I
7
11 1'F
THE CONSTITUTION" TH K UNION-ANI) THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LWVS.
voi. xi.iu.
MIFFLIXTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. TENNA.. WEDNESDAY. OCIOHEU 23. 1SS9.
NO. II.
x A' All
at."a r -fa v n i f 1 1
r 4
-u U, , M
l- - Uke. l,Uc.. U
ItiWeipt.Uauch lotu
P yearly. m .M
trttllU bean Ulr. out foe n
UuctUH, f 7-a d-Ihnru I.
ioU thera i fh,udrIphi 3.7V
tWMto.d.fii, AtthalraUth
Mw house fo, hich permits hav.
granted would heller mora Um
43,000 people.
What the American brass band mot
needs la a managing alitor. Uu tlie
occasion of the. UU serenade to Seuator
Sherman by the Ohio Itepubllcans the
tanl played '-Listen to My Talo of
Woe" and "The Campbell are Com
ing." When Geneial Mahone opened
bis campaign the leader of the band got
In his fiendish work by playing "Listen
to the Mocking Brd." Tlie brass
band needs watching.
The building or the Eddystone light
bouse on a reef of that name in the
English Channel has always been re-1
garded as a triumph of engineering
skill; but the proponed erection of a
bvacou light ou the Outer Iiamond
Shoal, off Cape Hatteia-, will be a task
of far greater difliculty. The shoal is
composed of Bhiftlng sand, into which
a caisson will be sunk, aud tfie cylinder
will then be filled with quick-setting
concrete, thus making the structure
practically a monolith. Work can only
be done when the wind is off shore. In
towing out the caisson it will have to
bo lifted over an eight-foot bar, and
when the site shall have been finally
reached the difficulty will be in getting
It sunk evenly and quickly into the sand.
It would be difficult to decide which is
the most wonderful, the tremendous
force which necessitates such bulwarks,
or the inventive skill and power that
can triumph over oliMaclea. which at
one time would have been regarded as
insurmountable.
The site for the New York Exposi
tion seems to liavn practically been
agreed upon. It has the merits of
Central Park in Wing accessible by
steam railroads, elevated and surface,
and by many horse car lines, and it
embraces some beautiful lands overlook
ing the lludsou river. A it adjoins
Central Park a portion of the latter
mar be used for recreation purposes
without erecting buildings thereon, and
thus the general objection to the use of
the Park itself for Fair purposes be
avoided. The only objection to the
site Is the ditticulty of getting title to
all the mauy blocks of properly now in
private hands and the added cost of the
exhibition arising from the necessity of
buying or leasing the ground. This
may retard the enterprise, and there is
very little time to spare as the commit
tees will find when they get down to
actual work. At least two years will
be required for the actual work of con
structing buildings and getting the
grounds in order.
AN iMTERFEREXfE NOT TlItOHT
or. It is absurd to hear the roprietors
of riding schools and "equestrian acad
emies" making a protest against the
u of Ceutral Park for the Columbus
fair, on account of the ''rough and
vulgar" element that will congregate
about it. In a city where English
fashions are followed so subserveutly it
la true that the riding school, shelter
ing, as they do, many road parties, are
more conspicuously brought forward
than the quieter ones in this city. The
delicately minded young women
should the Fair use the upper portion
or Central Park will see their own
countrymen in huge numbers, doubt
less, but it is not likely they will be
insulted by them. The baser elements
of Continental cities will hardly be
likely to cotue o cr. so it is only from
New York's own population of low
lustincts that the disastrous consequen- ,
cea of coming between the wind ana
the nobility of wealthy rUleis is likely
to be encountered.
ArraRENTLT few luxuries have so
greatly increased in value during the
last century as battle ships. War has
baa always been spoken of as costly,
but a hundred years ago a Tery respec
table war might have been fonght out
between two first-class Powers of Eu
rope at less than the present cost of a
line of naval vessels. The Koyal
Ueorge, which was launched from the
Koyal Dockyards in England In 17S9,
and which was the most formidable
war ship of that time, cost in round
numbers S333.000. and this sum in
cluded the sum of coppering and cop
per bolting, of masts, yards, rigging,
sails, anchors, cables and all other boat
swains' and carpenters' tools. The
Royal George was then the terror of
England's enemies; she carried 100
guns, was ItH) feet long. 52 broad and
was 22S6 tons. The ship, which at the
present time corresponds with her at
the bead of the British Navy, is the
Trafalgar, the original cost of which,
exclusive of armament, was in round
numbers $4,313,970, or nearly W.OtO,
000 more than that of the English 'dealer', after tb. lady bad d..arrareJ.
uuu nun f,-,i.(.v,l- to a r-pW -bo .utd ir of ram-
man-of-wxr of l.. This formidable, wU, lrln t., n.y
engine of naval warfare is -- rert
long and 73 broad, bavaig tooiuvge
11 V40. If It were to be a.aol that
la of war are to tnciea-e aat.ag
Teawiavt . . . .
the SXt h.ndred 'n tsi mm tm
Itrofrntioaatrrf as tWy rave dae
X'rV. Urn Jdirg of savwa aioM tl
taar Is aasrwt law w.U.- aau .
It
xnol:u la taw
ui ii aa arfe ka t.-J a
grst-c.aaa wvf if a m a '
ala.t
a ,r r- f tax aawaa. a.larv
... t v-i - - a ha a
h w
t- t I -. I"
ft-
.1.Wil
iAr OuttN or kots.
A a-ov.i-.an Wrv vary Oth.r Day
rU4 4N SirHir-
That Vwf vim tmmm hair and of
tnaay different eulura ther. la cverv
rwuua to believe, tiuabeth ia known
to have had a euUactioa of eiht y wig,
mad her do euaaia. with the aua.ua!
advantage, of ma aiauy iwiimi in Paris,
u nut likely to have been far U hind
her. Among the statement of the
account of her personal expenditure
are numerous items of perroque de
eheveux, and Sir Francis Knollia, ant
ing to Burleigh of the ever faithful
"Miatres Mary Seaton, the finest bus
ker, that ia to Bay the finest dreaaer of
a woman's head' of hair that is to lie
seen in any country," mvi; "And
among the pretty devices she did set
such a carina hair upon the tjueen that
was said to le pere wy ke that showed verv
delicately. And every other day she
bath a new device of head dreiwing,
withoat any cos-t, and yet setting forth
a woman gay lie welL " This variety and
eccentricitv of coiffure naturally adds
to the confusion, and makes gTenter the
difficulty in identifying positively any
of the portraits or descriptions of her.
Historians sav that her mother was tall
and l-autiful, that her father was digni
fied, having a fair complexion and light
hair; and others and contemporaneous
hintorians say that she inherited niost
of the characteristics of her parent.
"being abont the ordinary size, with
fair complexion and (irecian features,
and a nose somewhat longer than a
tainter would cure to er)etuate;
er face was oval, her forehead high and
fine." Froude, in later days, pictures
her as graceful alike in erson and in
intellect, and as possessing that peculiar
leauty in which the form is loot in the
expression, and which every painter has
represented differently; and Brantome
one of the ancient chroniclers, summing
np all in one line sentence, describes
her at her marriage to the Danphin as
being "more leauteous and charming
than a celeatial goddess."
"An angel is like you Kate, and you
are bke an angel," was a very prettv
speech for Shakespeare's "Henry V
to make to the French king's daughter,
bat it gives as of to-aay no tetter
notion of Katherine's beauty than do all
the composite portraits by painters and
historians of the wondrous loveliness of
the Queen of Scots. Laurance llutttm
' the Century.
Mothar's Responsibilities.
Few mothers reflect that the family
ia merely a school for husbands and
wivea, says The Kural New Yorker.
What sort of men make the het bus
bands? Those who as boys had the best
mothers. The boy who will criticise
his mother's speech or dress, who will
find fault with her coffee, or bread, will
do the same with the woman who may
be so unfortunate as to give her life's
happiness into his hands. A selfish
man may be drawn out of his selfish
ness through a few weeks' courtship,
but wait until the wear aud worrv of
married life come on. aud he will in
evitably settle back into it. Love sel
ilom radically changes a nature. Only
the grace of lod ran do that, and it
takes more grace, I often think, than
nianv people get hold of.
"The best husbands I ever met, says
the author of "John Halifax." "cuuie
out of a family where the mother, a
moot heroic and self denying woman,
laid down the absolute law, liirlo flrt;'
not in anv authority, but iirt to be
thought of in protection and teuder
nem. Conoeqiienty the chivalrous care
which those lads were taught to show
to their sifters naturally extended it
self to all women. They grew up true
gentlemen gentlemen, generous, nn
exacting, courteous of S(eech, and kind
of heart."
It was while reading the above that
it xcurred to me how truly the mother
molds and forms the future husbaud.
It is a fearful responsibility. I grant
you, iters, but the reward is a glorious
one. If you teach your sons to yield
generously to their sisters, to shield
aud protect them manfully and loving
ly, not only do they make better hus
bands, but the sisters who have been
ao cared for, will look for the same
courtesy, chivalry and tenderness in
the men they marry, and will be satis
fied with nothing laws.
Right here I want to give a quotation
from Shakenpeare which occurs to me.
There isn't any special connection or
sequence in it, except that mothers
would do well to have their daughters
commit to memory this single passage,
if no other, from the world's greatest
poet. It seaks for itaelf, aud com
ment is unnecessary:
"And while thou livetit, dear Kate,
take a fellow of plain and nncoined
constancy, for he perforce must do the
right, because he hath not the gift to
woo in other places; for these fellows
of infinite tongue, that can rhyme
themselves into ladies' favors, they do
always reason themselves oat again.
What! a speaker is but a prater; a
rhyme ia but a ballad. A good leg will
fad; a straight back will stoop; a black
beard will turn white; acurlou pate will
grow bald ; a full eve will wax hollow;
but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and
moon, or rather the sun and not the
moon; for it shines bright and never
changes, but keeps it course truly."
HOW BABIES FEET ARE SPOILED.
"Now stamp down your foot, dear.
That's it. That s'loe is too large. Let
me see a size smaller."
Keallv, madam, if you take my ad
vice." began the shoemaker, but madam
cut him off with
"I want a smaller shoe. That one
fits like a sack."
The smaller shoes were put on the
child, a prettv bttle tot of about 2
years of age. They fitted tightly and
.howed that the foot was a very small
one. bat they pinched the child and
made it cry.
"Mothers exhibit more vanity than
in.lmunt in their rlertioa of shoes tor
a , ,
Ukrir fnpi ruunrrn. "
Mij trT k Imlr 0f h.. ua it that
k--k Teal . i know iui
that aaa aad aas always sorry U the
' tb-. -
J, aa aAlKit aa aa 4d aaaid
T,,, ,to i i.wried w.ta.
, ( a . rat trit
J A , mm Ur tWa ta ara, bal
t I a; W 4 " --
wa mmm mm - -T " y - r
t-mmi bmw 1 aa
. .; im us iaa( -!
. ,t t Am b4 t-- fa aiiw
ki aat.
II aMt. t a I w
U- ' - '
sVa 4 '
objarta by a.ina'lnig. Rlt save the
seraph ia kaalhuig or Laaa't had its
aaual nap, and declares xh shoe are
jus lovely and papa will be delighted.
Tha rhaneea are that when she
want another pair she will leave the
baby at home, and bring down the old
pair Uterally burst oat at the toe. She
want several pairs to taka home for
trial, and I notice that the only ones I
consider unsuitable she aelecta. Chil
dren would have better looking feet if
they had wiae mothers, and the fault
lies in the first shoes worn. One pair
too short will rain the feet, no matter
how looo subsequent ones may be."
Then some women aocept your ad
vice?" "Yes, after the little people have hud
the foundation for corns and bunions.
I know many children between the ages
of two and three years who have both
these afflictions because their mothers
wanted them to look cute."
"Is there no change in the shape of
children's shoes?"
"None. There can't well be, because
the sole must be sufficiently broad to
stand the wear and tear. Square toes
are preferred to round, lecause they
allow freer development of the toe. In
European countries they make very
stylish shoes for children. They will
have heels, pointed toes, patent leather
tips and so forth. Some mothers buy
them here, but the plain common sense
shoe is the best, and the children when
thev grow up, will apj reciate the fact
by having perfectly formed feet, free
from corns. The spring heel intro
duced a few years ago is now worn by
children as young as two years old, but
is more fashionable for children in their
teens. It is nothing but a strip of
leather inserted between tlie sole and
that part of the shoe pressed by the
wearer's heel. It is seldom that a smal
ler than No. 8 is made with a regular
h.-el, and that on the common sense
plan low and broad."
"How are babies' shoes numbered?'
"No. 4 is the first size out of baby
hood. No. 0 has a soft sole of white
kid and pasteboard, and is the succes
sor of the knit wool boots that are worn
by babies in long dresses. Nos. 1, 2
and 3 have what is called the turned
sole, sewed together on the wrong side
turned out. There are from four to
five buttons on the side, and a black
tassel is now fastened at the top in
front. The Iate&t is to have a vamp of
r rencn km, with call upers, or, what
is still better, a half boxed round toe,
tinned with patent leather." Stu
Yrk .tdi ' and Krire.
Josh Billings Latter.
Money iz like charily, kovvers a mul
tit iil' e of sins.
Yung men, larn tew listen! I don't
mean at a keyhole.
Trew liberty konsists in making good
laws, ana obeying mem.
A "gentleman about town" iz one
who pays cash for everything except
Liz debts.
One of the hardest men in the world
tew collekt a debt ov iz the man who Iz
ala us willing tew pay, but never re Idy.
When I dfekover that all hatred, ava
rie, ambition, vanity and envy have
left tlm world, then I am going tew
hunt for a Christian.
A pedant Is one who fills himself in a
cellar with the klam broth ov literature,
and then picks his teeth in the society
ot the learned.
I sui'poze we never shall kno in this
life how big a phool a man kan be be
kause he iz not allowed tew have all his
wants and vanities gratified.
When yu And a man who lz very
sol 1st us about the welfare ov everybody,
you kan rafely put him down as one
who lz bunting for misfortune.
Thare is but little, if any, ceriuiony
between two w ze men; but between a
wize man and a pliool ceriuiony is the
only thing that will make a phool feel
re-pec table.
Thare iz plenty of happiness in this
life if we only knu it, and one way tew
find it iz when we have got the old
I u ma tic tew thank heaven that It ain't
the gout.
The devil iz probably the best judge
ov human natur that ever lived aud he
must hav beleaved in the dockriue of
total depracity or he wouldn't have
undertook tew tempt the Saviour.
Authors' Manuscripts.
Macaulay wrote on foolscap and in a
very large band.
Ueorge Sand wrote neatly upon nicely
ruled note paper.
Kobert Louis Stephenson's manu
script verses are easily deciphered.
Ciiailotte Bronte wrote lu the minut
est of charac.ers in a d'niinutive note
book.
Mis Alco'.t did some of her best work
ou the back of her father's old manu
script. Charles Dickens covered every Inch
of his manuscript, as though pair
were scarce and dear.
Some of Mark Twain's jokes are said
to have originally occupied entire sheets
of cardboard.
Douglas Jerrol-JL jotted down Hs
witty Inspirations' on narrow, ribbon
like strips of blue paper.
The novelists, Charles Reade and
Victor Hugo, preferred Immense sheets
of paer and the coarsest of pens.
Bartley Campbell scribbled off his
famous play, "My Partner," on com
mon wrapping paper, with a blunt lead
pencil.
Both William Black and XL D.
Blackinore cover dainty sheets of note
paper with their almost microscopic
c urography.
Shaking Hands.
Who doesn't enjoy a good hearty
nand-shake? Did you ever think of the
different modes of doing it? First,
there is the very genteel way, in fact,
ao very proper and po'lte that one can
scarcely realize it at all, and it looses
its identity. Next is the firm grasp,
denoting strong, friendly and sympa
thetic feeling, but without any shaking
motion of the hand.
There are people who do not seem to
have strength enough to shake bands
I do Bat mean invalids they simply
loach yoar hand for mere ceremony.
Thia sort of a skake makes one feel de
ori ! at oace-
Tba kvearty, aionrre hand -ahake seems
tu .aa to ba" of a a tar. lo rkwer and
nbtri the awtkrra of th. haa-la. Some
lian a prrw au eatbaataatir. sxC to
M aarafc, " it awau a. if tha haad
a. ia a vwa. aad a ains-t axaooata to
m.ttmi paa 4nag Uus treaaaadoua
1 k aftM haard at amid "Xumt tha
mm f m 1 ia wea ia taw aa4t ot ati
mmb tm ww. Vba wa tawy la VJ.
lj ,1 ,4 Wuti. varyia. ot rw. witk
tjm J-- MM t,i ai ik " I
4,i.latt II. a fmmrrmi rmtm. t.J
mm.tm - a fmrtm-mt mmi K
J a...a ti -a k
H.atorlcaJ Andot,. of th. Tabba. Nobody Els.
The other examples of royal luxury '
wiuwg UB VJ AUHUtrUI who i
thooght to be the same aa "Artaxerxes
Long-Hand. This prince entertained
for six months, all the princesses and
Kovernors of his 127 province and kept
for the seven following davs. the tables
spread for all the people of his capital.
tne great city ot busa.
Ihe tapestries, white, green and
finrple, were suspended by cords of fine
men with rings of silver attached to the
mar hie pillars; the couches of gold and
of silver, were arranged upon a pave
ment ot porpnry, jasper, alabaster and
inlaid marbla. He gave his gnests
golden vases to drink from and served
their food upon different plates. The
royal wine, by order of the same king
flowed in abundance.
The place of honor, which, with the
Greeks, was at the end of the table, was
with the Persians in the center. At
state festivals the women were separat
ed from the men; thus during the feasts
given by Ahasuerns, queen Yashti had
the invited ladies on her side. One
rememlers how the king, his heart
warm with wine, in order not to fail in
national traditions, ordered the seven
eunuchs, who served him, to bring
Vashti to him, that he might show to
all his guests how Iwautif ul she was, and
she refusing to have such an exhibition
made of her charms, was set aside, and
replaced by Esther.
The monarchs celebrated with much
pomp the anniversary of their birth.
Th. repast that they gave on this occa
sion was called tyxta, that is to say
"finished."
The king was the only one ermitted
to hare his hair perfumed at this festi
val; and he made all sorts of presents to
his officers and his people. It was not
possible to elude the demands which
were presented to him during this festi
val, and it is for this reason that
Xerxes was not able to refuse his wife,
Amestris, to surrender to her, her beau
tiful sis'er-in-law, of whom this queen
was furiously jealous, and whom she
mutilated without pity.
All Persian celebrated also the day
of birth by a feast; the rich displayed
an ox, a hi rse, an ass or a camel, roast
ed whole in a furnace; the poor con
tented themselves with serving iion
tneir tables the head of a small beast.
The Persians borrowed of the Assy
rians the use of couches at the table, but
they made an important inovation in
the construction of these seats; they in
vented the footstool.
Like the Carthagenians, the Greeks
and the Romans had the custom of eat
ing boiled meat with nee. The latter,
moreover, was not wanting; for from
olwervations by SprogeL Oliver and
other naturalists, wheat and the most
of our grains were indigenous and not
from Sicily, as the Greeks pretended,
but from uper Asia and especially from
tne norm ot fersia.
The Persians used oil of sesame. They
obtained from palm trees wine, vinegar,
si rup, rlour, etc In oue of their songs
that Strabo the geographer mentions,
they number three hundred and sixty
different articles which this tree pro
daces. Herodotus made a u lous re
mark concerning the repuaU of the Per
sians. "They observe," he said, "the follow
ing customs, they delilerate while
drunken over affairs most worthy of
attention. The next day, fasting,
the master of tho house where they
assemble submits to them again what
they have resolved njon. If they ap
prove it they execute it, if they disap
prove it they reject it. On the contrary,
what they have decided niton fasting,
they revise when drunken.
One attributes to the Persians, neigh
bors of the Medes, the invention of
light bread, but we know alreadv that
this invention has been attributed to the
Cappadocians.
The butter of Partha was celebrated,
and fifty years after Aristotle, the
Greek's supplied themselves with it at
great exiense, not knowing how to pre
pare it themselves.
The Caramaniens, whose country
bordered that of the Persians, had a
strange custom. In order to show a
sincere affection, they opened, at their
festivals, a vein in the forehead, and
mixed their blood with wine, then offer
ed the cnp. This was for them the
proof of jierfect friendship that of
drinking reciprocally their blood. After
thev drink they annomt their heads
w itL ointment, sometimes of roses or of
quince, sometimes of iris or of nard, in
order to obviate a little of the effects of
the wine, and to prevent the fumes of it
from becoming injurious.
They were not the only barbarians
who had extraordinary customs. The
Illyrians when they drank bound their
stomachs with girdles.
The Thracians seated themselves in a
circle in order to eat and placed before
each guest a table with three feet; these
tal des were covered with cut meats, to
which were attached by pegs large
loaves of fermented bread. The Illy
rians and the Thracians dwelt in that
part of the country called to-day the
peninsula of the Balkans; this will per
mit us then to pass into Greece without
having recourse to a tradition less
natural and less legitimate.
An Easily-Made Gift.
Among my lovely holiday gifts, came
a box that has been a perpetual comfort;
a plain, Quakerish little affair, but
daintily put together, and full of possi
bilities in the matter of suggestion to
people who have but little time; and
perhaps less money.
Materials: A square paper box a
six inch one is preferable for handker
chiefs let it be two or three inches in
depth; sever the parts with great care
in preparation for covering. Cover
each piece neatly inside, ami out with
pale, fine linen, ecru-tinted or brown,
as one likes. "The sewing, overhand
stitch, must be done with great neat
ness. Arrange in due order the bottom
and four surrounding pieces; join them,
with sewing silk of same color, then add
the cover, sewing firmly its entire
ength to the back section of the box,
band around the fonr sides a eontrast
ing nblon abont an inch wide (satin
preferred I. Commence this in front,
w here a handsome bow should cover
the connection; if intended as a work
tket. rat inside the cover a few neat
ly adgvu flannel leave for needles, and
Inittoa-buled luopa for tape-needle,
ldkin, aad srtaaora. A dainty bow on
tba cover adda a pretty finish, or one
bit, with ewihrotderv silk to match th
nbVwa. work a few attaint deeigna, or
1m -tikce, arowaa th b.; aim if
ruav.uaat. f -ar fuod-aised "beil-bat-V
wilk taa . ssay be passed
iafw-k th Ivwr eurwara iby aaing a
U-ia-a aad waii faal mt oa th la aid,
w a are svwMy to lasdard.
Tai-a aa wk4 mtm IW ra-uac aaav
In iaa mwi I. Skiaa. 4 ywua
I M r. mmA I wta tali y a W U
yf tb kt llW
Two little h&ndft, fto careful mnd brisk,
Puttinc th tt thin tern iwit ;
hito nuMbeM ia resting awhile In her chair.
For sh has been buf all day.
And the dear little fingers ar working for
love.
Although they are tender and wee.
TH do it so nicely. sh said to herself
"There's nobody be, you see.'
Two little feet lust scampered up-stairs.
For daddy will quicklv be here ;
And his shoes must be ready aud warm by the
tire.
That is burning so bright and so clear.
Then she must climb on a chair to keep watch,
"lie cannot come in without me.
When mother is tired, I open the door
There nobody else, you see."
Two little arms round daddy's dear neck.
And a soft, downy cheek 'gainst bis own ;
For out of the newt, so cosy and bright.
The little one's mother has flown.
Bhe bruhr the teardrops away as she thinks,
"Now he has no one but me.
I mustn't give way; that would make him so
Kid
And there's nobody else, you see.
Two little tears on the pillow. Just shed,
lropped from the two pretty eyes:
To little arms stretching out In the dark.
Two little faint sobbing cries.
''Daddy forgot I was always waked up
Vt hen he wliiered good -night to me.
O mother, come back Just to kiss me ia bed
There's nobody ele, you see."
Uttle true heart, if mother can look
Out fnun her home iu the skies.
She will not pass on to her haven of rest"
While the leant dim her little one's eyes.
If .od has shed sorrow around us Just now.
Vet His sunshiue is ever to be:
And He is the comfort for every one's pain
There's nobody else, vou see.
May Hodge.
OUR TA.NDEM.
"I say, Bea," criel Mel Howard,
springing into my room at the academy,
"get on your clothes quick, there's"
The slam of the door arowne 1 the
rest of the sentence, and his footsteps
rould be heard retreating rapidly down
the hall.
I here s Ore around here. ' v: as my
hasty thought.
With vest on wrong side out, hat
hanging on oce ear, collar snapping.
nke the star spangled Banner on
a windy day, and my coat sticking
straight out behind, I fell half way
down the stairs, tore out the front
door to And my chum contentedly
chewing gum on the gate post, while
waiting for my appearance.
"Takes you au awful long time!" he
growled.
"Where's the fire? Whose Is it?" I
gasped.
"Nobody said anything about a fire,"
was the cool reply. "How much
money have you got?"
I stopped, appalled at this question.
Was this what be wanted when he
called me in such a hasty manner?
I looked at him closely to see if he
was clothed in his right mind, and,
finding he was, mechanically thrust my
band Into my pocket and drew forth a
dime.
"Is that all you've got left out of
your quarter's allowance?" he in
quired, in tones of astonishment.
"I 'orgot I had that, or"
"You'd have bought that jointed fish
pole of Davis' yesterday," he finished.
"Well. I kaiir you can put up twenty
five, and I've got tweuty-two fifty. I
think we can rake up two aud a half
among the boys."
"But what's it all about?" I asked,
in bewilderment.
"Didn't I tell you when I called you
that there's a fellow over at the hotel
with a tandem for sak:?"
"A tandem!" I repeated, in dismay.
'Now, Mel, what"
"Oh, yes; what do we want with a
tandem? Maybe we want It for scrap
iron! I am informed that it Is a device
like a tricycle, destined to carry two
persons you and I, for instance. You
said last week you wished you had
something to make the fel'ows euviou.
Xow, here's your chance."
Did I go into the scheme? To be
sure I did, head over heels.
While he started out to "rake up"
two dollars and a half, I returned to
my room to finish my hasty toilet.
"Are you sure he'll take fifty dol
lars?" I asked, as 1 joined him a few
moments later.
"He'll have to, if he sells it to us,"
was the wise reply. "Here, you take
charge of the chink and I'll do the
talking."
"Mr. Morton's not up yet." replied
the omVious clerk in response to Mel's
inquiry for the gentleman who possessed
such a wonderful piece of mechanism
as a tandem.
After a tedious wait of fifteen min
utes, be called to Mel and pointed to a
gentleman s tainting near tlie dining
room tioor as tliu party we wished to
I"Well, yes; I've got a tandem for
, sale." be said slowly, after a few pre
liminary remarks bad been exchanged,
eyeing us with a view of making cer
tain cumulations on our combined capi
tal. It was on the top floor.
"There it is," remarked Mr. Morton,
cautiously, as he threw open the door of
a small room and pointed to a five foot
concein standing in one corner, the
light from the window glistening on its
polished nickel and enamel.
"It's ball bearing all around, with
automatic steering bicycle handles,
forty-two inch drivers twenty inch
steering wheel," he went on glibly.
"Axle is driven from the center by two
detachable link chains and sprocket
wheels, fitted with an automatic bal
ance gear, composed of three bevel
wheels aid a shaft, by which the power
is equally transmitted to both wheels."
(Pause tor breath.) "It has been used
but few times; original cost two hun
dred and fifty; will take one fifty.
Wht do you think of the bargain?"
We had been examining the machine,
titit . 1 lha tnAnllii nf li i ti Atir
hundred and fifty dollars! If be bail
said f 1,500 our surprise could not have
been greater.
"Heml" said Mel. cautiously looking
very critically at me over the machine!
"Is that the very least you'll take?"
"Ob, I couldn't Bake less than that!"
replied Mr. Morton, decidedly.
What's the reasons for selling?" I
inquired, running my hand over the
tires to keep up appearances, seeing be
looked at us rather astonished.
They were cut in a great many
places, to show it had been run rather
recklessly, if used but a few days.
Xever mind the reason for selling."
answered Mr. Morton, sharply. "It
has nothing to do with the sale."
Neither noticed the short reply, or
perhaps we would have thought twice
before proceeding.
"We'll give you $o0; that's the best
are can do," was Mel's offer.
-Oh. be couldn't do it! Why It cost
two fifty; but after twenty minute
arjulng, and numerous false starts for
i be door, he suddenly changed htr
aiind. accepted th $-VJ, and we became
th bapi y puwi saurs of a tandem.
"Mr. Brooks, tb proprietor, sire
:? Ajieeird t mj btlnglng It in.
U. Mtartoa, as couilJ Uh.
money before placing it in his packet.
so he may object to yeur taking it out.
as "
"Oh. no, he won't!" burst in the Im
petuous MeL "I know Mr. Brooks."
"Oli. very wellr lie replied witn a
peculiar smile, as be picked up a valise.
"I hope you'll have no serious trouble."
"None at all!" I responded, cheer
fully. And then his footsteps died away
down the halL
After a great deal of "see sawing"
we got it through the door. I carried
the front, Mel the back, aud down the
stairs we went. All went well until
we reached the bottom flight, leading
through the office, when we received a
startling check.
'Hold on there!" shouted Mr. Brooks,
hurrying across the office. "Where
are you going with that machine?"
"Home," was our intripid answer,
in one voice.
"I guess not!" was the emphatic re
sponse. "I've got a (30 board bill tacked onto
that vehicle."
"I felt a sickening sensation come
over me. Thirty dollars more eighty
dollars. What next? Everything swain
for an instant; then I was aroused by
Mel's awe struck voice from above:
"I say. Ben. can we stand it?"
Involuntarily I glanced back at the
shinning enamel and glittering nickel
Its silent persuasive powers were too
much.
"Ot course; we'll have to stand it!"
I burst forth.
"Then here goes," was the mournful
reply.
And we once more descended.
Mel aas a brilliant conversationalist;
but it took our combined oratorical
powers and the signing of two nous,
each for fifteen dollars, before Mr.
Brooks would consent to let the ma
chine pass over the door sill.
"No wonder Morton changed his
mind and let us have it!" cried Mel,
indignantly, as we pushed it into the
btreeL "Eighty dollars is all its worth."
"And hoped we'd have no serious
trouble." 1 added, sarcastically.
Then we mounted, I in the front
saddle, Mel a foot higlir-r behind.
What a sensation we created, spin
ning down the smooth streets.
How our hearts did beat witli 1G
y ear-old boyish pride, as we noteJ ieo-
ple stop to sttre after us; but how
qu'ckly they sank when a crowd of
small bovs gave chase!
"Don't hit 'em wid de rock, Jimmy,"
pleaded a voice from an alley.
We both dodged to escape the imagi
nary missile, to be greeted with boistei
ous laughter.
Then followed a series of cries that
m ide our ears tingle.
"Who owns 'em? "Head 'em off
from the hall, or we'll be out a clock!"
"Who sai l it breathed?" "Is it tag
ge.1?" "They use it to haul brick!"
'Hurry, please," cried a girlish
voice. "iKm't let tny dog see you, or
he'll have tits again."
That settled it. With faces the color
of an auctioneer's fl.ii:, we turned down
a side striet and made direct for the
academy.
All thoughts of vanity had fled, leav
ing in their stead mortification.
Davis met us at the porch with a
genuine stare of astoiiishineiit.
"Hello!" he cried. "What have we
here a tindein? Well, now, a n't
that iust jolly ?"
We look d at each ot er. but neither
could ste anything amusing. KvideuLly,
Davis had never rottea taudeui through
our town.
"They'ie One for coasting," he x
plained. "Wouldn't it be a grtal
s;-heuie to try it on Five Mile hill to
morrow It's Saturday, you know."
'Just the thing," 1 cried, enthusias
tically. "What do you say, Mel?"
Same thing."
Therefore, all present being unani
mous ou the subject, it was agreed that
we should push the tandem up live
miles of steady grade for the pleasure
of coasting down.
I turned out bright and early next
morning, to find Mel excitedly walking
round and round the tandem on the
lawn.
"1 say, Ben, there's something tlie
matter with this machine," be cried,
excitedly, as I came up.
'What is it?"
"That's it," was the rueful reply.
"I've looked at It for ten minutes, and
I can't see what it is, though there's
something wrong."
I lookfd at it, too, with the same
reft ill-.
What ccild it lie? Everything looked
all right, yet there was au Indescribable
sensation that something was wrong.
Coming to the conclusion that we
must be laboring under a hallucination,
w mounted and rode slowly out of the
grounds.
How invigorating it was to skim
along the roads, packed as hard as flint,
lined with orchards and hedges, with
occasional long, shallow ruts that gave
you a wavy, springy motion 1
Two miles of these ro:id ami then
we reached tlie foot of Five Mile hill.
A railroad curves around the left
side, going up, crosses the road, and
strikes off to the right. For two hun
dred yards above this, the road has its
steepest grade. Here we found it nec
essary to dismount and push the ma
chine. A quarter of a mile farther we came
to what is called the "Hollow" a kind
of ravine, a couple of hundred feet
broad, with slanting banks fourteen
feet high.
There are places on Five Mile hill
that comparatively speak tig, are very
near level. On these we would gather
strength for another exertion, and then,
toiling, panting, we would creep slow ly
up.
There were but few turns, broad and
far between.
Just two hours and thirty-five min
utes after leaving the academy, we
stopped on the crest of Five Mile hill,
the perspiration streaming down our
dusty faces, our hands bliste ed aud
cramped with holding the handles, our
feet nearly paralyzed with the strain.
But in spite of the above drawbacks,
we managed to make a victorious as
aaul. ou an apple orchard.
Seated on our tandem at one side of
the road, we amused ourselves by plac
ing the fruit where it would do the
most good, recounting the trip to find
what pleasure we had derived from it
and found none at all and deciding
whether to return or make another as-
ult.
We decided on tlie former. Pushing
the machine into the middle of the
road, I mountel. Mel held a driver in
one band to prevent Its starting, bis
watch In the other to time our down
ward journey.
"Ready?"
And receiving an affirmative reply,
t e sprang into his saddle.
To or three turn on tba pelals b
us a start, and with feet (Hevd
firmly oo the rubber foot rwt, .an l
clasp ng the vibtallu2 handle balk, wrj
prepared for a quirk run.
It was quicker than we anticipate 1. !
Down the road we went at a fat In-'
creating ijieea. lieu we reartwM ,
wnal l considered ainr.-e minute ga t
I thought it about time to stop the in
crease.
My fingers closet over the break
lever; it came in nearly to the handle
bar, but no slackening in the speud
as perceptible.
"One isn't enough," I t'.iougl.U
Watt till Mel puts bis on."
The next moment Mel leaned forward
an I shouted for me to put the brake on.
hat could that mean. I looked back
and saw his fingers were clasjied fo
tightly around both bar and lever tint
they were white.
As if by instinct, we both looked
down at the axle where the band brake
ran on a small, smooth wheel. It was
gone!
The rods were neatly bolted in fie
holes made for the band, where all the
power in the universe exerted on the
levers could never affect the speed.
I saw it all in an instant one of
Davis' practical jokes. He had le-
moved It, no doubt, to cause us an in
citing hunt tor the missing article.
That was what had caused our un
easiness in the morning, yet we had
been unsble to determine what it was.
Oh, that we bad investigated! What
would be the result?
There was nothing to stop us from
going at that headlong speed clear to
the bottom five miles away unless,
of course, we were thrown off at the
ho'low or fell off at once.
Tree, flumps and rocks flew past
with lightning like rapidity. A straight
stretch of road we covered with the
seed of a passenger train.
A long curve, that in spite of the
ample space, caused us to run so near
the outer edge and a ditch that my
heart rose Into my mouth.
Then came a dark shadow in the
road, a warning cry from Mel, and we
described an arc over the top bank, to
land with stunting force in tlie holhnv.
A great sweep, a quick rise, and we
ilew high up, to laud with similar
force in the road aga'n.
In that one second in the air I
glanced off to the left, and there hor
ror! was a long freight train coming
swiftly toward the crosdng. Would it
cross before we did, or would it "
Two long and two short whistles for
the crossing. I shuddered. To go
down that last slope, directly into that
line of flying cais, meant instant death
There was no turning aside. No;
we would either have to beat the tram
over the crossing or hold back and let
it pass us the former one chance In a
hundred, the latter an impossibility.
As we started down that last slope
we caught sight of the powerf ul loco
motive, its connecting rods flying like a
high sped dynamo engine, its solil mass
trembling with every defect in the rails,
and coming toward us with a rpeed
that tbreatenel to cross before we
could.
Oh, how slow the tardem seemed to
move! Yet, in reality, it was flying
along at ircre.tsej, rather than dimin
ished spec 1.
A short, shaip, e.ir splitting whistle,
calling for "brakes," denoted that the
engineer wanted to stop.
lie reversed, gave It sand and ste.im;
but, although the oiilrous drivers re
luctantly turned, crushing, grinding
fie tine sand into a semblance of Hour,
forty-tuo lcKi'N-l cars were not to be
Mopped on such short notice.
We weie veiy close now, our relative
positions In regard to crossing being
about equal; that is, we would meet
directly In the center of the track,
where, as a matter of course, the
stronger would be the vi -tor.
The engine was on the crossing
there was but few feet of the road to
cross we were in front of her!
1 clung desperately to the handle
bar; my breath seeme 1 to come from
t'.ie region of my toes. Oh, how slow
we were moving! I could count every
bolt in the smoke box; felt the beat
from the boiler; her pilot was touch
ing There was a horrible, grating, jing
ling crash!
1 dimly remember of being thrown
high in the air. of lighting on the edge
of my saddle, of clinging despairlLgly
to the handle bar to keep from falling
off, and of bearing the jingle of the
three broken spokes in the driver as we
flew along the now level road.
The s, eel was fast slackening, ami
soon it slowed up enough to enable us
to get our feet on the ped .-.Is; then the
stop :n speedy.
As I toie the tire loose to pull out
the broken spoke, I beard Mel say
solemnly:
"Eight minutes, Ben. Five miles In
eight minutee!"
Eight minutes! I could only stare at
him.
It had seemed at least eight hours
from the hollow down; yet, according
to reckoning, it must hare been made
in less than half a minute.
Without speaking another word, we
mounted and rode those two miles In
silence.
Davis was on the porch with a crowd
of others when we rode in.
He was playfully tossing a circular
object in the air our brake aud pre
tended not to see us until we stopped
before the orch.
Whether his surprise was real or
feigned when be saw our pallid faces
and haggard looks, I am unable to
say, although I believe it was tlie for
mer. "You don't mean to say you come
down?" be gasped.'"
"You don't mean to say we're up
there yet," retorted Mel, grimly.
Every one was smiling at our ex
peuse, for, of course, Davis had taken
care to inform them of the joke; but
their faces became suddenly grave when
we related our narrow escape.
Of course they had to examine t he
machine that bad made five miles In
such a short space of time, and its
riders became heroes In their eyes,
from the fact that they had stayed on
the frail looking contrivance and rode
to the bottom.
Bet wee a you and me. I am inclined
to think, had they been iu our posi
tion, with the same chances to dii,
mount, that tbey would have stood a
fair show for a share of the praise.
We have it yet. It stands in one
corner of the lecture hall, covered with
a tarpaulin whose sombre color serves
to strengthen the lustre of the enamel
and nickel that peep tbroueh iu places.
All who have ridden it declare it per
fect in every respect; and, in conclu
sion, I will state that there are no two
firmer, faster friends than the joint
owners of "Our Tandem."
Bass calls his wife phonograph be
cause she tells everything that is told
her.
NEWS IN UUIKF.
Aon legzftj aparroa th other
ons M probably loat tc a tiap boi
regularly for Its meals evrrv dav to tb
house of John Fulton, in V.-i t'heat.i.
l'a.
Preparations are neaily completed
for the construction of a telegraph lln
from Fen-Ting Foo, near 1'ekln,
through Sbansia, to connect with th
Russian telegraph system at K'.ahta.
A physician of Salem. N. J., has a
morning glory growing in his yard that
is quite a phenomenon, a reed in oue of
the blooms having sprouted and grown
a vine of considerable length ou the
end of which there is another bloom.
Charles Dickens, the son ot the fa
mous novelist, has a long novel In
manuscript which he has never had the
courage to publish. He realizes that
bis work would be compared with his
father's, and he does not dare to brave
tlie test.
A dilapidated safe that stood out
doors in Adrian. Mich., for teveral
years was recently sold for old iron. On
breaking it up a set ot account books
and a good gold watch weie found in
side, and no one knows to whom the
watch belongs.
"Grace" was a title assumed by
Henry IV. of England in i:w. "Ex
cellent Grace" was assumed by Henry
VI about 1425. This continued the
title jy which the king was addressed
till 1003, the time of James I, when it
was succeeded by the title of "Majes
ty. "
The Mayor in France who has the
smallest constituency is in the com
mune of Morteau, it Is said. He is
Mayor of 12 inhabitants, and the taxei
last year amounted to t'J.-'ti. But be
was invited, all the same, by ttie Gov
ernment to meet his fellow Mayors at
the 1 a lis banquet.
An interesting incident competed
with the departure of the lion. Fred
erick Douglass for tliclal ost as Min
ister to IIati. which is related In tlie
New York 'J'ri'mnf, was the courteous
visit of Junior Lieutenant Edward
I.lojd t Mr. Douglass and his family
before the Kearsargo sailed. Lieuten
ant I.lojd is an oflicer on the new
cruder Boston, and is a gieit-graiidson
of that Colonel Kdword l.loyd who was
the owners of Mr. Douglass and his
mother when they were slaves, and is a
son of the piesent owner of ttie old
plantation in Talliot county, Maryland,
where Mr. Douglass was lsru.
Adesputch from Chicago says: A
ieculiar accident occurred recently in
the Eibby Prison. Many eisous wrr
frightened and souieconfu ion resulted.
Besting against one of the pillars were
a number of old war muskets. No one
was nearer than five feet to them. Sud
denly oue of the muskets was dis
charged, the contents tearing a ho e In
the ceiling above. The report was ter
rific, and several jieople were greatly
excited ov i Its suddenness. How tba
old musket was exploded no one can ex
plain. It hud done service during the
late war, and some soldier ha 1 loaded
It iu reaillne s to lire. The charge must
have been in the rifle at least -.''' years.
An extraordinary story is being
told in Berlin ul'Oiit tlie miraculous es
cape of a woiii:m and a little boy at
Hrieg. "Dunn,; the uiauii'iivres there
they got in front of a regiment of cui
rassiers which was riding at full gallop.
It was impossible for the woman to es
ca and for the soldiers to halt. The
public raised a shout of horror, think
ing the woman and child would be
trampled to death, and the foremost
officers called to her to lie down. This
she did. placing the boy underneath
her. The whole regiment rode over
her, aud, as the horses were all made
to leap over her, she was, to the aston
ishment of everybody, uuhar'sad,
though for some tune she w i sjieech
less with terror."
On going to the top of the Eiffel
Tower, Mr. Edison wrote in the visi
tors' book as follows: "Top Eiffel
Tower, September in, 1SHH. ro. M.
Eiffel, the brave builder of so glgantlo
and original a 8?ciuien of modern en
gineering, from one who has the. great
est res;ct and admiration Tor ad en
gineers. Including the Great Engineer,
the bon I lieu. Thomas A. Ellison."
He subsequently wrote Ids name upon
Mile. Eiffel's fan, which forms a valu
able collection of autographs, learing
the signatures of all the piinces of the
blood royal and the prluees of scleu e
who have visited her father's chef d'
(L-uvre.
A remarkable mistake was made at
the opening of ti e Industrial Fair at
Toronto. Sir John Macdonald bad
made his opening speech of congratula
tion, and before calling upon him to
press an electric button startling the
machinery, President Withrow lDVited
one or two other sjieakers to deliver ad
dresses. Oue of them was Mr. John
Leys, M. P. P. for Toronto. He ad
vanced to the front and laid his heavy
white hat right on the top of the elec
tric button. Instantly there was a
shrieking of whistles, ami the ma
chinery in the building liegau to run.
The crowd roared with laughter, and
after much gesticulation and running
about the maiiageis btoppi the pro
ceeding, and the maihinery was re
started by Sir John and Eddy Macdon
ald. Mme. Sarah Bernhardt has as
cended the Eiffel tower. Jshe iierformed
this feat on the same day as Mr. aud
Mrs. Gladstone, who met the great act
ress descending ou their way up. Mdrne.
Bernhardt was dressed in the deeest
mourning, and kept her veil down, only
lifting it when she reached the third
story. In order to enjoy the view. Her
widow's cap is a Marie Muart, with a
h'lig veil almost reaching the ground,
but she has disensel with the use ot
craie.assertiujr that it Is villainous stuff
w Inch catches the dust, and ought tc
lie condemned by all reasonable people.
On descending to tne first floor of the
tower Mime. Berh-irdt took luncheou
witti she directors of the "eoro, whe
entertained Mr. and Mrs. oladstone
about au Lour lat-r.
"At one of the symphony rehearsal
last season," asys a coriespou lent ot
the Boston TV'mari i,t, my attention
was drawn to an elegantly attired
young woman who occupied a biah
prlced seat not far from where I wa
stauding. She held In her jewel'd
baud a book. In which she seemed com
pletely absorbed. SupjHis'ng the book
was giving her an idea of t' e music in
store I gave her no further thought.
The Symphony began aud ended. I bad
been transjiorted into realms of har
mony, only to be called back by the
turning of leaves. Taking a seemingly
casual glance at the young woman my
curiosity carried my eye sti.'l (uifw,
when, to my astonishment and disen
chantment, I found si i had Ui u iNJ
ing throughout that glorious iuum;
The OjUick or th DeaU,' J ... . ,
"i -
t-
t ...
i,
t ' "'
!
m mh -
f
i