Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, June 12, 1901, Image 2

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    FREEUND TRIBUNE.
ESTAIILISIIKI) 1888.
PUBLISHED EVERY
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY,
BY THE
TRIBUNE PRINTING COMPANY, Limited
OFFICE; MAIN STREET ABOVE CENTRE.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
FREE LAND. —The TRIBUNE Is delivered by
carriers to subscribers in Freeland at the rate
of l-Vt cents por month, payable every two
months, or slsoa year, payable in advance
The TRIBUNE may be ordered dircotlorm tin
carriers or from tbe office. Complaints of
Irregular or tardy delivery service will re.
oeive prompt attention.
BY MAIL —'The TRIBUNE is sent to out-of.
town subscribers fur sl.s'Ja year, payable in
advance; pro rata terms for shorter periods.
The date when the subscription expires is on
the address label of each paper. Prompt re.
newals must be made at the expiration, other
wise the subscription will bo discontinued.
Entered at the PostofHce at Freeland. Pa.
as Second-Class Matter.
Make all money orders, checks, etc. ,p tytb't
to the Tribune J'rtilling Company, I.iinited.
The failure of the Sunday Golf bill
In the Massachusetts House will bo re
garded on the linM as a legislative
loozle,
The kidnaper has been busy all over
the country since Millionaire Cudnhy
paid that big ransom for his son. The
latv of cause and effect is never sus
pended.
Maine has gone to work to provide
(herself with a State flag. The flag is
to be buff, with a green pine tree in
the centre and a star—the role star-
In blue in the upper left-hand Corner.
The now naval gun has a bore of
only five inches, hut it develops a
muzzle velocity of nearly 3000 feet a
Second. There ought to be laws to
keep people from standing in front of
sueli things.
A Massachusetts man who was
thrown from his carriage by reason of
bis horse having been frightened by
two motor-cyclists was recently award
ed SI4OO damages for the wear and
tear on his nervous system.
An automobile that makes ninety
eight miles an hour ought to be speedy
enough to satisfy the youth of the be
ginning of the centuiy. Itun on any
other than a perfect road it would
probably end in a total wreck within
an hour.
An Ohio lawyer thinks that a much
better use can be made of the mur
derer than to kill him. His plan is to
the murderers in prison for
ife, make them work, and contribute
\elr production to the support of
•lose who had been dependent on their
jctlm—the widows, children or par
tits.
According to the State Department
Americans going abroad ought to take
assports with them, as the authori
ses on the Continent of Europe are
becoming more strict than they used
to he. It is a simple and inexpensive
precaution, and globe-trotters ought to
fcecpt the warning as a word to the
,Vise.
Jesse M. Roper, in command of the
Petrel in Manila harbor, went to bis
death fearlessly, nobly, in the effort to
save the lives of some humble ship
mates. lie had not the aid of the ex
citement of adventure. He had not
the hope of fame or reward. His was
an exhibition of the highest, the most
Inspiring form of physical and moral
courage. He belongs to the ranks of
those heroes that can be held up as ex
amples without any necessity for qual
ifications, omissions or apologies.
One thing that materially helps to
stiffen the iron market is the prospec
tive heavy railway construction to he
undertaken this year. The Railway
Age gives a list of projects under con
tract for 51100 miles of new construc
tion. There are prospective enter
prises which would increase the total
to 8300 miles. The greater part of the
new rails will he laid down in the
Southern States. The development of
the interior resources of the South Is
It present the chief objective effort of
speculative enterprise.
Had Indeed.
A pn/bet?? story from real life is related
by an esteemed friend, who recently visited
a distant city and looked up the home of
two former schoolmates whom he had not
seen for thirty-five years; they were broth
ers. and lie found the older one at home
with the gray-haired, widowed mother.
The first glance into this home, the in
mates of which he remembered with joy
and g!a Jness, convinced him that the de
mon of strong drink had wrought havoo
within its walls. They talked over bygone
days, which seemed to canned the sad
heiirted motner to consider them the hap
piest of her life; her son was under the
influence of liquor, ami this being apparent
caused the poor mother to be uneasy in
the presence of the visitor; just as he was
leaving the younger son came in, reeling
Mrunk. Victims of the traffic we license,
hat is all. Thousands upon thousands of
just such homes are all over our land, and
our licensed liquor business is producing
them, in increased numbers every year.—
Tnc index.
j AN INCIDENT. *
BY GEORGE "WESTON TOWNSENDU
It was a dingy, uninviting place, but
the centre of interest twice each day.
This railroad station consisted of a
narrow platform and small house,
where the station agent, telegraph
operator and baggage master, all in
one. had his offices. Dust and sand
lay all around. The long road twisted
its way into town and contrasted un
favorably with the straight, smooth,
shining rails that led up and down
from the platform, as true as an ar
row, until they met in a tiny point,
one where the sun rose every morn
ing, and the other just where it
dropped beyond the horizon in a ball
of Are each night.
Once in a while the telegraph instru
ment, half hidden behind the desk
and a strong wire screen, clicked hesi
tatingly, and then ran on in a chatter
ing sort of way that was friendly, even
if one did not understand what it
meant.
Seated on the settee near the open
door were two persons. One was a
youth of perhaps 18 summers, tall for
his age. and his face, neek and arms
tanned to Indian hue. He was as strong
as an ox in build. His head was
crowned with a shock of sandy re d
hair, and his clothes were old and
ragged. His face wore a placid ex
pression except when he spoke; then
his eyes brightened, and they grew as
keen as a squirrel's. He sat watching
the ticker behind the wire screen,
chewing a straw, while his companion,
a girl of 16, looked from the open win
dow up the track, expectantly.
Soon there came to their ears the
familiar sound that creeps along the
rails, growing louder and louder until
it beats a rhythm. It was the signal
of the approaching train, and both
arose and went out on the platform.
The girl was well formed, but poorly
clad; her face told a tale of hardships
and suffering, yet the features were
good.
The engine passed with steam es
caping and brakes grinding, and at
last stopped short just beyond the
roadway, puffing as though exhausted
with Its long run. It was a good sized
train, composed of freight and passen
ger coaches. Toward the latter the
youth and girl made their way.
"Do yer see him?" asked the girl,
and the hand that held her brother's
trembled.
"No, I don't an' I won't believe in
him till I do. either," he replied.
There were but few that alighted
from the train. One was a stranger,
it was easy to discern by his eastern
appearance. Throe or four were citi
zens returning from a trip to the next
town 40 miles up the line. There was
another, and on one at first seemed to
notice him. He was not exactly a
stranger, if appearances counted for
anything. His manner was peculiar.
His whole make-up was shifty. His
eyes were restless and his gait was
halting. He glanced from left to right,
shifting his gaze quickly from one to
another, as though trying to fathom
Just how far ho might walk down that
platform without being stopped. It
was plain to see that he was anxious
to get away from the crowd.
The girl saw him first, and broke
from her companion with a glad cry.
She went straight up to the stranger,
and placed her hand gently on his
arm.
"Is this dad?" she said.
He started like a frightened animal,
His grizzled face turned pale for a mo
ment, then he found his voice.
"Reckon 'tis. Is this sis?"
The voice was not unkindly, and for
answer the girl slipped her hand into
his, and turned to find her brother.
He was standing just behind, silent
and steady, watching the pair.
"Dork," she exclaimed, "this is dad.
Why don't yer shake?"
Dork, or Dorsie. shoved a big brown
paw toward his father. It went out
frankly, but his keen eye was search
ing the other through and through.
The elder man's eyes took on that pe
culiar look again, and his hand was
offered hesitatingly. This seemed to
nettle Dork, for he blurted out.
"Why don't yer grip it? What yer
'fraid uf?"
The new comer's face flushed scar
let, but he made no reply to the ques
tion.
The girl led Vho way to the rear of
the station, where a pony was attached
to a dilapidated wagon. The drive
home was uninteresting. It was pret
ty straight until you came to the
river, then it wound around, and made
for the town in zigzag fashion; be
yond the town were the foot hills of
the towering range which seemed so
near, yet were miles and miles away.
They stopped before a rude shack.
Not many of the houses in the vicinity
were what one would call comfortable,
but this was perhaps the least so of
any. The girl sprang lightly to tho
ground. Dorsie was already unhitch
ing the mare. Just as the elder man
was about to alight there came a pat
ter of hoofs, and around the bend in
the road came a horseman. He would
have gone by without stopping had
not the girl, who was truly happy In
tho return of hor father, called out
as she pointed to the wagon,
"Bill, that'R dad. He's jes' come.
Come in an' I'll interduc© yer."
Bill pulled up short and half bowed
in token of the invitation; then he
jerked himself up in the saddle, and a
look came over his countenance that
wasn't pleasant to witness.
"Oh, it's you. is it? So you've come
hack? Well, keep with them children,
thet's all. an' yer safe." And away
he rode as if Satan was after him.
The girl looked surprised and curi
ous. Dorsie said nothing, but hustled
the mare into the stable quicker than
was necessary.
At supper the new comer was as ill
at case as ever. He played nervous
ly with his food. The girl carried on
a conversation concerning incidents
long since passed. Dorsie ate in si
lence, but when she reached a certain
point in her talk, both her listeners
showed some interest.
"Ma scd jes* 'fore she died," and
here her voice trembled, "thet of yer
shud ever come aroun'. ter give yer
her part of ther money. She was fair,
she was. It's quite cr pile fur us—
mor'n SBO. She sed. she did. thet Dor
sie was ter hav' S2O. an' me. bein' a
gurl an alone, ter hav' SSO, an' fer yer
to hav' what was left. We've allors
kept it tight in under ther chimley
shelf, jest wattin* fer yer comin'. fer
ma sed you'd be back some day, sure.
We used S2 onct. Was hard pushed,
warn't we. Dorsie?"
Dorsie nodded, but his keen eyes
were watching his father. The father
spoke, and it seemed an effort to
speak steadily.
"I've gut nuff fer me. Youse can keep
it in thet ther chimley. I don't want
The girl was silent. Perhaps she
cared less for the money, although it
was needed, than for one little word,
some little show of interest from this
man whom they welcomed homo as
father, in her and her departed
mother. Surely he would ask some
questions about her last illness—how
they managed to live, and the priva
tions they had gone through with.
Disappointment was plainly written
on her face as she arose from the
table, crossed the room and from a
shelf took down a faded photograph.
She mechanically brushed it with her
apron and placed it before the man.
"She had thet there taken nigh on
ter three years ago. It's purty good,
only she looked aller3 more pleasant.
She was cheerful—and good, too."
Dorsie gave a furtive glance at his
sister and saw that her eyes were
swimming with tears. He never
could talk or bear to hear her talk of
their mother. The father shuffled his
feet on the uneven floor, carelessly
glanced at the photograph, and say
ing he would take a look about,
slouched out at the open door.
****•
When Dorsie returned some time
afterward, he found his sister at the
table, her head on her arms, crying as
if her heart would break. Dorsie felt
badly enough, but when it came to ex
pressing himself, he simply could not
do it. so he started for the door. Then
he hesitated, turned and looked at the
forlorn figure and went silently over to
her, placing a big brown hand on her
shoulder. He stood there until her
sobs subsided, then he spoke.
"It's tough, sis. He's a poor tin. an'
I hope he won't, stay here. I can't
hreathe when he's in ther same room
with us."
He stopped and looked around the
cabin undecidedly. He wanted to say
more to comfort her. but he'd said
considerable for him. He waited.
She lifted her wet face to his.
"Oh, Dork, ef he'd only sed jes' one
leetle word 'bout ma—jes' a leetle
somethin' kind—it would seem easier.
But he's so hard, and he looks so
orful." And she hid her face again
and sobbed aloud.
She must have dropped into a weary
sleep, for an hour after she still sat
with her arms on the table, hor head,
with its tangle of brown hair, resting
upon them. The shadows were deep
ening. and just as the moon was rising
above the sandy stretch that lay in
front of the doorway, a man stealthily
crept through the open door, crossed
the creaking floor, and approached the
mantel shelf. A muttered oath, fol
lowed by a half stifled cry of exulta
tion, then something was knocked
from the shelf and fell to the floor
with a crash.
The girl jumped up quickly, just as
the moonlight flooded the dingy room.
She was half afraid, then as she saw
who the intruder was, and that he was
looking at the photograph of her de
parted mother, she forgot hor sorrow.
Her father was forgiven. He left the
house soon after, and she stood at
the doorway, watching him go down
the road with a happy smile. Why
should she know that he was heading
for the nearest tavern. He had been
warned to keep away from this town,
but he had something now in his
ragged shirt that he know well would
guard him against any serious deten
tion, beside giving to him the amuse
ment he craved.
When Dorsie came home he found
the girl troubled.
"Dork, thet ther money behind tiler
shelf has gone. Jes' mist it as I was
a goln' tor count out dad's pa"t. He's
been here, an' I was asleep, an' when
I woke up he was a 'stanin' by ma's
pictur, alookin' at it, an' I guess he
felt purty bad, too."
Dorsie's face grew dark.
"Which way d'he go. sis?"
"Down thor road ter town."
Dorsie ripped out an oath, and went
through the doorway like an unbridled
colt. He knew just where to go, and
when he burst into the crowd at
Mealey's place, where the toughest
element for miles around congregated
every night, ho saw his father sitting
at one side of the card table, steadily
dealing the pack; the uneasy anil
shifting manner was gone. Evidently
thi.i was his element. He was per
fectly at home.
Dorsie pushed his way into the
crowd, elbowing the hoys right and
left until ho reached the centre, and
when the gambler glanced up from
th game It was to look into a well
aimed revolver and see behind its
steady barrel the Hashing eyes full of
hatred.
"Toss up thet there cash, tbc-r whul
eighty, and be quick, too!"
It was a tight box for the gambler,
for anyone could see that Dorsie meant
business. All his life this man had
gambled, and it was no new thing for
him to be in a place where he must
lose everything just because some one
had the upper hand. So it was with a
smooth tone and with an expression
of injured innocence that he met the
conditions.
"Why, Dork, what's ther matter 1
I've gut no money 'cept what's mine,
and I 'low you'll let me hav' thet.
What's up, anyhow?"
The calm voice, the injured air. had
its effect, and ere Dorsie could wink
there was a flash of light straight at
his breast. thG whole room swam
around, the lights grew dim. and the
great confusion in the room seemed
to subside as he felt himself sinking
away, just as though he was going t.o
sleep.
In those days a man had to act
quickly. By being always ready it
soon became r. sort of second nature
to act on the slightest impulse, and
so, when the shot had been fired there
was instant confusion, and the gam
bler went out of a back window and
was astride a fast horse and a good
distance up the road before "the
crowd" were half aware of it. Still,
as quick as he was, the boys never
allowed the grass to grow under their
feet on an occasion like this. It was a
good three miles to the stat'on, and it
was almost train time. Both pursued
and pursuers knew this, and it was
the train or nothing for the fleeing
man. It would be useless to make any
stand, or try to evade his followers
in this open country, but if he could
catch the train as it rolled out of the
station, he was safe.
As though to spur them to greater
exertions, they could hear the locomo
tive's shrill whistle as it neared the
town. It was dark, with the moon
hidden behind the clouds so it would
be a comparatively easy matter for a
man to throw himself from his horse
and upon the outward moving train,
and get away without a bullet in him,
if—well, of course there was always
an "if" to be considered in such cases.
There was no shouting, no unneces
sary noise, nothing but the quick hoof
beats and the breathing of-the horses
as the boys rushed along in pursuit,
but every man had his eyes on that
dark object flying in advance, and
every man knew what would happen
even If the fugitive reached the train
ere they did.
The train was just gathering head
way as the runaway turned the sharp
turn at the station and his horse's
hoofs plowed into the sand and dust.
He slid so deftly and easily from his
plunging mare that the pursuers could
with difficulty make him out against
the train's dark background. In a
moment more he would reach the
middle coach. He dared not wait for
the last one. as the train's speed was
increasing uncomfortably now. He
reached out his arm, his ragged and
torn shirt sleeve showing dimly
against the coach. Perhaps he stum
bled —one never can tell what occurs
at such times—but simultaneously
there were two distinct and sharp re
ports, and the gambler had played his
last card.
The train never stopped. It wasn't
worth while. The boys gathered
around the huddled up heap in the
centre of the track as the signal lights
on the rear car were disappearing in
the distance. One stooped in a busi
ness-like way and fumbled among the
torn shreds of clothing and recovered
what remained of the stolen fund.
Then the boys held a little conference.
Sis was bending over the cot where
on lay Dorsle stretched at full length.
The boys had just pulled up at the
door. Quietly they gathered about the
doctor.
"Oh, he'll pull through, but It's a
mighty close shave."
Then the leader went up to sis. His
rough features looked less hard than
usual and his keen eyes glistened.
"Sis," ho said, "Here's yer money.
He's gone ter parts unknown, an'
won't be back right away, either, so
don't yer worry. We'll settle with the
doc."
He dropped Into her brown palm a
wad of bills that must have counted
out pretty rich. The boys never did
things by halves.—Waverley Maga
zine.
Foncht In Hl* Sloop.
Lee Moser was an amazed young
man when he awoke from slumber one
morning recently. He was momenta
rily not altogether certain of his own
identity. His head felt big. Blood
covered his face. One of his teeth
was gone. What did it mean? Then
it dawned upon his mind that he had
been giving a fellow a severe thrash
ing in his dreams during the night.
Everything corresponded exactly ex
cept his recollection of his opponent,
who, he had dreamed, was some one
else beside himself. But in reality he
had been fighting hlmeelf. His better
self must have fallen into conflict
with his worser self. It was a sort of
Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll case. He had
a vivid recollection of striking his op
ponent (himself) some very severe
blows about the head and face. And
he remembered, too, that he had
knocked a tooth out, but he thought It
was the other fellow's tooth. He is
thinking seriously now of placing a
bodyguard around his bed at night,
hereafter, as he does not wish to do
himself any more bodily harm.—Un
iontown (Pcnn.) Genius.
Among tho figures returned for
cities from the Italian census taken
recently, are Rome. 502,000; Florence,
190.000; Venice, 151,000; and Bologna,
152,000.
BUILDING A FARMHOUSE
SOME SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE WHO
WOULD PLAN A HOME.
(mportunco of a Well-Chosen Silo—Gen
erul Principles to tie Observed Make
Your Own Plan and 'I hen Submit It to
an Architect or Kxperienced ItutUler.
A bulletin presenting suggestions to
builders of farmhouses and which
was prepared by Mr. George W. Hill,
thief of the division of publications,
has just been issued by the depart
ment of agriculture.
'There is no more important under
taking on the farm," Mr. Hill says,
"than the building of the house which
is to be at once the owner's residence,
his office and in every sense of tlio
word his home. But notwithstanding
this fact there is no undertaking which
sometimes as a result of entirely un
avoidable circumstances, more often
from other ouses, receives so little
forethought, so little careful consid
eration and so little skillful planning
and workmanship.
"Too often the farmer finds himself
compelled to provide a residence for
himself and his family on short notice
and on a short bank account. The re-
Bult in an inconvenient, poorly con
structed, and frequently, in the end, an
uneconomical house. Many facts and
ideas which the farmer has stored
away In his mind for such an emergen
cy are crowded out or lost sight of in
the press of time. Frequently the
nearest village carpenter has to be
intrusted with many important de
tail", and the result is far from satis
factory.
"It is with the hope of being of ser
vice to all who have to build a farm
house that this bulletin is written, but
particularly is it aimed to help those
who have neither the time nor the
funds to build as they would like to,
and who must, therefore, begin in a
very modest way. To that end some
very trite statements are made, some
very simple facts stated —facts that
everybody knows, but which many are
apt to forget at the very time when
remembrance would prove useful."
It is said that by carefully designing
a house so as to facilitate Its subse
quent enlargement money may be
Baved and its convenience increased.
Additions costing SIOO might have been
so provided for in the original scheme
as to have permitted of their erection
for $350, and so on. Poorly lighted and
Inconvenient rooms and passages, inac
cessible chimneys, steep or dark stair
ways, etc., are likely to prove obsta
cles in building additions to houses
where the original plans did not take
into consideration the probability of
such additions.
After reciting the necessity for per
fecting title to the land, the bulletin
treats of the matter of the site for the
house. "The first, and by all odds the
most important, consideration is that
of healthfulness," says Mr. Hill.
"Build on low, ill-drained ground and
111-health will follow as inevitably as
night follows day. A dry, well-drained
soil is absolutely essential, but the
question of air drainage should not be
lost sight 01. A hollow, however po
rous and well-drained the soil, will
prove a cold, frosty spot in winter, a
hot and sultry one in summer. A site
too closely shut in by timber will lose
what it may gain in shade by the ab
sence of free circulation of air, by the
cutting off of every breeze during the
sultry days of summer, and, in winter,
the absence of sunlight is again a
drawback. All things considered, a
gentle hillside slope offers the great
est advantages, and, if a hillside where
the highest land is to the north and
west, little more could be desired. In
many portions of the country a strip of
timber of greater or less extent to the
north and west is an essential, not only
to the comfort of the house, but to the
comfort of those who are obliged to do
chores about it in the severer weather,
s well as the stock which must he
quartered near it. Again, a few fine
shade trees are a great addition to both
the comfort and beauty of the farm
home, and while trees may be planted
and will grow up, other things being
equal, the advantage of building near
a few fine trees should not be lost
sight of. After the consideration of
healthfulness, there is, perhaps none
more important than that of water. A
good well cannot be secured every
where, and there is no greater incon
venience than to have the well lo
cated far from the house. In fact, the
nearer it is the better.
"Having conceived the general idea
of the house to be built, the next step
is to lay it out on paper, and a far
better idea of the size and proportion
of the rooms will be gained if the
drawing is made to a scale. This is
not a difficult feat. Let one-quarter
inch on the two-foot rule equal one
foot. Allow for whatever thickness
of studding may be decided on and add
one inch for lath and plaster on each
side of the partitions, one inch each for
lath and plaster, for sheathing, and for
siding on outside walls, and a plan
sufficiently accurate for practical pur
poses will be obtained. Get the ad
vice and counsel of the wife, explain
ing to her whatever on the plans she
may not understand. By consulting
her convenience in various ways you
may save this busy woman many
thousands of useless steps every week
of her life. Remember that corners
cost money and let in cold. The near
er a house approaches to a square or
rectangle the cheaper will be its con
strviction and the more solid and sub
stantial will it prove when completed.
Bay windows are an expensive luxury
and are no longer in style. Keep in
mind when planning the house ths
construction of the roof. A simple
roof is cheaper and less liable to leak.
Valleys are apt to cause trouble.
"When your plan is completed to
your own satisfaction submit it to an
architect or experienced builder. Get
him to point out any possible improve- f' 1
ments, and adopt them if you can see
that they are improvements. Especial
ly invite him to point out defects. Let
him make your working drawings and
prepare your bill of materials. Unless
you have had wide experience he will
save you all and more than his fee will
amount to. Sometimes it will pay to
let the contract for the whole or a part
of the house; but in case that is done
insist upon your being your own super
intendent, with power to reject any
material or workmanship that does not
come up to your idea of the quality
contracted for, and have these condi
tions specified in the contract."
A large number of plans and draw
ings are given in the bulletin and con
siderable space is devoted to a discus
sion of materials to be employed.
FRENCH-BASQUE WEDDINC. 4
Matrimonial Ceremonies Among l eas-
Hiits in Southern France.
The daughter of a metayer named
Jean Marie lived with her father, a
widower, her brother, Pelho, her sis
ter, and little brother in the village of
Sare, near St. Jean de Luz. They all
alike worked upon the land. A young
neighbor, Juan Coche, very recently
proposed to her, but Pelho objected on
the ground that he was not a fine
enough fellow to take his fair share
in the farm work of the family. The
girl threatened to go into service, and
thereupon the match was allowed to
come off in due course. The fiance
found the money for an extensive
trousseau, which was made, up at the
girl's home, taking six hired women
and a sewing machine seven days to
finish. As they were to live in tho
girl's father's house, no furniture was
required. Bridesmaids were as always
chosen from the girls living in the
next dwelling house in the direction
of the church. Two days before the
wedding two live sheep, well washed
and adorned with ribbons, was sent by
the bridegroom's father to tho girl's
house, to be killed for the feast. Next
day in the afternoon there was a lot
of gun firing on the part of Pelho, and
during its continuance a procession of
girls arrived, each bearing on her head
a decorated basket containing gifts
of bread, chickens and wine from
neighbors. They went Into the girl's
house, were fed and danced all the
evening. Tho bride's father contrib
uted 60 pounds of beef, and the broth
er a skin of Spanish wine (which sure
ly never paid duty), as their respective
offerings in aid of the wedding feast.
Next day, at 9 a. m., in pouring
rain, the wedding procession marched
under umbrellas to the maire, where
the civic marriage took place, when a
paper was handed to the bridegroom
authorizing the religious marriage,
which was celebrated afterward. None
of the girls would sign the register,
nor the husband, probably out of
mock modesty. This, by the way,
shows how faulty educational statis
tics, derived from the personal of reg
isters, are apt to be. The fee of the
cure was 0 francs 50 centimes and a
bottle of Rancio wine. After the cere
mony the wedding party adjourned to
the cafe nearest the church until mid
night, when the dinner took place at
Jean Mario's, lasting until 5 o'clock,
at which no one except the bride, who
had once been in service, used a knife
and l'ork. The cook and waiting
maids were cousins and aunts of the
bride, and got the middle piece of the
splendid cake, which, like all tho food,
did honor to Basque cooking. The old
men became merrier than did the
young ones, singing and smoking.
Then dancing began to the strains of a
hired flute-player.—Gentlemen's Mag
azine.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS.
In medieval times not only were
living prisoners ransomed by their
friends, but a ransom was demanded
even for the bodies of those In action.
A Pennsylvania school boy, because
of bad conduct, was sentenced by the
educational board to banishment from
the town, the board reserving the
right to have him arrested should he
return.
Tho town of Eatonville, Fla., has
1200 inhabitants, with not a single
white among them. It has a full quota
of officials, a bank and other business
establishments requisite in a town of
its size.
The first currency issued by the
whites within the limits of the United
States was wampum, which was adopt
ed by the Massachusetts colonists in
1607 in their intercourse with the
Indians.
The most durable paper is made by
a guild near Nanking, China, which
supplies the government of that Em- *
pire the leaves of its official docu- "V
ments. Some of these are over a
1000 years old.
Crowded though the ocean mav be
becoming the i-on four-masted sailing
ship Afghanistan managed to make a
seven months' voyage from San Fran
cisco to Liverpool without being
spoken by another vessel. Not a word
was heard of her from her departure
till she sailed up the Mersey, a few
days ago.
A goose on the farm of Mr. Watklns
Oilfach Maen. South Wales, reached
the extraordinary age of 41 years last
spring. Up to 10 years ago this goose
laid regularly, and has hatched and
brought up hundreds of goslings. For
some time now she has not mixed with
or taken any notice of the other geese
and the solitary journey of the poor
old thiing toward the end of its long
and useful life is pathetic to behold,
although Bhe is treated with every
kindness by her kind-hearted owner, -y