vol.. XXV.
LA<*> SILKS.
m*. vKi.vns.
K
11. MMIM!" BLACK I>KESSCOOI>S.
X>" • • - tx»i.oiu:i»J>Ki->s COODS,
> N I \J»>IN- DITKSS <JOOHS FOR Till: MILLION,
N. i M.<—l- U AM! HHKSSi \|:|{RS,
.V »NTS *L.*T I NDEKWKAK.
.JA« K:~> IWKAS.HS. HOSIKKT.
v« UAt*s. MIA » LS KID i. LOVES.
A.. Troutman & Son.
leaiit.g Dry Goods and Carpet House.
BLTLES- - IPHLN UST'^.
BP*! "V CAKPKTS.
U* IS AW" .MATTINGS.
<t AUT <y! ARKS.
A v • ♦ vll I.LS. .lAI'ANKSI. UCCS.
i »| • KI.<M>K LIN KNS,
* i:l't.« I.INOLECIHS,
I.IM"\» AVI> NAPKINS. OILCLOTHS,
<•JOiA.Vhi.rS.
. SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ORDERS BY MAIL
THIS BPACK IS RFSERVED FOR
E. GRIEB, The Jeweler,
No 'North .Main St., BUTLER, PA.,
Whoco advertisement will appear next week.
BARGANS in WATCHES,
Clocks,
Jewelry
And Silverware.
Fii.est stock of Sterling Silverware in the county,
and at prices not to be equalled for cash.
Watches and Clocks repaired and warranted, at
J. R. GRIEB'B
>Ttj. 10 Soutll Main St., (Sign of ELECTRIC BELL),
Hutler, Pa.
GREAT SALE
TO QUIT TBI BUSINESS
All Our Immense Stock of
MILLINERY,
ConeistiDg of ill the tew thing in Rats, Bonnets, Flowers,
F«nt!.err, Tips. Plumes, Ornaments, Silks, Velvets, Plushes,
Uihbucs, Satins, and everything comprised in a first class
MILLINERY STOCK.
W* intend to close out all the above goods by July Ist and
will sell them at prices that will enable us to do so. Remem
ber you hare a full line
OB 1 NEW GOODS
a, select from. Alto the greatest bargains ever offered in
Dry Goods and Carpets,
.A.T
HITTER & RALSTON'S.
- %J*"7 -A SI-iriAL NF.F York Hat that combines
M .I\ all TL •• ."KXI points of sev< ml acceptable
*RS 5T"\ "I:. S HiSigli.'d to SUit ULL face*. it LS
i .7 :ulng to everyone.
/>-' , It'.—l». ' owes In all the ('lift rent Straws and the
c l.armltig tew spring colon , sage Ureen, Gobe
-■ • 1: n. 1 :«>-1 ri<*.
and
Ir ' SE( '" LS:L!I Improvement over the last. Our
-* cut shows It trimmed In one o( the many wajrs
r li
R I MM II
,0 " immediately to, see it in lis many
4c ' styles and tnmminirs. We have a very large
WfJF «P SG7 ' IXI tlx
Jr jEM/gK?r eye ami fancy of tin- piihiic has. It is
bound to go. itcun-iubcr our baigalnts cannot
Jt B|r3>^^ijytojßwF T yjj
t« 11 tit -li.ij ail the trlnuuliigß, dl
them are the "K.M and the "Bunuy."
M _ u . eee n TU< re seems to l>e an impression that because
|H E Pn ATCrI LcSb> we ...-e patronized t.y the fash'nimble people,wc
<»i»n «.. : 1 .1 t-. ire tor tl >i-e wlie-e p-* k> t books >re limited, Tilts U a great mistake.
Wt.lßNi i.*\ t.g tl.e < iistou; ot the la*hlouaMe women, to make special efforts t(
IIMTM, 1. .. t,|, i.i ,-t «c tli'nk »e can suit the taste and means of anyone, lio»v> ver odd tlio taste
W I.WI'FSI UF M^SMIS.
Jr-1 A WORD ••R.KLIA PITH." To tlmse who have used It we say nothing. Their once
'l, ♦»>••• •!*• ■' ' 1 1 tie.- w: •> t,'-\-T !tn d:l «• I'. 'I li 11|- . I'lien.-I' ol
tti ay atKl tr> it."
Miss M. H. Gilkey,
New Uoilding, No. 02 S. Main St. THE LEADING MILLINEF
THE BUTLER CITIZEN.
j PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
G. M. ZIMMERMAN.
PHYSICIAN AND SCRUKON,
Office at No. 45. s. Main street, over Frank &
Co's iuux Store. Butler, l'a.
J. F. BItITTAIN,
Att'v at T.aw -Office at S. E. Cor. Main St, and
Diamond, Butler, l'a.
NEWTON BLACK
Att'v at Law—Oflice on South side of Diamond,
Itutier, Pa.
IRA McJUNKIN,
Attorney at Law. Office ut No. 17, East Jetfer
soa St.."Butler. Pa.
Br. M. Hoover*
Office over Boyd's Drug Store,
DIAMOND BI.OCK. - - - BUTLER, PA.
W. R. TITZEL,
PHYSICIAN JN ' :> SURGEON.
N. E. Corner Main and Wayne Sts.
BUTLER ZPIEJN 3ST' A_
Br. S. A. JOHNSTON,
DENTIST, - - BUTLER, PA.
All work pertaining to the profession execut
ed m the neatest manner.
Specialties Cold Fillings, and Painless Ex
traction of Teeth. Vitalized Air administered,
(.nice on JeflVrhon Street, one door KHSI of Lowrj
llousc. Dp Stairs.
Office open daily, except Wednesdays and
Thursdays. Communications by mail receive
prompt attention,
X. 8.-TUe only Dentist in Butler using the
best makes of teeth.
JOHN E. BYERS,
PHYSICIAN SURGEON
Office No. fio South Main Street,
BUTLER, - PA.
SAMUEL M. BIPPUS,
Physician and Surgeon,
No. 10 West Cunningham St.,
BUTLER PBJNTN'A
JDIEIST TI STPJ * -
0 1/ WALDROX. Graduate of the Phila
, ft. delphia :)enta! CoUege. Is prepared
to do anything In the line of his profession in a
satisfactor)- manner.
Ofliee on Main street, Butler, opposite tlie
Yogeley House.
J. S, LUSK, M.D.,
Has removed from Harmony to Butler and has
his office at No. 9. Main St., three doors below
Lowry House. apr-30-tf.
_ ~L. S. MCJUNIKIiV,
Insurance and Real Estate Ag'l.
17 EAST JEFFERSON ST.
BUTLER, - PA.
C. F. L. McQUISTION,
ENGINEER AXD SURVEYOR,
OFFICK ON DIAMOND, BUTLER, PA.
Stewart & Patterson.
A. M. STEWART and S. A. PATTERSON. Con
tractors and Builders, are both men of years of
experience in fine house building and framing.
All persons thinking of building will do well
to see them and look over their designs.
Residence oil Falrvlew Ave., Sprlngdale.
l'ostoffice, Butler. Pa.
POBSALE
A larse frame boar-ling house, good location
::ud doing larjre business, Terms easy. i.For
further particulars Inquire of
h. S. Jl<-JI'.NKIN, 17 K. Jefferson St..
'-29.tf Butler, Pa.
QALEBME\f
r 1 WANTED I \
—' For the HOOKF.H NURSERIES, es— *
tat ills lied 1835. M ady emyloyment, and good
pay. Send for terms at once. 11. E. HOOkKR
CO., Rochester, N. Y.
A GENTS WANTED!
TO CANVASS FOR OX C OFTHE LARGEST,
OLDEST ESTABLISHED. BEST KNOWN NUR
SERIES in the country. Most liberal .terms.
I'nequaled facilities. UEN EVA NURSERY. Es
tablished 1546.
W. & T. SMITH. GENEVA, X. Y.
LOOK! READ!
I have enlarged my store-room, In fact, made
It almost twice as large as It was before, and
have also Increased my stock. I have, by far,
tlie largest and best selected stock of
Fine Drugs and Chemicals
lu Butler county, and am now In position to
supply the wants of lhe people of this county
even better than in the past,
You will do well to call on me when in the
nee-j or anything in the line of
Fine Drugs and Medicines,
Mv Stock is very complete and PRICES VERY
LO\V In medicine quality Is of the tlrst Impor
tance. so we give particular attention to lllling
Prescriptions.
Our Dispensing Department is complete. We
dispense only Pure Drugs of the
Finest Quality,
and our patrons may bring us their prescrip
tions. feeling certain that they will be carefully
arid accurately tilled.
Thanking the public for the very generous
patronage t hey have accorded me In the past, I
hope to be able to serve t hem more acceptably
in the future, at the old stand.
No. 5, North Main St.,
BUTLER, PA.
J. C. REDICK,
Planing Mill
—AND—
Lumber Yard
J. L. PURVI3. L. O. PUKVIP,
S.G. Purvis & Co.
MANUFACTURKRS AND DEALERS IN
Rough and Planed Lumber
OF lev j;ky description,
SHIN GLES& LATH
PLANING MILL AND YARD
Ai«HrUcriiiKa t atholic tJhurcb
The It. liable ■" " *
Hop Plaster.
j Quickest ri'mefly Itnown for backache and
all suddeu, sliarn or lony .standing pains or weak
nesses of every kind. Virtues of fresh hopm hemlock
and pine baKnm combined. It is wonderfully
Soothing, Fain-Killing and Strengthening.
No failure possible. 25c; 5 for $1 Sold every
where or mailed for price by the proprietors.
1 HOP PIASTER CO., Host on, Mass.
1
: AflU£a&T|£E£|C ers.wno wish to examine
j AvsCll I 9\lli»k:3 this paper.or obtain ostimat *
I on advertising when in Chicago, will find it on blc « t
U^^^LORD&THOiAS.
FORGIV N ESS.
BY THEODORE JAMES.
A perfume rose from off the ground,
Sweet, unreliable ami rare;
A flower crushed by idle feet,
With fragranot charged the summer air.
The sweet wind, loitering by the way,
In pity kissed the broken flower
And questioned thus: "Sweet mem'ries live
Why yieldest thou in this the hour
Of death, thy chieftest charm in life?"
The flower sighed: "Sweet mem'ries live
When ali else dies; my fragrance breathes
A deathless token—l forgive."
AN ELEPHANT'S TRACK.
"It kin be done. Nance, an' I'm a
goin' to do it ef it busts me." Newt
Pinson brought the tore legs of bis
raw bide bottomed chair down-on the
puncheon floor with a tfcurop, and
slapped his knees emphatically with
his hairy hands.
"Five dollars air a mighty heap to
spen' fer sech foolishness, Newt," re
plied his wife, turning the squalling
baby on its stomach and pouoding it
vigorously on the back. "Mo'uver,"
she added, after a pause, "I don't see
ez ye be got the five dollars, nobow "
Mr. Pinson stretched out one long
leg and thrust a hand into his trous
ers pocket. "Ye're mighty right,
Nance, I ain't," he admitted blowing
the loose tobacco from the handful of
coin fetched up from the honest home
made depths; "I've got jes three dol
lars and a half lef' outh what Sam
Leggett paid me fer the yearlin'. But
me an' the childcrn hev been a-talkin'
of it over, an' they hev conclusioned
to th'ow in ther aigg money; Dan fo'
bits, an' Pete fo'; Joe an'Jed hez two
bits betwix 'em, an' Polly M'riar say
ez bow she hev fifteen cents. I'm
lackin' of a dime, but I reckin I kin
scratch thet up somewbers."
"Ther's my two bits up yan in the
clock," Mrs. Pinson remarked, with
pretended indifference; "ye kin take
that ef ye air seech a plumb fool ez to
pike the whole passel of us inter
town to see the circus "
"Shucks, Nance!" he returned, in
dignantly; "I ain't a-goin'to tech yo'
two bits." Nevertheless he got up
and fumbled about in the clock case
on the high mantel shelf until he
found it "Anyhow," he added, as
be reseated himself, "I kin pay it back
whence ye get ready fer yo' nex' bot
tle o' snuff."
"Will they be a el'phunt?" demand
ed one of the freckled faced urchins
gathered around the heads of the
family, listening, breathless, to the
discussion.
"A dollar fer Nance, an' a dollar
fer me," Mr. Pinson couuted, gravely.
takiDg no notice of the interruption,
" 'an fo' bits apiece fer Beck an' Dan
an' Pete an' Polly M'riar an' Joe an'
Jed. Chiidern half price"—be glanced
casually at the flaming circus poster
tacked against the cbiuked wall iu the
chimney corner—"not countin' of the
baby. An' fifteen cents lef', by
jing!"
"Do ye reckin I kin git in fer half
price, paw?" This question, which
came from Becky, the oldest of the
Pinson brood, who stood five feet six
and a half inches in her bare feet,
might have been meant as a bit of
covert sarcasm, bad not the eager
voice belied any such intention. Her
father's eyes travelled slowly up from
tlie hem of her homespun frock, as
she stood leaning against the chimney
jamb, to her pretty round face framed
in its shock of frizzly red hair.
"Waal, I be dinged, Beck!" be ex
claimed, iu dismay, "I keep fergittiu'
ez how ye air growed up! His face
clouded, and he looked ruefully at the
pile of dimes and half dimes lying in
bis large palm.
"An' Sam Leggett's gone to Kan
sas on a cattle drive," murmured the
twelve year old Dan, with a meaning
leer at Becky. A vivid blush over
spread her face; she dropped hor eye
lids and squirmed her shapely toes.
But Mr. Pinson was absorbed iu a
mute recalculation, which ended
presently in a beat-out whistle and a
mournful shake of the head.
Mrs. Piuson, with the colicky baby
laid over her shoulder, was jolting
her rockerless chair to and fro. and
singing, in a sweet drawling under
tone:
"Far-ye-well, oh, far-ye-well;
When ye git to hev-yen ye will pa-art n-o-o
m-o-o'!"
She interrupted herself to observe,
quietly, "Ye kin tote the baby, Beck;
an' I kin tote Joe; an' yo' paw he kin
tote Jed, twel we git inside the tent.
They ain't no charge fer childern in
arms It says so."
"Lord, Nance!" exclaimed her hus
band, in an ecstasy of admiration, "ye
air the beatenes' white woman on
Rastler's Creek! Thet settles it oucet
mo'! Fetch me a coal fer mv pipe,
Polly M'riar."
Becky heaved a deep sigh of relief,
and sank down on her heels, reaching
under her mother's chair at the same
time for the snuff bottle.
"Will they be a el'phunt?" persist
ed Jed, the tow headed boy next to
the baby, already in long trousers,
which were hitched up to his shoul
ders with a single white cotton "gal
lus."
"Of co'se. They is al'uz a el'phunt
with a circus," replied his father.
"I ain't nuver seen no circus," said
Mrs. Pinson, in jerks between the
long drawn swells of her mournful
lullaby.
"Nuther hev I," admitted Newt,
"but I jes natchly know that ever'
circus has got to hcv a el'phunt an' a
clown."
"Didn't I tell ye so!" cried Dan,
triumphantly, following with a dirty
forefinger the head lines of the poster.
"Ain't the el'phunts right here, a
dancin'an'a stan'in' on they heada,
an' a rollin' o' barrila? An' ez fer
clowne! They i 8 four mirth pro-vok
ing clowns iu this'here show. It
says so. An' five beau-ti-ful and ac
com-plish-ed lady bare-back riders;"'
and he continued to spell out labor
iously the mauifold and unrivalled
attractions of lliddler's Mammoth
Circus and Menagerie, billed—for one
performance only—in Johnsburg at
two o'clock p. M , Monday, the 18th
October. Come One. Come All.
Becky, struck by a sudden thought,
stared at him, shifting the brush un
easily from one corner of her mouth
to the other. "Like ez not," she
broke out abruptly, "Brother Skaggs
'll preach Hgin nex' Sunday. Sho's
yo' bawn, Brother Skaggs air a-goiu'
ter preach agin it."
Mrs. Pinson stopped singing; Polly
Maria and the boys turned stricken
faces upon their father.
His eyes twinkled under their bashy
red brows,but his voice was'decorously
sober as he drawled: "Brother Skagga
bev gone to Confunce, an' he won't
BHTL'-'R, PA FRIDAY. JUN" '5. IWS.
be back twel Sat'day week. \e min',
Nance," be continued,"it air 31 miles
to town, an' ef we lay to git ther
fer the show Monday, we got to camp
'bout Jim-Ned Creek Sun
day night "
"Jesto think o' me goin' to town
oncet mo'!" said Mrs Pinson, medita
tively, that night, when she and Bec
ky were getting supper in the brush
arbor behind the cabin. "I ain't been
sence you was a baby, Beck. \o'
paw an' me went to Wash Din wall's
infair—he died with bis boots on four
year ago; an' Tempunce Loo—thet's
his widder—she's married agin to
Bijy Green. I rid behin' him, an' he
toted you on bis lap Townfolks air
mighty bigaty," she added, warning
ly; "'u' ye mus' do up thet pu'ple
caliker o' yourn. Beck, an' put on vo'
shoes an' stockin's."
"Seems lak fo' days won't nuver
go," fretted Beck, "an' ole Baldy air
sho to lame .his se'f, or sump'n'. It's
alluz that a way whence a body air
plumb sot on doin' a thing."
Bat th? four days did go, and when
the evtntful Sunday afternoon came,
oldßaldy,unusually sound and spirited
was with Jinny, the gaunt gray mule
harnessed to the wagon; the patched
and dingy cover was
drawn over the bows,
a bundle or two of fodder and a few
ears of corn were thrown into the bin
der part, and Mr. Pinson drove gayly
alongside of the rail-fence in front of
the cabin. The rickety house door
was drawn to with a rock behind it
to keep it shut. A couple of chairs
were handed up for Mrs. Pinson and
Becky, and they clambered in with
the baby. The yellow cotton poke,
well stuffed with corn bread and ba
con. aud the battered coffee pot and
frying-pan, were stowed under the
chairs. Polly Maria and the boys
sat on a quilt spread over the sweet
smelling fodder; Rove, Ring, and
Spot, the lean, long-eared brown
bounds, yelped and whined against
the wheels.
They jolted away, serious, as be
came a perfessin' family on a Sunday,
but full of inward excitement. At
night they camped on the pecan-fring
ed banks of Jim-Ned, and were off
betimes in the morning. But not too
soon to find the road lively with
friends aud acquaintances from all
the settlements around, bound on the
same joyous errand as themselves.
They passed Joe Holder, with bis
wife and sister-in-law and the thir
teen children of the two families,
creaking along in a huge freighter's
wagon drawn by five yoke of gaunt
wide-horned oxen; they were overta
ken and outstripped by a noisy squad
of girls and young men on horseback
from the Fork Valley neighborhood;
they kept within hailing distance for a
dozen miles or more of old Daddy
Gardenbrier and his wife, riding dou
ble on their blind yellow mare. The
Mouut Zion folks, they heard, were
ahpad of them by some hours, and an
impatient youngster who trotted by
on a paint pony threw over his shoul
der the information that the Big Pud
dle lay-out was coming on behind.
"Lord, Nance!'' Mr. Pinson ex
claimed more than once that morning,
"I wouldn't of took five dollars to of
staid at home "
"Nutber would I, Newt," Mrs. Pin
son as often returned, with a kind of
solemn delight on her thin, aa'.low
face.
The long reaches of post-oak 'rough'
were heavy with sand; the shinn oak
prairies between were a tangle of
roots that zigzagged across the road,
and made progress slow and painful;
the abrupt banks of the frequent "dry
creeks" were steep; the October BUQ
was hot and by noon old Baldy had
become utterly dispirited. He had,
moreover, fallen a little lame, and he
moved along dejectedly along by Jin
ny, who long ago had flopped her big
ears downward in sign of weariness
and discontent.
The Pinsons under the dingy wagon
cover were welluigh speechless with
impatience.
Suddenly Dan stood up, knocking
his head against the low wagon bows.
"Jes over yan," he declared, "pas'
one little bit o' shinn-oak prery, an'
crost a dry creek, an' up a hill, is
town." Dan had been to town once
with Sam Leggett to lay out his long
hoarded egg money in a four-bladed
knife and a pair of store suspenders.
Polly Maria, slim and thin-legged,
standing up beside him, pitched back
ward into the fodder as the wagon
came to a sudden halt behind a group
of dismounted horsemen, who, with
their bridles over their arms, were
squatting down, apparently searching
for something in a half dried mud
puddle to the right of the road.
"Hullo, Jack!" called Mr. Pinson;
' what ye lost?" One of the men look
ed over his. "Hy're, Newt? How
dy, Mis' Pinson?" he crird, springing
to his feet and coming back to the
side of the wagon, where he shook
hands all around. "We ain't lost
nothin'," he went on, put
ting a foot up on the hub of the front
wheel and resting his arms on the hot
tire; "we done found sump'n', though,
you bet! A genooine el'phunt track
in the sof' mud yander, plain ez day
light, an' no mistake."
Polly Maria and the boys scram
bled in hot haste over the tail-board.
Mr. Pinson threw down the reins, and
held the baby while Becky and her
mother jumped out.
"Wish I may die ef it ain't a el'-
phunt track sho!" he exclaimed, when
he had joined the wondering circle
gathered about the huge footprint.
"It looks to me lak ez ef it were
hine-side afore somehow," said Mrs.
Pinson, timidly:
"I have just been explaining to Mr.
Jack Cyarter here and these other
gentlemen, madam," said Mr. Tolliv
er, the old Virginian who taught the
school at Ebenezer Church, "that it is
a fact in natural history that the track
of the elephant always presents that
appearance." He removed his hat as
he spoke, and made an old-fashioned
courtly bow.
"Ye don't say!" murmured Mrs.
Pinson, overawed.
Jack Carter and his friends mount
ed the horses and dashed away, fol
lowed at a more sober pace by Mr.
Tolliver on his slab-sided plough
mule.
The Pinsons climbed back to their
placeß and jogged on, across the bit
o' prery and over the dry creek —
where they came near getting stalled
. —and up the Lill. On its crest Newt
Pinson involuntarily drew up. "3y
jing ! this beats me!" he ejaculated,
with wideniug eyes. The square at
the foot of the slope was in an uproar.
Horses stood nose to nosa around the
court-house fence, and were hitched
to the scraggy mesquit trees that
shaded tbe town well. The dusty
leading away from the plaza
were blocked witb wagons little aod
big, carts, ambulances, dilapidated
hacks, high-swung red-bouied stages
every imaginable kind of vehicle
and all the intervening spaces, as well
as the irregular sidewalks in front of
the four iufacing rows of stores, were
alive with men, women, and children,
who elbowed one another, whooping,
laughing, gesticulating surging
about in a state of the wildest, best
natured excitement. Bevcnd the un
painted little Baptist church, on the
further side of the
square, the circus tents were visible
Flags and streamers were flying from
their poles, and a vanishing burst of
music came floating from them up to
the top of the hill.
"This beats me!" insisted Mr, Pin
son again. With a deep-drawn
breath he gathered up the ragged,
homespun lines and drove down into
the square, picking his way dexter
ously through the crowd until he
halted alongside the shaky platlorm
in front of Bush Gaines's store. "Hol
loa agin, Newt—that you ?" grinned
Jack Carter from behind the counter
within, where he was helping himself
to a plug of tobacco. "Ye're jes' a
minit too late to see the percession.
It air cart'n' a fine show. The
el'phunt were ther', mighty nigh ez
big ez Ebenezer Church. An' sech a
clown! Ye'd 'a laughed yo'sef to
death to 'a seen him His breeches
air mo'n a yard wide, an' he 'ain't
got a har on his head !"
"Ef we hadn't of stopped to look
at the el'phunt's track—" began
Newt, regretfully; "but uuver min',
Nance, it air a heap better to see it
fust off fum the inside."
"Oh, a heap better," respoaded
Mrs. Prason, with cheerful alacrity.
Bush Gaines, measuring off some
jeans for a Mount Zion matron, called
to Newt to bring his fambly in the
Bto' an' set down, an' pass the time o'
day. But after a brief consultation
witb his wife, during which Becky
took mental note of some town girls
in looped overskirts and bangs—an
observation which bore fruit at the
next Quarterly Meeting—Mr. Pinson
declined with thanks, and drove on
to the town well—all but gone dry
from the excessive strain put upon it
—where Dan and Peto watered the
team.
Afterward thoy crossed the square
and stopped by the Baptist church,
in full view of the circus tents, whence
arose at that moment a prolonged and
sullen roar. "They're feedin' of the
nannimals," explained Mr. Pinson, in
a familiar, off-hand sort of way,
whereat Mrs. Pinson shuddered and
and hugged the sleeping baby closer
to her bosom.
Old Baldy and Jinny were un
hitched and fed from the trough at
back of the wagon; the panting dogs
lay down in the shade of the church;
the children had a snack all around
out of the yellow poke, and Becky
and her mother fetched out the chairs
and sat down to "have a dip."
"It air a haffn hour yit twel the
do's is open," said Mr. Pinson, finally.
"Jes ye an' the childern stay right
here, Nance. I'm goin' to tramp
down to the pos'-office an' g't the la 3'
'lection news, an' sich. I'll be back
the minit it air time, an' min' ye all
be ready, lessn wo don't git no seats."
Mrs. Pinson nodded, and he stroll
ed away. "This here beats me," he
kept saying to himself. Johnsburg
was indeed in an unwonted state of
excitement. Riddler's was the first
circus that had ever quitted the line
of railway aud ventured across the
long saudy reaches of post-oak rough
to the isolated town in West Texas
And the whole surrounding country
had pulled to its doors like the Pin
sons, and responded to the invitation
of the huge posters: "Come one.
Come all."
Newt's progress waa slow, owing
to frequeut encountering of neighbors
and the necessity of inquiring alter
the health of their families. He did
at last, however, reach the post-offi:e,
a ramshackle buildiug next to the
blacksmith shop, As he turned tho
corner he came upon a cake-and-lem
onade stand. His hand went instant
ly down into his pocket, and came up
with the extra fifteen cents, which he
exchanged for three solid slabs of
mahogany-colored gingerbread. "Fer
Nance an' the childern," he explained
as the woman in charge wrapped up
his purchase. The bleary old creature
looked at him with a sudden kindly
smile, and slipped a stick of pepper
mint candy into the parcel.
With one foot on the post office
step he paused to look at a man who
planted a gigantic yellow umbrella
out in the dusty square, and standing
bareheaded beneath, was yelling some
unintelligible jargon at the top of his
lungs. Mr. Pinson hurried over and
joined the ring of gaping spectators.
On a bit of board in the shadow of
the umbrella a couple of odd little
marionettes of colored metal were cir
cling in a kind of grotesque waltz.
"Lots of fun for twenty-five cents !"
shouted the showman, stooping now
and then to touch up the figures with
a stubby forefinger. "Lots of fun for
twenty-five cents ! The greatest toy
invented in this age or any other. So
simple that a crawling child cannot
fail to mauago it! Those who kuow
the trick will please say nothing.
Cheap, gentlemen, for twenty-five
cents. Oh, I see the gentleman is
going to buy!" Newt grinned and
shook his head regretfully.
"One for one, two for two, three
gets the half-a-dollah!" bawled anoth
er individual who had set up a table
near by covered with wooden nine
pins Jack Carter aud his Crowd
were throwing at these with little
painted balls. A cigar, Jack explain
ed to Newt, was the reward for one
pin knocked down at a throw; two
cigars went to the player who knock
ed down two; while the lucky throw
er who succeeded in knocking down
three received fifty cents. "One
for one, two for two, three gets the
half-a-dollah" went on the proprietor,
monotonously. "Three throws for
five cents. Step up, gentlemen, and
try vour luck! For a nicke! One for
one, two for two, three gets the half
a-dollab!"
"Lord! ef I hand't of bought this
durned ginger-cake!" groaned Mr.
Pinson in spirit, gathered the paper
parcel more securely under his arm
aud moving on with the crowd.
A step or two brought him to an
open wagon from which a patent
medicine man was holding forth.
"Try the remedy," he whined, flour
ishing a stout black bottle and a pew
ter spoon. "Cures all diseases! Try
the remedy! Administered free of
charge to any one in tho crowd.
This suberb bottle with the remedy
only fifty cents The wise man tries,
, the fool dies. Try the remedy!"
i "This here beats me," murmured
Newt, mechanically .vipiDg the per
spiration from his forehead, and back
ing against the court house fence,
where he leaned fairly exhausted;with
the variety and novelty of his emo
tions. "The haffn hour mus' be nigh
'bout up Dinged ef I ain't glad,"
he continued, letting the crowd drift
on without him to where the health
lift man was exhorting the cautious
ranchmen to "try the machine, try
the wonderful machine, ,gentlemen.
Excellent for the constitootion! Only
five cents a trial. Try the machine;"
and the reckless cow-boys were
emptying their pockets at the invita
of the vendir of prize boxes.
"Curious game that, sir," said a j
smooth voice at his elbow. He look- ;
ed around, startled, A seedy but re- J
speetable looking personage was j
standing by bim with his arms cross- |
ed on the low fence. He jerked his
head as he spoke toward a little knot I
of men hangiug arouud the stile-steps |
leading into the weed-grown conrt
house yard.
Newt walked over and looked on.
It was a simple enough looking game
at cards. An inuocent faced looking
little fellow with black hair and cur
ly mustache was manipulating the
greasy deck. The bet was five dol
lars. Two countrymen, unknown to
Newt, with suspiciously stiff white
collars above their coarse hickory
shirts, aud scrupulously clean finger
nails, won successively five dollars,
and the dealer, much chagrined,
seemed on the point of giving up.
Newt made half a step forward.
His heart was beating violently and
the blood was surging in his ears.
"I'm a prefessin' member," be argued
mentally with himself, while the
cards were once more shullled and
spread ont, "vit it air jes 'bout the
easies' thiug in creation to tell which
one of them cyards air the right one.
An' Nance an' me'll hev mo'n time
to trade out the five dollars whence
the show air over. Shucks!
And he couuted out and laid down
his handful of dimes and nickels, and
hazarded a bet. He bent forward
eagerly, and unconsciously stretched
forth a hand. "This here monty air
a mighty dcceivin' game," remarked
the blacksmith, with an air of convic
tion, as the dealer raked Mr.Pinson's
money into his own pocket and walk
ed jauntily away.
Newt turned about, half dazed by
the suddenness of the whole trans
action, and bewildered by the jeers of
the by-standers. Just then,however,
a noisy burst of music from the circus
tents gaye the signal for the opening
of the doors; a wild rush immediately
began in that direction, and in a fjw
moments the square was deserted,
except by-the patent medicine man
and the owner of the big umbrella
These joked each other loudly, and
slapped significantly their silver
weighed pockets,
Newt passed them with hi? bead
bent, heedless of the sneering laugh
which they sent after him. As he
approached the church he saw that
Becky had the baby; she was holding
him up and smoothing the pink calico
skirts over his fat white legs. Mrs.
Pinson looked at bim with an unwon
ed sparkle in her solumn black eyes
as he drew near,and lifted tho chunky
Jed in her arms. "She looks lak she
did whence I war a-courin 1 of her,"
he thought, with a sore pang. Joe
plunged toward him with a joyous
whDop. "Hurry, paw, Lurry!"
screamed Poliy Maria, ain't a
goin'to git no seats lessen we hurry."
He put Joo a.iide roughly and strode
on to his wife. His face was sot
and hard, though his mouth twiched
convulsively.
"Lord-a-might, Newt Pinson, what
ails ye?" ejaculated Mrs. Pinson, let
ting Jed slip from her arms.
"Nothiu' ain't ailin' me ez I knows
on," he returned, in a dry harsh
voice; "we got to go back home
'thout seeiu' o' the show, thet's all.
I done bet away ever' cent of ourn
an' the childern's circus money on a
fool game o' cyards—yander, Oh
Lord—" he ended with a groan. A
single wild wail burst from Polly
Maria and the boys. Then they
huddled against their mother's skirts
in mute agony.
A faint Hush passed over Mrs. Pin
son's thin face, and the light faded
from her dark eyes.
"'Tain't no diffunce, Newt," she
said, lightly, catching the baby from
Becky's limp and nerveless arms.
"Jes ye hitch up, quick ez ye kin, an'
le's get outn this here bigaty town.
Me an' the childern air plumb beat
out wi' these stuck up townfolks,
anyhow!"
Newt stared at her in silence, and
slouched away Her gaze followed
him to the rear of the wagon; when
he was beyond the reach of her voice
she whirled around and blazed in a
threatening half whisper: "Ef ary
one o' ye says a word to ver paw
'bout this here misfortin o' hisn, or
'bout hankeriu' a'ter the show; er ef
ary one o' ye ain't thet gamesome an'
liyely lak ez ef they wa'n't no sech a
thing ez a circus, er a clown, er a
el'phunt in this here livin' worl'—
sho's ye bawn I'll shetthe do' in Sam
Leggett's face an' cowhide the balance
o' ye twel ye can't set down fer a
week I"
Becky's ruddy cheeks grew pale
"Yes, maw," she returned, in a sub
dued tone.
"Yes, maw," echoed Polly Maria
and the boys, stolidly, not without
squeezing back some ungamesome
tears, however, as they stood in a
row against the Baptist Church and
watched their father bring arouud
Jiuny and old Baldy.
Had they only known it,they might
have seen while they waited the* Lill
iputian Lady and the Fat Woman go
by in a shaky hack with torn curtains,
and descend before the painted flaps
of one of the side shows. But they
did not know.
The wagon was turned around;
thev climbed over the wheels and set
tled themselves under the dtngy
cover. As they moved slowly across
the silent square a tremendous shout
from the spectators within the tent,
and a pompous fanfare from the brass
band, announced that the Grand
Entry had begun.
Newt stalked along beside the tired
team downcast aud miserable. "I've
even fergot wher' I lef' the childern's
ginger cake," he muttered to himself,
a3 his mind went over and over the
incidents of that fatal hafl'n hour.
A curious hilarity prevailed that
night around tho little camp fire.
Mrs Pinson, unusually silent almost
to taciturnity, had become all at once
loquacious. She painted to the fam
ily circle iu glowing colors the pride
and wickedness of townfolks; she pic
tured the denunciatory wrath of
Brother Skagg when he should learn
that perfessin' members of Siloam
Church had bean inside of a circus
tent; she related the experience of
sundry sinners who had been over
taken by diviue vengeance while in
the very act of laughing: a '« the antics
ofaclowu;she even lilted up her
voice and sang some particularly
finme-and brimstone-promising hynia
tunes. liecky, mindful of Sam Leg
gett awav off in Kansas, seconded her
efforts to keep the general cheerfulness
up to a proper pitch. Ii it showed
signs of flagging, however, a warning
look, shot from beneath the mother's
drooping eyelids, acted as a charm on
Polly Maria and the boys.
Newt, who sat mournfully hugging
his knees at first, and gazing into
space, presently caught the infection
himself, and when, finally, he unroll
ed a patch quilt and threw himself
thereou, his eye 3 in peaceful
slumber, it was almost with the con
viction that the five dollars had been
well iost in keeping a per'essin' fam
bly out of the worldly and soul
destroying circus tent,
Mrs. Pinson, sitting alone by the
fire with the baby in her arms, looked
at his unconscious face upturned in
the dim moonlight; her gaze traveled
slowly from one indistinct
form huddled under the shadow of
the wagon to another; she sighed
heavily, and her face relapsed into its
usual sombre expresssion. "I
wisht—she muttered; then after a
long pause, as she stretched herself
on the quilt beside her sleeping spouse
and wrapped the baby's feet in an old
shawl, she concluded with a little
touch of triumph in her whispered
toues, "Anyhow, I hev seen the
el'phunt's track!"—M. E. M. DAVIS
in Harper's Weekly.
A Word For The Boys.
Recently, while in California, I
spent some time on a ranch, and was
the guest of a family numbering
Bmong others seven sons, the young
est of whom had nearly if noc quite
reached manhood. Not one of these
seven boys had been taught any use
ful trade or mechanic's art, but all
were expected to foliow in the un
profitable farming footsteps of their
sire. As the ranch, wheu diyided
among so many (there were also three
daughters), would leave each with
very few acres, they had no future
before them except that of a laboring
man. It used to make my heart ache,
to see the hopeless yet doggedly filial
way in which these boys went about
their daily labors. The parents were
more than ordinary intelligent people
of Irish-American extraction, and
their carelessness in bringing such a
family of children iuto the world,
without taking any thought for the
future, seemed to me most culpable.
One of tho lads had worked out a
career for himself, and known as the
best whip and horse breaker in the
couutry, and on this account could
command such wages as S3O a month
and board to drive the stage to Truckee
and Lake Tahoe, and another hired
himself out to neighboring nursery
man, with a vague idea of learning
something by which he could raise
himself above the level of a day la
borer.
Speaking with the mother, a hand
some brown-eyed, white haired lady
of fifty-five who could talk intelligent
ly of the books and topics of the day,
I inquired why she had not tried to
have her sons learu trades since she
and her husband had lbund farming
so unprofitable. She replied that her
husbaud was "very set in his ways,"
and finding that his boys showed no
special aptitude for b:>oks, had become
discouraged with the idea of making
anytbiug of them.
This reminds me of the old Scotch
man, who when he was asked if he
intended to send his boy to college,
replied, "God forbid that I should
spend $5,000 on a 10-cent*boy." Very
possibly this 10-cent boy, if rightly
directed, and guided, would have
turnod out to be at lea3t a good and
useful member of society. Don't
thiuk because your boy is no genius,
that he is not fit for anytLing. Make
it your business to fiad out his one
talent (if be has ouly one,) and to cul
tivate that to the best of your ability.
The more I study the lives of boys
and young men, the more am I per
suaded of the value of such institu
tions as the trade schools, of which
the Rural recently treated. A boy
who would make a poor lawyer or
doctor, or accountant, may have a
geuius for engineering, aud make a
success as a mining engineer, or a
bridge builder. Surveying and archi
tecture are thriving occupations. If
a boy has a taste for outdoor life, let
him stick to the farm, but don't let
him go on in the old rut 3. Inspire
him with a desire to understand the
scientific side of farming and stock
raising. Teach him to feel, if he
elects to be a farmer, that his occupa
tion is an ennobling, and not a debas
ing one. Let him stay on the farm,
not because he feels in a hopeless sort
of way that he doesn't know what
else to, but because he would rather
do so than to follow any other calling.
To be successful, a man or woman
must have some sort of belief ia him
self and his work,—A, G. ia Rural
New Yorker.
His Sweetheart's Skull.
A young doctor who has his office
in a building on State street said
"Come in" to a rap at his door yes
terday afternoon. He was in a neg
ligent at,tire aud was smoking a cigar
ette. He threw it away, tor the vil
lany at whieh he was caught he kaew
he could never bo put to execution.
There was a skull oa his desk, which
from its position seamed to be taking
the place of a paper weight. By
some process of dentistry the mouth
was filled with teeth, most of them
shining with gold. The young phys
ician confessed. "It is the skull," he
said, "of a woman whom I once loved.
Our love wasn't any different from
that of most couples. She died, and
I was one of her pall bearers. She
knew I was studying medicine before
her death, aud when she kaew she
had to die she said she was sorry she
had never given me anything, except
her love, by which she might always
be remembered. She was a girl of a
good deal of common sense. She
didu'i have any fool notions. I sug
gested that I cut her head off after
burial,and having dissected it use it tor
a paper weight. She consented, and
I did it. I got ber head the very
first nii?ht of her burial aud kept it
I preserved iu alcohol for some time. I
! know you think me a very heartless
j sort of a chap, but then you people
j think that of all doctors. Better
Ihave her head here than have it
moldering in the dmt."—Chicago
Time*.
What Cost The Most.
Cost is, of course, a very unsafe
measure of value in mauy instances,
and yet there is not uunatnral curios
ity on the part of the public to booir
the mere money estimation in which
certain more or less beautiful articles
are held. Here are a few somewhat
remarkable examples of lavish expen
iliture:
The highest-priced piano in Amer
ica is owned by Mr. H. G. Marquand
of New York. The case, which was
built in London, was designed and
painted bv Alrneda Tameda. It cost
$40.000. "
Sir Donald Smith, of Montreal, is
the owuer of the costliest piano ever
made in this country. It cost, when
landed in Montreal, $27,000.
The most expensive sideboard ever
made in the United States is owned
by Judge Harry E. Packer, ol Mauch
Chunk, Penn. It covers the whole
side of a room, and was built for $47,
000. It is a marvel of elaborate and
beautiful carving.
Mr. Marquand is the possessor of
the costliest billiard table in the coun
try. The price was $26,000.
Mr. J. W. Mack ay furnished about
$75,000 in weight of silver, and paid
5120,000 tor the work on his dinner
service, which thus represents $195,
000.
The costliest string of pearlß in this
country belongs to a New York lady
and cost $51,000.
Another New Yorker has a soltaire
diamond ring for which she paid S4B,
000.
The late Mrs. Morgan paid $250,
000 Tor her necklace. Mrs. Hicks-
Lord is the owner of a diamond neck
lace which cost $250,000.
The famous picture by Meissonier,
called "1807," was painted for the
late A. T. Stewart. At the sale of
his gallery Mr. Henry Hilton bought
it for $G6,500, and presented it to the
Metropolitan Museum, where it now
hangs, the costliest painting in Amer
ica.
Sir Donald Smith is the possessor
of the highest priced painting in Can
ada, "The Communicants," by Jules
Rreton, Cost at the Seney sale $45,
000.
Mr. W. W. Corcoran, of Washing
ton, paid the highest recorded price
for an American picture. It is
Church's "Niagara," and the price
was $13,000. It was reported that
Legrand Lockwood paid $25,000 for
Bierstadt's "Domes of the Yoaemite,"
but as at the distribution of his effects
the picture brought less than $6,500
the first price was probably a fable.
In the Lenox Library is a perfect
copy of the Mazarin or Guttenberg
Bible, the first book printed with mov»
able types. It is worth $25,000, and
nothing better has ever been done
since. Mr. Brayton Ives of New
York city has an imperfect copy
for which he paid $15,000.
Mr. J. F. Irwin, of Oswego, paid
SIO,OOO for a Bible, It was original
iy iu three volumes, but by the inaer
tion of woodcuts, manuscripts, engra
vings, and etchings had been expand
ed to 60 imperial folio volumes.
Of the original edition of the son
nets of William Shakespeare, publish
ed by George Daniel of London in
1609, there are two perfect copies.
Oae is in the British Museum. For
the other $5,000 was paid. It is a
little book about 7 and 4 inches in
size, A somewhat bardheaded clerk
figures that at the price it coat $4 SO
an ounce.
A sixteenth century ve'lura manu
script, with six paintings by Giulio
Clovis, cost the Lanox Library sl2,
000.
Wedding Comments.
Here she comes!
Pretty, isn't she.
Who made her dre3s ?
Ii it surah silk or satin ?
Is her v;iil real lace?
She's as white as the wall!
Wonder how much he's worth ?
Did he give her those diamonds ?
He's scared to death !
Isn't she the cool piece ?
That train's a horrid shape !
Isn't her mother a dowdy ?
Aren't the bridesmaids homely ?J ,'J3
That's a handsome usher !
llusu't she a cute little hand ?
Wonder what number her gloves are ?
They say her shoes are fives.
If his hair isn't parted in the middle !
Woudcr what on earth she married him
for ?
Fi>r his money, of course !
I-n't he handsome ?
I le's as homely as a hedgehog !
Mo, he's like a dancing master.
tiojd enough for her, anyway.
She always was a stuck-up tbin^.
.She'll be worse than ever now !
She jilted Sam Somebody, didn't she ?
No, he uever asked her.
lie left town, anyway.
There, the ceremony his begun,
Isn't he awkward?
White as his collar!
Why don't they hurry up?
Did she say she would "ob9y ?"
What a precious fool !
There, they are married !
Doesn't she look happy ?
Pity if she wouldn't!
(Wish I were in her place.)
What a handsome couple !
She was always a sweet little thin^.
How gracefully she walks ?
D.*ar me, what airs she pnts on !
Wouldn't be in her place for a farm !
I'll bet those jewels were hire!.
Well, she off her father's hand at la-it !
Doesn't she cling tightly to him, though I
She has a mortgage on him
Hope they'll be happy.
They say she's awful smart.
Too smart for him by ajugful.
There, they are getting in the carnage!
That magnificent dress will ba sq«a<h •I !
The way she does look at himf
They sav she worships him !
Worship! She only making bilieve!
It's kind of nice to get mirrieJ, iiu't it ?
N >, it's a dreadful bore.
Wasn't it a stupid wedding ?
What dowdy dresses!
I'll never goto another!
I'm j'i't hufficated !
Tired to death !
Glad it's over !
Oh, dear!
The Rabbit's Ere Engrafting
Operation Repeated.
At Baltimore on Wednesday week
Dr. J. J. Chiselm performed the oper
ation of transferring a rabbit's eye to
a man's head at the Presbyterian
Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hos
pital in the presence of a large num
ber of physicians. The patient has
been blind for miny years. Apiece
of the blind eye was cut out by using
a circular punch, very sharp, driven
by clock work With the same in
strument a duplicate piece was taken
from the sound eye of a living rabbit.
The clear pitch fitted accurately into
the hole made in the man's eye. The
operation was made painlesi by the
use of cocaine. The best resnlta are
expected.
The operators in the C)ke re
gions are weeding out the Huns,
Poles and Swedes. One firtn that
employs 10,000 men will discharge
all employes who do not speak Eng
lish. and no others will bj employed
hereafter.
tf0.32