Bippitjj
jje
ESfABLISHED FEBBPARY 8, 18H.
Vol. 44, o. ITS. Entered at 1'ltUburg Postomce,
November 14, 1SST, as second-class matter.
Business Office 97 and 09 Fifth Avenue.
Hewn Booms and Publishing House 75,
77 and 79 Diamond Street
Eastern Advertising office, Koom 44, Tribune
Building, New York.
I
Average net circulation of the dally edition of
TlixDisrATcnforslx monthi ending July a, 15S0,
29,914
Copies per Issue.
Average net circulation or the Sunday edition of
Tn Dispatch for three months ending July 31,
1SS3,
54,897
Copies per issue.
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
rOETAOE F8EK IN THE UNITED STATES.
DAILT DisrATCH, One Year. 18 00
1U1LY Dispatch, Per Quarter zoo
Datlt Dispatch. One Month 70
Daily Dispatch, including bunday, 1 year. 10 00
Daily Dispatch. Including Sunday, Sm'ttas. 2 60
Daily Dispatch, Including Sunday, 1 month 80
Mtnday Dispatch, One 1 ear 2 80
xekly DI6PATC3I, One Year 1 3
The Daily Dispatch Is delivered br carriers at
35 cents per week, or Including Sunday edition, at
50 cents per week.
PITTSBURG. MONDAY. AUG. 5, 1S8&
A HARMLESS SEIZURE.
The seizure of the Canadian sealing vessel
in Behring's Sea has been resolved into a
joke on the administration and the revenue
service, by the appearance of the seized
vessel, safe and sound, in the Canadian port
of Victoria. In other words, the United
States vessel put a single man on board the
prize and the crew of the latter concluded
that as they wished to conre home they might
as well do It.
Of course, this does not relieve the
seizure, from the international question of
our right to search and seize vessels on
Behring Sea. That was raised by the cap
ture of the vessel, and if the obstinate Cana
dians refused to stay captured that is their
own fault. Nevertheless, the administra
tion is at liberty to plead, if England should
raise a row, that its seizures are not serious
enough to hurt anything.
The enforcement of the mare clausum idea
in Behring Sea does not bid fair to prove
much more vital than a French duel.
THE WORKERS' SIDE.
The statement of their case by the glass
workers at Jeannette, who, it is reported,
are to be sent back as imported laborers,
certainly suggests some points worth consid
eration. In the first place they point out
that if their case has been decided it has
been decided without giving them a hear
ing. It is not in accord with Anglo-Saxon
ideas of justice to condemn a man unheard;
and men of this class are hardly to be sent
out of the country on secret and extra
judicial proceedings. Beyond that, the fact
remains that the law is of a character which,
in its application, is excluding intelligent
and needed labor while letting in the cheap
and undesirable class by thousands. A
very little experience of this class with the
law will go a long way toward demonstrat
ing its uselessness.
SUPPRESSING TRAIN E0BBEEY.
A train robbery on the 'Wabash Bailway,
Just this side of Kansas City, night before
last, succeeded to the extent of cleaning out
the passengers of one sleeping car, when a
plucky conductor concluded to try the ex
periment of hitting the robbers over the
heads with his lantern. Not liking such
rude treatment the robbers fired a couple
of ineffective shots and took to their heels.
This looks like rcductio ad absurdum of
Missouri train roDbery. After a single man
has put the robbers to flight with a lantern,
there is no reason lor anyone to be robbed
with more spunk in him than a moderately
independent sheep. There was reason to
think the same thing before, but it is now
plainly demonstrated.
The evident decadence of train robbery in
Missouri may explain the anxiety of
Missouri officials to infuse some stamina
into the industry by securing the pardon of
the Youngers, from Minnesota.
WHEN TROUBLE SHOULD BEGIN.
A decidedly unique theory of the consid
erations which should prevail in electing
national legislators, is advanced by the
Providence Journal, which says: "The
election of Field Marshal Halstead to the
United States Senate would infuse into that
dignified body as troublesome an element as
the late Mr. Biddleberger, without the ex
cuse of inebriety."
The idea that the publio mnst abstain
from infusing into the Senate a troublesome
clement, depends for its validity upon the
interests that would be troubled. The theory
that the dignified body must be held sacred
as a place where the wicked cease from
troubling, is flattering to it; but it has not
always proved tenable. For instance, it
was considered in the ante-bellum days that
a decidedly troublesome element was in
fused into the United States Senate by
the election of Abolitionists like Wade and
Sumner. Still it would be difficult to con
vince the public at this day that the
trouble thus brought about in the Senate
was entirely due to the wickedness of the
Northern people in sending such agitating
elements there.
If Mr. Halstead's election would trouble
any legitimate interests which haveajnst
claim upon the respect of the public, there
may be some cogency to the argument. If
it troubles only those who have been ready
to suppress investigation into notorious
charges of political corruption, it may be
well that trouble should commence at once.
A PLEASANT ALTERNATIVE.
The argument which General Crook is
Raid to have placed before the Sioux Indi
ans to induce them to sign the treaty for the
sale of their lands may have been a cogent
one; but it does not strike the impartial ob
server as very creditable to the Govern
ment. It was that if they did not sign the
treaty, the land would be taken from them
anyway on worse terms. That class of per
suasion is rather uncomfortably close to co
ercion. If some power should inform a
$
sk. AitMDurg property owner mat n ne am not
accept a stated oner lor his Jand he would
have it taken away from him by perversion
of the law, the property owner might be
K. convinced, if he thought the power to per
utrfitf that tninTlrA ril1v arittnil Ttnf It
,fbb..W I'll... MJ ..... tri....vut .... .
would be hard to convince him that the act
does not amount to a robbery; and those un
tutored Sioux Indians may be just ignorant
enough to conceive the same idea in their
case.
JUG-HANDLED COMPROMISE.
Th Detroit Free Press, in reply to a re
mark The DisrATCH made the other day
concerning the failure of the supporters of
the Mills bill in Congress to accept the re
duction on the sugar duties proposed by
Republican Congressmen, practically ad
mils what TnEvDlSPATCH said, and pro
imiRjiafciULaBi
fesses its previous belief that the Mills bill
should have made greater reductions in the
sugar duties. It justifies its support of the
measure and its attack upon the Bepubli
cans who opposed it, by the assertion: "As
the tariff tax was piled up by compromises
between sections, so mnst it be removed."
It is true that all tariff legislation has to
partake of the nature of compromise, but a
compromise which legislates entirely in
favor ol one section and against another, is
the kind of compromise that does not war
rant any very respectful treatment. If the
Mills bill had represented an honest policy
of reducing the high protective tariff on all
articles alike, it would at least have com
manded the respect due to a sincere attempt
to'put in force an even policy of tariff reduc
tion. But a compromise which consists of
C5 per cent tariff on sugar and 100 per cent
tariff on rice as against 40 per cent tariff on
steel rails, and no per cent at all on lumber
and wool, can only be correctly described by
the name of sectional legislation. '
VIEWS OK CUT IMPROVEMENTS.
Mayor Pearson has given to TnE Dis
rATCH some interesting and pertinent views
on the subject of city improvements, in con
nection with an impending veto of an ordi
nance providing for an asphalt block pave
ment on Federal street at the Diamond.
The subject of city improvements is a live
one, and the Mayor's views bid fair to make
an issue in Allegheny City affairs, so that
his deliverance on the subject is worth read
ing. The Mayor takes broad and undoubtedly
correct views on city improvements, in the
abstract. He is right in saying that im
provements, such as are contemplated in
Allegheny, are among the best investments
that can be made with the people's money,
so that the people get first-class work in re
turn for the expenditure. He is also
clearly right in the position that if the city
has surplus power for the furnishing of
electric light it is cheaper for the city to
furnish it than to put the contract in the
hands of a company which must charge for
the extra power required.
But when it comes to the practical ques
tion what street improvements will yield
the best return for the people's money the
Mayor develops some positivs opinions that
are not so indisputable. He puts all asphalt
pavements under the ban, and declares that
Allegheny must be paved exclusively with
block stone. The Mayor may be right, but
in view of the fact that cities where a full
test of Belgian block has been made are
discarding Belgian block, there is room for
disputing that decision.
The Dispatch thinks that for ordinary
street traffic, the silence, smoothness, saving
of wear and tear upon vehicles, and the
convenience of repairs, a well laid asphalt
pavement is the most economical in the long
run. "Whether the asphalt block pavement
possesses the full complement of these quali
ties we do not know. Being a new inven
tion it has not been fully tested; and it
would be hard to select a better place for
the necessary test than the square of Fed
eral street, between Ohio and South Dia
mond, which it is proposed to pave with
that material.
Possibly the importance ot making such
a test may induce the asphalt block com
pany to put down its pavement free of
charge to demonstrate its qualities. It cer
tainly would seem important to both the
public and the company, to prove what the
new pavement can do.
The young Napoleon who recently cut a
splnrge in New York by running a theater
and newspaper in the suburbs, has turned
out to be an arrant swindler. That would
not shake the faith ot the New Yorkers in
his Napoleonic qualities if he had not made
the criminal blunder of being caught at it
without funds to buy his way out of the
scrape.
"With reference to the protection of
Southern products, the Louisville Courier
Journal declares "that sugar alone produced
nearly $60,000,000 of revenue, and that the
duty on raw sngar is almost purely a rev
enue duty." The characteristic of a revenue
duty which is 82 per cent of the value of the
article when it is on a Southern product
is so unique that it points irresistibly to the
conclusion that if the duty had been 100 per
cent, as in the case of rice, the esteemed
Courier-Journal would have considered it
"quite purely" a revenue duty.
The explanation of the large amount of
rainfall this year, most generally favored, is
to lay it on the Gnlf stream. That remark
able ocean current has no doubt a large va
riety of weather; but some effort should be
made to induce it to ship its meteorological
consignments in rather less abrupt and over
whelming invoices.
The proposition that the Republican
State Convention shall put in its platform a
resolution condemning the trusts, and call
ing for their suppression, is made by the
esteemed Philadelphia Press. It is to be
hoped that the suggestion will be adopted.
It may also be hoped that the resolution
will amonnt to something more than the
resolution which the Republican convention
adopted three years ago, pledging the Legis
lature to anti-discrimination legislation
which rras never passed.
By beginning its work a year before the
time for taking the census, the Census Bu
reau permits a hope that it will be able to
get the job finished in less time than nine
years after that date.
A Sacbamenxo, Cal., paper which is
an organ of the Central Pacific crowd, says
that the Canadian Pacifio road has'an ad
vantage over our transcontinental lines in
that the latter have to pay back to the
Government their subsides. This conveys the
startling information that the Central Pa
cific people intend to repay the tidy little
sum that they owe the United States Treas
ury. Psofessob Sullivan's argument that
fighting is his trade permits the expression
of a hope that before the Mississippi author
ities get through with him they will teach
him another trade.
' Xnstbuction as well as corroboration of
the position taken in a recent article in this
column is furnished by the news that Con
gressman Brower, of North Carolina, .has
been placated. He will get what postoffices
he wants, and will be loyal to the Republi
can slate in the organization of the House.
Loyalty that is a matter of barter and trade
is a libel on the genuine article.
t t
The fleas which are vexing the life of the
people in the Pension Office are certainly of
the class of offensive partisans that justify a
clean sweep.
The investigation ot the story abont an
alleged conspiracy to steal the plates lrom
which money is printed in the Treasury
shows that it is almost impossible to steal
the plates. At the same time the success of
notorious "financiers" gives good tfeuoa to
THE
believe that the plates will be left undis
turbed, because it is so much easier to Bteal
the money alter it is printed.
PEOPLE OP PROMINENCE.
Boston proposes to erect statues of heroic
size in bronze to the memory ot Admiral Far
ragut and Generals Grant and Sheridan, the
last mentioned to be equestrian.
Miss Ethel M. Mackenzie, daughter ot
Sir Morrell MacLenzie,has taken up journalism
as a profession or a pastime. Bho has begun by
playing the role of correspondent to American
newspapers.
Somebody asked Miss BosanB. Anthony re
cently if it did not tire her to shake so many
hands at the various receptions given to her.
"Yes, it does tire me," she replied, quickly
"but not so much as It did 20 years ago to-stand
alone with no hands to shake."
"N'iiitelaw Reid. American Minister to
Franco, could read French when he left this
country, bnt his conversational ability in the
polite tongue was limited. Now, however, he
can speak French fluently. He had sufficient
knowledge of the structure of the language to
take the best advantage of his few months in
Parisian drawing rooms. t
John Boyle O'Reilly, the poet, is building
a new house at Hull, Mass., on the site ot the
one formerly occupied by him. That was said
to be nearly 200 yeaisold,and Mr. O'Reilly,
who has a love of the old-fashioned, clung to It
until it nearly crumbled away beneath his feet.
The new house is built ot Qaincy granite, with
a picturesque tower on the water side. An old
cannon, the relic Of a wreck off Hull, Is one of
the features of the grounds.
Bishop Stabxey, of the diocese of Newark,
N. J., bears a noticeable likeness to the Hon.
William M. Evarts. He is a younger man,
however, being just 65. Bishop Starkey Is tall,
with slightly rounded shoulders, produced by
much study. His face is clean shaven and his
features regular. Before he took orders Bishop
Starkey was a civil engineer, and gave promise
of being a very successful one, but he felt
called to the ministry, and laid down the chain
for the pulpit.
The bouse occupied by Minister Whitelaw
Reid in Paris was originally the home of the
Count de Grammont. When MrReld took the
house the large entrance hall was filled with
Egyptian antiquities, principally mummies.
The effect of these latter was exceedingly de
pressing, so that Mr. Reid had them all packed
away, and the walls that had been lined with
departed Pharaohs were hung with brocatelle
of a crimson ground, and figured with a design
In deep yellow.
The country home of Mr. Charles A. Dana
Is an island, called Dosorls, on the north shore
of Long Island. The island consists of 45 acres
under a high state of cultivation, being one Im
mense garden. The pasture and forage lands
are on the mainland. A sea wall, over which
hang festoons of vines, runs around the entire
island. The house is an old one, but it Is large
and comfortable, and surrounded by vine-covered
piazzas. A perfect lawn in front runs
down to the sound, glimpses ol whioh are to be
caught between the trees.
THE HONEIMOONEfiB' HOTEL.
A Honse to be Erected For Loving Couples
Alone
From the London Figaro.?
I am awaiting further particulars of that
Honeymooncrs Hotel, which, according to a
circumstantial correspondent, is to be built on
the South Devonshire coast for the special and,
if possible, sole use of newly married couples
on their wedding trips. That the surroundings
of the establishment are to be made as idyllic
and fairylike as possible need scarcely be said.
Romantic arbors in shady corners, gushing
streamlets, secluded sylvan nooks are to be
provided ad lib., while, with the aid of science,
every night will bea moonlight one and every
day one of seemlflg" bright and warm sunshine.
The prospectus is even said to hint at the pres
ence of mechanical nightingales, which, thanks
to persistently winding up, will warble on tivery
suitable tree. s
The decorations, artistic and otherwise, of
the hotel are, of .course, to be all in character,
though I must admit that I question whether,
the proposed transformation of the ordinary
weak-kneed hotel waiters and the somewhat too
substantial chambermaids of the provinces into
attendant Ganymede and Hebes, as artistic In
their poses as they are classical in their attire,
will really be an advisable step to take. The
laying on uf JEolian harps and other mysterious
music in every apartment is another detail open
to criticism. But there Is nothing like actual
experience after all, and I shall be curious to
hear moro about the Hpneymooners' Hotel
when it has been opened for business for a few
weeks.
A BAILB0AD CENSUS.
The Cosmopolitan Passengers on an Amer-
Icnn Railroad Train.
From the ht. Paul Globe.
A gentleman friend took his life In his hand
one recent afternoon and polled a transconti
nental train on the Northern Pacific before it
nulled out for its 1,900-mile journey toward
the Occident. He sought information as to
nationalities, and found representatives from
Asia Minor, Russia, Turkey in Europe,
Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Spain,
France, Prussia, Belgium, the three divisions
of Great Britain, Sweden, Norway and Den
mark (of course) and one Algerian on board.
With these Mere representatives from 21 States
and Territories in the United States and S of
the South American divisions. As nearly as
this amateur statistician could gather. 70 per
cent of the passengers were going West to
stay, 20 per cent were tourists and 10 per cent
had temporary business along the line of the
railway.
-
HE WAMS TO EMIGRATE.
The Equipment One Man Will Bring to the
United States.
The following advertisement, printed ap
parently in the best of faith, appeared in a
recent edition of the London Chronicle:
"MATRIMONY. A young man, aged S3, of
good, healthy habits, thoroughly domesticated
and sociable, profession a compositor, violinist,
possessing the gifts of the poet, with an ac
cumulation of 120 poems in 6.000 lines, also
7,000 lines of prose fiction, all original and un
published, is wishful to make the acquaint
ance of Christian young person, between the
age of 24 and 32, with friends abroad (United
States preferred); widow with little means not
objected to: view, matrimony and emigration.
Address W. R. Barnes, 12 Marlborough
Crescent, Newcastle-on-Tyne."
Nw York' Latest Ambition.
From the Philadelphia Kecord.;
What do you suppose is the latest? Why.
New York wants a towor for '92 that will o'er
top old Eiffel's. Man Is abont the same in the
matter of aspiration as he was on the day when
the Creator gave the great stroke at Babel,
whereby some began to speak in one tongue
and some in another. They all want to go up,
but all exeept the balloonist take pains to tie
a string to the old earth before they let go of
her,
Candor.
From Society.3 t
"Why are you here?"
"Burglary."
"How long are you In for?"
"Six years."
"Now, honestly, if you had your life
to live over, would you not chose a better
path?"
"Yes'm. Td be a murderer."
Boom lor a Few More.
From the Cincinnati Commercial (lazette.1
Wyoming and Idaho will soon ask Congress
for tickets of admission to the Union. Let
them come along. The more the merrier. The
field of the old flag is somewhat Crowded, but
room can be made for a few more stars,
An Cneqnnlcd Climate.
From the Chlc&so flews.l
A man fell into a Chicago basement the other
day and instead of breaking his bones, as he
probably would have done in any other city, be
was only drowned, Chicago's magnificent cli
mate Is without a parallel.
A New Pnzxie.
New York Tribune.
Now let those who have been turning their
great intellects loose on the momentous ques
tion. Who wrote the Arthur Richmond let
ters? proceed to revive the Beautiful Snow In
quiry. .
rameih1ng Sorely Wrong.
From the New York World. '
Turkey is arming in haste and 80.000 reserves
have been callod out. .Save the Sultan's cooks
again struck for their wages?
,fp
nngggraMgipffBgg
RESMGgaHrWlWS
PITTSBURG- DISPATCH;-'
WHERE MONEY IS MADE.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Foiling a Conspiracy of Counterfeiters
Signing Treasury Notes A Hard Signa
ture to Forge.
(COBBESrOSDXKCI OT THE DISFATCn.
Washington, August 3. A little more than
a week ago a paragraph was telegraphed from
Washington to all parts of the country, detail
ing a conspiracy which, it was said, bad been
hatched in the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing. The object of this conspiracy was
supposed to be the stealing, of plates, with
which money is printed, and the Issue of notes
from these plates by the conspirators. After
this paragraph had been sent out a telegram
was sent recalling it, but the recall did not fol
low fast enough and the paragraph was printed
in several papers In the West. I cut it from
one of these papers and showed it to Captain
Meredith, the new Chief of the bureau. He
laughed at the suggestion.
There are," he said, "such safeguards sur
rounding these plates that if anything were
Impossible I should say it would be Impossible
to steal one of them. It is almost an impossi
bility to steal one of them. It is almost an Im
possibility to steal a sheet of paper from the
bureau. Even that would require the co
operation of at least half a dozen employes In
different parts of the building. It is not so
much the safety of our vaults as the perfection
of our check system to which we owe our secu
rity from theft and fraud."
Even if it were possible to steal a plate from
the bureau and from a personal investigation
I dn not think It is within the ranze of the or
dinary possibilities the thief would hare ac
complished but a small part of his dangerous
work even then. If he stole a face plate he
would have to counterfeit the back plate to
correspond with it, the seal and finally the pe
culiar paper which is used in printing ban
notes. If the plate belonged to a national bank,he
would have to counterfeit the signatures ol the
President and cashier of the bank; for, unlike
the signature of the Treasurer of the United
States and the Rezlster of the Treasury, these
signatures are not made a part of the plate,
Secret Service Supervision.
Assuming that the would-be counterfeiter
could accomplish all of this, be would still
have the agents of the secret service to evade,
and he would have to be a very acute swindler
to accomplish this, for every employe of the
bureau is under secret service surveillance. It
was by arousing the suspicions ot the agents of
the secret service that the only men who ever
succeeded in stealing an impression of a Gov
ernment plate betrayed themselves.
It was in 1863 that this occurred. A gang of
conspirators, headed by a man named Lang-
don, was organized with a vie w to stealing from
tho Government impressions of bank note
plates. One party of this little band was to
obtain employment in the Government Print
ing Bureau, there to obtain an impression ot a
back plate, or a plate engraved with the design
that ornaments the back of a note. The other
members of the band were to obtain employ
ment from the American Bank Note Engrav
ing Company, which did at that time a great
partoi tne uorernmenvs prinung.-tnere to
obtain an impression of tne face plate of the
same note. Langdon and two of his compan
ions, one oi wnom was a woman, ontainea em
ployment from the Government, and as luck
would have it, the woman was assigned to the
press at which Langdon was working. They
succeeded one day in running a sheet of lead
foil through the press, thus obtaining an
impression of the plate on which they were
working, which was a J20 compound interest
nbte plate, containing four similar impressions.
The plate of lead, concealed under the woman's
dress, was taken out of the bureau and a cast
was obtained from it. The other conspirators
were not so successful and they f onnd it neces
sary to counterfeit the face plate. Before tbey
had issued many of the counterfeit notes the
agents of the secret servioe, whose suspicions
had been aroused bv the conduct of Lancdon
and his companions, ferreted out the gang and
captured the entiro outfit. Another effort to
defraud the bureau, which was just as futile,
was that of an engraver named Smith, who was
engaged on a note plate. At evening when he
returned home from the bureau be reproduced
on a plate there, as well as he could from mem
ory, the work which he had done on the Gov
ernment plate during the day. He did not suc
ceed in accomplishing his designs, for the
secret service officers found him out and
placed him under arrest.
Treasurer Spinner's Signature.
The signature of the Treasurer of the United
States and the Register of the Treasury, as I
havo said, are engraved on theplate from
which tho face of the note is printed. There
was a time when the Treasurer of the United
States signed the paper money with pen and
ink; when each individual note bore his auto
graph. General Splaner-who died last year in
Florida, was the last Treasurer to sign these
notes. His signature will never be forgotten.
It is preserved in autograph collections as one
of the most curious ever seen. He was gener
ally thought to have cultivated this peculiarity
to prevent Counterfeiting. General Spinner
served as Treasurer from March 16, 1831, till
June 30, 1875 All through the early part of his
term he signed the individual notes issued,
often slttina up the greater part of the night to
complete tne work. He was finally obliged to
seek the assistance ot the engraver as the task
grew too gseat for him. Now whenever anew
Treasurer fa appointed the plates in the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing have the signature
of the retiring Treasurer ground oft them, the
signature ot (the incoming Treasurer engraved
on the blank space and the plate restored to
its former evenness of surface by a system of
delicate underlaying
When Mr. Huston took charge ot the office
of Treasurer (recently, although he had not
signed a receipt mr tne moneys on nana at tne
time of Mr. Hyatt's retirement, all of the plates
used in printine of Government notes were
changed. It was not until last week that the
transfer of the money in the Treasury was
made from Mr. IJratt to Mr. Huston. It was
stated at tho time this transfer was made that
there was no defidlcncy in the cash as counted.
in reality mere was a aenciency oi us. it is
seldom there is npt a small deficiency in han
dling S700.000.000 caush for four years or even a
less space of time. ".General Spinner was prnb-
aoiy tne most careiuu mas wno ever occupied
the position of TJniteil States Treasurer. When
his accounts were cast up at the time of his re
tirement from office! the accountants found
that there was a small Uum apparently missing.
Bnt uenerai upinner rsiusea io accept mis re
port or to make good the deficiency. He de
manded a re-examinativn. it was bad and the
result of It was that (general Spinner's cash
was found. to balance tovtbe fraction of a cent.
Signed br Df ad Men.
It is a singular fact that bank notes are now
being issued from the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing bearing the I signatures of men
who have not been in office pr many years and
men who died some years age. I saw notes of
a national bank in Nebraska Bearing the signa
ture of John C. New as treasixrer being printed
at the Bureau of Engraving aVd Printing last
Monday. The signatures oil Treasurer and
Register on national bank I notes are not
changed with each new administration. Tbey
usually remain the same through the whole of
an authorized Issue. This seenls rather pecu
liar. However, there is nothinglon the note to
Indicate when it was printed ind only the
comparison with the records oft the bureau
wonld show that the man who waj supposed to
have signed it had not been in offlve f or yearf.
Destroying the Flateo.
When a plate becomes obsolete? it Is de
stroyed by order ot the Secretary of I the Treas
ury under the supervision of a cordmitte ap
pointed by him. Such a committee visited the
bureau a few months ago and destroyad about
400 plates. The plates as they are selected are
ground down until their faces are destroyed.
They are then placed In a box which is care
fully sealed and taken in charge of the commu
tes to the navy yard. At the navy yaVd the
seals are broken and the plates ate put ill the
melting pot in sight of the committee.
the metal begins to run the duty of the
mitteels done. The abandonment a u
ago of the steam presses which have bertn in
nse in the bureau for so long a time, rendered
useless aoout zou piates wuicn now await
order from the Secretary of the Treasury to
R.nt tn tho meltlner not. Thesn nlatA
worth several thousand dollars. It is improb
fthl that thav will ever be needed airaln. Tin.
signs for bank notes and silver certificates'
are constantly changing, and it is
not at all likely that the steam
presses will come into nse again during the
present administration. The question of their
abandonment was discussed. 1 am told, by the
President and secretary Windom, both of
whom are opposed to tbo steam work. Captain
Meredith, the new chief, is on record in oppo
sition to the steam press work and it is Jiaraly
likely that the House ot Representatives, with
the examples of several of tne members of the
last Honse before them, will care to tempt fate
at the hands oi a labor assembly.
There are. In all, on store in vaults of the
bureau 45,000 engraved plates. This stock is
receiving constant additions. Many of the
plates now on hand have been in use for 20
years. Besides notes, checks, etcx, the bureau
Issues portraits of members of Congress when
they are called for. Avery good likeness of
the late James N. Burnes is now being Issued
from the bureau. Before long the engravers
will be set at work on a portrait of President
Harrison. The Ibnreau has a complete set of
portraits of Presidents ot the United States to
tne present administration.
O'BBIEjr-BADt
MONDAY, ' ATJGI7ST5f
A SPECULATOR'S ADVENTURE.
Tho True Story of Little Johnny Dorian, a
Railroad Train and a Penny. '
New York, August 4, Little Johnny Dorian,
who lives at Riverside, N. J., yesterday owned
a new straw hat, a dime and a penny, worn by
current use to silvery brightness. He tied the
hat to a coat button, because a light breeze
was raffling the surface of the Passaic river
and went down to the Erie Railroad to watch
the trains passing. He had not wholly decided
what use to make of the dime, but he knew
very well how to put the cent where it would
do the most good. He was acquainted with a
boy who was willing to pay 2 cents for the coin
if it was flattened under the wheels of a train
of cars, and Johnnv, who is only 9 years of age,
but has the financiering spirit of Jay Gould,
intended to invest his penny so as to realize
cent per cent profit.
He reached a spot where there was nobody
to interfere with his speculation. An after
noon train on its way to Jersey City and not
more than 200 yards distant was running at
high speed. Hastily selecting a coin he placed
it on the rail. The train was very close to the
spot where he was standing when he discovered
that he had made a blunder. The penny was
still in his pocket, and the conclusion was un
avoidable that the dime was in front of the
locomotive.
Johnny rushed forward. It was an awfully
dangerous thing to do, but he was not a boy to
hesitate when 10 cents were at stake. An in
cautious step prostrated him, and the wind
from the whirling train tore his hat from its
fastening, carried it under the wheels and It
was seen no more. His bead could not havo
been more than 12 Inches from the cars as they
swept past. The dime was not f onnd. It had
cither been ground out of recognition-or It had
stuck fast to one of the wheels.
"So you lost 10 cents and your bat by your
folly?" said a friend of the boy's father when
be heard the story later in the day.
"Ob, no," replied Johnny, weeping. "I only
lost 9 cents and the bat. I flattened the penny
under the next train and sold it for 2 cents,"
THE H0KETART SITUATION.
An Important Immediate Factor In the
Stock Market.
ISPECIAl. TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH. J
New Yoek, August 1 Henry Clews fe Co.
will say to-morrow: Manipulation has served to
prevent the market from yielding to depress
ing Influences. There has been no change what
ever in the railroad situation; Western mana
gers are still insisting that the situation in their
district Is more than serious; the Inter-State
Railway Association remains in a crippled con
dition by the withdrawal of the Alton; confi
dence has received somewhat of a blow by
large failures In the dry goods and boot and
shoe trades, and the prospects ot the money
market continue in uncertain shape. Added
to these Influences, there was a lack of buying
orders for stocks, and the bears displayed re
newed activity, Reading and Lead Trust being
their principal objects of attack.
In spite of these conditions, prices were fre-
Suently strong; notably under tbe lead ot
hesapeake and Ohio and the "Big Four" se
curities, both xf which received support from
Vacderbllt-Morgan sources. The most im
portant immediato factor in the stock market
Is the monetary situation. The bank reserves
are low; and the autumn demands, which are
expected to be larger than usual, are yet to be
met Reliance is very generally placed upon
the Treasury to relieve any urgent stringency,
and with good reason; yet it should be remem
bered that the national surplus on August 1
was only $65,800 000. or 8600,000 less than a
month ago, and $11,000,000 less than a year ago;
so tbe Treasury has already afforded more re
lief than is generally appreciated. Had it not
been for this fact, or that Treasury payments
Trom one source or another were unusually
henvy dunng July, the bank reserves would be
even lower than at present. Secretary Win
dom is purchasing fair amounts of Ms, of
which there are J1S5, 000.000 outstanding, but he
is not likely to increase the price unless
obliged.
REMARKABLE WILL POWER.
Instances That Show tho Hold Some Have
on Life.
From the Boston Gazette.
Three stories were told over after-dinner ci
gars the other day, showing the power of man's
will. One was of a young officer in the English
army who was peculiarly stubborn and irasci
ble. He had been confined to his bed after a
severe attack of the heart and was unable to
move. His physician asked one of his f ellow
o facers to warn him that he would never get
out of bed again, that he might arrange his
affairs before death. When the sick man was
told what the doctor had said he arose In bed
excitedly and said: "I will never get up again,
eh? I will walk to the doctor myself and show
htm." He lumped to the floor, walked across
the room and fell dead.
The other was about a BhentI out west,
who, when arresting a man, was stabbed
through the heart. He seized tbe man by the
shoulders, after the blade bad struck him,
pressed him to the ground, drew his revolver
and deliberately thrnttlng it down the strug
gling prisoner's throat, pulled the trigger atthe
Instant he himself died.
The third story was regarding another officer
who was bunting down a thief. Tbe man
thought he had given bis pursuer the slip, but
just as he entered one door of a railroad car
tbe officer appeared In the other. The thief
Instantly fired, the bullet penetrating his pur
suer's brain. The officer, however, returned
tbe shot, bringing his man to the ground. He
then dragged himself along the. aisle of the car.
firing as he crawled, until his revolver was
empty. Ho was dead when he was picked up
a second after he ceased to shoot.
THEY WERE ALL DANDIES.
Prominent Men ot Ancient and Modern Times
Who Dressed Well.
From the Nashville American, j
Such men as Aristotle, Marcus Antonlus,
Sir Humphrey Davy, Lord Palmerston, Byron,
Thackeray and our own George Washington
were regular dandies in their day, while even
in our own times men like Conkllng, Hill and
Tilden were exquisites in their dress. Of the
present New York bar Chauncey Depew, one
of the leading spirits. Is also ope of the best
dressed men of that city, with Dan
Dougherty, late of the Philadelphia bar
and now of national fame, a close second. Of
the Philadelphia bar Brewster, Attorney Gen
eral under President Arthur, was during his
life one ot the best dressed men, being sur
passed in this respect only by Richard Vaux,
another leader of the same bar. There is a
great deal of difference between a dandy and a
dude, for when a dandy dresses only when he
has nothing else to do, a dude does nothing
else but dress. Bnt a man may dress elegantly
without being either, and this is the happy
medium to be sought.
A PENSION OFFICE PEST.
Tbe Building Invaded by Millions of Lively
Flens.
rSPXCIAL TXX.EQXAX TO THE DISPATCH.!
Washington. August 4. In the opinion of
Commissioner Tanner there are no flies on the
Pension Office as it Is at present managed, but
there are fleas on it by the millions. In some
mysterious manner tbe Pension Office has be
come infested with fleas, and the superin
tendent of the. building has exhausted every
possible means to exterminate them, but thus
far without avail. Quantities ot insect powders
have been used, and considerable speculation
Is Indulged in as to the origin of the infliction.
His Regular Diet.
From the Baltimore American .1
In describing what noted men eat, a writer
says that Jay Gould likes a tender lamb chop.
Yes, he has grown rich ondevonring lambs.
SHARPLY POINTED SHAFTS.
Boston Post: No one has a right to complain
when whipped cream turns sour.
Detroit Journal: If the Beer Trust includes
the sleeping-car porter it will make tho Inves
tors rich.
BALTlMonE Imerteon.' Tho royal grant de
bate has cone all to pieces. By the way, they
are guinea pieces.
Binghamfton JRepubUcan: A man lost
$2,000,000 in less than one minute the other day.
Cause, heart disease.
Jamestowk Journal: A citizen who has
been run into by a Safety bicycle says it hurts
ust as much as the old kind.
Oswego Palladium: It is said that "to he
sber is to be happy." and yet we know men
o are happiest when not sober.
uffaxo Courier: A new play In London Is
led "A Headless Man." Tho hero is prob
ably a Democratic ex-postmaster.
iHEBbt Greek Jveics. This is the season of
theiyear when a man comes to the front and
says that no weatner can ever be too cold xor
h
Oilo Crrr Derrick: The hen is a rather silly
old thing on general principles, but who ever
hearil of her scratching up Congressional gar
den seeds?
BoiiE Sentinel: The scheme to choose the
watert-lily as the national flower will be opposed
by thW usual number of croakers from lily
poni
IWLiSWJJSliJi
g-r
-188av
: A PERSIAN THEOSE.
An Ingenious Piece of Mechanism Made of
Ivory, Gold and Jewels Gaarded by
Golden Lions A Terror to Perjurers and
Usurpers.
In the graphic article on the Shah, which
Lord Castletown contributes to the current
number of the Kev Review, casual reference
is made to the throne which Nasred-dlh occu
pies on State occasions at Teheran "a long
couch-like piece of furniture ot alabaster, sup
ported on four lions made of marble." It is
known as the Great or Peacock Throne ot
Delhi, and it was taken from the Mogul, to
gether with the Koh-I-noor diamond by Nadu
Shah in 1739.
A taste for historic thrones seems, to have
been cultivated by the rulers of Persia from a
very early date, and is one of the few respects
in which the plebeian dynasty of the Kadjars
may claim kinship with tho great Cyrus and
his successor or alter ego Ahasuerus. But If
we are to believe the traditions still extant in
Persian, Hebrew and Ethiopic llterature,the
Peacock throne of Delhi is but a poor substi
tute for the wonderful Chair of State in which
the majesty of the conquering Achsmenian
was permitted to repose. This was also of for
eign extraction, but, Instead of a Mogul Em
peror, its original owner was King Solomon of
Judea. Indeed, the rabbis, by a punning in
terpretation of a Bible text, declare that the
throne was actually constructed by tbe wisest
of monarchs. When Nebuchadnezzar plun
dered Jerusalem he is said to have carried it
away with him toHamath. Thence It is al
leged to bave passed into the possession suc
cessively of Alexander the Macedonian, Shis
hak. King of Egypt, Eplphanes, son of Antl
ochus, and finally Cyrns, the Persian, who
alonu was permitted by the inspired mechan
ism to seat himself upon It. Ahasuerus feared
to occupy It, but had a replica made, which
served him during his reign.
A Wonderful Throne.
A full account ot this wonderful throne is
given in the Aramaic paraphrase of the Book
of Esther, known as the Targum Shein, an En
glish translation of which was published last
year by Clark, of Edinburgh. It has also been
elaborately treated by Prof. Paulus Cassel in
his several monographs on the Solomonio
legends. The tradition preserved in the Tar
gum is an extraordinary illustration of the ex
pansive power of the Rabbinic imagination.
The raw material of the legend is contained in
a conple of verses in the Books of Kings and
Chronicles, but the amplification nils nearly
six pages.
The throne was of ivory, overlaid with gold
of Ophir, studded with beryls, carbuncles,
diamonds and pearls, and It had an ascent of
six golden steps. On the first step lay a golden
or, and opposite to it a golden lion; on the sec
ond a golden bear and a golden Iamb; the third
was guarded by a golden panther and a golden
owl; and the fourth by a golden eagle and a
golden peacock. The two remaining steps
were respectively occupied by a cat and a hen,
a hawk and a dove, all fashioned, like the other
animals, out of gold. Besides these animals, a
troop ot 72 golden lions watched over the right
hand side of the round seat at the top, and an
equal number of eagles, also of gold, performed
the same duty on the left. The cbalr itself was
surmounted by a golden dove holding a golden
hawk in its claws.
An Easy Throne to Ascend.'
The most elaborate ornament on the topmost
platform was a golden seven-branched lamp
graven with pomegranates and lilies. On one
side of its seven gigantic cylinders were carved
representations of the seven patriarchs, Adam,
Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job,
and on the other side figures of seven pious
men of the world, Levi, Kehatb, Amram,
MOS2S, Aaron. Eldad and Medad. On the top
of the lamp was a jar filled with the purest
olive oil which supplied the lamps of the tem
ple, and below it was another reservoir to sup
ply the lamps of the throne. This was craven
with Images of the High Priest, of Eli's two
sons, Hophnl and Phinebas, and of Aaron's two
sons, Nadab and Abihu. Close to the throne
were two seats of gold, one for the High Priest
and the otherf or his delegate, while disposed
In a semi-circle were 70 golden chairs for tbe
members of the Sanbedrin, Doves nestled close
to the ears of the King in order to keep from
him the tumult of tbe judges, and 24 cunnlncly
Interlaced vines of gold screened him from the
glare and heat of the sun.
So lueenlous was the mechanism that the
king was never troubled to walk up tbe steps.
As soon as he placed his foot on the first step
the golden ox raised him to the second; there
he was received by the bear, who handed him
to the lamb, and so each animal performed his
part until on the sixth step the eagles in unison
placed him in the royal chair. Then the base
ot the marvelous construction used to flow with
rivers of spices, the chief of the golden eagles
placed tbe crown on the monarch's head, a
great silver serpent wound Itself round about
lm, the eagles extended their golden win gs to
shade him, and a golden dove, descending trom
a pillar, opened the holy ark, took from it the
scroll of the law and placed it in his hands.
A Terror to EvlUDoers.
The throne was not an altogether useless
piece of mechanism. On the great days of
judgment It performed an Important part in the
detection of false witnesses. It a witness
strayed ever so little from the truth the ani
mals immediately set up a deafening noise.
The oxen lowed, tbe lions roared, the bears
growled, the lambs bleated, the panthers
yelled, the owls hooted, the cats mewed, the
peacocks shrieked, the cocks crowed, the
hawks screamed, and the birds chirped. In
deed, so terrible was the din, that the false
witnesses immediately corrected themselves,
"lest the world should be destroyed on their
account." The animals also had a great ob
jection to usurpers, and they lamed both
Nebuchadnezzar and Shlshak when they at
tempted to occupy the throne.
What became of this wondrous chair is un
known. Persian and Ethiopic MSS. contain
accounts of its wanderings, and even drawings
of it, but of its end there is no record except a
mysterious statement by one of the Talmudists
that he saw some of tbe fragments "with his
own eyes in Rome." The late King of Abys
sinia, who boasted his descent from Solomon
and the Queen of Sheba, commissioned an
Italian artist, Signor Nardi, to reconstruct the
throne according to the account preserved In
the Ethiopia "Chronicles of the Kings," and
tbe ordT was carried out. Silver gilt was sub
stituted for cold, and the mechaniim, precious
stones, and many of tho animals were dispensed
with. It is curious that Mongolian folk lore
mentions a throne very similar to that of King
Solomon. It was of gold and ornamented with
figures, and the mechanism also had the pe
culiar quality of rebelling against usurping oc
cupants. No Prince Need Apply.
From the Bprfngfleld (O.) Bepubllc
VS. the Prince of Wales were in America and
conducted his business affairs as he does In
England, he would be called a dead beat and
would be debarred from a position on the
Springfield police force.
An Exact Statement.
From the WlUianuport Kepubllean.2
A cotemporary says: "Boulanger Is still
kicking." We thought he was the fellow who
was being kicked just now.
HER FRIEND.
Claris has lovers half a score,
Bhe wears them as one does her cloves;
One pair when driving on the shore,
Another for the modest loves
Of country lanes, 'mid flowers and dew
(A whirl that never seems to end)
And yet, all serlouily and true,
1 much prefer tobe her friend !
When tired of Charley's tennis talk,
And wearied qnlte with George's drawl;
When sated with the moonlight walk
After tbe ennui ol a ball
Ab, then she tares my arm in bers.
And I to her rare moods attend,
Beneath the pines and junipers
And still I'd rather be her friend!
Her soul is like an open book.
Wherein the purest thoughts I read;
No strangers 'tween its covers look.
Or, glimpsing, feel no anxious need.
The utmost trust she asks of me.
That trust where two twin natures blend;
My comrades woo right gallantly
IJut 1 would rather be her friend I
"We read for hours In quiet nooks
The few deep authors of our choice;
Somehow, tbe music of the broois '
Is not so sweet as her low voice
And while the breakers strike the beach
And over, under, curve and bend.
Her heart my heart doth truly teach.
Until but I must be herjfrlend!
Sometimes the thought will daring rise.
When touch of hand hasthrilled me through,
And In her tenuer glrlbhj?yes
Ono sees the heavens relected blue
What would I do If she scjie day
ller wedding cards to me should send
I could not truly," franklx say:
Xls better jait to be her frlendl
Mlllfam HatktU Slnbo ds OMoagt Stv4,
KZUT13Sa.1
CHOICE LITERATURE.
The Best of Reading Matter 'In Abundnsce
ia Yesterday's Dlopstch.
THE Dispatch ot yesterday was not only a
first rate number ot a first class newspaper,
but also a compendium of interesting and valu
able reading matter unsurpassed by the con
tents of any leading magazine. The news was
fresh and crisp and tho literary articles brightly
written. For five cents The Dispatch fur
nishes a quantity of good literature that would
cost many times that amount printed in any
other form. Its subscription list is steadily
growing a proof, if proof were needed, ot the
adage, "merit wins."
i.
A graphic description of the naval display in
honor of the German Emperor was furnished
by the London correspondent. The Shah is In
Paris, and the surprising statement Is made
that the French are shocked at his Immoral
conduct. Lord Churchill has made another
attack on the Government. The Czar refuses
to confer with other European rulers. Haue
toa, the banished King, is to be taken back to
Samoa. The state of affairs In the Balkan Is
critical. The dervishes have been routed, with
a loss of 1,500.
Senator Quay held a conference with leaders
In Philadelphia. He is thought to be arranging
State matters so that he can give his personal
attention to the campaign In the new
Western States. An Indianapolis physician
has experimented with the Brown-Sequard
elixir and reports marvelous results. Gold
has been discovered in Clermont county, O.
Certain French claimants are to institute legal
proceedings In the hope of obtaining $13,000,000
of the Guard property. A Titusvllle dispatch
gave an accbunt of the dangers and disasters
resulting from the use of torpedoes in oil wells.
The American managers are rapidly pushing
work on the Nicaragua canal. Three persons
have been arrested in Powell county, Ky., for
tbe murder of John Rose. They have confessed
the crime. A tabulated statement of the re
ceipts for tbe Johnstown flood sufferers shows
that about $3,300,000 has been contributed,
xr.
Tbe Methodist National Campmeeting Asso
ciation has recalled the appointment for a
campmeeting at Ridg&riew Park August 13,
and as a result there Is quite a controversy in
tbe circles of that denomination. The reports
In regard to the imported glassworkers have
been forwarded to Washington. They recom
mend that the men be sent back to Europe.
Over 9,000 ovens are reported idle In the coke
region, the result of the strike. The Republi
can County Committee fixed the dates for
county conventions in June of next year.
The home team was defeated by the Indian
apolis nine score, 8 to 6. Dr. Foster expresses
hope of the recovery of Manager Phillips. Sul
livan is on his way South. The usual interest
ing batch of sporting news and gossip was
given.
m.
"A Magnetic Man," by Edward B. Van Zile,
was the title ot a choice bit ot fiction given In
full In the second part. The Jerusalem of to
day .was described in a finely illustrated article
by Frank G. Carpenter. "Life at Old Orch
ard" was tbe subject of a graphic sketch by
Kamera. Ynng Yager gave an interesting
account of a voyage down the Ohio river on a
fruit packet. A pen picture ot the everyday
life of Gladstone was given by Blakely Hall. A
peculiar colony in North Carolina was described
by W.Cotton Downing. J. B. S. gave some
pleasant gossip about tbe Princess Louise and
the Earl of Fife. A paper on Tennyson, by the
poet, Edmund Gosse. was one of the best
of the many good articles. F. A. Elwell con
tributed a sketch that will interest every
bicycle rider. Oliver Optic furnished some en
tertaining reminiscences of his sojourn in Con
stantinople. Belva A. Lockwood wrote of the
women of France. Ernest H. Heinrich's story
of "The Crystal Casket" was one of his best.
Sara Teresa Hall's London letter, Clara Belle's
chat. Reverend George Hodges' sermon, "Sun
day Thoughts" and Shirley Dare's contribution
were some of the other valuable original
articles. The news and gossip of the summer
resorts and the usual Interesting departments
were included.
ONCE FAMOUS, NOW UNKNOWN.
A Novelist of the Last Generation Who Is
Not Known To-Day.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
A correspondent of a New York paper asks
where he can obtain George LIppard's works.
He has looked far and wide, and has failed to
find them. And yet onlr yesterday, so to
speak, George Lippard was famous. In the
last generation he was one of the most popular
American novelists. He wrote book after
book, and everybody read them and eagerly
called for more. Of all the sensational and
lurid story writers- that this country has pro
duced he was easily the first. His imagination
was boundless and riotous. His style was
blood-curdling.
Lippard leaped into the noonday blaze of no
toriety at once, and became as popular In his
day as Rider Haggard is in ours. He was no
penny-a-liner from tbe slums, no dime novelist,
no back writer for tbe blood and thunder
weeklies. He was a master of the mysteries of
sensational story-telling, and he wrote good
English. Daniel Webster was certainly a man
of good literary judgment. If he could find
Lippard's romances fascinating It is fair to sup
pose they bad merit. The great statesman was
an enthusiastic admirer of the novelist. He
pronounced him a man of genius, and predicted
enduring fame tor his works.
But where are these once popular novels to
day, and who knows anything about their au
thor? Even in New York, a city full of book
stores, one has to appeal to the newspapers to
answer the question. Just what happened to
Lippard will befall many a man who is now
working like a slave to win fame and fortune.
To-day a man's name is ringing through the
land; to-morrow it will be -remembered by a
few, and day after to-morrow men will write to
the newspapers asking whether the man really
lived, or was onlv a muh. Such is fame in 69
'cases out of 100. But men will long for it, fight
for It and die lor it to the end oi tne woriu.
Chicago Greed.
From the l2Uanapolls Journal.
There Is no reason why Congress should
bother about annexing Canada. Chicago will
do it herself It we just let her get her second
wind.
TRI-STATE TRIFLES.
Suit for 81,500 damages has been brought
against Samuel Wertbelmer, a dealer in gen
tlemen's lurnishlng goods, by William Eck.
hardt, of Philadelphia, who claims that he was
made sick by wearing underclothing bought
trom Werthelmer as medicated flannel.
Aototjno man who has lately fallen into
$18,000 is making a sensation in Columbia by
bis dress and bearing on and off his bicycle.
He wears a gauze shirt without sleeves, green
tights and bicycle shoes. His outfit also in
cludes a pair of pants with 250 buttons on them.
Whxiak NAUMAir, of Manhelm, Pa., owns
a horse that has just been shod for the first
time, having gone barefooted for 23 years.
A father, mother and 15 children ten of
them boys have just migrated from St Mary's
to Punxsutawney, to better their fortunes.
The father is a miner, and a!d hopefully of his
boys: "When they gets up the ten of 'em will
be worth 8450 a month.
Vast wealth awaits in England two Phila
delphia young women of very moderate cir
cumstances Miss Ettle M. Scott and Mrs.
Schuyler Conger. By the death of. John Scott
in London several years ago they became
heiresses to nearly $100,000, but they never
knew of their good fortune until quite re
cently, when they came forward with heir
claim in answer td an advertisement Inserted
in the newspapers. "
BniSTOi. folks were thrown Into a turmoil of
excitement on Tuesday by the appearance In
their streets of a great stalking giant, measur
ing 8 feet 7 Inches in his boots. He had come
over from Trenton for a holiday.
Mobe than 1.200 dead were burled in the old
Friends' burying ground at Wrightstown,
Bucks county, by Sexton John Knowles during
the 43 years of his sextonshlp. Knowles was
laid to rest among them a few days since.
It wag at a photographic establishment In
Akron. A man came in to be taken. They
showed him samples of various styles, but
nothing suited. At last be exclaimed, pointing
at a full-length picture: "I want a photograph
of me entire system like that."
"Bust!" erled a Wheeling clerk to an inquir
ing friend. "I should say I was. I am rushed
like a growler." -
Tr-
(pwi??
CURIOUS ClfflDEHSATIOXS.
There is a man in Hart county, G
who spells his entire name with twolett
Bob Bo bo.
A recent census taken by French Con
suls shows that only 408,000 Frenchmen are re
siding abroad.
Four million pounds a day will be the
capacity of Clans Spreckels' new Philadelphia
sugar refinery.
A bluffnear Big Meadows, Cal., is said
to be alive with bees that havo filled every
crevice with boney.
During a recent storm "a stone weigh
ing U pounds dropped from the clouds into
the yard of a farmer living near Essex,
Iowa'
A balroffire that exploded with a loud
report when within a few feet of the ground Is
reported to have fallen in Bridgeport, Conn-,
last week.
Mitchell Bros., of Cadillac, Mich.,
thought the water in their cistern bad a
peculiar odor and they investigated, finding an
alligator four feet long, which had probably
escaped from a traveling show.
In Hartford, Van Buren county. Mich.,
a barn was destroyed by lightning last week,
and to prove that "lightning doesn't strike
twice in tbe same place," it is asserted that four
buildings on tbe Identical spot have been de
molished by the fluid.
A year ago Ira Marsaw's house, near
Caro, Mich., was struck by lightning and some
what damaged. Since that time Mrs.Marsaw
has refused to lire in the house, and she per
suaded tbe family to move out. Last week the
deserted house was again struck, and in such a
manner as to make it probable that. If it bad
been occupied, somebody would bave been
hurt. Mrs. Marsaw now says: "I told you so.
The clerks in the distributing depart
ment of the St. Louis postoffice found a bottle
in the mall the other day and examined It to
find out what it contained, since the rulings of
the department on the sending of glass vessels
through the mail are very strict. Ther were
both frightened and surprised, when tbey took
off the wrapper, todiscovera large, healthy and
vigorous centipede which some careless "per
son In the Indian Territory was sending East.
It was promptly withdrawn trom the mails.
Several Troy merchants are conducting
a novel sign war. They seem to vie with each
other In seeing who can put up a sign that will
most obstruct bis neighbor's view. A few days
ago one merchant piled up a large number of
boxes and baskets almost in front of bis neigh
bor's window. Tbe other merchant then put
up a sign extending tbe whole length of his
window and extending out from it about three
feet. The other merchant, not to be outdone,
put u a board partition between the two
stores Friday morning before daylight, which
is about 25 feet high and at least 4 feet wide.
While it shuts out his neighbor's view in ono
direction, it obstructs bis own from tne other.
The only person on record who did not
have to wait for his turn in a barber shop was
Sclpio Afrieanus, for it was in the year 300 B.
C that the Romans commenced shaving, and,
according to Pliny, Scip was tbe first of tha
Romans to submit to the razor. Alexander
the Great had all of his soldiers shaved to pre
vent the enemy from catching them by the
beard. Peter the Great, after returning from
one of bis tours,tssued an edict ordering a com
pulsory observance in relation to the beard.
He taxed the hirsute appendage, and after
ward ordered all those be found bearded to
have the hair plucked out with pincers or
shaven with a blunt razor.
At Newington, Conn., the other day
a black spider had a curious adventure. The)
matron of a family lay down on her lounge and
slept. The spider crawled over her. Along
her side he crept, up her cheek, around to the
side of her head, then he climbed on the rim of
her ear and gazed down Into the aural crater.
It was a spacious one, and he went in. Then
the lady got up with a shriek and a bound. The
family ran to her aid. She told them that
something, a fly possibly, was walking about
in her head. They prepared a pint of warm
soap suds and pound most of it down her back
and some of It into her ear. Thereupon tbe
black spider rushed out, wet. astonished, but
as lively as ever. He leaped to the floor and
got into his hole in the padding of the lounge.
A subterranean chamber has been dis
covered under a house on the hillside at Na
ples. Along the center runs a mosaic pave
ment, and on each side there is a double row bt
sepulchers hewn in the rock, the fronts of
which are stuccoed and painted and decorated
with terra cotta and marble reliefs. Within
the tomes were perfect skeletons, vases and
other objects, the antique lamps being in such
good condition that when the new And was in
spected by a party of German archaeologists
the workmen made use of them to light up tbe -vaults.
The many well-preserved inscriptions
are chiefly In Greek, with some Latin; and
prove that the epoch of these tombs was abont
1000 B. C. Other tombs in the second chamber
have not yet been excavated. Similar cata
combs hare heretofore been found in this lo
cality. Judge Landrum performed a fanny
marriage ceremony at Atlanta Wednesday.
He was at the foot of the stairs leading to his
office, when a party of seven or eight country
people approached him and asked him if he
was a justice. After being Informed that he
was. an old man. who acted as spokesman, said
he wanted to have a marriage ceremony per
formed. The crowd then went up to the
Judge's office, and a young man and a young
woman stepped forward to be united. The old
man handed out the license, saying that tho
groom was his son. As soon as the knot was
tied the old man made a break for the street,
followed by several of the others. Tba bride
and groom then started for the door, but the
Judge stopped them, throwing out a gentle
bint that he was in the habit ot receiving some
thing for performing such a service. The
groom's brother spoke up and said be didn't
know that, but it the old man wanted to give
him something, all right. The father was then
called back, but didn't feel disposed to comply
with tbe custom, and the others, declaring that
tbey hadn't any money at all, the party left the
office.
FDNNY DIEVS FANCIES.
Moses was of a retiring disposition he
got ont of tbe rush early In Ute.Uattl Mail.
The water lily keeps its head above water
about as well as anything we think of Just now.
Ming hamp ton Republican.
Compensation. M.Cobwigger My hus
band, I'm sorry to say, is a man of very little
taste.
Cora That must be very nice for you, for I heard
ma say your cooking was dreadful. Harper's Ba
tar.
Observant Florence. Florence (6 years
old) Mamma, do dogs get married?
Mother No, my dear.
Florence Then what right has Hark to growl
at Jennie when they are eating their breakfast?
Harper'i Bazar.
Better Late Than Never. "Why didn't
you marry your husband I J years ago? He would
have taken you then, "said an Austin lady to a
newly-married friend.
'1 know, bnt 1$ years ago be was too old to suit
me." Tiro Syringe.
"Mamma," said a little girl, "you know
tke story In our reader about the Sing who never
smiled again?"
"Yes. dear."
"Well, does that mean that he signed the
pledge?" WatMngton Capital.
Passed the Budget He (reading tha
paper) t see that the French Chamber of Depu
ties pasted the budget yesterday.
Wife Passed the budget? Without pleklnxlt
up? Perhaps it contained something valuable.
I've heard of tramps' budgets being searched and
lots at mosey found hidden away, Texat Sift
ingt. A ncrr to seaside visitors.
Don't try to ring a walking cane,
Or beat the thtmblo-rlgger;
You spend your money all in vain
Upon Aunt Sally 's Agger.
To have some fun, grow ripe and mellow.
And watch them fleece some other fellow.
w-A'ew York Evening Sun,
NO KAtrVE ULXS TO LOVE.
"A base ingrate indeed is he,
And worthy of th keenest scorn.
Who for one moment falls to be '
Proud of the land where he was born."
"Such invectives, sir, I most confess.
Can never be applied to me :
1 have no land to love, to bless
Fori, alas, was born at seal"
lYank H. Staujer, in harper t Baiar.
The Historical Telephone. Philip "IX
Qlre me Brussels 13, 602.
Bratsels All right.
Phlllp-Is that you, Alva?
Alva-Yes.
Philip What are the Brussels papers talking
about?
Alva-Baseball.
Philip What! that stun' about Johnson misting
an easy1 fly to Podgers, and Snooks going out to
Ooffla on a passed ball?
Alva-Yes.
Philips-start the Inquisition to-morrow mora
lug I Stag of.-Jforfcn Transcript.
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