Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TRI-WEEKLY EDITION. WINNSBORO. S. 0.. AUGUST 14. 1883. ESTABLISHED 1848 THE YERDICT —OF— THE PEOPLE BUY THE BEST! Mr. J. 0. Boao—Dear sir: 1 bbugtit tlie first Davis Machine sold by you over live years ago for my wife, who has given it a long and fair trial. I am- well pleased with It. It never gives any rouble, and U as good as when first bought. J. W. HOUCK. Wlnnsboro, S. C., April 1883. Mr. Boao: 'Ion wish to know what I have to say In regard to the Davis Machine bought of you three { ears ago. I feel i can’t say too much In its favor. made about $80,oo within five months, at times running it so fast that the needle would get per fectly hot from friction. I feel confldenl I could not have done the same work with as much ease and so well with any other machine. No time lost in adjusting attachments. The lightest running machine 1 have ever treadled. Brother James and Williams’ families are as much pleased with their Davis Machines bought of you. I want no better inach.ue. As I said before, I don’t think too much can be said for the Davis Machine. Respectfully, Kl.LKK 6TKVKN80V, Fairfield County, April, 1383. Mr. Boao : My machine gives me perfect satis faction. I find no fault with it. The attachments are so simple, i wish for no better than the Davis Vertical Feed. Respectfully. Mrs. R. Milling. Fairfield county, April, 1883. MR. Boao: I nought a Davis Vertical Feed ew.ng Machine from you four years ago. I am eltghted with it. It never has given me any rouble, and has never been the least out of order. It is as good as when I first bought it. I can cheerfully recommend it. Respectfully, .Mrs. M. J. Kirkland. Montlcello, April 30,1883. This Is to certify that I have been using a Davis Vertical Feed Sewing Machine for over tw lyears, purchased of Mr. J. O. tio.ig. I haven’t found it possessed of any fault—all the attachments are so simple. It neverrefuses to wont, and is certainly the lightest running in the market I consider it a first-class machine. Very respectfully, Minnir m. Willingham. Oakland, Fairfield county, S. C. Mr Boao : i am wen pieaseu m every partiem with the Davis Machine nought of yon. I think a first-class machine in every respect. You knsw you sold several machines of the same make to dnierent members of our families, all of whom, as far as I know, are well pleased with them. Respectfully, Mrs. M. H. Mobley. Fairfield county, April, 1883. This isto certify we have had in constant ns* the Davis Machine bought of you about three years ago. As we take in work, and have made the price of it several times over, we don’t want any belter machine. It is always ready to do any kind of work we nave to do. No puckering or skipping stitches. We can only say we are well pleased and wish no better machine, CATHERINE WYLIE AND SISTER. April 25,1883, i have no fault to find with my raachme, and don’t want any better. I have made the price of it several times by taking in sewing, it is always ready to do Us worn. I think it a first-class oia chine. I feel I can't say too much for the Davis Vertical Feed Machine. Mrs. Thomas Smith. Falrf eld county, April, 1883. Mr. J. O. Boao—Dear Sir: It gives me much pleasure to testify to tne merits of the Davis Ver tical Feed Sewing Machine. The machine I got of you about five years ago. has been almost In con stant use ever since that nine. I cannot see that it is worn any, and has not cost me one cent for repairs since we have had it. Am well pleased and don’t wish lor any better. Yours tru'y, hosT. Crawford, Granite Quarry, near Wlnnsboro 8. C. We have used the Davis Vertical Feed Sewing Machine for the last five years. We would not have any other make at any price. The machine has given us unboundeu satisfaction. Very respectfully, Mrs. W. K. Turner and Daughters^ Fairfield couuty, S. C., Jao. Si, 1883. Having bought a Davis Vertical Feed Sewing Machine from Mr. J. O. Boag some three years ago, and it having given me perfect satisfaction in every resiiect as a tamily machine, both for heavy and light sewing, ami never needed the least re pair in any way. 1 can cheerfully recommend It to any one as a first-class machine in every particu lar, and think It second to none. It is one of the simplest machines made; my chi'dren use It with all ease. The attachments are more easily ad justed and it does a greater range of work by means of its Vertical Feed than any other naa- chlue I have ever seen or used. Mrs. Thomas owings. Wlnnsboro, Fairfield county, 8. C. W r e have had one of the Davis Machines about four years and have always found It ready to do all kinds of wont we have had occas on to ua Can’t see that the machine U worn any, and works as well as wueuuew. ' Mrs. W. J. Crawford, Jackson’s Creek, Fairfield county, 8. C. My wife is highly pleased with the Davis Ma chine bought ot you. She would not take double what sue gave for It. The machine has not been out of order since she had It, and ahe can do any kind of work on It. Very Respectfully, Jas. F. Free. Montlcello, Fairfield county, 8. C. The Davis Sewing Machine la slmplv a treas ure Mrs. J. A. uoodwyn. Ridgeway, N. C., Jan. 10, ls83. CAKPE DIEM. Now, in tlie season of flowers, Now, when the Summer is bright, When Phoebus stays long with the hours, And the earth hardly knows any night, The time for enjoyment is ours, Tlie time for delight. Ere the chill winds have scat teri’d the roses, Ere the petals lie dead on the earth; Ere the season of sweet blossoms closes, And the cold winter months have their birth, Let us join, ere the year its youth loses, In laughter and mirth. Ah, sweet, youth can last not forever, But will fade like a dream that is naught Though we fancy that Summer dies never, And on Winter bestow not a thought; But time is a weariless weaver, His task is soon wrought. Then we’ll spend not our days in sad guesses As to what the dim future may bring, But we’ll cast off each thought that oppresses For life is a fugitive thing; And, happy in love’s soft caresses, We’ll dream but of Spring. HOW HE CAUGHT HER. J, O Boag, Esq., Agent—Dear Sir: My wife has been nslug a Davis sewing Machine constant ly for the past four years, and it has never needed auy repairs an i works Just as wei: as when first bought She says It will do a greater rauge of practical work wnd do it easier and better than any machine she nas ever used. We cheerfully amend it as a No. 1 family machine, Your troy, Jas. Q. Davis. nnsboro, 8. C. a Jan. 3, 1883. . Boag : I have always foond my Davis Ma- ; ready do all kinds of to work I have had bu ll to do. I cannot see that the machine Is i a particle and it works as wed as when new. Respectfully, Mrs. R. C. Gooding. sboro, 9. C. f April, 1888, . Boag : My wife has been constantly a sing •vis Machine bought of yon about five years I have never regretted buying It, as it is I ready for any kind of family sewing, either ’ or light It Is never out of Ox or ueeding Very respectfully, A. W. Ladd. >ld,&C., March, 186S. Her name was Katharine—Kathar ine Hauton. But nobody ever dreamed of calling her so. She was “Katie” to all the old men and women in the vil lage—“Katie to us young folks who had aeen her school mates from our pina fores, and “Katie” to every little ur chin that could toddle about and lisp ler name. Katie was an orphan and lived with a stately old aunt, whose least word was enough to frighten any ordinary child into hysteric tits. But Katie was afraid of nothing, and treated Miss Deborah exactly as she did the rest of us, that is, she laughed at her and talked in her half saucy, half-good natured way, till the lady’s grim mouth relaxed and looked quite good natured. 1 can scarcely remember having a grea ter fright than when Miss Deborah caught us in the very act of trying on her “Sunday-go-to-meetings” before the parlor glass.—But the mischievous, audacious Hook Katie cast over her shoulder settled the business, and I only heard a muttered: “Good gracious I What is this world coming to?” as we scampered off in dire confusion, and left her treasured brocade silk and llonitou laces lying on the tioor. “Tell me one thing,” I said; “are you willing to marry Ned Williams?” “Ain’t I though?” she said, looking up with a face of honest bewilderment that made me laugh till I choked. “Aud is he willing to marry you?” “Yes, only he pretends not to be. But I know he loves me,” she ad ded quickly. “Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself, Katie,” I said. “I know it. And I am just as ash amed as I can be,” she answered rue fully. “But I can’t help it.” I’ll help you out of the scrape, Ka tie,” I said, after a moment’s thought, “on condition that you’ll promise never to flirt again.” Pon honor,” said Katie, piously, laying her little brown hands in mine, and looking very demure. That is—as well as I can.” “Go and make up with Ned—that is the tirst thing necessary.” “I can’t,” she answered with a dole ful sigh, “for if I come near him, he calls me a rattlesnake aud goes off. Do talk to him for me, that’s a dear, good girl. Will you, just for my sake?” “Take yourself off,” I answered, “and on your peril, do not let me see you any more to-day. To-morrow, you know’, we all go to your uncle’s farm to celebrate the New \"ear. See that you look your best and are in good sea son. Now be off.” She would have thanked me with countless kisses but I put her out of the room, and locking the door went back to my writing. A note from me brought Ned Wil liams to my room that evening. It was ten o’clock before he left me, and and if my little Katie had seen the fer vor with which he kissed my hand at parting, I think she might have had cause to be jealous, unless she knew, as 1 did, that it was all on her account. The next morning, bright aud early I was closted with Miss Deborah.— The maiden lady looked half distracted when I told her the result of our ovei night debate, but I soon won her over to my way of thinking. She looked at Katie, however, as she went singing around the house, as if she had been a natural phenomenon. Katie’s apple pie and dumplings were the nicest thing immaginable, and Ka tie herself, with the fun of her eyes a little dimmed and softened by a touch of pensiveuess, was a very agreeable thing to look at, and 1 began to think Ned Williams was a very enviable man. , - My warning about her dress was en tirely needless, as 1 found when she came dancing down stairs after break fast with a pale blue muslin and co quettish white apron on, and a killing little gypsy hat tipped jauntily on one side of her head. “Do ycu like my new dress?” she said, glancing archly at me. “You’ll do,” I answered. “But re member the bargain, no fued, no flirt ing.” ••Ex-act-ly,” she answered, dropping me a mock courtery. It was a great affair—Uncle John’s New Year Celebration! All the coun tryfolk had been invited, and the ex citement and enthusiasm was at an unusual height. It had been the talk of the village for months. To further my little scheme concern ing Ned Williams and Katie, I weut quite early to Uncle John’s (everybody called him Uncle John, although he was uncle only to Katie,) aud had quite au animated conversation with him, in which he must have said: “We’ll, do it by Jove,” about three hundred times, more or less, As the guests entered his immense mansion, he whispered some thing in a very mysterious way to them.— Everybody nodded. At last Katie came, accompanied by her stately aunt. “You are late,” I whispered, as I kissed her. “Almost everyone is here.” “Am I?” she replied. “Is he here?” “I haven’t seen him yet, my dear,” I returned. A lib—I wanted Katie to look for herself. “Excuse me for a moment; I must go and speak to the Johnstons.” Off I went—another piece of by-play. I hated the Johnstons. As I was about to go out of the parlor I heard voices in the hall, and stopping unconsciously listened. “She’ll never marry him,” said one; “she’s too much of a flirt.” “You’re right,” said another, “he’s a fool to be so easily deceived.” “But she’s promised,” said a third. “That don’t matter. A flirt promises what she knows she don’t intend to l>erform.” “Have you heard the joke w’e’re to play on them?” “No,” said the three voices in uni son. “Well, listen, said the speaker.” He lowered his voice. “It’s all right!” I said to myself. I was suddenly startled by a terrltic beating on a gong, and jostled along by the crowd to the dining room’ Such a dining! Oh, my I Aud how everybody went into it! That is—how it went into them! Jack Slem- mer, the biggest hog in the village, act ually had a whole turkey on his p'ate, and I can’t estimate how many pota toes! And such merrmient. Really, I thought the whole table would suddenly go up like a powder magazine! The moment the dinner was finished, Uncle John shouted; “Off to the parlor—to have a dance,” and away everybody w ent, belter shel ter. To my great satisfaction, I saw Ka tie hanging lovingly on Ned’s arm. “He’s forgiven me, dear Julia!” said Katie, as I edged to them. “And she’s forgiven me!” said Ned. “Like a dear little creature as she is.” Pressing her closer to him. “Oh, don’t Nedl” said Katie. “Off with you to the dance,” 1 said, and a moment after I saw them whirl ing around in the crowd, “lie hasn’t got her yet,” I murmured to myself. She’s an awful little witch, but she shall—” “She shall!” said Uncle John, at my elbow. Games followed dancing. In the midst of the merriment, some one cried, “Let’s play the marriage game?” “Yes, Yes!” shouted every one. A young man jumped upon a chair and exclaimed: “Silence in the court. I pronounce the bands of marriage between Edward Williams and Catharine Hauton, both of this town.” Everyone laughed immoderately, Ned and Katie with the rest, “That’s right,” said Uncle John, “keep the fun up, boysl Keep it upl Join hands,” he said to Katie and Ned. “Here, ’Squire Fathom, you play the priest. ’ ’ “Ha! ha!” laughed Ned. “Go on, sir; it shall not be said that I interrup ted the fun!” “Bravo! bravo!” shouted every body. “Nor I, either!” exclaimed Katie, boldly. “Stand upl stand up!” cried the laughing crowd, as they gathered round the couple. The lovers stood up. “Join hands,” he said, solemnly, and the little palm of Katie lay confidingly in Ned’s “Go on.” cried the laughing girls who stood beside her, as she seemed to pause. He drew himself up and went quiet ly through the marriage service.— Katie listened with a dreamy smile upon her lips; perhaps she was thinking of the time when it should be all in earnest. Suddenly she startled, as the words fell upon her eors: “I pronounce you man and wife. And whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” “Marriedl” exclaimed every one. “Married?” gasped Katie, turning pale and looking appealingly at Ned. He gave her a gleeful, triumphant kiss. “You were so slippery, Katie, I had to take your unawares. Now, will you forgive me, Mrs. Williams?” “No, I won’t I” said Katie. “Yes you will, Katie,” sasd Uncle John. “Throw yourself in his arms this instant. Now—one—two—three! ’ Katie turned, and, to the surprise of everybody, threw herself into her lover’s arms. “I do love you, Ned,” she whispered, in his close embrace. “I know you do,” said Ned. “Another dancel” shouted Uncle JuDu. PralrlM on Fire, Huuaoi. Aktror excursion* vln Pennsylvania R. R. Commencing Thursday, the 5th 'nstant, and continuing on Thursday only until further notice, this most delightful of all the one-day excursions will be commenced by the Pennsylvania B. R. by rail to Jer- sey City, and thence via the favorite steamer, “Richard S'ockton,” to West Point and Newburgh. The beauties of the Hudson river have been pronounced b’ great travelers as equal to any in the world, and by snine said to exceed the world-fa mous scenery of the Rhine. Certainly there is nothing to compare with it in point ot convenience and cheapness, as the entire trip can be comfortably taken between early breakfast and late supper. A special train to connect with the boat will leave Broad Street Station at 7.00 A. M., on Thursday only, to stop at Poweltou avenue, Ridge avenue, Germantown Junc tion, Frankford Junction, Torresdale, Bris tol, and Trenton. Connection will be made at Trenton by the train which leaves foot of Market, street at 6.20 A. M., which train stops regularly at a l principal stations be tween Camden and Trenton. Tlie tare for the entire round trip is only $2.50; children between the ages of five an I twelve, half price. Outward actions can never give a just estimate of us, since there are many perfections of a man which are not capable of appearing in actions. Even if work was the sole aim and end of life, it would be folly to neglect relaxation, for no labor can be efficiently and permanently carried on without it. In the early days of the West, the plains were swept over with fire, annu ally, in the month of Octolier and early November, throughout Western Ohio and Northern Indiana, clear through to the Lake shores. It is impossible that any one who has never beheld the scenes of the w’ild prairies on lire, driven by a lively gale cau form any conception of the awful grandeur and sublimity of the view; nor can tlie pen describe it intelligibly. None but tlie oldest living iuhabitants have any just appreciation of the burning prairies. The like will never be witnessed again on the principal parts of this continent, because the conditions that caused these contiagations have been destroyed by tlie clearing up of the face of the country. The vast and extended plains of tlie great Northwest, previous to the set tlement of the country by the white race, were luxuriously grown over by two particular varieties of grass known as blue bent and pond grass. Tlie for mer occupied the most elevated lands and sparseiy timbered sections. Its height varied from four or live to eight or ten feet according, as it w r as shaded by timber or otherwise. It might not be inaptly likened to a miniature jane brake. In fact the stalks were identi • cal with the cane, differing only in size. The top was surmounted by a tassel, bearing a close resemblance to that of the common field corn. Its growth on the ground was exceedingly dense, as a rule, aud its height on the open lands sufficient to hide a man on horseback. The blue bent seems not to have with stood the march of empire, for with the tilling up of the country, and after tlie fires ceased, it disapjieared, so that at present no more than merest appear ances of it in a dwarfed condition, and in out of the way places is to be seen. The pond grass was a product of tlie low wet portions of the prairie land. It was a coarse, rough bladed grass, and grew to the height of from two to four feet. The grasses, together w'itli pea vine, and luxuriant growth of wild weeds every where very abundant, covered the whole face of the country. When they became thoroughly dried a"ter the Fall frosts set in, and the dry forest leaves were down on the ground, if fire got abroad, and the wind was up, nothing could arrest its progress until it burned through or was extinguished by rains. There were different ways by which fire got out. Sometimes it escaped from the clearing of the settlers, and sometimes from the hunters’ camp. But it was likewise supposed that the Indiaus tired the prairies for the pur pose of facilitating the chase. it was a common saying that the fire could outstrip the fleetest horse. This was true where the grass Was tall and the wind blowing a lively gale. Tlie flames in that case rose to the tree tops, and being driven forward by the wind, lapped over and set the grass on fire several rods ahead, and which, being repeated rapidly, thus outran a swift horse. Travelers were sometimes overtaken and their lives imperiled In one instance two moving wagons were overtaken about one mile from my father’s cabin. The wagons and their entire contents were consumed, and one woman and two children lost their lives. The horses were saved by cutting them loose from the wagons, when they ran away, and were after ward recovered. It came to be under stood that safety lay in facing the fire aud dashing through the fire back to the burnt district, thus escaping from the volume of smothering smoke that was always driven ahead. Instances were not wanting where the little improvements of settlers were overwhelmed and swept out of exist ence, the families barely escaping with their lives. The inhabitants were sometimes able to protect their little places by burning a belt around the premises of 50 or 100 yards in width. This was required to be done before the grass became very dry, and when the atmosphere was entirely calm. The grass was set on fire and when a belt was burned over of sufficient width it was whipped out along the margins. But if tlie wind began to come up while this was going ou it was necessary to put the tire out with the greatest dis patch; and still, in two instances re membered by the writer, it got away from the guards and swept over the country. Fighting the fire was a common thing. In doing this there were two methods. The fire w r as sometimes at tacked while it was making the slower progress through tlie timbered land and whipped out. Sometimes it was prevented from crossing a particular road by raking and sweeping the dry leaves from the road for miles. In the short grass or leaves, when there was no tffnd, it was sometimes whipped out, and a stop put to its further pro gress. The implements used for whip ping out fire were bushes five or six feet in length, with tlie top left on. With these blows were struck back ward towards the burnt district, and the line of the fire followed until the work was completed, if possible. When fire was abroad, the settlers for some distance around rallied, and massing their forces, moved on the enemy in force, and these forces were made up of men, women and children. In one instance, when fire was ap proaching our settlement from the southwest, and while it was yet two or three miles away, the entire available force of the neighborhood turned out. having been warned by a courier on horseback from below. My father and mother, with a sister of 14, went, leav ing in the cabin my brother of seven, myself five, and a younger brother of three years. They went away in the morning. We had cold corned beef and milk left on the table to eat. That night we stood out in the yard for an hour and watched the flames and list ened to the awful loaring. The view was grand beyond description. It was cloudy, and the red glare of the flames illuminating the undersides, and the margins of the dense columns of smoke as they rolled up, formed a picture in my mind that will only be obliterated when my brain is decomposed. At last we went into the house, and hav ing barred the door, as directed to, crawled into bed and cried ourselves to sleep. In the morning a good old mother, knowing we were left alone, came from her house half a mile away and brought us some warm corn dod gers and fresh milk, and after telling us not to be afraid, walked all the w ay down to where the fire was to tell our mother that we were safe. It was growing towards evening of tlie second day, when my brother got up on a chair and looked through the paper window that was broken, away down the road, aud screamed out “they’re coming,” we ran out; and sure enough they were coming, a dozen or more of them. They all stopped in to get rest and get some fresh water; but of all the woe-begon^bedraggled, begrimed, half starved looking set of mortals I have ever set my eyes on during my earthly pilgriming, they were the most forlorn appearing. They had fought the fire all night, and had prevented it from crossing the State road, and felt satisfied with the achieve ment, but the fire was still burning on towards the North. While they were resting there, distant thunder was heard, which called out the remark from the irreverent old k Curtice, “The old man has his dander up now', and he’ll put the fire out.” That night there were copious showers, and in the morning the sun rose clear, tlie smoke was all gone, and the fire out. When there were clouds, the light from burning prairies was visible for long distances. When tire was abroad in the Sandusky plains, more than 80 miles to the North, it could be seen distinctly. Were it desirable, a vol ume might be written about tlie burn- ing prairies, and the half not be told. Courting Entirely by Letter. The Origin ot the Word Uettaurant. A Masquerade, 1773. “The masquerade at Soho was re markably brilliant and jovial, there were many very rich dresses uuong the Turks and Persians, and many jieople of the first rank chose tlie lowest characters to exhibit their drollery. A very di verting scene was produced by a formal complaint before Justice Feliding against a drunken Chairman, who de fended Ids cause with great ability and humor against all tlie law and rhetoric of Sir J. and Ids brother Justices. A group of gypsias witli their children and baggage were very mucii noticed for their dress and pleasantry. Two female ballad singers drew the crowds after them. A milk-woman with her yokes and pails transformed herself into a very nimble aud excellent harlequin. A IIIIUUIC ailKJ. CAVCUOlll 11.W icqum. lirimoh .M cUumUsL ursacher with-* parish vgivi,. and a Sailot^with his doxy, afforded q'j le m . He was a nice young man, could not be else, because you see, he came from Chicago. Which vital fact stamps him guileless. But he accomplishea a nine days’ wonder in St. Louis. It was re vealed thus: We were invited out to a farewell dinner, given to a brand new bride of a few hours’ existence. She was to leave our classic shades and bury herself in the city by the lake. No one had met the him of the case, and in the mysterious second story regiou devoted at “swell” affairs to the adjustment of feminine nothings surmise and specula tion were busy, to which I listened wondering until called across the hall to the bride, when I learned this mar velous tale: “Do I look well?” whispered she of the new r title. “I am so anxious. Y r ou must know I don’t know my hus band very well.” “No? I thought your introduction dated back two years.” “So it does, but by letter. I never saw him until Monday.” “Delectable thunderbolts! Last Monday? Why, this is only Wednes day!” “Even so, my dear.” “If this is not an instance of sub lime ecstatic faith. How in the world did you know but that he was cross eyed, knock-kneed, pigeon-toed or bound to some sort of horror?” “I knew nothing; I simply trusted him.” “Blissful trust! But, naturally, since fie came from Ciiicago you are safe.” And it actually came to pass, in this wicked and perverse generation, a young woman, in full possession of her senses, took a man blindly on trust, on two days’ time. She is a very sweet girl, quiet aud dignified, decidedly not of the sort who would do the thing for fun, but she soberly and honestly ac cepted the man through the prompt ings of some occult power, which she is pleased to call love. How it could be love, the object unseen, is a mys tery to the practical mind, whicli pre fers something more tangible and less in the abstract, upon w’hich to button a passion. Still, in matters of spiritual concern, we are taught faith is the es sence of love. I forgot my own personal adornment in my anxiety to descend and be pre sented to 1 he man whose pen had ac quired such absolute dominion over so healthy a mind. Looking squarely I found her bargain good, in matters physical. Such a large well-built fig ure and broad shouluers are nice things for a girl to own. ILis converse proved his intelligence well sprent with culture, and by the seeing she had not drawn a blank. Then follows tlie wonder, what induced him to run his half of the risk. By the popular conception folly in a woman is jiermissible, iu a man it is not. Iu 1763 a cook named Boulanger, who kept a shop at the corner of the Rue des Poulies aud the Rue Bailleul, in Paris, hung out a large white flag bearing the inscription (imitated of course, from the passage in the New Testament.) “Venite ad me, oinnes qui stomacho laboraris, et ego restau rabovos.” Beneath these words was a list of liis prices. And as the good man did not look for outrageous profits, his dining room was quickly iuvadeu by all tiie young bloods of the capital, aud every one began to ask his neigh bor, “Have you been to Boulanger’s?” The favorite dish at tlie new house was nothing more appetizing than sheep’s trotters; but so excellently was this humble fare cooked tliat large quanti ties of it were seut out daily to all the great mansions in the neighborhood. Tlie restaurant was much resorted to by the courtiers of tiie day; aud even the celebrated gourmet Moncriff, tiie Academician, went there regularly. Being reader to the Queen, he at last sounded the praise of sheep’s trotters to the ears of royalty; aud Boulanger, who had by this time accumulated a fortune, was ordered to supply the table of Louis XV. Thenceforward the res taurant became one of the peculiar fea tures of Parisian life; and within the next few yean* Very opened that far- famed establishment which, after hav ing been the resort of Saint-Just and Marat, was removed iu I8U8 from the Aliee des Oranges to its present quar ter*. much mirth. The figure of Night, the Ophelia, and a lady in blue and silver Vandyke, were remarkably beautiful and elegant. The Friar was a good masque and a merry one. There were several well fancied dominoes, of which the one worn by the Duchess of C d was the best. There were several shepiierdesse's, nosegay girls, haymakers. A lawyer solus seemed more at leisure to take fees than tlie company were inclined to give them. The Quaker’s dress was well chosen, and his lamentations w’hile in quest of the friend of his bosom, who had absconded from him, were really both humorous aud affecting.” This w r as considered “remarkably brilliant,” but what a falling off from those old balls where “Miss Moncton, daughter to Lord Gallway, appeared in tlie char acter of an Indian Sultana iu a robe of cloth of gold and a rich veil. The seams of her habit were embroidered with precious stones, aud she had a magni ficent cluster of diamonds on her head, the jewels she wore were valued at i!80,0U0,” or, “it is said a lady of qual ity intends appearing at the Soho mas querade in the character of an Indian Princess, most superbly dressed and de corated with jewels and pearls to up ward of Jt.‘10U,000 value. Her suite is to consist of three black female slaves, of different heights aud ages, holding up her train, and the two young black male slaves supporting a grand canopy over her head.” Everytlituif at Secund-Hitud. Counterfeit*. “I guess I am mistaken,” said a well- known Chicago bank teller, looking suspiciously at a $1 greenback, “but ray first impression, upon handling this bill, was that it is the most dangerous counterfeit ever produced for circula tion. But, as I can see nothing of a positive character to confirm my sus picious, I may as well consider it genu ine.” “How is it possible,” asked a repor ter, “for treasury notes to be long in circulation without being detected, when they are likely to be paraded be fore such expert eyes as yours.” “The truth is,” replied the teller, “that the best talent in the country is brought into requisition to render the “ This business is fifty years old,” said a New’ York dealer in second-hand material. “We occupy nearly forty city lots, Ttiey are covered with second-hand building material. We can supply brick for interior walls, or brown stone for front walls, or granite columns for ornamental high stoops or porticoes. It is all ready for use, and it is of known quality. We have thou sands of feet of timber and lumber of various kinds. Every kind of lumber used in building a houao can be tumid here, joists, studding, rafters, and roof boards. The roof itself can be had, too. Tin deteriorates some, but slates do not so much. We cau supply a tin roof tliat is as good as it was tlie day it was laid. We have several cords of slates. Our lumber is better than new, It is thoroughly seasoned. We supply the lumber for about all the swell mansions. Every piece of timber in Vanderbilt’s house came from this yard. When men put thousands of dollars into fres coes they want to be certain there will be no shrinking in the timbers of then- houses.” “Y'oudo not confine your attention to dwellings, do you ? ” “ Your question reminds me of a man from a neiglilxiring village who came here. He said lie guessed he’d got an order that would puzzle us to fill. He wanted a second-hand pulpit- He was astonished when I showed him a complete outfit. We had stained glass windows, crosses, altars, candle sticks, rails, mourning benches, a sprinkling bowl, and a baptistery. I showed him a full assortment of pews for the body of the church. Then l offered him a second-hand steeple with bell complete and all set up. He bought a pulpit and paid for it in silence. He was so astonished lie couldn’t talk We have everything necessary to (it out either a mansion in Fifth avenue or a shanty for a squatter sovereign. We just sold a pair of Italian marble man tles that probably cost $500 each when new. They are as good now as then You can almost see through them they are so clear, and the carving is exqui site. We have mantles in various kinds of colored marble, and two in Mexican onyx that are beautiful. Booth’s Theater is uow makuig its way here piecemeal. Here is a desk that was made in the time of Queen Eliza beth.” “ How much of a business is it ? ” “Ours is not tlie only yard. We sold $85,000 worth of firewood from the waste last year, and the total sales amounted to a little more than $2.30- 000. We used to give away the kind ling ten years ago. Now it keeps a good many teams going, especially in the winter. We have 817 men on our pay roll. Their pay is high. It takes as great skill to take line work out of a house as to put it iu.” A School of Fl*h. Some time ago, one of the men work ing alongside the Lake Bigler wood flume at the lumber yard iu Carson called out to the men below that all tlie fish in Lake Bigler were coming down the flume. A few seconds later a school of fish struck the apparatus which is jilaced in tlie flume to turn sticks of timber over tlie edge of the flume, and being suddenly deflected, they fell all over tiie workmen. The water was bristling witli trout and suckers, aud they came in irregular numbers, about six inches long, and all alive. Nearly a ton of the fish fell under the flume, and the workmen took them away in baskets. A ton of fish in half an boor is about the best score on record for Nevada. It is believed that they were crowded into the supply pond of the flume by the storm, and then driven into the flume in bunches , of say two or three dozen iu a bunch. They would strike the defiector and fly in all direc tions. This thing was kept up for nearly half an hour, when they got beau tifully less, aud then ceased coming al together. They were mostly brook trout, on aftnesi* umi tfVfeibie. The men who originate and back the manufacture and sale of counterfeit hills are always wealthy, and, as a rule, select sober, energetic, and unsuspected men as confederates. You would be surprised to know that some of the leading men of the different States of the Union have been identi fied with this business. But the indisputable excellence of the workman ship aud tlie extreme cautiousness of those who place tlie goods upon the market raise such a cloud of dust around them as to bewilder all the bankers aud brokers iu the country. “Y’ou see, the bills are at first, as a rule, put into the bauds of fanners, mechanics and retail dealers. Ttiey are theu given out as change when lar ger uotes are produced by a purchaser. The latter innocently passes the note upon some one else, and thus they go through thousands of hands before they are deposited in a bank, or sent to Washington to be redeemed. Years elapse before the bills fall into the hands of those who are competent to decide upon their merits. “The parties who organize and con duct this enterprising business are shrewd enough to evade tlie law. They employ, as 1 fiave said, the best talent iu the world. Their mode of opening correspondence with a new but reliable agent shows that they are men who have profited by experience. They never offer tlie goods in their real na ture, or in such a maimer that the au thorities can get a hold on them. ‘Ci gars,’ ‘chromos,’ or ‘business cards,’ are the terms used when they corres pond with their customers. But their mysterious lauguage is well understood. 1 have no doubt that there are hundreds of men who apjiear among their fellows as retail merenauts, or as men well-to- do, but waiting for any chance to invest money to advantage, who, if their deal ings could be investigated, would be found to have made their fortunes at this business. “One surprising feature in connection with the circulation of counterfeit money is that no individual seems to be at a loss in the end. The national hanks sustain all losses. Their cashiers cau never make out where they got the spurious hills from, and, as those who passed them originally are not particu larly anxious to assist the banks in the matter, the latter are left to fight their battles wituout the aid of resei *es; but fortunately the banks can stand the losses without serious damage.” The Champion Snake. In Central Ohio, not more than fifty miles from Columbus, there is a wealthy aud populous neighborhood of farmers, wiio enjoyed some years since on Sunday tiie ministrations of a venerable min ister of the Hardshell or Anti-mission ary Baptist Church who went by the name of Elder C——. One of his sto ries was that one Sunday morning, on Ids way to church, he .observed a broad track curving back and forth through tlie dust in tlie road. It looked as if it had been made by tlie butt end of a big sycamore log. But nobody would have dragged a saw-log in such a winding fashion, so this track must have beeu made by something else, While he was riding along on his old horse and pon dering on the mystery he saw something shining in the dust right in the middle of the broad track. He got down off his horse and picked it up. It was large and fiat, and he saw at once that it was nothing less than the scale of a great serpent. By and by though he could see nothing of the reptile which had once owned tlie scale, he came to where a man had just killed a big black snake, a terrific fellow, fully six feet long, and, of course, three inches in di ameter at the largest part. Taking the scale he had found he bent it comjilete- ly around the body of the snake and computed that the serpent he had not seen must have been at least twelve feet in diameter. Catching a Prairie Dug. I was assured tliat I might as well try to dip the creek dry, as each dog had a passage from ids residence to the level of the creek, and that all the water that could be emptied iu would not raise an inch above the river bed. I. didn't take much stock in this water passage idea, however, so, after secur ing a box for the game and half a dozen water buckets, L took three or four men and ran tlie engine up to the water tauk, filled up the engine tank, and then ran down to call ou the denizens of Prairie Dog Park. The old pioneer was at his post as usual, but disap peared like a flash when the engine stopped opposite his door. I discon nected tlie hose on the engine tank, and the bucket brigade went at it live ly. Dozens of buckets of water were used, aud the tank was getting low, when at last the hole was filled to the mouth, aud shortly the old fellow put Ijit nose out for a little fresh air. He was put in the box and in less than an hour he had a dozen u>ore to keep him company. —The election in Connecticut this year is for a House aud half the Senate. —Four thousand tons of guano have been sold this year in one Georgia conn- m v>.v j— MM