Jjgjiy gmm MSIk Mil segittaiv
B P. SOHWEIER,
THE CONSTITUTION THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor-.
VOL. XLIV.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 12, 1S90.
NO. 12.
It is proposed in ew Jersey to en
act law providing severe punishment
for locomotive engineer who may be
found drunk while on duty. It would
be a good law for other Stales as well
uNe Jersey.
That was a strange remark, io
ported to have 1tii made by Bisniarck
at the pol.mg p'ace, that lie was prob
ably c-a-lins his last vole. The "man
of LIuihI Had iron," iu spite of hU ace,
Is not of the kind to nave fore
boding. The bursting of a storage dam neai
fresco! t, Arizona, v u 1 the conseqi ent
low of at If a t f'Tly lives recalls the
tnrllle O in in nigh catastrophe and
the niiiii -lout warnings then given to
exaiu. ne all such danis In the country.
It vu!d ft em as thrush the dam
wli.rh iurt with such fat .1 results re
cert y ;us n.t examined as it should
l.avf bee i.
A ; i isr tUne seems to be a hope
.hat "Xu M iu'i Land" may be wiped
from the map of the United States.
T.ie Sen te h.is agreed to i nclude this
strip in tl:e piop sed new Teriitory of
Okl ilm, and dat "awl th bill for
its o aiiiation. When tha'- is accom
pli .-iiefi ewiy r.art of the country
will Le ut.iler the dominion uf law.
iiir. statement tint Uie Japanese
iiave begun to import American pianos
gives r:-e to ti e wild hope that those
aesthete barbarians will speedily be
set.d.ng over for some of our piano
pl.iyr . We know dozens of sweet,
womanly young men with pale, dreamy
etesuud angelic mustaches who can
pl.iv, and we insist that the Japa
nese mi st he;r them execute their
Tin i:k h.is been a prompt reaction
from the heavy mortality of the first
eestf th year. This was to be
n, "! !. An epidemic of any kind
raniesoff tbe feeble whose bold upon
hf is sright, and who, with extraordi
nary rau-v, would, in the course of
cu'iiii', drop off one by one. The death
r.ttel,.r a loin period is thus made
toI-i;itly constant, notwithstanding
the f.ict tl .it it may be increased to
Limit g ropoitious for a few weeks
at a Hit- dur.ng the prevalence of
mi epidemic or a long-continued Lot
.?e!l
Tiif: strength and stability of the
French Kepuhlic and the weakness of
the party who still follow the Orleans
stjtuiai d has Ix-eti shown very conclu
sively dm ins the past few days. Less
tliiiri a centtiiy ago had an exiled Frince
sud Iciily letuiued to France there
wo .ld have been war, and even if the
iepul .1 was able to defeat the Roy al
lots tlie offending Prince and his prom
inent snppotters would have either
t"iir to the guillotine or to prison with
little In pe f pardon. The French
people now are not in the least worked
up over the escapade of the Duke of
Orleans, and the republic, exhibits its
contempt by determining to release the
foolish voting man after a short Im
prisonment. Titr crowth of the Socialistic senti
ment iu Germany as shown by the last
election that was held receatly is start
ling Iu its rapidity, and it will set the
(treat statesmen of Kurope to thinking.
Hie Emperor evidently hoped by bis
proposed action on the labor question
to moll.fy the wnrkiugmen and the
leaders of the Socialists and thus to
arrest the crowth of the Socialistic
party, but from the cablegrams re
ceived recently it is evident Unit he did
Dot succeed. Within a score of years
the Siclaltstic vote in Berlin has in
creased from le-s than 10J to 100 0CO,
ami the strength of party in the Rech-
stag became strong enough last year to
defeat a pet me asure of Bsinarck.
The eiec lou tecentlv. it is now under
stood, has incieased the number of
S lallsls iu the Ueichstag fifteen and
decieased the Conservative strength to
lae same extent.
The accident at the Grand Opera
House, Philadelphia, resulting from a
panic among the men engaged, in rais
ing the roof, was of a kind that could
baid'.y have Veen anticipated. Fertu
r.att '.y, no lives were lost and no great
damage don. Engineer 1 leKintler bad
adttpted the block and tackle method
of raising the roof for the express pur
P'V of avoidiug dangers from a high
win 1 liable to arise at this season of
the year during the slow process of
jacklrn; up, aud he would no doubt
have succeeded tut tor the excusable
panic anion,; the men who deserted
the;r windlasses, and thns caused the
accident they dreaded. A new roof is
to be built, aud it Is said that the work
of rt tro!elling will not be delayed for
more than a week beyond the time
or'.g:nally appointed for its com
p'.et ion.
While thoe Interested in the mat
er are trying to find out why so many
soldiers desert from our regular army it
might te a good thing for taem to ioo
Into the case that was recently reported.
LUutenaut Steele ordered a private sol
dier to do a certain work that was not ,
by any stretch of imagination within
the lineot his duty, and when the sold
ier refused the Lieutenant struck him.
The private was then placed under
sxrest, and a court-martial, with the
same Lieutenant as President, was ap
pointed to try him. Of course the
private sold er was convicted and pun
ished. A man who would willingly
consent to perform a menial service
without tbe Hue of his duty at the
orders of a superior officer would not
make a good American soldier, and an
oflcer who would give such an order,
strike the man for refusing and then
set as a member of the court-martial.
Is not fit to command men.
THE AGENT TOO FLY.
rutil
Attempt to Boom a News
pa oers Cremation.
The weekly paper on which I learned
my trade was situated in a town
which no crcus going west ever
skipped. We used to count on those
:ircusdi.a regularly as we did on
the hoi i J ays, an t for years and year
we were without a break. TUey were
cash, of course, outsidx of the dozen
rree tickets which lite ajent left, ami
the money pu'led the publisher through
tiKht place mote than once. Our ob
iect was, of course, to gel as high a
rale as possible and to gel a liigh rate
w1ihJ to booui the circulation. It
hell steady at 450, and for the Crst
three or lour years it was siifScL ut to
tel the agent that we printed "about a
thousand copies" After that, how
ever, I here was one chap who gave us
trouble. lie was an agent fur old Dan
Kice, and he paralyzed us by asklnt to
see the pile of paper we hd wet down
for the outside pag-s. While he didn't
jet to see it, be knocked our tegular $10
al tlowu to t-'l l. aid h id no sooner goue
than we began to plan to beat him nex.
eason.
About the time he was expected we
got an extra bundle of paper, fixed it
w ith the landlord of the hotel to notify
us an I the lJe was to wet dow n
e:io gU to show a full thou -an! copies.
We were daily expectlug a call, when
an old tramp printer slouched into the
oiHce oue moruing and asked for a jot).
We were just gelling ready to work off
the outside pages, aud as be said he
was used to a "Washington" la was
offered a quarter to pull the edition, I
was at tlie roller and I soon saw that he
knew his business. In two hours he
reached the bottom sheet and turned to
the publisher with:
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that's all."
"I make the pile four hundre I aud
arty."
"It's about four hundred and eighty.
Here's your quarter, and perhaps I 11
let you set up an auction bill this after
noon.
When afternoon came. In walked the
circus agent, looking as Jim dandy as
you please. e took one look at mtn
an 1 fainted. He was the identical chap
who had d ne the press work of the
on rnlng. When were covered constiouc
uess be was holding out his blls'.ere t
hands anil sayiug:
"I'll nil out a contract at SIS an l
leave six tickets. Sorry for you gen
tlemen, but tierhars you can get rid ol
that extra burxlle or psper by uis.-ount-
mg liberally on the price. 1 m working
ihis little racket all along the l'.ue, and
U s curious how fast the circulation ol
the papers gets below five hundre I.'
Aeto 1 ork bun.
Bowser Attain.
I suppose Mr. Bowser is just like all
other husbands in regard to money
matters, and I hope no one will get the
idea that I am speaking in a complain-
ng tone, writes Mrs. ivowser in tne
Detroit rrtc fress. It Is the duly ol a
wife to pi-t up with whatever queer
things her husband's nature may devel
op, and no wife must wonder ever a
husband s lnconsl leucies ana incom
prehensible actions.
A few weeks before we were marrieu
he himself brought up the subject or
money matters, and that tt my gr.at
embarrassment. In a sudden burst of
liberality he said:
"I heie is one thing wmcu snau never
!iaipen in my house. You will never
he obliged to ask me for mouey. 1
know husbands who tre it their wives
is they would co lectors come for an
outlawed account. They pinch them
town to the last shilling, and even then
ie-uand to know Low that wasexpeuded
Such husbands as those deserve the
contempt of every deceut man."
"Ves," I replied, not knowing what
e!s to'say.
"Wheu we are married," he contin
ued, "half my income is yours. W' by
We are the same or will be the same
as partners In business. Although 1
may carry the money about for mutual
convenience and safety you have the
-ame right to tt as I have. IVIi-u jou
want any, just go to the pockelbojk
and help yourself."
We had been maiTiel several week
when I wanted a couple of dollar. 1
happened to think of it as Mr. itowsei
la asleep on the lounge oue evening.
And I therefore took out hU pocket-
book, removed a $i bill, aud replaced
the rest as I found it. As I did so he
lumped un and ve led out:
"Well, if that l-n't cheek then I don't
know what tbe article is: larrieu omy
six weeks aud vou are robbing your
husband!"
"You told me to help myself."
".Never. I'd look pretty telling yoa
In roll ma wouldn't 1?"
"Hut you said half your Income be
longed to me. and lual l never iieeu
sk for monev."
"You must be crazy! What on earth
could you o with money? Why. If
vou bad SISor fi per week you'd run
us to ruin in three monthsl I' don't
want to pinch you down as some wive
are pinched, but dont you ever have
the audacity to put a baud on my wal
let againl When you aut chauge I'll
give it to you."
In the coarse of a week or two 1
asked him for $L It was at the break
fast table, and the way be looked up
almost cau ed me to choke on a moutb
ul of potato.
"A dollar!'' he exclalmeJ.
--yes, you said I should ask you
Vd I wanted any money."
"Humph! Here U 4J ents. anl I
hope you wdl exeicl e good judgment
iu expending it."
Two days later he inquired how I had
used the money, and by way of reply 1
said:
Mr. Bowser, we have been
mart led
as you
Your income.
. m- u Sto ner week.
W-what's
that to. do with th
cae"
. i a r.
You have bad
f 2S0 coiue in since we were marrieu.
How have you spent it. Piease get out
jour account book."
"Are you talking to me?"
Certai nly. I am tbe same as a busi
ne Partner. How has that m ney
He? tried to fay something in reply,
but words failed him and be put on his
nat .nd walked around the block to
cool off. When be returned be had
calmed down sufficiently to say:
Mrs. Bowser, there must be a bea I
to every house."
"That bead must see to money mat
lers."
-w U
dont want to pinch you dowias
I said before, lor x
vho will do that. W':lle my money -
yours to a certain extent, it It "
"It is not mv money to another cer
tain extent."
"Well the proper way for you is to
conf -r with me as tt what you ueel.'
"If you want a c gar or a drink ol
beer or a street car tcket do you conM
with me?"
-Bu: that's different."
"Oh, is it? Very well, let us conrer.
Get out your penc.l and put down: One
strap for one pet t ctt, 2 cents; 1 darn
ing needle, one cent; six agate button
3 cents; one corset lace "
"S o?," he interrupted. "As I sal."
before. I don't want to pinch you down,
but 1 hops you will exerc se good judg
ment in making your purchases. Here.
a half, and you needn't give me au
b'.U of items."
We had not been ni..n!el three
months when I ob--rved to i e very p--cullar
actions on the part of Mr. li w
ser. He would count his money tht
hist thing at night and the first thing ii
the morning. On two occasions 1 found
his wallet in the ball-tree drawer when
I came down first, Aeraln, it was un
der the lounge In the sitting room
WI.etilaskel for an explanation ol
these queer pr icee ling he replied that
it was to gu irtl g tinst burglars.
One night, wh-u be thought I w-.u
asleep, be got up and took h s w.illei
from under the bureau and hid it be
tween the mat tre -sea of the spare bed.
An hour later I went in an 1 found it aud
removed its contents, alout f 4 . This
mouey I placed in 11 1 ants pocket and
went to sleep prepared for a surprise
p-rty. One came. I ai downstairs
wheu he got ut, and presently I herd
him danciug about and shouting:
I3y the great horn spoon! but w'vt
been rbl.l, Mrs. Bowserl"
"Well?"
"We hal burgTan in the house la-i
ni lit!"
"Xo!"
"Yes, we had!"
"How do you know?"
"Became my mouey is gone!"
"Where was i ?"
"It was "
He checked himself there and mum
bled something I coul I not h ar, but
when be came dow n he was white as st
ghos'. a.id his voice trembled as he
he said:
"Mrs. Bowser, do you think the cooU
is hon. si?"'
"Why, of c turse. How conlJ she
come iu our bedr.Kvn anil ta'e your
wallet out of your coal?"
"Strangest thing 1 ever saw. They
took the mouey but left the wallet "
At this moment he liegan searching
his ptickets. aud when be found the
money he looked so foolish that I fell
to pity him. Since then I have found
his wallet in the washstand, in the bed,
behind the bureau, under different
chairs, in the clot ies hamper, and be
hind the clock. Once he left bis coat
to have a button sewed on. I ha 1 not
been around to it yet, and he had been
gone an hour or more, when I looked
OJt and saw him coming up tbe street
on the keen jump, with everybody turn
ing to look at him. I supposed the
house was o i fire, and grew so weak
that I had to fall into a chair. He
jumped against the front door w.lh t
great bang, fussed aruuad it, and finally
rushed in to yell out :
"Where ir my coa ?"
"Is is the house alire?" I askeJ.
'Thunder, no! Where's my coat?"
Why, hanging ou the hall-lree."
"And you've been into my wallet?'
"Xo, I tiaveu'L I haven't even
touched it,"
He gave au awful grunt of depght as
he found the wallet s ife, aud, as 1
afterwards ascertained, it contained
exactly $7 and no more.
Superstition vs. Auctioneering.
The pe sonal effects of the German
sailor, Fra.ik I-eibering, who was hurled
from the fore topmast of schooner John
li. Manning, recently, aud drowned,
while be was i i the act of stowing the
sail, are at the ofiice of t'.ie Shipping
Commissioner, on south Mam street.
The goods consist of a sailor's canvas
bag, woodeu chest, shoes, clothing, and
about everything else that Is used bv
sailors. By an order of the United
Maties Crcuit Court. Commissioner
Freeman is authorized to dispose of the
stuff for as much money as it will
bnug. F.r two weeks past he hai
daily mounted a elm r and, with i
crowd of weather-beaten mariners gath
ered rouud about him, tried to sell the
second-hand outfit. But sailors are a
superstitious lot of men, and don't re
lish wearing dead men's clothes so Mr.
Freeman has had a bard job of the
auctlon-eriiig. As yet, but a pair or
two of old shoes, a blanket, and some
tobacco have been disposed of- Th
canvass bag, full of jumpers, over-
co.tt. etc., has been offered at the low
rate price of $2. with no takers. Wheii
the sale is closed, tbe c ish will be for
warded to the dead -tailor's mo her
who lives in Germany. Pcort J.i (.''
.I J-mrnaL
T't use or electricity In tanning i-
not a modern idea, by a long way, if
correspondent of a Xew York daily Jt
correctly iuformetl. He says that tin
P. rslaus have for ages believed in tht
efficacy of electricity in the prepara
tion of leather, adding: As the Per
sians have been, of coarse, entire!)
iirnorant of modern scienli'ic method
for obtaining or utilizing electricity
thev have sometimes exposed then
ieatb'r ou h'gh places, especially vhj
Mount Elweud. near H tmadan. Tin:
they do precisely because such elevatec
spots are most exposed to electrica
storms, and they afflrm that 1'ghtnin.'
ior electricity) is a valuable agent ir
the curing of leath'-r.
Mr. O. Tillc, in paper read befon
tbe Academy or scieii.ts, or fans.
sh ws that tlie composition of the soi
influences plants In live principal char
acters, viz., tbe stature, the color, fit
amount of carotine and chloropliyL
and tlie quantity of vegetation.
table is gien showing the different!
in stature and color of plants of the
common hemp according to the manurt
used, from which it Is evident that in
plant flourishes least in soil without
manure, next In manure without pot
ash. and in manure without nitrogen.
The absence of lime and phosphate Ir
the manure in the case of hemp did not
inter ere so largely with the color and
stature of the plants. It would appear.
therefore, that rich manure is essential
at least, to the devel pnaent
foliage.
There are in the V ited States a!ui
33.000 Indian children of school age.
exclusive of the five civilized tribes wl.c
educate their own.
"If 1 gave you a cent, Bobbie, wbal
would you do wun :ir
'I'd buy a postel card and write t,
youfoLS-Wr.
A SPLENDID SPORT.
Something Interesting About Hunt
ing Sea Otters.
It is not generally known th it some
of the mont expensive fur-producing
animals are killed off the coast of the
new State of Washington, says the
Portland Oregonian, and it is remark
able that the extent of territory where
these animals are taken is so extreme
lr limited, being only from Damon's
Point at the northern entrance to
(rav's Harbor up the coast to Point
Greenville, a distance of about twenty-
four miles. The animal referred to is
the sea otter, the fur of which is manu
factured into the robes of the poten
tates and princes of the Old World.
L nuke that of the seal, the fur of tha
sea otter requires no plucking of hair
or coloring; in fact the mott valuable
skins are those which are speckled
throughout with a silver-tipped hair,
which is known as the silver-tipped fur,
the addition of this hair adding 25 to
50per cent, to the price of the skin. :
1 here are now several hunters en.
gatred in killing sea otters at the place
referred to, aud the modus operandi ol
taking them was very interesting tome.
xhe hunters build for themselves der
ricks alxmt forty feet h gh bv taking"
three slim poles or pieces of timber.
each about forty feet in length, and.
bolting them securely together at one
end for the top they spread them about
twenty-nve feet apart at the bottom,
triving the appearance of a huge tripod.
These are s-t on t e ocean beach, about
midway between high aud low tides,
the foot of the poles being embedded in
the sand from two to three feet. The
structure is then thorougly braced, aud
ladder bnut to the top by muling
pieces at convenient distances cross
wise on the inland.
A bom eighteen inches below the top
of the tripod cross timbers are secured
to the legs, and niiou thene cress tim
bers a floor from fonr to five feet
square is laid; and on the ocean ward
and two adjoining side wwlls are built
up from three and a ball to four feet in
height. On the lam I s;de a door is
constructed to allow the hunter easy in
gress and egress to and from nis
crow s next. On the top of the tri
pod, which extends about eighteen
inches above the door, a seat is con
structed and around the iuside of the.
wall a row of shelving is placed.
At low tide, when the wind is propi
tious, the hunter hies himself, to his
crow's nest, armed with a good pair of
glaHses, a Sharps rifle, a lunch, and a
little something to keen nimself warm.
and for six long hours he scans the line
of the ocean just outside of the break
ers, where be most execta bis game to
appear. When the tide first begins to
jod his range is about 000 yards, but
as it r ins in the range is shortened to
10) or 300 yards. Even at these latter
distances it requires close calculation
to know just how to shoot to overcome
the rise and fall of thi ocean swell and
the effect of the wind npon the bullets.
It is said that not one out of 100 shots of
the best marksmen is effective. When
the tide is lull the derrick stands in the
mi 1st of the breakers, and a land lub
ber like myself feels a bttle squeamish
looking down from tha dizzy heighfcU
on i tie roiling waters ueiow. i
The shooting is generally done on a
flood tide, so the animal, when killed,
will wash ashore, and even then it is
sometimes three or four days after one
is killed before it is reached. Undoubt
edly many others are killed and never
do come ashore.
Each hunter marks his bullet with a
nuuk known to other hunters, and
when an otter is found on the beach
the first duty of the finder is to look
for the bullet and ascertain who is the
rightful owner, for this sign is respect
ed among the hunters as sacredly as
marks and brands are among stockmen.
When an otter comes ashore with no
ballet in him, as frequently occurs, the
bullet having gone clean through the
body, and no notice having been given,
is regarded as a '-slick-ear" in stock
men's parlance, and belongs to the find
er. Sometimes an otter, on receiving a
shot, sinks; but the hunter generally
knows when he has hit his mark. By
observing the water with his glasses he
can di.-tcern, even at the greater dis
tances which they shoot, the coloring of
the water from the blood of the animal;
and if he does not come ashore on that
tide, notice is at once given to the
other hunters, who are then on the
alert to find him. But I opine that
beach combers, in the shape of stealthy
Indians, get away with many an otter
killed by the white hunters. I have
had occasion many times to pass along
the beach at daylight during the hunt
ing season, but I always found the flat
tracks of the siwash jus; ahead of me,
printed there since last high tide.
The Indians hunt the sea otter in
canoes, going ont and coming in through
the surf. Sometimes they go fifteen or
twenty miles to sea and stay out seve
ral days. But when they hunt along
a ithin a mile or two of the shore then
there is blood on the face of the moon,
aud the white hunter .-'waxeth wroth,"
for the Indian scares away his game.
When taken the otter is skinned whole,
as it were, by cutting across the haun
ches and stripping the akin down the
body and over the head. The skin is
then turned, the fur in, and a board
shoved throngh it. It is then tightened
by driving a wedge-shaped piece down
on one side between the board and the
skin, and another contrariwise on the
other. AU the grease is then, carefully
removed, and the skin is dried and laid
away ready for the market.
An averago skin is about five feet
long by twelve inches wide (double) or,
w hen cut twentv-four inches wide, and,
in the hunter's hands, is valued at from
&H) to $10; but these prices leave a
handsome margin to the fur men who
handle them. In Russia, an overcoat
made from these same otter skins,
brings from $1,000 to $.',000, while in
China even more is sometimes paid.
The season for killing sea ottar ex
tends from May to October, and so
scurce is this game becoming that four
a season is considered doing well by
any hunter. In fac', some pass the
season without taking any.
The hunters have a rule among them
selves which is strictly observed that
only one derrick can be allowed within
a range i. e., about a half mile, thus
giving the whole beach a regularity of
appearance not elsewhere observable.
Faultless Cloves.
Mrs. Morton, wile of the vice presi
dent, who baa the credit of being al
ways the most perfect gloved woman of
any assembly, wears the mousqnetaire.
and ays she never wears them above
the elbow, as no device can save them
from untidiness if they end anywhere
on the upper arm. They are supplied
to ber by a fans firm, are tnede and
, very lignt tan in color.
Mrs. Morton
I considers the most glorious toilet ruin
ed if the gloves are not faultless in tone
and fit.
Tha Two Nymphs.
Two nymphs who in the woods reside.
And pans by turns from place to place
Bad one a question to decide
And chose a tox to Judge the ease.
One of the nymphs "Good Luck" we rail'
"lit Luck stands for the other's name ;
And when event of fate befall
Oue luu the praise and one the blame.
Now each was vain and thought that she
Had. without doubt, the fairest face,
8o bringing to Ibe fox their plea,
ile played the Judge nh tact and grace.
For. said the fox. "I cannot tell
Your separate charms until I know
Bow well you walk indeed, how well
You forward step aud backward go."
And so they ran the country round.
Now they were there, aud now were here;
T lie w ily fox looked mont profound
(Here lei I a suule aud there a tear.)
Facing "Good Luck he said at last;
w ben you arrive your charms we know ;"
Then with his eyes on "111 L.uck" cast
said: Youi are greatest when you ffor
Wide Awake.
THE TilliKK NEPHEWS-
About thirty years ago there lived in
the seaport town of Windsor, Connec
ticut, a merchant named Benjamin
Cole. He had never married, and re
sided al the time of which we speak
w ith an ordy and widowed sister, who
had three sons
These ch.ldren were intelligent lads,
and appeared to think a great deal of
their bachelor uncle, and all was har
mony and happ ness uutil, one day,
news came that a certain ship, in which
the merchant had sent a large assorted
cargo of goods to foreign ports, bad
been lost at sea.
This sad intelligence went hatd with
Cole, for about all he was worth had
been ri-ked in the veuiure, aud now, as
that was lost, he found himself a poor
man. with a good part of his life gone
and nothing to &how for it in the way
of gains.
At length he settled up his flairs as
well as he could, sold everything that
would sell, eveu 10 his watch, in order
to satisfy iu a measure the claims of
ci editors who had advanced him goods,
aud for a time he appeared to have no
definite aim or intention. But the
men who had trusted him, knowing his
purity of heart, soon came to his aid,
und w th the offer of another and lar
ger cargo, induced him to again embark
in busmc-s. To this eud he selected
his goods, loaded a new vessel au I
sailed, going a'ong himself this time to
see it matters would not turn out mo.e
in accordance with his desires.
-' He not only sold the merchandise he
had taken irom this country, and set
tled up fully wiih his frieuds for that
and his previous cargo, but be bought
other goods at w hatever pert he found
himself, and traded Irom one place to
another, until at length, by tdirewd
management, he found himself pos
sessed of much more money than he had
ever bad before. He then counted his
gains, and, being satisfied, turned hit
face to his native land and reached the
tow n above spoken of after an absence
of about seveuteeu years.
During this titns there had, or course,
been many changes in the town.
Among others bis tister had d ed, and
i1'" tnree wplwwa, having grown to
man's estate, bad divided their little
propel ty, chosen each a calling lot him
self, and were doing pretty we 1.
The oldest boy had put all his money
iuto his head. Iu other words, he had
been through college, educated hiuisell
thoroughly, al least in his own estima
tion, and prepared himself for a proles
siou: 1 man. Another was junior pait
ner In a dry goods house, and, though
not yet noted tor particularly bright
genius In his line, considered himself
well advanced on the road to prosper
ity; while the remaining nephew, the
youngest, had learned a trade, and was
carrying on a small manufacturing es-
tabl shment with a prospect of accumu
lating something as experience came to
bis aid.
Tl e bachelor uncle learned all these
tacts without letting himself be known.
and what made it easier for him, was,
that for many years theie had been a
rumor iu the town to the effect that bis
vessel had l eeu wrecked, his goods lost.
aud himself drowned. This rumor h. d
some foundation, for there had been
just such a cae, but the unfortunate
adventurer bailed from indsor, Ma a.
Loie dil nothing to contradict t: e
slory, but took a survey of the grouiil,
gathered what information he desirtd
and then went away.
We next find him in the city of Bos
ton, where for many years he lived the
life of a plain, quiet, single gentleman,
esteemed by all who knew him, attend
ing with diligence and precision to his
property for be invested bis fortune
in real estate in that city and having
a good word, and sometimes a little
cash, he often aided deserving young
men of his acquaintance who were
starting 'n busiuess. Sj he lived and
enjoyed himself, but age crept on for
all that, and b came to think at length
that as life was at best uncertain, and
as he bad p issed his sixty-fifth m le
stone, be was in duty bound to make
some disposition of his wealth, so as to
sate useless u ligation after his death,
and the probability of his gains going
into the bands of those who were not of
bis blood. In fuitherauce of this plan
be begun to look about him to see bow
he should manage to find out to a c-r-
tainty if all or any of bis legal heirs
were woithy of handling his money
He n at u red his scheme in due time.
and taking a supply of money, together
with a stock of old clothes, be set out
for Windsor, the place where bis three
nephews lived, and renting a cabin j ast
outside the towr, he furnished it with
a straw bed, a piun table, and two old
chairs, besides a few cooking utensils,
anl then turned in for the night.
chuckling to himself at the odd figure
he presented, but full of bope tha, old
as he was, he still had a chance to im
prove bis mind and learn something
more before be died.
The next day he went into the town
and bought some provisions very lit
tle, however and so be continued to go
back and forth, doing odd jobs for the
people, and one word brought ou an
other, urtil al len ;th it leaned out that
Benjamin Cole bad come to lite, aud
was living hard by, old and poor, and
only too glad to do such chores as the
people were willing to trust to his fee
ble hands.
II w long it took his nephews to
hear the news, I do not know, but It is
certain that the manufacturer was the
first one of them to hunt up the old
man, and I suppose he did it as soon as
he had good reason to be neve that lu
uucle was actually alive and in the
land. At any rate, he came briskly
down the st net one day to where the
returned merchant was at work saw
iug some wool, an I. after identifying
h tn urged blm to go iuto bis house,
w here he wou d fiu 1 a home for the test
of bis life.
'Anl if youdesiie to work, uncle,'
said hi. 'for 1 kuow you were always
industrious, I will give you light and
steady employment in my factory,
where you can earn wages such as I
have to give to other men. It is not a
charity that I am offering you, because
if you are not employed in my shop,
some other man must be there in your
place. And I am sure, as you need
work, and much more need a home, I
would dishonor the memny of my poor
mother if I did not offer these to you.'
This sort of talk was plain and sensi
ble, and it struck the returned mer
chant with considerable force; but it
was not a part i f his plan to do any
such thing as had been proposed. Be
sides. Bobe.t tliat was the manufac
turer's first name might be ashamel
to have him working in the streets, and
he might have made the offer with any
other than the right motive.
He could hardly think, however,
from his nephew's candid manner, that
there was any deceit in his heart. But
he declined to go with him, and the
manufacturer went away comforted
only with the assurance that the old
man would send for him in case he got
sick.
As regards his other two relatives.
the bachelor uncle got no positive rec
ognition Irom them, except so far as
happened one evening w hen by chance
he went into the store owned in pait
by the dry go ds nephew. No ona else
happening to tie in, this tierson ques
tioned him a little concerning his voy
age, and seemed In a half-'.iearted sort ,
of way to acknowledge a relationship.
but that was all. As for the profes
sional man, he carried his head higher
than a peacock, and never si much as
noticed Cole lu any way whatever, al
though he repeatedly passed him upon
the street.
The manufacturer, however, contin
ued friendly, and as he could not pre
vail upon his uncle to go to his house,
he often spent hours at a time standing
by the roadside talk ng with him of
things past and gone. Aud wheu Cole
would wind up his d.scourse, as he
generally did, with au expression of
joy, because be had been able to get
back to his native land with bis life,
not hinting that he brought anything
else, Hobeit would add that it was a
comfort, still it was hard to lose bis
ship and all he had; but many a man
had faied worsi than that.
By Fall Cole had pretty well made
up his mind as to who would at some
future day have the iockeliiig of the
money to be derived troui his estate.
But he desired now to find out wli.ch
one of the boys had the best head lor
business, lie knew the knack of accu
mulating generally went with a sensi
ble man, aud that with a sensible man
was always found a warm aud cheerful
heart. Still, if he could see with his
own eyes, he would then be assured of
the respect. ve merits of h:s nephews.
To this end he went home, and after
staying for some days about his cabiu,
so that he would be missed irom the
streets of the town, he dispatched a let
ter, by means of a neighbor's boy, v ho
was directed to drop it into the post
office for the professional nephew, slal-
ng that be desired hi in to come to his
house.
The lawyer, for he was one. suppos
ing that the old man w anted a bouie,
or some kind of help for the winter
for he knew nothing of his brother's
offer paid no attention to the missive,
but settled himself into his easy-chair,
and was only aroused from his dreams
as to who should be rent as Minister t
Japan when be got to be President of
the United States, by another letter
which came a day or tu o alter.
By this time the man who had learned
everything in col.ege, began to scratch
his head, and think that the moon
niii-ht be inhabited after all, so next
morning be took a blank, on which to
write a will if need be, g t into his car
riage, and wen to whe.e lie supposed
the returned merchant lived. Think
ing he knew where the cabiu stood, he
made little or no inquiry, and therefore
went a great deal out or his way. Alter
much time spent in winding about the
country, he discovered the house at the
mos. distant corner of a large field.
Seeing no way of getting his vehicle
through the fence, he tied his horse,
and prepared to make the re&t of his
journey on foot.
A thunder-s.ortn had been gathering,
aud he was barely inside the mclo ure
wheu the rain came down in torn n's,
welting him to the skin. He still hail
more than au eighth cf a mile to g
before he would reach the rude cabin,
aud to cap tbe climax, the field bad not
been cultivated for soiuj years, and was
consequently breast-high with all sorts
of weeds and briars, such as stain an l
tear one's clothes, and prick the skin.
He had only go' fairly into this
thicket when tha rain, with utter disre
gard for broadcloth, seemed to iour
down harder than ever. And as the
man of finished education bobbed along
over tlie uneven space, he began to
think that a personal insult was coming
upon him from some quarter, the like
of whith he had never dreamed would
be his experience. However, hethot ght
of his blank, and pressed on as well as
he could.
When Cole, who had been watching
all the morning from his one small
window, raw his nephew uearing the
house he was much amused at the be
draggled appearance of the young law
yer. He controlled himself, however,
and by the time bis visitor touched the
threshold aud gave two or three harp
wraps on the deal plank which consti
tuted tbe door, he was able to answer,
In a low, wheezy voice:
'Come In, nephew.'
The next instant the door opened,
and the lawyer, in his haste to get out
of the rain, failed to due his h-a l low
enough to get safely through the apera
ture, and he received a rousing bump
on tbe head, and his hat, which con
tained the blank will, dropped to the
floor.
By the time he had picked up the
paper and bat the returned merchant
had delivered himself of a dry, husky
cough, had pi iced a skeleton chair in
front of the hearth, and wheezed out:
'Be seated, nephew!'
This skeleton chair needs a little de
scription here, for upon it hinges the
experiment that Cole was trying. His
object was to find out. If possible, by an
ingenious way, how much business tact
was respectively possessed by his neph
ews. Tbe chair had been an ordinary
splint-bo' tjmed oue, such as is found
iu many a farm-house to-day; but the
bottom was goue, and nothing but the
frame remained. There was a light
piece of board of convenient size lying
upon the floor beside the chair wbicii
.-erved as a seat to the frame when any
one saw fit to pick up and lay it across
the top. And this the old mau often
did when be bad occasion to uie It.
But his p'an was now to see what effect
this piece of furniture would have upon
his relatives and what would com-- of
it if offered in the manner desciibed,
for be reasoned that a young man co ru
ng lnt j a house would if he were well
bred and sensible overlook any little
inconvenience like that and arrange
the chair to suit himself.
The man of education surveyed the
scene for a moment. He saw the pan
cake bed, tbe bottomless chair, the pine
table, a' d the old man crouching iu the
corner, pokirg at the fire, while his
coat, or what was left of It dangled ir
strings from his shoulders and arms.
One view, and that without saying a
word, was enough. The lawyer forgot
his blank, turned about, and away be
went. As be dodged out of the low
door, his clothed completely covered
with bunches i f cockle burrs, Spanish
needles, and everything else that sticks
in the country, Cole said he put him in
mind of a poicupine.
The next move of the bachelor uncle,
was to bring the dry goods nephew to
his domicile, and to this eud he dis
patched another letter. It was not
without considerable delay and a good
deal of reflection that the man of the
yardstick bestrode his horse and turned
m the direction of the house of bis
relative, for bis mind wavered between
the opinion that the old man desired to
become a charge upon him knowing
nothing about his brother's offer and
the idea that he might have something
laid by to bestow. By good luck lie
found the place without much felay.
and knocking at the side door, received
the same reply in a low, husky voice
that his brother had received bet. re
him:
'Corns In, nephew.'
Thereupon he entered, bade his uucle
'Good-morning, sir,' aud the latter set
out the skeletou chair before the Ure.
and ii' ar to the plac where the small
board was lying on the floor, and bade
his visitor be seated.
The dry goods man, without even
looking at what Le was Invited to rest
himself upon, plumped himself down
into the chair-frame In such a manner
that while his knees were doubled up
near his chest, the middle part of bis
body was within a few inches of the
floor. And in this ridiculous position,
apparently satisfied, without using a
finger to help himself, or in auy way
showing his inconvenience, he compos
edly remained for a time, said a few
commonplaces, then scrambled up and
went away.
The manufacturer was next notified
through the iost, and upon receiving
the t-uuiu:ons be set out immediately
on foot, iu bis working clothes, for he
would not take lime to make any
change iu hi' attire, thinking bis uncle
was sick. Very soon his feet were in a
path that went up around the foot of
a hill, the short aud easy lou'e always
traveled by his uncle, aud in a very
short time he taw the door, and en
tered. Upon seeing his uncle alive aud well,
he appeared relieved, and showed uu
mislakable signs of joy, and wheu the
skeleton chair wai offered, he saw its
failings at a glance, and peiceiving the
board, stooped down, and placing it
quickly acrosi the frame so as to form a
teat, drew the whole closer to the fire,
and seating himself, appeared comfort
able, as he really was, aud enlivened his
host with sympathizing and sensible
remarks for nearly au hour.
Alter the last visitor had gone tbe
returned merchant sat by his hearth for
some time, and, looking stead ly into
the blaze, thought the matter of tbe
experiment over fiom beginning to end.
'As for such men as my legal rela
tive,' said he, 'they can cut it quite as
fat upon a few pennies, by making a
great show of wealth, and are just as
well off and as well satisfied iu their
own way, at it they had the money
.tself. lie-si les, one who gets Irritated,
loses his patience, forgets bis respect
for others, aud ignores good manners,
because of the petty storms of this life,
or because he is among the poor, be
trays a weakness which, if he were
rich, would take some other shape, aud
cause him to lose his gains, or make
the same a curs-j to him.
'As for my nephew in the store, al
though he is an improvement upon the
lawyer, 1 could not agree to trust a
great fortune with him who takes up a
liositlou without even looking at It,
much less studying to improve it.
though such position be offered by a
Inend. fo- he would be liable to find
himself buffetei about, upset, and very
so: n wrecked, if he undertook to tail
iu a great ship; whereas if he sits in a
small boat, tied to the shore, he will,
iu nil probability continue to be afijat.
'Bat Robert, who appears to combine
with an affectionate heart, a fair share
of promptness and foresight, who is
neither proud nor dull, he shall be my
heir.'
Si saying, Benjamin Cole arose aud
went baci to Boston, and iu a few days
the manufacturer received a package
containing tilie deeds, made out in his
name, which put blm into immediate
possession of large and valuable proper
ties iu th city of Boston, Cole only re
taining to himself certain investments
which would provide for his own living
iu a p ain but comfortable way, anil at
his death these also went to the nephew
of his choice.
A Trifle Inexact.
"Oh, no, I guess not," said a mac
emphatically, as he seated himself com
fortably in a University avenue car.
"I don't believe I'll follow all the in
structions of the street railway companv
by a jug full."
"What's the matter now?" inqu red
a companion who had entered with him
and was engaged in tobogganing a
couple of uickles into the fare box.
"Why, sir, if a man followed the
orders of this company he would never
enter oue of lis cars. Once in, para
doxically, he would never leave It."
"How so?"
"Just read that sign; it says. Passen
gers are forbidden to enter or leave thif
car while in motion.' Now. bow
iu tbe name of Lindley Murray can a
passenger do otherwise than get a move
o i himself, get in motion while leaving
or entering a street car? Tbe sign is
oue of the grossest illustrations of bar
barous syntax I have seen ' in many a
mile travelled. The pronoun 'it' is
wanting. It should read: 'Passengers
are forbidden to enter or leave this car
wbi'e it is in motion.' 'It' and 'is' are
two short words, and it would coit
but little to paint them to. As It is
the sign is beastly grammar."
A Strange Friendship.
a jsew ingiana iarmers wire has a
speckled hen and a Maltese cat that arc
the best of friends. Last spring they
each came into possession of a lamily,
using the same nest lu the bay-loft.
when i ne nen was away, tabby pro
tected ana kept warm both families.
kittens and chickens, and whea tabby
went foraging, they nestled under the
wings of tbe mother ben.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
The first saw makers' auvil used in
the United States is in the pv-sesnlon
of E. Andrea s, or WiiimOSport, I'a.
whoss uncle irjporled it from England
iu IS 19.
A canary iu Sanord, Fla.. that
had not warbled a note for mont lis; re
cently to the sui prise of its owner, sang
for several moments and was quite
lively, and then fell from its p rch and"
died in a few seconds. i
At Auburn, Cal., a woman, while
watching her liens scratching In the,
garden, saw them unearth a Dright" Ab
ject and try their bills upon it , Mtie
took it Into tbe house, and it, proved to
be a piece of gold w orlh $ j7. "
... ...... i..t
A big pond on lots In I. ng Is'and
City, I,. I., while being drained for
building parposes, was found to he'
fairly alive with lish, principally porch,,
many of them of uuu-al s ze. They
were earned away alive in pai s liter"
ally by thousands. . j
A steed that bore Its owner, -a
Confederate cavalry major, . through,
seventeen engagements. Is said to be
drawing the plow on a Georgia planta
tion. This must be tbe old house da.
ccmbat they used to talk about.
A singular case of Insanity is re
ported from Nebraska. A young mad"
named 1'ost was suustruck' about :tou
years ago, a-id each w inter since then
he has liecome insane, his min i Pearly
righting with the return of spring,' '
Acting Secretary Batcheller has
decided, in the case of the .Straps
Orchestra from Vienna, who desire to
visit the United States on a 6-inonths'-trip,
that they can be admitted as
artists if they are musicians who com-"
bine skill and taste with manual exeeu-'
t;on in their ait. ,
A Hindoo gentleman has .called .a
congress of lira iu In priests and learned
men for the purpose of incorporating'
the Bible among the sacred books of
Iudia, and officially recognizing Christ
as the last and spiritual .teufar, or in-'
carnation of Brahma, the supreme
deity.
There are sa'd to le scores , olj
women in Charleston, S. V. who make
all their pin money by selling fowers.
The sales are made through email. a'oU
ored boys who hov. s aUut the hotel
corridors aud prticos with waiters fiflt
of tiny bouquets, which are readily
sold to tourists aud o'.her strangers..., (
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stow.e, it la
declared, is not so infirm in either body
or mind as to prevent her taking dally
exercise or keeping up regnl-.ir corres
pondence with her friends among them
Mr. Gladstone aud the Duke of Argyl,
both of whom recently wrote her letters
appreciative of her biography of her
sou, Ilev. Charles E. Slowe.
The "historic table" which figured
in Paris in the palace of the fine arts
during the exhibition is a circular ob
ject, made of porcelain, and was ord
ered of Isabey by the first Napoleon,
who paid nearly f 3000 for it,' tbe minia
ture painter having painted upon' it
medallions of all t'-e marshals of the
empire.
An Anglo-Koman company has
undertaken a contract to light Rome
by electricity. Tlie plant is to be set
up at Tivoli, it Is said, and power sup
plied by water there, the current then
being transmitted by oveihead wires to
the city itself, and throughout the city
by overhead wires for pbiillc Tighing,
and by subways for lighting private
houses.
The Americans who are exploring
and excavating in Mesopotamia have
every reason, so far, to be sttislled with
the results. At iner, the Aipur of
the ancients they have laid bare the
temple of Bel a very line one aud
have round inscribed tablets w hich tktle
back to about 37o B. C; and at Ur. In
the great temple library, they have dis
covered many inscribed tablets, cylin
ders and bricks of much religious and
historical Importance.
England makes better forgiugs
and razors than we do. Their razors
ar forged by hand. The Woolwteh
Arsenal has made a 110-lou piece - of
forging. The sinal est buckles made
are three-eighths of an inc i in size. A
blacksmith and heler would forge but
twelve or fourteen er day by the old
method. Now one American midline
can turn out 6"0. Fans blacksmlthr
work 77 hours per week.
Among tbe delicacies which a-raced
Queen Victoria's table at Cbiistmai
was a turtle BJO years of age, which
had been brought from the Ascension
Island a week previously by. the - Gov
ernment cruiser Wye. So thoroughly
did her Majesty enjoy the srtnp pro
duced from the fat of the reptile that
the Wye has just beeu de-ipaiched to
Ascension a distance of many thou
sand miles for a further sapply of
turtles.
The latest and most unique Inven
tion is a machine for buttei ing bread.
It is used in connection with u, Iirreat
patent bread cutter, and is in;euded
for use in prisons, woik -houses and
other reformatory institutions.. There
Is a cylindrical shaped brush which is
fed with butter, and lays a thlfr layer
on the bread as It comes from Mw cut
ler. The machine can be wutknd by
hand, steam or electricity, and .1as a
capacity of culling and buttering. 750
loaves of bread au hour. Thq, saving
of butter and of bread and the ileciea.se
in the quantity of crumbs is saiil tb" be
very large. ' " '
George W. Fox, of Red wooil "city,
California, has in his possession jiie of
the most remarkable cunositreV ever
found on the Pacific Coasts rfolh iug
more or less than an abalone stie.r, iu
the interior of which, fiimly encased in
the pearly shell secretion, thciei are a
b. by 's shoe and slacking. The tdiape
is perfect In very particular, "and the
size indicates that the owner of CLese
I edals coverings was a very Woung
child. The sole of the shoe and trie-toe,
badly worn and red from water soak
ing can be plainly seen where iUe. se
cretion has not entirely eiiveioped
them.
e
A corked bottle that evidently had
floated aboul2J0 miles, was picked
up in the river, near Poiule Coupee,
La., recently. It was opened anl the
contents found to be a slip of "paper
bearing these words: '-Thrown bver at
St. Paul, Minn., l.Uli of April; 188),
by R. C. Libby. Finder please- adver
tise where it was found and wlundaU
and much oblige yours tru!y Send
this paper to tbe St. Iouis Rfpultic to
advlertise." The paper was dry aud
well preserved anJ tlie characters aot
In the least defaced. The pajv'waa
mailed to the Beoublic t
e