TOO MUCHjttEO
Proposed to Four Women and
Fled to Avoid Consequences.
By WALTER TOWNE MATHEUS.
.(Copyright, lUIO, by American Frews Asso
elation.]
Dick Hammond was the most t>op
ular man in his class at college lOver.v
body loved him. both boys and girls
There are young fellows—and girls, for
that matter—who achieve social prom
inence by treating every one iti their
select circle with a cultivated cordial
ity. Dick Hammond treated every
one, irrespective of station, with a
sincere regard. His heart was a spring
front which bubbled a perennial stream
of love for all mankind.
If this love runnel had been only for
men it would not have resulted unfor
tunatel.v for Dick. The trouble was
that the liquid was not agreeable to
women as well. While it was water
for the former, it was wine for the
latter. And it was noticeable that
p
JLISTESKD TO IT WITH HEARTFELT SYM
PATHY
when one of the fair sex put the cup
to her lips she must needs drain It to
the very dregs, call for more and pro
ceed to get tipsy. Nor would this have
been so bad had the bottle belonged to
her alone. Dick was not only ready to
keep filling her glass, but that of any
other woman who desired to drink.
And so It came about that Dick
Hammond awoke one morning to the
fact that the night before he had pro
posed to the thjrd girl within two
months and had been accepted by
every one. The situation gave him
no course whatever. Not that he
would have for the world injured any '
one of these sensitive creatures, not:
that he would willfully do a dishonor- 1
able act. Loving them all. be con- !
sidered it the most natural thing in
the world that he should tell them so, i
and to tell them so without asking j
them to be his wife—his wives, rather j
—would have been an insult.
These three graces were Agnes Al
len, Lillian Cook and Theodora Rich
ards. He had told each and every one
of them that he had never loved be
fore and would never love another.
Moreover, It did not occur to him that
he was telling an untruth. Was it an
untruth? Was It not rather that same
unbroken stream which had been flow
ing ever since he could remember?
And were not these girls the bubbles
floating on its surface?
His engagement with Miss Allen
having lasted the longest, he was the
least disposed to spend his surplus
time in her company. Miss Cook came
next both as to the interval since they
had plighted their troth and in recelv
ing her lover's attention. Miss Rich
ards. to whom he had become engaged
last, was undeniably his favorite.
These three young ladies undertook
to land their catch on or about the
same time. One morning he received j
a note from Miss Allen stating that
she had heard things to Induce her to
believe that he had been trifling with
her. The next day Miss Cook's mother
called upon him nt:d asked him when
it would be convenient for him to mar
ry her daughter. The same evening,
meeting Miss Uichards at a ball, she
cut him dead.
This settled the matter. Finding
himself compelled to choose between
the three, he chose the one who had
cut him. lie called upon her and
mude a solemn contract with her that
she should be the real and only Mrs.
Hammond, agreeing to write a note to
each of her rivals stating this fact and
that all was over between him and
them. Ml3s Richards took the notes
and dropped them in the mail.
Within a few days Mr. Hammond re
ceived a communication from Miss
Allen and another from Miss Cook,
each staling that If he persisted in his
dishonorable course she would sue him
for brea- !i of promise. Hammond in
closed the notes to his fiancee with
the indorsement on the back: "What
am I to do? If I marry you these girls
will sue me for breach of promise."
The notes came back Indorsed, "If you
don't marry me I will sue you for
breach of promise."
Here was a dilemma.
It may be supposed that so serious
a condition of affairs might have
caused Mr. nammond some concern.
Not so. His pure spirit, intrenched be
hind a good conscience—he loved them
all —was unruffled. He did not even
trouble himself how he was to escape,
figuratively speaking, this gigantic
pair of pinchers that were closing to
crush him. Nevertheless a man in
or out of trouble needs woman's sym
pathy. The poor fellow was engaged
to three girls, and there was not
among the three one to whom he could
io for comfort or advice. What was
more natural than that he should
choose a fourth into whose ears he
could pour his troubles?
Caroline Carr was the person who
heard the story and listened to it with
heartfelt sympathy. With moistened
eyes she permitted her shoulder to sink
against his. and somehow theinfiawis
met. Tbeu she looked up at him, li.-i
compassionate heart going out to h:■,>
through her melting orbs. lie kl«*t !
her.
And so It was that Hammond, who
had called on a girl for sympathy iti
his complication with three giVls, left
her engaged to another—herself.
When one awakens after a good
night's sleep the brain is usually clear
\ er than at any other time of day
Dick Hammond, opening his eyes 011
the morning after he had become en
gaged to the fourth girl, saw at last
that something must be done. He lay
abed till noon thinking out a plan.
The cobwebs of his Intellect were
swept away, and he formed a plan.
During the afternoon lie called to
gether three of his male chums. In
formed them of his complication ai d
asked them to help him out of it. Not
one of them but would have plucked
1 out his heart and roasted it over a
tire of coals for Dick, but there ws.s
noue of them capable of suggesting
how this was to be effected And here
came in the result of Dick's thong l .t
while being in bed during the ante
meridian hours. He suggested that
each one of bis friends take one if
the girls and by his attentions extract,
like a plaster, the inflammation of bet
heart.
The proposition was listened to wlili
respectful attention by the chums, L'it
excited no enthusiasm. ICacb man
thought of Aesop's fable of the t'< \
who. having lost his tail, endeavored
to persuade the other foxes to cut c£f
theirs. Presently the spokesman said:
"Dick, dear boy. lovetnaking is so
natural to you and you lind it so ea-y
to impress the feminine heart that yoti
think it would be equally easy for us
You are the candle about which ti c
mot lis flutter, and it would require :i
more vivid light to draw them away
Noue of us is in lovetnaking more bril
liant than you—lndeed, compared with
you in this respect we are as a glow
worm beside a searchlight. We would
gladly help you. but it is impossible t'
do it on your plan. We would advise
you. however, not to complicate mat
ters further by engaging to marry any
more girls."
Following this advice. Dick Ilaia
mond resolutely devoted himself to his
last fiancee to the exclusion of all
others. One day one of his three
chums came to him and warned him
that his first three fiancees were pre
paring to serve papers upon him in a
suit for breach of promise. Dick asU"d
if his marriage with the fourth lady
would settle the matter. He was in
formed that it probably would. None
of the ladles were acting with the in
tention of extorting money, but from
a desire to prevent a rival from get
tlug the better of her.
The next day Dick was informed
that the papers were all to be served
at once. Jumping into his automobile,
he drove to Miss Carr's house, and the
couple soon after came out, entered
the auto, and Dick, who drove It, turn
ed it toward the state line.
Now, it was fifty miles to the state
line, but Dick, once beyond the city
limits, saw no necessity for hurry. On
passing a garage he saw the three
friends whom he had asked to help
him loitering there us if waiting for
something. They all doffed their hats,
and one of them shouted:
"Plenty of time; papers not yet out."
So Dick lagged, devoting himseif to
his lovely companion. Presently, look
ing back, he saw an aulo far in the
distance coming at full speed. He
turned on more power and easily kept
good lead.
Passliig a crossroad, he saw another
auto within a hundred yards of him
The driver was mutlled and wore gog
gles concealing his features. A girl
sat beside him, and Dick's blood ran
cold on recognizing Miss Allen. She
shook her fist at him, and he Instinc
tively turned on more power, shooting
onward like an arrow.
Presently, looking back, he saw that
li" was followed by three autos at dil
f< rent distances. Great heavens! Were
a.I of his first three fiancees pursuing
him?
All the power of which the machine
was possesseil was now 011. and the
machine fairly flew along the road
Dick turned now. and again saw that
the machine containing Miss Aileu
was In the lead of the pursuing ma
chines. He thought that if any of
chem got him she at least had the best
right
The chase was a short one so far as
time was concerned, for the distance
was traversed within an hour, and
when Dick hove up to a hotel Just
across the state border line the three
pursuing autos were close upon him.
lie and his betrothed at last stood on
the hotel porch, and three other cou
ples. alighting from their autos. joined
them. Dick's hair stood on end. There
were his three deserted fiancees, an*'
with each one was one of the chums
he had made his confidant.
"W-h-a-t did you chumps give me
away for?" he stammered.
"This isn't a give away," said Miss
Allen. "It's a wedding party. We girls
are determined that you shall be r.iar
ried so that you can't engage yourself
to any more of us."
So Dick Hammond was at last mar
ried. and a wedding party of his
friends and jilted girls escorted him
and his bride back to the city.
Cornets of the Past Century.
Durlug the nineteenth century 235
new comets were discovered us against
sixty-two iu the eighteenth century.
The iilneteenth century also beheld a
greater number of large and brilliant
comets than did its predecessor. The
finest of these were the comets of 1811,
1843, 1808, 1881 and 1882. In the year
1800 only one periodical comet was
known, Halley's. Now many are
known, of which at least seventeen
have been seen at more than one re
turn to perihelion.
Too Coatly.
King George 11. onco wished to add
the Green park, In I,ondon, to his pal
ace grounds, whether the people liked
it or not He inquired of his minister
as to the cost
Ills lordship, mindful of the general
discontent then prevalent, answered:
"The cost, sir? Oh, it would be a
matter of three crowns!"
The king took the hint. The people
kept their park and the sovereign his
triple throne.
Kindness has couverted more sig
ners than zeal, eloquence or learning.—
P. W. Fa her.
MR. MUDGE'S WOOING
A Very Homely Man Who Was a
Very Persistent Lover.
By ADELAIDE RUTH HILL.
[Copyright, lUIO. by American Press Asso
ciation. J
Jabez Chute Muugc was his name.
Considering that he was the homeliest
tnau in his state it would seem that
his parents might have helped him to
a more mlllilluuus pair of surnames.
Mr. Mudge. however, came of good
enough stock, was fairly well edu
cated and was the possessor of a
couple of thousand dollars a year. He
lived on his own place, where he grew
grapes, his only occupation. If he
had had anything else to do this story
would never have been written, for
nine-tenths of his time was devoted to
incidents recounted therein.
On a neighboring hill lived I.eoniilaH
Meredith, a gentleman whose name
was as euphonius as Mr. Mudge's was
discordant. Mr. Meredith possessed a
daughter, Leita, who was as comely
as Mr. Mudge was homely. This story
recounts the wooing of Leita Meredith
by Chute Mudge.
When Mudge first saw Miss Mere
dith and how lie happened to fall in
love with Iter doesn't matter. Ills first
move In the direction of possessing her
was made one morning when her fa
ther was getting into his carriage to
drive to a train on his daily journey
to the city. Mudge stepped up to him
and astonished him by asking for the
hand of his daughter.
"My daughter!" exclaimed the gen
tleman, opening his eyes very wide.
"Yes, Mr. Meredith: I have loved her
"I SHALL, LOVfc YOC FROM A DISTANCE."
a long while and shall always love her.
I can take fairly good care"—
"You get out of this mighty quick
or I'll find a way to hurry you."
"I shall stay here, Mr. Meredith, till
I get your consent."
"Tom." yelled the wrathy father to
the gardener, "come here!"
Tom dropped a spade and came run
ning toward his employer.
"Just help me a bit with tills fel
low."
Mr. Meredith took the suitor by one
arm, Tom took him by the other, and,
walking him down to the pond. lifted
him and with a "One, two, three,"
they threw him in.
Mudge came up spluttering. Mr.
Meredith hurried to his carriage and
was driven away, his would be son-in
law crying after him: "I'm not dis
couraged, sir I'll try again."
When Miss l.elta Meredith heard the
story of her wooer's ducking she gave
a little laugh, then said. "Poor fel
low!" If Mudge had heard the re
mark possibly he might have gathered
a ray of hope. The young lady's moth
er asked her If she had ever had any
communication with Mudge. to which
she replied that she had not known
that there was such a person In exist
ence.
This was the first episode In Mr
Mudge's courtship. The second was
Very different. Jabez kept an eye on
the Meredith place and noticed a
young man who called rather more fre
quently than the red headed lover
thought might be well for his own
suit. One afternoon when this gentle
man was leaving the Merediths, Jabez
waylaid him and asked him If he could
tell him the waj to 15. The man re
plied that he could not. Jabez told
him that he believed he was lying.
The man promptly slapped Jabez's
face, and Jabez as promptly knocked
him down. The young man's jaw was
pretty nearly broken, and when he got
up he was In 110 condition to renew
the tight. lie went back to the Mere
diths for assistance, told of bis en
counter and spoke of his assailant as
a "red headed, monkey shaped devil."
Miss Meredith, who was bathing his
jaw. at once recognized her persistent
lover. What woman can fail to feel
some Interest in a man who for her
sake will tirst consent to be ducked
by her father and then will permit uo
other man to pay her attention? She
expressed to the gentleman under her
care her abhorrence of Jabez Mudge
and his act but for her life she could
not but consider him In the light of a
victor. When her visitor showed a
shrinking from meeting the "red head
ed, monkey shaped devil" again and
asked to be driven to his home Jabez
bad got rid of his only rival. Miss
Meredith had more admiration for the
monkey shaped man than his oppo
nent
Not long after this Miss Meredith
concluded to walk to the village. Her
mother told her she had better go in
her pony cart since she might meet
Mr. Mudge, and it would be easier for
her to drive away from him than to
walk away. To this the girl replied
that she was not nfrald of Mr. Mudge
and would not permit him to restrict
her movements in the least. Down in
the bottom of her heart she had a
curiosity to talk with this singular be
ing who was suffering and daring for
her and hoped that he might join her.
Jabez, constantly on tne lookout for
such an opportunity, saw her leave
the place on the hill and sallied forth
to meet her. As she approached he
stood still with his hat in his hand
and his head bowed.
"May I hcve u few words with you?"
he said in a sad voice.
"No."
Nevertheless he walked on beside
her.
"Do yon want another ducking?" she
asked.
"A thousand If they will bring me
nearer to you."
"What ill the world put it Into your
head to want me?" she asked.
"First, you are the most beautiful
woman In the world," he replied.
"Second?"
"Second is all tho rest of It.l muni
have you, and 1 will have you."
"And I trill not have you."
"Then I shall love you from a dis
tance as long as 1 live."
"And I wish you to understand that
In case any man pays me attention in
future you are to let him alone."
"Won't you at least give ine the sat
isfaction of dying by his band? 1
would rather do that than-live to see
him possess you."
"You're too silly for anything."
By this time they had reached a
fork in the road, and she signified that
he must leave her. Jabez did so and
walked away to his home, feeling that
he had gained one point, but it was a
very small roiut, and there was a
whole picket fence of points bristling
ahead of him.
Not long after this Mr. Meredith In
troduced a voting man named Long to
his daughter and Intimated that he
would be pleased If she afid Long
would make a match. The young man
fell in readily with the plan and after
devoting himself to the girl for some
time proposed to her.
"I'm sorry." she said, "but I can't
marry any one."
"Why not?" he asked, surprised.
"There Is a man living down there
who has taken It Into his silly head
that he wants me so much that I'm
afraid he'll kill any one who marries
me."
"Fie will, eh? Then it is time some
one kills lilin."
"You had better not try it."
"What makes you think so?"
"Why, he loves me so well that ho
permitted papa and Tom, the garden
er. to throw him Into the pond, all on
my account, but he waylaid a gentle
man who was calling on me and near
ly broke his jaw."
"I'll see him and find out whether
he's going to put another of your ad
mirers out of the race."
"Don't."
When Miss Meredith sakl "don't"
she meant "do." She wished to know
what her red headed lover would do In
the matter, though she did not Intend
that anything serious should happen.
Long went straight to Mudge and said:
"I have asked Miss Meredith to mar
ry me. She says that if she does you
will kill me."
"I bog your pardon. Miss Meredith
didn't say any such thing."
"Well, what are you going to do
about it?"
"With Miss Meredith's permission
I'll fight you any way you please—
fists, swords, pistols or rifles."
"But Miss Meredith considers you as
standing between her aud marriage.
Of course she doesn't wish me to fight
for her with you."
"Then let her say so."
Somewhat surprised at this turn of
the affair, I.ong went back to Miss
Meredith nrd told her what had pass
ed between him and"the red headed
monkey," supposiug she would at once
give him something that would Indi
cate to Mudge that she wished him to
let any suitor of hers alone. Instead
of that she said:
"I'll see what I can do with him."
Long bowed himself away with a
bearing that denoted disappointment
and displeasure.
The next morning Mudge had a feel
ing that he should receive some com
munication from Miss Meredith and
believed she would talk with him
rather than write. He was not mis
taken. During the day ho saw her
leave her home on foot. lie went to
meet her.
"Why do you persist in thrusting
yourself between me and any one who
wishes to marry me?" she asked.
"Do you wish to marry this man
who came to see tne yesterday?"
There was uo reply to this.
"Because If you do 1 will do nothing
to prevent you."
"1 am glad that this Insane freak of
yours has become tinctured at last
with a little common sense. Doubtless
your love is not so fierce as It was."
"There is no change In my love ex
cept that it has grown greater. When
it began it was selfish. Now I love
you so well that I aui ready to sacrl
Gee myself for your happiness."
She led tho way on a path not much
trodden, and It was two hours before
she left him. When she returned t.i
her home there was evidently some
thing on her mind.
The next morning a maid left hot
water in her mistress' room and found
It empty. Miss Meredith had fled to
become Mrs. Mudge.
Alabama's Capitals
When Alabama was a territory Its
capital was at St. Stephens, In Wash
ington county. The convention that
framed the constitution under which
it was admitted into tho Union was
held In Iluntsville, where the flrst leg
islature met In October, 1810, and the
flrst governor was Inaugurated. Caha
ba became the seat of government In
1820. In 1825 the capital was removed
to Tuscaloosa, and in 1840 It was agnln
removed, this time to Montgomery.
The SsvMith Sen.
Tee," said the despondent man, "l
was • seventh eon."
"And didn't it bring you luck?"
asked the superstitious one.
"WeU, If being obliged to wear the
castofT clothes of six other brothers Is
luck it did," replied the deejiondent
man.—Philadelphia Hecord.
The Dear Friends.
Miss Thin—Don't you think my new
dress Is Just exquisite? Fannie—Oh,
lovely! I think that dressmaker of
yours could make a clothes prop look
graceful.
The sorg that nerves a nation's
heart Is in itself a deed.—Tennyson.
UNDER A CLOUD.
Accused of Crime, He Lived For
Many Years a Cursed Man.
By GERTRUDE ELMENDORF.
(Copyright, 1910, by American Press Asso
ciation.]
The life lived by the planters of the
south before the extinction of slavery
was In some respects an Ideal one.
Most of them were people of refine
ment and kind to their slaves, by
whom they were much beloved. The
Lynn family were of this type. Their
plantation was one of the largest In
the south, and they owned more than
a thousand slaves. Their social posi
tion In the circle of society embracing
the neighboring planter families was
very high. Indeed, they were beloved
by both whites and blacks.
Alan Lynn inherited this plantation
when he came of age. lie was a
splendid specimen of the highly hon
orable, sensitive southerner. Among
all the young men of tlie region in
which he lived he was tile favorite
both with his own and the opposite
sex. Tie was very gay, taking a prom
inent part in all the social affairs of
his circle. If a ball were given on a
plantation fifty miles away he was as
sure to be there as If It were on an ad
joining place. Yet much of his leisure
time was spent in examining Into the
needs of the negroes on his plantation,
supplying them and righting their
wrongs.
Among (he young men of that re
gion was Sheldon Avery, who lived
on a plantation some ten miles from
the Lynn home. Notwithstanding the
distance separating tliem Lynn and
Avery were much together.
The friendship continued until the
two men discovered that they were
secretly devoting themselves to the
same girl. Martha Tucker was not in
the social circle of the planters' fam
ilies. She was very handsome, how
ever, and possessed traits to render
her attractive to men. Avery had
known her some .time before Lynn
BHOTS WEItE EXCHANGED.
made her acquaintance. Lynn was not
aware that his friend had claims upon
her, or he would have retired at once
from the field. Avery on learning that
Lynn was his rival was very angry,
lie accused his friend of dishonorable
action toward htm, and Lynn's hot
southern blood prompted him to resent
the charge. The result was the pass
ing of a challenge.
Two such prominent young men
could not fight under the code with
out the fact being known to all their
acquaintances. The fact that they had
been bosom friends made the quarrel
a matter of still greater Interest. They
tried - to conceal the cause, giving out
a manufactured one, but it did not
avail. It was generally known that
a woman was at tho bottom of the
meeting.
By the time they came onto the
field or honor each had cooled and
would have gladly come to a recon
ciliation. But an imputation on their
courage was more to be dreaded than
the risk of killing a friend. Shots
were exchanged, fortunately without
effect; the seconds interposed, and tho
two enemies again became friends.
For some time after this difference
they saw little of each other. Mean
while young l.ynn had been stocking
cert:tin w■•••>/!-» cimj-rlfied within his
property v :un- in October he
sent I'll I'iV! lim Avery to make
him a > i-'t ■.l t'.ij, \ the shooting.
Avery r. ."<1 and came to his
friend's limhc prepared for an extend
ed visit.
The two men hunted for several
days, each being careful to abstain
from any mention of the trouble over
which they had disagreed. But one
day when a number of other persons
were hunting with them and the two
young men became separated from the
rest of the party their voices were
heard raised In anger. The girl over
whom they had fought had been men
tioned between them and, like a glass
of liquor to a reformed drunkard, had
fired the brain of Avery, who seemed
easily excited at any reference to
Martha Tucker. Those of the party
nearest the disputants paused to listen
and heard Lynn say:
Tf you do I will kill you!"
At this moment those who were lis
tening started up a flock of birds In
which they were more Interested than
to the quarrel between the two friends.
They followed the game and, hearing
reports of guna In another part of the
wood, aupposed that Lynn and Avery
had also turned their attention to the
sport.
Some time after this Lynn came up
with the others. lie seemed surprised
not to see Avery with them, saying
that while he and Avery were together
Avery, hearing the reports of their
guns and assuming that they had
found game, had gone to rejoin them.
When, after another hour, Avery did
not appear all started in different di
rections to look for him. They did not
find him. The day ended, and most
of the party went to their homes, while
L.vnu, with a rew others,
the search until it was so dark ihe>
could see nothing, then gave it up I'.tn
the uext morning Just as the.v were
starting out to renew their search
Avery's dead body was brought in
with a hole made by bird sin it in the
head. The body had been found about
a hundred yards from the place where
the two men had been heard disputing.
Notwithstanding the high position of
young Lynn it was almost universally
believed that he had killed Avery.
Sympathy was expressed for him. be
cause it was supposed that he had
done the deed in a burst of passion,
lie was arrested, charged with the
murder and found guilty. On the trial
it came out that he had recently be
come engaged to the daughter of a
neighboring planter, and he ascribed
his words "If you do I will kill you"
to the fact that he had on Avery's
arrival confided to iiitn his engagement
and that Avery during their subse
quent quarrel had threatened to make
certain charges against Lynn's good
name to the latter's tiancee.
In those days in the south the
courts were chary of interfering In
disputes among gentlemen. Doubtless
if witnesses had been present at a
fight In which either of the two men
had killed the other there would have
been no arrest made, or if arrested
the one who had done the killing would
have been acquitted. As it was, near
ly every one believed that Lynn had
killed Avery while angered, and as it
was to be supposed that he had not
given his victim a chance for his life
and had concealed the crime he was
to be considered a murderer. Never
theless there were planters on the jury
who would not convict one of their
number of crime on circumstantial evi
dence. and the result was a disagree
ment. Lynn went forth a free man,
but with the Imputation of murder
resting upon him. He was never again
brought to trial because there was no
new evidence forthcoming to throw
additional light on the case.
Opinion as to his guilt varied from
the lightest charge that he had simply
killed a man who would otherwise
have killed him to the belief that with
enmity still rankling within him he
had invited Avery to visit him on pur
pose to gratify a spirit of revenge.
The case was discussed at the tables
of his peers, the planters; In the domi
ciles of the poor whites and In the huts
of the negroes. Of course opinions
were shaped In accordance with the
sympathies of those who expressed
them, the Lynn adherents defending
him, while those of Avery could not
find words to express their horror of
him.
No one ever knew what took place
between Lynn and his fiancee except
that the engagement was broken off.
The facts of the case were that she be
lieved lu his innocence and was will
ing to marry him, but he would not
permit any woman to take his name
after it had been stained with a crim
inal charge that he was unable to dis
prove. lie went abroad for awhile,
spending his time wandering from
place to place, but without gaining any
comfort. He lived a blighted life. The
girl he was to have married wrote him
often, and from her he drew what con
solatlou was possible. She declared
that she would never marry unless she
married him, and he declared that he
would never marry any one so long
as the imputation of murdering his
friend and guest hung over him.
Martha Tucker, the girl who ap
peared to have been at the bottom of
the trouble, disappeared and was seen
no more iu the neighborhood. Ten
years passed, during which Lynn had
grown In appearance ten years older
than he really was. Ills family, his
friends and his slaves were still de
voted to him, and the girl he was to
have married loved him more than
ever. This was the situation when
David Tucker, a brother of Martha
Tucker, died and just before his death
made a confession that unsealed the
mystery.
Sheldon Avery, he said, had ruined
his sister Martha. The knowledge of
this fact came to him at the tluie when
Avery went to the Lynn plantation to
hunt. He followed Avery there and
went to the woods where the hunt
wns in progress. Encountering Avery
soon after the latter had left Lynn, he
had deliberately shot him. Tucker
claimed that if Lynn had been con
victed he would have declared that he
was tho real slayer of Avery and his
reason for killing him. When Lynn's
conviction failed he had decided to
keep his sister's disgrace and his own
crime a secret.
Alan Lynn was walking with bowed
head on the front gallery of his home
when he heard a clattering of horses'
hoofs and. looking up the road, saw a
party of men coming at full speed. On
reaching his gate they turned In, and
he saw that they were his friends and
acquaintances. They dismounted at
the foot of the steps, and their spokes
man, advancing, announced the news
of the confession that lifted from his
shoulders the stigma he had borne for
ten years. Having done this, every
man embraced him.
From that moment Lynn took a new
lease of life, ne married the girl who
had waited for him so long and after
ward fought as a colonel In the Con
federate army.
His Mistake.
There once appeared at the back
door of a house a tramp who to the
mistress of tho place related a pathetic
story of his troubles. This tale, how
ever, did not greatly move the matter
of fact woman, for she remarked
dryly:
"That's the same story I had from
the last hobo that passed."
"Indeed!" said the tramp. "Then,
madam, I perceive that I have been |
nnwise not to have had my history
copyrighted."—Judge.
A Double Break.
Wife—l saw Mr. Chacer this after
noon, and he looks very bad. What's
the matter with him—do you know?
Hubby—Compound fracture. Wife—
What sort of compound fracture?
Hubby—He's broke, and Miss Dough
bag, discovering that fact, broke her
engagement—Philadelphia Inquirer.
He Told Her.
"What is il. do you suppose, that
keeps the moon iu place and prevents
it from falling?" asked Aramlnta.
"I think it must be the beams," re
plied Charlie softly.
AN EASY VICTORY.
How an Obstinate English Lord Waa
Outwitted In Naples.
I.ord Charles Hamilton used togo !
about Naples intended by n large, fe
rocious bulldog decided upou
going to Itome, he proceeded to the
station and took liis place In a first
class carriage, the "dawg" taking up
a positiou on a seat opposite his mas
ter. The platform inspector, witbj
many gesticulations, declared that thai
bulldog should not travel in a passen-j
gcr carriage. I
"Very well, then; take him out," was
Lord Charles' rejoinder.
In vain the official expostulated. He
merely reiterated his former reply, a
piece of advice it is needless to say
which was not followed, and Lord
Charles, apparently master of the sit
uation, threw himself back in his seat
and calmly lighted a cigar.
Hut the Italians were not to be out"
done. and. quietly detaching the car
riage in which the English "milor"
was seated, they made up the trala
with another compartment and started
it off.
Lord Charles sat quietly smoking foe
about a quarter of an hour and
surprised at the delay, thrust his head
out of the window and demanded
when the train was going to start. Ilis
feelings when Hie situation was de
scribed to him may lie imagined.—Lon
don Tit-Hits
A WONDERFUL DREAM.
The Poor Cobbler Who Found Him
seif Upon a Throne.
It was in the days of Philip tha
Good, duke of Burgundy, that a cob
bler mounted a royal throne. As the
duke was traveling one night to
Bruges he came upon a man stretched
upou the ground sound asleep and
bade his attendants carry him to the
palace, strip off his rags and place
him, robed in tine linen, in his own
bed.
When the man awoke next morning
he was addressed as "your highness"
*nd astounded to And himself among
such rich surroundings. In vain ho
protested that he was no prince, but a
poor cobbler. They asked him what
clothing he would wear and at last
conducted him, splendidly dressed, tu
mass In the ducal chapel. Every cere
mony was observed throughout tha
day. The cobbler appeared in pubilo
in his new role, was received on all
sides by command of the duke with
deep respect and ended ids brief reign
In the palace with a grand supper and
ball.
When presently ho fell asleep he
was reclothed In his rags and taken t<x
the spot where he had been found
when this practical Joke was con
ceived. Waking indue time, he re
turned home and related to his wife
what he took to be his wonderful
dream.
Sacred Nuts of Japan.
Although well known to traveler*
and collectors of curiosities, the horu
nut, or "sacred nut," of Japan was al
most wholly unknown to fruit and nut
i dealers In this country prior to ISSS,
when a New York commission mer
chant received the first large consign
ment. They are called "sacred nuts"
because used in certain forms of Jap
anese worship, where they are placed
j on the altar and Ignited. Being very
rich in oil, they burn with a hot. bluish
| flame and give off a peculiar odor, tha
I fumes being supposed to rise as an ac
ceptable incense to the gods. Thpy
grow under water and have a leaf lika
an American lily, the form of the nut
Itself being an almost exact counter
part of an Asian buffalo's head, droop,
ing horns and all. In the raw stat®
they are hard and tasteless, but when
cooked the flavor resembles that of
boiled chestnuts. They are said to re
■ tain their edible qualities for upward
of twenty years.
Vanished Mountains.
It has been observed that In tha
neighborhood of great ranges of moun
tains the force of gravity is slighter
than elsewhere. ;inl the explanation is
that the earth's crust is less dense be
neath the places where it has been
heaved up Assuming i his to be a
general law. one authority points out
that it is possible to discover where
ancient mountains now worn away
and leveled by Pie action of the ele
ments once existed, because the den
sity of the underlying rocks has not
changed. Franc . it is thought, pos
sessed one of these vanished ranges,
running along the parallel of Bor
deaux, for on that line there Is a less
ening of the forco of gravity. A simi
lar phenomenon occurs on the plaina
of southern Itussia.—Harper's Weekly^
Unconscious Self Criticism.
Mr. X., the subeditor, was asked to
write an article on superstition and
imbecility.
When the article was printed the
opening sentence was found to be as
follows: "That Imbecility-is not on the
wane perusal of the following lines
will amply demonstrate."—Paris Fi
garo.
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