VOL. XXVI
THE VERY PEOPLE WHO
■AVE THE LEAST HONEY| Are your wages small.
L SPEND ARE THE ONES' Are * ou thc hca ' l '
W i family?
bw RELIABLE CLOTHING Wi(h mlirketing billi
■ BEARS BOST TO |i arge?
With house rent'a drag on you?
Low price* for honest, long-wearing Clothing will be a
boon to year pocket-book and your back.
(Jet an Iron-clad Cloth Suit at sl2. Strongest All-Wool
gait we know of. Nobody else sells it.
Get J. N. PATTERSON'S Cloth Suit at sl6. For dress
•ad everyday wear combined it's wonderful value.
No how fine a suit you want tor dress or business
we have that at a low price.
There if no open question about Boys' Clothing. vV e are
not only pioreers, but to-day's leaders in styles and qualities
highest excellence and lowest prices.
Remember the place.
J. N. PATTERSON'S,
One Price Clothing House,
~~
Our Spring goods which comprises the latest novelties at
tainable, in Foreign and Domestic markets,
HAVE ARRIVED.
As it is a consideration of all gentlemen who desire to
dress well, what to wear for Spring, and where he shall pur
chase, we invite you to inspect our immense stock, and you can
readily select something uitable.
See -Our Window Display.
No. 09, V - S. Main Mi.
NEW GOODS.
£UITS, PANTS, HATS, SHIRTS,
Underwear, Neckwear, Collars and Cuffs
in linen and water proof, Rubber coats,
umbrellas,haiidkerchiefs, suspenders,dress
[pants, .jean pants and cheap pants, over-
Llls, Arc. A full line of clothing and
Lents furnishing goods. We challenge
Comparison and defy competition. Our
■lock is new and clean and our prices are
LOW. Come in and see us.
■ JOHN T. KELLY.
NEXT DOOR.
Established ISSo
I E.GRIEB,
[THE JEWELER,
Wo. 19, Horth Main St, BUTLER,SPA.,
, DEALER IN
Diamonds,
Watches,
Clocks.
Jewalry,
Silverware,
Spectacles, &.C., &c.
Society Emblems of all Descriptions.
Repairing in alljbranches skillfully done and warranted.
leso ESTABLISHED XBSO
SUMMER 1889
I We are now ready for
BUMMER TRADE,
having in stock a splendid assortment of
KNE DRESS GOODS,
■ MEDIUM DRESS GOODS,
K LOW PRICED DRESS GOODS,
(4 all the new things for summer wear, with the
very latest things in trimmings to match.
■ CARPETS,
mattings, linoleums, rugs, stair rods, curtain poles,
lace curtains, blinds and scrims at lower prices
than ever before offered.
a full line of all the standard domestic goods in
plain sheeting, pillow casing, ginghams, prints,
all kinds of house furnishing goods.
BUYERS
by examination that it always p»« them to do their
THE BUTLER CITIZEN.
yjJCOBS Q }l
2 it n
BALL Wgßk Oillt Co«»fet«
Sprains, Strain*.
Q W M Bruises, Wound*
? S* l4 DrvniM* and DioUM.
* TheChis. A. Veieler Co.. Belt#.. IM,
for (lire op
PRDMPTLYam DTERMA^NTI^
>ITXQIITKETImH QFE\irt
*TDJ\IIBBISTS indPIAIIV
TUEChas-AVqbblsr CD-BAUO-MQ'
RESORTS.
Puck says: "The white man who drives a
coa! cart has to resort to soap and water, just
as does a negro who has spent the day in
Hut the most strange things of all are us
ually resorted to when a man gets sick.
Of course he doesn't want a doctor—at least
not at lirst. He usually goes to the so-called
saloon and gets a drink, which makes him
feel rather dazed, so he takes another and
comes home temporarily elated, supposing
himself cured.
When he wakes next morning, with a
headache twice as bad as ever, aud feeling
feverish and cross, he concludes he will have
to try something else.
He takes a dose of whatever he happens to
have in the house—some liver renovator,
kidney evaporator, or heart eularger—and
sets forth saying if he isn't better to-morrow
he will send for the doctor. _
Next morning he is sick in bed; the doctor
is called, >hakes his head, prescribes two or
three binds of medicine, according to his
medicHl creed, but always insists upon per
fect quiet, uud that the patient must not go
to his office for two weeks, or the result will
He does in truth lie in bed for a week or
ten days, his recovery retarded by a multi
tude of temedies, and the knowledge that his
business is going to ruin in his absence.
When he does drag out at last, he finds that
that the family must deny themselves every
thing but the common necessities of life for
some time to come, in order that the dootor's
bills may be paid, and repairs made in the
business.
Now. the proper thing for this mau to have
done was to have bought a bottle of New
Style, Pleasant Taste" Vinegar Bitters, the
moment he felt the first headache, and to
have taken two tablespoonfuls at once. Two or
three half doses,two days apart, after the first
dose had taken effect, would have cured him
and prevented his illness, and his consequent
financial loss.
The man did not know this, or, as Beecher
would have said, bis foresight was not so
good as bis hindsight. Another time this
man will know just what to do to save pain,
time and money.
New Style, Pleasant Taste Vinegar Bitters
is a grand blood purifier, cathartic and tonic,
contaius neither alcohol nor opium, has a
most delicious flavoring, and will not harm
an infant.
For sale by druggists. See that carton and
bottle are marked New Style Pleasant Taste.
We keep the old style in stock for those who
prefer it. An interesting book on Rules of
Society, Fortune Telling, etc., free to all who
send lor it.
THE OHUANS of the body most given to shirk
ing their regular work are the stomach, bowels,
liver and kidneys. A medicine that stimulates
these organs into healthy action without caus
ing pain, is invaluable.
Saw STYLE VINKCAR liiTTKlts does this,and
it does its work permanently. It never robs
Peter to pay Paul, as alcoholic and other (so
called) remedies do. It is a most grateful, heal
ing: medicine to all who are troubled with piles
for it relieves at once, and soon cures this most
painful disorder.
IT aids digestion, cures constipation, head
ache, bilious complaints, feverlshness, neural-
Kia.;nervous diseases of every sort, and every
class of skin disease known.
As A FAMILY MEDICINE, for the use of ladles
children and inen of sedentary habits, the New
Style Vinegar Hitters has 110 equal In the world.
It is Invaluable for curing the ills that beset
childhood, and gently regulates the diseases to
which women fit every period of life are sub
ject.
LA IT IKS, get a bottle from your druggist and
try it. If your druggist has not the Is ew Style
Vinegar Bitters, ask him to send for It. If you
once try it you will never be without this price
less remedy in the house. Ladles book free
Address, B. H. MrDOJiALD DBl'U CO.,
C'or. Washington and Charlton Sts., S, Y.
Willard Hotel,
W. H. P.EIHING, Prop'r
BXJTLBR, - PA.
KTABLIKti IN CONNECTION.
SAMPLE BOOM for COMMEBCIAL TBAYELEBS
SAMPLE ROOM. LIVER* IN CONNECTION
Hotel Vogeley
( Strictly First Class.)
HENRY L. BECK, PEOP'RS.
J. H. FAUBEL, Manager. Butler, Pa.
Diamond : - : Hotel,
Fronting Butler, Pa.
THOMAS WASSON, Pro'r.
,Good rooms, good meals, stabling in con
nection, everything first class.
EITENIILLEI HOTEL,
No. 88 and 90, S. Main St.,
BUTLER, - - IP-A.
Near New Court House—formerly Donaldson
House—good accommodations for travelers.
Good stabling connected.
H-9-'8«-lyl H EITENMULLER. Prop'r.
NIXON'S HOME,
3.1 N. McKEAN ST., BUTLER, PA.
Meals at all hours. Open all night.
Breaktast *25 cents.
I»lnuer2s cents,
Supper 25 cents.
Lodging 25 cents.
SIMEON NIXON - PROP'R.
WHEN YOU
VISIT PITTSBURGH
CALL ON
JOHN R. & A. MURDOCH,
608 smlthtleld street, for Trees, Seeds. Lilies,
(4 rape Vines, Hardy Roses, Canary Birds, Gold
Fish. etc.
Descriptive Fall Cata louge mailed free.
THE WRONG CARD.
(SCSAX HARTLEY IN HARPER'S WEEKLY.)
Mr. Hiram Leadbetter passed very lone
ly evenings. In fact he did not know what
to do with himself since his wife died, and
the delightful card party which had been
gathered in the sitting-room of his little
domicile for years was broken up. Since
that time he had not even had an opportu
nity to play a two handed game of euchre
or high-low jack, for in less than a week
after his wife's funeral his old neighbor,
who had formed one of the party, had gone
to live with his daughter and the other
member, his wife's youngest daughter, had
married a sea-captain and sailed with him
to South America. There were no card
playing people in the town now. The
Pride's Corner minister did not approve of
games, unless it might be, as he said, "an
innocent game of checkers or fox-and
geese, at a suitable time." Hiram and his
wife had joined the Cniversalist church
years before over at Plumtield, where they
lived in their youth, and where, as Hiram
frequently remarked, ''folks hed sense
enough to kuow that religion hedn't
nothin' more to do with checkers'n fox'n'-
geese than it hed with cards, 'n' thet Satan
hedn't much in'trest in neither." But the
worthy couple were shunned by the major
ity of the towns-people on account of their
persistence in this unholy entertainment.
When the minister asked Hiram if his
wife had not repented of her downward
course before her death, his indignation
was so great that he declare* he was sick
of the whole place, aad was going to leave
it anyway, whether he could sell his farm
or not, though he answered the reverend
gentleman very quietly that she was alwus
a-believin' as well as a-doin' Christian, 'n
hedn't nothin' ter repent of, 'n' no regrets,
without t'was learin' her family. The last
words she said to him, poor M'riar, was,
"How dretfully you'll miss your game even
in's, Hiram,if you can't git nobody to take
my place!"
It was February then, and as it grew
toward spring the long twilights were al
most maddening in their dreary blankness.
Heretofore there had been the one bright
hour of lamp-light and the pleasing excite
ment of whist to look forward to before
bedtime. M'riar would never couseut to
play until eight o'clock, as she did hold that
it was not right to put by one's work until
that time,unless shehurrled to finish the task
which she had alloted herself for the day.
Butwith such a pleasure before one, who
would dot wait? Cyntey, his wife's oldest
daugher. had come to keep house for Hi
ram now—a neat and industrious spinster,
the best of housekeepers, the best of cooks,
but he did not find her company enliven
ing. She stepped about in her cloth slip
pers noiselessly as a ghost, with her prim
little mouth closed as tightly as if it had
been fastened with a lock and key, and if
it was only at the table that she opened
it, having a strange fashion of speaking
the few words which she found it necessa
ry to speak without moving her lips. She
sang psalm tunes also in the same object
ionable manner. When, on her first arriv
al. Hiram timidly proposed that the}' should
try a game of euchre, just to while away
away the long evenin', she looked abso
lutely horrified, and said he "mustn't run
of an idea that she had such dretful slack
notions about things as uia had. She was
clear Averill, Ma was a Baldwin. She
hadn't no Baldwin blood in her."
Hiram w meek by nature, but he re
torted, witu considerable emphasis, that
"daughters 'twas half as good as such a
ma as she was'd orter be thankful, an' he
didn't know what she meant by slack no
tions." But Cynthy made no reply. She
was apparently absorbed in what she call
ed "slop-work," which occupation she pur
sued every moment she could snatch from
her household duties when Rhe was not
playing on her melodeon. Hiram settled
into abject melancholy; the very cocks
crowed in a minor key; his food became
tasteless, his sleep broken. He reproach
ed himself for not being thankful for his
mercies. If he had lost a good wife—he
hadn't half realized until she was gone how
cheery and comfortable a companion she
was—he had still plenty o' cretur comforts.
His tasks were light; there was no lack of
money for his simple needs; his home was
peaceful, at least, if it was lonely, and
there was no more card-playing. "'N'here
I be settin' up grievances," he would say
over and over to himself. "Mebbo Satan
does hev thc doin' o' cards, as the minister
said, the habit of playin' had me in so tight
a clutch. 'Tis like gamblin', a kind cr
greed, though I hain't never played for a
cent or nothin' in my life." And then he
would console himself by concluding it
warn't nothin' but a miss—missin' M'riar
'n' the cards too —'n' a miss at his time o'
life was hard.
He tried to follow the example of his
neighbors, and find entertainment by sit
ting in the store evenings, but it was even
drearier there than at home. The men in
variably talked politics or told sea yarns,
and Hiram wasn't much interested in poli
tics, and hated the very name of the sea,
having been taken as cabin-boy by his
father, who was a sea-captain, in his ex
treme youth, where he suffered untold ag
onies of sea-sickness. So he sat silent and
listless while the other men argued and
narrated. Sometimes one would ask his
opinion when there some disputed point to
be settled, but he would shake his head
dismally. "I can't seem ter git up enough
ent'rest in politics ter git the hang of 'em
nohow. I catilate it's like fallin' in love,
this fallin' in politics; folks must do it
young; then they git it bad, 'n' it kinder
hangs on to 'em."
When planting-time came the days were
less tedious, his time aud thoughts being
so wholly occupied in working his little
farm; but the evenings,though shorter,were
more dreary than before. The frogs in the
little pool at the back of the orchard seem
ed to be piping his own gloomy thoughts.
The perfume of the lilacs was like a voice
shouting continually of the good old times,
when the lamp-light shone on M'riar's rosy
and beaming countenance as she deftly
shuffled the cards, the pleasant, expectant
one of the wrinkled old neighbor, aud the
sympathetic, smiling one of the young one
opposite him at the table.
But one warm evening when Cynthy's
voice and the mournful wail of her melo
deon mingled with the songs of the frogs
to the tune of "Federal Street" aud "Bal
erma," Hiram, sitting dismally on the back
porch, was suddenly blessed with a new
idea. There were two maiden ladies, sis
ters, living oyer at Brimport, about six
miles away, who were famous for card
playing. Hiram had known them when
he was a young man aud they were youug
women, and had sometimes enjoyed a so
cial game with them, though they evident
ly regarded him as being somewhat be
neath them, as he was only a farm hand
then, and they the daughters of the richost
ship-master in town. But living in a se
verely orthodox neighborhood, they were
willing to stoop for the sake of having an
opportunity to indulge iu their favorite
recreation. He had not seen them now for
nearly twenty years, aud affairs had chang
ed since that time.
Aftei their father's death they had lost
the greater part of their property through
bad management, aud though they still
BUTLER, PA., FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1889-
lived in the spacious old family mansion,
it was said that they had a hard time to
make both ends meet. The neighbors said
that it was because they were so unlikely,
"both inclined to be cranky, and Miss Lu
cy, the younger of the two, of a dreadful
spunky disposition," which, iu common
par lance,means that she had a bad temper.
Hiram was no longer a farm hand, but had
a good farm of his own and bank stock be
sides, and was not be looked down upon
by the two spinsters, though they began
life under so much more favorable circum
stances than he did. Why should he not
drive over to Brimport and play cards with
them occasionally! The roads were not
bad between Pride's Corner and that place,
and Dolly, his old white mare, though not
very nimble, was sure and steady, and was
good for such a journey any pleasant even
ing, when she had not been working much
during the day. To-morrow would be a lei*
urely day, as the early planting was fin
ished, and he would just go over and make
a call to see how the land lay in the direc
tion of his desires.
Miss Lucy, as prim and polite as ever,
opened the door in answer to his ring,
greeting him with gratifying cordiality,
and inviting him into the same room where
he had spent such delectable evenings
twenty years before. Everything seemed
unchanged there, with the exception of
Miss Lucy herself, who hat! grown old and
sallow.
"So glad to see you, Mr. Leadbetter!"
smoothing down her black silk apron with
both hands, as if to emphasize her speech
in this way. "I knew you was somebody
I knew the minute I saw you coming up
the walk. Now don't say a-word. 'n' see
if Jane 'll know you; she's coming in now."
But Jane did not exactly remember. She
"reckoned he was somebody she used to
be acquainted with, but there, he had the
advantage of her anyhow."
"Can't you call to mind i card party
that used ter play consid'able in this Yery
room the year the cars begun to run here,
'n' the packet was took off that used ter
land down ter the wharf below, 'n' y«ur
father 'n' ole Cap'n Turner bad their mead
ows set out ter cranb'ry vines?"
Miss Jane, who was several years older
than her sister, and not nearly as (what
the Brimport people called) "genteel and
pretty-spoken" as she was, though credit
ed with being less fiery-tempered, reflect
ed a moment.
"There,go 'long!" she exclaimed; "you're
Hiram Leadbetter. Well! well! who'd 'a
thought it? It's been a long spell since
we sot eyes on you, au' we was speakin'
about you not long ago. We saw your
wife's death in the county paper."
Hiram did not care to be reminded of
poor Maria just then; he was afraid they
would think he had come courting. He
was sure Cynthy and all his neighbors
would be absolutely certain that such was
the case when they found out that he had
called on the Slater girls—they were still
called girls, though Jane was more than
sixty—and they would find it out in some
way before the week was over. Pride's
Corner and Brimport had nothing to do
with each other, but gossip of that kind
seemed to go on the wings of the wind.
"M'riar wouldn't care nothin' about it,"
he reflected; "but there, it don't seem re
spectful to her mcm'ry to have folks sayin'
such things."
Miss Jane would not be satisfied, howev
er, without hearing hearing all 'he details
of her illness, listening witb a kind of sol
emn pleasure, and eager to know if the
poor lady's countenance looked natural af
ter her demise.
"Don't you never have a game o' whist
or ole sledge now'days?" Hiram hastened
to inquire, when these mournful prelimina
ries were over.
"Oh yes, whenever we get a chance,"
said Miss Lucy; "but that ain't very fre
quent, unless we play three-handed, or
whist with a dummy, and that ain't very
interesting. Cap'n Bowers, that's built
that new house you see across the street,
likes to play as well's we do, but his wife
don't know one card from another, and if
she tries to learn she just goes to sleep
over it. But she's willing he should play
all he wants to. Folks about here never
were any hands for cardsj most of 'em
thinks it's wicked to play; the ministers
both preach against it. Jane and I never
should have learned if we hadn't gone to
the city visiting at uncle's when we were
young girls, likely as not, though pa some
times liked a game when he was at home.
There's a young set here now that go about
from house to house playing a little on the
sly in the winter-time. But they don't in
vite any of the older folks, and it's a kind
of outlandish game they play—progressive
euchre they call it, I believe."
"Yes, and somethin'they call it drivin'
whist too," said Miss Jane. "Fur my part,
I don't want no fashions hitched on to my
game. I like it plenty well enough as 'tis.
Lucy"—addressing her sister—"if Hiram
would put up his hoss, and stop till after
tea, Cap'n Bowers would be tickled ter
death ter come over this evening, and we
could hev a beautiful rubber."
Hiram looked radiant. "I don't want ye
to put yourselves out on my account," he
said, "but I should like a rubber first-rate.
I shall have to start for home pritty early,
though, for it's a good six miles, you know,
and in my neighborhood folks are expected
to be in bed bed by nine cr-clock, or a few
minutes past."
"Well, I'll go right in and speak to
Cap'n Bowers now, and we'll get under
way early, so you can get home in good
season. But Ido wish you lived nearer,
it's so hard to stop before nine o'clock."
Hiram hadn't enjoyed an evening for
years as he enjoyed that one. "And Mriar
'd be glad of it," he kept saying to himself
over and over again in answer to little
prickings of conscience which he felt in his
breast, that he shonld be so happy and she
dead and gone.
Miss Lucy made a delicious cup of Old
Hyson, brought out the best china from the
old corner cupboard iu the parlor, and as
the trio sat about the festive board they
became quite exhilarated. After tea, the
card-playing neighbor appeared with his
fat jolly wife, who brought her knitting
work and sat down to watch the game, as
she said, but who was soon fast asleep in
her chair. Everything progressed beauti
fully. The first game was won by Hiram
and Miss Lucy, the socond by Captain
Bowers and Miss Jane, and the first rubber
by Hiram and his partuer.
When this was finished, Hirain thought
he really must be starting for home. It
was a rather dark night, aud he shouldn't
be home much before nine if he drove at a
pretty good jog. But they all protested
against such an early termination of the
festivities.
"You'll have a moon to light you in the
course of an hour, and you can get over the
ground twice as fast then," said Cap'n
Bowers; "and what's one rubber o' whist!
—only au aggravation."
So Hiram remained for another. And
this rubber was so exciting that he became
entirely reckless, and played another with
out even looking at the clock. And it was
just striking nine when he finally took bis
departure, having engaged to come as soon
as he possibly could, and to make arrange
ments to come once a week when the even
ings should be longer and the farm mork
over for the summer.
Poor Iliram! he felt fairly appalled as he
drove along over the deserted roads and
realized the lateness of the hour. The
lights had nearly all disappeared in the
houses far and near, and only night sounds
were astir. The way for a long distance
lay through deep woods,where the shadows
were so dense that one must drive care
fully and slowly to keep in the road: so it
was after 10 o'clock when he drove through
his own gate at Pride's Corner.
'•And here I be a widower, and she 'ain't
been dead much more'n three months yit.
But M'riar'd be glad of it—she'd be glad of
it," be still consoled himself by repeating
over and over again.
He was careful to make as little noise
as possible; but in the stillness of the hour
his every movement woke answering echoes
throughout the whole neighborhood. The
roosters fluttered down from their perches
aud began to crow lustily as be opened the
barn door, evidently in the belief that
morning had come. The wagon wheels
took a wrong turn and bumped against the
wall, and the barn door had never squeak
ed so unmereilessly before. Cynthy's head
was immediately thrust from a chamber
window.
"Is that you?" she called. ''l've been
real concerned. What's happened to keep
you out so late? 'Ain't met with any ac
cident, have yon?"
"Well, it 'pears to be me, and I ain't
met with no accident as I know of. T call
ed on some old irienns, aad we was haviu'
such a proper sociable time that time pass
ed a little quicker'n I was aware of," said
Hiram, trying to be facetious.
"That indeed!" remarked C'ynthy, from
her height, with great dignity. "But 1
thought this was a Christian cominnnerty,
where folks don't do jest as they do over to
Plum field.'' And she closed the window
with considerable energy.
Hiram crept up to bed with a guilty feel
ing which he could not shake off in spite of
of indignant remonstrances with himself.
"I 'ain't done the leastest tiling to be
ashamed of, so why should I care what
Cynthy and the folks round here say? Isut
I ain't goin' to let on jest where 1 spent
the evenin', though Cynthy 'll try to find
out pritty hard. She's master close-mouth
ed till she gits ter askin' questions, then
you find out she has got a tongue and no
mistake."
But Cynthy had tound out before the
next afternoon, though he had been very
discreet under her cross-questioning. The
news had been brought by a neighbor.
Cynthy's indignation was too deep for
words, but her looks were fairly overpow
ering, stern, injured, contemptuous; and
poor Hiram, sitting opposite her at the
table, found it hard work to swallow his
food under such a weight of displeasure;
and hurried out-of-doors as soon as possible.
At twilight she wailed "Balerma" and
"Federal Street" with such unparaleled dis
malness that the whippoorwills themselves
were silenced, and flew away from their
accustomed pereli on the old pump in the
orchard. But Hiram bore the music with
more fortitude this time. The memory of
last night's cheer and the sure prospect of
more such evenings in the future served to
uphold him. He should not be obliged to
spend all his hours of relaxation to the tune
of Cynthy's melodeon.
The next week he drove over to Brimport
again, aud spent a more delightful season,
if possible, than before; and all through the
summer, even during haying-time, he
managed to go and have one rubber at least
as often as once a fortnight. The games
had become quite thrilling now, and the
ladies were not a whit less interested in
them than Hiram and Captain Bowers.
They looked forward to Hiram's appear
ance, for there were few bright spots in
their lives.
"I don't see why you can't come over once
a week when theharvest is in, Mr. Leadbet
ter," Miss Lucy said to him one evening.
"Bless me!" said Captain Bowers, "I be
lieve I shall be obliged to pull up anchor
and be off to sea again if you can't come as
often as that. This is a confoundedly dull
place to stay ashore in."
"Oh, do come, Mr. Leadbetter. Card
playing's kind o' lonesome for me, but any
thing to keep John contented at home,'
the captain's jolly little wife chimed in.
Then Miss Jane added her voice to the
general pleading "It's real harrowin to
get so interested in games," she said, "and
then have to wait so long between 'em."
And he thought he could come once a
week till winter set in; " 'twould be kinder
hard gittin' over then." A great pang came
over him when he looked forward to that
time. From the first of September to the
middle of October nothing occurred to hin
der this happy arrangement. The weather
was beautiful; the roads continued good;
the moon smiled upon his way. It is true,
Cynthy grew more solemn and severe, and
the whole village, from the squire's family
down to the half-gypsy folk who inhabited
a rat-ridden bam on the outskirts of
Hiram's farm, were talking about him, for
it was impossible for them to believe that a
man would drive so far as that, so often,
and at such regular intervals, for any other
object than courting, and that they all
agreed was shameful, as his wife had only
been dead a few months. I3ut Hiraui bore
it all with a good degree of composure, the
waitings of Cynthy's melodeon being the
only thing which he felt that he could not
endure.
But about the middle of October the fall
rains commenced —a dreary an dishearten
ing drizzle which lasted weeks almost with
out intermission. The dark nights shut in
early, and there was no possibility of going
abroad. Then, after the rains were over,
the roads were almost impassable, and for
four whole weeks he was unable to go to
Brimport, and on that occasion it took him
so long to get there, there only time to
play two games of cards, much to the re
gret of the whole party.
"I tell you what, Leadbetter," said Cap
tain Bowers one day, in the absence ol the
ladies, "you must come over to Brimport
and live. There's no other way as I can
see. What's the use in living over there to
Pride's Corner all alone when there's such
good company over here? A cheerful win
ter you'd have with nothing to'liven up
your evenings but the presence of that aw
ful glum-looking woman I saw over there
the other day! And here's Miss Lucy all
ready ter name the day, I've no doubt—
good-looking, genteol and about the best
card player I ever did see. A little lively
tempered, maybe, but that ain t such a
terrible fault."
" 'Twill be a dretful lonesome winter.and
M'riar wouldn't care; she'd be glad—she d
bo glad," said Hiram, with serious reflec
tion. "But then, if she'd have me. 'twould
be too soon; folks would wear their tongues
out talking about it."
"If you mind what folks say, your peace
of mind is gone in this world. Let 'em
talk if they want to."
Hiram pondered deepl}' on this advice
for a week aud two days, and during this
time the weather was cloudy, the wind
moaned around the house, keeping time
with the. monotonous click of Cynthy's,
sewing machine or the harrowing wail of
her melodeon.
"Supposing she's willing to have me, and
everything should go sniojttt!,"he reflected,
"am I doing right to bgfe her jest ter get
rid of these without any
t
card-playing or any heartening sociability
of any kind? I don't set any great store by
Miss Lucy, and that's a fact. I'd give
more for one look of M'riar's than twenty
years of her society, and I'm afraid what
folks say about her having an unlikely
temper is true. She's flared up once or
twice over the card playing. Still 1 hev a
proper friendly feeling fur her, and respect
her highly fur her good qualities, fur she
has good ones, certain; and she's smart too
—smart a< a steel trap, Lucy is, and pritt \ -
appearing too—genteel, iu fact, fur a rough
farmer like me."
But as the days went on he became more
and more inclined to take the advice which
had been given him, aud one bright sunny
afternoon iu November, the first sunny day
that had blessed thc world for a long time,
he harnessed Dolly into the top-buggy,and
donning his best black broadcloth suit,
which bad been purchased for bis wife's
funeral, and was most impressive in its
shining and unwriukled newness, drove
solemnly toward Brimport.
Cynthy looked after him with dilated
ed eyes aud open mouth, for he had never
dressed himself so elaborately for his even
ing outjngs, and the neighbors, like the
historical Cortez and his men.
"Looked at each other with a wild sur
mise, Silent,"
save for sundry spasmodic ejaculations on
the part of some, such as, "I told yon so!"
"Disgraceful!" "Did you ever!"
Miss Lucy opened thedoor to him as usu
al. and seeing hiui in this state, she also
seemed somewhat taken aback. Hiram's
countenance was deeply serious, but was
deprived of its usual calui.
"I —I'd like ter speak to you alone, if
it's convenient," he said, stammeringly.
"Oh, certainly;" and she led the way in
to the disused parlor, for the privacy of' an
interview there none alive would dare to
interrupt.
"You see," be begnn, pulling at his
somewhat ragged fringe of whisker, "I
couldn't come over to play cards regular in
thc winter-time. I—l1 —I suppose I might
come over now and then when the sleigh
ing was real good,but 'twould be oncertain,
proper uncertain, and I've been a-thinking
'twould be master lonesome through the
jong cold winter evenings."
"Oh, dreadful lonesome!" sighed Miss
Lucy, wondering what he was driving at,
after all.
"And in the course of meditation," he
continued, "it come acrost me that—that
perhaps you'd be willing to marry me. and
I could let my farm to M'riar's—that is to
say, my wife's—oldest son John, and come
here to live, if—if 'twould be agreeable all
around. There ain't any other way, as I
see."
Miss Lucy blushed, and nervously pleat
ed her black silk apron into folds for a mo
ment without speaking.
"Well," she said at length, "I've got
kind of out the way of marrying, aud so
set in my ways that I'm afraid 1 should
find a husband the least bit trying. How
ever, as it's you. Air. Leadbetter, why, I'll
think of it. and let you know in a few davs.
It's too soon, I—"
"I s'pose 'tis too soon. Thc regerlation
time fur a widower to take another com
panion seems to be a year, but I don't
know as we're obligated to foller the fash
ion." Aud having quite recovered his
self-possession by this time, he explained
to her just how he felt on this point, be
cause he knew just how M'riar 'dfeel: she d
be glad, ho was so lonesome.
"Don't put yourself out a mite, though,''
he added; "but if it's goin' to be, it's got
to be right away, because, you see, I've
got a good chance to let my farm now.
John's ready to come this month, but if I
put him off, he'll get another place before
spring."
••Well," said Miss Lucy. "I don't see as
there's any other way as you say; and how
folks will talk!"
And betore Hiam left the house the
time had bee set for the wedding—just two
weeks from that day—every detail bad
been arranged, and Captain Bowers, who
was greatly delighted, had invited them to
his house for a wedding supper.
Everything was ready when the happy
day arrived, and Hiram departed for his
new home at an early hour, carrying with
him such worldly goods as his betrothed
had expressed a desiro to have, namely,
one brass kettle, two new wash tubs for
wh'ch Maria herself had bargained with a
tin peddler, also two tin milking-pails and
an assortment of pans, several small farm
ing tools, and tied to the back of the cart
his best Jersey cow.
Manv curious eyes attended him a l * he
drove through the village, and every small
detail of the morning was repeated over
and over again to those who were not so
fortunate as to have seen it.
The wedding ceremony was performed
at the Slater homestead in the afternoon,
and all would have gone off well if Cousin
Louisa, when she was asked to sing some
thing appropriate to the occasion, had not
struck up "Thou art gone from my gaze,"
accompanying herself on the ancient,heart
broken. and spider-legged piano. Hirm,
who was not generally superstitious, felt
that it was a bad omen, aud the indignant
Miss Jane declared that it was just like
Louisy for all the world, so nervous aud
flustrated that she made 'bout everybody
'bout crazy with her blunders. Cap
tain Bowers, who facetiously called
it his wedding, was the life of
the party, and the wedding supper
which he gave lingers still in the happy
memory of most of the participants. \\ hen
the relatives and near friends had all de
parted, with the exception of Miss Jane,
the captain proposed, as wedding days
didn't come often iu one's lile, they should
be reckless for once, and play whist as long
as they liked, and it was after the solemn
midnight before the party broke up.
Hiram found a plenty to occupy himself
in his new home,for everything had gone to
decay through neglect aud want of means,
and whatever he did he found his Lucy in
clined to manage the situation,and have her
own way at all cost. But his equanimity
was not easily disturbed, and though he
may have ontortaincd some fears for his
future peace of mind, was not all prepared
for what happened one evening about six
weeks after the wedding.
They were playing some very exciting
games of cards, Captain Bowers playing
with Mrs. Leadbetter and Hiram with Miss
Jane, when Hiram detected his wife in
playing a trump which she had withheld
wUen trumps were called before.
"Hold!" he cried; "you cheat, you cheat!
You denied trumps just now."
She darted him one glance full of un
speakable rage, and throwing her cards iu
every direction, rose from the table and
fled from the room, sk,milling the door af
ter her. The two men seemed perfectly
stunned with astonishment.
"Lucy always was dretful quick-temper
ed." said poor Miss Jane, looking deeply
mortified. "She gets over it pritty quick,
but I guoss we may as well st playin'
for to-night. We shan't any of us feel
like it now."
"I ought not to have spoke so hasty, but
I didn't mean no offence," said Hiram, and
following his irate spouse, he npoligized
humbly for what be bad said.
But this only seemed to infuriate her the
more.
,- I won't bear being accused of cheating
by anybody!'' she cried. "Leave my house
at once, and don't you ever dare to darken
my doors again!"
"There, now. Lucy. I reckon you don't
know jest what you're sayin'," said Hiraui.
growing very white. "I see it's no use
talkin' to you now. I'll wait till you come
to your senses."
She sent a perfect torrent of angry words
after him. bnt lie paid no heed to them,
and betook himself to the kitchen lounge
for the night, hoping to find her in a differ
ent frame of mind in the morning.
• But her anger had not abated in the
least degree, and she still repeated her
command that he should leave her house,
and never darken the doors again. Poor
Miss Jane remonstrated with tears in her
eyes, saying she hain't been so comforta
ble in twei.ty-five years as she had since
Hiram had been in the house to provide
and care for things. How kind and thought
ful he had been, and then to treat hiin in
this way, and he her husband too!"
"Well, Lucy." said Hiram at length, "if
I go. I shall go for good. I sha n't never
come back again: remember that. I'm sor
ry that I spoke so hasty, as I've said over
and over again, but I can't do no inore
about it as I know of."
"Come back, indeed! I'll never speak to
you again in this world—never."
It took Hiram some time to collect his
possessions and reload them on the cart,
and it was quite dark when he drove
through the village of Pride's Corner after
the same fashion in which he left it a few
weeks before. The blue tubs were there,
and the brass kettle, with the moon's face
face reflected in its shining depths, and
the Jersey cow walked sedately along be
hind. lowing gladly when she came in
sight of her old home. But the friendly
shades of evening hid him from general ob
servation this time.
"I played the wrong card; I hadn't
ought to hev married her jest for the sake
of the games eveniu's, and p'raps my pun
ishment's only just. Folks mnsn't be too
self-indulgent,fur pleasure is alwus desate
ful," Hiram said to himself, sadly.
But though it was humiliating to be sent
home in this way—and the event has not
yet ceased to be talked of at Pride's Cor
ner—Hiram began to feel in a few days
that his punishment was not as great as he
deserved. John's folks were'very glad to
take him as a boarder, and John's house
hold was a delightfully cheerful one. Cyn
thy's melodeon had vanished with her. A
rosy-cheeked little bey played about the
house; and to crown all. John's jolly little
wife was an enthusiastic whist player, her
her sister, who lived with her was of the
same mind;and as John himself was always
willing to take a hand Hiram brightened
into something of the kind of a man lie
was while Maria was living.
In the course of two or three months
Lucy wrote him a letter saying "if he
would return to the side of his grief-slrick
en wife he would be forgiven all."
But lliram could not bring himself to
think it his duty to do so. "'Twouldn't be
inore'n another six weeks before she'd flare
up again, an' it's jest like livin' ou the
a'dge of a volcana to be her husband," he
reflected; "an" ef a man have a chance ter
play whist without encumbrances, it's a
good deal better. But I'll take care to give
her a good maintenance." And so he did.
He Was Straight.
"Look here, sir!" exclaimed an excited
citizen as he grabbed hold of a man ou
Michigan avenue yesterday, "I want an
explanation from you!"
"You can have it. sir." was the calm re
ply.
"Y'ou were at my house yesterday asking
for charity."
"Very likely."
"N'o doubt of it, sir."
"But when she asked you where Johns
town was you located it in lowa."
"I certainly did, sir."
"Then it is proof enough that you arc a
fraud and deserve arrest!"
"Don't be so previous, my friend. Here
is a state map of lowa. Do you see Johns
town right there under my finger?"
"Y-e-s."
"Well, here is a clipping from a Du
buque paper. Doesn't it say that Buffalo
Creek is out of its banks and flooding the
main streets of Johnstown?"
"Yes."
"AYell. then, what have you got to say?
Flood took my house and shop away,
drowned my wife, and I'm asking for mon
ey to make a new start."
"Yes—l see. Here's a quarter to help
you along. It's very strange coincidence
—very. Haven't got a Cambria iron works
out there, have ygut"
"Not quite. I believe they call it the
Cambria lead and shot works."
"Yes. Y'ou can go on. Curious coinci
dence —very."— Free Press.
The Railway Dinner.
WENT.
"Superfish."
Bing!
"Stakerliver,"
Bang!
"Pieorpud,"
Bung!
"Tearcough,"
Sling!
' 'Chcesererackers,"
Slang!
"Nutsrapples,"
Slung!
A'l out!
Fifty cents!
Awlaboard!
Ph-wiz!
Rival Cities.
Chicago lawyer—And. gentlemen of the
jury, remember 3*ou can't take this poor
man's life without reducing the population
of our might}- metropolis, an act of which
I am sure such patriotic citizens as your
selves will never be guilty while Brooklyn
puts in her absurd claims to being 'he
third great city in the country.
—A soft ant, sir, turncth away a pick
nicker from the custard pie.
—Mayors of cities along the rivers from
Johnstown, in the Pennsylvania moun
tains, to New Orleans, the queen of the
sub-tropics, are asked in the name of hu
manity to see to it that a vigilant outlook
for the dead of the Conemaugh is kept.
Nothing could better illustrate the vastne>-
of the disaster and even now silent wit
nesses of the horror are reported as found
as far from its scene as where the Ohio
skirts Indiana.
—The Incorporation at Chicago of the
American Executing Company, organized
to execute criminals who are sentenced to
death, is either a huge joke or one of the
grimmest of commentaries upon_the capac
ity of tho American to turn everything to
business advantage.
I am lying. Egypt, lying, in my own pecu
liar way.
1 acquired the habit lately,but I do it every
day.
Every "morning to the streamlet with my
tackle I repair
To beguile the speckled troutlet from the
deep, pellucid lair:
In the evening, on returning. I describe
my victim's size,
And aiu roamiuir, Egypt, roaming, in a
wilderness vl'lies.
"I Will Walt."
N. V. Correspondence.
The fact ha.> been widely ami tmthfnllr
printed that General William T. Sherman
dUlikes to hear the tune of "Kan-hing
Through Georgia." It is not that he U un
mindful of the fame which hi* Georgian
march made for him. lmt that on every oc
casion when a t>and of music play* know
ingly in his hearing they feel in dnty hound
to render * Marching Through Georgi*."
and he has heard it so many, many time*
thut it has become tiresome. Ue listened
attentively, however, the other evening, to
a war song with the making of which be
had had something to do.
There was onee a dinner at the Ohio
Club, in Fifth avenue, and General* .Sher
man. Sheridan and < 'arr were th"r» Stories
of c uriously wounded men were 'old. and
one of the narratives wa* by General Carr.
and it related to a soldier in the Second
New York Volunteers, of which Carr was
colonel at the outset. In a battle a piee«
of an exploded shell struck the man on the
head and gave to him what would ordinar
ily havo proved a fatal wound. He lay in
sensible among the dead for several hours,
nobody supposing that he was alive. Those
who went to him foond gripped in one
hand a small portion of a letter from his
wife. In this she spoke of a furlangh
which had been granted to him. and which
he was going to use for a visit to his home,
his health being poor. She wrote affection
ately of their wedlock, reminded him of •
willow tree under which they had done
some of their courtship, and told him that
on the day for his arrival she would meet him
there. In the hurry and confusion he was
left lying with this paper still in his grasp.
Night fell upon the battle lield with the
dead unburied and the living bnsy with de
fenses of thc-inselves and care for tho
wounded. In tlie morning the I todies of
the slain were hastily buried in a trench.
It was supposed our soldier was among
them. Bnt he was not. During the night
he had revived and wandered away. "Word
was sent to bis home that be was dead.and
this was regarded as bey end doubt, bat as a
matter of fact he wandered off to a distant
hospital, remained there unidentified until
his wounds healed and was discharged, ut
terly without memory of the past.
It happened that he retained the merest
scrap of his wife's letter, lmt withont name
or place left on it. This he retained, and
with a vagnc knowledge that it was from
his wife, who was waiting for him some
where. he wandered here and there over
the country for four years. Then mere
chance or a shadowy recollection of his
home led his tramp to the very spot where
his wife had promised to meet him. It was
the willow tree close to his old home, and
there he found her. The shock ofjoy and
recognition neatly, if not quite, cured him
of his malady.
General Carr told tho story very touch
ingly and it made a pathetic impression up
on his hearers. One of them was a
rhymster. and turning to him. General
Sheridan said: "Ton ought to make verses
out of that."
"It should have music, too," General
Sherman suggested. It ought to make a
splendid song."
The rliymster promised to nndertake the
job. and to get a friend to compose an air,
with the proviso that the three generals
mentioned shou'.d get together to hear it
sung. The words that resulted were as
follows:
WHERE THE WILLOW MAKES A SHADE.
The last flash of battle, the last glint of
sun,
Lit lurid a blood-trampled plain;
But twilight was waiting, when carnage
was done,
To throw a pall o'er the slain.
Midst them lay a soldier nigh to death.
With agony bravely l>orne:
Fainting and bleeding, and gasping for
breath,
For a shell his head had torn,
A letter he drew with strength all sped,
And to read it an effort made.
"I will wait," his wife in the writing
said,
••Where the willow makes a shade."
Though his mind was blurred, and memory
dead,
These words from his heart could not
fade;
'•I will wait," his wife in the letter said,
"Where the willow ru■'':<?!< a shade."
On the day and the hour when the soldier
held
His fond distant wife's letter fast,
She stood at the tryst tree, nor feared b«
was felled,
Till his time for coming passed.
He lived but to wander far and long.
In his head a ceaseless pain,
A sense of quest and of going wrong-
Half thoughts of a wounded brain.
He knew that he sought a home and mate
By her call that his love obeyed—
No name and no place —only, "I will wait
Where the willow makes a shade."
Though his niind was blurred and his mem
ory dead,
Those words from his heart could not
fade;
"I will wait," his wife in the letter said,
' Where the willow make&a shade."
When the willow was drooping its leave*
of tears
Sat a woman as at a grave;
Despairing had followed the hoping of
years,
But this hour to tryst she gave.
A veteran came tramping along the lane.
And he walked as in a daze;
An instant —then in a flash he was sane.
Aud joy was his only craze.
'■My wife!" he cried, with a quick embrace,
And with kisses of love delayed,
'•You have waited here," he said, "at the
place
Where the willow makes a shade."
Though his mind was blurred and his mem
ory dead,
Those words from his heart could not
fade,
"1 will wait," his wife in the letter said.
' Where the willow makes a shade."
—Amelia sends us some '"lines on an
Empty Cage," addressed to "Willie. Has
Willie broke jail?
—ln a law suit in Kentucky the other
day about a horse it was pr-ved that an
animal which had kicked three men to
death and had run away five times bnt was
warranted -'perfectly gentle and safe for
anj- lady to drive." Now and then there
is a horse trader who is ab»ent minded in
his statements.
—What would the hotels and railways of
the luited States do without the commer
cial travelers. There are of them
in the Luiied states who are "on the
road." upon the average, nine months in
and during that time spend col
lectively *382,000.000 for traveling ex
penses. Of the 400.00«>.0"0 tons of freight
carried yearly by the railways of the coun
try they sell 300.000.000.
—There are some curious men on the le
gal bench in this country. A t'onncetkat
court tines a man five dollars for lying in
wait to kill his wife and stabbing her, and
an Ohio Court calls it *-".anlt and battery
when four bnllets are fired into a fanner
and he is robbed of his wallet.
NO. 34