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VOL. XVI. NO. 49.
TIONESTA. PA., WEDNESDAY. MARCH 19, 1884,
$1.50 PER ANNUM.
mm
LONO AOO.
O ringlet, with the golden gleam,
What memories are clustered horol
The shadow of. a parsing dream,
The silent falling of a tear;
A breath of summer long ago,
Drifting acrws the moment's space:
A long-forgotten sunset glow
Upou a long-remembered faco.
' A. A. Dayton, in Atlantic.
AN EXPERIMENT.
Theresa Darcourt was wholly devoted
to her brother Hurry, nnd when his
duties ns a special examiner of pension
claims led him to Tennessee, she bravely
followed him, though sho knew to what
deprivations nnd inconveniences die
would bo subjected.
Darcourt went first to Knoxvillo, and
from there to Boxborough, n little hamlet
of perhaps fifty houses, nestling right at
the foot of a mountain. The postmaster,
who owned tho only house in tho place
which could boast of a coat of paint,
took the examiner and his sister in, and
tried his best to make them comfortable.
But Theresa thought it a poor best ; for
the fare set before them was of the.
coarsest, cheapest kind, the beds were
guiltless of sheets, and the cold Winter
air penetrated tho thin walls of tho bed
room assigned her until she felt as if in
an ico-house.
"How um I to endure life here for
even five weeks?'' she thought, w hen her
brother told her that ho would probably
be obliged to remain for that length of
time in Boxborough. "I shall dio of
simple inaction."
But she did not say anything of the
sost to Harry, who was rather inclined
to laugh nt tho peculiarities ot their ac
commodations, und was of far too amia
ble a disposition to complain of them.
" You will have a chance here to study
the habits and manners of tho native
Tcnnesseun, Theresa, ho said, "and
your experience may be sufficiently novel
and vanod to till the minds of ail your
J;Vls with envy when you return to
.nail got all I can out of my stay
you may bo sure of that," said
Aorcsa. "I intend to go to that ten
cent entertainment in tho school-house
to-night, if you'll take me."
' "Certainly I will," said Harry; "but
am afraid you will find it vastly differ.
' rnt from any exhibition you ever attend-
ed in Washington."
"I suppose so," said Theresa. "I'm
prepared lor anything."
But she was scarcely prepared to find
that the entertainment consisted solely
of coarso comic songs, sung in a loud
bass voice by a one-armed man with a
liddlc.
"This is awful positively awful 1"
ho whispered to Hurry, at tho conclu
ion of tun verses about a young man
whoso sweetheart's father had set a dog
on him, thereby causing him to lose a
very important part of his raiment. " I
wonder if ho has many morr like that in
his repertoire."
Ana then she tried not to listen, and
begun to look nbout her. She had au
sxccllent chance to study the faces of the
Boxboroughites, for they had turned out
tn masse, and tilled every feat in the
house. The women, with few excep
tions, wore calico, slut sun-bonnets,
candy shawls and homespun or calico
ircsses.
All tho older members looked slull and
careworn, as though tho b'irdens of life
had borne heavily upM them as indeed
they had, for the life of a woman in the
couutry districts of Tennessee is not an
enviable one. JSho is obliged to work
early und lute, both in the house and
field, is poorly fed and meagerly clothed,
and her children arc legion.
The majority of tho men were rough,
hearty-looking fellows, who laughed
loudly at all the jokes perpetrated by the
one armed singer, and seemed to enjoy
the entertainment vastly.
In one corner, sitting rather back from
view, was a young fellow who s-eiucd to
Theresa rather above his companions, in
appearance ut least.
,Ho was of fair complexion, though, a
little tanned from exposure) to the sun,
and his straight, yellow hair was cropped
close to a finely-formed head. His eyes
were so dark a blue us to look extremely
black at a short distance, and a long,
light-brown mustache shaded a mouth as
sensitive as a woman's.
Theresa looked at him long and
earnestly.
"It seems tome that young man is
worth uttention ," she thought. "Some
thing might be made of him if some one
wotlld onlv take him up."
Turning a little, she happeuad to meet
the gaze of a pair of flashing black eyes
belonging to a young girl w ho sat on one
of the side seats just opposite tho young
man w ho had aroused Iheresu s interest
The black eyes looked indignant, and
Theresa saw at once that she had in some
way incurred their owner's enmity; but
how, she could not imagine.
The girl was better looking than most
of the women about her, and was better
dressed ; but there was nothing of rehno
tnent or delicacy in her faco.
She laughed as heartily us tho men at
the songs and jokes, and was evidently
highly pleased when tho perlormer re
tired behind a calico curtain stretche
across one corner of the room, reappeared
after a few moments dressed hs a negro
woman, his face and hands liberally cov
ercd with burnt cork.
In this garb he sung several sentimental
aittics, and then declurea tne entertain
ment at an end.
" Well, how did vou enioy it ?" asked
Darcourt, us he left the school-house with
his sister, and, with the aid of a lunti
began picking his way toward tho post
master's dwelling, a miurter of a mile
distant.
" How cau you aslc, Harry It w
wonder to ire that tho audienco did not
rise in a body and turn tho man out."
"Tho audienco, with the exception of
ourselves, had never seen or hoard any
thing better, probably."
"Morc's the pity," said Therca. "I
wish I could show them something bet
ter; it would bo an act of mercy." .
"I don't ngrco with you, said Dar
court. "You would only make them
discontented, since their lives arc cast
where anything better in tho way of
amusement than wo hud to-night, is never
likely to come in their way. Why put
them out of conceit with their few
pleasures ?"
" You mny bo right ; but all tho same I
would like to try the experiment on
one of them ot least. There was a young
man there whose fuce interested me very
much. He sut in one corner, to tho left
of tho teacher's desk. Did you notice
him ? He had on a blue flannel shirt,
nnd was very good-looking."
" Oh, you mean George Felton," said
Darcourt. "Yes, I saw ho was there.
He is rather good-looking. He Is one of
tho witnesses for the claim of Nathaniel
Brooks. He will be up to see mo to
morrow, and you will have a chanco to
talk to him ?"
"I shall improve it, you may be Rurc,"
lid Theresa. "I shall find out if his
character corresponds with his appear
ance." "If it docs, I suppose you will experi
ment on him; teach him 'something bet
ter than lie has known,' eh?" said Dar
court, laughing.
"Nothing more likely," answered his
sister. "I must find something to do
here, or time will hang very heavily on
my hands. An experiment of that sort
would interest mo, at leust."
"Remember the fable of the boy and
the frogs," said Darcourt. "It was fun
for that boy to throw stones, but it was
death to tho poor frogs."
"Nousenscy.IIarry. If I do try my ex
periment on Mr. Felton, he will have
every reason to bless tho day that
brought mo to Boxborough," said
Theresa.
Sho was in tho postmaster's sitting
room, searching a box of papers for a
letter her brother wanted when George
Felton came in tho next morning. Harry
was engaged with several other wit
nesses, and after introducing the young
fellow to Theresa, went into tho next
room to eoutinue the taking of testi
mony, sublimely indifferent to anything
else.
George Felton was evidently pleased
at having received an introduction to tho
examiner's sister. And sho saw this at
once, and it inclined her favorably p
wurd him. Like ull women, sho liked
to be admired, and even the admiration
of an uncultivated, awkward young
Tcnncsscuu was pleasant to her.
But sho did not imagine now very
eeply sho impressed George felton.
Her manner, appearance and dress were
so very different from those of tho women
ith whom ho habitually associutea mat
sho held a peculiar charm for him nil
er own. And she was so coraiai unu
talkative that ho felt at his case almost
mined iately, ond entered into convcrsa-
lon with her without a trace ot cmbar-
tssment.
By means of a pleasant exhibition of
nterest in him, and judicious question
ng, Theresa soon drew from him tho
history ot his life a very simple, unex
citing one, as may bo supposed. He had
received only a common school educa-
ion, subscribed for no newspapers, and
nd never thought of leaving lioxbor-
ough, nor of striking out into a wider
tield of action, lie had a motnor ana
two sisters, und ho lived with them, and
tilled the land left him by his father.
The more Theresa talked to him the
more intcre-ted she became in him. llero
was soil, sho thought, which would re
lay cultivation, und she ucterminea mat
he experiment of which she hua spoken
o her brother should be tried
ho began by telling the young man
something of her own life, and painted
n blowing langungo the pleasures oi
society and the advantages to be denvea
from a residence in a large cuy. cue
told of fortunes made by men who had
begun at the very foot of tho ladder, and
she spoke of music, art una the annua.
George H elton listeiicueageny io every
thing she said, his bright, blue eyes
scarce! v leaving her face for an instant
and w hen at length they were interrupted
by the entrance of Darcourt, he asked II
h might seo her again after his testimony
had been taken.
Theresa answered in the affirmative, se
cretly gratified that she had so thor
oughly uroused his interest.
In five weeks I can make a different
man of him," she thought. "I never be
an an experiment that promised so
l
well."
She took from her valise several books
she hud brought with her from home,
Milton's "Paradise Lost," Tennyson's
Poems, "Recollections of the Anti-slav
cry Conflict," and a volume containing
the biographies of several eminent men
When Gcorgo Felton came into the
room again an hour later, he found her
poring over these books as if perfectly
absorbed.
"You seem interested," he said, stand
inn- before her. a wistful look on his
- - ,
face.
"Yes. I am: and so would you le
also, it vou loved books as I do, Mr,
Felton. What do you say to reuding
these with mo ? Couldn't - you come
up here every afternoon for an hour or
two ?"
" I shall be very glad to do so," he an
swered, simply. "It is kind of you to
think of it. Miss Darcourt,
"I consider it kind of you to be wil
ling to give up so much of your time to
me." sho returned. "1 liua begun
to
think 1 would be bored to aeutn in mis
plaruii"
George Feltou kept his word. llegu
hirlv ttverv afternoon at 3 o'clock he up
potiiwl t the pout master's houiio, oud
read, Studied nnd talked to Theresa until
dusk. And so deeply was the young
philanthropist interested in the cultiva
tion of her pupil's mind that it did not
occur to her that he had a heart ns well,
nnd that constant association with one
so attractive ns herself was rather dan
gerous to its pence.
But sho was rudely awakened one day
to the truth. Sho was sitting alone,
some fancy-work in her hands, and hud
just glanced nt tho clock to sec how
soon sho might expect her pupil, when
the door opened, without the ceremony
of a knock, nnd a young girl entered.
Theresa recognized her at once. It
was the owner of the blnck eyes which
had flashed so indignantly thut evening
in the school-house.
She rose at once.
"Have you called to see Mrs. Dunn ?"
she asked. " She is in tho kitchen."
" No, I haven't called to seo Mrs.
Dunn," answered the girl, insolently, as
she seated herself in a chair near the lire.
" I've called to sec you, and I ain't goin'
tcr leave till I've told you what I think
of you, neither."
Theresa remained silent, too much sur
prised at this attack to utter a word.
"I suppose you don t Know wuo l am, "
continued the girl. "Well, I'm Muttic
Collins; and now, I reckon, you under
stand what I am here for, don't you?"
'No, I do not," answered ihcrcsn,
quietly.
"Well, if you uont, vou ougnicr.
There's some as miglit be a feared o' you,
th your fine ways an' your harnsome
lothes, but thar ain't no fearedness
about me. I won't sit by an' see my
Her took away from me 'thout sayin'
uthin'. I've stood your goin's on for
four weeks now, an' I ain't a-goin' ter
stand 'em any longer so there!"
"I don't know what you are talking
about," said Theresa, moving toward
tho door which led into her bedroom,
and I don't care to stay to hear the ex
planation."
Mattio Collins 8 lace grew crimson.
She sprang before Theresa and; put her
back against the bedroom door.
"Y'ou will stay, though," she said. "I
mean you to hear every word I came ter
say. So you'd better make your mind
up to it. I don't stand no foohn', an' 1
told Sam Cosgrove yestiddy that I meant
ter have it out with you, though 1 ain't
so sure as George Felton's wuth so much
talk. But"
Sho was interrupted by the opening of
the door, and the entrance of George
Felton, whoso face changed perceptibly
as ho saw the relative positions of the
two women.
Theresa moved toward him at once.
"Mr. Felton." eh6 said, "I must ask
your protection against this woman. I
think she must be insnnc."
Insane!" repeated Mattie, with a
harsh laugh. "George'll soon put you
out o' thet notion. Whv don't you
speak up, George, an' tell her you've
been promised ter me these two years
buck. Not that I don't believe she's
knowed it all along, though. But there's
some women as can't rest quiet when an
other girl's got a beau."
George Felton had grown ueauiy paio
during this tirade, lie scurcely waited
its conclusion before ho udvuncea to
Mattie's side and laid his hand heavily on
her shoulder.
Go!" he said, in a voice smothered
With rage " go at once !"
Mattie cowered under tno nerce gmre
of his wrathful eyes, but sho did not
move.
"You want ter be alone with her, I
suppose," she saia, tnrowing a uihumui-
ful glance in Theresa s airectiou. i on
want to have some more fool talk over
them books. But I don't go till I've had
my say out. I won't sit by an' seo her
a-rooin of vou in this 'ere way. She's a
line lady, she is, ter .
Not another wora, ' lnierrupieu
George, fairly livid with passion, and in
spite of her violent efforts to release her
self from his grasp, he succeeded in get
ting her out of the room and closing the
door upon her.
She stooa lor a moment on xuo su p,
as if debating whether she had better
renew the attack; but finally walked off
down the road, much to tho relief of
Felton, who was watching her Irom tne
window.
Theresa had sunk upon a chair and
covered her face w ith her hands. She
was sobbing from mortihcation and ner
vous, terror. Never beiore naa sue ueeu
so grossly insulted.
George t elton gazea at uer iu sneuco
an instant; the next he was on his knees
by her side, his arms about her, his
breath on her cheek.
"Theresa! Theresa!" he whispered, in
a voice shaken w ith passion. "Oh, my
darling I my darling!"
She started from him as u eicctrineu,
a ghastly pallor creeping over her facea
strange look of horror in her eyes.
"No, no!" she cried, m a voice of the
keenest pain. "Oh. Mr. 1 elton, how
could you think how did you dure to
think"
"Of loving you, I suppose you would
sav." he interrupted, bitterly, "wen,
it is a strange thing lor me to ao, i
know. But I loved vou fiom tho first
hour I met you. I think."
"And and you were engaged to mat.
girl?" gasped Theresa. "You are en
gaged to her now."
"Yes, I am," he answered, "and I am
sorry for it ; for I can never marry h
now." -
"Why not?" demanded Thoresa, look
ing at him with earnest, tear-wet eyes.
"I don't like her; but your honor, you
know; and you can scarcely expect"
"To marry you," he- said, as fche
paused. "No, I am not so mud as to ex
pect that," und ho laughed hurshly.
"But after knowing you 1 cannot marry
a woman so greatly your inferior. I
should loathe her." ,,
"Mr. Felton. I have done wrong. I
see that plainly uow," and tho giiU head
drooped, "I khould never have enfouf"
aged your coming here; I should never
have entered on so close an intimacy with
you. But 1 did not dream for a moment
that that anything so unpleasant could
arise, from it. 1 wanted only to show
you that you were capable of better
things, nnd that you were wasting youi
life hero in Boxborough. The experi
ment has ended disastrously."
It has indeed!" ho returned, sadly;
'and yet I do not think 1 shall ever
regret having met you. And I may feel,
after a while, that all this was for the
best. At all events, you must not let
any recollection of me trouble you. 1
shall never think otherwise than kindly
of you, believe that." And ho held out
his hand to her.
"I shall not see you again, then?'' sho
faltered.
I think not. We could not meet as
we have heretofore done, you see."
He held her hand a moment, looking rib
her With eyes in which lay a world of pain;
then, without another word, he turned
and walked away.
Theresa was very glad to hear from her
brother that evening that ho would be
able to arrange his business so as to leave
Boxborough the following day. She felt
that it would be a great relief to her to
know that twenty miles of mountainous
cotintry separated her from George Fel
ton, of whom she could not think with
out pain and self-reproach.
JJut she said nothing to liarry oi ner
anxiety to be gone, and packed her valise
with such apparent indifference that he
laughingly accused her of regretting the
necessity which compelled it. -
liy the-wav," he said, as he was driv
ing her back to Knoxville the next day,
"you have not told me anything about
your experiment. Jlow aia it turn
out "
"Not very well," answered Theresa, in
a low voice.
"I didn't suppose it would. I rather
thought you overrated that young fel
low." Theresa let this charge pass in silence.
She did not care to make a confident of
her brother, and so would not enter into
any argument which might lead to em
barrassing questions.
m w
Three months later she saw in a Knox
villo paper a notice of the marriage of
Samuel Cosgrove and Mattie Collins, ot
Boxborough;. but of George Felton sho
never heard again. Whether he ever re
covered from the wound she had given
him, whether he continued to pursue the
studies he had begun under her direction,
she never knew.
When telling her experiences in Tenne-
see to her friends in AVashington, she was
always careful to avoid any mention of
that very unfortunate experiment. Flor
ence B. ILillowrll.
The Best Liked Travelers.
Y'es, sir, I cau tell in a general way,
within ten minutes after his arrival,
about almost every man who comes up to
register," said a well-known hotel clerk
to a reporter of tho Detroit trez J'rM.
V hut are the points?
Y'our old traveler comes up and puts
down his name, sees that he is assigned
to a room and we hardly hear from him
until he pays his bill and leaves the city."
l ou mean your reasonable oia
traveler?"
Nearly all old travelers men who
have been on the road ten or fifteen
years are reasonable. Then there is the
young old traveler, tho person who had
been kiting through tho country a year or
two. He puts down his name, calls yon
' old boy.' and all the time insinuating
that he hates to ' kick,' that ho is easily
satisfied, demands an outside room with
bath, not too high up."
"How do vou satisfy themf
We do the best we can and make them
believe they have got tho best in the
house solely through their knowledge of
traveling ways and their quiet demeanor
1 hat is next ou the list;
" The novitiate the man milking his
first trip. He knows it all I lie comes
to the front with what he got in Buffalo,
Cleveland or Chicago, how nice ho found
tins or thut hotel, und 'Now, my Uenr
fellow, I expect to visit you about four
times a year and want you to do well by
me.' llogcts his room, and no mutter
if it's a lirst-floor-fronter, ho grumbles;
he swears at the bell-boys, curses the
hall men, complains in the dining-room
and in every way makes himself a nut
sauce."
What is the most interesting class of
travelers?"
'The onee-a-vear visitor who makes a
trip of fifty or 100 miles away from his
home, lie comes to the counter in
strunge sort of way and registers, the
chances being that ho writes his nuine
forty per cent, worse than usual. Then
he draws a sigh and looks tho office and
the clerks over pretty thoroughly. Ihen
he leans against the counter and takes a
tooth-pick between his teeth. Strolling
over to the water faucet he takes a drink
und begins to examine time tables, ad
vert ising clocks und play bills, iou see
he's not onlv a stranger, but ho feel
lon?somAnd does not know where to go
or what P) ao. rresenuy ne comes up
to the counter and asks lor his kev, say
ing that he 'guesses he will go up to his
room.' bo he disappears, but down he
comes in about ten minutes and gets
cigar and a drink of water, after which
he again goes over the time-tables and
advertisements. At last, staring at the
clock, he asks us what the time is.
getting a reply he goes to bed to dream
tluit ho wouldn't live in a city if they
would give him tne whole town."
'Which class do you like best.'"
The penuino old traveler has hrtt
choice, and the once-a-ycar man comes
second."
On account of several recent cases o
f
death in Kngland among children who
had been fed ou wheat en biscuit, a phy
siciau t-tutes in th'! Jlntixh Meilicnl Jour
md thut infants under six or eight
mouths shunUl be ftl with nothing wli;
! ever but Uilik.
CAPTAIN MARY MILLER.
AND ROW SHE HANDLES THE LITTLE
STEAMER BAX15E.
lloporlrr linn n Plenmant Chat
Will. Ilin ririt Icmlnlno Captain
.if lite Land.
Every ten or twelve days the habitue
f the levee hears sounding across the
iver where it washes tho big foot of
Canal street, a peculiar, pert little
whistle, and a small, queer looking crait
comes with a steady, sturdy motion,
swinging into port. Alongside of tho
ug up-river boat this craft ties up, lying
ike a pigmy 'twixt giants. The hind
part of the "Saline" is well boxed up in
front, there s room for much freight, and
a pair of stairs ns straight and as steep
ns the path of the righteous lead to the
upper deck, and office and living cabins
of the boat. On top of the cabin deck
squats a pilot house, out of which many
nnd many a time dwellers on
Bayou Beeuf, Bayou Macon and along
the yellow Red river have seen the
smart, handsome, shrewd, but womanly
face of Captain Mary Miller, peering, as
she carefully, but with the air of con
cious capability, pulled nt her wooden
reins nnd guided the Valine in and out
and all around the torturcsome windings
of Louisiana waters. I he Saline was
built, is owned and run by Captain Mil
ler, tho husband of Captain Alary jviil
ler. She makes around trip 1,000 miles
in length, and does business mostly on
her own hook. The small cabin is the
floating home of the only woman steam
boat captain in America. One day
ust week a l'icayune reporter
crawled gingerly up the stairway
and got into the Saline s cabin
First door on the inside opened into, the
othce, then the passage was broadened
and expanded into the proportions of a
good sized room. On one side bunks
were ranged, with red chintz curtains
tucked away from them and suggesting
tho possibility of semi-privacy when night
came on and the tired passengers or crew
turned in. A big cannon stove, at that
moment red as a turkey gobbler's wattles,
6tood roaring and groaning in the middle
of the floor; beyond it two doors evi
dently shut off two full-blown state
rooms. A sewing machine and some
dainty work mightily like a child's dress
was in view, and by the stove in a splint
bottomed rocking-chair sat Mary Miller.
Mrs. Miller is a trim, bonny little wo
man, whom nobody would credit with
rears enough to be tho mother, as she is,
of a family of four children, two of whom
are almost grown.
1 ho reporter was made welcome with
the off -hand hearty hospitality that seems
natural with almost all steamboat folks,
and being seated in another rocking
chair sure evidence of a woman's man
agement, tho talk naturally turned to
Mrs. Miller's unusual life.
I como of a steamboat family," said
the lady ; ' 'my father was a steamboat man,
und after I married Captain Miller thut
was seventeen years ago 1 oi course spent
much of my time on the river. We have
a beautiful home at .Louisville, ana my
little ones are all there now, but for the
past lour years I have been living main
ly on a boat. My husband used to do
nothing but pilot, and I spent much of
my time in the pilot house and learned to
manage a boat and how to navigate cer
tain rivers in spite of myself. There is no
reason why a woman should not know or
learn how to manage a boat as well as a
Bowing machine."
'W omen often lack confidence in their
own ability," hazarded the reporter.
She stared a bit, and then said: "ics,
that is true. They know what to do, but
prefer to stand by and tell some man how
to do it for them. But, as I was saying,
I learned to handle a boat as well as
any rauu on the river, und several years
ago I hud occasion to test my ability.
Once my husband fell ill with fever, and
we hud a run of half a hundred miles to
make, with several landings, in a very
crooked bayou. I took the boat's wheel
and got through all right, although you
would have lmighea over tho amazement
of the natives to see a woman pilot
ing, several years ago we naa to go
and take off loaded barges from a large
bout stuck ou the sandbar above Cairo.
My husband had to leave our boat to re
main on tho other, which was leaking
badly, and so I took the deck, hud the
burges made fust to us, turned the bout
round aud carried her down to Cairo.
Captain Cannon said then I hud as good
a right to a captain's licenso as any man
on the river."
"What do you do with yourself all the
time, Mrs. Miller?" asked the reporter.
"Well, I manage all the money mutters.
When we nro up in the parishes, I buy
and load the boat with cotton seed, which
I buy after inspecting samples, and bring
to New Orleans and sell out to merchants.
We carry other freight, of course, and I
buy ull the boat's provisions, and pro
visions, also, to sell to the plantation hands
up the country. Then I do all the col
lecting and banking business. At first
the merchants thought it odd to see a
woman come in collecting, but I have
never yet been treated with anything but
courtesy and kindness; and, beside, they
never hulloo out to me to 'call again,'
as they might to a man."
"Possessed of your captain's license,
what do vou metfn to do?" .
"I shall keep on just as I am movihg,
except that I shall bo oftener on deck
and looking after the boat when she
lands and puts freight off or on. I
wanted a license because I had earned it
and wished to undertake, when necessary,
the free duties of a steamboat captain.
"You must not think my life has been
eventful. We have never had any acci
dents huppen to us since we have been
on the river, and I am not afraid of any.
Ours is a thousand Biile trip, and I sew,
read, write to the children, make out
bills, und take the deck when uecessury
1 Not vnany t'o.its take our ioute. i U
through a beautiful, hilly country, and
the people-wc meet at landing all know
me. Most of them call mo Captain
Miller already." ,
"Do you think steamboating would be
a good profession for a woman?"
"Certainly not, unless it haa come to
her. not she to it as in my own case.
Steamboat ing was forced on mc, and tho
happiest thing it has taught me is that
whatever a man may learn to uo, a woman
mny also, provided it is not a question of
muscle."
Somebody poked an enquiring head in
nt the door and naked Mrs. Miller if she
had taken on that circular saw for the
"wilderness."
Mrs. Miller donned her business ail
and the reporter withdrew. -Acto Orleans
Picayune.
Wrestling With a Bear.
A correspondent of tho Philadelphia
Times gives this scene from the daily
life at tho Hot Springs, Ark. : A street
car passes, drawn by a melancholy-looking
mule. On the car hangs a placard:
Black Dan and the Hear
Will Rehtle To-Day
at Castle Park.
I board the car and am carried through
an entirely new part of the town, north
ward of and above the Arlington. The
valley widens again. We pass tho Jo
sephine cottage, the Avenue hotel and a
number of very pretty private residences.
These become rarer after nwhile and at
last the mule is trudging between the
tracks over a country road. Again the.
strains of murtial music assail my ears
and I discover a third band playing- fu-.
riously in one corner of a little two-acre
enclosure. A man nt tho gate relieves
me of a quarter and I am free of the
place.
There is a cottage in the rear occupied
by a Frenchman as a restaurant. In one
corner, chained to a tree, lies a gigantic
bear the biggest black bear I ever saw.
A notice is pasted on the tree :
Beer for the Bear
25 Cts.
Scattered about in the park are a hun
dred or so of spectators. I do not like to
show ignorance by inquiring the meaning
of the placard, but quietly wait. Pres
ently a young man, evidently not a mem-,
ber of a red-ribbon society, gently ap
proaches the bear, who looks at him
lazily and blinks his eyes. The young
man displays a bottle of beer. Tho big
beast (the bear, I mean,) rises on his
haunches and licks his jaws in token oi
approval. The biped, after one or two,
feints, rolls the bottle over to bruin, who
seizes it, uncorks it with his teeth and
takes a tremendous pull. After a rest h
takes another. This time he has emptied
it, and letting it roll to a distance gazc
at it with an expression half melancholy
and half comical. "Treating the bear"
is a daily nmusement with the visitor!
here. His powers nro great. Ho has
been known to make away with twenty
five bottles at a sitting, or rather a squat
ting, without hanging out any signal of
distress or behaving himself otherwise
than as a perfect bear. Whether he had
a headache the next day or not no on
knows.
"Time" is called for the wrestling
bout, and a negro in a ragged suit ol
clothes steps forward and prepares foi
battle. This, it seems, is Dan.. The
bear at first seems disinclined to move,
but is prodded into activity by the blow
and insults heaped upon him. He shows
considerable skill and does not lose his
temper. Occasionally he handles Dan
pretty roughly. In the first round Dan
pulled a hat of somo tough material
down over his eyes and made a dash at
bruin. The latterdodged, and, clutching
Dan, who had slipped and fallen back
ward into the bear's hug, laid hold ol
his arm with his teeth, pinching it
severely, a3 was evident from
the expression of Dan's face. Th
negro finally freed his other arm and
struck bruin aterriftic blow on the snout,
at the same time shouting: ".What's de
matter wid yo' b'ar !" The bear loosened
his hold and Dan hauled off for repairs.
After pausing to regain his wind Dan,
evidently a little disheartened, made an
other rush, but the bear stooped, caught
him nimbly, aud falling backward, flung
him bleeding and half-senseless into a
pile of rubbish twenty feet away. Poor
Dun picked himself up nnd retreated
toward the house, turning from time to
time to bestow a farewell curse upon his
late adversary, whose eyes shone with a
merry twinkle as they followed the
vanquished man.
"The show "was ended, and the crowd
made a rush for the bob-tail cars.
Henry Clay's Last Visit to the House.
Henry Clay's last visit to the House of
Representatives, over which ho ha 1 pre
sided so long and well, wus at the fu
neral of Mr. Kauffmnn, of Texas, in
February, 1851. He did not come iu
with tho Senators, but he entered tho
House alone, and took his seat immedi
ately in front of tho Speaker. lie did
not remove his blue cloth cloak, but re
mained well wrapped up aud unvarying
in his position. 1 had never before seen
him look so much like an old, old man.
The damp and gloomy day perhaps con
spired with the passing scene to depress
him, or it may bo that ho was uot in
health. I do not know, but sure
I am that from his appearance no on
would believe his voice could be even
audible in the Senate, much less that, by
tho power of his eloquence ho could con
trol or influence its deliberations. lliu
fuce shrunken and shriveled, his eyes
lustreless and heavy, his mouth in repose
only when open and expressionless, he
seemed to have so long since passed into
the "lean and slippered pantaloon " as
to be no longer suited to tho ardent en
counters of the Senate. And yet, w ith a
few rays of sunshine upon his brow und
upon his heart, how he could be himsclt
again, old only in years! Jkn Verity
Yfnort.