is TE
MUCH ADO.
When you think of it, friend, the worries,
The troubles that wear you out,
Are often the veriest trifles,
That common =erse would flout ;
They write the forcheard with wrinkles,
They bow the shoulder with care,
Yet a little patience would show vou, friend.
Just how their weight to bear.
It's somebody late to breakfust
And the cotfee growing cold ;
It's a button that isn’t fastened, ol
Or a string too slight to hold :
And time and temper are wasted,
And fun is driven away,
And all for the want of gentleness,
The home is spoiled for a day.
And the children make a litter
Of tovs upon the floor.
And Johnny fergets to wipe his feet,
And Susie to shut the door ;
And who that hears you scolding,
Which after awhile you'll rue.
Wood deem those heedless little ones
Just all the world to you ?
“Tis well that God and the angels
Know better far than we,
That our conscience and our conduct, friends,
So seldom quite agree.
"Pis well that the Lord is pitient,
And sees, not what we are.
But what, at our best, we are fain to be,
Unmoved by strife and jar.
Ab me! for the little tritles,
Of which our bitter brew
Of sorrow and trouble is often mixed,
As weakly, with much ado,
We meet the smaller worries,
Thatare quickly out of sight,
When the sweep of a dark winged angel
Obscures our ee with night.
A BANK ROBBER.
* About four years ago, while 1 was
ying teller of the State National
ank, in a flourishing town in the
West, the events I am about to relate
occurred. The story is almost exactly
true, being changed here only in un-
important events. A partial account
of the affair was published in a local
per, and some of my readers may
have seen it.
When I left Ohio I crated up my
bicycle and sent it along by express.
It arrived in perfect order, and when
the roads were in good condition I
took many a pleasant spin after bank-
ing hours.
One summer morning after a de-
lighttul after-breakrast run in the brac-
ing mountain air, I rode up to the
bank, and having cleaned and oftled
_ my bicycle, stored it in one of the
rooms at the rear of the banking office.
Then I went leisurely about my work.
The first thing to do was to open the
vault, a substantial structure of mason-
ry with iron doors and bracings, and a
floor of square blocks of stone.
The vault was not made specially
strong against burglars, for the cash
was kept in the safe within. The
vault was intended only to protect the
books and records by fire. Any mere
bungler of a cracksman could have got
into it in an hour or two. The safe,
however, was as nearly burglar proof
as the best steel and latest improved
locks could make it.
The vault had two doors, an inner
and an outer, which were fastened hy
combination locks. Between the two
doors was a stone floor, like that in-
gide of the vault.
I swung the outer door open with-
out difficulty, but when I pulled the
inner door, to my surprise it scraped
on the stone floor, and considerable
force was required to pull it over the
obstruction, and swing it fully open.
What was the cause of this obstrue-
tion ? Had the hinges of the door
been worn so as to let it down ? Had
faulty construction in the floor allowed
one of the stones to slip gradually out
of place and interfere with the door ?
Had the building been settling and the
vault floors thrown out of level 2 Op
—and my heart beat faster at the
thought—had some one been tamper-
ing with the hinges ?
In any case there was need of a
thorough investigation, but what was
to be done ? The cashier was out of
town, and the president had told me
the nizht before that he would leave
on the morning's train for Enterprise,
to settle up a disputed balance with
our correspondent there. The absence
of both officers left me in first author
ity.
But before I decided what to do, the
safe must be examined to see if it had
been tampered with. I hurriedly en-
tered the vault and scanned the exte-
rior of the safe. No marks ot violence
appeared. The door was protected by
a time lock, and by three combination
locks to hold the bolts after the time
lock had released them. The clocks
had been set for 8 o'clock,and were
now run down. The tumblers of the
combinations had clicked in quick time
as | hurriedly whirled the knobs.
Bills, geld and silver Jay undisturbed,
just as [ had left them the evening be-
fore.
Now what was to be done? I did
not like to assume responsibilities
which properly belonged to some one
else. And here was a problem which
sibly concerned the very life of the
ank. Unless I was forced by cir
cumstances, the solving of it was not
tor me.
I gave myself three minutes for a
decision. The cashier was out ef
reach, and the president was now on
his way to the station. If 1 could
reach the station before the train left, I
could bring him back. The train was
due at 8.55, and the clock now marked
8.35.
The station was about four miles from
the town. When the railroad was
built it was found necessary to run
it down the valley ; and so the town
which lay back on the tableland was
left that distance to the west. It
would be impossible to get a horse and
buggy, and get to the station in the
time allotted. My bicycle! TI could
try it, there was a chance of success.
The two other clerks had come into
the bank, and were at work at their |
desks. I got out the cash needed at
the counter, remarked quietly to the
clerks that I was going out for a few
my machine out of the rear door and
mounted. The road was good, and I
was nerved to great exertion, and al-
though it required twenty minutes of
as hard work as I ever did, I succeed-
ed.
The dark roof the low station build-
ing came in sight, just as up the val-
ley I saw the smoke of the approach.
ing train. 1 was not too late. I
whisked up to the station and hurried
to Mr. Axtell, the president. who, va-
lise in hand, was looking up the track
at the train.
I related to him all
told in a very few words.
there was to be
He asked
{mea few questions and then said :
“Of course I will go back to town.
You return by your bicycle, and I will
follow by the stage. Go to the bank
and attend to business as usual. When
I get in we will decide what to do.”
I made my return trip with all pos:
sible speed, and took my place at the
teller window. For twenty minutes
business quietly proceeded.
Mr. Axtell came leisurely into the
bank soon after. He went into the
vault, examined the tloor, and he ran
his hand ajJong the cracks between the
stones. A moment's inspection satis-
fied him. He came out and told me
that he was convinced some one was
tunnelling under the vault. He asked
me to inform the clerks, and tojkeep a
close watch over everything until he
should come back, and hurried away.
He presently returned with two of
the bank's directors whom he took
into the vault, pointed out the suspi-
cious appearance, and explained his
theory of the cause.
The bank building stood on the
southeast corner of the intersection of
two principal streets, At the rer was
an alley, and across that a large brick
building. On the east side, touching
the bank, was a frame structure oceu-
pied by a clothing firm. Beyond, with
a three foot passage intervening, stood
an adobe house. The passage way
ran through from street to alley.
In the building across the alley there
was no opportunity, Mr. Axtell
thought, for working a tunnel; there-
fore he concluded the attack would be
from the east. The members of the
firm next door were old citizens, and
not to be suspected. Of the adobe
house he knew nothing. This, then,
was the first point for examination.
Mr. Axtell put a revolver in his
pocket, and going out the back door of
ur building walked up the alley to
the adobe house, and entered a rickety
door, which he found unlocked. Here
he discovered a bare empty room, evi-
dently long unoccupied. But on the
floor were tracks of muddy boots.
Upon examination he found that the
flooring in the corner of the room was
cut through, and a trap door had been
placed there. At one side of the door
an iron staple was driven, apparently
serving as a handle for lifting it, Ie
raised the trap cautiously, and saw a
barrel set into the ground pointing in
the direction of the bank. Then he
lowered the trap carefully, and as care-
fully left the building.
There was no longer any doubt. The
tunnel was there, and the robbers
might be ready to make their final
movement on the bank that very
night. It was scarcely probable that
they worked in the tunnel during the
day, at least, now that they had got so
near the vault. At night no one would
be in the bank, and they could work
without fear of being heard.
Asit was probable that a watch was
kept over our movements, our prepara-
tions for the capture of the burglars
were deferred until after dark. During
the afternoon we worked at our desks
as usual, and left the building for our
homes at the usual time, having re-
ceived instructions from Axtell to re-
port again at 8 o'cloecs. We were to
come up the alley, which was always
very dark, and quietly enter the rear
room of the bank.
* Meanwhile the president had seen
the sheriff, who was to come to the
bank with four deputies at 8 o'clock.
When I cautiously stepped through
the back door into the building a little
before 8, I found these men already
there. The other clerks came in
promptly.
Two men were sent to a room in the
second story of a building across the
s reet, where they could watch the
adobe. It they saw any one enter the
passage way, they were to notify us by
drawing a match across the window
and immediately blowing it out. Each
of the clerks, beginning with the book-
keeper, was to be stationed for a cer
tain time near the vault door to listen
for sounds from the tuunel, and to
watch for the signal across the way.
The rest of the party were to remain in
the back room, ready to respond to
any call. Thus the night was com-
menced. The time dragged along
slowly enough. We could only sit in
silence. No sound had reached us
from the tunnel, and no communica-
tion had been made to us by the clerks
in the banking room up to 11 o'clock.
At that hour another man was to re-
lieve the first watcher, and the ex-
change was silently made. The baok-
keeper had heard nothing below, and
had seen no signal from the opposite
side of the street.
Again the time dragged. Nothing
unusual was reported by the watcher.
One o'clock came, and it was now my
turn to relieve him. I took my place
under the counter. After a brief con-
sultation by Mr. Axtell and the sheriff,
it was decided it was probable the rob-
bers were at work in the tunnel, and if
they were they would leave it at an
early hour. The sheriff and two of
his deputies took their stations outside,
two of them going into the alley, and
the other into the street in front, thus
guarding both ends.
At about 2 o'clock IT beard a distinet
noise from under the floor near the
vault door. It was a steady succession
of strokes, as in digging, mingled with
a slight sound of tools. Presently
came a noise as though some heavy
m:nutes, and told the receiving teller
to attend to my window meantime.
Then I slipped on my riding shoes, ran
body was being lifted or forced. 1
crept to the front of the vault, and
could catch the sounds very distinctly.
They seemed to come from inside. The
ns
~~
robbers were either in the vault, or j
about to enter!
Now was the to. net. The
other end of the tunnel was guarded,
and at this end, of course, there was
no possibility of escape. 1 stepped
back two or three paces, drew my re-
volver, and fired three shots in quick
succession through ti at the
point at which 1 j the tunuel
must terminate.
There was only a slight chance of
hitting any one in the tunnel, but the
robbers in their fright wonld undoubt-
edly rush for the other end, to find
themselves confronted by the sheriit
and his assistants. those in the
rear room were hurrvine forward, 1
called to them to run to the adobe,
We found the sheriii’ and his depn-
ties on the alert, as they had heard
my firing and waiting developments.
The men who had been sia‘ioned
across the way quickly came over. |
explained as briefly as possible what
had occurred, and, revolvers i
we surrounded the adobe
After waiting some minutes we be-
came impatient, and the sherifl
mined to enter,
tima
floor
n >
nae
Aa
HAR
in hand,
deter-
Dark lante:
procured, and the sherifi
to follow him closely.
We crowded mto the passage way,
the sheritf at the head. When"
door was reached lie flung itopen with-
out a moment's hesitation, threw up his
right hand with cocked revolver, while
two deputies ‘mmediately behind him
reached forward with dark lanterns,
and flashed the light throughout the
room. There was an instant of in-
tense suspense.
were
Ye
directed us
Then the sheriff’ said
quietly, “There’s not a sonl inside,”
All burried iito the room. The
trap door was down. There was no
other door, w'ndow or opening of anv
kind by which an escape might have
been made. The robbers must be still
in the tunnel. It was suggested that
they had built a branch tunnel for es-
caping if discovered ; but there seem-
ed to be no place in the vicinity suita-
ble for such an exit. The chances
were that they were still inside, wait-
ing, perhaps, an opportunity to make a
rush through the trap door.
We listened for a few minutes, but
heard no sound. Then the sheriff
stepped forward to the trap door, and
quickly liftin> it, threw the rays of a
dark lantern down the hole. As far as
the light reached, nothing could be
seen but the black walls of the tunnel.
Then the sheriff leaned forward and
shouted down :
“Come up one at a time, and we
won't hurt you !”’
There was no answer : we waited a
little, and then he shouted as before,
adding, not altogether politely, “This
is the last chance you'll get. Don't
make fools of yourselves!”
The echo of his voice was the only
response. In silence we waited about
the tunnel’s mouth, but heard not the
slightest indication that any one was
inside. The sheriff threw down the
door with angry impatience. What
next ? How were we to capture them?
Should we have to starve them out, or
smoke them out ?
We divided ourselves into watches,
two men were to stand guard for one
hour, while the others retired to the
hank to snatch a little sleep; if possi-
ble. In the meantime several police-
men, having heard the firing, had come
to the vicinity of the adobe. One of
them stationed himself in the passage,
and two more took their stands in the
street and alley ready to spread the
alarm it’ an escape was attempted. Be-
fore leaving the watch to their duty we
fastened the trap door down securely.
From this time until 8.30 in the
morning nothing occurred. The
watchers were regularly relieved, and
none of them had reported any signs
of life in the tunnel. But as the
bank’s business mast go on without in-
terruption, it was necessary to open the
vauit.
There was less chance of the rob-
bers trying to esgape that way than by
the other end of the tunnel. When
Listening to them working I hardly
supposed that they had got into the
vault. Besides, it was now broad day.
the streets were full of people, and the
hold cracksmen must know that we
would be prepared for them.
Half a dozen men gathered about
the vault door, fully armed and ready
for any emergency. As I was
the one most familiar with the combi-
nations on the vault doors, it was my
duty to unlock them. I did aot relish
the position of first target fora bullet
from the inside, but mustered up my
courage, said nothing, and went to
work. The outer door I drew open
without hesitation, the inner door was
the one to be feared.
When the bolts of the inner door
had been thrown back I found that it
scarcely could be moved, as the stone
under it was raised more than before.
At length three of the strongest in the |
party managed to force it open, and
the inside of the vault could be seen.
No one was there. But the floor
showed a startling condition of affairs.
called in Mr. Axtell. There he heard
about as bold a proposition as man
ever made. One of the guards had
volunteered to go down into the tun-
nel! He was a deputy sheriff, a
Mexican named Jose Charez, who, be-
coming impatient that the robbers did
not show themselves, determined to
stir them up in their own quarters.
He was a daring, reckless fellow,
accustomed all his life to deeds of dar-
ing. He lived on excitement, and was
over restless when not on the trail of
some horse thief or murderer. He
knew the risk of going into the tun-
nel, but said he had as good a chance
as the robbers—as a matter of fact, in
such "an
encounter every advantage
s on their side—and that was ali he
wanted. The rest ot the men, brave
though they were, shrngeed their
shoulders, and declined underground
wariare.
Charez was to
through the barrel.
vault doors
enter the tunnel
After locking the
again, those of us who
could leave work went to the adobe
house. The guards there had nothing
toreport. We took the fastenings oft
the trap door and lifted it. The Mex-
{ican threw the light of a lantern down
i the hole,
i be seen, made ready his revolver, and
| . 7 . > .
quickly dropped through into the dark-
remarked that no one was to
ness,
All of us trembled with excitement,
and listened with painful intensity.
[ Before we were aware what was taking
place, we saw the Mexican reappear
suddenly at the mouth of the hole,and
heard four shots ring out in rapid sue-
cession. Then the Mexican bounded
up through the smoke, and pointing
wildly to the floor near the hole,
shouted : “1 shot one of em under
there I"
We waited for nothing further, but
hurriedly puiled up the boards around
the hole. The floor stood some dis-
tance above the ground, and in this
space was the body of a man lying
motionless. We lifted him ont, and
laid him carefully on the floor. He
was already dead.
Those of ns who were unaccustom-
ed to death in so frightful a form were
entirely unnerved by this sight; but
the sherifl and his men did not forget
even at such an time the business of
the hour, and quickly searched under
the tloor for other robbers. Finding
no signs of more of them, they came
up to hear the Mexican’s story.
He said that he had taken a few
steps forward into the tunnel, when
the hole began to grow smaller and
smaller so that to proceed he would
have been compelled to go on hands
and knees. Not bargaining for this
style of attack he retreated, and was
about to climb out of the barrel, when
he noticed how the floor of the adobe
was built above the ground. The light
from above lighted up this space for a
few feet all around, and there, crouch-
ing in front of him, he saw the robber,
and at once fired upon him.
The robber hid evidently planned
beforehand to crawl under this oor in
case of danger, and await a chance of
escaping.
Thorough examination
the adobe house under the flooring, but
uo sign of any other robber was found.
Then the trap was shut down again
and guards placed as before.
The time slipped on till 2 o'clock.
Then we heard another fearless propo-
sal. Four of the men volunteered to
zo through the tunnel from end to end.
They made scarcely any preparation
for the expedition, simply taking a
bull's eye lantern and making sure that
their revolvers were in working order.
Une after another dropped through
the opening. They crouched low down
as they crawled through, the head
man holding the lantern as high up as
be could reach. Thus, if they were
fired on, the lantern wouid probably
be aimed for, and the bullet would flv
over them.
We waited for them in the vault
through several minutes of intense anx-
tety. Then we gave a great shout as
the head and shoulders of the first
man appeared under the raised stone.
We helped oue after another of the
bold four through the opening up to
daylight again.
The men had met no one in the tun-
nel, and had seen no branches or other
means of escape. They were positive
vo one was concealed inside. A fur-
ther thorough examination of the tun-
nel confirmed their statements, and it
became almost certain that only one
man had been at work.
The theory that the plan and execn-
tion of the crime were his only, was
strengthened the day when he was
buried, when a startling discovery was
made. Some of the officers of the law
with Mr. Axtell, had gone to take a
look at the man to endeavor to identify
him. Mr. Axtell had scarcely caught
sight of the face before he exclaimed :
“Why, that man is one of the stone
I masons who built the vault !”
And so he proved to be. We found
that the man had left a widow, and
hunted her np. She was severely
The large stone in front of the safe |
was raised up at one side nearly two
feet. Tt was supported hy jack screws
which had been used to force it up.
[nn ten minutes move the robbers, it un-
interrupted, would have heen in the
vault. Unfortunately for them in their
workings of the previous night they
had accidentally displaced the stone
that ran under the inner door, or their
plot might not have heen discovered
till too late to arrest it. i
After a few minutes of surmise and
speculation, Mr. Axtell stepped np to |
the hole and shouted down the same
proposition the sherifi’ had made at!
the other end. There was no response
whatever. He then directed me to |
open the sate and proceed with the | of a Miss Warner.
questioned, but professed . entire igno-
| rance of her husband's plans, and
seemed to be telling the truth.
The officers and directors of the
bank saw fit to reward me for my part
in the occurrence with a splendid bicy-
cle, which bore on its handle bar a
small sitver plate with an inscription I
“modestly refrain from repeati g.
ATR —cc———
The First Wooden Clock.
E. A. Fenn, in the Ailegan, Michi-
can, Journal, says :
“About the year 1800 there lived a
sort of indolent. thriftless, unpromis-
ing vounz man by the name of Eli
Terry. He sought the hand and heart
The Warners were
business or the day as usual. . Two | solid old Puritan stock and despised
men were left on guard in the vault, | laziness, but, notwithstanding all oppo-
and the rest were stationed in the back
room. All who knew of the situation
were cautioned to keep it to themselves,
and yery few ot our customers that
morning knew what was going on un-
der their feet.
At about
the rear room
10.30 one of the men in
came to the door ant
sition, thev were married.
Eli had no visible means of support,
but spent his time sitting on a stump
or block, whittling out a circle he
struck with an old compass or sawing
ofl’ bits of wood from some old dead
trees, and thus, day after day, his time
was spent, and the general opinion was
was made of
ter of the appointee had become known
| Episcopal Church, can recall that about
I 50 vearsago she was at the point of death,
, and to gratify her supposed last wish she
"was taken to church.on a cot by her
sermon was preached and the object of
he was crazy. Want pressed so hard
in the home that the wife, by urrent
entreaty of friends, had sabont
made up her mind to return to her pa-
rents’ home, when the fruit: of Eli’
whittling and sawing materialized
the first wooden clock ever made in
America, and, I believe, in any coun-
try. It was readily sold to a newghbor
for #30 and paid for in pork, tour, po-
tatoes, other family necessities, and a
hop
ited
iy
little money, with which he boucht
tools to fa ite hiz work in further
pros ecit of clock making, An
other a: notirer was made that sold
readily as soon as completed. Then
foot lathes and small Ar saws
{ the e employed, !
e rapid and eagerly
after, and Eli Terry began to
accumuiste money. In the meantime
te
he had made application for letters
patent upon his clock, and about 1802
or 1203 built a small shop and com-
menced improving upon
construction of machinery and tools,
and the foundation for a vast fortune
materialized in after
his clock and
vas made which
Vers,
Notwithstanding his unbounded be-
nevolence he became very rich. He
1 t To1r . oe
died about 184; re of 8) ve
beloved and re
sted by all who knew
him, leaving a re family of grown
up boys and a number of grandsons,
all very wealthy, and all living in Ter-
ryville, Conn., controlling nearly all
the wealth of the place, which was in-
vested in large manufactories for clocks
and locks. It worthy of note that
not one Terry is left in that region and
all their interests and investments have
scattered or gone into other hands.
etm m——
In Praise of Two of Our Citizens.
is
The following from a Washington
correspondent of the Philadelphia Re-
cord contains very favorable mention of
two of Beilefonte’s citizens:
1 asked a Johnstown emigre to-day
how Adjutant General Hastings hap-
pened in at Johnstown so quickly after
the disaster, and he said: “General
Hastings and his friend Major Spangler,
the well-known Democrat and lawyer of
Bellefonte, were looking at a coal pro-
perty about fifty miles away on Friday
two weeks ago. Hearing of the trouble
at Johnstown, they drove over the
mountains on Saturday morning so
hastily that they did not stop to send
word to Bellefonte that they were going.
Mrs. Hastings did not know where her
husband was until she began to see his
name in the dispatches from Johnstown,
and then she couldn’t get to him until
Thursday of the following week, when
she came driving over the mountains at
the rate of six miles anhour to join him.
She did splendid service, too, when she
came. Hastings is the hero of the relief (
work. Spangler helped him nobly, per-
forming the Commissary General until
Colonel Leach arrived with the greatest
efficiency. He richly deserved his ap-
pointment as Assistant Commissary
General. ‘General’ said Colonel Leach
to Hastings, taking him aside at head-
quarters one evening, “I think Spangler
deserves to be Assistant Commissary
General. There is a vacancy you know,
and I think [ shall fill it with him.’
‘That would be just right,” said Hastings;
‘it would suit me exactly.” “When shall
I do it? asked Leach. ‘Now, said
Hastings. ‘Major Spangler,’ said Qol-
onel Leach in a tone which made every
one listen. ‘Sir,’ sa'd Major Spangler.
“You are hereby appointed,” continued
Colonel Leach, ‘Assistant Commissary
General, and I shall procure vour com-
mission as soon as possible.’
“No wonder Spangler was speechless
and everybody else was moved. Next
to Hastings 1 think Adjutant General of |
Ohio, Axline, deserves most credit. He!
came right down on Saturday, and
brought all the available tents of the
Ohio troops down on Sunday. We
could not have done without those tents,
for we could get none elsewhere. And
Axline took off’ his coat and worked too.
He has asad little souvenir to take home
with him. 1tis oneof the three marbles
tight clasped in the fist of the little boy
found dead in his dead mother’s embrace.
On her other arm was her little girl,
dead too, but holding tightly still her
little doll baby. You could see justhow
she snatched them up when she suddenly
saw the dood coming,and how they tried
to save their treasures, too.”
———————
Noble's Mistake.
New York World
In appointing the man Squires to a
new post after his disgraceful conduct
had Leen discovered Secretary Noble in-
curred precisely the blame which he
sought to aveid. He ought to have turn-
ed the fellow out of the public service as
a man utterly unworthy to be in it; but
he feared that in that case the facts would
become known and the administration be
censured for having given office to so un-
worthy « person. Accordingly he re-
moved him from one office by appoint-
ing him to another. The first appoint-
ment might have been forgiven as one
made in ignorance of the man’s character.
For the second there can be no excuse.
It was made after the disgraceful charac-
and even because of his disgraceful char
acter. Secretary Noble has made a mis-
tuke. Perhaps he has also learned a les-
son to the effect that it is safer to confess
and correct an error than to coverit up
in the hope of concealing it.
eovaar—————cs se.
i
——Squire Jesse R. Jones mentions
Mrs. Goss, who resides some miles east
of Clanton, Ala. as being over 90 veurs
of age. He and Rev. Mr. Smith,of the
relatives that she might hear her funeral
preached before she died. The funeral
it is still living.
—- ” |
—-—Some time ago when a gentleman !
of Bucksport, Me., was married, he took
his bride on a visit to her people at Ells-
worth. In the afternoon he had petted
a little nephew and showed him his false
teeth, with which the little fellow was |
much amused. In the evening when
company was assembled the conversa-
ion lagged, and some one said: “What
shall we donext?” Thelittle boy spoke |
up and said: “Show ‘em your false
teeth, Uncle All? :
All Sovts of Paragraphs.
—Paris Figaro prints a special edition
in an office 500 fect up in the Eiffel
tower.
—Mary Fisher, a colqred girl, is vale-
dictoriar of the eradualing class of the
Atchison High Sehool,
—dJ. F. Duffey, of Cumming, Ga. re-
cently set a ben on 17 egos. She hateh-
ed 13 chickens and left four egos 1n the
nest,
WU to relieve
or epidem-
suffering
ip
1C8.
— Human beings are still beinz sold
in the famine-stricken distriets of China
A child under 10 brings from a dollar to
a dollar and a half.
— A subscription bar is to be opened
in Berlin, where for 3150 one can drink
for a whole year, and where monthly
subscriptions will be sold.
—Of this year’s graduating class at
Princeton 32 will, it is said, become law-
vers, 21 ministers, 14 doetors, 15 busi-
ness men and 2 newspaper men,
—Beggary has been reduced to an art
as well as a profession. In a recent case
before‘the police an old man admitted
that he had as many as 30 les in daily
use.
—The Chinese lack appreciation of
the stage. As soon as a Celestial enters
on the stagehe is deprived of citizenship
and his children after him for four wen-
erations, >
—Mr. Joel Chandler Haris, an au-
thority on fox hounds, bees and Jerseys,
is feeding his herd on cotton seed lulls,
and says the result in miik, butter and
beef is amazing.
—College journalism flourishes at
Harvard, and its graduates or under-
graduates also keep the daily newspapers
of Boston, particularly ‘the Sunday
papers, supplied with college news.
—An English detective, after a search
of four months, has found (in Sydney) a
piece of silver plate stolen from a Lon-
don house and which he was instructed
to recover at any cost.
—The coin and slot device has been
applied to children’s savings banks.
When once set for action a regulated
number of coins must be dropped in the
bank before it can be opened.
—A company in New York is
to manufacture sandwiches by the thou-
sand and retail them throughout the
city in liquor stores, offices and factories
by means of peddlers.
—1In one small lake in Cuba contain-
ing about 200 acresan American recent-
ly counted 107 alligators, all fat, con-
tented and healthy, and living in hopes
of annexation to the United States.
—The total Indian population is less
than 250,000. Of these 21,232 live in
houses and 9,612 families are engaged in
agriculture. And among these so-called
savages there are 28,663 church members.
—The proceedings of the Japanese
parliament are reported verbatim by
means of a stenographic system original
in Japan. The characters are written
in perpendicular rows from right to left.
—-A Hindoo lecturer in England says
that the British have degraded India
and her people to the level of beasts, and
that tens of thousands die yearly of
starvation,andall reports are suppressed.
—The greatest snuff-taking country
in the world is France, though it shows
a decline in the habit. In 1869 the con-
sumption was 13,000,000 pounds, or
seven ounces per head. Now it is five
ounces.
—The care a fox takes of her cubs
can be seen from a list of provisions
found together about an “earth.” Tt
comprised 10 rabbits, 20 rats, 2 pheasants,
1 wild duek, 2 fowls, 1 snipe, 2 wood
cocks, 32 moles: total, 71 head.
—An American was arrested on the
Austrian frontier for having in his lug-
gage unmistakable dynamite bombs.
On further investigation they proved to
be cocoanuts, something that the Aus-
trian authorities had never seen.
—A San Francisco firm has built the
lInrgest wine cellar in the world. It is
capable of holding 3,000,000 gallons of
wine. Its cost was $250,000. This is
one indication of the rapid growth of
wine production on the Pacific coast.
—Mrs J. W. Cureton, of Trenton,
Ga., caught one of the largest eels that
was ever caught in Georgia one day last
week. It was five feet long and estima-
ted to weigh about 75 pounds. It took
one bushel of bran to stuff its hide.
——A Kentucky man who was dying
alone left his will in lead pencil on the
head of a whisky barrel, and it is held
to be valid. The only thing he left,
however, was a gallon of whisky in the
barrel, and that isn’t worth fighting over.
— Who would believe that the once
derided velocipede would within a few
vears give birth to more than 75,000
bicycles, and that the League of Amer-
ican Wheelmen counts alone 12,000
members, 10,000 of whom live in New
York and the surrounding suburb.
—A Georgia farmer prevents his cows
from jumping a fence by cutting off
their lower eyelashes—making them
think the tence is three times as high as
it really is. If you cut the upper lashes
a reverse illusion will result, he says.
— Great Britain counts on soon hav-
ing the largest dynamo in the world.
It is being made for the new electric
light works at Deptford. The shaft of
the machine will be turnad out of a
block of steel weighing 75 tons, which
has just been cast in Glasgow.
—For several years there was a stand-
ing offer of $10 for a partridge’s nest
containing more than 12 eggs, the re-
cords at theSmithsonian institution giv-
ling that as the greatest number of eras
of that species to a nest.
—S. P. Jeffords, of Waycross, Ga.,
tells of a peculiar reptile discovered by
one of his sons. It was a snake about
six feet long, jet black, and having two
horns. The horns were sbout two or
three in length, and crooked so that the
tips pointed toward each other. When
it crawled its head was raised at least a
foot from the ground. and the horns
would keep moving, almost touching to-
gother.