along to do, she was in for it. "Well, one evening I happened to say to my wife, 'I'll go out and bring in some squab for breakfast.' You see, there' were lots of them in, the barn- loft. " 'Why, Uncle John !* calls out Carrie, 'you don't mean to say you've been fish­ ing and didn't take me!' " 'Fishing--for squab?' says I., * " 'How many did you catch ?' says she. 1 saw she meant it." Here the old squire laughed heartily. * 'Ye<,' "ays she, 'I. think it's pretty mean to go fishing and not take me.' "Wish you could have seen her face when I wen tout and brought in those birds! But she was equal to it. 'We might boil them.' said she, 'and then we would have a pretty kettle of flahf " the short men, who, cJh snow-shoes, rush through Hie wood,/ dart down steep hills, and jump from ledgo-j several yards in height. Each hunter does his be*t to outrun the others, for the wolf belongs to the Lapp who strikes the first blow. As the leading hunter is close Crnsty. There liv^Wfffl^nown of -- an old and apparently friendless man ;:nown to many persons as "Old Crusty," and the name seemed to fit him well, and to describe his bearing toward his neighbors. It was rumored soon as the leading hunter is close that ho was a miser, and this did not enough to the wolf, he gives it a heavy d(Jd to the litl" blow across the loins with his strong, spiked snow-shoe staff. If there are other wolves to be pursued, he kills it outright; if not, he disables it, and waits till all the other hunters have ar­ rived, before giving the death-stroke. The Peaunt (Arachig Hypogasu)--A 5atural Curiosity. How many of the readers ever exam- iued the growth of the common peanut. There are not many grown ia this State but enough to make a few familiar with the general appearance of the plant as it looks when growing. Partly as a curiosity, we planted a few in the garden this season and watched them carefully from the time the yellow flowers appeared, to see them "force their ovaries in the earth and there ripen them " I, had read what the books say about the habit of growth of the plant, and expected to see an elongated peduno-e, with au in­ cipient pod, turn over after the papilio­ naceous flower had fallen and penetrate the soil. I was first surprised to see that the flowers, while distinctly of the class Of the Leguminosie, were quite sessile, or if they had any peduuele at all, it did not elongate, but the flowers dropped and left no sign visible to the naked eye of any fruit to follow. One, two weeks pass, more flowers bloom and fade, when lo! from the opposite side of the leaf, where a flower has been, there starts out a stout radicle that thrusts its end into the earth beneath, and after it has grown to a length of three inches or more, an incipient peanut is seen, which continues to develop with a thick, fleshy covering until it attains its full development. I have never noticed a plant where there was less visible connection be­ tween flower and fruit, and I am in­ clined to think that this description, as given in the botany, is rather deficient. I would like to call the attention of some of your amateur botanists to the plant. Where it has grown the stems may yet be seen of this year's crop.-- American Farmer (Md.) An Export Brought to Grief. How often you hear a man say that he can tell imported from domestic cigars by looking at them. I have been over ten years in the business, but I never felt equal to making such a boast as that. Some time ago mv father was in Washington, and while there was one day talking to three other gentle­ men. One of them, after making a de­ claration as outlined above, took three imported cigars from bis pocket and passed them around for inspection, at the same time saying that no one ever fooled him as to whether a cigar was imported or not. Meantime his cigars were laid on the table and my lather, watching his op­ portunity, quietly took the cigars from the table unobserved, and substituted three of his own domestic cigars and laid them in tfie same place. The con­ versation soon reverted to the three cigars in question, and the boaster, turning to them, said: "Now,, gentle­ men, these cigars are imported, and I'll tell you why," and he then took them up and went on explaining the various points as to size? shape, color, taste, smell, etc. As he concluded my father quietly said: "How much. Mr. Blank, would you be willing to bet that those were imported cigars?" "Ten dollars." said the expert. "I don't want your money, but I do want to convince you you are wrong," said Mr. P. "Those are not your imported cigars you have there; those are mine, and they are domestic. Here are yours," said the purloiner, as he pulled them out of his pocket. The expert's face turned pale and then red, and he was the picture of confusion. The others roared with laughter, and made the discomfited expert "set 'em up" all around. Moral--but it's too obvious to relate.--Tobacco. THE canal mule will emulate TIIE'©*' ... - . am .e of Genera! Bouianger and arc await the reappearance of, hw in-1 ito retire neat, bat Lee;) on kicking.-- 4 O»odod victim. . „ , 1 »- • & ' AiliLi. J" ,/Ut JLoJSUHJkJtJt.Mt * VJ Lapp Wtflf-Hunt. The Swedish Lapps live entirely with, by, and upon their reindeer. A Lapp who owns a thousand deer is a very rich man; but as taxes are i sessed upon the number of deer, he is inclined to underestimate his herd. The most dangerous enemy to the herd is the wolf, who, if disposed, can kill thirty deer in a night. A band of wolves can make a rich Lapp poor. When the snow is deep and soft, and it is announced that wolf-tracks have been seen in the neighborhood of the deer, the swiftest runners on snow-shoes prepare for an exciting chase. The wolf may have a start of a mile or two, but the track it leaves in the deep, soft snow is so prominent that the hunters can follow it at their best speed. The wolf, though he may run Mi, has but a *iighfc eh«nee of wteapiog Freaks or (jenins. Pliny relates the following charac­ teristic anecdotes of two famous painters of antiquity: Apelles, having pro­ ceeded to Bhodes to visit Protogenes, who lived there, went immediately to his house; but not finding him at home, and in order to, let him understand who had called, he took a brush and drew an exceedingly fine line on a piece of canvas. An old woman, the house­ keeper of Protogenos, did not fail to in­ form him on his return that there had come a man asking for him, who, instead of telling his name, had "IdTade a stroke on canvas. Protogenes, casting his eye upon this line, knew at once that it could be the production of no other than Apelles. But before he went abroad again he traced another line, of still greater delicacy above the first, and ordered his housekeeper to show it to the stranger if he should return. Ap- pelles came back immediately after, and drew a third line above the two former, in such a style that it was im­ possible to make one more delicate. Protogenes, on his return, owned that he was beaten, and that it was not in his power1 to draw a finer line than this last. He hastened to the harbor to find out his guest, and received him joyfully. The piece of canvas was care­ fully preserved, and became the admira­ tion of posterity, particularly of the masters of the art. It was still to be seen at Rome in the time of Augustus, and people went to behold with aston­ ishment a large piece of canvas where there was nothing but three lines, so delicately touched as to be scarcely per­ ceptible; but it was burnt iu a fire whieh broke out iu the palace. Sad Domestic Kens. Daughter--Bridget has become re­ markably attentive to her duties lately ? • Mother (sadly)--I have noticed it. "Yes, she has stopped slighting her work, and pa's shirts, and collars, and cuffs are starched beautifully. She walked twenty squares last Saturday afternoon to soe a woman who had promised to show her how." "My! my!" "And lately she has begtui studying cook-bboks. and asking me all manner of questions about the desserts and other dishes which I have always had to make myself. She seems deter­ mined to master every department of houskeeping." "Alas! It is as I feared. She is going to be married!"--New York Weekly. ON account of recent cases of sand­ bagging in New York the papers say that a tramp around that city after dark is a dangerous thing. Nevertheless, there probably are many hundred tramps loafing about the big city at (tight* »'<•••• 'x little respect people seemed to have for him. He lived in one or two rooms of an old house in the out­ skirts of the town, while he rented the rest of the house to any one so poor as to be forced to occupy such undesira­ ble rooms. His tenants one winter were a poor widow and her five children. The two oldest, one a boy of 12 years named Walter, the other, Bryce, a year younger,--two sturdy little fellows,-- did what they could to assist their mother, which was not enough to keep them from being very poor. They moved into the house with a marked distrust of Old Crnsty. They had heard much against him, and their impression of the old man when they saw him confirmed what they had heard. He was in his own rooms most of the time, however, and manifested some de­ sire to be friendly when he met the boys, but they would have none of him. "I despise a miser," said Bryce,stoutly, "and I don't want anything to do with one." Soon after they moved into the house the widow scraped enough money to­ gether to buy half a ton of coal at once. The coal was put into the shed side by side with Old Crusty's coal, only a board partition separating the two bins. "You don't s'pose he would take any of our coal, do you?" asked Walter of his mother. "No." she replied. "I never suspect persons of doing wrong things until I have cause." "Don't you think our coal goes pretty fast?" asked Bryce one cold day ajweek or two later. "Yes," replied his mother, "but it has been so very cold we have had to use a great deal of it." "It's my honest opinion that Old Crusty helps himself to a hodful of our coal ODce in a while," said Bryce to Walter a day or two later. "I shouldn't wonder. Miners will do anything rather than spend money: What makes you think he takes our coal?" "Well, he's out there so often, and nearly every night I hear him there after dark shovelling coal. He knows very well that we could see him in the daytime, because there's a window right in front of our bin." The result of their confidence was that the boys decided to watch Old Crusty. The very next night, just be fore they went to bed, they heard their landlord leave his room and go out. Then they heard also his coaljhod strike against the wall as he walked along. "He's after more of our coal. I'm sure of it P whispered Walter to Bryce. rru_i_ ti v i j Alien aiuvuet iiau Muu the boys slipped out unobserved. It was a clear, moonlight night, they could distinctly see Old ^ Crusty through the cracks in the buil<Jing. They watched him steadily until he left the coal-shed. When they came into the house their mother called out, "Where have you been, boys V" "Oh, just out to the coal-shed, re­ plied Walter, in a strangely subdued tone. " What were you doing out there at this time of the night?" "Oh, we were--well, we were watch­ ing Old Crusty," said Walter, who al­ ways told the simple truth," "What was he doing?" "Well, he--he--the fact is, mother, he was shovelling coal from his bin into ours, that's what he was doing--the generous old fellow! I don't see what makes people tell such yarns about him! After this I'm not going to be­ lieve all 1 hear." Stange Game of Indian Faro. Four big Yuma Indians, who arrived here on Tuesday, created a livoly sensa­ tion at a downtown hotel yesterday. The cause of it was the game of Indian faro, or totoyebuk, which they were playing. It is the most exciting of all Indian games. It was played by the contestants squatting opposite to one another in a kneeling position, the money wagered being under a handker­ chief on the lap of a disinterested party. Equal numbers of black and white sticks were then given out, each player getting one of each. A short string was then fastened to each, connecting it to the wrist, while the sticks themselves weie under a cloth and could not be seen. When they were tied the Yuma« folded their hands, concealing the sticks. Then those on one side untied in the strange, wild chant, Oh-oh-kali- ah-rah! repeated over and over, and ending in a derisive ha-ha! Their op­ ponents then cried out, Saoah-hasaoah- ha, bowing low their heads. The guess­ ing commenced as to which the colored sticks were tied, there being meantime a great clapping of hands and shouting. The sticks were shown, and when the guess was correctly made the winner received, besides the particular stick, one from a pile of seven or eight. When the guesser erred he had to give a stick back. This was continued for over two hours, when one side won all the sticks and all the money, some $5.50 all told. Great interest was taken in the game by many spectators. It is said to have been the first Indian faro ever played here.--San Francutco Examiner. How Big an Orang-Outang Is. The North Borneo orang-outang would seem to be a good deal bigger than the Sarawak one, of whioh Wal­ lace says that of a good many shot by him the largest stood four feet two inches only. Hornaday's largest was four feet four inches. In North Borneo the smallest full-grown male I have measured was four feet four inches; four feet six inches seems to be a common size. A Mr. Adams shot one on the Snanlamba said to be four feot eight inches and the one Mr. Dun- lap shot near theclub stood as much as four feet ten inches, the largest on re­ cord. Mr. Albert shot one on the Kin- abatangan lately which measured from tip to tip of its fingers eighty-six inches across its outspread arms.-- North Borneo Herald. , ' From the Heart. The manager of a matrimonial agency is res]X>nsible for the statement that when he proposes a candidate for the hands of his lady patroLa the yonng girls invariably ask: "What's he like?" The widows inquire: "What are his business prospects?" While the old ihaids breathlessly ejaculate: "Great heavens! quick! Where is Jtol"--Judge. , > 'r•-%---nw; Hell Eitrnetf. The first money one really earns has a value and importance peculiarly its own--a value which in increased if the money is earned by hard, faithful la-, bor. One- man, at least., will never for­ get how he felt on receiving his first wages. He was a boy of 15 at the time, a western farmer's son. Early one morning a neighbor appeared unex­ pectedly at the door. "My boy's down sick to-day," he said, "an' I wondered if I couldn't git your Jimmy to drap corn for me in a piece I'm just finishing up. Of course, I'd expect to pay him for it." As our corn was all in, says the gen­ tleman, and my father was always glad to oblige a neighor, he said at once that I might go. I was greatly pleased with the idea of being paid in cash for my services, as I had never worked away from home, and the "spending money" that father occa­ sionally gave me did not seem like money I had earned. Up and down, down and up the long furrows I tramped before Farmer Gray's hoe. It was an exceedingly warm day, and Farmer Gray was a t"smart worker," and evidently intended that I should earn my Money. I had fairly to troi before him, while he fre­ quently encouraged me to renewed speed by saying: "Hurry along, iny son! Git along as fast as you kin. It's the /nly way to make a livin' in this world." We stopped just long enough to eat our dinner, and finished planting the corn at about 4 in the afternoon. Then Mr. Gray said: "Now sonnyy you can make up the balance o' the day weeding my onion bed." So I pulled weeds until .7 o'clock, when I was called in to supper, aftet which Mr. Gray said, cheerfully: "S'posin' you jist split up wood enough to last Mis' Gray to-morrer; an' then help me do my feeclin'--for good measure, you know." It was quite dark when Gray pulled out his pocket-book. "Well, Bonny," said he, "you've done right well, an' I don't mind payin' a man his money when he's aimed it. About how much, now, ought I to pqy you, eh?" I was modest and bashful, and told him to pay me what he thought I had earned. "Well, then," he replied, "s'posin' we call it fifteen cents. Folks workin' by the day don't ginerally stay to sup­ per, an' as you did, I reckon fifteen cents '11 be 'bout right. Here's your money, an' next time I want a boy, I'll give you a chance." I took the money with good con­ science. I had certainly earned it.-- Exchange. The Story of a Geranium Pot. In 1872 a German artisan, a shoe­ maker, died iu Charleston, S. C. He had a brother there, to whom, on his deathbed, he bequeathed an old box about the size of the vessel in which luuica piuiit ^eiaiuuiua iu liou Of thu clay pots of Dutch manufacture. The brother, who became heir to the pot, knew not what to do with the curious legacy, but he kept it in a trunk until a few years ago, when he married. It was subsequently taken from his trunk and given to his little girl as a play­ thing. The little girl scattered the contents of the box, pegs, awls, etc., to the four winds. About a year ago her father died, and a loving wife utilized the box as one in which she planted some ge­ raniums and placed it on the grave of her dead husband. When the plants grew the box was taken back to the city and did service again as a play­ thing. One day the bottom fell out of the box and it was then found that the heirloom had two bottoms. A roll of bank bills fell out of the false bottom, and with the roll three pieces of silver, three half dollars. The fact was re­ ported to the little girl's mother, and on counting the amount she found that it was $135. It has since been ascertained that the man who left the small but interesting legacy died before he could explain the real reason for the gift of the box. The circumstances as above were re­ lated by Mrs. Eggers; to whom the facts were given by the lady who is in possession of the money. A very inter­ esting part of the story is that the lady used a part of the money at once to erect a memorial to the testator at St. Bethany Cemetery. It has always been contended that there is money in ge­ ranium pots. The theory will receive a great boom by the facts as given.-- Charleston News and Courier. > ' A* 'tiM . Hottoes for Sun-Dials. Dials' live over into this age of cheap clocks and watches not by reason of their use or convenience, but because of their associations. They were form­ erly designed with taste, and bore some inscription suiled to their purpose, Many of these are historic, as the one that "used to be at Paul's Cross in London, which said, in Latin, "I num­ ber none but sunny hours." An old fashioned dial in a garden of Sussex, England, is said to bear upon ite plate these four mottoes, each for its own season: "After Darkness, Light;" "Alas! how swift;" "I warn whilst I move;" "So passes Life." Familiar old mottoes are some of our every-day proverbs. Borne of tbe«e are, "All things do wax and wane;" "The longest day must end;" "Make hay while the sun shines." One of the most appropriate of these mottoes used to be borne by a dial that stood in the old Temple Gardens, and it is said to have been furnished by the great Lord Chancellor Bacon. His lordship was hard at work one day in 'lis chambers, when an idle student dropped in to a3k for a mottoe for the new sun dial that was then being built. Twice the student humbly made his re­ quest, but the grave Chancellor gave no sign of having heard it. At last, as the petitioner began again for the third time, Bacou looked up and exclaimed, angrily: "Sirrah, b« gone about jour busi­ ness I" "A thousand thanks, my lord," re­ plied the suitor. "The very thing for the dial! Nothing could be belter.. Another Wedding on the List. Philip (nephew of his uncle who is about to take unto himself a wife)-- What's all dem wedd'ns, Uncle Jal;e? I mean dem silvali an' gold wedd'ns. Uncle Jake--Dar's de dimun wedd'n, de gojden wedd'n, de silvali, de wood'n, an' I bleeve, de leathah wedd'n; but dey's talkiu* now 'bout addin' anuddah one. Philip--What's dat? Uncle J.--De lasses candy wedd^' Dat's to be celebrated when de fust boy's big ernu'f to lick. No, JOHNNY ; ten pin balls made ia rolling nulla. ' ' * FOLLY AS IT FXA8H. "meet"---Sea dogs on » hu&i ' FKIRD oysters are like juries. Ther go twelve in a box. IT may bo that love makes the world go round, but an overdose of whisky will do it more successfully. WHY is a game of ball like a buck­ wheat cake ? Because its success 'de­ pends very largely upon the batter. THE Edison girl--She has so much magnetism. "You bet she has. Why courting with that girl is one long elec­ tric spark." AT the minstrels---Mr. Fangle-- Well, that's'the richest lot of dry jokes I ever heard. Mrs. Fangle--Is that the reason you had to irrigate so often? AUNT KEZIAH--Well, Kitty, so you're to be married? Kitty--Yes, aun't, Providence permitting; bat wouldn't it#be avtful if thai dress shouldn't come? , NEW BOARDER (to his neighbor)--Is this what they call spring chicken here? Old Boarder--Yes; it probablv gets its name on account of its elas­ ticity. "WELL, no, he's not what you would call a great liar. He'll toll » doeeu lit­ tle lies every day, though." "Oh, I see, and it would take him twelve days to be guilty of lying." ^ A SCHOLAR in a suburban school, the , other day, on being told by the teacher •* to always begin dates with a capital let­ ter, asked if he should always begin figs in the same way. MR. BOODY HOUSE--Was Cherry Streete drunk again last night? Mr. Perry St. Clair--No, not exactly; but ; he borrowed my corkscrew to try and ' draw a sober breath. % VISITOR in Kentucky--I noticed that yoa called that man Judge. Is he a United States Judge or a local Judge? ^ Native--A local jedge, sah. He wasr i jedge at a hoss-race last week, sah. A YOUNG lady sent in a poem en­ titled "I Cannot Make Him Smile," to a newspaper. The editor ventures to express the opinion that she would have • succeeded had she shown him the poem. "YOUR father was a very energetic ! man, was he not?" "Very. Why, he en- t listed iu '61, and it didn't take him ^ more than three weeks to do his fight­ ing, while others were at it four years." "Do YOU remember that awfully smart boy you used to have in your of- 5 fice--Johnny Smith?" . "O, yes. How did he come out?" "He hasn't come out. He got twenty years in Sing Sing." PAPA (who has just been made magis­ trate. addressing his little daughter)-- Lily, lean marry people now; did you know that? Lily (anxiously)--But you won't, papa. Don't you think mamma's enough? PRIVATE BULLION, of the "Elite Guards,"--Ah, a uniform is the thing to catch the hearts of the dear crea­ tures! His Valet -- Right you are, sor. I was on the pillace foorce mee- self, wanst. * "THE Empress of Austria aits alter­ nately on either side of her horse,1* • says an article on "Horsemanship for f Women." Everybody will 'be glad to S hear that she sits that way alternately - and not simultaneously. "I DON'T see how Mrs. McGay caq.*!^ ford to wear so many tips on her' hat. There is a row of them all the way round the brim." "Afford it? I won- , der that she. hasn't the whole hat made of tips. Her husband is a hotel waiter, ^ you know." MRS. MUSHROOM--Dear me! There is something out of order in this house > again. Mr. Mushroom -- What's i wrong, my dear? Mrs. Mushroom-- T The gas meter doesn't work right. 1 * wish you would send for a gastronomer t o e o m e a n d f i x i t . ^ , , ' ' ' THE TALE OF A I stole a woo kiss-- I shall ne'er steal another. . In a transport of bliss I atole a wee kiss ; But the pretty young miaa Had a pretty big brothor. I stole a wee kia 8-- I shall ne'er .steal another. ---lyiiladelphia Jealer. Had Got Used to Cheekiness. ' ! "Can I ilse your telephone a minute?* 4 •he asked, as she ran into a neighbor's . on Second avenue with a shawl over her head. "Oh, certainly." "I am going "to grr#:; |yijarfy next *' .t 4*, .*4,< J'l i 1,...• ima week, and I want to favite » fe# v friends." "Yes?" "It is to be a very seledt party/* "Yes?" V "Only my friends." "Yes?" , v:':/.; hJ'And, therefore, yonyou wont "Angry if I am not invited, nor won't consider it clioeky if you use my tele­ phone to invite others ? Oh, no. Any one who keeps a telephone in the house for use of the neighbors soon gets used to anything. Why, a. man came in here the other day and used the line to call my husband up down town and dun him for a bill!---Go ahead and call up the sub-office.--De­ troit Free Press. A Sporting Proposition. "Looky hore, mister," said a trampy ragged, unkept and dirty, as he walked up to a couple of traveling then. "Looky here; is either of you two fel­ lers anything much in the sportiu' line?" and he grasped his garments over his stomach as he made the inquiry. "What do you want with a sporting man ?" "Well, is either of you sports? That's what 1 wants to know first." "My friend, here, sometimes taken a. ^ bet, if he can get a good one. But : what do you want?" "I want somebody to get rich betUn' that I can't eat thirty quail in thirty ^ days. And it won't cost him a cent so far as I am concerned--nothin' but the f birds." -.J**, v • i m His Only Hepe. , "Prisoner," said the Judge, trembling with sympathy for the wretched man, "I deem it my duty to warn you that in my judgment you need not hope for executive clemency." , "I don't, Judge," replied the prisoner sullenly, "but I've got a purry strong hope that my friend's '11 get the Guv'nor to pardon me." The Teller Whe Wouldn't Tell. Farmer Oatcake (at bank windoir)-«r* I say, kin you tell me Mr. Cash more--Go to the next wi»» dow if you want any information. Farmer Oatcake--Thunderation! I'd like to know what you've got that sign "Teller" over yer head for, auy way !"-- Puck. "PLEASE to give me something, air,?* said an old woman. "I had a blind ohild; he was my only means of sub­ sistence, and the poor boy has reoov- •rad his sight.- » V ̂ * ,7'3 si- ,0k

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