2
ljc imes, Nctu Bloomfictt, Jk:
Nobody but John.
OOME one is coming," said I, as the
O clack of the shutting gate fell upon
my ears, and I looked at Maggy's soiled
untidy dress, and tumbled hair.
Maggy startod and glanced hastily from
the window ; she sat down again in a care
less way, remarking as she did so :
" It's nobody but John."
"Nobody but John." And who do you
think nobody was? Only her husband.
Nobody but John !
A few moments afterwards John Fair
burn came into the room where we were
sitting, and gave me one of bis frank, cor
dial greetings. I had known him for many
years, and long before his marriage. I
noticed that he gave an annoyed glance at
his wife, but did not speak to her. The
meaning of this annoyance and indiffer
ence was plain to me ; for John bad come
from a neat and tidy family. His mother's
housekeeping had always been notable.
She was poor, but "as time and water are
to bo bad for nothing" this was one of
her sayings she always managed to have
things about cloan and orderly.
Maggie Lee had a protty face, bright
eyes, and charming little ways that were
very taking with the young men, and so
was quite a belle before she got out of her
teens. She had a knack of fixing ribbons
or tying hor scarf, or arranging her hair,
shawl or dress in a way to give grace and
charm to her person. None but her most
intimate friends knew of tho untidiness
that pervadod her room and person when
at home and away from common observa
tion. Poor John Fairburn was takon iu when
he married Maggie Lee. Ho thought that
he was getting the tidiest, sweetest and
most orderly girl iu town, but discovered
too soon that he was united to a careless
slattern. She could dress for other peo
ple's eyes becauso she had a natural love
of admiration ; but at borne, and for her
husband, she put on old duds and went
often looking 'like the old scratch," as tho
saying in.
On this particular occasion of which I
am speaking it was after she and John
had been married over a year her appear
ance was almost disgusting. She did not
have on even a morning dress ; only a fa
ded and tumbled chintz sack above soiled
skirts, slippers down at the heels, anddirty
stockings. Her hair looked like a hurrah's
nest, if any one knows what that is I don't,
but I suppose it is the perfection of disor
der. No one could love such a looking
creature. That is simply impossible.
'.' Nobody but John!" I looked at the bright
bandsomo young man, and wondered. Ho
ate his dinnor almost in silence, and then
went back to bis work. I had never seen
him so moody.
"What's come over John?" I asked as
he went out.
" Oh, I don't know," his wife answered.
" Something's wrong at the shop, I sup
pose. He's bad trouble with one of the
men. He's foreman, you know."
" Are you sure it's only that?" I asked
looking serious.
"That or something else about his
work. There's nothing else to worry
him."
I was silent,debating with myself wheth
er good or harm would come of a little
plain talk with John's wife. She was
rather quick tempered, I knew, and quick
to take offense. At last I ventured the re
mark : "Maybe things are not just to his
liking at home."
" At home !" Maggy turned on me with
a flash of surprise in her face. "What do
you mean ?"
" Men like beauty, and taste and neat
ness in their wives as well as iu their
sweethearts," I said.
The crimson mounted to her hair. At
the same moment I saw her glai.ee at a
looking-glass that hung opposite her on
the wall. She sat very Btill, yet with a
startled look in her eyes, until the (lush
faded and ber face became almost pale.
"Maggy," said I, ilsingand drawing
my arm around her, " come up stairs. I
have something very serious to 'say to
you."
We walked from the little dining-room
up to her room In silence. I then said :
" Maggy, I want to toll you about a friend
of mine who made a shipwreck of bappl
uess and life. It is a sad story ; but I am
sure it will interest you deeply. She was
my cousin, and her name was
MaRgv bent forward, listening atten
tively. " What?" she asked, as I hesitated
on the name.
" Helen." .
"Not Helen Whito, who married John
Harding, and was afterwards deserted by
ber husband?"
" Yes ; my poor dear Cousin Helen. It
is of her I am going to tell you."
"I never knew why her husband went
off as be did," said Maggy. "Some said
he was to blame, and some put all the
fault on her. How was it?"
" Both were to blame ; but she the
most," I replied. "John Harding was
like your husband, one of the neatest and
most orderly of men.. Anything untidy in
his house or in the person of his wife an
noyed and often put him out of humor;
but he did not, as be thould have done,
speak plainly to his wife, and let her see
exactly how be felt, and in what he would
like a change. If he had done so, Helen
would have tried as every good wife
should to conform herself mora to his
tastes and wishes. But be was silent,
moody sort of a man wben things did not
go juBt to suit bim, and instead of speak
ing out plainly, broodod over Helen's
faults and worried himself into tits of ill
humor; and, what was worse than all,
grew at length indifferent to his borne and
wife, and sought pleasanter surroundings
and mora attractive company abroad.
" Every man thus estranged from his
home is in danger, and Harding was no
exception to the rulo. Temptation . lay
about his fee and the commonest temp
tation of the elegantly fitted up billiard
and drinking saloon.
" They bad been married just about as
long as you and John have been, when the
catastrophe of their lives took place. I
had called to spend the day with Holon,
and found her in ber usual condition of
untidiness and disorder. When her hus
band came at dinner time, I noticed with
painful concern that be had been drinking
not very freely, but just enough to show
itself In a captious ill humor. Helen had
not dressed for dinner, but presented her
self at the table without even a clean col
lar, and an old faded shawl drawn about
her shoulders. She looked anything but
attractive.
" I saw hor husband's eyes glance to
ward her across tho table with an expres
sion that chilled me. It was a hard, de
termined expression. He was scarcely
civil tome and snapped his wife sharply
two or three times During tho meal. At
its close he left the tablo without a word
and wont up stairs."
"What's the matter with John?" I
asked.
"Dear abovo knows!" replied Helen.
" Ho'8 been acting queer for a good while.
I can't imagine what's come over him."
" Docs he como homo in this way often?"
I asked.
" Yes, he's moody and disagreeablo ns he
can bo most of tho time I'm getting
dreadfully worried about it."
"As we talked we heard John moving
about with heavy footfalls in the rooms
above. Presently he came down and stood
for a little while in the hall at the foot of
the stairs, as if in hesitation. Then he
went to the street door, passed out, and
shut it hard after him.
" nelcn caught hor breath with a start,
and turned a little pale."
"What's tho matter?" I asked, seeing
the strangeness of her look.
"I don't know," she replied with u
choking voice laying her hand at the same
time on hor breast, " but I feel as if some
thing dreadful was going to happen."
"She got up from the table, and drew
my arm around her. I too felt a sud
den depression of spirits. We went
slowly up to her chamber, whore we
spent the afternoon ; and then I took upon
myself the office of a friend and talked
seriously to my cousin about her neglect
of personal neatness, hinting that the
cause of ber husband's estrangement from
his home and altered manner towards
herself, might all spring from this cause.
She was a little angry with me at first,
but I pressed the subject home with a
tender seriousness that did the work of
conviction, and as the evening drew on,
she dressed herself with neatness. With
a fresh ribbon tied in her hair, and color a
little raised from mental excitement, she
looked charming and lovable He could
not help being charmed back into tho lov
er, I was sure. But he did not come home
to tea. We waited for him a whole hour
after the usual time, and then sat down
alone ; but neither of us could do more
than sip a little tea.
" I went home soon after, with a pres
sure of concern at my heart for which
I could not account. All night I dreamed
uncomfortable dreams. In the morning,
soon after breakfast, I ran over to see Hel
en. I found her in her room sitting in
her night dress, a picture of despair.
"What is it?" I asked eagorly. "What
has happened?"
" She looked at me boavily, like one not
yet recovered from the shock of a stunning
blow.
" Dear Cousin ! What is the matter ?" I
said. ' .
" I now saw by a motion of her band
that it held, tightly clutched, a piece of
paper. She reached it to me. It was a
letter and read :
" ' We cannot live happily together,
Helen, You are not what I believed my
self getting when we were married not
the sweet lovely, lovable girl that charm
ed my fancy and won me from others.
Alas for both that it so I There has been
a shipwreck of two Jives. Farewell I I
shall never return."
"And this was all; but it broke the
heart of my poor cousin. To this duy, al
though nearly three years have passed,
she has never heard from her husband.
" I saw her lust week in the country
home to which she baa been taken by hor
friends, a wreck both in mind and body.
She was sitting in an upper room, from
the window of which could be seen a beau
tiful landscape. She was neatly attired,
and a locket containing ber husband' pic
ture huog at ber throat. Her bead was
drooped, and ber eyes on the floor, when
I entered ; but she raised herself quiokly,
and with kind of a start I saw a mo
mentary eager flash in her fact dying out
and leaving It inexpressibly sad." .,
I had to stop here, for Maggy broke out
suddenly into a wild fit of sobbing and
crying, which lasted for nearly a minute.
" What ails you, dear?" I asked, as she
began to be a little composed.
" Oh I you havo frightened me so. If
John should " - r
She cut short the sentence ; but her
frightened face left me in no doubt as to
what was in her thoughts.
She arose and walked about the room in
an uncertaip way for some moments, and
then sat down again drawing in hor breath
heavily.
" If young wives," I remarked believ
ing that in her present state the truth was
tho best thing to say "would take half
the pains in making themselves personally
attractive to thoir husbands, that they did
to charm their lovers, more of them would
find the lover continued in the husband.
Is a man, think you, less an admirer of
womanly grace and beauty after be be
comes a husband, than he was before?"
"HuBh! bush I" she said in a choked
voice. " I see it all I I comprehend it nil."
And she glanced down at herself. " I look
hateful and disgusting."
After a plain, earnest talk with Maggy,
I went home. I give her own words as to
what happened afterwards :
" I was wretched all the afternoon. John
had acted worse than usual at dinner time ;
and what you told me about poor Helen
set my fears in motion and worried mo
half to death. Long before tho timo bo
usually came homo, I bad dressed myself
with caro, selected the very things I had
heard him admire. As I looked at myself
in the glass, I saw that I was attractive ; I
felt as I bad never felt before, that there
was a power in dress that no woman can
disregard without tho loss of influence, no
matter what her position or sphere of lifo.
" Supper time came. I bad something
that I know John liked, and waiting for
him with a nervous eagerness it was im
possible to repress. But the hour passed
and his well known tread along the littlo
garden walk did not reach anxious ears.
Five, ten, twenty minutes beyond bis hour
for returning, and still I was alone. Oh !
I shiver as I recall the wild fears that be
gan to crowd upon me. I was standing at
the window, behind the curtain waiting
and watching. All at once I saw him a
little distance from the house, but not iu
the direction from which he usually came
He was walking slowly, and with his eyes
upon the grouud. His whole manner was
of one depressed and suffering. I dropped
the curtain, and went back into our littlo
breakfast room to see that supper was put
quickly on tho table. John came in and
wont up stairs, as he usually did, to change
his coat before tea. In a few minutes I
rang the tea boll, and then seated myself
at the tablo to wait for him. He was
longer than usual in making himself
ready, and then I heard him coming down
slowly and heavily, as if there was no
spirit in bim.
, "My heart beat strongly. But I tried
to look bright and smiling. There was,
oh 1 so deary a look on John's face as I
first saw it iu tho door. He stood still just
a moment with his eyes fixed on me ; and
then the dreary look faded out; a flash of
light passed over it as ho stepped forward
quickly, and ooming to where I sat, stoop
ed down and kissed me. Nevor before was
his kiss so sweet to my lips. (
. " I have found my little wife once more,"
he said softly and tondorly, and with a
quiver iu bis voice.
" I laid my bead back upon bis bosom,
and looking up into bis face, answered :
' And you shall nevor lose her again.' "
And I think he will not. The sweet
ness of that hour, and the lesson it taught
can never be forgotten by my frieud
Maggy.
How Diseases Spread.
Dr. Pago points out one fruitful source
ofoontngion: " In the course of a recent
inquiry into the prevalence of scarlet fever
in a village, at one house he found a man,
a tailor by trade, engaged at bis work,
while his two children, convalescent from
scarlet fever, from whose hands and bod
ies the skin was abundantly coming off in
flakes, wore sitting in the same room, and
in actual contact with the apparel lyiug
around bim. It Is not possible to concoive
a more certain means than this of infecting
clothes, by which the poison might be car
ried afterwards to any distance, and re
tained for any length of time. It is proba
ble that many of these outbreaks of in
fectious diseases in distant and isolated
bouses, the explanation of which is a puz
zle to everyone, may owe their causation
to similar sources of infection." The San
itary Record.
tW It is told of the ate Judge Benjamin
Tappan of Ohio, that when bo applied to
the Judges If tho Supreme Court for ad
mission to the bar of that State he was
asked tho following question, to which he
gave the auswers as follows : - " Mr. Tap
pan, what is law ?" Answer "An unjust
distribution of justice?" "Mr. Tappan,
what is equity?" Answer "A d d impo
sition upon comm(0scBse 1" No other ques
tions were asked, and he was given a
certificate of admission.
A SINGULAR .STORY.
r ' ' !
nriHE Altoona. Tribune tells the follow
I Ing remarkable story :
The Singer Manufacturing Company, of
Altoona, employs as its Rgent at Johnstown
for tho sale of the famed Singer Sewing Ma
chines, a gentleman named P. R. Miller,
who stands at the head of a family. On
tho fifth day of last month as be was can
vassing the territory allotted to him he
came to tho farm house of ono Jacob Sigler
near a small town called Verona, in West
moreland county, and succeeded in persua
ding Mr. S. to purchase a machine. The
agent took it into the bouse and remained
about an hour, instructing Mrs. S. and her
daughter as to tho mantier of the construc
tion of the machine, how to run it, oil it,
and in fact gave them all the necessary in
formation concerning it. He remained
with the family to tea, and afterward
mounted his vehicle and set his face home
ward bound once again.
The following Monday, Sigler visited
Johnstown and happening in at the district
agoncy of the Singer Company requested
Mr. Miller to come to his house and place
the machine in running order again as
something had gotten wrong with it. The
agent replied that he could not go that day
as ho bad a machine to deliver, but that he
would be pleased to comply with the re
quest on the morrow or on the following
day, and as the sequel proved, faithfully
kept his promise.
He took the cars for his destination and
upon arrival at the nearest station there yet
remained a walk of about ono mile. On
reaching the farm-house ho sought admis
sion and was ushered into a room which
was occupied by Sigler, his wife and anoth
er woman whoso name we failed to learn
after dilligent inquiry. The machine was
standing at the side of tho room directly
opposite tho door, and after recognizing
tho party in the customary manner, Mr.
Miller proceeded at once to unlock it with
tho view to making an examination and as
certaining what was wrong with it. As ho
did so he heard a sharp click in the rear
and turning suddenly around was horrified
to bo confronted by an ugly looking apolo
gy for a rifle with which Sigler had drawn
a bead on him, the muzzle being but a few
feet away from one of his ears.
The silence was broken by Sigler asking
Miller whether he did not profess to be an
honorable, upright man and fair in all his
dealings, to which the latter responded that
he did. Then, applying the vilest epithets
to bim that were ever beard to emanate
from tbe mouth of man, Sigler asked the
agent to confess.
" Confess to what?" asked Miller.
" I have made my wife confess and now
I demand that you confess that you and
she have been criminally intimate ; that you
have both committed adultery. "D m
you, if you don't do it, I will blow your
heart out," responded Sigler.
Mr. Miller protested his innocence, yet
without avail. Nothing short of a confes
sion that he was parlicept criminit to the
alleged crime would satisfy the enraged
husband who added, that he didn't want
any fooling about it either.
Seeing that determination was depicted
upon Sigler' s countenance, and not caring
to look down the throat of a rifle that was
cocked and capped any longer than he
could possibly help, through fear, Mr.
Miller confessed to what bad been charged
against him.
"Now," said Sigler, si ill pointing the
muzzle of the guu straight at bis head,
"this matter can be readily compromised."
" How ?" asked Miller.
"By you giving me a receipt in full for
tbe maohine and two hundred dollars in
cash," replied Sigler.
"But I have no money," said Miller,
putting his bands in his pantaloon's pockets
as be spoke.
" Take your hands out of your pockets,
you scoundrel, or I'll blow your bead oil'.
Get down there on that chair and write me
a note for the sum. I want but little fool
lug about this matter," said Siglor, in a
very excited manner, the muzzle of the gun
still being held near tho head of the affright
ed man.
Nothing was left for Mr. Miller but to
down at the bidding. Sigler then ordered
his wife to go into an adjoiuing room and
procure ink, pen and paper after which the
note for the sum named was drawn up in
due form. The wife was then required to
road it over several times in order to assure
the husband that it was correct. Turning
to Miller again Sigler then told bim that
he could "step down and out" of the
house, but that if he mode any attempt to
look back until he got beyond tbe range of
the rifle his brains would surely be blown
out.
Only too glad to be able to get away with
bis life, Mr. Miller hastened to the railway
station and boarded the first train home
ward. . Upon arrival at Johnstown he re
lated tbe.circumstances as above reported
to his personal friends, and if we have been
correctly informed will institute legal pro
ceedings against Sigler at au early day.
Miller' acquaintances speak of his gentle
manly bearing in the highest terms, and all
firmly believe that the affair was simply a
conspiracy to extort money from him.
Should such prove to be the case it will be
branded as'otie of the vilest conspiracies on
record.
Professional Cards.
JK. JUNKIN, Attorney.at-T.aw,
A.r. xt. Nw Blooinlleld. Porry eo., Pa.
Jimkln residence ol Judge
AM. MARKBL Attorney-at-Law
New liloomlleld, Perry county Pa.
-OfneewlthClis. A. Harnett, Em Centre
Square, adjoining Mortimer's Hloie. ,M t"lre
JKWIS POTTER,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
. NEW BLOOMPIELD, PERRY CO., PA.
-Clalms promptly seenred and collected.
Writings and afi lejjal business carelully attend,
ea to. s'j
"AMES II. FERGUSON, Attorney at-Law,
" NEWPORT PA
-Onice Market Street, near the Square. 36 6
CHARLES H. BMILET, Attorney at Law.
New Bloomtield, Perry Co. Pa.
OfflcewlthC. A.Barnett. Esq., next door
to Mortimer's store August 20. 1872
"VMAA- 8P0,I?ai'EK. Attorney-at-Law,
..' T Olltee adjoining Ills res deuce, on Fn.
Main street, New Blooinlleld, Perry co., Pa. 8 2 ly
C1HA8. A. BARNETT, Attorney-at-Law.
J Maui Itlnni.illnl.l If -- - -
fc.unice adjoining Mortimer' Store. 82 ly
JBAILY, Attorney at Law,
New Bloomtield, PerryCo., Pa.
-Office opposite the Court House, and two
doors east of the Perry County Bank.
H.r.r.lAll X ... T ... I I - . ..
JOHN G. SHATTO, Surgeon Dentist.
. ,. i-i ., New Blooinlleld, Perry eo.. Pa.
done in toe best manner, and at reasonable
A nfflfAntnloMeM... ... .1 ....
Robinson House, and opposite Wm. A. Sponsler's
Law olllce. r a 2 1 v
WM. M. BUTCH,
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW.
New Blooinlleld, Perry co., Pa.
St6re-371y iuornuier
piHAS. J. T, McINTIRE, Attorney-at-Law,
now modiniieiu, j erry co., ra.
. ,A11 professional business promptly audfaith.
fully attended to. 3 2 lv.
17"M. N. SEIBEET, Attorney-at-Law,
T T New Bloomtield. Perrv on.. r.
liloomlleld, 3331v.
LEWIS POTTER, kotaut public. New Bloom
Held. Perry Co., Pa.
Deeds, Bonds. Mortuaires and Leases cnrefnllv
prepared and acknowledgements taken. All
Kinds of Pension and Bounty papers drawn and
certified, will also take depositions to bo reul In
iiiiu aii r In Hi. IInK..J ui-t ...... -a
, vwu.v iii viia iiiiiii;u I IU iyw
"ITTM. A. MORRISOX,
y JUSTICE OF THE PEACE and GENERAL
COLLECTOR, NkwGkiimantown, l'erry oo., Pa.
S-Remittanceswlll be made promptly for all
Collections made. 1 44
-yyiLLIAM M. SUTCII,
Justice or lhe Peace,
AND GENERAL COLLECTOR,
Now Bloomfleld, Perry County, Penn'a
y Special attention paid to Collections of all
kinds. Deeds, Bonds, Mortgages and Agreements
eatlyn executed. 7 lotf.
HEAL ESTATE
At Private Sale.
The undersigned will sell at private sale his val
uable farm situate In Juniata township, Perry co.,
Pa., adjoining lands of George Tlzell, George
Ickes and others, containing
91 -A. CUES,
pf Red Slate land, about 75 Acres are cleared, and
In a high state of cultivation. The balance is
well set with timber.
The Improvements are a good two story Log
and Weatherboarded
DWELLING HOUSE,
LARGE BANK BARN.
TENANT HOUSE, CARRIAGE HOUSE. NEW
HOG PEN and WOOD HOUBK.
There Is also a Well ol good water near the
bouse.
There are also TWO GOOD ArPLE ORCH
ARDS on this farm, with a variety of other fruit
trees. This property Is near the village of Markle
vllle in a good neighborhood.
Any person desiring to purchase a home, should
see this property before making a Uiial invest
ment. Price $5,000 1 payments, 12,000 on the 1st of
April, 1874, at which time a deed will be delivered,
and possession given. The balance to be paid In
threeequal annual payments, with interest, to be
secured by judgment bonds.
- Calf on or address
JACOB KLINE,
Marklevllle, Perry co Pa
on
LEWIS POTTER,
2tf New Bloomtield, Perry co., Pa.
LEBANON
Mutual Fire Insurance Compnny,
OF
Joncntown, I'cun'at
POLICIES PERPETUAL at Low Rates. No
condncted and most reliable Companies in th
wui.nj iMujtrirv msurea rerpewai y
per thausund. ' J
LEWIS POTTER,
NEW BLOOMFIELD, PA.,
18 Agent for Perry County.
LOOK OUT!
I would respectively Inform my friends that I In
tuud calliug upon thvm with suuulv ol unuil
of my
OWN MANUFACTURE,
Consisting of
OASSIMESS,
CA8SINETS,
FLANNELS, (Plain and bar'd)
CA11PET8, Ato.,
to exchange for wool or sell for cash.
J. M.BIXLER. '
Cbntkb Woolen Factohy. 6,17,4m
j.m. oikvin. j, H.oiavm
J M.GIBVIN & SON, 1
CommlssloD McrchantH,
NO. 8, BPEAR'S WHARF,
Baltimore, 91 d.
MWa will pay strict attention to the sale of all
kinds of country produce, and remit the amount
promptly. 6 841y
Auctioneer. The undersigned give
notice that he will cry sales at any point In Perry
or Dauplii counties. Orders are solicited sua
prompt attention will be given.
E. l. WELLS,
New Buffalo,
' ' Perry co., Pa.
PPLE PARHH8 and Door Bells In new styles
L can be bought of F. MUlUIMtU.