Rh A a —————— ’ Bellefonte, Pa., January 24, 1890. RESIGNED. There’s not an hour of any day, Or day of any week, Or week of any passing month, But one dear name I speak ; Yet not with unavailing tears, As on that night of woe, When first from out my heaven of life Its star of hope did go. Now, day by day, I tread the paths Of duty and of care ; : Smile with the friends who round me smile, And strive their joys to share ; Whilst ever deep within my heart There lives a ceaseless pain, A tender longing for the step That ne'er can come again. As sunlight dances o’er the waves Though wrecks lie dark beneath ; And pale sweet flowers adorn the graves Where dear ones sleep in death ; As pitying Nature strives to hide he hurts she cannot heal, So loving hearts, with gentle cratt, Their moral wounds conceal. Ah ! sad and dark were many homes But for the tender grace, With which pale Resignation draws A veil o’er Sorrow’s face ! And whispers evermore this plea That at the last beguiles : The blessed dead need not your tears, The living need your smiles. — Albany Argus J ————— ONE OF A THOUSAND. BY LIZZIE VOSE. Two pairs of striped legs, two pairs of brown fists, two curly heads, and all of these in a state of lively commotion. That is what the firelight would have revealed to a stranger; but mamma, looking helplessly down at the squirm- ing, kicking mass at her feet, had no trouble in discerning the cause of the said commoiion. = The twins were hav- ing a regularset-to to-night. But then, they had been in just such a state of existence the greater part of the time since mamma had known them. Al- ways tumbling or getting tumbled, punching or getting punched, tearing their clothes, losing buttons, and no- body knows what else. Bug, withal, they were such loving, tender-hearted little fellows, that mamma Bess had borne the wear and tear of these rest- less young lives with a remarkable grace,and patiently mendediand cleaned, and bound up their wounded members day after day, and was, in turn, petted and loved and tyrannized over by these rollicking young scamps who thought, with papa John, that the sweet blue- «eyed little mother was perfection itself. But this had been an unusual day with mamma Bess—an “off day” all around. They come to us ali, you know—those dreadful days when the sun comes up pouting, and the wind blows nothing but ill luck. Trials and tribulations had met this little woman at overy turn. Papa John, who was editor of a morning pa- per, had been kept up later than usual the night before. In fact, he had a very trying night. The poor unfortu- nate office scapegoat had pied nearly a column of an important article, so they were late getting their forms up. And then, after the papers were all out, he found that a careless compositor “had made him say several ridiculous things. So it was really not much wonder that, when he came to breakfast, he was in an ungracious frame of mind. He spoke sharply to the servant, pushed his steak impatiently aside as * tough as leather and not fit to eat,” and gulp- ed down his coffee and muffins in moody silence without one word of praise or thanks to the tender-hearted little wo- man who had gone down to the kitchen and prepared them for him with her own hands. And finally, when she asked him some question, he answered her so sharply that the sensitive mouth quivered and the loving eyes filled with sudden tears. He was sorry for it immediately ; but when a man has been a bear and knows it, he usually hides his shame under additional gruffness until he has had time to let his anger cool, when, if he is a man, he willalways make atone- ment. Papa.dohn thought his being kept awake all night was excuse enough for his being cross. He did not know that the weary mother had not only been kept awake the most of the night, but had also walked the floor, until almost ready to drop, with her teething baby. But a woman must be patient aud good ratured, of course, although she is only the “weaker vessel.” Still, to do him justice, had he known what a weary, sleepless night his wife had spent, he would have been even more sorry for being cross. Yes, indeed, it had been a hard day. The little ones had felt the gloom in the atmosphere, and knew that things were wrong and upside down generally, and were correspondingly cross and troublesome. Baby Ben with his in- ssant fretting, was almost past endur- ing. The tired mother had walked with him until her feet ached and her head throbbed with pain. The past few weeks of hot weather and nursing and caring for this great heavy teeth- ing baby had told sadly on her-healthy little woman thongh she was, She had grown wan and pale, with the same pathetic patienc: in her eyes that is seen mirrored in the eyes of so many tired, worn-out mothers. Her weary, dropping air was plain enough to most people ; but her husband was like all other busy men, who notice lit- tle of what is going on around them every day when no complaint is made. This last day in particular, trials seemed to multiply. The second girl became incensed at some trifling thing and left. Bridzet had a hard sieze of neuralgia, and although the faithful | for | her gentle mistress, she finally sue! girl would have faced a cannon cumbed to the blinding pain and went to her room, “Though, sure, marm,” she had said tearfully, “the blissed mither herself knows I'd niver lave ye like this, if it wasn't for the pain tha''s a splittin’ of me head open intirely.”’ land still troublesome. | one-half pint of sweet milk. Ben had been coaxed into sleeping, mamma had been in the “ot kitchen, instead of taking the rest she so much needed ; for everything must be in or- der and supper ready when papa John | came home. His home must not be made unpleasant for him. But this troublesome day was done at last. .The house was neat as wax | and supper waiting in the cozy dinin room. Bridget had beguiled baby Ben for an hour while mamma prepar- ed supper, but he was still wide awake In vain the tired arms tossed him about, in vain he was patted and caressed and told that he was going to be “mamma’s good baby.” He had no notion of be- ing a good baby for anyone; and it was only when completely overcome with weariness that the poor little head dropped over on mamma's shoulder and the tired baby slept. Mamma gave a sigh of relief and glanced nervously at the twins who were still tumbling and scuffling in a most remarkable manner. Somehow the thumping and giggling and half suppressed shrieks seemed unbearable to-night. The fair-haired little daugh- ter sat demurely rocking her dolly to sleep. “Tell us a story, mamma,” she plead- ed, but a quick step was heard in the hall. “Papa! papa is coming!” and the whole crew rushed pell mell for the door. Yes, it is papa John, and his pleas- ant face soon appears at the door. He stoops hurriedly to kiss his boys, and for one moment he lays hisfaceagainst his little daughter’s rosy cheek; then, with a graver look than the children had ever seen before in his merry brown eyes, he hastened to their mother. “Asleep, little mother?” Papa's voice was very tender, with an odd little quiver in it, as he seemed to notice for the first time how thin and pale the sweet face was. “What is it, darling? Are yon not well 2? Mamma Bess opened her eyes weari- ly and smiled—such a pathetic, patient smile ;fthen, before papa had any idea of what was going to happen, she just slipped out of the chair, baby Ben and all, in a little heap on the floor. Then, indeed, all was confusion and hurrying. Baby Ben was borne, screaming, out of the room, and the frightened children stood speechless, while papa John lifted the slight form in his arms and laid it on the bed. A groan of anguish broke from him, as his harshness of the morning flashed before him. “Send for a doctor and Aunt Rach- el,” he commanded. Aunt Rachel was papa John's adopt- ed mother who liyed only a short dis- tance from her foster son’s house; so she was soon there. “I told thee to-day, John, that it would come to this,” she said more severely than she had ever before spoken to her son. “If thee had had half eyes, thee might have seen it long ago.” “Believe me, Aunt Rachel, I never dreamed that Bessie was overdoing so, until you came to me about her to-day. I have been very anxious, and hurried home, determined to atone for my neg- lect. I should have seen that she had more of a change, or sent her away for a rest before, but I thought no one else could take care of baby.” “Tt seems that some one else will have to take care of baby, now,” said Aunt Rachel grimly. She was right. It was many days before mamma Bess even thought ra- tionally of baby Ben or any of her fami- ly, although she was always toiling and planning for them in her delirium. Poor papa looked ten years older with the constant watching and great anxie- ty and was so grave and sad that the children hardly knew him. Careless Hal and Herbert went tiptoeing around with sorrowful faces and little May grieved sadly for her mother. But, at last, the day came when mamma was pronounced out of danger, and they were marshaled in by papa John to see her. Their joy was be- youd description ; but they could scarce- ly believe their eyes, it was such a pale little shadow of a mother that greeted them. Papa soon led them away, but he told them that mamma would still be theirs, and that the dear Heavenly Father had given her back to them. “And, oh, my children!” he said, “we must deserve her better than we ever did before; for we could not do without mamma!” Here papa John’s voice trembled, and he stopped suddenly and was quiet along time. I think he was renewing a vow made long ago, when there were no childish eyes gazing into his to make it all the more sacred. And if a few hot tears fell from his eves, T do not like him any the less. Do you? Barnum on Humbng. About thirty-five years ago P. T. Barnum undertook to deliver a lecture at Oxford, England, before an audiefice composed chiefly of undergraduates. The subject was “Humbug,” and the citizens were so unruly that Mr. Bar- num was unable to obtain a hearnng. At length there was a lull, and the speaker seizing the opportunity, shout- ed aloud: “Then you don’t want to hear anything about humbug 77? “We don’t!” was the immediate reply. Mr. Barnum gazed steadily at his audience for a minute, and then remarked’ “Well, T have got your money, and there is no humbug about that!” This staternent was receive with great ap- plause, and Mr. Barnum was allowed to deliver his lectnre without further in- terrupticn. Leyox Puppine.—Grated rind and juice of one lemon, one cup of sugar, one egg,one tablespoonful of cornstarch, Mix well and pour into plates lined wilh pastry made by usual directions and bake quickly a light brown andl am sare vou will be plased with the result. This quantity will make two medinm sized And go, during the short time baby | pigs or one quite thick one. A Bungling Error. Texas journals announced not lon since that Sam Curtis, the genial an efficient general manager of the Texas Trans-Continental Railroad, had sev- | ered his connection with that company, ‘he having received a more advantageous offer from a rival company. The real facts in the case, however, fully warrant g | the impression that Sam was bounced. One morning the president of the company requested the presence of "Sam in his private office. Sam com- plied, and found the old man to bein a state of mind, so to speak. ‘Mr, Curtis, I have something very important for, you to attend to, some- thing that will require the exercise of reat discretion,’ said the president. ‘I shall endeavor to do my best,’ re- plied Sam. ‘Perhaps you remember that one day last week a man was struck by one of our trains near Lickskillet and killed ?’ ‘Yes, I heard of it,’ “Well, I have been investigating the matter, and find that the engineer was entirely to blame.’ ‘That's my impression, too.’ ‘And the worst of itis the man was married, and his wife has got a clear case against the company. We are likely to ba mulcted—yes, sir, actually mulcted in heavy damages.’ “Very likely.’ ‘And what is more, the people of Lickskillet are fanatically opposed to railroads. A Lickskillet jury would give that woman forty thousand dollars as quick as they would a cent. They are down on the Trans-Continental on general principles. And if we took an appeal that would do us no good, for she has a clear case of damages. Why, Mr. Curtis, Lickskillet juries have given verdicts of three hundred dollars against us for running over a razor-back hog worth adollar and a quarter.’ ‘I know it, replied Sam.” What do you wish me to do ?’ ‘Go to Lickskillet and see the widow at once and get her to compromise. Luckily, the matter has not yet got in- to the papers, and possibly the lawyers have not yet tampered with her. If one of those Austin lawyers gets on to the case for a contingent, all hope of compromise is gone.’ ‘I understand.’ ‘Use all your persuasive powers to get her to compromise. Here is two thousand dollars in cash. If you can compromise the matter for that you will be entitled to the gratitude of the company. These country people are an easy set to fool and you are the man to fool them.’ Next day Sam Curtis knocked at the door of a frame house in the suburbs of Lickskillet. A sharp-faced woman of about fifty years of age appeared in re- sponse to the knock. {Good-morning, miss; I'd like to see your mother, Mrs. Grigsby,” said Sam. ‘My name is Mrs. Grigsby.’ ‘Impossible! It can’t be that so young a girl as you is already married.’ The hard lines faded out of the wo- man’s face and Sam was invited in. ‘Miss—I mean madam—I represent the Texas Trans-Continental Railroad. I came to confer with you in regard to your late husband.’ ‘My late husband!’ exclaimed the woman staring at him. ‘Don’t become excited, madame. It’s a sad affair, but I do not come here to tear open the healing wounds. On the contrary, I come as a ministering angel.’ ‘Oh, you do, do you?’ replied the woman, pensively. ‘Yes, madam. Although the com- pany is really not responsible for the ac- cident, we do not desire any litigation.’ ‘I read the other day where a rail- road company bad to pay twenty-five thousand dollars for running over a man!’ ‘That was probably a different case. Now, let us reason together. Suppose you bring suit for twenty-five thousand dollars. It will be three years before the case is tried and by that time you wan’t have any case left. A young and attractive widow like you will be mar- ried inside of a year. That would knock the stuffing out of any damage suit for killing your first husband.” ‘But suppose I don’t marry.” ‘Not a supposable case. Now, I hate to see so beautiful and intelligent a wo- man as you wasting her sweetness on the desert air. If you lived in San Antonia, or Galveston, or Seguin, or some other Texas metropolis, you would be appreciated. Why, my dear madame, some years ago weScompro- mised a case like this and paid the widow a large sum of money. Like yourself, she was gifted, mentally and physically. ‘With the money she got from us she moved to Houston. She was able to dress fashionably, and in less than a week she had nine offers of marriage. She finally married a states- man, is the chum of cabinet officers’ wives, and drives out with the foreign ambassadors,’ ‘You don't tell meso!’ ‘Now, that’s what you ought t5 do, instead of throwing yourself away by living in this little one-horse town. Suppose I pay you five hundred dollurs, and you sign this document. ‘Make it fifteen hundred, and I'l think of it.’ After some more talk Murs. Grigsby signed the release. Sam paid over the money, and returned to the hotel in fine spirits. ‘In giving a woman taffy, you can’t overdo it,” mused Sam. ‘I guess the boss will raise my salary for this.’ big man with a revolver in his belt. manager of the Trans-Continental Railroad 22 ‘I'm the man,’ replied Sam. paper.’ ment. forty thousand dollars by Grigsby.’ { ‘Some mistake, I reckon. by her less than tem minutes ago.’ ‘J reckon not. She is not in own. She is out on her ranche.’ producing the document. “This is not signed by the widav of the man who was run over.’ i “What I’ gasped Sam. ‘That is signed by Eliza Grigsby. The name of the widow is iane Sam’s musing was interrupted by a | ‘Be you Samuel Curtis, the general | ‘Then I serve you with this here | ; ; } { woods and fields, going about wholly ‘What is it 2’ asked Sam in astnish- | Unclothed save for a few skins patched | together and ‘It's a citation in a damage sug for | the vidow | madam, and I'm very busy. thing important ?” Grigsby. Eliza is the sister-in-law of | Jane. She is married to the brother of this man your locomotive run over. Eliza hasn’t got any claim, except she : is named Grigsby. : o ‘I'm robbed! I'm robbed I’ howled am. ‘Oh, she’s a sharp ope. Jim Grigsby, the brother of Tom Grigsby, who was run over, married her up North some- where. She used to be a school teacher. Hope you didn’t pay Ler much.’ “I’'I'bave her arrested. She has ob- tained money under false pretenses the old hag. I’ll bave her in the peniten- tiary,” " said Sam, jumping up and down, : ¢Did she claim to be the widow of the late remains ?’ ‘No she didn’t say so exactly, but I took it for granted that she was the widow, and she didn’t deny it,’ said Sam with a sigh. Sam went back, but he didn’t go back to work for that railroad anymore. An Adventure With Sharks. It happened while a Boston Globe writer was paying a visit to a fisherman friend not long ago that the dangers outside of fishing itself came up. The latter related the following unvarnished tale : : I shall never forget the time when I was a hand in a small fishing vessel that tended the Boston market. The weath- er was very warm and fish scarce ; some of the old hands thought some kind of a destructive fish was playing havoc, for set our trawls where we would, they were skinned as clear as though the job was done by hand. One evening two men that went in dory No. 3 brought the news thatsharks were plenty and we had better ship to some other berth. The archor was cat- headed, sails hoisted, and a course laid out that would bring us to Jefferies bank, which lies about thirty or thirty-five miles off Portland. The next morning at daylight we were in our dories and proceeded to our fishing gear. My partner and I took the outside on the western end and all went well ; we were hauling in fish for half an hour, with every promise of a good catch. I was hauling the trawl at the time, and felt a sudden tug and yank that very nearly tock me out of the bow of the dory. I knew it was sharks in a minute and stopped hauling to see if they would show up. Suddenly there was a twitch and pull harder than ever, and I hauled away as lively as possible, knowing he would bite the line if he could to clear himself. I pulled and he tugged, but I kept the line coming all the time. First he would tow us in one direction and then in another, so I surmised we had him by the tail, and told my partner to have a shark knife ready to cut away. After a long and hard drag I got him to the top of the water and found that he had taken two good hitches around his tail and was working hard to get clear. The next thing to do was to get his tail on the rail of the dory and cut clear. A strong pull by both of us plac- ed him at our mercy, then I looked over- board to see what kind of a chap we had, and if anything would make a fisher- man feel blue it would be a look from that angry man-eating shark that we were fast to. He would curl up ina bow, look at us with those cold eyes, and slap his body about in a very dan- gerous manner, but the line was strong and we had him secure. The only thing we could do was to cut off his tail and let him go clear of the trawl, and my partner held on to one side of his tail while I used the knife. In a minute he was clear, and with back and belly fins to propel with, dove for the bottom, leaving a trail of blood after him that I knew would cause§trouble. He came up with a rush, jumping full length out of the water, and dropped so close to our dory that the splash nigh swamped us. We hauled away clear of him, and after we got our gear we start- ed to row for the vessel. After rowing a short distance we were in the midst of a school of man-eating sharks that had scented the blood of their maimed rela- tive. My partner was rowing a pair of new oars, and they attracted the sharks. They made snap after snap at the blades, and as our dory was deep loaded with fish they appeared to think we would be an easy prey. So hard did they press us that the new oars had to be taken in and the fish thrown overboard to distract theiratten- tion. ‘We were within a quarter-mile of the vessel, and had succeeded in shaking 'off all but one of them. He was a smart cuss, and would purr up alongside the dory like a cat, and never left us until we reached our vessel and were safe aboard. A Hermit’'s Hidden Life. With His Two Mute Sons He Passed Many Years in a Dugout, WILKESBARRE, PA., Jan. 12--News was received here to-day of the death at Beaumont, a little farming village in the wilds of Wyoming county, of Thomas Welles Parks, well known through all this section as the “Bow- man Creek Hermit.” He was seventy- six years of age, and 30 years of his life was spent far removed from the haunts of men in a “dugout” hut on the banks of Bowman's creek, in the dense woods of North Mountain. ‘Where he came from or what indue- ed him to leave the world were never known; butmany years ago he was discovered living with his two sons, then mere boys, in the primitive dwell- ing, half cave, half hut. The two boys were mutes, totally unable to speak a word of any language, they lived in the thrown around : them. Finally the two sons died, and the old man, being no longer able to provide for himself, accepted a home charitably T'vewot a | offered to bim in Beaumont. velease of all claim for damages, sgned | A ATA AE WoMAN's . RuLiNg Passiov.—Pas- senger—*‘Conductor, conductor, can I i : speak with you ?" ‘What do you call this ?” asked Sam, | Conductor—“This is a long train, Is it any- Passenger—“ Well, T huven’t spoken to anybody for about an hour, and I'm justdying to have a nice long chat.” — | lack most of the bad points of the shop Boston Herald. ‘almost carrying me along with it. Fight With a Panther. ; Mr. W. W. Taylor, of Elbert county, Colo., furnishes the following story of his engagement with a panther years 0: I wassitting on a large oak log close to the bank of the river, when I heart a noise in the branches above me, and looking up I saw a sight that made my blood run cold in my: veinsand my heart almost ceased beating. Lying on a large limb, scratching up the bark, its eye: rolling in fury, was a large pather. I involuntarily grasped my hunting knife and braced myself for the conflict which was sure to come. Lashing its tail turiously in the air, it : made a desperate plunge. I jumped aside, its claws catching in my cloths, iT quickly eat its claws loose with my knife. ! Again it attacked me. This time it struck me with full force and bore me to the ground. I began to use my knife with deadly effect, it also using its claws scratching me up very badly. Over and over we rolled, using both ' knife and claws desperately. At last I managed to get in a deadly thrust in the now perfectly furious animal. Giving a most unearthly yell it fell | over on its side and the battle was over. I fainted from excitement and loss of blood. ‘When T returned to my senses I im-! mediately began to skin it. It was the! largest panther I ever saw. It measured thirteen feetlong from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. | I have kept the skin with me in all | my hunting tours, whether hunting the | grizzly in Arizona or hunting the wolves of northern Russia, or chasing the king of the forest in the wilds of Africa. Many is the time I have slept onit, in! all climes and all circumstances.— New York Journal. I ——————— Pineapple for Diphtheria. The Dread Disease Suid to Have Been Cured by Using the Juice of the Fruit. Recently the Chicago @7ibune printed the important announcement that the juice of the pineapple is a cura for diph- theria, and asserted further that the fact is noting new, that the Creoles of the South have long known of the value of pineapple juice in the treatment of the dread disease. Since the publication of the first announcement the 7'ribune has printed the evidence of a number of its readers who have tried pineapple juice in the treatment of diphtheria. One man says he administered the juice to his seven-year-old boy, who was in great distress for breath, and four hours thereafter the patient began to cough up the diphtheric membrane. Another says he used the juice in the case of his six-year-old daughter, who was dangerously ill with diphtheria. He says he induced the little sufferer to take the juice through a medicine tube, and within two or three hours she began coughing up small bits of the membrane. As the diphtheric membrane which grows in the air passages is of a fun- goid character, physicians’ have all along recognized the fact' that if some acid could be applied that would disin- tegrate the membrane without attack- ing the mucous surfaces the disease could be readily controlled. It would be gratifying, but not surprising, if the simple juice of the pineapple should be- come established as a specific for the cure of diphtheria. It would simply be confirmation of the theory that na- ture has a cure for every ill. In the application of pineapple juice for diphtheria, parents should, of course, consult the family physician, No pro- gressive doctor will slight new discover- ies in any field of medicine, and experi- ment with the alleged cure should be supplemental to the regular course of treatment prescribed by the lessons of medical experience. His Last Degree. A Clergyinan Dies from Injuries Re- ceived While Undergoing Initiation. Hu~NTINGTON, W. Va., Jan. 13.— The Rev. J. W. Johnson, of the M. BE. Church South of this city, has died at the parsonage from injuries received when, in company with the Rev. W. F. Marshall, of the Episcopal church of this city, he was passing through the initiation ceremonies of the Royal Arch degree in the Huntington chapter of the Royal Arch Masons. During the ceremonies it seems it was neccessary that he should descend a vault thirteen feet deep by means of ‘a rope tackle suspended from tbe ceiling above. Two other men had deséended the vault previously, one of them being Rev. Mr. Marshall. After preparing the tackle Rev. Mr. Johnson started to descend, when the knot fastening the tackle to the lower block gave way and Mr. Johnson fell to the bottom of the vault. Medical aid was summoned and his injuries seemed to be of a painful though not dangerous nature. He was removed to his home and received the careful attention of his friends, but he gradually sank and died. His remains will be taken to his former home at | brand to-day or bust. Hannibal, Mo., for interment. remain The Coming Mechanic. A Prophecy on the Result of Manual Training in the Schools. Seientific American The coming mechanic, says an ex- change, bred in training schools, will be a very different man froma the mechanic of the present. 'Hven the young mechanic who is now learning in the shops will, in some important respects, be at a disadvantage when he comes in- | to contact and competition with the | young mechanie who is now in the school. The shop graduate may be “prac- tical” and the school graduate will be equally “practical” with the added ad- vantage of wide theoretical knowledge. The shop graduate may be able to do | all the work planned or designed for him, and the school graduate will be | able not only to do the work, but also, to do the planning and the designing. | In every way the school graduate will have ali the good points of the shop] graduate, with added good points due to wider information, while he will graduate, Four Children Suffocated. Erie, Pa., January 14.—To-night Mr. and Mrs. Carl Rogalinski lett their four children at home with Mrs. Roga- linski’s brother while they went to make a call. The little cne’s uncle was in- toxicated and he laid his lighted pipe dow on a bed where the children were sleeping. The bed took fire and the house was nearly consumed before the firemen arrived. The drunken man escaped, as did Mary Terolinski the owner of the house, but the children were all suffocated. Their names are Mary, aged 5, George, aged 4, Helen, aged 3, and Ann‘eaged 1. : Loaded With Deadly Drugs. All Sorts of Poisons for Cigars to Suit the Smoker. “I’m sorry, sir,” said the tobacco deal- er, ‘but I haven’t got another cigar of the brand you've been buying lately in stock. Sold the last one this morning, and don’t expect to have any more un- til the first of next week.” “Good gad!’ exclaimed the customer, “you don’t say so!” “Fact, sir; but here’s something equally good, in an Havana filler, at the same price.” “I don’t want anythiny else; I've sort o’ got used to the old kind, and n« other cigar seems to fill the bill an more. The last box of them I bough ! here went to smoke inside of a week, and more of the same I'll try else- I must have some where.” Theshop keeper looked after the man with a grin as he went out, and then, turning to a Star reporter, who had come in for a package of cigarettes, said, “Thats another of em 1” “Another of what?’ inquired the newspaper man, listlessly striking a match beneath the edge of the counter. “Drugged tobacco fiends.” “New to me. What are they ?” “Ill tell you confidentially,” said the dealer. “It’s a solemn fact that about half the domestic cigars sold nowadays are drugged with one thing or another. Morphine, chloral, and all sorts of ‘nerve-soothing’ stuff are used for the pur- pose, but most of all valerian. These poisons, in combination with the tobac- co, produce a very agreeable effect, but of course they create a necessity for more, and pretty soon the smoker, say of a valerian-loaded brand, finds that no other cigar suits him. So he goes ahead taking the poison in this way, without knowing it, until he is a slave to the valerian vice. Of course you know what an awful hold that particu~ lar drug soon gets upon a man, and what an effect it has upon the constitu- tion.” 3 ‘Valerian, you say, is used more than any other kind of poison ?”’ “Yes, it is the favorite drug for cigars. It acts very pleasantly upon the nerves, and the man who has to work hard with his brain finds that it rests him. Be- sides, it has an effect peculiarly its own as an antidote for alcoholic poisoning. The tippler who has been spreeing over night finds that nothing sobers him up so quickly as a cigar medicated with it.” “And how is the drug put into the ci- gars, pray ?”’ “That is very simple. A solution is made of it, of the proper strength, and the workman before rolling the cigar, sprinkles a few drops of it over the to- bacco leaves. The latter are rolled in- to shape, and your weed is ready loaded.” ‘Are not these drugs expensive ?”’ “Rather; but very litte is required for each cigar, and the investment pays. In this way, you see, each manufacturer retains his customers by creating a spe- cial vice which his own goods alone can satisfactorily supply. The man who left the shop just after you came in is one of the fiends. He has been smok- ing a brand of cigars which, I think, is loaded with muriate of cocaine. That is the latest ingredient, you know. And now he finds that nothing else satisfies the craving. Bad, isn’t it? But I've got to sell all these brands of cigars that ara on the market or else go out of the business. I can’t afford to have my customers go to the place across the street because they don’t find what they want here. Poisoned cigars are what the people wish to buy, and I must sup- ply the demand or go bankrupt.” “Is this cocaine that you speak of particularly dangerous?” Physicians say itis. I’ve heard that it comes in the shape of leaves from Peru, where such leaves are chewed by the natives for the wonderful power of endurance that the juice gives. About six years ago, I've understood, it was discovered that this juice applied to any portion of the body, would render that portion insersible to pain. It used to be worth a dollar a drop then, but now it’s comparatively cheap. Cocaine has all sorts of surprising uses, but it’s a dreadful habit to acquire. A little of it in a cigar braces the smoker up as- tonishingly ; it beats Dr. Brown-Se- quard’s elixir. However, it soon attacks the brain and leaves the victim a men- tal wreck.” “Do you think of anything else that is putin cigars to make them more agreeable for smoking?’ asked the re- porter. “No,” said the tobacconist. “Taough now I come to think of it, small fire works are the very latest thing in cigars, of the sort one gives to one’s friends. Ex- plusive smokables are no longer consid- ered the thing for such practical joking, they may injure an eye or badly singe a whisker. But a very much condens- ed bengal light, or even an almost mi- croscopic roman candle, will sati requirements of humor quite as satisf: torily, and without accidental peril ‘to the victim. We have a few such al- ways in stock; help yourself to a couple.” John C. Bullit, the eminent law- ver of Philadelphia, has drawn the larg- est mortgage ever given in this country —the indenture of the Northern Pacific Railroad for $160,000,000. To Mr. Bul- lit was also entrusted the drafting of the Reading $100,000,000 general mortgage, three preference mortgages aggregating $65,000,000, and the $45,000,000 Nor- folk and Western blanket mortgage. In this particular line of work Mr. Bul- lit is said to stand at the head of his pro- fession.