VOL. XXXXI.
FOOTWEAR^
I I A Grand Display of Fine |1
I I are s ''° w ' n^ ®t
I ' § ■ Shoes and Oxfords at m
I I r '° eS interest |
I I Big Bargains in Misses' I
■ H|| 1 and Children's Shoes. |
9 KMi S Large stock of Men's
fjOHIN BICKEL.I
! ' •■. ' ..'4 ' ■" • ■ v \ •«"-
■ X ______
Back of
Your Watch
K
a Guarantee is a very satis
factory sort of a thing
to find.
______
Every watch we sell is Guaranteed
and back of the guarantee you will find
us every time, ready to make good any
trouble.
The price makes no difference.
You may pay $4.00
You may pay SIOO.OO — _
Ralston & Smith
> * 110 W. Jefferson St. j
duiUiUil llfiff TlflfHf 'H "if '¥ vsf y y y -l* y »!.• •!/ +l* wm> oM/ »-y c n!/ ■!/ si/ iL' vi/ «i/ «»>
T 1" 1» •!» «*» 1» A* T> «i» »|v «!• »T 1- »r> T> 1* * T V 1» 1* T T' ■" -T- •,
j Fire Insurance, j
I The Butler County Merchants
I Mutual Insurance Company.
| Was organized by the merchants of Butler county for the *
1 purpose of affording a cheaper insurance, and does a |
* general fire-insurance business. Insures town and coun- |
I try property in this and adjourning counties.
I For particulars inquire of your nearest director, or |
I any officer of the company. .. *
F OFFICERS— J. H. Harper, President; T. P. Mifflin, §
I Vice President; Harvey Colbert, Secretary; Jacob Boos, |
* Treasurer. |
| DIRECTORS —Edwin Meeder, Henry Ifft, James Barr, |
1 Horace Bard, R. A. Marks, A. Krause, J. H. Harder, A. f
I L. Reiber, Jacob Boos, H. C. Litzinger, T. P. Mifflin, §
* Robert Scott, C. A. Eakin. * |
i WALTER EVANS & SON,
I Bickel Building. General Agents. Butler, Pa. |
KEC K |
££ Merchant Tailor, g
Spring & Summer Suitings
( ) JUST ARRIVED. (]
142 North Main St.
K. E C K I
j
T
g&x&iieivxxwxiiMieiiesie wxy !
8 Bright Spring Days ||
X Create a demand for numerous articles for drees and adornment inrv
P keeping with the season. This store is fully prepared to supply ailpr
yonr needs in our line at a saving to you.
3 The Dress Goods Stock 3
Contains the most fashionable silks, mohairs and woolen dress ma-ls
yL teriiiln now in vogue for Kowns, waists, kimonas, etc.
P Black and colored taffeta silk, :19c np. 06-inch black Taffeta specialscl
at 75c, SI.OO and $ 1.25. Fancy wool suitings, special, 50c. S
5 White Goods S
fll Bmutifnl mercerized materials for waists and shirt waist suits^
Brocades, ftripes. cords, openwork, plaiD and fancy white goods of JP
V all kind.i are shown in this stock. Prices run from Cic up. im
g Ribbons, Collars and Gloves |
jK StylUh neck, wait-t and hair ribbons in plaids, fancies, plain taffetu^
JKJ and sat'n taffeta in all colors. Fancy silk, lace and wash stock coiyk
lars at moderate prices. Big line at 25c, New kid and fabricVi
adft gloves in all spring shades.
fc To Complete Your Spring Costume g
Yon need many articles demanded by fashion which we can supply^
■ ~ at money saving prices. We show the veiy latest styles in belts, vx
JR buckles, sash pins, waist sets, brooches, fancy buttons, hair orna- W*
Uk ment j , etc.
J L. Stein & Son J
V $ 108 N MAIN STPEET. BUTLER, PA §
' •'" - ' *
- THE BUTLER CITIZEN.
CORN SYRUP
For ?1
\Griddie Cakes /
of all J
\^^akes^r
'""'Nasal Catarrh quickly yields to treat
ment by Ely's Cream Balm, which is agree
ably aromatic. It is received through tLo
nostrils, cleanses and boa's tho whole ev.r
face over which it diffuses itself. Druggists
sell the 50c. size; Trial size by mail, 10
cents. Test it and you are cure to continue
tho treatment
Announcement.
To accommodate those who are partial
to the use of atomizers in applying liquids
into the nasal passages for catarrhal trou
ble *, the proprietors prepare Cream Balm iu
liquid form, which will i'O hnov. n as Ely s
Liquid Cream Balm. Price including the
spraying tube is 7o cent 3. Druggists or by
mail." Tho liquid form embodied the med
icinal properties of the solid preparation.
A Cold Wave
has struck our soda fountain
and we are serving the finest
pure fruit juice soda in town.
Boiled Water
only is used in cur fountain so
you can drink, with as much
pleasure as at your own table.
Beef, Iron and Wine
The best spring tonic known.
We manufacture our own
and guarantee its purity.
Pale faces, slow steps and
tired backs soon leave when
this preparation is taken.
Full Pint, 50c.
Prescription Work
Our First Attention.
Everything in the drug line at
The
Crystal
Pharmacy
R. M. LOGAN, Ph. G,,
SUCCESSOR TO
Johnston's Crystal Pharmacy,
BOTH PHONES.
106 N. Main St. Butler, Pa.
|PAINT|
20
ifi
jpOIFFERENT ifi
* KINDS tit
BUT ALL jfc
A PAINT
# FOR if?
ij? EVERY #
PURPOSE 4|?
Redick & Grohman
ts?
109 N. Main St.,
tg BUTLER, PA. tft
W &
W S. &E. WICK,
OEAI-ERS IN
Itoujrh au<l Worked I-amber; of til Kir,tin
Doors. Hash and Mouldings
Oil Well Rites a ?soc:ialty.
Office cud Yard
E-iCuttnlagham and Monroe Sts
• "ar west, Venn Denot,
' ~tt—• T>, ,
M. A. BERKIMER,
Funeral Director,
245 S. MAIN ST., BUTLER, PA
Don't Know That?
That Stem's Creamery and Milk
depot at the rear of 417 South
Main street is.in operation?
WELL, IT IS!
And if you want good Milk,
Cream, Creamery Butter or Butter
milk, call and see us or watch for
our wagon.
People's Pbon'J 435. Bell Phone 208.
ASK YOUR GROCER for Steen's
Boiled Cider iu quart jars.
We guarantee our products pure
and free from any adulteration.
J H. STEEN'S CREAMERY.
ELY MAY J. v. STUAKT
AT AY & STUART,
Livery, Feed and Sale Stables
Best Accommodations in town
For Transient Custom.
PHONES: People's 125; Bell 58.
Rear of Bickel Building. S. Main St.,
liutler, Pa.
P ALICE7OU> I
£ By MAURICE THOMPSON •:?
'KS-th si
Ccpyritffct. 1900. fcv ihe COWEN.MERRILL COMPANY
i& o'L'.?:. ■ ■■
CHAPTEIt XI.
A GWOtt) A Nl' A LLOITSE PISTOL.
T,IIE captain's adventure with
Father Beret cau..' just in time
to make it count against that
courageous and beiliics? mis
sionary in more ways limn one. !■ arns
.worth did not tell Hamilton or any
other person about what the priest had
don:-, but nursed his sore ii'. < and IKS
wrath, waiting patiently for the ro
ver. s that he meant soon to take.
Alice heard from Adr'enne the story
of 1 arusworth's conduct nud hi l:u
--iniHating discomfiture at tho hands of
Father F.eret. She was both indignant
cud delighted, sympathizing with
Adrieune and glorying in the priest's
vigorous pugilistic achievement.
' Well,'' she remarked, with one of
her infectious trill? of laughter, "so far
the French have the best of It, any
way. Papa Koussiilon knocked the
governor's cheek nearly off. then Rene
cracked the Irish corporal's head, and
now Father Beret has taught Captain
Farnsworth a lesson in fisticuffs that
he'll not soon forget. If the good work
cau only go on a little longer we shall
see every English soldier in Vincennes
wearing the mark of a Frenchman's
blow." Then her mood suddenly
changed from smiling lightiuss to al
most fierce gravity, and she added:
"Adrieune Boureier, if Captain
Farnsworth ever offers to treat me as
he did you, mark my words, I'll kill
him—kill him! Indeed I will! You
ought to see me!"
"But he won't dare touch you," said
AdrSonne, looking at her friend with
round, admiring eyes. "lie knows
very well that you are not little and
timid like me. He'd be afraid of you."
"I wish he would try it. llow I
would Ir.ve to shoot him into pieces,
the hateful wretch! I wish he would."
The French inhabitants all, or nearly
all. felt as Alice did, but at present
they ■were helpless and dared not say
or do anything against the English.
Nor was this feeling eoutined to the
Creoles of Vincennes; it had spread to
most of the points where trading posts
existed. Hamilton found this out too
late to mend some of his mistakes, but
he set himself on the alert and organ
ized scouting bodies of Indians under
white officers to keep him informed
as to the American movements in Ken
tucky and along the Ohio. One of these
bands brought in as captive Colonel
Francis Vigo of St. Louis, a Spaniard
by birth, an American by adoption, a
patriot to the core, who had large in
fluence over both Indians and Creoles
in the Illinois country.
Colonel Vigo w;ls not long held a
prisoner. Hamilton dared not exas
perate the Creoles beyond their endur
ance, for 110 know that the savages
wouid closely sympathize with their
friends of long standing, and this might
lead to a revolt and coalition against
him—a very dangerous possibility. In
deed, at least one of the great In
dian chieftains had already frankly in
formed him that he and his tribe were
loyal to tho Americans. Here was a
dilemma requiring consummate di
plomacy. Hamilton saw it, but he was
not of a diplomatic temper or charac
ter. With the Indians he used a de
moralizing system of bribery, while
toward the whites he was too often
gruff, imperious, repellant. Helm un
derstood tho whole situation and was
quick to take advantage of it. Ilis per
sonal relations with Hamilton were
easy and familiar, so that he did not
hesitate to give advice upon all occa
sions. Here his jovial disposition helped
him.
"You'd better let Vigo return to St.
Louis," he said. They had a bowl of
something hot steaming between them.
"I know him. He's harmless if you
don't rub him too hard the wrong way.
He'll go back if you treat him well and
tell Clark bow strong you are here and
how fooiish It would be to think of at
tacking you. Clark has but a haudful
of men, poorly supplied and tired with
Y>ng, hard marches. If you'll think a
Inomeut you can't fail to understand
that you'd better be friends, with this
man Vigo. He and Father Gibault and
this old priest here, Beret, carry these
Frenchmen in their pockets. I'm not
on your side, understand—l'm an
American, nnd I'd blow the whole of
you to kingdom come in a minute if I
could—but common sense is common
sense all the same. There's no good
to you and no harm to Clark in mis
treating or even holding this prisoner.
What barm can he do you by going
back to Clark and telling him the whole
truth? Clark knew everything long
before Vigo reached here. Old Jazon,
my best scout, left here the day you
took possession, and you may bet he
got to Kaskaskia in short order. He
never fails. But he'll tell Clark to stay
where 110 is, and Vigo can do 110 more."'
What effect Helm's bold and appar
ently artless talk had upon Hamilton's
niiiul is not recorded, but the meager
historical facts at command show that
'figo was released and permitted to re-
Wtrn under promise that he would give
iio information to tho enemy on his
way to Kaskaskia.
Doubtless this bit of careless diplo
macy on the governor's part did have a
somewhat soothing effect upon a large
class of Frenchmen at Vincennes, but
Farnsworth quickly neutralized it to a
serious extent by a foolish act while
slightly under the influence of liquor.
He met Father Beret near Uoussillon
place, and, feeling his ribs squirm at
sight of the priest, lie accosted liim in
solently, demanding information as to
the whereabouts of the missing flag.
A priest may be good and true-
Father Beret certainly was—and yet
haver the strongest characteristics of
a worldly man. This tiling of being
bullied day after day, as had recently
been the rule, generated nothing to aid
in removing a refractory desire from
the priest's heart—the worldly desire
to repeat with great increment of force
the punch against Farnsworth's lower
ribs.
"I order you, sir, to produce that
rebel flag," said Farnsworth. "You will
ol>ey forthwith or take the conse
quences. I am 110 longer ill the humor
to be trifled with. Do you under
stand?"
"I might be forced to obey you if I
could," said the priest, drawing his
robe about him; "but, as I have often
told you, my son, I do not know where
the Has is or who took it. I do not
even suspect any person of taking it.
All that I know about it is the simple
fact that it is gone."
"You canting old fool!" cried Farns
worth. "Don't lie to me any longer! I
BUTLER, PA., THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1904.
won't have it. Don't stand there grin
ning at me. Get that flag or I'll make
you."
"What is impossible, my son. is pos
sible to God alone. A pud li-jiuines hoe
impossibile est. apud Ileum autem
omnia possibiliu sunt."
"None of your Jesuit Latin or logic
to me. lam not here to argue, but to
command. Get that flag. Be in a
hurry about it, sir."
He whipped out his sword, and in his
half drunken eyes there gr. l.eivd the
dul! Aim of murderous 1 ; u.
"i'lii up your weapon, "captain. You
will not attack an unarmed priest. You
are a soldier and will not dare strike an
old. defenseless man."
"But I will strike a black rc'.»ed and
black hearted French rebel. Get that
flag, you grinning fool!"
"Strike if you must," he said very
gently, very firmly. "I never yet have
seen the man that couid make me
afraid." His speech was slightly sing
song in tone, as it would have been
during a prayer or a blessing.
"Get the flag, then!" raged Farns
worth, in whose veins the heat of liquor
was aided by an unreasoning choler.
"I cannot." said Father Beret.
"Then take the consequences!"*
Farnsworth lifted his sword, not to
thrust, but to strike with its flat side,
and down it flashed with a noisy
whack. Father Ik-ret flung out an arm
and deftly turned the blow aside. It
was done so easily that Farnsworth
sprang back glaring and surprised.
"You old fool!" he cried, leveling his
weapon for a direct lunge. "You dev
ilish hypocrite!"
It was then that Father Beret turned
deadly pale and swiftly crossed him
self. His face looked as if he saw
something just beyond his adversary.
Possibly this sudden change of expres
sion caused Farnsworth to hesitate for
a mere point of time. Then there was
the swish of a woman's skirts; a light
step pattered on the frozen ground, and
Alice sprang between the men. facing
Farnsworth. As she did this something
small and yellow—the locket at her
throat—fell and roiled under her feet.
Nobody saw it.
In her hand she held an Immense
horse pistol, which she leveled in the
captain's face, its flariug, bugle shaped
muzzle gaping not a yard from his
nose. The heavy tube was as steady
as if 111 a vise.
"Drop that sword!"
That was all she said, but her finger
was pressing tho trigger, and the flint
in the backward slanting hammer was
ready to click against the steel. The
leaden slugs were on the point of leap
iDg forth.
"Drop that sword!"
The repetition seemed to close the op
pornnmr Torttmr.
Farnsworth was on his guard in a
twinkling. He set his jaw and uttered
an ugly oath; then quick as lightning
he struck sidewise at tho pistol with
his blade. It was a move which might
have taken a less alert person than
Alice unawares, but her training In
sword play was ready in her wrist and
hand. An involuntary turn, the slight
est imaginable, set the heavy barrel of
her weapon strongly against the blow,
partly stopping it, and then the gaping
muzzle spat its load of balls and slugs
with a bellow that awoke the drowsy
old village.
Farnsworth staggered backward, let
ting fall his sword. There was a rent
Jn the clothing of hisjeft shoulder. He
reeled, the blood spun out, but he did
not fall, although he grew white.
Father Beret sprang nimbly to sus
tain Farnsworth, snatching up tho
pistol as he passed around Alice.
"You are hurt, my son," he gently
said. "Let me help you." He prfssed his
arm firmly under that of Farnsworth,
seeing that the captain was unsteady
on his feet.
"Lean upon me. Co;ae with me,
Alice, my child, and I will take him
into the house."
Alice picked tyi the captain's sword
and led the way.
It was all done so quickly that Farns
worth, in his half dazed condition,
scarcely realized what was going 011
until he found himself 011 a couch In
the Roussillon home, his wound (a
jagged furrow plowed out by slugs
that the sword's blade had first Inter
cepted) neatly dressed and bandaged,
while Alice and the priest hovered over
flm, busy with their careful ministra
tions.
Hamilton and Ileim were, as usual,
playing cards at the former's quarters
when a guard announced that Ml!e.
Roussillon wished an audience with
the governor.
"Bring the girl in," said Hamilton,
throwing down his cards and scowling
darkly.
"Now you'd belter be wise as a
serpent and gentle as a dove," remark
ed Helm. "There is something up, and
that gunshot we heard awhile ago
may have a good deal to do with it. At
any rate, you'll find kindness your best
card to play with Alice Roussillon just
at the present stage of the game."
Of course they knew nothing of what
had happened to Farnsworth, but they
had been discussing the strained rela-
X
"Drop that sword!"
tions between the garrison nnd tbo
French Inhabitants when the roar of
Alice's big mouthed pistol startled
them. Ilelm was slyly beating about
to make Hamilton lose sight of the
danger from Clark's direction. To do
this he artfully magnified the insidious
work that be done by the French
ar.d thoir I I'll fri<-n«ts Av.". :1 y
lie driven to lUsiK-raiicu by i ; ;
or exasperating action on The i .'.r. o:
the English.
Hamilton f.'lt the d;:n -iron's i-.-:
talnty upon which the situation nsH'd,
but. like many another v!^-.:ro»:.!.. s »!f
reliant man. be could n >i subordinate
his passions to the dictates «.I" i«o"; y.
When Alice was conducted into his
presence he instantly swelled with
anger. It was her father who had
struck him and escaped; it was she
who had carried off the rebel flag at
the moment of victory.
"Well, miss, to what do I owe the
honor of this visit?" he demanded,
with a supercilious air, bending a card
between his thumb and finger on the
rude table.
"I have come, monsieur, to tell you
that I have hurt Captain I'arnsworth.
He was about to kill Father Iteret. and
I shot him. lie Is in our house and
well cared for. I don't think his wound
is bad. And"—here she hesitated at
last and let her gaze fall—"so here I
am." Then she lifted her eyes again
and made an inimitable French gesture
with her shoulders and arms. "You
will do as you please, monsieur. I cm
at your mercy."
Hamilton was astounded. Helm sat
staring plilegmatically. Meantime Bev
erley entered the room and stopped, hat
In hand, behind Alice. He was flushed
and evidently excited. In fact, he had
heard of the trouble with Farnsworth,
and, seeing Alice enter the door of
Hamilton's quarters, he followed her
in. his heart stirred by 110 slight emo
tion. He met the governor's glare and
parried it with one of equal haughti
ness. The veins 011 his forehead swelled
and turned dark. He was in a mood to
do whatever desperate act should sug
gest itself.
Wheu Hamilton fairly comprehended
the message so graphically presented by
Alice ho rose from his seat by the fire.
"What's this you tell uie'r" he blurt
ed. "You say you've shot Captain
Farnsworth?"
"Oui, monsieur.*
He stared a moment, then his fea
tures beamed with hate.
"And I'll have you shot for it, miss,
as sure as you stand there in your silly
impudence ogling me so brazenly!"
He leaned toward her as he *poko
and sent with the words a shock of
coarse, passionate energy from which
she recoiled as if expecting a blow to
follow it.
An irresistible impulse swept Bever
ley to Alice's side, and his attitude
was that of a protector. Helm sprang
up.
A lieutenant came in and respectful
ly, with evident overliaste, reported
that Captain Farnsworth had been shot
and was at Roussillon place in care of
the surgeon.
"Take thi3 girl into custody. Con
fine her and put a strong guard over
her."
Iu giving the order Hamilton jerked
his thumb contemptuously toward
Alice and at the same time gave Bev
erley a look of supreme defiance and
hatred. When Helm began to speak
he turned fiercely upon him and
stopped him with:
"None of your advice, sir. I have
had all I want of it. Keep your place
or I'll make you."
Then to Beverley:
"Retire, sir. When I wish to see you
I'll send for you. jAt present you are
not needed here."
The English lieutenant saluted his
Wtnm.iiiutrr, bowed respectfully to
Alice nnd said:
"Come with me, miss, please."
Helm and Beverley exchanged a look
of helpless nnd inquiring rage. It was
as if they had said: "What can we
do? Must we bear It?" Certainly they
could do nothing. Any interference on
their part would be sure to increase
Alice's danger and at the same time
add to the weight of their own humilia
tion.
Alice silently followed the officer out
of the room. She did not even glance
toward Beverley, who moved as if to
Interfere aud was promptly motioned
back by the guard. Ilis lifter judg
ment, returning, held him from a rash
and futile act until Hamilton spoke
again, saying loudly as Alice passed
through the door:
"I'll see who's master of this town if
I have to shoot every French lioiden
in it!"
"Women and children may well fear
you. Colonel Hamilton," said Beverley.
"That young lady is your superior."
"You say that to me, sir!"
"It is the best I could possibly say
of you."
"i will send you along with the
wench if you do not guard your lan
guage. A prisoner on parole has no
license to be a blackguard."
"I return you my parole, sir. I shall
no longer regard it as binding," said
Beverley, by a great effort holding
back a blow. "I will not keep faith
with a scoundrel who does not know
how to be decent in the presence of a
young girl. You had better have me
arrested and confined. I will escape
at the first opportunity and bring a
force here to reckon with you for your
villainy. And if you dare hurt Alice
Boussillon I will have you hanged like
a dog!"
Hamilton looked at him scornfully.
"I thought I ordered you to leave
this room," he said, with an air and
tone of lofty superiority, "and I cer
tainly mean to be obeyed. Go, sir, and
if you attempt to escape or in any way
break your parole I'll have you shot."
"I have already broken it. From
this moment I shall not regard it. You
have heard my statement. I shall not
repeat it. Govern yourself accord
ingly."
With these words Beverley turned
and strode out of the house quite be
side himself, his whole frame quiver
ing.
Hamilton laughed derisively, then
looked at Helm and said:
"Helm, I iifce you, I don't wish to be
unkind to you, but positively you must
quit breaking in upon my affairs with
your ready made advice. I've given
you and Lieutenant Beverley too much
latitude, perhaps. If that young fool
doesn't look sharp he'll get himself into
a beastly lot of trouble. You'd better
give him a talk. He's in a way to need
it just now."
"I think so myself," said Helm, glad
to get back upon fair footing with the
irascible governor. "I'll wait until he
cools off somewhat, and then I can
manage him. Leave him to me."
"Well, come walk with me to see
what has really happened to Farns
worth. He's probably not much hurt
and deserves what lie's got. That girl
has turned his head. I think I under
stand the whole affair—a little love,
a little wine, some foolishness, and the
wench shot him."
Helm genially assented, but they
were delayed for some time by an offi
cer who came in to consult with Ham
ilton on some pressing Indian affairs.
When they reached Itousslllon place
they met Beverley coming out. but he
did not look at them. He was scarcely
aware of them. A little way outside
the gate, on going in. ho had picked up
Alice's locket and broken chain, which
he mechanically put in his pocket. It
was all like a dream to him, and y t
tie had a clear purpose. He was suing
away from Vincennes. or at least he
would try to go. and woe be to Hamilton
on his coming back. It was so easy for
an excited you 11« mind to plan j;r -at
things and to expect success under ap
parently impossible conditions. Bev
erley gave Jean a note for Alice. It
w: ; s this that took him to Kousslllon
place, and no sooner fell the nijiht than
he shouldered a cuu furnished him by
Mine. Godere and. guided by the
woodsman's fine craft, stole away
southward, thinking to swim the icy
Wabash some miles below and then
strike across the plains of Illinois to
Kaskaskia.
I TO BE co^Tiirrro.]
A VAMPIRE VINE.
d'-nili Drallv!; Swamp Plant That
Grown lit Nicaraßiia.
Mr. l'unstan naturalist, who spent
nearly two yea s in Central America
in the study of the flora and fauna of
the country, relates the finding of a
singular growth iu one of the swamps
which surround the great lakes of Ni
caragua. lie was engaged in hunting
for botanical and entomological speci
mens when he heard his dog cry out,
us if in agony, from a distance. Kuu
ning to the spot whence the animal's
cries came. Mr. 1 >nn..tan found him
enveloped in a perfect network of what
seemed to be a tine rope- like tissue of
roots and tibers. The plant or vine
seemed composed entirely of bare, in
terlacing stems resembling more than
anything else the branches of the weep
iwillow denuded of its foliage, but
of a dark, nearly black hue and cov
ered with a thick, viscid gum that ex
uded from the p^-es.
Drawing his knife. Mr. Dnnstan en
deavored to cut the animal free, but
it was only with the greatest difficulty
that he succeeded in severing the
lleshy muscular fibers. To his horror
and amazement, the naturalist then
saw that the dog's body was blood
stained, while the skin appeared to
have been actually sucked or puckered
in spots, and the uniinal staggered as
if from exhaustion. 111 cutting the
vine tho twiss curled like living, sinu
ous finders about Mr. Dunstan's hand,
and it required 110 slight force to free
the member from its clinging grasp,
which left the flesh red and blistered.
The gum exuding from the vine was
of a grayish dark tinge, remarkably
adhesive and of a disagreeable animal
odor, powerful and nauseating to in
hale.
The native servants who accompa
nied Mr. Dunstan manifested the
greatest horror of the vine, which they
call "the devil's snare," and were full
of stores of its death dealing powers.
He was able to discover very little
about the nature of the plant, owing to
the difficulty of handling it, for its
grasp can only lie torn away with the
loss of skin and even of flesh, but as
near as Mr. Dunstan could ascertain
Its power of suction is contained in a
number of infinitesimal mouths or lit
tle suckers, which, ordinarily closed,
open for the reception of food. If the
substance is animal the blood is drawn
off and the carcass or refuse then
dropped. A hump of raw meat being
thrown it. In the short space of five
minutes the blood will be thoroughly
drunk off and the mass thrown aside.
Its voracity is almost beyond belief.
In CHH of Fir*.
The chief of the Philadelphia fire de-
"In case of l ire." They ought to be
learned by heart, like the multiplica
tion table, so that when needed they
will spring automatically to the mind:
First sound the alarm.
Close the door unci open the win
dows. A closed door Is a wonderful
protection afrallist flame; an open win
dow lets the heat and smoke out.
Do not fear thick smoke too much.
Go down on your hands and knees.
You will find no smoke near the floor.
Nine times out of ten you can descend
a stairway so. Many have been burn
ed to death because they thought a
smoke filled stairway meant an impas
sable one. There is plenty of pure
air to breathe near the floor.
Should the fire have gained such
headway that all exits are blocked,
shut yourself In a front room and lean
far out of the window, so that the fire
men can see you. Once they see you,
it is reasonably sure they will rescue
you.
Above all, keep cool. The majority
of deaths from fire would have been
averted if the victims had not lost
their heads.
The Snowdrop.
It seems that snowdrop is nol the
oldest Mine by which this familiar
and pretty flower was known. Once
upon a time it used to be called "fair
maid of February" because it bloomed
about the date of the Candlemas festi
val, when twelve girls dressed in white
were woiit to walk in procession. As
the rhyuo puts it:
The snowdrop In purest white array
First rearn her head on Candlemas day
It was held as sacred to the memory
of the Virgin for that it blossomed in
honor of her first visit to the temple
with the child Jesus. The helmet flow
er was another name for it, in allusion
to its supposed resemblance to a hel
met. In some countries of north Eu
rope it Is styled summer gowk because
it appears on the first sunshine of the
year under the notion—poor gowk, or
fool—that summer has come. In cer
tain parts of England it is considered
unlucky to take a single snowdrop in
to a house at the season of its first
blossoming.
Three Natural Barometer*.
From the earliest days of the war
men have found fascination in trying
to foretell the weather. There is an
old chap in Brooklyn who has three
barometers, as he styles them—a cat,
a hive of bees and a bundle of corn
fodder. As every farmer knows full
well, corn fodder is extremely sensitive
to hygrometrie changes. When dry
and crisp it Indicates fair weather;
when damp and limp, look out for rain.
A bee was nc-ver caught in a shower;
therefore, when his bees l«»ave their
hive in search of honey he knows that
the weather is going to he good. As
for the cat—every one knows about the
tricks of pussy and tabby. The act of
washing the face—a sort of dry wash
with the fore paw—is a sure sign of a
change in the weather; if below the
eyes only, fair weather; if over the
ears, rain. If puss licks her hair
against the grain or sits with her tail
to the fire, look out for squalls.—Phila
delphia Ledger.
••Siitonklnc: Tobncon."
The earliest instance known of penal
izing smoking in the streets is in the
court books of the mayor of Methwold,
in England. There is the following en
try 011 the record of the court held Oct.
11, 1(105: "We agree that any person
that is taken smoaking tobacoa in the
street shall forfltt one shillingc for ev
ery time so taken, and It shall be law
ful for the petty constables to dlstraine
for the same, for to be putt to the uses
above 6aid. We present Nicholas Bar
ber for smoaking in the street and doo
amerce him one^biljjkige."
WHIMS OF EPICURES
DISHES Or FABULOUS COST AMD
QUESTIONABLE TASTE.
The Vaat S«m» Thai Were lavished
I p<»n K«-nNt» by the Lniurlua*
Itoiuan—-Soj*r'« tlonilrril (.niu ■*
lllah—One Way of Cookln* nn OWte.
Whatever criticisni the forms aad
expense of modern entertainment may
still invite, we have at least escaped
from the objectionable feature of cost
liness for its own sake which charac
terized so many of the banquets of a
century ago. As we all very well know,
there is cookery and cookery, and the
best must need be expensive. But tliere
is an obvious distinction between the
"regardless of expense" principle and
the mere desire to stand sponsor to the
costliest dish or dinner, as such, that
money can pay for and the perverted
ingenuity of cooks can achieve. The
first may be the legitimate ambition
of a Croesus intent upon social ad
vancemeut, but the second is a more
vulgar aim and one, indeed, that often
defeats its own ends.
According to Thackeray's philosophy,
"a man can only be hungry and eat
and be happy," but there is clearly u
great deal more in it than that. Be
tween such a primitive canon of gas
tronomy and the well founded tastes
and preferences of the genuine con
noisseur there is a distinction as broad
as it is reasonable. Good, better, best,
apply as fully and inevitably to mat
ters of the table as to any other de
partment of life, and It must always
be difficult for those who have gradu
ated in the higher schools of the culi
nary art n«t to accept the very cordial
maxim, "The best of everything is good
enough for the likes of us."
When the Count of Monte-Christo
showed his guests how easy It was to
spend a thousand pounds on a dinner
for ten persons he gave them also an
insight into the rationale of the ex
penditure. Among the dishes was a
sterlet brought alive from the Volga,
and the count then replies to the com
ments it provoked: "I am like Nero—l
wish for the impossible. This fish,
which seems so excellent to you, is
very likely no better than carp or salm
on. but It seemed impossible to procure
it, and here it is." There Is not even
originality in this, for it is only an
adaptation of the old Itoman idea, and
the cost of Monte-Christo's dinner has
often been exceeded by that of a sin
gle dish.
History is silent as to the sum ex
pended upon the enormous entree call
ed by Vitellius the "shield of Minerva,"
but as It was composed of an incredi
ble variety of the rarest and nicest
kinds of meat its cost was certainly in
proportion to its size. Nor could a
dish of nightingales' tongues have been
made for a trifle, though it could have
been worth very little when It was
made. The vast sums lavished upon
the feasts of the luxurious Romans
must be accepted with some hesita
tion, and the £4.000 said to have been
the daily amount expended by Vitel
lius upon his supper seems almost fab
ulous.
But then lie, too, was devoured by a
desire to attain the "impossible" and
employed a far reaching organization
in order to realize it. According to
Josephus, his food was o t the most
rare and exquisite nature, "the deserts
of Libya, the shores of Spain, the wa
ters of the Carpathian sea, and even
the coasts and forests of Britain were
diligently searched for dainties to sup
ply his table.'' But even this ia
eclipsed by the story of a single dish
provided for a banquet given by He
liogabalus which is said to have cost
no less a sum than £4,000 of English
money.
The waste and utter futility of such
lavish expenditure may be said, In
some sense, to have been counterbal
anced by the idea of splendor and lux
urious opulence which it was thought
to express. But we find records of
dishes of quite inordinate cost much
nearer our own times for which no
such plea can be urged.
In his "City Madam" Masslnger
scourges the extravagant method of
preparing many dishes then In fashion
and ridicules "their pies of carps'
tongues and their pheasants drenched
with ambergris." And he is especially
severe—perhaps such an Incident had
actually occurred—upon "the carcasses
of three fat wethers bruised for gravy
to make sauce for a single turkey."
This, of course, is a simple barbarism
for which there can be no possible pal
liation. And, though it may be regard
ed as an exceptional Instance of prince
ly magnificence, one instinctively
shrinks at the statement that at the
banquet given by Louis XIV. at Ver
sailles on the occasion of the marriage
of Mile, de Blois and the Prince de
Contl In 10G8 the ortolans alone cost
IC.OOO francs.
Napoleon himself Is reported to have
said that "more fortunate treaties,
more happy arrangements and recon
ciliations were due to the cook of his
Chancellor Cambaceres than to the
crowds of diplomatic nonentities who
thronged the antechambers of the Tui
leries." That cook could scarcely com
plain of his "raw material," for on a
certain occasion a large trout arrived
from Geneva, consigned to the chan
cellor's kitchen, the cost of which was
verified by the Cour des Comptes as
• mounting to 6.000 francs.
• But as an instance of cost for cost's
sake no better example can be given
than that of Soyer's famous "hundred
guinea dish," so much talked of in the
fcikldle of the last century. This, of
course, was a "made dish," which re
quired as a mere preliminary the sum
of £34, the cost of five turtles' heads,
with a part of the flns and green fat.
The next requirement was over 400
birds of every kind known to the poul
try yard and game list, with a few uot
Included in either, the small "uoix"
from each side of the middle of the
back of each bird aloue being used;
This, no doubt, is a superlatively
dainty morsel, but it is almost impos
sible to repress a feeling of indigna
tion at finding that a hundred snipe
were sacrificed for it. The cost of the
"garniture" is set down at £l4 10s.,
and this consisted of coxcombs, trutlles,
mushrooms, crayfish, olives, asparagus,
sweetbreads, green mangoes and some
other ingredients. The one relief felt
on reading the account of this dish is
that such a vulgar and ridiculous med
ley is no longer possible.
Almost as foolish, although of a dif
ferent character, is the recipe exalted
by Brillat-Savarln, which teaches us
how to misapply the flesh of two wood
cocks, with trutlles and other concomi
tants. as the mere stutllng for a single
pheasant. We are assured that "the
success of this method is guaranteed
by the very nature of things," but the
Idea seems radically false to begin
with, and no amouut of skill can cure
the inherent defect.
It is some years since a well known
connoisseur condemned the use of lob
ster sauce with salmon on tlie reason
able ground that no fish should be
made to serve as the complement of
No. 23.
; notLrr. And it Is surely an offense
of stiil t riater magnitude to attempt
t.> iiK-on r.ite the individual subtleties
i f two such delicious birds as the
v >;•> '.cix U and pheasant in a single
dish.
The cost of cooking a single- olive
ii;..y turn out a costly proceeding, es
peirlally if a bon vivant should adopt
the following method: Place a French
ciive inside a beecaflco (the fig pecker},
the beecaflco in a golden plover, the
plover in a pheasant and the pheasant
iii a bustard. The cooking is to pro
ceed with special regard to the "bast
ing." and when the dish Is presented
the master of the feast sends the olive
(only) to the guest whom he desires to
honor, unless, indeed, he happens to
sup alone—Luculltu with Lucullus—
when he eats it himself. There is some
reason to believe, however, that this
recipe was designed as a sarcastic re
buke to the extravagant cooks of the
period and not less to the wealthy
gourmet of overcultivated tastes.
London Globe.
A VOICE FROM THE TOMB.
It Spoke In a Dream and Told a Tale
of Ghastly Horror.
The Rev. Mr. Partridge was once the
vicar of a parish in the suburbs of
London. He had the misfortune to
lose a favorite son, whose body was
interred In a vault in the church. Two
nights after the interment Mr. Par
tridsfc dreamed that he saw his son.
habited in a shroud spotted with blood,
the expression of his countenance be
ing that of a person enduring some
paroxysm of acute pain.
"Father, father," he cried, "come and
defend me! They will not let me rest
quiet in my coffin!"
The apparition was so vivid that the
dreamer awoke, trembling from excite
ment. He argued with himself that it
was the result of the grief he felt on
account of his son's death and after
awhile managed to overcome his agi
tation and go to sleep again. But it
seemed to him that he scarcely lost
consciousness when the vision reap
peared, beseeching more piteously than
before that his father would come to
his aid, as they were "mangling hi*
body at that instant." The tortured
man slept no more that night and at
the break of day repaired to the
clerk's house, where the keys of the
vault wore kept. Here he was in
formed that the key to the main door
had been broken and the clerk's son
had gone to the smith's to have a new
one made. Impelled by the worst mis
givings, the vicar procured a crowbar,
by means of which the hinges of the
door were wrenched off.
The sight that greeted him caused
the father to fail fainting to the floor.
His son's coffin had been lifted from
the recess and placed on the brick
pavement. The lid lay loose on the
top. The body, enveloped in its shroud,
on which were several spots of blood
below the chin, was exposed to view.
The broad ribbon had been removed
from below the jaw, which hung down
with a most ghastly horror of expres
sion, and every tooth in the head had
been drawn. The youth while living
had possessed a beautiful set of teeth. /
The clerk's son, who was both a bar
ber and a dentist, had obtained pos
session of the vault keys for the pur
pose of extracting the teeth for use in
his business.—London Mail.
Sacred Cat*.
goddess Sechet, a creature with a hu
man body and a cat's head. Sechet's
Ihrine was at the once famous city of
Bubastis. Hither an average of 700,-
000 devotees resorted annually, each
district delegation taking all the dead
cats which had "quitted the sphere of
nction" in their respective localities
during the year. These dead cats, all
of which were carefully wrapped and
embalmed, were buried at the celebrat
ed "cat cemetery," on the plains of Za
kazik, that being the place where the
image of Sechet was set up. One of
the greatest curiosities of present day
Egypt are the catacombs, where the re
mains of those countless thousands of
cats are to be seen, each wrapped In.
linen and sealed up in a red earthen
ware jar.
The Rilling; Paaalon.
A gambler, on his deathbed, having
seriously taken leave of his physician,
who told him that he could not live
beyond 8 o'clock next morning, ex
erted the small strength he had left to
call the dcr?tor badk, which having ac
complished with difficulty, for he could
hardly exceed a whisper, "Doctor,"
said he, "I'll bet you 5 guineas I lire
till 9."—London Tit-Bits.
TRAVELING IN INDIA."
One Alait Hire m. Native Servant or
Endure Endleaa Trouble.
Every one who goes to India to travel
or live at hotels, says the Chicago Kec
ord-Uerald, must have a personal serv
ant, a native who performs the duties
of valet, waiter aud errand boy and
whatever else may be required of him.
This is a fixed custom of the country,
to resist which brings endless trouble
to the traveler.
Many of the Indian hotels expect the
guests to bring all their own servants,
both chambermaids aud waiters, and
are consequently so short handed that
the traveler who comes without them
has usually to wait upon himself.
On the railways a native servant Is
quite indispensable, for travelers are
required to carry their own bedding,
make their own beds aud furnish their
own towels. The company provides a
bench to sleep on similar to those in
American freight cabooses
Each car has also a washroom and
sometimes water. But if the traveler
wishes to be sure of washing his face
In the morning and if he is wise he will
send his servant to the station master
before the train starts and ask to have
the water tank filled. Then a Hindoo
with a goatskin full of water will
climb to the roof of the car and fill it
and, having descended, will stand be
fore the door and touch his forehead
every time the traveler looks toward
him till he receives a penny.
At the eating houses along the road
the servant will have to raid the ta
bles And shelves for food and bring it
to the car for his master, since no wait
ers are provided. In addition he will
hire baggage carriers and will attend
to all the details of catching trains and
engaging rooms.
A good servant can be hired for sl3
a month. Poorer "bearers." as they are
called, can be engaged for $2 or $3 a
month and expect to "find" them
selves, but the traveler must pay rail
way fare for them.
How Holland Trent* Panpera.
There are few üblebodied paupers in
Holland. A tract of public land con
taining 5.000 acrrs is divided into six
model farms, to one of which the per
son applying for public relief is sent.
Here he is taught agriculture and is
iuently permitted to rent a small
farm for l±im.s<-if. Holland also has a
forced labor colony, to which vagrants
are sent to do farm and other work,
whether they like it or not.