VOT, XX.
RH.MHJOM. JOHJWHTin.
~ A NEW FIRM. ~
DRY GOODS 1 NOTION HOUSE
OF!
PBDGHtWGITZEL
fl ILIj, OX OK ABOUT
APRIL 2ii cl, 1883,
Open Their New Stock of Dry Goods end Notions
r«.r (be examination of I lie public, in llie room formerly
occupied by Sc«tt ? n Conleclionarj',
U:;*ON BLOCK, MAIN ST, BUTLEF, PA-
§T ERMS CAS H§
t u r> E '...'*
JOHN BICKEL,
WHO IS
TIE SOLE Kill [OH THESE SHOES IH BUTLLR,
And Who Takes Orders for the Custom Work of this Firm.
ALSO
350 Pairs of Slippers, bought at Sheriff's Sale to be closed out cheap.
JkJL^&O
500 Pairs of Plow Shoes, all sizes, to be sold cheap.
ALSO
A large assortment of Mens'Fine Wear in all the Latest Styles, Low'and
High Cuts English Bals, Buttons, Pom Pedro, etc.
ALSO
All the Best New EDgland, New York and Philadelphia makes of all kinds ot
boots, Bhoes and slippers always on hands.
ALSO
All kinds of Leather and Findings, large stock of French Cnlf and Kips
American Calf and Kips, Moroccoes, Linings, Sheffield Red Sole
and Baltimore Oak-Sole Leather.
ALSO
Our own Hand Work, which CANNOT bo excelled in Butler either for Style,
Work or Muterial.
ALSO
Farmers can hare their repairing and mending done on the same day they
bring it in.
JOHN BICKEL,
MAIN STREET, BUTLER, PA.
NEW STORE. NEW STOCK
A NEW AND COMPLETE STOCK OF
" lEEIHEt HP EIHOII6S JUST BfCIHIDI"
OAK A SD HEMLOCK SOLE,
FRENCH AND DOMESTIC KII'AND CA I.E.
C01.1.A It. WKT.T. SKIRTING
UI'PEK, BELTING, HARNESS AND LACK LEATHER
ROA"N A USTID IPIIISJIK: ZLIHSrHsTG-S, ETC.
ALSO MiSIFACTCHKR OF ALL KINDS OF
Carriage, Buggy and Wagon Harness, Collars, Etc., Etc.
And carry a full stock of Whips, Robes, Blankets, Bruslics, and all other Goods belonging to
the Business.
AU Kinds of Repairing will Receive Prompt Attention.
•yPlease call and examine our Goods and get Prices before you purchase elsewhere.
Plastering Hair Always on Hand.
CASH PAID FOR. HIDES AND PELTS.
C. ROESSING,
Beiler'ts Block Jefferson Street, opposite Lowry Ilouae. Butler, Pa
T J) Gillespie's Tool Co..
fJk C.M.BARTBERGER. I A r . i l u,b f " , »"- p v
M \ 168 LIBERTY ST. B \ -Manufacturers of-
PITTSBUROK.PA. mi Drilling Machinery ard
S;j I \ IOOIM, for Oil, Gas and
t,_ _„,U»M, ■■ g„ 6r A. WATER WELLS.
CBRE3 WHIM All (LSI (All*. SI ()ur " ew
BmtCousrt. Mynin.
"PENNSYLVANIA D^ILLFR"
™is the fastest Drilling Machine in the eonntry
iiftev . <ftfwn,
DARBYS
PROPHYLACTIC
FLUID.
A Household Article for I'nlve' »al
Family IV.
■■■■■■ For Scarlet
■_> .. ■ Tvpliold Fevers,
I Eradicates I Diphtheria, s»u
--• TJTAT AV.TA ricemted
k j£nLitLalA. J sore Throat, SinaU
Pox, and
all Contagious Diseases. Persons waiting on
the Sick should use it freely. Scarlet Fever has
never been known to spread where the Fluid was
used. Yellow Fever has been cured with it afteo
blaek vomit liad taken place! The wur»t
cases of Diphtheria yield to it
l'evere<lan<l Sick Per- SMALL-POX
ton * refreshed and and '
lied Sores prevent- PITTING of Small
ed by bathing with p 0 * PREVENTKO
Darbys I A member of my fsm-
Impure Air made ~ wjs tAcn with
harjmlcss and Small pox. I used the
For Sore Throat it is a " the p.,. ien[ waJ
~S URF CU R E _ J_, „ not delirious, was not
an'l was about
Chilblains. PU««. weeks> no other*
Chafing*, etc. _ J W. PAJUC-
IXS " N . Philadelphia.
ions secured by its use,
Ship Fever prevented. ■ ■
To purify the Breath, ■ DlT3|lUl6n2l I
Cleanse the Teeth, I * I
it can't be surpassed. H I
Catarrh relieved and H A rGV&QtOCL fl
cured.
Kryslpelas cured.
Burn* relieved instantly. The physicians here
fccars prevented. i usc Darbys Fluid very
Dfientery cured. successfully in the treat-
Wotiud* healed rapidly- m <nt of Diphtheria.
Scurvy cured A STOI.LENWEBCK,
An Antidote for Animal Qrcensboru, Ala.
or Vegetable Poisons, ...
Stings, etc. *®"f p drlr ' l U P ,
1 used the Fluid during Cholera prevented,
our present affliction with P un " c< l and
Scarlet Fever with de- healed,
cided advantage. It is In eases of I>eath it
indispensable to the sick- 1 should be used about
room. -WM. F. SAND- the corpse —it will
FORD, Eyrie, Ala. prevent any unpleai-
I ant smell.
The eminent Phy
-a I Efctaii, J. MARION
■Scarlet J? ever■ sims, M. D.,
I I York, says: "( am
■ fin r A/1 9 convinced Prof. Darbys
■ VUIOU. M Prophylactic Fluid is a
1 valuable disinfectant."
Vanderbllt University, Nashville, Tenn.
1 testify to the most excellent qualities of Prof.
Darbys Prophylactic Fluid. As a disinfectant and
detergent it is both theoretically and practically
superior to any preparation with which I am ac
quainted.—N. T. LurroN, Prof. Chemistry.
Darby* Fluid is Recommended by
Hon. ALEXANDER H. STHPHE-NS, of Georgia ;
Rev. CHAS. F. DEBMS, D.D., Church of the
Stranger*, N. V.;
Jos. L&CONTE,Columbia, Prof..University,S.C.
Rev. A J. BATTLE, Prof., Mercer University;
Rev. GEO. P. PIERCE, Bishop M. E. Church.
INDISPENSABLE TO EVERY HOME.
Perfectly harmless. Used internally or
externally for Man or Beast.
The Fluid has been thoroughly tested, and we
have abundant evidence that it has done everything
here claimed. For fuller information get of your
Druggist a pamphlet or send to the p* prietors,
J. H. /EILIN & CO.,
Manufacturing Chemists, PHILADELPHIA
Oh,Myßack!
That's a common expres
sion and has a world of
meaning. How much suf
fering is summed up in it.
The singular thing about
it is, that pain in the back
is occasioned by so many
things. May be caused by
kidney disease, liver com
plaint, consumption, cold,
rheumatism,dyspepsia,over
work, nervous debility, &c.
Whatever the cause, don't
neglect it. Something is
wrong and needs prompt
attention. No medicine has
yet been discovered that
will so quickly and surely
cure such diseases as
BROWN'S IRON BITTERS, and
it does this by commencing
at the foundation, and mak
ing the blood pure and rich.
Logans port, Tnd. Dec. I, IESO.
For a long time I have been a
sufferer from stomach and kidney
disease. My appetite was very poor
and the very small amount 1 did eat
disagreed with me. 1 was annoyed
very much from non-retention of
urine. I tried many remedies with
no success, until I used Brown's
Iron Litters. Since I used that my
stomach does not bother me anv.
My appetite is simply immense. My
kidney trouble is no more, and my
general health is such, that 1 feel
iiko a new mas. After the use of
lirown's Iron Bitters for one month,
1 have gained twenty pounds ia
weight. O. B. SAKULNT.
Leading physicians and
clergymen use and recom
mend BROWN'S IRON BIT
TERS. It has cured others
suffering as you are, and it
will cure you.
BUTLER COUNTY
Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
Office Cor, Main and Cunningham Sts.
G. C. ROESSING, PRESIDENT.
WM. CAMPBELL, TREASURER
H. C. HEINEMAN, SECRETARY
DIRECTORS:
J. L. Piuvls, E. A. Helmboldt,
William Campbell, !J. W. Huikbart,
A. Troutnian, Jacob Scboene,
G. C. Hocusing, j John Caldwell,
Dr. W. lrvin, J J. J. Croll.
A. B. Rhodes, | H. C. Heincman.
JAS. T» M'JUNKIN, Gen. Ae't
BUTLER
vrn FLORAL CHROMO c»ito»,
EE m E Mlzr bit, an.l >■ llluitr»t«4
■I IS Bi M llook. all who irmm In
I nH.I ■ I B B '- »taißp. fur uo«U«e u4
M. aUMJSJ««I.Ii.(. Miatl.. thl. HP«
™ ■«■■■■ 1.8. IIDIOUTAeO., NCWTttI.
low in !>•»•*•. sellini; f.ist. nre«l«-«l fvrry whrr<-, I.lb«*r»l
Itrxllr/, <«»ri , t»un A ( </« N. 1 ourth bt., I'tuladclpliia, i'S*
Tf iril[D( WANTED $ 100.
MOA WKKK. ?I'J a day at home easily made
9'fc('<wtly outlll free. Address Tkuk & Co.
Augn.iTu, lliiiut. mans) ly.
BUTLER, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28. 1883
DUKES' LIFE.
THE PRAYING JUROR.
What G. Wash. Breakiron, One
of the Twelve, Has to Say.
The First Step Taken at Harris
burg.
UNIONTOWN, March 19—The feeling
over the Dukes' verdict here is still as
great as it was the night the verdict
was rendered, and more particularly
among those who were warm friends
of Dukes previous to the trial. Dukes
went around among his particular
friends and told them a marvelous
story.about Nutt going into
his room and assaulting him. Then
when asked by these friends in regard
to letters said to have beeu written by
him to Captain Nutt, he would reply
that that was all talk ; that he had
written two letters to Nutt, but they
were such as any gentleman would
write, and no offense can be taken from
them, and this way he worked on
the sympathies of many people and ob
tained their influence and accomplish
ed his end. He is still at his home in
German twp., and has not yet decided
what he will do. His attorneys have
not seen him since the trial to settle on
their fees.
AMALONO ASKS FOR PRAYER.
George Washington Breakiron, one
of the immortal twelve that acquitted
Dukes, states that immediately afier
the charge was delivered and the jury
retired to make up the verdict, Ama
long said in a very solemn voice,
"Will some one please lead in prayer?"
whereupon Juror Clawson knelt and
all the rest followed suit. Claw
son made a long prayer. He eaid he
did not know bow long it was, but
that they were on their knees a good
while, and when they arose the letters
were read and a ballot taken, but that
he (Breakiron) did not vote the first
time, as he did not know exactly which
way to vote. After the first ballot he
voted with Amalong for acquittal.
When asked what he thought about
such letters being written to a father
about the daughter he loved, Break
iron looked very serious for a moment
and then BP id: "They say he loved
her powerful.'' When asked if he
prayed he replied: "Oh, no; I never
could do that."
A MODEL FATUER.
He was then asked if he had not
a daughter, to which he repl'ed,
"Yes."
"Well, Wa.-h," the interviewer said,
"wasn't your daughter a little unfor
tunate ?" He hesitated a moment, and
then said, "Yes, but she got him?"
"How got him, Wash ?"
"Why she made him marry her."
"Well, Wash havn't you more than
one daughter ?"
"Yes, I have four."
"Didn't you have two daughters
that were unfortunate?"
Here he studied some time and did
not know what to say, but finally he
replied:
"Well, if I must tell it, they were
all three unfortunate; but they all got
their man."
This man Breakiron is 52, years of
age, and can scarcely read or write.
He lives in Bullskin township, about
four miles cast of Connellsville, in the
mountains, and six miles northeast of
this place. Amalong and several oth
ers wanted to maee this uian foreman,
but he said be would rather play fore
man on some case that was not so
important. He said that he acted
conscientiously in the matter, and sup
posed that whatever Amalong did he
thought was for the best, as he seeme
to regard him in a fair light.
TIL K IGNORAMUS SCARED.
Breakiron is still excited, and when
approached this morning at his house
he thought his time had come. He
had heard that the jury would be pros
ecuted for perjury, and he thought the
Dewspaper man was an officer. He
says he barely got out of Uniontown
with his life. When he went through
Connellsville on his way home they
threatened to rotten egg and stone
him. Amalong sticks close to bis
house, afraid to venture out, and Law
rence Knotts, one of the other import
ant men on that jury, keeps his fireside
close company on the outskirts of
Brownsville and has not yentured into
town since he arrived bome.
DECLARING DUKES' SEAT VACANT.
HARRTSBURU, March 19. —Unless in
dications are greatly at fault, Dukes
will have very little show of getting
his seat in "the House. The feeling
against the murderer is intense, al
though it has not found expression in
speeches of condemnation of his iu
famy. The offering of a resolution as
to his seat to night by Representative
Bierer, (Democrat), of Westmoreland
county, was fo'lowed by no discussion,
notwithstanding many members felt
like opening their vials of wrath on
the murderer. The resolution was
quietly referred to the General Judi
ciary Committee, which is required to
make a report as soon as possible.
The committee will meet to-morrow
and its decision is expected to be in
favor of declaring Dukes' seat vacant,
in which event another election would
be held. Dukes was expected to
night, but up to a late hour did Dot ar
rive. The last time .he was hero
be stopped at the United
States, but the night clerk this even
ing said he would not give him a room
if he applied for accommodations
again.
The resolution offered by Mr. Bierer
is as follows:
WHEREAS, The facts developed in
the case of the Commonwealth against
Nicholas Lyman Dukes, a member
elect of this House Irom the county of
Fayette, in the Court of Oyer and
Terminer of said couuty of Fayette, on
the 12th, 13th und 14tb days of March
A. D., 1883, most clearly prove the
said Nicholas Lyman Dukes to have
been guilty of a series of acts, since
his election as a member of the
Legislature, unbecoming a citizen and
member of this House, most infamous
in their character, and disgraceful to
him as a man, subversive of law and
the good order and well being of socie
ty, which prove him to be a catiff died
I in villainy, the traducer aud assassin
| of character, the willing violator of the
j laws of God and man, utterly unfitting
' him for decent and respectable society,
j disqualifying him from receiving the
confidence of men of honor and integri
ty, and whose admission as a member
of this House would bring lasting in
famy and disgrace upon the House of
Representatives and the entire Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the s'-at in'Ulm
: House to which the said Nicholas
Lyman Dukes was elected on the 7th
' day of November, A. I> , ISB3, by the
electors of Fayette county, be and the
same is hereby declared vacant, and
the Speaker, the Hon. John E.
Faunce, be requested to issue a writ
for an election to fill the vacancy.
BOROUGHS AND CITIES
Must Keep the Streets Unob
structed or Pay Resulting
Damages.
JUDQK WHITE'S CHARGE. •
In his charge to the jury, in the case
of Williams against Monongahela City,
recently tried in Washington, Pa.,
Judge White, of Pittsburgh, laid down
the law showing the duties of borough
ahd city authorities as well as road
supervisors, in regard to keeping street#
and roads safe for travelers, as well as
the care required from drivers. The
following is the charge :
Gentiemen of the Jury: —The main
facts in this case are not in dispute.
That the plaintiff was injured, and
seriously injured, is not questioned.
That he was injured by his sleigh run
ning over a pile of frozen dirt in the
street is not denied ; that the said pile
had been in the street from either the
Bth or 18th of December until the Ist
of February is not denied; and also, it
is not denied that some of the city offi
cials, members of the street committee,
kuew of its existence. The disputed
questions of fact are mainly as to the
speed at which the plaintiff was driv
ing. It is also a question of doubt,
under the evidence, whether the plain
tiff had any previous knowledge of the
pile of dir'., and perhaps I may say the
extent or permanent character of the
plaintiff's injuries may be a question
for the jury.
Boroughs and cities are bound to
keep their streets in a reasonably safe
condition for travelers. They should
not perm it an obstruction in the streets,
or anything that is likely to endanger
the safety of travelers. Persons who
may wantonly place obstructions in the
street, may also, under some circum*
stnuces, be liable in damages for a per
sonal injury ; but the borough or city
is liable where the city officials have
actual knowledge of its existence, or
where it has continued long enough to
give them information, although they
may not have had actual knowledge of
it. The neglect of a city to keep its
streets in such condition is called in
law negligence. If the dirt pile was
some nine feet from the curb stone in
the street, four feet in diameter at the
base, aud some eighteen inches high,
and bad remained on the street with
the knowledge of the officers of the city
having charge of the streets, from the
Bth or IBth or 20th of December until
the Ist of February, I have no hesitancy
in saying the city was guilty of negli
gence.
The main question, gentlemen, in
this case is, Was the plaintiff guilty of
contributory negligence ? Because,
notwithstanding the city may have
been guilty of negligence, yet if the
plaintiff was also guilty of negligence
which contributed to the result, he is
uot entitled to recover. Negligence,
in its general definition moans want of
care, the negleot to do something which
an ordinarily careful or prudent man
would have done, or doing something
which an ordinarily careful and prudent
man would not have done under the
circumstances of the case. The traveler
has a right to presume that the high
way, or the street, is in a reasonably
safe condition for the entire breadth of
the street He is not confined to travel
in what is known as the beaten track.
It is true that country roads are not
generally opened out to the width the
law fixes for country roads, generally
thirty-three feet. In cities, however,
they are generally opened out to the
entire width of the street; and accord
ing to the evidence in this case the
street was graded and paved from curb
to curb, some thirty-seven or thirty
eight feet wide ; all travelers, therefore,
have a right to travel on any part of
that street, but when the traveler
leaves the ordinary well-beaten track
of the road, and goes to one side great
er care is required of him than when
traveling in the beaten track.
Greater care is required traveling at
night than in day time, although the
the traveler has a right to presume the
street is clear from all obstructions,
and is safe the entire width ot it* Yet
the traveler cannot drive on recklessly
and indifferently; he is bound to exer
cise some care, to look where he is go
ing, because there may be obstructions
in the highway from no fault of the city
council. There may be vehicles or ac
cidental obstructions in the highway,
something that may be dangerous may
have been placed in the street a few
hours before the traveler passes, and
yet the city authorities, having no
knowledge of it, it not having been
there long enough to visit them with
knowledge, might not be responsible
.or an injury resulting from it. There
t >re, while the travelers have a right
; to presume the street is clear the entire
! width of it, yet they are bound to keep
i their eves about, bound to drive with
! some degree of care and prudence, in
consequence of the accidental obstruc
tions that may exist. The degree of
' care required of the traveler is a a de
gree of care that would l>e exercised by
an ordinarily prudent or cautious man ,
1 under the surrounding circumstances. I
It'is alleged in this case that the
plaintiff was driving bis sleigh very
fast, at a break-neck speed, as one of
the witnesses stated, and several of
them testified thai he was driving at
the rate of what is'called a five minute
gait which would be a mile in five
minutes or twelve miles in an hour.
Other witnesses, however, testify that
his speed was simply an ordinary trot
ting speed. This is a question of fact
for the jury. Even ten or twelve miles
an hour in a sleigh might not be negli
gence in itself. It on
the surrounding circumstances. There
is no doubt that the injury to the plain
tiff was greater than if been
traveling at a much slower rate of
speed. If the horse had been walking
and the sleigh had struck the pile of
dirt just as it did, it is not at all likely
the plaintiff would have been injured as
stri juslv as he was; and in that sense
the speed has something to do with
the extent of the injury. But that in
in itself does not prove that the plain
tiff was guilty of contributory negli
gence.
The question is, whether, under all
circu'instances of the case, the plaintiff
was driving at a speed beyond what
would have been the speed of a man of
ordinary care and caution, and whether
the injury resulted from that degree of
neglig.-nce. A two-horse wagon would
be ft usidered as driving at a reckless
Bpet d perhaps that would go as fast as
an ordinary buggy on a street, and per
haps a sleigh might go more rapidly
than a buggy, and yet the driver not
be guilty of contributory negligence.
It depends largely on the character of
the street and the surrounding circum
stances.
Concord Twp. School No. 7.
The following is a report of Bvers'
school No. 7, for term ending March 8:
Laura Turner, Clary Dellaire, Anna
Golden, Birdie Moorhead, Emma Del
laire, E. L. Byers and W. C. Wick
were present every day during the
term. Mary Curry, Sarah Curry,
Anna Golden, Mary Sheakley, Birdie
Moorhead, Cora Byers, Emma Del
laire, Laura Turner, Clary Dellaire,
Willie Sheakley, M. E. Smyers, W. C.
Wick, Elmer Curry, Mattie Thessen,
Alfred Turner and Wm. Thessen were
present every day during last month.
Iva Jiryan, Laura Turner, Blanch
Bryan, Ella Brown, Cora Byers, Birdie
Moorhead, Fannie Moorhead, Mary
Curry, Sarah Curry, Yida Smvors,
Campbell Wick, Alfred Turner, E. L.
Byers, Wm. Thessen, Mattie Thessen,
Elmer Curry, Webster Curry and M.
E. Smyers received no tardy marks
during last month. Average per cent,
of attendance during term, 89 per cent.
Average per cent, of attendance during
month ending March Hth, 91 per cent.
TEACHER.
Learning the Banking Business.
"What does this 'ere mean ?" asked
an old farmer as he entered a bank in
Albany the other day and laid down a
blank that had been filled out with pen
and ink.
"It means that the maker of a noto
which you endorsed has failed to pay
it."
"What, that Brown note?"
"Yes."
"And he hasn't paid it?"
"No."
"Well, what's that to me? All I
did was to write my name on the
back."
"That's enough to hold you for the
debt. It was a regular endorsement."
"You don't say so ! Cossarn his
pictur; he simply wanted my name to
signify that I knowed him. So I have
got to pay it?"
"Yes."
"Well, well! Even as big a fool as
I am can learn something new if he
only sets about it in the right spirit,
I've learned more about the banking
business in the last six minutes than
I ever knowed in my hull life."
Clippings.
—Bell (e) boys—Mashers.
—Always going to balls—Babies.
—The head man—The phrenologist.
—"Let our lives," says Mme.
Swetchine, "be pure as snowlields,
where our footsteps leave a mark but
not a stain."
—ln paying out S7OO in wages to
his workmen, a manufacturer at Mar
seilles, 111., privately marked all the
bills. Within two weeks of it
was deposited in the local bauk by
saloon keepers.
—Even England has at last adopted
our policy which is "the greatest good
of the greatest number," and like most
noble Americans, she also is on the
watch for Number One.
—People may feel big and yet do not
answer the requirements of the lady
who advertised that she had a very
nice hall bedroom to let to a lady eight
feet by twelve.
—lt is a good rule to forgive every
man who has done you an injury, and
especially if you find that you can't
pay him back. That is the way true
religion affects many a good man.
—Two sharpers beat farmers of
Clarion and Armstrong counties out of
$14,000 by getting them to sign a
lease of land, the concluding portion of
which was a judgment note. The
notes were afterward disposed of.
—One good thing that may be sot
down to the credit of the late Congress
is its passage of the law reduc
ing the postage on single letters
to two cents. It is singular that
when a great surplus of revenue was
reported some Congressmen hesitated
to risk lowering the postage rate, lest
there should be a slight deficit in the
Post Office Department. The increase
in the receipts will unquestionably
overcome any such deficit within two
or three years at furthest; and even if
it should not, a part of the revenues
c ould uot I>e better expended than by
securing cheap postage.
A BLACK MAN IN A RAT-PIT.
Catching Rodents with Bare
Hands.
From Philadelphia Times, March 19.]
Oil a wager of S2OO a colored man
named William Henry Lewis tried on
Saturday night to piik up and place in
a barrel one hundred live rats. The
articles of agreement stipulated that to
win Lewi9 would have to trau>fer il.t
rats from the pit to the barrel iu sixty
minutes aud that the woik must be
done with bare hands and arms.
Lewis is a Pliiladelphian and is forty
years old. lie has fifteen years'
experience as a professional rat-catcher.
For five yeaTs he was employed catch
ing wharf rats in New York for the
well-known dog fancier, Harry Jen
nings. Twice in New York he won
money by picking up rats within a
given time. On one occasion he won
SSO by picking up twenty-five of the
little animals iu ten minutes. They
were rats he handled before and he es
caped without being bitten. The ex
hibition on Saturday night occurred in
Frankford and fifty men paid oue dol
lar each to witness ii. After the
match ended it was hinted that its
managers had put up no stakes and
that the receipts for admission were
divided between Lewis, his alleged
backer and the proprietor of the house
in which the affair took place.
THE SCENE OF THE CONTEST.
In the center of the room a space
eight feet square was surrounded by a
tight board fence, four feet high The
floor was covered au inch deep with
sawdust. In the center of the ptn
stood an empty whisky barrel, the up
per head of which was replaced by a
piece of canvas, with a hole in its cen
ter. The rats were confined in three
tin-lined, wooden cages, which stood in
the yard. As the visitors entered the
front saloon they were introduced to
Lewis, who touched the flowing bowl
so frequently that before 10 o'clock,
when the rat-handling began, he was
in a boastful but good-natured state of
intoxication. There were no cards of
admission, but a man stood ot the door
opening into the back room and took a
dollar from everyone who went in. A
few minutes after 10 o'clock the pit
room was packed with men, some of
whom becama impatient at the delay.
There was no disorder, however, at
any time during the night. Two men
were selected to act as judges and
timers. One judge had no watch and
owuers of time-pieces in the crowd
were backward about offering to lend
their chronometer,
IN THE MIDST or TUE RATS.
While the judge was trying to bor
row a watch Lewis climbed into the
pit. He wore a sleeveless shirt, dark
pantaloons and brogans. The legs of
his trousers were tied around his ankles
so as to prevent the rats from taking
refuge therein* His hands and arms
were covered with musk, whLh he be
lieves will prevent rats from biting
him. Forty rats were dumped from
the cage into the pit. The rats darted
wildly around through the sawdust
and made vain endeavors to scale the
fence. Finally they huddled in awrig
glicg mass in one corner and the judges
gave Lew the word to begin. He
moved over to the pile of rats and
without an instant's hesitation thrust
his naked hands and arms in among
them. He caught five fat fellows and
dropped them into the barrel. He
next picked up three, then four, then
two, and so on until six minutes had
expired, when he bad placed twenty
one of the rodents in the barrel. The
rats that remained in the pit were wild
and he was compelled to catch them
one at a time. The first single rathe
picked up bit one of his fingers through
the nail to the bone and hung there.
Lewis jerked his hand up and sent the
vicious rat against the ceiling. The
wounded finger was dipped in whisky
and the chase was resumed. Seven
rats were picked up and deftly tossed
into the barrel and then Lewis was
bitten twice on the right arm. He re
ceived four more wounds before the
fortieth rat was imprisoned in the bar
rel.
A LITTLE TARTER CAUGHT.
The judges announced that the forty
were picked up in twenty-three minutes.
Lewis wanted the remaining sixty
placed in the pit at oue time, holding
that it was unfair to drop in small lots,
as he lost time pickiug up the strag
glers. The judges held that as forty
had been pitted on the first occasion
that number would have to be dropped
in again, leaving twenty to form the
last batch. Lewis worked with great
agility, and rat after rat was lifted and
dropped into the barrel with amazing
rapidity. The fifty-seventh rat he at
tempted to touch sprang into his face
as he stooped and bit through the
man's lower lip. Without flinching he
grabbed the little brute and tossed it
through the canvas cover. He lost
five minutes staunching the blood that
flowed from his lip. In pickiug up the
other twenty-three rats he was bitten
slightly five times. Eighty rats were
in the barrel and Lewis had but seven
minutes to pick up the remaining
twenty. The time was too limited and
Lewis gave up the job and got out of
pit. The spectators were satisfied
with his efforts,however,and acollection
amounting to $22 was taken up for his
benefit.
—A bill has been iptroduced by
Senator Lantz fixing the compensation
of County Commissioners at $lO per
1,000 inhabitants, according to the
last census, with a proviso that the
salary shall not exceed $2,500 or full
belo v s2' JO. Under this bill, should
it become a law, the annual compensa
tion of the Commissioners of Butler
county would be $520. At such a
rate of compensation, we'd have to fill
the Board with rather cheap men.
—The popular vote for President in
1880 waa a« follows: Garfield 4,450.-
921; Hancock, 4,447,888; Weaver,
307,740; Dow, 10,305. (iarfield's ma
jority over llaucock was 3,033.
Gleanings.
—A joking youth by the name of
John Jacobs is 'almost crs/y'at Cagey,
ville, 111., because he was fool enough
to point a gun which 'wasn't loaded,'
at Catharine Edwards, on Saturday
evening. He snapped the cap and the
gun was loaded to kill, and did its
work effectually. The shot entered
her hreast and she died instautly.
—A wealthy but very parsimonious
Maine mau who, two or three davs
before his death, awoke in the e\en
iug, aud, turning to the watcher at
the bed side, asked. "llov, much do
they give you a night?" ' Two dol
lars and a half," was the reply. "Well
you needn't come nny more; I can't
stand such a sum as that," and ho
duin't.
—A gentleman, while bathing at
sea, saw bis lawyer rise up at his side
after a loug dive. After exchanging
salutations, says he: "By the way;
how about Gunther?" "He is in jail,.'
replied the lawyer, and dived again
The gentleman thought no more ot it,
but, ou getting his account, he found,
"To consultation at sea, about the in
carceration of Gunther, three dollars."
In the crowded railway carriage:
First Traveler—"l say, do open
that window there "or I'll suf
focate !" Second Traveler—"Don't
you open that window there, or it'll
give me an attack of pneumonia."
First Traveler--"Tbat makes no dif
ference! If you have pneumonia you
won't have it for a week, whereas, if I
am suffocated, I'll suffocate now.
Open that window there."
People who cannot spend the sea
sons of winds and cold rains in suany
Florida should keep Dr. Bull's Cough
Syrup iu the house. It is the best
remedy for colds and coughs and will
relieve sufferers at once.
—A sharper has been working some
counties to the west of us by travel
ing from house to house and receiving
ware to plate, and after keeping it for
a short time returning base metal
plated in place of the genuine articles.
How people with good common sense
can in these days be persuaded to trust
their property to an entire stranger,
seems beyond explanation, but they do
it all the same.
—An aged citizen of Cleveland, Pe
ter Kimball by name, has laid tho
for a universal unpopularity by an
nouncing that the fife, if played with
force and resolution, is the best medi
cine for weak lungs. lie believes that
he would have beeu cut off untimely
half a century ago but for his fife, in
stead of which meloncholy fate he half
every ehauce of blowing himself into
his second century, having already
passen nis ninetieth birthday with
great store of health and spiiits yet oa
hrnd.
Wilsonia Magnetic Appliances are
the most wonderful invention of the
present day. Each appliance is, in
itself, a never failing fountain of mag
netic force, which, when worn on the
person of the sick, seem to change the
quality of the blood, and supply to the
nerves the tone and strength lost by
disease. See advertisement on anoth
er page.
—Judge Dean, of Cambria county,
Pa., has taken a departure in the
license business that creatas consider
able comment. On Tuesday he re
fused eighty of the applicants for
license. The Judge ciphered up that
taking the entire number of applica
tions (170) and the population, it
would make one drinking place for
every 264 inhabitants in the county.
Deducting the women aud children, it
would leave one bar to every s<> men.
Assuming that only one-half the mea
drink, this would give - ono drinking
place for every 28 adult men. This
was a trifle more tavern than was nec
essary for the accommodation of the
traveling public, and entirely too great
a proportion of taverns to population.
Judge Doan has since refused to recon
sider his action.
Thomas Jones, Mt. Carmel, Pa.,
says: "I used Brown's Bitters effect
ually for pain in the side, dizziness
aud indigestion."
The keepers of the famous Eddy
stone Light House off the Deavon
shire coast have lately been relieved
after a long imprisonment. Fierce
gales prevented all communication
with the shore, and for several days
previous to their release the men were
in a critical condition. Their reserve
stock of food had been exhausted and
they had kept themselves alive by
drinking lamp oil. They were, more
over without fuel, aud the lamps,
which they faithfully kept bright, wero
the only source of heat in the light
house. They were, moreover, re
duced to such a condition that tlicy
could speak to each other only in mon
osyllables They kept signals of dis
tress flying for a fortnight in the hope
of attracting the attention of passing
vessels, but though the signals were
seen the weather was so boisterous
that it was impossible to send releif.
A Remarkable Case.
DR. IIARTMAV— Dear Sir: lam in
duced by a sense of duty to the sufler
ing to make a brieff statement of your
remarkable cure of myself. I was a
most miserable sufferer from various
annoying and distressing diseases of
delicate persons, which caused me to
be confined to my bed for a long time,
being too weak to even bear my
weight upon my feet. 1 was treated
by the most reputable physicians in
our city, each and all saying they
could do nothing for me. 1 hid given
up all ho|K\s of ever being well. In
this condition I began to take your
Manalin and Peruna, and, I am most
happy to say, in three months I was
perfectly well—entirely cured without
any appliances or support of any kind.
Yours truly, Mas HENRY ELLIS,
No. 500 Scott street, Milwaukee, Wis.
NO. 19