i !
f- -
Will
B. P. SOHWEIER,
THE CONSTITUTION THE UNION-AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
Editor And Proprietor.
vol. xun.
MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JUNE -JO. 1SS9.
NO. t7.
V
V
Tiik Xew York S i gives to the
public a number of private latter
written in l-55 by Horace Greely to
Charles A. Dana, then managing edi
tor of the Tribune Most of the letters
ware written from Washington, daring
the lung contest for the speakership
which result! In the election of Gen
eral Bank They are valuable in
recalling the intense earnestness of Mr,
Greeley, hU fearless opposition to the
slave power and his devotion to and
watchfulness of the iuterests of the
Ti it ime. The letters were not written
fur publication, vet their author could
nut object to Mr. Dana's making them
public, were he alive, especially as crit
icisms of the nianagiug editor to whom
they were addressed was very freely
indulged in.
THE BOWSERS.
Tar Is Only Ona Way to do Business.
I wanted to send off for a lady's
fah'on tnagizia". auJ on a dozen diff
erent oacas on I beggd of Mr. Bow
J ser t write th letu-r and send off the
1 money, says Mr. B 1 wiser in the Detroit
! t're: I'rtas. lie kept proiu'siug and
i neglecting, uiau-like, but oue evening
he said:
The Augusta Victoria, the new
steamship of the Hamburg packet line,
tsjats the recoril for oceiui greyhounds.
Barring a delay of four hours because
of hut journals site uiade the dUtance
WUceu Uie Fastintt aud Sandy Hook
lightships iu 5 days 2J hours and 3v)
minutes. From Hamburg to Xew
Yik. a dUtauee of 3,013 miles, the
1 line was 8 days aud 1 hour. The City
uf I'uris a ill have to put a mau on the
s.fity valve occasionally to beat this
inriuiiu vest! when Uie hitter's ma
chinery gets to running smoothly.
An effort will be mad 4 by the
Mate department at Washington to
induce the government of Italy to sur
render tlie assassins of McC'lure and
r'Uiunagan. but with what success can
not yet be known. It appear that the
Italian government dors not regard the
existing extradition treaty as lequiring
the surrender of criminals who an
Italian subjects. If an American citi
xhu, or a subject of s une other country,
should be apprehouded m Italy charged
wiUi a crime, he would be surrendered
under the treaty, hut the aa-a-slus of
McC'lure and Flauuagan beiu.r I Lilian
8ubJcL tlie government luopos s to
deal witli them itself. iusU a I of sur
rendering them to le tried where they
committed the crime.
Tiik police authorities of North
ampton sl.ciiM have provided more
men to meet the emergency at Flor
ence. The character of the rough
wiih a matter of general knowledge,
and t!. .trui of authority in such cases
should be made strong euuuli to deal
with lawlessness. This is not only a
wise measure of precaullou, calculated
to make the law respected, but It
affords proper protection to the olllcers
sent on an unpleasant duty. If the
force of policemen had been unVieutTy "busiuess. wasn't it?"
large tlie deplorable results recorded
could not have followed. Measures of
repression or correction should be care
fully planned and thoroughly sutlioient
to make tliem effective. The spectacle
uf lawlessness whicli can gather head
iu the face of guardians of the law Is
demoralizing, and it pusses ever a weaK
display of authority to a serious
fatal outcome, as iu this case.
"Give me the name of that magazine
a tul I will get a letter off to-morrow.
"It's gone," I answered.
"Who sent it?"
"I did."
- "Humph! Do you mean to tell me
that ) jii wrote a l.us oes letter?'
"1 do. I ordered tlie magazine
and sent In a year's subscription. "
"What did you write?"
"O.i, In tUe usual form."
"And chuck d the $J into the letter,
I suppose?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, that s about what I should
expect of you. You'll never see either
in iney or magazine agaiu."
"I won't? Why?"
"Because, in the first place, it stood
just as good a chance of ifoiur to some
machine shop as to a magazine office,
with your style of directing an envel
op; and because, aeeondly, if some
post otlicial doesn't steal the money,
tttey will gobble it at the end of the
route and swear they never got it.
Mrs. Bowser, you are as simple as a
child."
"ISut It may come all right."
" Yes; and we may discover a box of
cold in the back yard. Ther's but one
way to do business."
How's that?'
"Ss this I. O. order for $:H. I am
g dug to seud that to BosUu to-morrow.
It will go slraighter than a crow,
and there Is no cause for worry. How
ever it's useless to try to learn a womau
how to do business."
Three or four days went by, and
then ie suddenly inq I red:
"Have you heard iroui the mairazine,
Mr . Bow. t"
"Not :et."
'I suppose not. When you do bear
pleas let mo know. After forty or
nity experiences of this sort you may
learn I ow to do business."
I wo days later he asked me again,
aud I lieu 1 was able to show him a let
ter acknowledging receipt of the
monev aud a conv of the magazine.
"It seems to have irone through. be
said, as he hauded the letter back,
"but that was owing to Providence.
I'rolKiblv the parties hai larJ from
ine and hesitated to defraud vou for
ie.ir I'd raise a row."
"What about the order you sent off,
Mr. Bowser?"
I He iumued out of his cha-r aud
turned pale and caaped:
"By gum. but I'd forgotten about
' that. 1 ought lo have had an ackuowl-
1 edifeuieut three day ago.
"Cant tiave been lost, eh?"
"'-uo "
"It as the oulv protier way to do
ud
Tuk life of railway men does not
seem to l.e very healthy nor yet a very
eujoyable one, if any reliance is to be
placed on the observations of medical
men who have given some attention to
the subject. According to M.
Duchesne, railway men improve In
health during the first ten years, but at
the end of ten years they are tired out.
iu tifteen they are actual sufferers, aud
very few can remain in the service after
twenty. These geueral conclusions
have btseii supplemented by Dr. Licit
tenbag of Buda-IYsth, who found from
examination that out of 250 rail
way employes, niuety-t ao, or more
than a llrrd, suffered from ear disease.
Kngiue drivers are especially liable to
rheumatism and pneumonia and after
some years' service a certain proportion
of Iheiu IfCouie dull or sight aud hear
ing. Other suffer from a mild form of
s.mial concussion, muscular feebleness)
aii.l continuous pains in the limbs.
They are also apt to develop a peculiar
mental state a s i t of cerebral irritation-
with excessive nervousness and
Uioihiil stusations of fear.
Tiir. names of the architects whose
preliminary designs for the lrotestaut
Klns.opalcalhe.liaI iu Xew York city
have lieen approved are now revealed.
They are as follows: (1) William A.
loiter and It. II. Kol-ertson, (2) Ueorgo
il. Muss and J. II. Buck, (3) William
H-iisey Wood, (4) Heius A. Lafarge and
W. V. Kent. All these names were
iMil.liM.cl by the New Yoik rentW
i'. ..- several days ago. Mr. I'otter is
li.shop Toiler's brother, and his desigu
la a 11 odiilcation of the cathedral at
Leroua, Spain; the ground plan is cru
i if. iw, the central space being Hi feet
square aud the Tour arms or me cross
41 feet square, seatiug 4'X0 people. The
arches ur the ceutral space are to be
u.portd by four great towers rising
4J0 f.et from the tloor; the style is
medieval pointed. W. H. W ood's plan .
hile politeness is a substantial and
permanent expression of good will and
kind feeling.
If we aecept It as the dictate of
courtesy that one's guests should be in
troduce!, it follows that they should be
introduced in such a w-y as to make it
easy to fall into conversation, it is
not necessary that tlie hostess should
present Mr. Smith as "the Australian
explorer." or Miss Brown as "the au
thor of that charming poem in tlie
Age." Such an introduction almost
necessitates a personal turn to the cou-
verattou. aud makes it decidedly awk
ward for the other person, who may
uever have heard of the Australian ex
pedition or the poem. In nothing is
the skill of the hostess so clearly shown
as in this word with which she shoves
the boat of new acquaintance off the
social strand. A hint of some topic in
which the people introduced are mu
tually interested, an allusion to an ac
quaintance which they bold In common,
a mention of some place, book or pic
ture familiar to both, launcues mem
successfully; and the hostess may turn
to her oilier guests with litr uuua at
ease. Ir blie is wise, site will nave
asked several persous, preferably young
girls, to act as assistant hostesses, to
share the duties of introducing and eu-
tertaioiuiz. she will also nave inviteJ
several more men than women, in order
lo have a circulating medium; as a
man may without awkwardness be left
standing alone, a woman uever.
Nothinz in the line ot party-giving
is so easv as a small evening party. It
Is often pleasa utest when such guests
as come to see sou, and d 1 not, as .m-
MUCH ADO.
When too think of It
The tr
friend, the worries.
rouble Hint arear vou out.
Are often the veriest trifle.
That common -ir-e wouM float:
They write the ;orjhel with wrinkles.
I DfV DOW IBP NKKIIUri . Illl Wir. ...
Yet a little patience would show you, Irlena,
Jiut bow their eight to wear.
It's somebodv late to breakfast
And the eolfee grow in cold :
It's a button UuU to I Uatened,
or a trini: too slight to hold :
And time and tenioer are wasted.
And fun Is driven aaay.
And all lor the want of gentleness,
1 he home at spoiled for a da) .
And the cbildirn nmkr a litter
uf tovs upon the dor.
And Johnny forra-u to wipe his feet,
A nd Susie to shut the door ;
And ho that beam you scolding,
W hleh after aahile you'U rue.
Wood derui thow heedleu little ones
J ut all the world to you?
Tin well that God and the angels
Know better far than we.
Thai our cooaeient'e and our conduct, friends.
to seldom tUlLe agiee.
Tis aell that the Lord is patient,
And sees, not what we are.
But what, at our tt. we are fata to be,
Luntohed by strUe aud jar.
Ah me! for the little trifles,
of wuieh our bitter brew
of sorrow and trouble i often mixed,
As weaklv. with tuuetl ado.
We meel Um smaller worries.
That are quieklv out ol siuht.
V. le-u the sweep of a dark winded angel
Obscures our lives with nit:ht.
A 13AXK KOBBlIL
About four years ago, while I was
paying teller of the Late .National
bauk. in a flourishing town iu the west,
the events 1 am alout to relate oc
curred. Tlie story is almost exactly
true, being changed here only in un-
A partial account.
in torLant eveul.
erson says, iuterpos; a screen of thing J of the affair was published in a local
Of course it was, a id, or course. 11
cot there all right. I'll probably gel a
letter to-morrow.
Wheu the morrow came I asked him
if he had heard from his order.
"N'ot exactly " he replied, "but I
:n. eeriam that it trot there safe."
"But they ought to acknowledge
it."
"Y-e-s."
"There is but one way of doing busi
ness Mr. Bowser. When I send off
money I receive an acknowledgement
of its arrival. You a e sure you
sent it."
Sure I seut it? lo you take me for
a lunatic, Mrs. Bowser?"
"But it's so queer."
"I don't see anything so queer about
it, I wrote agaiii two days ago, and I
shall have a letter to-morrow begging
my pardon for the delay."
A letter arrived next day. I saw by
Mr. Bowser's lerturbatiou when he
came home that something was wroi:g,
and he linally handed me the lo ter.
It read:
"No I'ostotlice order has been re
ceived from yoc. 1'lease do not try
any more chestnuts 011 us."
"But you did it," 1 protested.
"Of course I did."
"Directed your letter all right?"
"tVr.ainly."
Stamped and postel?"
"IKik here, Mrs. Bjwser, you taia
as if I didn't kt.ow enough to get
aboard as'.reet car aud pay my
tare!" . ,
"But It's so queer. There is but one
business way of doing business, Mr.
Bowser. Alter foity or lifty experi
ences of this sort you may learn how to
do busiue s."
He glared at me and was too insulted
to reDlv. He went to the postollice and
made complaint, and for the next two
w,.k tht lost order was the topic of
conversation. The rrticials sought to
trace the letter, and Mr. Bjwser made
atli lav it to this aud that, and the hunt
u ...mi riii,T on. when. In dusting off
his secretary and straighteulug up hts
Uxise pai-ers. I found a letter sealejl ana
..l.lressssd tO Uie 1JOSIOO UtlU.
i....i.t it contained the missing or-
1... f ....lll Imtided It to Mr. Bow-
"Cl. H"."J ,
. ... i. ..11. i mi to dinner, ami
all color beiur lie coum
.klkaAft ItL
-Mr. Bjwer," I said, "you meu
folks have curious ways ot doiug bus.-
1 1 is simr "
-I'd like to know how this letter got
nere!" he demanded.
Vou left it here, of course.
I scolded you
about your careless way of sending off
mou y. aud ber-ause you wanted to get
:.Vi. r.,r i vou tiiok this let-
. - w . r,, n.w kt'and ditaiued
ie. -- .- . .. ,1,
is a iasv Bnaw w
between you and them. Have done
with apologies! Deficiencies siieak for
Lhnis.lvei, and their mouths are not
to bj shut by explanations. Welcome
your guest heartily, set bef re him your
bst of material and spiritual relreii.
meiit, aud then cease to be over-anxious
as to his enjoyment.
let the rooms be sotuy, but not
dimly, lighted. Lamps, except for
oJor ot sLeroseue, are prcleraDle to R ts.
on accouut of the milder li.?ht. Strew
the tables w itli books aud pbotmraphs.
'raw chairs and sofas Into easy groups,
tliat four or live gu.-sts may talk to
gether w iihout effort. It refreshments
are to be passed, have everything ready
lu a side room, and strive to lime una
serving so tliat it may fill a pause, in
stead of breaking iu upon a full tale of
conversation or music Instruct tlie
servant that all the people in the same
group are to be served at the same
lime. If uot too warm, light a Ore, as
a gathering point Add to these ur
rouudings the inspiring presence of a
genial host and hostess, and what guest
could fail to respond by a cheetful
readiness to enter lut the- spur.t cf
festivity?
A las I tlie re are iople who Settle
back a leaden weight npon tlieir enter
tainers; people whose eyes are fixed ou
a hole iu the sofa cover while they lis
ten laua-uidlv to their ha t; people wh
appear to regard vivacity as a mark t.f
inferior breeding social oysters, who
hope, by never opening tlawr hhella, to
deceive the world into the belief tliat
tlo-v Imlil a oearL All these are as
couituou as tuev are depressing. Tl
ideal guest is much more rare thau the
1. leal hostess. The role involves the
nower to ilav second nddle gracefully.
to take time from the tirst violin, and
aim simply lo aid the general etf.ct.
With no personal interest iu making a
nartv a success, to throw oue's vital
enemies into the breach is a stretch of
altruism as rare as admirable.
Much of the explanation of the leth-
iuvv of guests lies in that phrase; "The
expenditure of vital energy." We. as
race, are too tired lor social enjoy
ment. An editor who was luviteu to a
literary irathering to listen to a paper,
responded, with more vigor thau ci-
litv: "tiood irr.iciousi would you ash. a
man who had beeu feeling trees all day
or a liviiisz to come to a wood-chopping
oartv iu the evening for fun.'"
Tne task of making society sociao.e
may well stagger a hostess if it luvolves
llrat r.gulatlug the uusiues uay 01 n
guest. But that a leisure class uoes
uot solve the proliiem is sumcieuuy at
tested by Byron's description of
..k . I rrj 11 iwr this
ba graud structure in earij uuuu., . -o, 1 w, vou want alimony or
massive tower risinir nous w , .
siiir..!.!..!-! i Wser turrets, and at the 1 a I.., wnall rnrht again, and
. ' .,,1 .J - ---- .Y ..-l.!
ina:u entrance two loity spfcro, Iie vren su-ppeo ai mo s,"-
. . . aV (s.
mier.or a central temple or court, w u.u
clials clustering arouud it. The
ilesiuof Messrs. II us and Buck Is a
cioss church iu the style of the greatest
English cathedrals, crowned at the
juncture of the nave aud transepts
nil a great ceutral tower and spire,
kud with, towers flanking the niaiu
euiraiice iu the nave. The design of
Hems &. Lafarge is Byzantine, recall
! iu souie respects at St. Mark's In
Venice, its general features being a
!'Ke dome over sd immense central
Vace where nave, tiausepts and choir
"wet, and over the arches f nave,
h-au.-epts aud choir smaller domes,
w ! 1 1 ' m tw.-, t ... .1. u f t Ta of the
- . . u Mnei 1 1- U 4,. . . . V. - .
. 1 ue lour compeiii-ui si
w enter on a secoud competition for form.
1 . k-aii-a nf irlifeVtL
HJj UP U.'Ul Ul.C- a.a-
HOSTESS AND CU ESTS.
a-s.. .a I AA Ahlvf
T -i 1- Daaanrt V0 UUl'
i 1 ; a.. - 1 .hv Writer.
. ai..tv r the ho&le U to
uesuacquainted with each
a - , t .1 I1M .-llwTM AU mw
r w..-- --- It is con
!" t""'"- " T. ...inl.,1,1 but
..lereu enqo.;"- T .Vi.. e..i
polite
ti.,otte." lue very
ii , tha r hri
other, writes Jane ? ', 7
(H
. . i.iiu nlsrved: It
yu' .or nt a Polite
may ----- rio,in of tUls
etuue::....". mu1u liuiiU
word .7,7.i more thau
"Uctet." and wJ at M the wooden
tlckei. tmiicatinz its contents.
y it "represents Mtb. placed
ttr on IU approved 1 usages, and
The four competitors are now J be freely u'-
SrefliSecliangeof fashion,
Society, oue vast aud polished horde.
Formed ot two mighty tribes, the bores
aud bored."
This Is the verdict of oue who had tried
all the luxury aud elaboration that
could be devised by a class which made
society a chief pursuit, suppose, men.
we begin at the oilier enu, auu try
what help may lie in simplification, aud
the adaptation ot society to the requue
uieiits of busines meu and busy wo
men; in adopting a social code wherein
the only thins demanded of the hosts
shall be a spirit of hospitality, aud the
ouly requisition of the guests readiuess
to be entertained aua a ubu so
ribute something to tue Hilarity 01 ine
occasion.
paper, ana some or ruy reauers uiaj
have seen it.
Wheu I left Ohio I crated up my
bicycle, and seut It along by express.
It arrived in perfect order, and wuen
the roads a ere in good condition I took
many a pleasant spin after banking
hours.
Oue summer morning, after a de
lightful after-break fast run In the brac-
ini? mountain air. 1 rode up to me uauk.
and liavtcg cleaned aud oiled my bicy
cle, s ored it in oue of the rooms at the
rear of ths banking office, meu I
went leisurely about my work. Tlie
first th m to do was to open the vault, a
iilettaiitial structure of masonry ith
iron doors and bracings, and a floor of
square blocks of stone.
The vault was not made specially
strong against burglais, for the cash
was kept in the sale within. 1 ne vault
was intended ih.1t lo protect the books
and records by fire. Any mere bungler
of a cracksman could liave got into 11
iu an liour or two. The aate, however.
was as nearly burglar proof as the best
steel aud latest Improved locks could
make I'.
The vault had two doors, au iuue
and an outer, which were fastened by
combination locks. Between the two
doors was a stoue floor, like tliat inside
of tlie vault.
I swung the outer door open without
difficulty, but when 1 pulled the inner
door, to my surprise it scraped ou the
stone. ltaox,aljtxjtwidtaU-oice wa
required to pull it over tlie obstruction,
and swing it fully cpeu.
What was the cause of this obstruc
tion? Had tlie hinges of the door been
wore so as to let it down? Had faulty
construction iu the floor allowed one of
the stones to slip gradually out of place
and Interfere with tlie door? Hail the
building been settling and the vault
floors thrown out of level? Or ami
my heart beat faster at the thought
had some one been tampering with the
lunges?
In any case there was ueed of a thor
ough investigation, but what was lo be
done? The cashier was out of town;
and the president had told me the night
before that he would leave on the morn
ing's train for Enterprise, to.settle up a
disputed balance with our correspond
ent there. The absence of both ollicers
left uie iu first authority.
But before I decided what to do. the
safe must be examined to see if it had
been tampered with. 1 hurriedly en
tered the .vault, aud scanned the exte
rior of the safe. No marks of violence
amared. The door was protected by
a time lock, and by three combination
locks to hold the bolts after the tune
locks had released them. The clocks
liad been set for 8 o'clock, and were
now ruu down. The tumblers of Uie
combinations had clicked in quick time
as 1 hurriedly whirled the knobs. Bills,
gold and silver lay undisturbed, just as
1 bad lell mem me evening oeiotc
Now what was lobe done? 1 did
not 1 ke to resume responsibilities which
tironerlv belonged to some oue else.
And here was a problem which possibly
concerned the very life of the bank.
Uuless 1 was forced by circumstances,
the solving of it a as not for me.
I gave myself inree minutes xor
A Pinch of Snuff.
lng under the vault He asked me to
inform the clerks, and to keep a close
watch over everything until he should
come back, and hurried away.
He presently returned with two of
the bank's directors whom he took into
the vault, pointed out the suspicious
appearance, and explained his theory ot
the cause.
The bank building stood on the
southeast corner of the intersection of
two principle streets. At the rear was
au alley, and across that a large brick
building. Ou the east side, touching
the bank, was a frame structure occu
pied by a clothing firm. Beyond, with
a three foot passage Intervening, stood
an adobe house. The passage way ran
through from street to alley.
In Uie building across the alley there
was no opportunity, Mr. Axtell thought,
for working a tunnel; therefore he con
cluded the attack would be from the
east. The members of the firm next
door were old citizens, and not to be
suspected. Of the adobe house be knew
nothing. This, then, was Uie first point
for examination.
Mr. Axtell put a revolver in his
pocket, and going out the back door of
our buildiug walked up the alley to the
adobe house, and entered a rickety door,
which he found unlocked. Here be
discovered a bare, empty room, evi-
dentlv lonir occupied. But ou the floir
were tracks of muddy boots.
Upon examination he found that the
flooring In the corner of the room was
cut through, and a trap door had been
placed there. At one side of the door
an iron staple was driven, apparently
serving as a handle for lifting it. He
raised the trap cautiously, aud saw a
barrel set into the crround pointing iu
tlie direction of the bank. Theu he
lowered the trap carefully, and as care
ful 'v left the builoiiig
There was no longer any dou'ot. The
tunnel was there, and the robbers might
be ready to make tlieir final movement
ou the bank that very night. It was
scarcely probable that they worked in
the tunnel during the day, at least, uow
that thev had got so near the vault.
At uight uo one would be in the bank.
and thev could work without Tear of
beiuz heard.
As it was probable that a watch was
kept over our movemeuts, our prepara
tions for the capture of the burglars
were deferred until after dark. During
the afternoon we worked at our desks
as usual, aud left the building for our
homes at the usual time, having re
ceived instructions from Axtell to re
nut again at 8 o'clock. We were to
come up the alley, which was always
very dark, and quietly enter the rear
room ot the bank.
; Meanwhile Uie president had seen the
bheriff. who was to come to Uie oauk
witli four deputies at 6 o'clock.
. When I cautiously stepped through
the back door into the building a little
before 8, I found these men already
there. Tiie other clerks came 111
piomptlv.
Two men were sent to a room iu me
aeoond story of a building across the
atreet, where they could watch the
lidobo. If they taw any oue etiu r the
;assage way, tliey were to notify us by
drawing a match across the window aud
.. . . .1.
immediately blowing 11 out. r-acu 01
iho clerks, beginning with the book
keeier, was to be stationed for a certain
time near the vault door, to listen for
sounds from the tunnel, and to walch
for the signal across the way. 1 he rest
of the party were to remain Iu the back
room, ready to respond to any can.
l hus the night was commenced. 1 ue
time dragged along slowly enough. We
could only sit in silence. Xo sound had
reached us from the tunnel, and uo
communication had been made to us
by the clerks in the banking room, up
lo 11 o'clock. At that hour another
man was to relieve the first watcher,
and the exchange was silently made.
The bookkeeper had heard nothing
below, and had seen no sigual from the
opiosiie hide of the street.
Agaiu the tiius dragged. Xothins
unusual was reported by the watcher.
One o'clock came, aud it was now my
turn to relieve lnui. I look my place
uuder the counter. After a brief con
sultation by Mr. Axtell aud tliesher.IT.
it was decided it was probable the roh
Lers were at work in the tunnel, anJ if
lliey were they would leave it at an
early hour. The sheriff and two of his
deputies took their stations outside,
two of them going into the alley, and
the other into the street in front, thus
guarding both ends.
At about two o'clock I beard a dis
tinct uoise from under the floor near
the vault dior. It was a steady suc
cession ot strokes, as iu digging, min
gled with a slight sound of tools,
l'reseutly came a noise as though some
heavy body was being lifted or forced.
I crept to the front of the vault, and
could catch the souuds very distinctly
decision. The cashier was out of reach, ! They seemed to come from inside. The
In a crowded city street an Ill-
natured mastiff seized a little dog by
the throat and began viciously shaking
hiiu. A crowJ soon garnered. oms.
blows and kicks tailed to make the
m istiff lot go his hold. The little dog
was howling piteoualy. At ims junc
ture, when the lookers 011 were won
dering what to do, a young man. ex
quisitely dressed, cime along. He a'
once comprehended the situation.
"Ieave him to me," ue said, - 1 can
manage him."
There was au incredulous laugu irom
the crowd, aud cries .i -rue uuue a
herel' "Thinks he's siuart'u the rest
011 us:" "Ist the dude Ox hluil" aul
tha like.
' . -. ...
Th. i-soiiii? man tirew nuui
..w.ut silver snuff box. aud held a
e" . - m t .- ..waliff.1
lillMMl Ul aUUil uuues mo -
I
lor soon did Its work. The
.. txuron niMtpzinir vigorously, and
m,,rw had to open his mouth. Ue
.i....i turn little do? ana 100 wo uu
heels, frightened and as'iamed, his tail
drooping iiae a wuihi , ,
ti ernwd broke Into a round of ap
plause; the young man smiled and went
on his way.
Some Ingenious arithmetician has
calculated that the 30,000,000 stamps
issued by the English I'ost Otllce from
1349 to 1SS4, if placed end to end,
would reach to the moon and back.
A new aud brilliant star has appeared
on tlie opara stage, Sybil Sanderson of
California. At Paris, the other night,
she announced her coming on the stage
in a song to Kolaud. and the New ork
Herald letter says "the delight, as
well as astonishment or those preeut
may perhaps I Imagined when it is
stated that she took it, not by a scream
or a shriek, but in upper U or G. m
alt, held it, and then scaled down to t
flat."
and the nresideut was now on his way
to the station. If 1 could reach the
station before the train left, I could
bring him back. The train was due at
8.5.1. aud the clock now marked S.'io.
The statiou was about lour inues
from the town. Wheu the railroad was
built it was found necessary to run
dowu the valley; and so the town which
lay back on the taLlelaud was left iiuit
distance to the west. It would be im
Ittssible to get a boise aud buggy, aud
pet to the statiou in the time allotted.
My bicycle! I could try it, there was a
cb.-nce of success.
Tlie two other clerks had come Into
Into the bank, and were at work at
their desks. 1 got out the cash needed
at the counter, remarked quietly to the
tleiks that 1 a as going out for a few
minutes, aud told the receiving teller
to attend to my window meantime.
Then 1 slipped ou my riding 6hoes, ran
my machine out ot the rear door and
u.ounied. The road was good, and 1
was uerved to creat exertion, and al
though it required twenty minutes of as
hard work as 1 ever uiu, a succeeueu.
Tlie dark roof of the low statiou
buildinir came 111 sluhf, just as u th
valley 1 saw t he-smoke ot the approach.
luff train. 1 was not too Lite. I
whisked uo to tho statiou aud hurried
to Mr. Axtell, tlie president, who, valise
In band, was looking up the track at
tli i ratu.
I related to him all there was to tell
in a verv few words, lie asked me
few questions and theu said; 'Of couise
1 w ill no back to to a u. You return by
your bicycle, aud 1 w ill follow ly the
stage. Uo to the bank aud attend to
l.n iness as usual. When I get iu we
wilt decide what to do.
1 made my return trip witu all possi
ble speed, aud took my plaie at the
teller window. For taeuly minutes
business quietly proceeded.
Mr. Axled cauie leisurely into the
bank soon alter. He went iuto the
vauit, examined tlie floor, aud he ran
his baud along the cracks between the
stones. A moment's inspection satisfied
him. Il came out and told me that
he a as convinced some oue was tunnel-
robbers were either lu the vault, or
ust about to enter!
Xow was the time to act. The other
end of the tunnel was guarded, and at
this end, of course, there was 110 iossi-
biiity of escaiie. 1 stepied uacn two or
three jKtces, drew my revolver, aud
tired three shots iu quick succession
Uirough the floor at the iKuiit at which
I judged the tunnel must terminate.
There was only a Mignt cuance 01
hitting any one in the tuunel, but the
robbers in their fright would undoubt
edly rush for the other end, to find
themselves confronted oy me suerin
and his assistants. As those in the rear
room were hurrylug forward, I called
to them to run to the a lobe.
We fouud the sheriff aud his deputies
on tlie alert, as mey uau neaiu ins
tiring and waitlug developments. 1 he
men who had beeu stationed across me
wav uuicklv came over. I explained
as briefly as possible what had occureJ,
and, revolvers iu hand, we turrouuded
tlie adobe.
A:ter waitimr some minutes we be
came impatieut, and the sheriff deter-
miued to enter. Dark lanterns were
procured, and the sheriff directed us to
lol ow hiiu closely.
We crowded into the passage way,
the sheriff at the head. When the door
was reached, be flung it open without
a moment's hesitation, threw up bis
right hand with cocked revolver while
two deputies immediately behind him
nadied forward with dark lanterns,
aud flashed the light throughout tlie
room. There was au instant of intense
suspense. Theu the sheriff said quietly,
There's not a soul Inside.'
All hurried into the room. The trap
door was down. Theie was no other
door, window or opening of our kind
by which an escape might have been
made. The robbers must be still in
the tunnel. It was suggested that they
had built a branch tunnel for escaping
If discovered; but there seemed to be lo
place in the v icinity suitable for such
an exit. The chances were that they
were still inside, waiting, perhaps, au
opportunity to make a rush tnrough the
trap door.
"We listened for a few minutes, but
heard no sound. Then the sheriff step
ped forward to the trap door, aud
quickly lifting it, threw the rays of a
dark lantern down the note, as rar as
the light reached, nothing could be seen
but the black walls of the tunuel. Then
the sheriff leaned forward and shouted
down.
Come up one at a time and surren
der, and we won't hurt you!'
There was no answer, we waited a
little, aud theu shouted again as before,
adding, not altogether politely, 'This is
the last chance you'll get. Don't make
fools of yourselves:'
The echo of his voice was the ouly
response. In silence we waited about
the tunnel's mouth, but heard not the
slightest indication that any one was
inside. The sheriff threw down the
door with angry impatience. W hat
next? How were we to capture them?
Should we have to starve them out, or
smoke them out?
We divided ourselves Into watches,
two men were to stand guard for one
hour, while the others retired to the
bank to suatcu a little bleep, if possible.
In the meantime several iioliceuien.
having heard the firing, had come to
the vicinity of the adobe. One of them
stationed himself iu the passage, and
two more took their stands iu the street
aud alley ready to spread the alarm if
an escape was attempted. Before leav
ing the watch to their duty we fastened
the trap door down securely.
From this time until 8.30 iu the
morning nothing occurred. The
watchers were regularly relieved, aud
none of them had reported any signs of
life in the tunuel. But as the bank's
business must go ou without Interrup
tion, It was necessary ta open the vault.
There was less chance of the robbers
trying to escape that way thau by the
other end of the tunnel. When listen
ing to them working 1 hardly supposed
that they had got into the vault. J.
sides, it was now broad day, the streets
were full of eople,and the bold cracks
man must know that we would be pre
pared for them.
Half a dozen meu gathered about
the vault door, fully armed aud ready
for any emergency. As I was the one
most familiar with the combinations
on the vault doors, it was tny duty to
unlock them. 1 did uot relish the losi
tiou of first target for a bullet from the
inside, but mustered up my courage.
said uothing, and went to work. Tlie
outer door I drew opi-n without hesita
tion. the inner door was the one to be
feared.
When the bolts of the inner door had
been thrown back 1 found that it
scarcely could be moved, as the stone
under It was raised more than Pel ore.
At length three of the strongest in the
nartv manaired to forci it otien, and
the inside of the vault could ba seen.
Xo one was there. But the floor showed
a startlliur condition of affairs.
Hie large stone lu front of the s.ife
was raised up at one side nearly two
feet. It was supiiorted by jack screws
which had beeu used to force it up. In
ten minutes more the robbeis, it unin
terrupted, would have beeu id the
vault. Uiifortuuatciy for them Iu tlieir
workings of the previous night Miey
had accidenlly displaced the stone that
ran under the inner door, or tlieir plot
might not have beeu discovered till too
late to arrest it.
After a few minuU.'S of surmise and
speculation, Mr. Axtell stepped up lo
the hole and shouted down the same
proposition the sheriff had made at the
qther end. There was no response
whatever, lie then directed uie to
open the safe and proceed with the
business of the day as usual. Two men
were left 011 guard 111 the vault, and the
rest were stationed iu the back room.
All who knew of the situation were
cautioued lo keep it to themselves, and
very few of our customers that morn
ing knew what was going ou under
their feet.
At about I0.0O one of the men in the
rear room came to the door and called
iu Mr. Axtell. There he heard as bold
a proposition as man ever made. One
of the guards had volunteered to go
down into tlie tunnel! He was a deputy
sheriff, a Mexican named Jose Chare.,
who, liecouiing impatient that the rob
bers did not show themselves, deter
mined to stir them up iu tlieir own
quarters.
He was a daring, reckless fellow,
accustomed alibis lite to deeds or vio
lence. He lived on excitement, and
was ever restless when not 011 the trail
of some horse thief or murderer. He
knew the risk of going into the tunnel,
but said he had as good a chance as the
r-jbliers as a matter of fact, iu such
an encounter every advantage was 011
their side and that was all he wanted.
The rest of the men, brave though they
were, shrugged their shoulders, aud de
clined underground warfare.
Charez was to enter the tunnel
through the barrel. After locking the
vault doors again, those of us who could
leave work weut to the adobe house.
The guards there had nothing to re
port. We took the fastenings off the
trau door and lifted it. The Mexican
threw the light of a lantern dowu tl
hole, remarked that 110 one was to be
seen, made ready ins revolver, ami
quickly dropped through into the dark
ness. All of us trembled with excitement,
aud listened with painful intensity.
Before we were aware what was taking
place, we saw the Mexican reapiear
suddenly at the mouth of tlie hole, and
heard four shots ring out in quick suc
cession. Then the Mexican bounded
up through the smoke, and iKjinting
wildly to tl.e fl.ior near the hole,
shouted: l shot one of 'em under
there!'
We waited for nothing further, but
hurriedly pulled up the boards around
the hole. The floor stood some distance
ali-jve the ground, and iu this space
was the body of a man lying motion
less. We lilted him out. aud laid him
carefully on the tloor. He was already
dead.
Those of us who were unaccustomed
to death iu so frightful a form were en
tirely unnerved by this sight; but the
sheriff aud his men did not forget even
at f-uch a time the business of the hour,
and quickly searched under the floor
for other robbers. Fin. ling no signs ot
more of them, they came up to hear
the Mexican's story.
He Slid that he had taken a few stepa
forward into the tunuel, when the hole
begin to grow smaller and smaller so
that to proceed be would hava been
comuelled to iro ou ban Is an I ku-A
Not bargaining for this style of attack
he retreated, anil was about to" climb
out of the barrel, wheu he noticed bow
the floor of the adobe was built above
the ground. The light from above
lighted U'i this space for a few feet all
around, aud there, crouching iu front
of him, bj raw tlie robber, aud at once
fired upon him.
The robber had evideutW planned
before-hand to crawl under this floor in
case of danger, and await a chance of
escaping.
Thorough examination was made or
the adobe house uuder the flooring, but
uo sign of any other robbers was found.
Then t be trap was shut down again aud
guards placed as before.
The time slipped on 1111 a o ciocsi.
Then we heard another fearless pro
posal. Four of the men volunteered
to go through the tunnel from end to
eud. They made scarcely any prepara
tion for the expedition, simply taking a
bull's eve lantern and making sure that
tlieir revolvers were in working ord-r.
One after another dropied through
the opeulug. They crouched low down
as they crawled through, the head man
holding the lantern as high up as ue
could reach. Thus, if they were fired
on, the lantern would probably bo
aimed for, and the bullet would fly over
them.
We waited for them in the vault
through several minutes of most Intense
anxiety. Theu we gave a great shout
as the head and shoulders of the first
mail appeared uuder the raised stone.
We bellied one after another of the bold
four through the oieuiug up to daylight
again.
The men had met uo one in the tun
nel, aud had seen 110 branches or other
means of escape. They were positive
no one was concealed inside. A further
thorough examination of the tunnel
confirmed their statements, and it be
came almost certain that only oue mau
had been at work.
The theory that the plan and the ex
ecution of the crime were his only, was
strengthened the day when he was
buried, when a startling discovery was
uiaile. Some of the officers of the law,
with Mr. Axtell, had gone to take a
look at the man to endeavor to identify
him, Mr. Axtell had scarcely caught
sight of the face before he exclaimed:
4 Why. that man is one of the stoue
masons who built the vault!'
And so he proved to be. We found
that the man had left a widow, and
hunted her up. She was severely ques
tioned, but professed eut re ignorance
of her husband's plaus. and seemed to
be telling the trutli.
The officers and directors of the bank
saw fit to reward me for my part iu the
occurrence with a splendid bicycle,
w hich bore ou its handle bar a small
silver plate with an inscription I mod
estly refraiu from relating.
Why Sixty Seconds Make a Minute.
Why is our hour devi.led iuto sixly
minutes, each lurnute into sixty sec
onds, etc.? Simply and solely because
in Babylonia there existed, by the side
of the decimal system of notaliou,
another system, the sexagesimal, which
counted by sixties. Why that number
should have beeu chosen, is clear
enough, aud it speaks well Tor the prac
tical seusj of those ancient Babylonian
merchants. '1 here is no number which
has so many divisors as sixty. Tin
Babylonian's divided the suu's daily
iourney into twenty-four parasang, or
TM stadia. Kach parasang or hour
I was subdivided into sixty minutes. A
parasang Is about a tieruiau nine,
ami liabvlouiaii astronomers compared
the progress made, l y tne sun auung
one hour at the time of the equinox to
the progress made by a good walker
diiiiuir the same time, both uccom-
11 ishimr one uarasam;. 1 n vvnoie
course of the sun during the twenty-
four euuiuoctlal hours was fixed at
twenty-four parasong, or 720 stadia, or
300 degrees.
This system was handed ou 10 me
(ireeks, and llipparchus, the great
Philosopher, who lived about lo0 1. I
introduced tha Babylonian uour into
Europe. I'toleuiv, who wrote about
150 A. D.. and w hose name still lives in
that ot the l'Uilemalc system of astrou-
oinv. L'ave still wider currency 10 ine
Babylonian way of reckoning tune. 11
was carried alonir on the quiet stream
t.f traditional knowledge through the
Middle Ages, and, strango to say, 11
sailed down safely over the Xiagara ol
the French revolution, tor the i-reiicn
when revolution zinn weights, mens
ures, coins, and dates, and subjectln.
all to tl.e decimal system of reckoning
were induced by Some unexplained mo
tive to respect our clocks and watcnes
and allowed our dials to remain sexa
ge-iuial, that is, Babylonian, each I10111
consisting of sixty miiiuUs. Here yoi
a :iin th wonderful coin-fence ol
the "world, and how what we ca
knowledge is the result of au unbroken
tradition of a teaching descending from
father to sou. Not more than about
a hundred arms would reach from us
to the builders of the palaces of Baby
lon, and enable us to shake hauls will
the founders of the oldest pyramids and
to thank them for what they have doi
for us.
Jost His Wav.
They tell a good s oiy oil Senator
Tunes Kanisworth Tierce. It seem?
that be came to Albany to see Jov
Tildeu s.xm after the latter's
inauguration. After a brief chat the
governor, who was easily liored, asked
" hen arc you going bacKf
"This afternoon, I think," sai
James.
'IVtter s'.av over till to-morrow,'
returned the governor iu a coiitidentia
iniiriiiiir Thiiikiinr something wa.'
in the air James remained over. Xex
dav he airaln in vailed the executive
clumber, and tiie same formula
gone over, with the exception that Hit
governor's tone was slightly mor
i-i. nliaeiitl.il.
James pulled at his glossy, iron gray
mustache for awhile and aiiu re
mained over, only to hae ths sauu
ilapiKMitineiit. How long the aff.iii
woul 1 have lasted is conjectural hai
not a kind heirtel oideily to d th
misguided senator that that w.l
merely a way the governor had.
A Prison Keeper's Nerve.
A MnpniaM.-r ol my acquaintance
who lias been very siire.-ssf ill as ward.-t
iu more than one penal institution, toh
lue that he once heard that a eriiniiiu
confined under his oontrol had said tha
h.- would kill the ward. -ii on the firs'
opportunity. Captain K. said nothing
but tlie n-'xt aft rnoon, when he ha
au hour's leisure, s.nt f. r ftie man
Bill,' let us cull him, found the eaptnii.
strapping his razor. 'Oh, -Bill,' is thai
vou?' exclaimed tho warden. 'Well,
"never mind, can you shave?' The nut
replied tliat he "had often shaved hif
com. anions. -All right, suppose I
ttl.Kt kind of a barWr vou are. 'Will
that be took a seat in lus chair, haiid.-n
tl. erimintd a razor, and was shaved.
'Bill weut faithfully through his duty,
and wheu he had finished the captain
said: 'They told me that you wert
watching for a chance to kill me, sol
thought 1 would give you as good a one
hm Votl could ask for; that was all.
'Bill' Bluuk sheepishly away, and from
thenee the captain had uo firmer frieuJ
thau the desijerate criminal.
The number of persons admitted to
the I'aris Exposition on a recent day,
by payment, amounted to orer G9.O0U.
One of the "sure cures of con
sumption" sold in Philadelphia was
analyzed the other day and found to
consist of rum, molasses and extract of
dandelion.
Bishop, thr mind reader, left an
estate valued at J"A), which goes to
prove that people who mind other peo
ple's minds Io not gather iu the
shekels.
Christine Xilsson outbid the
Eouvre lately 111 a race for a Madonna
of Mabuse. The Louvre agent bid 37,
OtH) francs and Mine. Nilsson got the
picture by one of 4J.OJ0 francs.
Some mou are boin to bJ drowned
in fresh water aud others iu salt water.
A D.muiark passenger actually jour
neyed a 1 the way to South Maullou,
Mich., to mr-ei his death iu the
lake.
The kav.garoo is said to have got
its iiaint- iu this wav: Captain Cook
first discovered the aniiuil iu Aus
tralia. When he inquired Us name of
a native the latter replied:' 'Kau ga
roo," which, in the Australian lan
guage, is "1 don't know."
Large tobacco farms, to be
worked and managed by skilled Cu
bans, have Just been established at
De Fuuiak Springs, l'la. Tobacco
grown there from Havana sed is said
to be even finer and more delicately
flavored than tliat from Cuba itself.
During the last eleven years nearly
30,000 persons have lost their lives iu
trading and fishing vessels, the worst
year being that of lS-d-SJ, when 3.512
liers.ms perished at M a. In the last
year, however, for which there are re
turns, lSJ-ti-87, the iiuinler of lives lost
ou ves;els had fallen to 2,071.
The people of ("aid iff, " ales, wit
nessed a somewhat su.ttu'ar phenome
non. It was 11.1I -1 Uial after a fall
of rain ools of wall r 111 the thorough
fares were tinned with red the effect
of what is known as '"red lain." In
past geneiat ions this appearance pro
duced the gravest alarm, a fad of so
calli d "bloody rain'' being tegarded as
1 sine precursor of plague.
At Kohiloiil-oii-lhe-lludsou a mau
died, leaving a property valued at
J-0.J0. This was partly mortgaged.
I'lte mortgage, and costs involved
amouul'd to ;r.W. thus leaving but
1 to be divided among the widow and
ouitecn heirs. Toe wm. low will
however, have only llu; use of this dol
lar during her life, inn- and must leave
it to the heirs at her death.
At the Harvard ol.-ei v aim y theie
ire eight Women now at vvoik under
the supei v i .ion of I'ioI. Pickering, not
as students but as valuable assistants
111 his rpectroscoplc :Uu ly of the stars.
Iu the diflcreut departments mi 1 'polled
by the Diaper lui inorial fund, the
li.ijtUoii iiin.1, and continent fund.
these assistants are i-naed 111 compu
tations. In studv of photographs, and
tu other necessary branches connected
with observatory worn.
A despatch from Findlav, Ohio,
reports that while Henry tiremdle, liv
ing ou Limestone liidge, over the line
in Wyandot county, was plowing, one
of his-horse broke through the eaith
into a ih ep hole. The animal was res
cued from its position with gieat dilli
cuilv. I'pon examining the spot,
(ireinille found a I. uve hole leading
eipendiciilarly down Into the earth.
and subsequent investigations, it is as
serted, revealed caverns that may to
some extent duplicate those of l.iuay.
Some time agj Mrs. Langtry en
gaged a chef at a salary of 15 a day,
to lake entire charge, and provide
everything for her kitchen. The chef-,
a Frenchman by the name of Broche,
soon found out that, owing to the lux
urious tastes of his mist less, the sum
allowed him was entiiely mdeaqiiate
for the contract, lie brought In a bill
for extra marketing amounting to t-'io,
which Mrs. Laugtry refused pa v. He
brought suit against her in the New
York courts.
A stalactite cave of enormous ex
tent lias been discovered at Keclere,
lose to the French frontier and is at
tracting considerable lnt'iest among
geologists aud others. The whole ex
tent of the cave has not yet been as
certained, but an idea can le formed
of its size from the circumstance that a
short tune ago two exploring parties
visited the cave, one entering at 8 A.
M., aud the other at 11 A. M., and
each party roamed for about two hours
without coming acio-s the other. Tho
cave is fairly dry, coiiiainuig so far as
now ascertained, only a small oud,
and it can be cnteied with Js-rfoct.
salcty.
One of the strangest pieces of ar
tillery in Euro;e is nl Mi l, and is
known by the uamn of the '(irillln,"
from the figure of the fabulous animal
which is to lx- found among the orna
mental portion of its woi kmain'.iip.
The gun was cast in l."i".i at Idiren
breitstein, near Ccbient. It is 17 feet
in length and :u dia'neti r. The bore
is 20j inches; weight. UJ.o'M pounds.
Its carriage is 24 leet 111 length, and
the weight of the ball w hich it cairies
ii 150 pounds; 42 pounds of wder is
lequiied for the chaige. Najsileon in
tended it for t' e W ar 1 lepai tment.
Paris, but found dilhculty in trausoit
ing il.
-Fourteen canier piireons were
taken to New Yoik from Newport ou
the. Cuited states steamer Juniata on
her lecent trip. The buds were trained
to fly only I10111 Point .lud.lh, and the
Intention was to liberate them off that
Hjlntou the day of the ship's departure,
but as the weather was thick, they
were not flown, being taken oti to New
Yoik! While the stiip was there ona
of the biids esca:d, and a Mr. le.ltoli.
to whom it belonged, cotisi.leied it lost
to him, 111 it had never flown from a
greater distance thau Point Judith,
aud hence could not be exiecUl to
know its wav from New Yoik. I. real
was Mr. Bolton's surpn-se, therefore,
when the bird subsequently arrived at
his loft in Newut, safe ami 111 good
condition.
In Brazil there is a trile called
ffimos. which has sprung Into exist-
I eiice by mairlago between the long.
Ftiff-haired nat ves and the Imported
i negro slaves. As might le eA.ected
from the auiu'-aiures 01 mesc ciucmn,
these people possess hair of very exlra
ordii.aty kind. It rises i r(s-iilicularly
rrotn tl.e head in thick curly masses,
an 1 foims a wig of such enormous di
mension that tlie pos.es ors must
stoop low when entering their huts.
Friendship lasts as long as the pot
boils.
UlSullal
7-rrTTirr'