Juniata sentinel and Republican. (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, September 30, 1885, Image 1

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ii. r. sen which.
TH OOISTITUTIOI-THX UHOI-UB TK1 IJrOXCUtTIT Of TB LAYS.
Editor xul Proprietor.
VOL. XXXIX.
MIFFMNTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. FENNA.. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 30. ISS5.
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! I!,.hu' if wmi . --!, t ii,u.
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tut. .I!.! to u.y lu .- iixlfcj -ch...',
He put or. m.-L & I- ... -u,u l.'.ur,
1 wlMi I'd ali
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Aiid AuMit-r l.im. rtniiiii;'
V liy u..u"i Le l.im ..i.t.r
J u.! r.ke uj v u-r pi.t.'
V tfa I i.kea juu t..r tLiiij. that wiy,
rxilue 'nut---, uintiua, 1 vekli.au.
Y.-u muu.du'i ivr me Lit 1 wiUed,
Vnu. I clii."l inf t-.ue.
Ai.d ii.u't ije ehi.d, u.amiii'
J'lieu It in in:o u see.
J1 wkt.tk Lim Ui a-k r.. r!y
ijr things, a, you ain ulr
And mi, u-ij 1 j;o there j,;.tiii,
I'll jlll tell lViD I),MMe,
That Otid wi!i ive L:ui whit be iwVs,
If il Wlii cijAlif Ui tone."'
"No, dir.ing. tint ,.uul no tie liest
For, ilmuU it may twin ktrjnje '
To you lo heir l.im .ry that way,
Vou could mi; u..ike bim cliuie.
But iern a Inmiu from U:ui, drar,
AnJ as a ii-HUt tone
you are ynunc, and 'twill remain
NVljPii you are ol.ler grrowii."
And after Nellie weut to play,
Her wortlB I Hindered oVr;"
XL in oft Ll ca.i.sd nie serious tLouglit,
And tToubieal rue lie fore, '
Can it lie rilit f..r auj.p.Autii thus
Their dearest friend u creet,
Bentownirii; !l tlieir pleasant words
On otliers wliom ;liey uieet?
Kiglit to approach the Kn.ij of kiuss.
Who Riis up in iiis Throne.
Exjiectinj: he wiil fivors jjrant.
When asked iu such a t4iue?
TIIEM.l i i'ust:ssiu..
"I won't my a faithin no, tLiit I
won't not if I have to po to prison for
It!" afid down comes ruy fathers
Clentched hand on the tal'le with such
a thump that it makes the reels in ujy
basket jumo ;is if suddenly attacked
with St. Vitu's dance.
Yesterday my father had made his
first acquaintance with the County
Coun, having btn summoned by a
tradesman for the balance of an account
which my father hud declined to pay,
as hefiimly believed it to be a crossover -charge;
but facts went as inst him, and
he was ordered to pay. My father vow
ed that he would do no such thing. Ho
called the judgment "iniquitous and
one-sided," and ultimately expressed
his determination to emulate dear old
Mr. Pickwick, and go to prison if ne
cessary, rather than to submit to such
an Injustice.
4ii5ut, father," I ask iu an awe-struck
tone, "what will they do if you don't
pay? Shall we all have to go to prison?"'
"Xo. uiy dear." replies my father,
calming down "not exactly. The
Court will issue what is called an 'exe
cution.' and try to put a man lu pos
session; but I think I shall prove more
than a match for a County Court liai
liff." Father smiles while savins this,
as if the latter i'ison were a very con
temptible and insignificant thinj;.
"Execution!" "Man in posse-sion!"
What do thev mean? I am afraid to
a-k my father, he looks so cross, so I
go on quietly with my work, waiting
until the frown shall have left his
brow.
"Mary," at last exclaims my father,
"I have to go to Bard moor to-morrow,
and I was thinking that it mitrht 1 a
wise thing tocorisult young Barton; he
has just come from a large office m
London to help his uncle, I dou't
know much about him, but old Bartou
has always bttu eons.dered a good law
yer, and perhaps the nephew has been
following in his uncle's steps. At auy
rate I will make the attempt, and see if
he can't save me from this atrocious
swindle. I wrote yesterday, asking
him to call here, if passing, as I wanted
to see him about those Iea-es;but I sup
pose he has been too busy, or ierhaps
mv letter has not reached hiin."
My father docs not volunteer any
more information, so I wish him "good
rrgbt," and retire to rest, to dream of
executions at Newgate; and that the
murderers expiating their crimes are
the "men in possession."
The next morning, ou coming down
to breakfast, I find that my father has
started by the early train for Bardmoor
and has left positive orders that dur
ing his absence the gate is to be kept
locked and no one admitted under any
But tell me why, Jane?" I ask our
o'd cook who has been with us longer
Uian I can remember, and to whom the
orders have been given.
"To keep out the bailiffs, miss." re
gies Jane "Not that it will be any
d for they are as sharp as needles
Nothing can keep 'em out if they've
a"St,fa.!"executionora'mauin
posnnT' I ask. "Did you ever
Onlv one. miss, and that was quite
ih A bailiff is the man in ios
eD0Ui and w en he or his men get
a noui thi sell all the furniture
ind evShiS U.ev can la, their hands
nindTbatfs what the, call an exe-
.--- . nat nto a uouse eij
"theY will disgui
themselves
i remember when
W pWfT'T,,, the bailiffs in. He
jplay-aci"""";
my nncie " f j n three weeks
bad kept t'17a0nllVj0rcart broke down
when one day an old ca driyer
justout-.de bis door "
the r'JV" ve. Uncle had a kind
much hurt toj move, c
besoheranintother
ed the driver on . w and rest a
groans the man. .me, t,g wbere
bit.' and with that he helps
,ou are hurt, au ,glt down
UmtoltoPJfTrte yourself at
j,d rest ymJr b : out his own
Some;' and unxta brings
5alfL. J Jumping his uglylt
the0ld rascal, P'e man in posses
into the chair, i the Wiirr;mt
lon,' say "eV? -so fork out, my goxl
out of b.s Pockety soi besseJ
stick you' got wntn anec-
AndsoJane rauiea unscrupu.
dote of the "Jesoon until 1
lousuessofmen , w i P ethm
Ui" w Mortal After the break
nre than een removed I per-
faStrinmiL . ugeiio d duties 1
my usual bouse gjnce
JU"- Mill UL.u..-r;
to 'SLand then, taking a
mamma dial-an"1 'randan to
have
dear
book'ithm,t'lJad before luncheon.
have a not advanced very iar
5.ce reading has noi; ye p.
when I m ist outside the gate.
S nd barkmg Tiny's bark," I
.Hfmsure tU have crept
yto, jsn0wfightingwith
".I'M !;. llllV .nl.rrl
; bou bll lhi:i! Sc w i. t, U-'
Martin from my et, m-iui the
ol the jru. jiuJa, Uig garden
I broom which Laopenn to be sUtidiug
i lifcar, and; bee ilesf "executions" and
, meu in jx.ssekM hi," I tvt.u the gate
j uu i uu out int., me road, tliere to see
i my ir.tui l.Uie T.uy in tiie gnpof a must
uiNrepuiiiue lookiuij cur. My efforts
u pan mem are at first fruitless: but
at i-si. alter one or two vigorous pushes
I with the brooin, I succeed. Tin, is
; res, ued, but at my expeuse, for the
angry cur directs his wrath against me
c.iiu,, a-.iam, j turn to run, imt my
uppoueiii is too qn; K. lie seizes hold
v.! iu; uiro aim snaKes ii as if it were
a rat, i scream to Jaue for assistance,
out reiiet is at hand. A gentleman
rushes iorward, and with one or two
smart raps or Ins stick drives the do?
away. I snatch up Tinv and make a
start for the garden before the attack
is renewed. Fate however is against
me. The horrid little dog has torn my
diess, and of course I must put mv foot
miouuii the Hole and awkwardly stum
uic. a strong arm, outstretched in
time, just saves me from measuring my
it-iim iu ineuusi.
"Don't be friehtened ." I
pleasaut chtrful voice exclaim; "there
is no danger. The little dog has beaten
a reTreat,"
isow-wow-wow I" yelps the little
monster in contradiction, as. executing
a cautious side-movement, he renews
iue attack, ihere is nothing tor it but
to ruu; aud run I do, not stopping till
I reach the other side of the garden
gate, the little dog at full speed after
me. But my deliverer is equal to the
occasion. lie makes a ranlrt nl.i,,rra
and seizes the dog by the back of its
neck which unexpected attack so
alarms the animal that It suffers itself,
without a snap or bite, to be lgnomini
ously expelled from the garden and the
ga-.e cioseu upon it."
"Oh, thank you!" 1 hurriedly exclaim.
I hope you are not hurt ?"
For the first time 1 look at my pre
server, and meet a pair of merry brown
ees looKuig at ma with an amused
twinkle.
"M upid fellow!" I say to myself.
I wish he would uot stare so. I don't
know what to say to him."
lo add to my discomfort I feel my
cheeks gettirg crimson I have such a
tiresome habit of blushing an I atru
ant lock of hair will ktep blowing about
my forehead. I wish that he was a
little awkward or bashful. 1 always
have plenty of selr-possession when
talking to a shy person; their diffidence
gives me courage. I push my hair from
my forehead with au impatient hand,
and, raising my eyes to his as he is
assuring me that he is quite unhurt.
I catch a "hmiise of a blue, ollicial-
lookmg paper which lias partially work
ed its way out of his pocket. All at
once it flashes across my mind the
"nian in iossessiou 1" lie must be a
bailiff, aud I have let him in, and papa
will come back to find his home devoid
of furniture everything seized. I
have no doubt he has plenty of assist
ants waiting outside,
"I am very much obliired to you" I
try to say it wiuningly, but fear and
indignation drive all softness from
my voice "I won't trouble you any
longer," I continue. "I am not at all
afraid." And 1 hasten to the gate to
oiien it for his departure; but that
wretched animal, with revived courace.
is waiting outside, and, as soon as mv
hand touches the latch, "Bow-wow.
wow!" it yelps, springing savagely at
the gate.
I jump back with a start, and the itn.
pudeut bailiff actually smiles; 1 suppose
I must have looked very funny. See
ing my look of annoyance, he takes no
notice of my discomluure.
'Pardon me," lie says, politely rais
ing his hat and I wonder to myself
how it is that a bailiff can look and
behave so much like a gentleman "is
not this llolmheld, Mr. Morton's
place ? "
"Yes," I replv with as much dignity
as I can serai together, "this is llolm
field, Mr. Morton's place; but papa is
out, and I do not know when he will be
back, so I do uot think it will be any
good for you to wait, l erhaps you bai
better call again."
I wait, hoping that he will go. But
no, he hesitates; and then, slowly
taking some papers form his pocket, he
says
"1 should be very sorry to miss seeing
him. I have come some distance.
It Is about some legal business. I think
he has been exoectiug me:" and he
looks at me inquiringly; but I make no
response, so be continues " ith your
tiermlssion 1 will wait lor him. 1
can amuse myself very well strolling
round these nice gardens, ir you will
allow me to do so. But may I hand you
mv card " Aud ne lanes one irom a
card-case
I jiersistently refuse to see it, for I
feel certain that he must be a bailiff.
His reference to papa's exacting bim
and the legal business have removed
my last doubt. Notwithstanding his
politeuess, I determine uot to take the
i .- i i i . . . . ,. .
card, wuicn i urmiy oeneve to oe wua'.
Jane described as a warraut.
"As you please," I answer curtly,
and, with a stiff inclination of my head,
I hurry into the house iu a great state
of terror, lest he should hurry after me
and force his way in.
I fasten the door, and peep out of t ie
side-window. There he stands where I
left him. He is actually lighting a
cigar. What impertinence 1 I feel
a trifle softened as my nose informs me
that the cigar is a good one. I like
the aroma of a good cigar about a place.
It makes it so masculine. I am obliged
to admit to myself that, if this one is a
specimen of his class, bailiffs must be
very handsome men. liow well his
shooting-suit fits him t If is so neat in
pattern and cour a quiet gray, the
pattern so small as to be almost invisi
ble not a gigantic check like walking
window-panes. He takes off his "deer
stalker" to shade the fuzee from the
wind, and I notice that be has beautiful
brown hair, very thick and curly.
What a pity," I sigh to myself, "that
such a nice-looking fellow should be a
horrible bailiff 1"
But what am I to do ? I feel sure
that the stroll about the ground is only
pretence. Xo, he must be concocting
some ruse by which to gain an entrance
into the house. I resolve to pi event
bim. "Is uot a worn tn a match iu wit
and resource for any man ?" I argue to
myself. 4-A bailiff after all is only a
man." I commence cogitating over ail
kinds or plans until I give myself a
headache. I am just about to confess
that I am defeated, when the idea so
long fought for comes. I see it all in a
moment. The game is my own, if I
have nerve enough to take me through
it, and I think I have. "I will lure
him to the 'Wilderness,' and lock him
up in the ruin till father comes home I
f V
He w ill tn.Ht likely brim voung Mr.
Bariou with huu, aud than we shall be
all right." I think that a real lawyer
must prove more than auy bailiff cau
withstand.
The " Wilderness" is a wild deserted
sp t at one end of the grounds, and
fax from the road. It has been allowed
t j run wild on account of lu pictur-
esqueues. A broad, fussy stream falls
over some rcks to m depth or six or
sveu feet, making a terrible noise, and
widening into a small lake on the bank
of which stands a mock ruin covered
with ivy. It consists of a solitary tow
er with two or three narrow slits for
windows, and rejoices in the name of
the keep. I remember with joy that it
ban a stout oak door with a very strong
lock.
I creep out softly through the con
servatory, locking the door after me,
aud dodge lietween the scrubs until
have placed a safe distance between
myseh aud the tlower-gardeu, where I
hear my victim walking. In a breath
less state of excitement I reach the
K-ep. I push the door open and enter.
Uh I What a nasty, damp, miserable
place it is just like a dungeon In some
old castle I There is nothing inside bu
a spade aud a rake aud au old gardent
stool these 1 carefully remove. 1 nest
tate over the stool, but compassion is
overcome. "No," I say to myseir,
"out you must go I If he is tired, he
must sit on the ground. You would
le too handy as a battering-ram" and
1 throw It out after the spade aud rake.
My next proceeding is to carefully
examine the lock. This nearly foils
me it is so stiff that I can hardly turn
it. I am at a loss what to do, w hen 1
catch sight of a small bottle of oil
and a feather stauding on a little ledge.
I joyfully seize them. "Just the
thing I" I cry. The bottle is very
dirty and sticky, but I am too excited
to heed such petsy discomforts, so I pull
out the feather aud begin tooil the lock.
I make myself in an awful mess, and it
is such slow work getting the oil into
the lock throueh the keyhole.
"Oh, you nasty, tiresome thing I " I
cry. passionately stamping tne ground.
"Who I or the lock ? " and turning
round, I behold my victim regarding
me with a slightly astonished yet amused
look. I am too much nonplused to
reply.
"Can I assist you ?" he inquires; and,
without waiting for my permission.
the bottle aud feather are taken from
me. and my voluntary assistant, heed
less of the dirty moss-covered step, is on
his knees busily working away at the
lock as if he had been a locksmith all
his life. He works on quietly for a
little time without speaking, while
stand by coufusedlyryiug to think of
some means uy wnieu i can trap my
game There is the prison, and there
is the prisoner; but bow is he to be put
inside it? "What a strong lock tnis
is ! I should not care to be behind it
witNout a crowbar," be remarks.
I answer nothing, but I am ready to
cry for vexation. I wish that I was as
strong as an elephant, so that I might
push nim iu wjknz toleiis.
"I think you will liud it all right now,
It is still a little stiff, but you will be
able to turn it," aud, rising from his
kuees, the victim faces me with a grave
face, which all at ouce breaks into an
irrepressible smile of amusement that
he vainly strives to conceal.
I flush angrily at what I consider his
imiiertiueuce. AJiSrwards when I see
myself in the glass, my wonder is re
moved my dress, all tumbled and
created, is smudged all down the front
with green moss and rust, while across
my forehead Is a great streak of dirty
oil. I suppose I must have used my
greecy hand as au impromtu hair-brush.
without thinking of the improvement
I was adding to my beauty. My voluu
tary assistant stoops to clean his hands,
aud, as he is wiping them on his band-
kerchief, 1 notice a very handsome
antique ring on the little finger of bis
right hand, beelng my look, he re
marks
"I am rather proud of this ring; It
has been in our family for generations.
It is very much admired by connois
seurs; .and he holds it out to me for
Inspection.
I decline to look at it, coldly observ
ing that 1 am not an antiquary; and I
smile to myself at the idea of a bailiff
talking of '"generations," as if he had
had an ancestry. He turns away as if
to return to the garden. "Now or
never!" I say to mself; and with a
rapidly beating heart I begin
"Ahem I Would you not like to go
inside our ruin f " 1 try to speak in au
insinuating tone, while my stupid heart
thumps so that I wondei he does not
hear it.
"Is it really a ruin ?" he askg.
I am obliged to admit that it Is only
au imitation one; aud then I confusedly
mutter something about people liking
to see such things.
1 hank you all the same." he savs.
"but I think I will content myself wiih
au outside view; I dare say it Is full of
earwigs and spiders, verv.unpieasant
creatures to have tumbling about one
don't you think so ?"
es," 1 slowly assent, adding
quickly, as I am seized with a likely
idea, "un, yes: i am sotembly afraid
of them; and papa will make me keep
my gardening tools in there, so that I
am always prevented from gardening
unless w uiiain is here to get them for
me. I wanted to do a little gardetiiuz
now." I continue glancing at him tim
idly; "but I suppose I must wait till I
can find William;" and I try the effect
of a little sigh.
"success I My fish nibbles I now to
land him I
Can't I act as William's substi
tute?" And. without waitiag for my
lermissiou, the unfortunate bailiff
braves the earwigs and spiders and en
ters the trap.
"Thankyoul" I cry, excitedly, "lou
-ll find them in the recess behind the
diwrl"
Hastily following him, 1 pull to the
door, turn the key with a desperate
wrench, and, covering my ears with my
hands, I fly ltke a huuted deer towards
the house.
Poor Jaue's wits are nearly scare!
away when I relate to ber my adven
tures. She declares that bailiffs always
bunt in couples, and that there is sure
to be another lurking about the place.
So, to prevent a surprise, we carefully
lock and bolt all the doors, and, not
withstanding that it is early in the
afternoon, close and fasten the shutters
to all the windows on the ground
floor. How slowly the time passes! Three
o'clock four o'clock no father I If
he does not catch tie four-o'clock ex
press from Bardmoor, he will not reach
home till seven.
Another hour before be can arrive I
I try to read, but cannot settle my
ideas. It la equally useless to work.
I torture myself with all kinds or hor
rible thoughts, but at last the hanci of
the clock point to half-paat five I He
must be here s n; so 1 go to my bed
room window, and watch the ruad till
I see him coming, and then I rush to
the door, and opening it on the chain,
cautiously whisper to him
Be careful, father, aud when I open
the door come iu as quickly as you can;
but look round first to see If anyone is
watchlug, as the bailiffs are here, and
have been trying to get in."
I cautiously nuhook the chain, aud
opeu the door so gingerly that father
has to give it quite a push before he can
get In.
"On, dad dear," I cry. as I kiss him,
"I am so glad you are come back 1 I've
had such an awful fright. The bailiff
has been here, aud would have got into
the house hut that 1 was too clever for
him." Aud 1 clap my hands, and
laugh gleefully, as I relate to mv father
the exciting events of the day; aud he
calls me his "brave little girl," and "a
heroine," but only laughs when I assure
him that the bailiff looked "quite like
a gentleman."
"Well, dear," my father begins, as
we si. down to dinner, "1 saw old Mr.
Barton, aud has advised me to pay, aud
settle the matter at ouce iu fact he
candidly told me that he thought I was
in the wrong so after dinner we will
release your friend. I dare say some
thing warm for his inside and some gol
den ointment for the palm of his hand
will soon put matters right. Old Bar
ton is ageing very much," my father
continues, as he reflectively sips his
wine. "He was very pleased to see
me. I had quite a long chat with him.
He says that his nephew, whom he in
tends to succeed Inni, is very clever,
lie is a fine-looking fellow, I should
say. Judging from his photograph. His
uucle give me one. I've got It in my
pocket somewhere."
And. after searching for some time,
my father pulls out from a packet of
papers a small-sized carte-de-visite
which he hauds to me. I take it from
him, and look at it. One glance is suf
ficient. I dash it from me, and, bury
ing my face In my bands, I cry out
"Oh, dad, dad, the bailiff!"
"Where, where, girl ?" asks my
father, springing from his seat, and
upsetting his wine as he looks eageriy
about the room, as if expecting an am
uuscade of County Court myrmidons.
"Oh. what shall I do?" I exclaim.
"Tell me, I implore you, father, that
that is not Mr. Barton's likeness ! You
are only joking I know you are !"
aud I look at him pitiously.
"Joking girl !"' he reieats. "What do
you mean ? Whose likeness do you im
agine it to be ?"
"The bailiff's the mau I've locked
up in the ruin '."
" Wuew 1 " whistles my father.
"That's it, is it ? Here's a pretty ket
tle of fish ! You've locked up the young
lawyer from London 1 Gentlemanly
bailiff indeed ! Action for false Im
prisonment damages ten thousand
pounds! Well, you are a nice young
lady quite a heroine ."
My lather's eyes twinkle merrily as
he fires off his jokes at my expense. I
do not mind his chaff, but I think it too
lad that he should make me go with
him to release my prisoner, as he insists
on calling him. Out into the dark we
go. I linger behind, hoping that my
father will arrive at the ruin before I
do. Alas, be has no such intention
for, calling me to him, he places my
hand under his arm and makes me
keep pace with him, while he indulges
in dismal forebodings as to the condi
tion iu which mv prisoner will be found.
He rings the changes on suicide and
melancholy madness. The ruin is at
last reached. The delicate aroma of a
fragrant cigar which salutes our nos
trils tends to remove our anxiety as to
the prisoner's being totally destitute of
comfort. My father pushes me towards
the door.
"Open it, girl !" he says with melo
dramatic sternness.
I ara trembling all over, but with a
great effort I manage to turn the key
and give the door a feeble push I teel
the door pulled open. I dare not look
My eyes are cast to the ground, and my
cheeks aie on fire, as in a scarcely audi
ble voice I say
I am so sorry, Mr. Barton. I did
not mean te I took you for a
a It is too much. 1 break down
and, ignominiously bursting into tears.
run to my father and bury my face on
his shoulder.
"There, there, my girl I" cries my
father soothingly. He holds me to him.
and, softly patting me with one hand.
he turns to Mr. Barton and says, "We
must ask jour forgiveness, Mr. Barton;
and I am sure you will give It when I
explain how my little girl has made a
great mistake. In fact, she took you
for a County Court bailiff !" and mv
father explains everything to him.
When he has finished, I raise my
head and, looking shyly at Mr. Bartou,
say
"I am so sorry. I do not know how
could have made such a mistake.
It was so foolish; but I was so fright
ened I"
It would be useless to relate the manv
kind things Mr. Barton said. He made
so many excuses for me, and was so
kind and good-natured, that by the time
we had reached the house I had recov
ered my self-possession sufficiently to be
able to laugh at an amusing anecdote
he related to us.
Fortunately dinner had not advanced
very far when I discovered my mistake.
we made a very merry party that nuht.
My father brought out some of his
cherished port that saw only the light
on very great occasions; and, as be in
sisted on Mr. Barton staying all night,
and the next morning in saying "Good
bye" gave him a pressing invitation to
come and see us very often, I think I
am justified in believing that my pris
oner had created a very favorable im
pression on that adamantine a father's
heart.
Three months later. A sharp winter
has set in, and the stream is still. The
lake is frozen over, and I am sitting on
the bank while Mr. Barton is assisting
me to remove my skates. I have been
receiving my first lesson in skating. It
was so pleasant I I was not at all afraid.
My teacher's arm was so strone. and he
held my arms so tightly !
' Uo you remember the afternoon
when I locked you up?" I ask as we
carry our skates into the ruin.
Remember?" he cries, lookiue me
rull in the face. "I should think I do !
It was the happiest day of my life."
Stupid little goose, that I am. I beein
to tremble, and my foolish cheeks flash
the tell-tale colour. The skates fall to
the ground as my hands are quickly
grasped and my prisoner makes me cap
tive. I try to release myself, bat my
efforts cease as my captor, in almost
Dreamiess woras, teas me he loves me. v
I da not know whRfhar I viva an ana.
wer, but in a monent tie has drawn dm
to bim. I pillow my head on his brea-t,
his arms are round me, and I know
that I am his and that he is mine.
"Hey-day !" exclaims a voice, as my
father suddenly appears on the scene.
"What does this mean r
"Only the mau in possession 1" replies
Mr B.trton, grasping my fa her's readily-outstretched
hand.
Llteln AUwkm.
"Marriage among these Indians is a
peculiar institution; in fact, there is no
marriage simply the taking of wives.
Wheu a young Indian wants a wife, he
goes to bis mother and tells her so. If
she gives her consent he goes to where
the lady of his heart is cooped up in
her father's house, taking his next best
friend with him. Through the latter
he sends word to his inamorata that he
is near and would wed. If she has a
leaning toward the suitor she returns
word to him by the friend that she is
inclined to join her interests with bis.
He then takes presents to her and her
parents, and having delivered them en
ters at once into possession of his bride.
There are no further ceremonies, ex
cept that a day later the couple must
visit ber relatives, and if she then has
no complaint to make to them about
her husband, they are giveu presen ;
and the wedding is over. This may be
repeated indefinitely, until au Indian
may become as well-to-do in wives as a
Mormon elder. Polygamy was prac
ticed even by the so-called Christian
tribes when I lived in the territory, and
their evolution must have been rapid,
from what I remember of them, if
they have abandoned the practice.
"Dried salmon is tin luxury of the
Alaska Indians, and the children begin
to mule it before they think of walking.
The way they bring up children out
there would hardly suit in this region.
The mother carries her child about
from the time it Is born until it is able
to creep, no matter where she goes.
Until that time she keeps it wrapped
i p in a sort of fur sack. The moment
tie voting one shows a disposition to
c a vl she yanks the furoll its constitu
tion. This is done by giving it a souse
in the sea or river every morning, and
the chorus of yelis that greets every
village during this interesting ceremo
ny is something terrific. The cries of
the young ones are piteous, and, for
fear that their maternal breasts might
uot be proof! agaiust these apal3 for
mercy, anil thus fail to do their duty
to their offspring, the mothers do not
perforin the burning rite themselves,
but delegate some brother or sister to
do the dousing. These conscientious
aunts and uncles vary the switch with
the bath, in vain attempts to make the
one overawe the noisy results of the
other.
There is one thing noticeable among
these half civilized tribes, and is cred
itable withal. Their old disabled mm
lers are carefully attended to, and or
phans become a common charge aud
tare the same as the most favored chil
dren with living parents. These In
dians are original creinatiomsts. Their
dead areburued as soon as death ensues;
their ashes are interred on the spot,
and a rude monument erected over them
They have crude ideas or immortality,
lielievmg that a mau has a spirit that
lives forever, but they know nothing of
future rewards or punishments. Their
heaven is a place where the spirits of
birds congregate in one place the
common people by themselves, and
slaves, if there are any, have still an
other dwelling place, unless a chiefs
slave should die with bim, and then
his spirit will be in eternal attendance
on his master. It was formally the
universal custom to kill the slave when
the master died to iusure the latter's
spirit proiier attendance. That custom
was abolished by the Russian govern
ment, but it was still kept up iu isola
ted places, and cases where it has been
followed were well known as late as
ISTii
"Some of the Indian tr.bes, notably
the Kanaitze, traveling from place to
place banting or fishing, have the very
excellent habits of leaving behind them
wheu they break camp a quantity of
kindling material at each fire place for
the use of the next travelers who come
along, and who may possibly not be over
supplied with this very necessary item
in their outfit. This kindling consists
of some pitch pine and some dry moss
aud sticks all wrapped up in a curl of
birch bark. The traveler who uses this
and does not leave some for the next
one who comes along, is sadly deficient
in the etiquette of Alaska travel."
Jamploc Vf atenailt.
Prof. Laudmaik, chief Director of
the Norwegian Fisheries, has published
some interesting particulars of his stu
dies of the capability of salmon to jump
waterfalls. He is of opinion that the
jimip depends as much on the height of
tW fall as on the currents below it. If
there be a deep pool right under the fall,
where the water is comparative!, quiet,
a salmon may jump sixteen feet perpen
dicularly, but such jumps are rare, and
he cau only state with certainty that it
has taken place in the Hellefos, in tho
Drams river, at Haugs.'iid. where two
great masts have been placed across the
river for the study of the habits of the
salmon, so that exact measurements
ma, be effected. Tho height of the
water in the river, of course, varies, but
It is a rule, when the salmon Is running
up stream, 16 feet below these masts.
The distance between the two is 3 feet,
and the Professor states thet he has seen
salmon from the river below jump
across both masts. As another exam
ple of high jumping, he mentions some
instances of Carratuuk waterfall, P.eum-
bec, m North America, where jumps of
12 feet have been recorded. Professor
Landmark further states that when a
salmon jumps a fall nearly perpendicu
lar in shape it is sometimes able to re
main in the fall, even if the jump is a
foot or two short of the actual height.
1 his, be maintains, has been proved by
an overwhelming quantity o Jevidence.
i he Lsu may then be seen to stand for a
minute or two a foot or so below the
ed?e of the fall in the fame spot, in a
trembling motion, when with a smart
twitch of the tail the rest of the fall is
cleared. But only fish whieh strike the
lall straight with the snout are able to
remain In the falling mass of water; if
it is struck obliquely, the fih is carried
back into the stream below. This Pro
fessor Landmark believes to be the ex
planation of salmon passing fal's with a
clear descent of sixteen f eeL The Pro
fessor believes that this is the extrema
jump a salmon is capable of, and pcints
out that, of course, not all are capable
of performing this feat.
. co"D farmer harrows in bis cloven
ced and secure i 44 catch" every time.
On au Wand separated1 from the
mainland of Peutuark by the fiords of
Etavoui aud ftadil. oncu dwelt a
powerful ruler named Sivart Ring, who
exercised over everybody residing
w.thiu his dominions a despotic rule.
AU that was cast by the sea upon his
shores, whether goods or floating
wreck, belonged to Sivart King, and it
was strictly forbidden to every one to
lay a baud upon such property. By
far the largest revenue coming to him
from this vigilant patrol of his coast
was derived from the quantities of
amber washed ashore, and woe betide
the man who should attempt to remove
a small particle of that precious sub
stance. At every ebb, after a south
west wind, it was Ring's custom to
send his men out to overhaul the sand
ridges, and they often carried home a
rich burden of the pale yellow fossil
resin. Sometimes the harvest was less
satisfactory, and Ring bade them keep
fierce watch upon anyone whom they
might susiect of hovering near the
spot with Intent to pilfer.
Not far from the sand-bank lived a
fisherman, who coming into the neigh
liorhood a few years before a poor man,
had accumulated considerable property
in a very short time. Popular tradition
bad it that he had found a treasure
buried in the sand by some sea-king of
old. Others suspected him of being in
leazue with the devil, aud in consequ
ence Sam, for such was the fisherman's
name, was rather shunned than sought
in the limited society of the island.
Little cared he, however, living com
fortably in his cottage with his pretty
daughter. Maria, who kept the house.
j Oucti, indeed, Saui bad fallen under
the keen scrutiny or Ring, who, send
! ing for him, asked many questions
about his mixle of life, all of which
were apparently answered to the ruler's
; satisfaction, since he let the fisherman
1 go without further molestation. .
I One winter's evening when the wind
1 blew strong in shore, the inhabitants of
Holmslaud gathered upon the Klit, or
sand-bank, to watch the movements of
a strange vessel, laboring amid giant
waves, from which it seemed hardly
1 possible she could emerge unharmed.
; Night closed in, and the watchers
. separated, sure that on the morrow
they would find a wreck upon their
'coast. At midnight there came a
knock at the door of Sam, the fisher
; man, and a handsome young man pre
sented himself, asking shelter ou the
' ...... . . 1 t h-il 1.. tid fknltr nnd u-h.
lluuvi Uiab 1 iJ rw ij .uu vuij vtro ntiw
, had escaped from the doomed ship,
j which bad sunk with al! the rest of her
crew. Sam gave him food and olothes
and a bed, taking all possible care of
the unfortunate survivor.
The young man whose name was
Jonas, became in this way a member of
Sam's family remaining with him until
'the Spring, and in the course of time
; formed a warm attachment for Maria,
'. who returned his love to her. Jonas
told the fisherman of this lattter fact.
Sam answered him that while he had a
! right to exjiect a richer son-in-law, he
' could hardly find one more to his taste.
, So the young couple were betrothed,
and had already begun to talk alout
; their wedding, when, one evening, Sam
' called Jonas to his side.
! "Listen to me, my lad," he said.
, "Since you are so soon to be my son-in-law,
it is but proper that I should in-
. form you a little alwut my property.
If you would like to go out with me to
night, 1 will take you iuto my con-
tidenee."
) Jonas was nothing loth, aud w hen it
I became quite dark he set out with the
fisherman. They embarked in Sam's
I boat, and, as thev ' pushed out to sea,
! the wind mounted to a gale, while the
' heavens were so black that not a star
' was to be seen. Ne .-ertheless they
stood out at some distance from the
shore, sailing along until tbey heard
from laud the sound of a low whistle.
"That is Maria's signal," said the
fisherman to his astonished hearer, "it
is meant to inform we that all's safe
along the coast, so that we may now
return."
He turned the boat, steering it to a
point near which a number of fine nets
had been placed against the tide.
Gathering the nets into the boat, Sam
pointed out to bis companion that their
meshes were filled with amber. Silent
ly and with skilled fingers he picked
out every particle of the precio'is sub
stance, and theu set the nets again.
While the work went on not a word
was spoken, and when the boat saile 1
homeward, she carried a cargo of
amber that would have required a
mouth's work from Ring and his men
to c llect after the ordinary fashion of
seeking It bu the sand. When they
reached the cottage Sam concealed his
treasure in a cellar so Ingeniously con
trived that it would have been im
passible for any outsider to discover it.
"And now, my son," said the old
man solemnly, "my life is in your
hands. I have told you the secret of
my wealth. Although I have no fear
that you could be so base as to betray
me, especially as Maria is soon to be
your wife, yet 1 exact of you an oath
that you will never reveal to any one
what you have seen to-night."
"I swear It. "said Jonas, a deep flush
settling in his face.
Summer came and the wedding-day-was
fixed. Maria, busy with her pre
parations as she was, could not help
observing that a certain constraint had
arisen between her lover and herself.
She told this to her father, who
laughed at it for a girl's fancy, but
many a tear was dropped in secret by
the br'.de-elect.
One evening, determined to ask ber
lover frankly what caused his altered
manner, Maria went to meet him on
bis return from Holmsland, whither
he had gone to spend the day. Ab
sorbed in thought, she did not observe
bow far she bad walked until, sitting
uown to rest behind a sand dune, she
was startled by hearing voices close at
hand. One of the speakers was Jonas,
and the other, to her extreme surprise,
no less a personage than their ruler,
Sivart King!
"Not a word more," Maria heard him
say, in a low, fierce tone; "you are my
son m well as my subject, and I com
mand your obedience. To-night, with
out fail, I shall come in person with
my men and seize the thief, whether
thou lovest his daughter or no."
Jonas spoke' again in evident
emotioa, but was interrupted by the
other.
"I am accustomed to be obeyed with
out remonstrance, and the tears of a
silly girl, the prayers of a hardened
old sinner, will prove equally without
effect In softening me, Whatl after I
sent you there expressly to solve for
me this mystery of the fisherman's
wealth, would you seek to turn me
from my righteous purpose to punish
the scoundrel as he deserves. The
Air), too, is an accomplice, and must
Viarw fai. S warnm but
t oack to th coctmf. Had, to-irntsC
see a ligttt ia th window taC
Coward thm rowd. In token Uot all is
quwt la the aouse."
Great drop of fcjony stoud upon
Maria's brow as ah Ustuned to this dis
closure. To harw been becraved b?
her lover wa far more terrible than
the actual danger to herself. Scarcely
believing her ears, ah staggered to bee
feet, aud selecting a by-path leading to
her home by a snorter way than she
had come sped like a deer along it.
To reach the cottage and warn her
father before Jonas could return was
no w her one desire. Beyond that all
was dark.
Soon alter the clock in Holmsland
Church tower had struck 12. a banl ef
men crossed the fiord to the sand-bank
on the opposite side, under a block and
starless sky. The wind moaned along
the shore, and the waves came rolling
in with a gloomy sound. Just such a
night it was as that in which Jonas bad
iccompanied the fisherman in his
.search ftr amber. The men, well
armed and vigorous, were headed by
tierce old Ring himself, whose heart
beat high with the hope of vengeance.
In his hand be held a drawn sword,
and exhorting his band to silence, he
led the way to the lisherniaa's cottage.
In Sam's house not a sound was heard,
and a lamp burned in the window to
ward the road.
"That's my brave boy," said Ring,
turning to the others exultiugly. "I
knew 1 could denend uou him to set
the simial there, even at the sacrifice of
his silly infatuation for the girl.
Lucky for me that the notion came in
to my head last winter to make this
rovitia biade of mine, who had just re
turned from a long sea-voyage pretend
to be a survivor of the wreck in order
to gain a footing in Sam's house. By
this means I've found out not only how
the tascal coutrived to lis i up anir,
but where the stolen goods are kept.
Follow me In silence and we'll soon
catch a fine rat in our trap. Sam shall
swiug for it if I'm fool enough to let
the girl go free."
Pushing opeu the door of Sam's cot
tage. Ring saw, hanging by a cord
from the ceutre of t! e ceiling beam,
the lifeless form of his own sou Jona".
The fisherman, his daughter, and all
their store of amber had disapieared,
leaving not a tiace behind. Nor were
they ever again beard of in Holmsland
Imprvvluc ii'll Uata.
"If New York had a building 2lii
feet square by Hi) feet high it would
represent the f0,(xx cubic yards, or
lii-i.Ouu tons of rock we have excava
ted," said Lieut. K i rby, who is engaged
on the Hell Gate channel improve
ments. "We are slowly laying the ex
plosives, but we are doing so w ith great
care. Dynamite is a very honest mate
rial, and does by others s they m v do
by it. V e have 37,500 of six pound
powder cartridges to lav, and the drill
hol -s m which they are being confined
are to lie stopped up with Jj.tXX) dyna
mite cartridges, weighing two and a
half pounds each. A premature explo
sion would ruin a million dollars worth
of work, beside-i the lives of alt counec
ted with it. You know that if a dyna
mile charge is explodfed all of the other
charges witiiin twenty feel will explode
.simultaneously. Thus, if there were
miles of cartiidges and we have four
miles he e laid within twenty feet of
each other and one exploded all the rest
would follow at practically the same
instant. While this represents the dan
ger to which we are constantly exposed,
it also represents the final explosion t"
occur Oct. 1."
When asked about the accidents
which have occurred he said:
"We have had no accidents to our
men, but our surface apparatus has had
some. Flood Rock has often leen bat
tered by collisions. The City of Albany,
several years ago, rode right across our
drill scow, her paddle wheel walking
over it as if it were so much water.
Our drill scow has sent many a vessel to
the bottom. She was built esjiecially to
resist collisions, and has been carried
away from her moorings as many as
tour times in one day, but when she is
not damaged her enemy goes to the bot
tom. Teu years ago the Government
let its only contract to private parties
to do this kind of work. That was the
Sherburu contract to remove the Fry
ing Pan shoals. We fished out the re
mains f the dredge a few days ago.
The very first day it was anchored In
plce a collision wrecked it and destroy
ed all the outfit. The currents of Hell
Gate are so swift and the truth :c is so
heavy that only the fittest surface ap
paratus survives, and then only ly
wrecking everything that collides with
it. In still water this job could have
been done much cheaper with surface
apparatus, but owing to collisions,
nothing short of our fortifications which
we have put up here could have got cut
the rocks. By the way, juss off the
north end of Blackwell's Island is a
hole of 120 feet deep, covering several
acres, into which we have dumped over
loO.UOO tons of debris. Yel few will
lake our word for it that sucha hole ex
ists there."
RraininE children.
Lord Salisbury has seven children.
"The eldest of his five sons," "is now
24 years old, and is, by his birth; des
tined to a political career, beginning
with the house of commons aud ending
in the house of lords. 'Unfortunately,'
his mother says, 'he Is condemned to be
a peer.' The second son has all the
instincts and tastes of a thorough sports
man, is full of energy and spirits, devo
ted to shooting, hunting and riding, ytt
destined for a clergyman. He gradu
ates for holy orders in a world of balls
and parties, at meets and races, and In
tends to choose a wife not for the merits
recommended by Goldsmith's Vicar,
but for her beauty and elegance. Never
theless he will, probably, lie eventually
a verv fair vicar. Rather oddly, Glad
stone's second son is also a clergyman."
Til Largest Railway Station.
The largest railroad station in the
world is that belonging to the North
western Railroad Company at Birming
ham, England, which has been comple
ted and opened for passenger traffic.
One thousand men have been employed
in its construction for two and a half
years. It has cost in its construction
$o,000,000, and covers twelve acres of
ground. Tnere are tunnels at either
end, and through them four hundred
trains pass each day. The length of the
platforms exceed a mile and a half.
There are five signal boxes for working
the traffic, each of which contains 144
point and signal levers, and is operated
by seven men. Six locomotives do the
switching in the station. Tho whole is
arched roofed ia with arehed glass
roofing upon the Paxton principle.
NEWS IN BRIEF-
7Ti "if in 3d juoiie Swrf lu.
- Artic'.al w areaow xatia of ci-
lulou!.
Lourm H n is i, j.Al tatc aov h
Mia iv)l.
Wlit rabbits an fadhionabi pc
in P&C9.
It costs 00,000 a day to food
sia'S army.
Two sous of the Khedive oi living
in Geneva.
It will cost $500,0u0,000 to eoraplaU
the Panama canal.
Texas boasts f a cattle ranch with,
three million acres.
There has been no rain in Arizona
aince last December.
American band made fishing pole
are 121 or so in London.
Cholera has kilkd over 10,000 peo
ple in Spain this summer.
Stiitistics shows that Southern pri
sons contain 12,000 convicts.
"The government at Washington"
receives 50,000 letters a day,
Spotted typhus is said to have beeu
the cause of the Mahdi's death.
Swinburne calls Victor Hugo the
gre-ttest Frenchman ot all time.
One-third of all the banking done
in the world is done in England.
There are about 2,42o births and
1,C3.j deaths in Loudon each week.
It Is said there are only about a
half a dozen wooden houses in London.
There are in Paris lo0 persons who
do nothing tint deal in -ostage stamp.
China has S.oOO miles of telegraph
lines, and only seven miles of railroad.
The average of deaths from cholera
in Spain is two out of every five cases.
Only one soldier of Napoleon's
"old guard" survives; he is 04 years of
age.
The la'e Dr. Prime could read both
Greek and Itin before he was 10 years
old.
The French have more suspension
bridges than any other natieu on the
globe.
Cattle iu Erie co., Pennsylvania,
are reported to be suffering from Texas
fever.
Rhode Island retains the greatest
density of the population of all the
States.
Portlaud, Me., has substituted tha
electric light for gas for lighting the
streets.
A law has beeu enacted iu Austria
making the observance of Sunday com
pulsory. The water supply iu many parts of
England is failing ia consequence of
the intense heat.
It is said that o- per cent, of all
persons dying in Paris are buried at the.
public expense.
A Frenchman has luaue his suicide
reuiaikable by dropping from the tower
of Notre Dame.
FittsCeld, Mass. .business men have
organized to resist a proposed" advance
in telephone rates.
The fastest train between Omaha
and S in Francisco averages a little less
than 22 miles an hour.
Sacramento's latest seusatiou is a
poker game which lasted for 7 hours
without intermission.
More than three million Aniencau
chromos have been sold iu Europe m
the last five years.
The London House of Industry has
trained and sent to Canada 4,020 of the
city's poor children.
Weasels were kept in houses iu an
cient Rome, instead of cats.for the pur
pose of killing vermin.
Archbishop Williams of Bostou
will be given a Cardinal's hat at the
consistory to be held in December.
Aphos, Cal., boasts of a man who
upto the time of General Grant's death
had never heard of the silent chieftain.
Hundreds of Eugl sh troops are
being brought bock frou Egypt, suffer
ing from dysentery, fevet and debility.
Postage stamps are used on the Or
egon railways in making chuuge. there
being a scarcity of pennies and 2-cent
pieces.
In a recently prepared paper Lieu
tenant Danhenhower is said to have
taken a firm stand against Arctic explo
rations. The word cannibal signifies a brave
or valiant man, and is derived from the
name by which the Carnbbees called
themselves.
A craze for short hair has seized
hold of the young women of Rochester.
N. Y., and is reported to be spreading
over the country.
On an average a railway postal
clerk works about fourteen hours a
night for six consecutive nights, theu
be has six nights off.
Divers, by a recent French inven
tion, are said to be enabled to go down
a distance or eight hundred feet lelow
the surface of the water.
Dr. J. B. Lawes thinks that plants
"probably derive the whole of their or
ganic substance from the air 90 to .)."
per cent of dry matter."
The ranks of the Grand Army of
the Republic in New York State are
said to have been swelled greatly since
the death of General Grant.
The late Sir Moses Montefiore fre
quently sent checks for the relief of
his needy coreligionists in Boston, and
never less than f 000 at once.
A mica mine from which sheets
twenty feet in width are taken is said
to have been discovered about ninety
miles from Virginia City, Nev.
In the Red river country wild mus
tard has increased to such an extent that
the authorities have been appealed to
to take action for its destruction.
According to Mrs. Mary Treat, the
variety of the pitcher plant found iu
North America is carnivorous, being a
feeder on various animal subs'ances.
United States Fish Commissioner
Blackford has received an electric eel
three feet long from South America. It
is said to be the first ever seen here
alive.
Old Mat, the famous Mammoth
Cave guide, who died lately, made over
twelve thousand trips into the cavern
during his service of nearly half a cen
tury. An American chemist is said to
have invented a furnace by which ho
obtains 90 per cent, of combustion out
of coal, instead of 10 per cent., as at
present.
Chickens "manufactured" by the
incubator process are complained of by
some hotel chefi&s being greatly Infe
rior to the hen-raised fowls in point of
flavor and tenderneas.
V
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