VOL. XXV.
liuiiiiiiOiiiiniiii
LA« E> SILKS.
RIBRONS. VELVETS.
BHToNS EDGINGS. DKESS (iOODS.
TRIMMINGS. BLACK DRESS GOODS.
TINSKLtiII.. IKKD DRESS <;<M>PS.
BKA ID AND HEAD SETS. DRESS GOODS KO|j THE MILLION.
NI« HT DBESSES. WASII DItESS FABRICS.
INFANTS WEAK. T'NDERWKAR,
JAC KETS. PARASOI-S. HOSIERY*.
WUAI-S. SHAW I.S KID GLOVES.
~
A. Troutman & Son.
Leading Dry Goods and Carpet Bouse.
BTT rLiER - - ■ - - • IPJEUSI JST'A^.
CRRTAIVS. CA UPETS.
*INW<W SHADES. MATTINGS.
CTM AIS POLES ART SOI'A RES.
AM' I IXH RES. JAPANESE RI GS.
TABLECOVEIrf. FLOOR LINENS,
SOFA RLGS. LINOLEI'MS.
LINENS AND NAPKINS. OILCLOTHS.
ORNAMENTS.
SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ORDERS BY MAIL
THIS SPACE IS RESERVED FOR
E. GRIEB, The Jeweler,
No. 19, North Main St, BUTLER, PA.,
Whose advertisement will appoar next week.
BARGANS in WATCHES,
Clocks,
Jewelry
And Silverware.
Finest 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
JN\J. 18 South Mnin St., < Si « n of ELECTRIC BELL),
Kutler, Pa.
GREAT SALE
TO QUIT THE BUSINESS
All Our Immense Stock of
MILLINERY,
Consisting of All the new thing in flats, Bonnets, Flowers,
Feathers, Tip*, Flumes, Ornaments, Silks, Velvets, Plushes,
ltibbons, Satins, and everything comprised in a first class
MILLINERY STOCK.
We 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 have a foil line
OK NEW GOODS
to select from. Also the greatest bargains ever offered in
Dry Goods and Carpets,
-A.T
HITTER & RALSTON'S.
-A SPECIAL New York ll.it that combines
■£*** f \ all tin- good points of »evc nil acceptable
WSirf Y"\ ones. I>« -KI tf 11 »*<t to suit all races, It Is
EpW *• becoming to everyone.
"j| _ Coincs In all the different straws and the
cliarmlnK new spring colors. Sage Green, (lobe
ltn. liolilen Browns, Boreal anil Electric.
it admits trimming ami
each seems an Improvement
cut shows trimmed In
It TT'-111
Tbse bat® are ifoinic so f.ist
best to come to see it
styles and trimmings. have a large
stock just a Ui.ng catches
the
bound to (fo. Remember our
op«'ned, this over a
shapes, with the new trimmings, dl
rect trom the largest house in America. Among
them are the "K.M.tf." and the "Bunny."
M u | *f There seems to be an impression that because
pßATvnLtow. k patronl7.ed by the fashionable people, we
4o»T Kuk* iiii> "«"rt" >o care for those wlioae pocket books are limited, This 1* a great mistake.
WkUe be;n« obliged having the custom of tlie fashionable women, to make special efforts to
(rovUc tor Uit-ca. ;.et we tiuuk wc can suit the taste and means of anyone, however odd the taste,
or limited t b.- weans.
JUL A wnnl about • I.ELI A P1T1I." To thooe who have used It we say nothing. Their once
ustag It iii»urt-. Its u»e always. To those who never tried It we say. "proilt by the experience of
""""'"Miss M. H. Gilkey,
Mew Building, No. 62 S. Main Si. THE LEADING MILLINER
THE BUTLER CITIZEN.
II»UO F KSSION A L CA HI >S.
I -
G. M. ZIMMERMAN.
PHYSICIAN AND SURG HON.
office at No. l'., S. Main street, over Frank i
l o'.s lJiug store. Butler, Pa.
' J. F. BKITTAIN*.
Att yat Law -Office at S. E. ( or. Main st, and
Diamond, Butler, Pa.
NEWTON BLACK
Att'y at I .aw—Office on South side of Diamond,
Butler, Pa.
USA MeJUN KIN,
Attorney at Law. Office at No. IT, Last Jeffer
son St.. Butler. Pa.
Dr. 2y» M« Hnover ;
Office over Boyd's Drug Store,
! DIAMOND BLOCK. - BUTLER, PA.
j
W. R. TITZEL,
PHYSICIAN ANU SURGEON.
N. E. Coiner Main and Wayne Sis.
BUTLER PEJMIT'A.
Dr. S. A. JOHNSTON,
DENTIST, - - BUTLER, PA.
All work pertaining to the profession execut
ed in the neatest manner.
Specialties Cold Fillings, and ramies* l.x
tTaction ,1 Teeth. Vitalized Air : dmlnistered.
(fjjlre on .Jefferson Street, one door t ol'Lotvry
House, I'p Stalls.
Office open daily, except Wednesdays and
Tlinisdays. communications by mail receive
prompt attention,.
X. B.— The only Dentist in Butler the
best makes of teeth.
JOHN E. BYERS,
PHYSICIAN AXl> SURGEON
Office No. C 5 South Main Street,
BUTLER, - I'A.
SAMUEL M. BIPPUS,
Physician and Surgeon.
No. 10 West Cunningham St.,
BUTLER, PBHN'A
DEKTTISTPU Y .
0 1/ WAI.OItON. Graduate of tiie Phiia
. I\. deipiiia Dental College, is prepared
to do anvthini; !.i the line of iiis profession in a
satisfactory manner. I
unite oil Main street, Butler, opposite tlie
Vogeiey House.
J. S. LUSH, M.8.,
Has removed from Harmony to Butler ar.d has
his office at No. 9. Main St., three doors below
Lowry House. api'-3i)-tf.
L. & McJUNIKIN,
Insurance and Real Estate I.
17 KAST JEFFERSON ST.
BUTLER, - I»A.
C. F. L. McaUISTION,
E.VGINEKR AXD SURVEYOR,
OFFICE ON DIAMOND. BUH-EK, PA.
Stewart & Patterson.
A. M. STEWART and s. A. PATTERSON, Con
tractors and iiulldcrs, aro l>otll men of years of
experience in fine house building and framing.
All persons thinking or building will do well
to see tUem and look over their 'lesljrns.
ICesidenee on l'alrview Ave., S( rtngdale.
l'ostoffice, Butler, Pa.
FOll SALID
A large frame boarding .house, good location
and doing large business, Terms easy. k For
further particulars imiuire of
L. S. XeJl .NKI.V, 17 E. Jefferson St..
-29, it Butler, Pa.
CJA L E 8 M EAT
WANTED I \
- For the IIOOKEK NCKSKKIKS. es '
tabilshed isal. St'a«l;> i-nnloym.-nt ami (rood
pay. Send for tf rnis at once. 11. E. HOOKEIt
CO., Kocliester, N. V.
.AGENTS WANTED!
TO CANVASS FOR ON f. OK THE I.A ROKST,
OLDEST ESTABLISHED. LEST KNOWN NI K
SEItiKS in the countrv. Most liberal terms.
I nequaled facilities. GENEVA SI RSKKV. Es
tablished IS4B.
IV. & T. SMITH. t.KNKVA, X. V.
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, bv far,
the largest and best selected stock ol
Fine Drugs and Chemicals
In Butler county, and am now In position to
supply the wants of the people of this county— ,
even better than In the past.
You will do well to call on me when in the
nee J of anything in tlie line of
Fine Drugs and Medicines,
Mv stock is very complete and PRICES VERY
Low In medicine quality Is of the tlrst Impor
tance. so we give particular attention to tilling
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 t hey will be carefully
and accurately filled.
Than king the public for the very generous
patronage t hey have accorded me In the past, I
hope in be able to serve thein inore 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. FURVIB. L. O. PURVIS,
S.G. Purvis & Co,
MANUFACTURERS AND DEALKBS IN
Rough and Planed Lumber
OF KY «KY DESCRIPTION.
SHINGLES & LATH
PLANING MILL AND YARD
Xedrlitrtii/i;! Callinlic C'hhrcb
SURVE Y I NG
LAND,
COAL BANKS,
AND LEVELING.
Particular attention given to the Retracing ol
old lines. Address,
11. I<\ 111 LLIAVtD.
Co. Siirvt'j or
North Hope P. 0., Butler Co., Pa.
8,5,84. ly
THJS PAPER
H. W. AVE* 4 SON, our «i Wucd «*,ut*.
MOWN INC..
! For the CrnzKV]
1 To greet the day that's just begun,
I Ami dry the teats that night has shed,
That s-parkle in the morning sun,
Like diamonds now that night has lleil,
The leathered songster his best,
And warbles forth his notes of gleJ;
While yet the dew is ou i;is breast,
iiis voice is heard in forest tree.
| The sunbeams kiss the gliding stream
That's wandered through the si.en: night,
! Awakes it from its sombre dream,
And floods its face with golden liglr.:
. „1 he lambs that skip upon th" la vn,
Or gambol in the meadow sweet,
Are pleaded to see the smiling Jar u,
And show thtir glee in movement ileet.
The hills are clothed in summer creen,
And lift tiieir heads with forest crowned,
Above ihe that lie between,
Just waking from their slumber sound .
The milkmaid trills a merry tune,
That's echoed by the mocking bird,
And on the fragrant air of June,
The low of cattle's faintly heard.
Far in the east the snn is roiled,
In yielding folds of bright;
That change to crimson, then to gold,
Theu slowly vanishes from sight.
The morning glories glowing face
is fanned by zephyrs from the sea.
Plays hide and seek with charming
grace
With leaves that flutter in the breeze.
Blooming flowers, fresh and fair,
Tiieir beauty mingle in the scene:
The rose and shrub, perfume the air.
And humming birds their sweetness
glean.
I stand awhile in wonder lost, -
Nor heed the ever fleeting time;
It teems to fairy lands I've crossed,
Far iuto some supernal clime.
'Tis God's own hand that wields the brush,
And paints the scenes that charms our
gaze;
Then why should we our voices hush,
While nature, loudly shouts his praise.
I sometimes think that morning hours
Give us a glimpse of Paradise;
Or joys that iivad in Eden's bowers,
Ere man was stained by guilt and vice.
V A STINK.
'SAXOXHUBG, June ISB-S.
THE MAN IN BLACK.
TiY W. N. II , OF BUTLER, PA.
Unnatural deeds
T»o breed unnatural trouble: Infested minds
To their deaf piilowg will discharge their
secrets.— J/nrbfth.
I.
FRIENU ? FIEND i HUMAN WOLF !
Ia the summer of 1884 I took
charge of t Sandpvmp, a small
weekly newspaper published in one
ot Pennsylvania's invalid oil town 3
which hail not yet recovered from the
collapse of the extraordinary excite
ment which once followed the drill.
I soon became an adept in my new
vocation, but I never acquired that
eel like proficiency which glides alozg
tickling everybody and offending no
one. This made my newspaper life
all the spicier. Hardly »n is-sue ap
peared which did not ofiWul some sen
sitive mortal who made it his Lusi
ness to have a belligerent interview
with the editor, pay his subscription
and order his paper stopped. Yes,
the sanctum of the Sandpump fre
quently presented animated set nes
Irom what I considered the most triv
ial causes About this period of my life
cluster myriads of reminiscences, of
which the one ] nip. about to relate is
not the most romantic.
Seated iu my office on a pleasant
December morning, whi -h bore all
the charms of a pretty April morn, I
was chronicaling the momentuous
fact that the Star Grocery—which
ran a two column ad. in our paper—
had donned a new roof, when I was
accosted by an old German lady who
resided near the cemetery "and sup
plied us with vegetables. I had
gratuitously "puffed" everything her
farm produced; had lauded her butter,
and published to the world that she
grew the largest beet ever raised in
Western Pennsylvania and defiantly
challenged my contemporaries to pro
duce its equal. 1 also rendered her
the conventional "heartfelt thanks"
through the columns of the Sand
pump for the present of a Thanks
giving turkey, which—blame the
luck—she subsequently made me de
duct from her subscription- As she
approached me, I observed that the
complaisance and grandiloquence, so
characteristic of your Germau huck
ster women, were gone. Positive
that I was not in her debt—now don't
smile, please don't, for your country
editors have to scratch and scrapelo
keep body and soul from dissolving
partnership, and our thrifty German
citizens are not the most favorably in
clined to trust—positive, I say, that
I was not in her debt, I awaited with
reportorial stoicism what she was
aJ>out to unburden. Without any
urbane preliminaries she began at
once to denounce the mysterious
character of the town, known as the
Man iu Black Oa arriving at the
hotel he had announced himself as
Benjamin llush Legrand. Although
he had been a denizen of the town six
weeks he had not spoken, beyond a
mere exchange of civilities, to a half
dozen persons;oorcould"the shrewdest
inhabitant divine bis business
Hence the eitizeus viewed him ask
ance, with many misgivings. The
appellation, Man in Black, was not
inappropriate; for this gloomy char
acter, iu addition to his mysterious
conduct, was clad iu sable attire. In
short, to curtail description aud get
on with the narrative, he was a very
reticeut and much suspicioned young
man whose acquaintance I had re
cently made; and that, too, one
which promised to grow into an
ardent friendship, despite my doubts
iu regard to his character and in de
fiance of the odium which enveloped
him. The old lady, ignorant of our
relationship, multiplied her vitupera
tions as fast as her tongue would per
mit; al! the while emphasizing with
her head and shoulders, and showing
special indignation by stretching her
apron and lifting it into the air with
spasmodic jerks. I was amazed at
i the charges. "Woman," I said,
"preposterous, it cannot be!"
"Yaw, it vas vust as I vas you
tell; yaw, it vas !yaw, yaw !" she vo
ciferated. Then, dropping her basket
she leaned over the desk and, bring
ing her mouth iu closer communica
tion with my ear, wbisp red —no,
I hissed —in a tone indicating vehe
nience of passion: ust uacht
I vas him seeu—our house past go in
tie graveyard—in de mi mi-mitnacht.
Oh, acb; you know vat I mean: ven
der rooster crows; —mit a lantern; ail
shot mit de front a hole in to let tie
licht out He takes dem dead beoplcs
out der graves fer der doctors ! \ as?
BITTLFR, PA., FRIDAY, JUNR
j \*w, he do ! Vat else he do dere ?
I)at rascal! do diffel will him yet '• c
| iiifen ! ! You git him ia the jhail
.put!"
I sat amazed—almost petrified with
' amazement. Each word had pierced
me to the quick and left a sickening
sensation about my heart. Had I
deceived myself iu that man ? I re
membered his discomfiture as I tarried
with bint a few minutes on the street
tLe preceding night; how he remained
os if lost in deep meditation, when I
left him on the chanticleer's announc
ing the first watch of the night; aud
how, after walking a tew fcqurtres aud
looking back, I saw, by the dim star
light, his gloomy figure slowly pass
ing down the street which led to the
cemetery As I watched the strange
figure—strange in the weird noctur
nal light—grow dimmer, i thought
"Poor, melancholy man, wish that
God would send an angel to roll that
mysterious burden from your heart."
It did not oceur to me then that the
highway led to the burial ground.
Now it appeared as the most dama
ging evidence iu opposition to every
explanation which affection presented
in defense of my accused friend.
Friend ?—fiend; human-wolf! Is it
possible? Yes Is it probabie?
The heart that asked the question did
not have the courage to reply. In
gram! was a mysterious character; I
saw him _ro toward the cemetery; the
woman before me saw him in it: what
could be more suspicious? Yet I
could not entertain the thought: there
was a combat within me over its ac
ceptance. Did she see him disturb a
grave ? No. Grasping this redeem
ing feature of the case, I regained
self-possession and perceived, that un
less I gave the woman some plausible
explanation, last nijrht's occurrence
would be town talk before nooa. So,
looking her iu the ;ace, I said as
kindlv and pathetically as possible:
"Well, you know he is a strange,
quiet man, who goes about ia a mel
ancholy mood. As you have seen
him carry this apparent load of mcu
tal trouble you must hr.ve pitied him
just as I did. Perhaps over there iu
that quiet God's Acre rests one he
loved, and in the night-time there
comes a longing which is not satisli »d
until ho stands by the grave of his
friend—that spot where heaven and
earth meet." Then I related how I
had waded through the snow ou a
bitter co'd day to a cemetery, and tak
ing down my Milton I opened tha
volume and showed her two pressed
pansies, which I bad treasured since
that day, and oa the opposite page
the entry:
' From her couch beneath the snow.
Feb. l lth, IS—."
I told the woman that I could give
no rational explanation for my con
duct. There was a longing—an in
clination —which I could not resist.
It seemed as if an angel directed my
feet and led me to her grave. Pt-r
--hi'ps it was similar with this strange
being. "Anyhow," I concluded,
"there sre strange things about each
of us, aud it is the duly of one to bear
with the other."
She seemed to understand all that
I had said to her, and true to her
sympathetic Germau nature, a tear
trickled down her cheek. When I en
joined silenc* ia the matter she readi
ly assuuted,although she firmly believ
ed the young nun was suffering mental
aberration aud should be placed un
der surveillance. Having decided to
do a little detective work i:i tho case
myself, I tli,inked her for her
tion and a.-:*ured her that 1 would put
it. into execution.
Before the old lady's rotund form
had rightly crossed the threshold the
printers in tho adjoining room began
a fusilade of sarcastic remarks upon
me
"Well, the old woman's got 'em
down fine," said one.
"She's the girl that can do it," re
sponded another.
"Surely, that feilow's friendship is
worth cultivating! he's either a luna
tic or a body-snatcher," sneered a
third.
"No;" said the first, about to quote
me, "you mean 'Such a noble fellow
with a melancholy mien.' This traffic
iu 'stiffs' is only an innocent diver
sion—an avocation, if you please."
"Handling'stiffs' is a fine biz in
summer time. It's so nice and cool,"
interposed somebody else.
They continued in this strain until
Victor, whoso case stood nearest tho
door leading to my office, looked up,
eyed me suspiciously, and, with a
roguish smile, said in a mock-confi
dential tone, "Birds of a feather flock
together."
In strange contrast with my mood
I playfully responded: "Give us
something new; that's a rusty old
saw."
"Ah, but it cuts nevertheless," he
rejoined. "Say now, seriously, don't
you wish all old saws had their teeth
knocked out ?"
I joined in the laugh his good na
tured sally produced. Victor was
my favorite among the compositors.
He was honest, benevolent, meek —
iu short, a young man with an al
most faultless character. In fact,
there was too much of therccluse stu
dent ic him. and instead of contract
ing and entering the be3t society of
the place, which was anxious to re
ceive him, he employed his evenings
in the otfice reading in my company.
Thus an attachment was soon formed.
My admiration for him was more
than reciprocated by his affection for
me. He was capable of the very
strongest love, and the regard he j
manifested for mo was more like the
love of ardeut woman than calmer
man. Iu truth, he was one of those'
boys who bear marks of feminine
beauty san 3 the vanity by which it
is usually accompanied- In physique i
he was frail and delicate. As to j
physiognomy: lie had a small face :
with a straight., well-formed nose;
handsome brown brows arched over
large, sky-bine eyes, which gave an
open expression to an exceptionally
I fair countenance. When he smiled,
the curves of his dainty silken mus
i lache parted and displayed a small
: mouth whose lips bore a slight trace
iof what Physiognomists would term
j sensualism —not gross, vulgar sen
i sualism: no, not at all; but such lips
jas win our admiration and instill os
! culatory thoughts, lie was certainly
| pretty; and he cut a handsome figure
i when he tilted his chair, placed his
| little feet upon the table, crossed his
dapper ankles and began twitching
; his mustache. Frank as Victor was
j in other matters, he kept his previous
j life a profound secret,
I When the laugh, which his pun on
I the saw had created ceased, he con
! tinned his railing by querying:
"When are you going to marry the
; Man in Black ?"
1 "Why," 1 replied, "are you getting
jealous ?"
lie colored iustantly. His nervous
ness became ni jre apparent as he at
tempted to conceal it by silently con
tinuing his work. Finally he pied
his type. Seeing that my presence
only tended to iueroaie Lis embarra*s
meut i left the otliee with an addi
tional "mystery" on my mind:
What, did my innocent question
imply to cause fear or create anger?
11.
What ho! what ho this fellow is dancing
man !
lie hath been bitten by a Tarantula.
All in the H'rony.
It was and big lleecy snow
flikes were d vneing about, playing
catch ia the air and hide on the
ground. 1 was seated at my oilice
desk, nervously revolving my pencil
around my finders and in ray miad
revolving thoughts of the Man in
liiack. He was a maa of the average
size with tine physical proportions.
There was something strange and
sad iu Lis features. His black eyes
had a peculiar iustre and shone from
their sockets like gems from their
caskets, while his lace was thin aud
palid, bearing a resemblance to the
wan countenance of a university re
clouse. His mouth was small and
had a mild expression bordering on
the indefinable somewhere between
the expression of sorrow aud
an habitual smile. A couple locks of
his raven black hair hung over his
forehead in utter disregard of all
style or propriety. His hair was
black; his eyes were black; his clothes
were black; —in short, he was a veri
table human raven. He walked with
his eyes fixed to the ground aud with
slow, measured step and peusive
mien; and when thus apparently lost
in himself, he was continuously
twisting liis moustache, an act which
attracted atteution to a ring of re
markable design on his engagement
finger. It was in the shape of a
black serpent whose eyes consisted ot
two bright rubies. Whether the pe
culiar ring and the finger upon which
it was worn had any special signifi
cance I was unable to divine. Of
course his cravat was black—black
plush—and he wore a standing collar,
which j<ave him a clerical air. But
his scar,' pin was a deviation from his
sombre attire. In the soft plush
nestled a red coral heart, pierced di
agonaliy with a gold dagger, the
handle of which hold a large diamond
of great brilliancy. This strange
man—this distant, taciturc being—
was the observed in that Argus-eyed
community Whence he came,
whither he was going, what he was
doing, were secrets. Beyond the
bold signature, Beuj. Rush Legrand,
at which half of the village loungers
had curiously gazed, on the hotel reg
ister, all was a black mystery.
Whether there is a communicative
sympathy between the minds of
friends, so that the approach of one
will suggest thoughts of hirr. in the
mind of the other, I do not know; but
this have observed, that intense
thoughts of a friend frequently pre
cede his appearance. It was so that
evening when the Man in Black en
tered. 1 had a volume of the Saml
pump from the heyday of oiidom be
fore me. There is a strange fascina
tion about old newspaper files, and as
I turned the pages my mysterious
friend looked over my shoulder
Under the head "Stray-Sand." a very
appropriate caption for locals in that
region,l found this item which 1 read
aloud:
"Tuesday night about 10 o'clock
the report of a revolver was hear on
the second floor of the Continental
hotel. A few minutes afterwards a
woman, cioseiy veiled, was observed
leaving the house. Clarence Clee
land, the well known operator who
made the big strike on the Western
Belt, and who lodges at the Conti
nental when here, has not been seen
since. John Hartz and Miss Eyau
geliue Alford whose marriage was
announced to take place Wednesday
are also missing since that night.
The porter claims he saw Cleeland in
his room at 9:30 p.m. When it was
forced open Wednesday nooa every
thing was suspiciously in its place,
even the bed being unruffled. Cir
cumstances point to foul play.
To be Continued.
Didn't Look Like One* Any way.
Men who have been a Washington
a few years can tell a member of
Congress iu his first term as readily
as oue tells a pig by the ear marks,
says the New York Tribune. There
is an air of importance, a look of "Ob,
you kaosv all about me, of course,"
that is never seeu elsewhere. The
other day a young woman calling to
see a well kuown member sent her
card in by a doorkeeper and waited
outside rather than brave the crowd
that usually throngs the ladies' re
ception room. Presently a man came
out whom she took to be the same
that had carried her card. She step
ped up to him and eagerly asked:
"Is Mr. in?"
"I presume he is," replied the man
iu a top lofty manner.
"Well, did you give him my card,
then?" she persisted.
"I did not; no, madam, I did not;
what do you mean? "I did not—l
am a member, madam."
"Oh, beg pardon," promptly retort
ed the young woman with a roguish
twinkle in her eyes, "I thought you
were a gentlemen—yon know—one
jof those that stand at the door
there."
He Sponged it.
"A neat trick was played upon me
by an old toper the other day," re
marked a saloon keeper to a reporter.
"Tho old soak brought in a black bot
tle and asked for iO cents' worth of
whisky. I drew it and hung on to
I the bottle while he want through his
i pockets after tho silver. Presently
ihe put on a look of dismay and said
!he had lost tho money. 'All right,'
j savs I, and turned out the whisky
and put the bottle on the bar. He
took it and went away, saying he'd
j be back after the inebriator presently,
j He didn't come however, but five min-
I utes after I found him sitting on a
: horse block around the corner poking
something in a bottle with a stick aud
! after every poke, turn out a thimble
ful of whisky into a cup. I seized
the bottle and ma le an investigation.
What do you think 1 found ? Why,
the old rascal had forced a sponge as
big as my clinched fist into it, and
soaked up a glassful of my
whisky when I filled the bottle.
j Of course Solomon was the
wisest man. A fellow with 700
I wives has a chance to gel instruc
' tiou.
Our Public Sclioois.
Are the interests of
Butler eouuty progressing? This
may appear to sjmu a very strtnare
and uncalled for query, as it is gener
ally conceded that ai! the edu
cational line the forces are rapidly
pushing forward. Feople aro becom
ing more intelligent year by year,
and as a consequence of this they are
taking a greater interest in the educa
tion of their children. A few years
ago the majority of the people were
Satisfied it thair children could road
and "cipher," but now they must be
taught language, geography, history
and physiology with all the niceties
!ot distinction and politeness usually
found in cur Academies and Colleges
A few years afro the great majority of
our teachers received ail their educa
tion in our common schools, but now
it is the rare exception to find a leich
er who has not attended some Norm*!
School or Academy from one to three
1 years. The cry has even been to
' raise the standard—to require a high
; «*r degree ot scholarship ou the part
!of the teachers This, we believe, has
been done, and it is generally adrnit-
I ted that the teachers of to-day are
' snu:'h more proficient in scholarship
and knowmueh more concerning their
profession than the te tehers of a few
| years ago. According to an oflieial
j statement last year, one out of every
I throe applying for a license v.-as not
| able to reach the standard, while
something over fifty old teachers were
left behind ia the march of progress.
TeacLin<; that would have beeu very
acceptable ten or fifteen years ago
would r.ot be tolerated now in the
most backward part of the county.
Teachers are now compelled to pre
pare themselves for the work at not a
little cost.
This all looks very bright to the
friends of progress, but there is an
other feature that is not so eucourag
ing to the teacher; while he is com
pelled to work up in scholarship and
do much harder work ia the school
room, he has not received a like ad
vance in his wages. What progress
has Butler County made in regard to
wages in the last few years? By
comparison the schod report of 137S
with the report of 1887, it will be
found that while the average wages
in the State have been increased from
$30.91 per mouth to $33 IS the wages
iu Butbr County have decreased
Iroru $33.11 per month to $31.94. In
187S but niueteeu counties in the
State paid better wages than did But
ler County. Ia 1887. forty-nine paid
higher wages. In 1878, thirty-four
counties had longer terms, now forty
seven have longer terms. But eight
counties in the State expend less per
month on each pupil than does But
ler County. Ia 1878 the average
number of mills levied for school aud
building purposes in this county was
10.77. In 1887 it was B.4t>, The
percentage ot attendance in 1878 was
eighty. Iu 1887 the average percent
age was eighty six, which plainly
shows that the interest in the public
schools is increasing.
What do theso facts and statistics
teach. Manifestly this: First that
this county in the matter of wages
has not beeu keeping pace with the
other counties of this State. Second,
that while the educational sentiment
has steadily beeu advancing and the
standard of the teacher's qualifica
tions has steadily been raised, th?
wages of the teachers, instead of be
ing advanced with his attainments,
has beeu reduced. Third, that the
teachers of this county do not receive
on the average, the compensation to
which their education and experience
entitles them.
la view of all those facts, what is
the duty of those having our public
schools iu charge ? It is plainly this:
Advance the wages to correspond
with the advancement made along the
other parts of the Hue. It should be
remembered that the average teacher
of Butler County has spent years of
hard work and hundreds of dollars to
prepare himself for teaching; that he
receives work but in six months of
the year; that part of his vacation, at
least, must be spent in attending
school or studying in order that he
may not fall behind his progressive
comrades.
It has been felt for some time by
the leading educators of the State
that in order to keep good teachers in
the profession and enable others to
become more proficient an advance
should lie made in Mainly to
accomplish this eud the last Legisla
ture was induced to appropriate an
extra half-million dollars for the
schools of the State. If this extra
money were applied directly to the
teacher's wages, it would make an
advance per month of about three aud
one-half dollars Have uot the teach
ers of this county a right to expect
this ?
The teachers are not insensible to
the fact that some advantages have
been secured to thein. The legal
school month has been shortened and
they now receive wages while attend
ing the Annual Institute, yet the ad
vantages are trivial when compared
with the general progress iu the pro
fession.
Again, can any school board in the
county, as a matter of economy, afford
to pay low wages? Will it bo denied
that a bright teacher of 5 or 6 years ex
perience is cheaper at forty dollars par
month, than one of poor ability or in
experienced at thirty dollars per
month? Take, for instance, the exper
cnce of two townships in this county
during the last year. No. 1 has eight
schools. It had a continous term of
six months and paid thirty-five dollars
per month Of the eight teachers
three held professional certificate; one
held a permanent certificates;the other
four were teachers of established rep
utation who held provisional certifi
cates of a very high grado. District
No. 2, has six schools. It had a fall
term, a winter term, and now is hav
ing a spring term. The schools will
be organized, reorgani zed and disor
ganized three times during the year.
Th»- wages for the year will aver
age about twenty-seven dollars per
month. During tho winter, by far the
most important term, four of the six
teachers were inexperienced. The
other two held provisional certificates
of an average grade. It might be
well to note, als), that this township
furnished two of the experienced
teachers for Township No 1. It also
allowed several other experienced
teachers, who have splendid records,
to go into townships where the wages
were higher. Any person with an
eye to business can surely draw c in
clusions from the foregoing example
which will prove conclusively that
low wages does uot always mean
economy. Of course, it is not t> be
i expected that an advance iu wages
should precede other reforms. but
when the teachers have th■■ ini-
I tiatory steps surely the cemjensatioo
I should follow.
This article has not been written
in order to dic.ate terms, but -imply
to call to the mind-; of some pcrso:■- u
few facts that appear to hare been
overlooked. J L. S*< \ !»&■
She Everlastingly Had Him.
"Are you in earnest, Mr. Ilankia
sou ?"
The lovely girl who asked this
question of Mr. Hankinson sal behind
tne ccntie table with her bauds ia her
lap and regarded the young man in
tently.
'•ln earnest, Irene!" he cxeLiui.d,
pale with emotion and chronic dys
pepsia, "the whole happiness of my
life is wrapped up in your answer to
the question i have asked. I: v m
will tru?t your future ia my hands,
my life shall be devoted to the task
ot making you happy. It will be my
sole aim to shield you from the rude
blasts of adversity, to smooth your
pathway through the world ami to
interpose my right arm between you
and every danger that threatens to
uisturb your peace, an !—"
"If I listen to your suit, Mr. Han •"
kinson," interrupted the younur l»dy,
casting her eyes with some timidity
and confusion to the floor, "you mav
regret it some day. You would find
me ignorant of the practical duties of
housekeeping and without—"
' Practical duties of housekeeping,"
broke in the enthusiastic youth; "vou
will have no practical duties of that
kind. As my wife you shall not be a
drudge. You shall !>;» the queen of
my home. Vou consent, do you not,
my dar—"
"Wait a moment, ray dear Mr.
Hankinso.i. lam afraid you would
U nd me thoughtless and extravagant
in a great many things."
"Extravagant! Irene, it will bo the
joy of my life to provide you with
whatever may gratify your slightest
whim, You can never make a re
quest of me that 1 would not re
joice to anticipate aud grant before
hand."
"And you would be willing to
spend all your evenings at home?" .
"My angel, I never would want to
spend ihe>n anywhere else."
"You would never break ray heart
by joining a club or becoming a drink
ing man? - '
"Hear mo, Iv.ie! I promisa asver
to do either."
"Let me see," BAH! the your.;? lad v.
meditatively; "I think that in all—O!
yoa will agree to have tha word
obey left out of my pari of the mar
riage service, will you, Mr. Hankin
son?"
•"Obey! Ha, ha? Why, my own,
certainly, I am eveu willing to prom
ise to obey you "
'"Then, Marcellus," said the lovely
girl, as she lifted a full-grown phono
graph off her lap, locked it carefully
in a drawer of the secretary that
stood against the wall, turned up the
gas, and beamed in a sweet, yet bus
iness-like manner upon ihe terror
stricken young man, "I am yoarj."
How lo Cook. Husband s.
Mi-s Corson said in the Baltimore
Cooking School that a Baltimore
lady had written a receipt for "cook
ing husbands so as to make them
tender and good." It is as follow-':
A good many husbands are utterly
spoiled by mismanagement. Some
women go about it us if their itu
bands were bladders, and blow them
up. Oth'-rs keep them cons nuly in
hot water; others let, them fre< z ■ by
their carelessness and in.l.ilVc:. *
Some keep them in a pickle al! their
lives. Itcann)t lie supposed that
auy husband will be good and ton lit,
managed iu this way, but they are
rcaliy delicious wheu properly treat
ed.
In buying your husband do not bo
guided by the silvery appearanco as
iu buying mackerel, nor by the gold
en tint as if you wanted salmon. !>••
sure and Helect him yourself, as tastes
differ. Do not go to market for him.
as the best are always brought to your
door. It is far better to have none
unless you will patiently learn how
to cook him. A preserving kettle < f
the finest porcelain is best, but if you
have nothing but an earthenwan
pipkin it will do with care. S>e that
the linen iu which you wrap him i:-
niccly washed and mended, with ill
required number of buttons and
strings nicely sewed on. Tie him iu
the kettle by a strong silk cord called
comfort, as the one called du'.v is a;»t
to be weak They an; apt, to fly out
of the kettle and be burned and crust
ed tho edges, since, like crabs and
lobsters,you have to cook them while
alive. Alake a clear, steady lire out
of love, neatness aud cheerfulness.
Sat him as uear this as seems to agree
with him. If he sputters and frizzes
do not he anxiou.-; some husbands do
this until they are quite done Add
a little sugar in the form of what con
fectioners call kisses, but no vinegar
or pepper on auy account. Do not
stick any sharp instrument into him
to see if he is becomiug tender. Stir
him gently; watch the whije, lest he
lie too fl it and closa to the kettle, and
become useless. You cannot fail to
know when he is done. It thus
treated will find him digestible,agree
ing uicelv with you and the children,
and he will keep as long as you want
unless you become carelesd and bet
him in too cold a place.
All Garry Flasks.
It is the fashion of the funny ni 11
nowadays to tell iu the newspapers
how the whisky (1 isk ii a part of
every traveler's outfit, until the aver
age American traveler is looked upon
as a sort bar-room, always readv to
"take something" from his own flask.
An Englishman with whom I talked
ou the traiu going to Cincinnati a
couple of years ago, stopped in the
middle of the conversation and
said:
"Pardon tne, but I forg >t to get
some whisky before I started Would
yoa obii go me with your flask?"
I toM hi-n I didn't carry one, when
he said with an :;ir of astonishment*
"Why 1 thought all of you Ameri
cans carried 11 isk : of liquor when you
traveled. I read it in the newspapers
and took it to be true."
When I told him ho had been fool
ed into believing a very stupid lie he
stroked his whiskers and murmur
ed:
"Strange, most dayvlish starnge."
—Some girls are n >t so bad as they
are painted.
—When b'gidea* get ii.to little
mind 4 sotn thing is b tun to spread,
it id usually the mouth.
NO. :tt
A Picnic Quarrel.
It was at the first annual picnic of
I Saii ladies 1 and Salesgen»l*meii's As
s-.-rit tion. E. Harry St. John and H.
M'iude Fr thingham bad withdrawn
fioui the gay tbroug of merrymakers
ai.d stood alone under the spreading
i branches of a noble elm Her fair
I young face was ciouded by a frown
and t. nobie brow seem troubled.
! 11. M ,ude broke the silence by Pay
ing:
"Maybe you tbiok I didn't ?ee you
j swinging \v..h Sadie Murray!''
"Well, what if you did?" he re
• rttd, his face assuming a defiantex
j presaiea.
I ' On, nothing: nothing at all. It's
nothing to me whom you swing with,
aud my Lcart won't break if you do
si" aa hour at a tima m a hammock
with Mame Kecson."
"Pooh! I didn't sit ten minutes
h her. ard wasn't you eatiLg ice
cream with Bert Lawson at the same
time?"
,is; honld't wonder if I was. Did
you expect me to sit and suck my
thumbs while you and that Benson
girl enjoyed yourselve.-? You're bad
ly left it you did. 1 dou'i happent o
be built that way "
"Well, what are you kicking up
such a row about then?"
I kicking up a row? As though I
care ii you sat a monih ia a hammock
with Mame Benson."
"Well?"
"And it's nothing to me if you did
buy soda water twice for Sally Marsh.
Ob, I saw you."
"And I saw you flirting with Fred
Barton."
"Well, wasn't you swinging
around with Hattie Deane on oue
arm Lol Drake on the other, so sweet
on theui both sugar wouldn't melt in
your mouth? Tell me that?"
"What if I was?"
"What if I flirted with Fred?"
"I wasn't kicking about your flirt
ing with Fred."
"And I wasn't saving anything
about you and Heab aud Lol—only I
think that when a follow takes a girl
to a picnic be might at least speak to
her once after they get there."
"Speak to her? Stuff! Didn't T
stick riirbt to you all morning? And
didn't I eat d'uaer with you and ail
that? Do you want me to get down
on my hands and knees and crawl
around after you all day?"
"Now, smart}! The Lord knows
I don'c care if yoa don't even look at
me. If you was any kind of a gen
tleman you'd know how to treat a la
dy when she condescends to favor
you with her company."
"Phew! what a long tail our cat's
got."
"See here, Harry St. John, this
thing had better end right here, and
you'd better take your ring if you
want it It we can't get along now
without a light every day how will it
be afterward?"
"Well, who begun this fuss?"
"You did."
«.I9»
"Yes, you did "
"You did yourself."
"You begun it by pitching into me
cause I waded into the brook with
those girls from the ribbon counter."
"Well, how did it look? How
would you like to see me paddling
around barefooted with a lot of bovs?"
"I don't know as I'd care."
' I guess you wouldn't."
"Well, I l—pshaw, Maude, let's
kiss and make up. You're an old dar
ling, anyhow."
"Oh, you can't soft-sawder ini»!"
"Now, now, my old ker-s weeinesa."
'•Oh, behave yourself."
• I shan't."
"You'd better or I'll —Harry.
" Vou ain't so awful cross, are you'"
"You'd better not k'ss m > >ura ; n."
"L u' TO get. some ice cr. am."
"Well, you've got to behave the
rest of the day."
"All right," and the storm is orer.
Tvvenly-live Dollars RewnnL
The following which we find in the
Ptici* Lutheran for May is pretty
good and its publication may be of
scrvic* in these parts:
James O'lleilley was his nam.-'. He
wa.- sixteen years of age. poverty
stricken, and from Dublin. lie wore
a black Perbv hat, a Print* Albert
that d'd not lit. striped pautolaons.
wooie.i stocking, winning smile,
i I a number ten shoe which had
seen better days—a good while ago
He was a stranger ami we took
hiui in. He was our gu -st for four
days whilst we were seeking employ
ment lor him. He looked honest, bad
aa i pen countenance aim* st to the
cars, was skilled at the piano. aid
played the lyre like a born Cfttau.
Ho took to children aud hid a partic
ular affinity for portable property in
small packages. He was antietjs to
get work, and he got it. He g>t it,
in, too, in great shape, and departed
without the formality ol a farewell.
He uow wears other clothing, an
Elgin watch with E J. Schmaock,
Kittauning, Pa , engraved on i ; iside
of case, and possibly stiil has left
enough silver to make a merry jing' *.
James bad a taking way about b. r,
and a particular predilection for Luth
eran preachers.
We haye ten dollars to bestow up
on the man who produces James in
our back yard for ten minute-; r
twenty-live dollars, for the recovery
of the watch aud the conviction of
the thief. For further particular, ad
dress Itey. T, B. Both, I tiea, \.
Not Big Enough.
One of tLc Decoration Day o-ators
who went out from Kittanning to
speak at a certain town, teils a good
story on himself. Arriving at the
place, a citizen of large physical di
mensions got our orator into his car
riage to drive him about the town
and show him the sights. Our orator
is not a big man bv any means. A
group of b>y * were standing at one
of the o iers and one of them ex
claimed as he siw the carriage anl
oe -no mts, "that's him; there he is,
boys!"
•'\\ ho're yer talkin'about?" said
one of them to the first boy.
"Why, that feller ia the baggy;
lie's the speaker."
"(Josh," was the reply, and it came
to the orator's ears clear and listinet:
"That teller ! Why he isn't big en
ough ter cry fer milk !"— Press.
A Puzzler.
Little girl (looking at a one-legged
man)—Oh, mamma! Where was he
made?
Mother—Made in Haven, my
dear.
Little girl— Why don't h>> go back
and get Quislied?