18 I 1 - " L ' T t. " . " A " " - .. ,- , - THE PTTTSBUSG DISPATCH. STJNDAT, JULY 8. 1892L I ' - . v ABEflEWOKPORR "What the PnMio Can Do in Helping the Local Ball Club to Betterment THE GENERAL SITUATION. farming Popularity of Out-Door Amateur Athletic Contests, THE DLXOff AID J0H5S0K BATTLE. Seme Ixsdms Features of Thtlr Eeeent Cratcst for the Championship. aODPlBDTS TICTOKI OTBK ITATJLIFFE During the past few days the eld stories and old charges of drinking among thelocal tall players have been freely circulated. It is Tery often that assertions and charges lo6e their force by repetition, and I dare say that in the latest charges of local ball play ers indulging too freely in the "dissipating beverage," the public will be disposed to take little interest. Charges of this kind have been so often made, and so foolishly and falsely made, that there is a disposition to let them pas unheeded now. But there is some truth in the charges of the present instance; so much so that two ot our most prominent players a few days ago pledged their word and honor that they would not "take a drop" for a month. It Is not charged that these players drank to a degree of intoxication, but it is charged that they drank lager beer sufficiently to Injure themselves. And let me state that this kind oi drinking has caused the release of two very prominent local players already. Baseball players are Tery foolish, indeed, to indulge in beer drinking during the playing season. Of course, there may be exceptions, bnt lager beer is really the worst liquid that an athlete In training can take as a beverage. I have noticed its effects, its bad effects, on many occasions, and you may depend that a iew drinks of it doily will counterbalance the effects of lots of hard and honest work. Bail players should know this, and if they want to be true to themselves, their employers and the Sublic they should refrain entirely from in ulging in anything that will tend to injure their condition. Some people mav artrue that a baseball player has as much right to take a drink of beer as anybody else. Iarguetfiat he has nou j-uere is a aennite ana signea under standing between him and his employers that he will keep in good playing condition, and if beer drinking injures his condition he is certainly violating that contract by drinking beer. Suppose yov, my gentle reader, matched a man to run a race. You put him into training and are responsible for his keep and all expenses. But vour man goes contrary to training rules and in dulges in that which not only does not do him good, but actually does him harm, what will j ou do about it? "Why I warrant that you would not stand it for a day. Well, the obligations of the ball player are even more binding than would be the obliga tions of the athlete in the supposed case just mentioned. M hat the TnbUc Can Do. This question of injurious tippling, as we may call it, among the ball players is be coming a serious one. The public insists on interesting itself in the matter and I sup pose will continue to do so as long as there Ib a public interest in baseball Tliis is all t'u -uii'-j a hopeful sign for the success ot baseball. It is indeed extremely pleas ing to see the public greatly interested in the national game, particularly when the intensity of that interest prompts the peo ple to look ont for the interest of the club. .Now the public can do a great deal to ward helping to keep a ball team in condi tion. The public almost always has oppor tunities of seeing these acts of dissipation tmong ball players, and if these cases were honestly reporjed to the proper officials of the club it wonld be infinitely better for aU concerned. There need be no tear of pub licity in the matter and it would certainly be much better than quietly circulating the stories of drunkenness among the olayers. It is these stories that are quietly circulated that does most of the mischief. The orig inal charge grows and crows as it travels until everybody concerned is injured. This being so. isn't it far better to have each case reported on its merits and as soon as it is known? If that part of the public who take an In terest in the game would simply do this it would be a benefit to the honest-living players. Only those players .who, by their clandestine acts, try to hoodwink the club officials and the public would suffer. There is one thing about the matter, viz., that any body who knows of drinking among the players and does not report it to the club officials has no right whatever to grumble about the shortcomings of the team. In fact, that person is encouraging dissipation. And it is not any kind of espionage that is here recommended no more than it would be to ask the public to point out a violator of the law when one is seen. As long as some baeball players are faithless to their obligations to the public and their employ ers they must expect a surveillance of some kind, and they themselves are only to blame for any system of surveiliance that may be employed. And let me ask those who are always clamorous for a good ball teami Is it not your duty to help the club officials in maintaining a good standard of playing? The General Situation at Iiaseball. There has, indeed, been much to talk about relative to the general affairs of base ball during the week. If all reports are true, matters are neither running smooth lu the Dig league or in tne little ones. One by one sensible magnates are beginning to tee the evil ot Jhe lii-club monopoly and be fore the season is fully out the opposition . to it may be much larger. The fact is very clearly dawning on many minds that there are cities in the big league circuit that are financial failures and that ore causing losses to other clubs. An ex perienced and intelligent baseball authority like Captain Auson points this uut verv forcibly and the sooner the 12-club plan fs knocked on the head the better will it be for everybody concerned. The League docs not want such persons in it as Von der Ahe and the fact of his being a member of tbe organization is one of the great arguments against the 12 club league. ' It is long since Von der Ahe ceased to be either ornamental or useful in an intelli gent and honorable baseball organization cud his latest tricky proceeding in the Geuins matter only adds force to the fact that the League would be better without him. It is nut smartness, nor is it shrewd ness to make false representation or to tell willful lies. Anybody can do that if their morals are depraved sufficiently. Gentle men of honor depend on the word of each other and as soon as the stage is arrived at when that cannot be done it is time to shut up shop. And that prize package system In the "Western League does not seem destined for much success; at least there are numer ous stories coming from there relative to the difficulties the League is in. If the or ganization were to collapse entirely I should not be surprised. Indeed, it has alread been more successful than I anticipated. Its principles are not those that will assure lasting success, and are more adapted for a lot of school children than for men who are supposed to have intelligence and enter prise Say after day we are finding proofs , i jflJjjRMT si BrisAMByBMMMBBBKBMMMMJHM I KBBHMBBBHMHBMBKKMBBBBBH 2flj3HHfi(S3HifR&a9GffiHSM JjklM3BHfijl&A.jU i 1C that the mechanical In baseball his not the elements of success in It, and in the face of thin it is a pity that some people persist in trying to maintain it I'm sure there is al ready sufficient evidence to guide us on the matter. The Affair of the local Club. After all, matters are not going 10 bad with the local ball club. Considering the many and bis; difficulties that have had to be contended w ith, the team are in a Tery jtood condition. There are only a Tery few canies between them and a much higher position than where they are in the race, and the future looks much brighter for tbe team than it did. We must all admit that so far Captain Burns has managed tbins with good judgment. If he had another good out fielder he would have areally excellent team. At present, with every man playing in good form, he has a lot of winners, and if things go right I expect to see him reap his reward in the second half of the season. Ot course, a very great deal depends on the pitchers, but at present the local Ditchers are apparently in very good trim, and if they continue so I fail to see why the team should not more than hold their own. Several of the players are battinir with great force and very pleasing regularity, aud it is to be hoped that all these good features will be Kept up for the sake of the directors if for nothing else. I'm sure they deserve success, for thev have done everything that it is possi ble'to do to merit success. They have even gone to the extent of putting up their cash and turning the management and control of the players entirely over to Captain Burns. To say the least, this i pluck and heroism. Well, men of that kind really deserve sup port and good wishes. The local team wili now remain at home until the first half of the season is finished. They onught to finish in the first six, and if they do this, they will have done nobly. Chicago is likely to be a dangerous rival, but if our pitchers keep all right I don't think thare is much to fear. Tbe Popularity of Amateur Sports. It is alwavs a pleasure to me and I pre sume to everybody else who takes an in terest in outdoor sports to notioe the grow ing popularity of amateur athletic contests, both in this and in other countries. It is extremely surprising to note how the popu larity ot amateur Bports has developed dur ing the last decade. The time was when scarcely a corporal's guard could be mus tered to witness an afternoon's contests among amateur performers. To be sure the improvement among the amateur performers has had as much to do wiiu me increase ui pupuiarifcy aa atujrfcuiug else. True, there are many people who still think that the term "amateur" means somebody who is not very good at his busi ness. I can remember the time when that really was the prevailing opinion and it is only the remarkable performances of ama teurs in all branches of sports that has caused that old notion to be laid aside to any extent. But as I say there are still lots of people who looks upon the term "ama teur" as meaning something inferior. This notion will be entirely eradicated by and by, or just as soon as tbose who hold it begin to think a little for themselves. There has been greater progress made am'0Cg professional tale'nt, and stances when we look for amateur talent during recent years than in many in- the "best on record" we have to turn to the amateurs to find it. Well, it is such facts as these that have popularized amateur sports, because the public is just as eager to see and encour age an amateur who can break old records and make new ones as to see a professional doing the same performances. Bnt when we have Careys, or Owens, or Zimmermans performing nowadays, we can depend upon a much larger and a far more representative attendance of spectators than if we had pro fessionals performing. This fact beyond all question proves that it is the love of real, honest sport, and sport of the best quality, that prompts the American public to so heartily encourage out-door recreations and pastimes. I really look forgreaterachieve ments among the amateurs than have been accomplished. Contestants are yearly be coming more numerous and ot a much better average quality. riixons Xefeat of Johnson.. The battle between George Dixon and Fred Johnson is over, and the colored youth is still master of the International situation. Headers of this paper would anticipate such a result, ana particularly those who read what I bad to say last Sunday regarding the battle: Here is what I said: "After fully consideringthematterlhave come to the conclusion that as far as com parisons can be made Dixon has the best of it. I allow for Johnson improving, of course. I am aware that it is very danger ous to come to any conclusion on the matter, as I feel satisfied that Johnson is a rattling good man. So much so that, while I antici pate his defeat, I would not bet a cent of odds on Dixon. While I prefer the chances of the latter, I am frank enough to say that his defeat will not surprise'me. A friend of mine returned from Hew York the other day and spoke very highly of both contest ants. Hetold me that he' wanted to bet a few dollars on Dixon, but if there was no Johnson money here he would take 2 to 1 and back the Englishman. This is just how I feel on the matter." Now, the above leaves no doubt as to the stand I took, and there was nothing in the battle to surprise me, except the inability of Johnson to use his left hand with any effect. The contest was, of course, a good one, and it is a great pitv that it ended as it did; that is, that Johnson was knocked out by falling on the platform with his head and not by a blow from Dixon. It is mere conjecture to say how the con test would have ended had Johnson not hap pened with the accident. On this point opin ions are very diverse, but I am strongly in clined to think that Dixon's show for victory would have been a very close one had John son not fallen as he did. The Englishman was taking all the punishment that Dixon could give; in fact lie had taken the worst that Dixon was able to administer, and Dixon was just beginning to weaken percep tibly, when Johnson lell and struck his head. Had Johnson not fallen it is certain that he could have withstood many more onslaughts from Dixon, and that being so, it is hard to tell how matters would have ended, although the chances wonld haTe birongly been in favor of Dixon. A Few Features of th? Battle. That Dixon proved himself a better pugilist, that is glove pugilist, than John ton there is no doubt. Dixon once more demonstrated that he is a good two-handed man, and it is because of this that he won. He also displayed remarkable intelligence, and declined several times to enter into wily traps laid for him by Johnson. Dixon's length of reach aided him greatly, but we cannot say that he is a wonderful punisher, because it there had been much force behind his blows he ought to have settled Johnson completely considering the number of times he hit him. But as I said last week, Dixon is a tricky and an accomplished boxer, aud I don't think he has an equal to-day at his weight Johnson fought one of the gamest battles we know of. aud it was evident that he had made up his mind to try and outstay Dixon no matter how great the punishment. With this object in view he was at all times con that with countering, but the fall already spoken of spoiled his plans. He certainly can stand a wonderful lot of punishment, and it is safe to say that if Dixon had been as much of a receiver as Johnson was tbe former would have collapsed long before 14 rounds were up. But Johnson could not reach Dixon, who really has the build of a 126-pound man. Besides Johnson could not use his left hand, being always too slow with it But were the two men to fight under Lon don prize ring rules I think it would be safe to bet 2 to 1 on Johnson. His natural style of fighting is infighting, and he had so much the better of Dixon in this style that Dixon kept out of the way after getting one dose. Under P. S. rules Johnson could Ireely indulge in infighting; but, of course, the Dixon party would not hear tell of those rules. It is also worthy of note -that as the contest proceeded' Johnson was forcing the colored youth to change his methods almost every round, and in the twelfth round Dixon kept entirely ont of the way. This is a sure proof that his wind was going. Aa usual, there were many very oottfliet- ing accounts of the battle, tome of which were awfully prejudiced against the Eng lishman. Why this should be to I don't know. One yonng man's story of the battle really gave Johnson credit for nothing at all, and wound up by saying that Dixon danced a jig before dressing after tbe fight was over. Of course, this was said to disparage the abilities of the Englishman. Such bigoted accounts have no influence whatever among thoughtful and intelligent people, and only injure the reputation of the writers for fairness and truth. A Few PnglUstlo Generalities, John L. Sullivan has once mora declared that he will swear ofl and oommence train ing for his fight with Corbett Since tbe show season closed John has had a high old time of it, and his backer has had to call a halt It is not before time, if there is any earnestness about the proposed big battle. .Sullivan will only have about 10 or 11 weeks to get readr in, and depend upon it he will need all the time at command. I will be Tery much surprised if he can be gotten into first-class condition bv the earlr 'part of September. He can, of course, be gotten into condition sufficiently good to keep him going five or six rounds, but if the rounds get into the twenties, I don't known how -he is going to last But we will be better able to judge of this later on. There is still some uncertainty about a man being forthcoming to fight Pitzsim mons next September. There is something difficult to understand about this matter. The Olympic Club, of New Orleans, offers a purse of ?12,000 for a contest between Fitz simmons and O'Brien. Now whv an offer ol this kind should be made to O'Brien and a man like Smith ignored I fail to see. Choynski has offered to try to knock O'Brien out in four rounds and it is-safe to say that he cannot do that with Smith, if he can do it all. Smith, by all means, accord ing to record, is a more likely man for Eitz simmons than O'Brien. The Two Joes In Frlsoo. It is yery pleasing to have two winners in one week and the victory of Goddard over MeAuliffe gives me that many during the week just ended. From the first day of the match between the two Josephs I have per sistently expressed the opinion that it was difficult to see where MeAuliffe had any chance at all in defeating Goddard. The latter is among the first raters and in my judgment a superior man to Choynski and not very far below Jackson, while MoAulifie is not very far removed from the olass to which such men as Cardiff belong. But one of the surprises to me concerning the contest Thursday night i was the heavy betting on the result And' the odds were on MeAuliffe at that Also in the East on the strength of Sullivan's prediction that MeAuliffe would win many people backed the latter. It seemed such a sure thin? to me that a few days ago I persuaded a friend of mine to bet 2 to 1 on Goddard ii he could do no better. As a result of the contest we may hare heard the last of MeAuliffe. He is one of the men who is too big to be a fighter. Goddard we will hear from again, and while he may not be capable of beating anybody on earth he will give the best ot men a good, warm argument for supremacy. Discussing the chances of the two men in this paper May 22 I said that if Goddard could not defeat a man like MoAulifie he had better go back to Australia, and I also said that it would be wise to bet on God dard on a big-scale. Peinglk. A TITLE FOB TEE FSID25 Washington! Inauguration Delayed Several Days While Contrress Searched tor One. The question, What shall be the title of the President of the United States, accord ing to the St Louis Globe-Democrat, was one which elicited no little discussion among the members of the first Congress, and it is said that tbe inauguration of Washington was delayed several days by consideration and debate as to what should be his title. "His Highness, thePresident of the United States of America and Protector of Their Liberties," was discussed nnd rejected. "His Excellency" was also proposed, and also rejected. After numerous suggestions, it was finally decided that the chief execu tive officer should be officially known as the "President of the United States." The title Excellencr, as applied to the President, was of later growth than the time of Washington, who was greatly re lieved when Congress decided the question by giving him no title, as he was much in dread lest a lofty title should provoke the envy and antagonism of the ultra Be pubiicans TEACHING WELSH TO A 2EITI8HSI. How an English Bishop Was Instructed te Master the Difficult Sounds. It takes a Welshman to talk Welsh, says the Youth' Companion. Few foreigners are able to pronounce the "YYJelsh 1L The author of "Yorkshire Folk Talk" tells an amusing story of an Englishman's struggles to mas ter that difficult sound. The Englishman had been appointed to the Welsh See of St David, and on taking up his abode in Wales, engaged a native Welsh scholar to give nim instruction In the language. The pronunciation, and especially the 11, bothered the Bishop,and the Welshman was almost at his wit's end to expain the lin gual process by which the formidable sound was to be uttered. At last a bright thought struck him, and being very obsequious in manner, he thus addressed the Bishop: "Your Lordship must please put your episcopal tongue to the roof of your apos tolic mouth, and then hiss like a goose." BT0ET OF A E?LLET. The Wonderful Effect a Buckshot Had on a Soldier of the Rebellion. "Up in Northern Minnesota, says a physician in the St Lonis Globe-Democrat, "lives a man who entered the service in 1861. He was a Tery dull fellow, almost a fool. During one of the sorties made by tbe Confederates at Donelson he received a buckshot in the head. The surgeons could not find it and the wound healed. He re turned to duty one of the brightest men in his company, and in time became Second Lieutenant "At the close of the war he returned home, married a superior woman, prospered in business and was elected Sheriff of his county. Three years ago his head began to giye him a great deal of trouble. He came to St Paul, and I located the buckshot and removed it He is now as healthy as ever, but is the same stupid dolt that he was be fore the fight at Port Donelson." UPEESTITIOu-3 KB. INQALLS. He Is Said to Have Refaaed Ffamb'f Un lucky Seat In Cpnyress. Mr. Tngalls is said to be so superstitious that he feels nervous if he sees the moon over his left shoulder. Whenever he has occasion to return to his bouse directly after leaving it he averts the possibility of a hoodoo by sitting down before departing again. His abiding faith in the supernatural is given as the reason Mr. Ingalls refuses so emphatically to become a candidate for Plumb's unlucky seat in Congress. The other reason, says the New York World, that the seat has not been offered him, should not be lost sight of, however. Pos sibly if the seat were tendered him the dis tinguished statesman-ont-of-o-job might be come enough of a Roman augur to laugh in his sleeve at his own credulity. Connt Herbert Bismarck's III Manners. The latest story of Count Herbert Bis marck's ill manners relates that while in Borne recently he pushed rudely against an Italian officer of high rank, who turned to protest against suoh treatment Without a word of apology the ex-Chancellor's son re torted angrily, "I am Count Herbert .von Bismarck That sir," remarked the Italian, 'Is aa explanation of jour conduct bat not aa exeusa," A STORIES BY M. QUAD. Brother Gardner Experiments on Limekiln Club Superstition. THE ARIZONA KICKER CLIPPINGS. Ylgorots Experience of a Wim Old Han Who Wanted to Be Toned Up. WOES OP A BPEEDI MESSENGER BOT' rWBiratlT TOB-TRX DtSrATCH.1 When the regular business of the Satur day night meeting of the Limekiln Club had been concluded Brother Gardner arose and looked down the aisle as if in search of certain members, and finally began: "It has lately eotne to my knowledge dat sartin members of dls club am firm believ ers in signs an' warnin's. Fur instance, I am told dat Brudder Standoff Jackson heard a clock strike 13 times de odder night an he was so affected dat he couldn't go. to work next day. He believed it was a sign of a sudden death in his fam'ly. I am told dat Brnddcr Giveadam Jones saw de new moon over his left shoulder one night last week, an he done felt so poky ober it dat he had to soak his feet an go to bed. I l'arn dat Brudder Waydown Bebee saw three white hosses clus together de odder day on de street an he ran home to see it de baby was dead. "Only last night I was informed dat Kur nel Kyann Johnson, Second Vice President of dis club, sot up all night de odder night bekase de .fam'ly teakettle sounded a warnin' soon arter supper. It seems to me, from what I her heard doorin' de last io' weeks dat nine-tenths of de members ot dis club am mighty 'spectin' to see ghosts walkin' about deir bedrooms. I desiah to call yo'r attenshun to bylaw No. 651, which yo hev perhaps dun forgot It reads dat any member oi dis club who believes in ghosts may be fined as high as J16.000 or ex pelled from de club. De Secretary will now call de roll. All yo' dat believes in ghosts will stand up as he hits yo'r names." The secretary called the roll, but net a member stood up. "De ghost bizness seems to be played out all of a sudden!" observed tbe president as the list was finished. "Perhaps, how eber, we her some members who believe in signs an' warnin's. De. secretary will call de roll agin, and de believers will stand up. Befo' dom' so I should like, to call yo'r at tenshun to bylaw No. 652, 'which reads, dat any believer in signs an' warnin's may be fined as high as $10,000 or suspended from de club fur one y'ar." The roll was called again, but every mem ber seemed to hold himself down in his chair. "Doan' seem to be nobody standin up!" said Brother Gardner, as he looked around the room. "We will now see how many members believe in dreams. Bylaw No. 653 reads dat any member who professes his belief in dreams or who shall argufy to Tfaydoum Bebee Rawing Borne. another member dat dreams am sent by de angels in heaven to warn us of what am to come may be fined as high as 5,000 or suspended fur six months. All yo' dat believe in dreams stand up as yo'r names am called. " For the third time the roll was called without a member moving a foot As the secretary sat down a profound silence fell npon the 100 men. The president finally broke in on it by rising and observing. "No ghosts no signs an warnins no dreamsl Seems like I was dun mistaken about it Brudder Jackson, how about dat clock strikin thirteen times?" "Beckon I counted one too many, sah." "Brudder Jones, how about dat new moon?" "I doan' believe in no new moons, sah." "An, Brudder Bebee, yo' saw three white hosses and 'spectcd de baby to die, did yo "No, sah. I jest went back home to git my hammer dat I'd dun forgot" ""Oh, I see! Kurnell Johnson, how about dat teakettle?" "Dat was all In fun, sah." "It was, eh? Well, Ize powerful glad to h'ar dat dis club am all right on signs, warnins, ghosts and sich, an I hope it will stay all right Ize an ole man, an in my time Ize met up wid heaps o' sich stunt It ar my canaia beiier, Dasea on ou y ars o walkin 'round on top dis y'arth, dat de man who runs bizness 'covdin to dreams an signs was bo'n fur a fule an jist missed it by an Inch! We will now bust up de meetin an go home." THE AEIZ0HA KICKEB, Summary Disposal or Ilbsl Snlts and Law yers Who Brine; Them. No LtbeIi Suit. A few weeks ago we felt it our duty as a conscientious editor to refer to Colonel Dan Skinner, who runs the whisky ranch on the other bank of Plum creek, as a man whose absence from this locality would be of great benefit We haven't time to look back through our files, hut we probably added that he was an un hung villain whose case had somehow been overlooked. The Colonel saw the item and buckled on his gun to pay us a calL The nearer he got to us the stronger grew his feelings that he was about to monkey with a landslide two miles long, and he "finally stopped and turned back and sentfor Lawyer Hamilton. We were informed yesterday morning tht we were about to be sued for 150,000 damages, and we mounted our mule and rode over to the ranch. The Colonel saw us coming and got away on his burro, but we run him down at the end of a mile and ,had a talk with him. mnasaivui hubh, Ha net only aasured us In the xaett era- ptatk thai Ha had urn tate. D talned the idea of a libel suit, bnt that ha was an admirer of our .straight-from-the-shoulder style and desired to subscribe for five copies of The Kicker. We then returned to town to look for Lawyer Hamilton. Some one had lent him a mule-and he was headed for Clinch Valley, but at onr second shot he pulled up and waited for us to overtake him. He also denied the reported libel suit and likewise expressed his undying admiration for the great family newspaper of the glori ous West He wanted to subscribe for six copies of our paper. Steve's Mistake. When Steve Taylor was appointed Town Marshal Tht Kicker ad vanced the opinion that he was weak in the back and would "crawl" if he got into a tight place. Steve and his friends were down on us for the announcement, and we believe it was Steve himself who fired a bullet into this office one night a few weeks ago and shot the pendulum off our eight-day clock. The affair of Sunday night proved the correctness of our opinion regarding Steve's sand. A Bad Man from Zuni broke loose all of 'a sudden and began firing right and left Steve happened to be within 20 feet of him, but the "ping" bf bullets started him off down the street like an antelope. His honor the mayor (who is ourself) was In -church and heard the firing. He ran straight for the crowd, sized up the situation at a glance and next moment he had the Bad Man by the neck. The fellow was quickly dis armed, and within five minutes of his first shot he was lying on the floor of the cala boose and wonderin? 'which side of the I. United States bad tipped up on hira. Monday rnoniinir he was so anxions to get out of town that he was willing to go with out his guns, which will be sold at auction for the benefit of the street improvement fund Steve Taylor has handed in his rea isgnation and begged our pardon. He thought he had sand, but it was a mistake. He will open a carpenter shop on Cactus street, and his advertisement will appear in our next issue. HE Q0T HUtSELF TONED TIF. Moses Was Carious and Disregarded Hla Better Ball's Advice. There was aiakir with an electrical ma chine on wheels in the public square at .Chattanooga. Any one wanting his system toned up had only to hand him a nickel and grasp the handles attached to the battery. Business was growing a little slack when an old "darky couple man and wife eame along and paused to see and hear. After three or four minutes the husband turned and said: "Linda, I'ze gwine ter git my slstem toned up." "Shoo, now, Moseil Doan' yo dun go foolin around 'bout yo'r sistem, Yo'r -litem's all right" "I'ze feelin powerful bad Jess now Linda. Beckon it might take dat feelin o' goneness away." "I'ze a tellin yo not to fool wld dat ar masheen, Moses!" she vigorously replied. "Mebbe it's good fur de sistem, an mebbe it'll dun knock you frew de middle of next week. You's too ole to take chances, Moses." "Keep quiet honey. Beckon I know what's fur de best Hold dis washbo'd while I git toned up." He passed over his nickel and seized the handles. It was one of tbose batteries which hangs onto a man until the current is shut ofl, and the longer it hangs the stronger the current becomes. The old man had got about enough, and his back was arched up aud his feet spread apart, when two dogs began fighting a few yards away. The crowd made a rush, and the old man at the handles was forgotten until he began yell ing at the top of his voice. . As soon as the enrreut was turned off he dropped in a heap. We carried him to the walk nnd laid him on his back and threw water in hi s face, and alter three or four minutes he opened his eyes and gasped out: "Dat dat yo' IjlndaV" Getting Toned Up. "Yes. dat's I !" she sternly replied. "An what's dun got de mattah wid me?" "De mattah wid yo' Moses? De mattah wid yo'? Why, yo' dun saw a brass bar'l on wheels, an' yo' paid 5 cents to git yo'r Bistcui tuucu up uy ibkht noia or de handles. Yo's got de tone! Yo'r mouf is all drawed around on yo'r shoulder, dat left eye is all cocked up, and boaf yo'r knees am wobblin' like a rabbit in a bresh fence. Git up, ole man git up an' cum along an'" bring dat tone wid yo', and be dun glad to' hain't an ole fool nigger no mo'I Yo's bin toned, an yo's jes like a white gem'lan nowl" A SUDDEN MESSENGER BOT. The Fires of Ambition Burned In Hla Breast, nnd He Succeeded. I said to my mother, I will become a mes senger boy and support this family in luxu ry, and so I wept to the man who bosses the office on Broadway and stated my ambition. He said to me, are you a rapid boy, and 11 torn mm j. was tne rapioa?t boy in New York. He said, Tery well, and he gave me what my ambition had craved. I am there yet I "am No. 14 In the office, and when I am sent out I am chain lightning. I carried a message to Kussell Sage one day, and he looked at me and said, why this rapidity of promptness? And I said, it is my way, hon ored sir, and I cannot hesitate to linger. He said, you have started in right, and you will .some day be blown up with a bomb and have richness of wealth. After that I was more rapid than before. One day when I met a telegraph hoy in Exchange place he said to me: "You are a fool for your quick rapidity. I have been promoted three times, and yet T linger to saunter when carrying a telegram." I said it was my ambition to be the chained lightningest messenger in New York, and he said you are a. noble liar. Then we fit I licked. When he had been ingloriously vanquished I said to him, yon can now see the valne of my rapid suddenness and I hope you will reform and become an emi nent citizen. I was sent in answer to a call from a spa cious mansion on Fifth avenue. I was there with such Incalculable rapidity mat tne iaay oi tne nouse says: isov, x hare seen much rapid swiftness in my time, but nothing to equal this. How do you manage it?" And I said it was the' fires of ambition blazing in my youtful breast "I should be proud to call you my son." she said, and she gave me an extra nickel to assist me in my determined efforts to attain. wealth. I met a policeman as I was passing np Fourth avenue with my inconceivable sud denness. . He halted me and said: "Boy, why this unseemly haste to overtake your destination?" And I said: "Because I am working in the interest of my employers, honored officer, and I hope by the exercise of unparalleled energy to merit promotion and thns to fill the measure of my overpowering ambition." This is all at present M. QrArx A King Suspected of Swindling. The King of Denmark sometimes goes to Hamburg incognito, and on the occasion of his last visit of the kind there he met with an amusing misadventure. He bought sev eral expensive presents for the Queen, and discovered when he came to pay for tbem that he did not have suffloient money with him for the purpose. The shopkeeper imme diately susTjeoted an alterant at iwindlin. and a notef official had to be summoned by telephone Mom thugs oould he m riiW. I :JM , w NOTES AND QUERIES. flew Light on the . Famous Historic Mystery of Kaspar Hansen A5 IDIOM OF THE MONET BH0PS. Facts About Great Battles and Our Original Cabinet Officers. GOLD AND BILTEE 01f THE SOLDIERS. rwBrrncir 10a the dispatch.! Perhaps the mystery surrounding the Man in the Iron Mask may never be cleared up, but recent publications seem to inti mate that that surrounding the life and death of Kaspar Hauser is in a fair way of being dispelled. On May 20, 1828, a lad was found in a Nuremberg street, dressed as a peasant, and apparently helpless with astonishment He was imprisoned as a vagrant at first On him were found two letters, one from a peasant, who wrote that he had received the boy on October 7, 1812, and had brought him up as a Christian, had taught him to read and write, and had kept him in close confinement in a dark cellar. The other letter was apparently from the boy's mother; it said that he was born April 30, 1812, that his father, an officer in the Sixth Cavalry Begiment at Nuremberg, was dead, and that the boy's name was Kasper Hauser. On July 18, 1828, the boy was placed in the household of Prot Daumer, who took charge of his edu cation and acted as his guardian. On October 17, 1829, he was found in the cellar of his home with a wound on his head which, according to his story, had been in flicted by a man with a blackened face. He was removed from Daumer's house, aad put under the surreillanoe of a magistrate; and thence was sent by Earl Stanhope, an English nobleman who was interested in him, to Ansbaeb, to be educated. After this he became a clerk in the office of Feuerhach at Nuremberg. On December 14, 1833, be was found by passers-by in tbe park at Nuremberg, suffering from a deep stab wound in his left breast He said that he had been decoyed into the park by a stranger, who struck him. He died on the 17th of tbe month. The question has ever been, Who was Kaspej Hauser? Books have been written discussing the mystery of his birth, his life and his death. Was he, as Daumer and FeuerbacH maintained, the son of the Grand Duke Charles and the Grand Duchess Stephanie, and so legitimate heir to the throne of Baden? If so, had he been kid naped and finally murdered at the instiga tion ot tbe Countess of Hochburg, second wife of the Grand Duke Charles Frederic and grandmother of the Grand Duke Charles, that her own ehildren might suc ceed? So Danmer thought and wrote, and a controversy raged for many years, until in 1875 the record of the baptism and death of Duke Charles' son was produced. But now a new book, "Kasper Hauser; the Unveiling ot the Mystery," has ap peared in Germany, which undertakes to prove that Daumer was rightin his theory. It prints two documents, which, if authen tic, show that the foundling of Nuremberg was, indeed, heir to the throne of Baden. One of these is a letter from the brother of the Grand Duke Charles to a minister of state, the other, an extract from the diary of a prince to whom that minister gave the letter on condition that it should not be published for 55 years after his death. The minister died in 1837; in Febrnarv, 1892, the son of the prince published the fetter in the book just named. Is the mystery cleared up, or is it deep ened? Where did th names of the months and of the days of the week come from? s.m. a Our names of the months are all of Boman origin. March was the first month of the Boman year, and was named after Mars, the god of war; April comes from the Latin word aperire, meaning "to open;" May comes from mains or magius, the root of which is from the Sanskrit, and means "to grow." June was named fon Juno, queen ot tne goas; uniy was namea lor juuus Ctcsar, who reformed tbe calendar, and died K C. 44. Marc Antony changed the name from Quintilis, or fifth month, to Julius. The Emperor Augnstus changed the name of the sixth month from Sextilis to August, because it had been a favorable month for him. September. October. November and December are named from the Latin words meaning respectively seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth; these months were the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth months oi the Boman year, though they are the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth of our year. January is named for Janus, the god of the Bomans who kept the gates of heaven and February is named because the Februa, the feast of purification for the new year, was held in it Ohr names for the days of the week come from several sources; Sunday is an exact translation of the Latin dies solis, day of the sun; Monday is the Saxon equiva lent for the Latin dies lunae, day of the noon. Tuesday comes from the Saxon, and is named for Tiw, the Norse god whom we invoke when we say "What tbe deuce!" Wednesday is Wodin's or Odin's day; Thursday is Thor's day, and Friday "is Freja's day these names came from the Saxon. Saturday is named for Saturn, a Boman god. These gods and goddessss were worshiped on the days named after them. What Is meant by the expression in the "financial articles," to the effect that "ster ling exchange is almost at the gold export ing point," or is "almost at the gold import ing DOlntt" What is "sterling exchanze" anyway? A. D. A man, A, in London owes money to B in this city. B draws a bill of exchange or note on A. If now C in this city wishes to pay D in England, he can buy B's note at such a price as B will take for it and send it over to D, who presents it Thus B in this country has been paid, and D in England has been paid, although no money has crossed the ocean. If instead of only C wishing to buy the bill of exchange a num ber of persons wish to do so, they may bid so much that it will be cheaper for C to ship actual gold to his creditor in England; in that case, the gold exporting point is reached. If on the other hand, very little money is offered for the note, it may be better for B to send the note over to England and have A pay it, and bring the gold over at his own expense. This is the simplest form of exchange; as other elements are brought in the process becomes more com plicated. Third parties and third countries are involved in actual finance until the complication is really intricate. The differ ence between the gold-exporting point and the gold-importing point seems consider able; but it is measured in cents and frac tions of cents. For example, when 1 is worth 54 89J here, it will pay C to export gold and settle with D in actual cash; and when it is worth $4 83 ii will pay B to get A's gold and bring the actnal coin to this country. It is only in large transac tions that sma 11 things fractions of a cent become important. What was the greatest battle ever fon-htT A. II. That depends on what yon mean by greatest The battle of Leipsic, fought be tween Naooleon and the Allies, on October 16, 18 and 19, 1813, involved the greatest number of men; Napoleon had 160,000 men, the Allies Russia, 'Prussia, Austria Sweden, Denmark and Great Britain had 240,000 men. Prom the ntimber ot com batants and from tbe number of powers represented, this la sometimes knows as tha Battle of Nations. Bat the battle Inyorrfng parhajw tha nsata isportaat sms iaportMt rMlta t tfcsr world was Waterloo, fought June 18, 1815, between Napoleon and the Allies. Had Napoleon conquered. France would, have overrun Europe again, and Great Britain as well, and the history of the last 75 years would have been yastly differ ent - There were other decisive battles, however, before Waterloo; and if any one of them had turned out dif ferently, perhaps Waterloo might neyer have been needed. Creasy, in his famous book "Decisive Battles of the World," de scribes these battles: Marathon, B. C. 490: Svracuse, B. a 413," Arbela, B. a 331; Metaums, B. a 207; Teutoburg, A. D. 9; Chalons, 451; Tours, 732; Hastings, 1066; Orleans, 1429; the Spanish Armada, 1588; Blenheim, 1704; Pultowa, 1709; Saratoga, 1777; ValmT, 1792, and Waterloo. There have been decisive battles since then, too; notably Solferino, 1859; Gettysburg, July, 1863; Sadowa, 1866; Mars-la-Tour and Gravelotte, August, 1870. Who were the original Cabinet offleerst E. 3. Secretary ot State, Thomas Jefferson, Sep tember 26, 1789; Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, September 11, 1789; Secretary of War, General Henry Knox, September 12, 1789; Postmaster General, Samuel Osgood, September 26, 1789; Attorney General, Edmund Randolph, September 28, 1789. The other Cabi net offices were created on the following dates, and first filled by these persons: Secretary of the Navy, May 21, 1789, Benjamin Stdddard; Secretary of the Interior, March 8, 1849, Thomas Ewing; Secretary of Agriculture, February 12, 1889, Norman J. Coleman. The Secretary of State has always been the ranking Cabinet officer, even though his commission be later than the commissions of his colleagues and the Presidental succession act ot 1886 ar ranges tbe Cabinet officers in this order, omitting the Secretary of Agriculture, whose office was not created until alter the succession act was passed: Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War, Attorney General, Postmaster Gen eral, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Interior. Until 1855 the Cabinet offi cers were paid 56,000 a year, except the AV torney General, who got only $4,000; since 1855 all the Cabinet officers receive $8,000 a year apiece. What fs the proper pronunciation of the name of Arkansas? G. A. Arkansaw. The old Indian pronunciation was Arkabnsah. The early settlers, who were French, spelled the name as we do; but as the French a is always broad and the final s is silent, tney pronounced the word as the Indians did. Congress, in the act of March 2, 1819, organized the territory, spelled the name Arkansaw, and for many years it was spelled so. Finally the original spelling was revived, the original pronunci ation being kept Then came new settlers, who didn't understand French; and thev pronounced the name Arkansas. In 1880 the State Historical Society and the Eclec tic Society investigated the history of the name and its pronunciation and on their report the Legislature in 1881 resolved that the name "should be pronounced in three syllables, with tbe final 's' silent, the 'a' in each syllable with the Indian sound, and tbe accent on the first and last syllables being the pronunciation formerly, univers ally and now still most generally'used." Beferring to "Miltia's" query In last Sunday's issue as to why, in our army, offi cers of lower rank wear gold while their su periors wear silver, "Home Guard" says: Let me give what I consider the correct reply: Prior to the introduction of shoulder straps, about 1840, all officers of the United States army when In full uniform wore epaulets of sold tinsel and brass, on which marking of rank, such as stars, eagles, etc., were embroidered in the contmstmz metal, silver. In the early days of our nation there were, besides Adjutant, but two grades of commissioned regimental field ofilcers, namely, Lieutenant Colonels, dis tinguished by a silver eagle on the epaulet, and ilalors. marked by two silver leaves on each epaulet. Vhen. In 1603. the rank or Colonel was first established by Congress, jjiencenans uoioneis ana .majors returning their old rank as first and second in regi mental command, became Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels leipectivelv, retaining their old mark in is, while those promoted to the new grade, third regimental officer, with the old name of .Major, were marked by sold leaves on tneir epaulets. THE FINDING OF A LOSI SITES. KemarkaDIe Discovery Made by Claim Hnnters in the Indian Territory. A party which has just returned to Paris, Tex., from the Cheyenne and Arapahoe country report a remarkable natural curi osity that has been discovered in the moun tains in the extreme western part of the Territory. In the recesses of a wild and almost inac cessible range of mountains is a valley of considerable magnitude, in which there is a lake which is fed by numerous streams that flow into it from thp mountains around it It has but one outlet which is a stream of considerable size. This stream flows to ward a large mountain on the east This discovery was made in a country which has until recently been explored but little, but in their search for claims a party entered the valley containing the lake. The place interested them and they began to inspect it closely. They followed the stream flow ing lrom the lake to the mountain where it disappeared by entering a hole under ground. It did not decrease gradually as if seeping into the ground, but flowed into the hole in a strong, bold stream. They searched long and carefully to find where the stream again came to the surface, but could find no further trace of it It is believed that the stream flows clear under the mountains and empties into the Canadian river at a point many 'miles east of where it disappears, as at that place the Canadian river suddenly swells to double its proportions above that point without any apparent cause. Boot and Shoe Burnisher. An apparatus has been invented for fin ishing or furnishing boots and shoes. The apparatus can be fixed on the shaft of any treadle machine, and it is claimed that two boys, who can work simultaneously, can in an hour burnish 80 to 100 pairs of boots by its use. It is proposed to nse the machine especially in the packing room, and it en ables all kinds of boots and shoes to be ef fectively and quickly poljshed before be ing packed. vSml xeV i!iMs C0NFEDEBATE C0I0NELS IV COM. They Are Said to Bo Fudlns Bp(dlT Oat of lablle X-lfe. It Is said that the Confederate brl-adlerla fading .out of public life. Only ten Southern generals are left in the Senate, and not half as many survive in the House. The most picturesque of them all, nyi theNew York World, is Walthall, of Mis sissippi, who succeeded Lamar in the Sen ate. General Walthall is a tall and a verr slender man,, with a veritable mane of blaoi; hair. He entered the Confederate service, a a lieutenant, and rose so quickly In rank; that -when the battle of Mission Eidge was fought it was he who was in charge of tha brigade that bore the brunt of Hooker, attack. Bx-SlaTB as Slave Owner. Atlanta Constitution The report comes from a reliable source that many American negroes have migrated from Liberia to the colony of Sierra Leone in West Africa. These negroes were form erly slaves in the United States, and i their new home.they seem to have a craz for investing their capital in slaves, and ii! is said that they make cruel and avariciotui masters. DOCTOR WHITTIER n PEW ATUNUn. IMTTSErKCJ. Vi. As old residents know and baatz lllei ; Pittsbursr papers prove, is the oldest eitifv lished and At prominent physician in tlia elty.devottnz speoialattentinn toall ohronls tt-S-NCf FEE UNTIL CURED ponaiblo MCRni IQ ftnJ mental UU. neron IH LMl V UUO eases. uhvslcalds. cay, nervous liebillty, Iaok oc euericr. iimW-, tionand hope, Impatre J memory, disorders! sight, self distrust, baslifnlnea, dlzzlneii sleeplessness, pimnles, eruptions, lmpovar? ness, dyspeusla. constipation, consumption,! unfitting thorjer-ion for niisiness.societT anil marriage, permanently, saiely and privatelyl iniiBLUUU ANU SKINXEeT eruptions, Dioccnos.isninT "air.uonsi.pam-i. clanduiar swollmzs. ulceration of tin tongue, mouth, throat, ulcers, old sores, are I cured for life, ana Dlooa poisons tnorougniy eradicated from! IDIM A DV kldnev and the system. UnllNnn I ibladder de rangements, weik back, gravel, catarrhal dlsoharges, inflammation and other painful, symptoms receive searching treameat. uromptrelierand real curei. Dr. Whittier'g life-long extensive experi ence Insnres clentldo and reliable treat. mentoncommoT sense principles. Consults tlonfr-o. Patients at a distance as care fully treated as If hare. OOea hours, 9 a. jc to t r.x. Sunday, io a., to I r. it. only. 1H WHTTTIKlt.dHt'ona avenue, .fittsbarg, Pa I hare a jxMitire remedy for the abore disease; hjiti nse thousands of cases cf tha worst kind and of ion standing haye been cared. Iadeedsostronzismyfaita in its efHcacj, that I will send two ECTTIX3 F3EX,mta a VALUABLE TREATISE on this d jease to anj saf. asrer who will send me their Express and P.O.addresa. V. A. Slocuin, OU C, 1S3 Feurl St., N. V. p I LB A care for Piles. External, Internal. Blind. Bleel. lng and Itcbtn. Chronic. Kecent or UereUltatr. Tliis remedy ha pojitlTely never Iwen known tj fall. i a box. S for Si. dt mall. A guarantee siren with six boes. when purchased at one time, to rn fnnd the J3 If not cured. Issatd lr E3IIL (. STUCK.Y. Drnsrs-lst. TYhoIe!ile and KetMi Agent. Not. 1401 and 1701 Penn are., corner Wylle are. and Fulton St.. l'lltsuilrr. i-i. use nucij-, Diarrhoea &. Cramp fare. Zi anl M cis. jai-. -eotf. IVOOU'S PIIOSPHOBIXE, The Great Xncllah Kimcdy. Promptly and permanently cures all forms of Jtrvouj Weakness.Emissiont, A rnatorrhm. Impotent all ijerts of Abvttt efsseg.Ucen preirlbet 33 yeara In tlioiisant cases: Is the only 2!eU awl Horlt Medicine Jcnou. Al-rfm.i.tqf for Wnnn Before and After. Piiospiiodi.vk: lfhe offer, some worthless medicine In place of this. leave Mr dl honest store. Inclose Price in letter, and we wiu send bv retnrn mall, rrlce. one package, t : itx. as One will pltae: ttx tall cure, famphlet la plain sealed envelone. 2S? iffjjj ,Jle3' " THE WOOD CHE1IICAL CO. 131 Woodward avenue, Detroit. Mich. 5-Sold In Pittsburg dt JOS. FLEMING S. SOy. del7-51-eodwk 4C Market street. FREE TO MEN. Wehave aposltlTe cure for the effects of folf ahuse. Early Excesses. Emissions. .NerTouj De bility, Loss of Sexual 1'ower. Impotency. Ac. So great is onr faith In our specific we will send one mil month' medicine and much valuable Infor- atlon JEMtHE. Aildress O.ai . Co. BSS Broadway, Xew Tork, mya-JSOSa WEAK MEN Power, rnas De-' klIlv.lAit:iaulid. Etc. We will send yon a valuable boot (sealed) .re. ofchanre.contalnlnefullpartlcnUrsfora'peeilyanj, permanent cure. Address: A.JIAT0 ilED.CO. 304 Olive btxeet, St. Louis. Mo. sn DR. SANBES ELECTRIC With Electro-Macrnetic Suspensory Latest Patentsl Best Improvements! Win core without medicine all Weakness resultlnf from over-taxation of brain, nerve forces, ex cesses or Indiscretion, as exhaustion, nervous de bility, sleeplessness, langnor. rheumatism, kid ney, liver and bladder complaints, lame back, 1am bago. sciatica, renerat llliealth. etc. This Elec tric Belt contains wonderful Improvements ovef all others, and jrlves a eurrent that is Instantly ratt by wearer or we forfeit 15.000. am! will euro all he above diseases or no pay. Thousands hav been cured hy this marvelous Invention after . other remedies failed, and we iclve hundreds testimonials In this and everv other State. .,- Our Powerful IMPROVED ELECTRIC! SUS; PENSORV. the irreatest boon ever offered wea-c men. FREE with ALL BELTS.' Health andveor oui strength GUARANTEED In CO to 90 davs. Se".a for Illustrated pamphleU, mailed, sealed, "eo. Address. 8AITDF.X ELECTKIO CO. Tissa No. MS Broadway.,' ew Tort. BaSsVwfCSCN r 'S BELf
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers