The Fairfield news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1881-1900, April 28, 1886, Image 1
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VOL. XLII. WINNSBORO, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1886. NO. 39.
4 ?
After the Fall of Troy.
Troj- ha* fallen; and never ~iil be
vV?.r 'fihc thr> war that was vajred for mo.
Could I but bar- these ton vertrs back again,
^ With the love an'i the plorv. the pleasure lifce
nam.
The clash of arms and thA din of thefiffht.
The ferslin; aji-1 mnsic. the color and lizht!
Yet, m!sod with it all, there sounder! to me
Ever a moan from the far off ?ea.
There still remain* this for all time to be:
The Trnr of the Tvorld "xr.s fousrht for me.
vine lucm nn pur wfio <3ic<i Tor me inerc;
H<'n c?n nevermore die for ft face so fair.
An<! what Ooes it matter that now they lie,
Suict and silent, beuenih the bky?
emeniber that none evermore can be
" Back for those years In Troy with m?.
WL ?Florence Peacock, in Academy.
Under the Snow.
June. ith !?r iojxvv went Ion? a^ro;
To-night the w.rth's lying (Jeep under th?
' ** ox>e's richest treasures, like roses of yore,
.re fw\ttero<J ftnd vanished, to come nevermors.
< jg inc urc-.i,n ot s&y bios SO ie?, V. iovo-naumea
^ The *>n-iighhip zephyrs, thy birds' tender
-? Tby far-away gay lands, so blue and ro fair,
fij| The mists or Jiy mornings, rose-tinted and
.^sjggBimec m*ft*thy music, its silcnce l.? pain;
gj||s|^ ;^P^cc face made thy beauty, 'twill come ne'er
Big TfWlo chtl! T.'linls are blowing I wc In my
O'er the lore that lies buried deep under the
frW ?Boston Transcript.
w STORY OF A RECLUSE.
In on* cf the mountainous counties
of Wjvsh. thrre lived for'many years a
hermit^ of whom no one had any knowl*
His abode was a cave, in a wild region;
and he never appeared among: his
\Ael low-beings except to obtain such ne-1
paries as his hermit life required.
*fie would never, while l^ing, rev*.
*?:s name, nor place of birth, nor the
. '' cause which had led him to seclude hmi.
self from the world.
One day a couple of travelers, passing
through that region, visited the cave,
and found ihc hermit not only dead, but
in a state of decomposition.
on . ^ - rx I
J. I1C OOvlJ, .llier HU lU^UUSL, ?iU>
buried, and some garments and a few
trifles, which belonged to the deceased,
were deposited at the nearest magisIrate1
s oflice, with a full statement of
the facts.
In a pocket of one of these garments
was found a manusciipt, supposed to
have been written by the deceased, and
which, as it tells its own story, we here
transcribe without a v?*ord of comment:
T < ? (I T T1 Af T*(X_ [
JL n win ILX <*. wai A emu*
cord, in s place 1 shall not reveal, and
under a name I shall not disclose.
For many long years I have been
dixul to the world, and my desire now
is that the waves of oblivion shall roll
over me and leave me as if I had never
. , been.
And yet there are some facts in my
^ life which I wish to set forth,
k; Why?
kWell, I doubt if I could tell anyone
why.
^ I only know that the impulse is on
\ me to write them down, perhaps to de
* strov the record when done.
Wf > Mv yonih passed pleasantly.
F ' I had kind, indulgent, and" pious pargL
ents, who sought- to make my life a hapry
one.
I was scut to school at an early age,
ar,d kept there till I had acquired a
W od English education.
Then, ?.t my own request, I bccame
UI1 UUUCtViCilv ill tuc iitlgc ?r
tablisliiiient of a prosperous merchant
Bv strict integrity and diligence 2
gradually rose to a first position.
At two-and-lwenty 1 had the confidence
cf my employer, and was often
invited to his dwelling.
At tirst this made me very happy,
and as I iboked forward then, the future
seemed very bright. But, alas,
nnd alas! this w:ts the ocginning of a
borrow which will never end while I re- "
juain on earth.
* employer had a daughter?a kind, *
jp gei. e. lovely being?who, to my en-4-^
xa ^red vision, seemed .in angel just
coine down from Paradise.
Frorr. the moment I first behold her
my whole soul went out to her. and
from that time forth I could conceive of
no enjoyment in which she had no part.
As 1 am confessing this to myself, or
to a worid that will never know inc, I
will say that I loved hcr'to a degree of
vrorship which made her a something
above and beyond my' reach; and
though naturally easy and fluent in conversation,
I could not speak to her without
changing color and choking, and
appearing more like an idiot than a
man of sense.
This made me avoid meeting her
when alone, or pressing forward to take
my chance with those who were seeking
her at every opportunity, perhaps because
of a liking for herself, perhaps because
of a liking for the money she
wou-d inherit
I do not think she ever suspected me
if having any regard for her beyond
,'iat of her being the daughter of my
(employer, whom I was in duty bound
!to treat with respectful deference, and
certain I am that she had no conception
the holy love and worship I secretly
fe.vve her.
As I have said, I avoided as much as
? possible coming in contact with her?
would have gone a mile out of my way
;rather than speak to her. and yet her
presence, in my company of which I
formed a part, was a flowing joy, and
-ier absence a denressmfr void.
Among hor numerous suitors was a
fellow-clerk, who held a position of con5dence
under our employer similar to
my own, and who, when we were alone
together, was always praising her sweetness
and beauty, and proclaiming his
own undying lore.
"Oh, fancy the golden moment when
I shall be able to dasp her dear little
hand in mine, and call her by the enduring
name of wife!'' ha would sometimes
exclaim, or use words of similar
import; and when I would as often turn
aside, to conccnl the feelings that would
Sg almost overpower rue, he would mis
tii-SW my iicuou IVl a UiSiiivo vu. tuv ou
ject.
wAh," he one day said to me, "I perceive
my darling linds ncf favor in jour
sight; and she knows vou do not like
her; but for my sake, t trust you will
? not let her s?e that you absolutely hate
the sight of her person, and the mention
of her name.''
This to mo. whose execss or ioto iot
the object in question wu consuming
nic like an inward fire!
"ManT' cried I. turning upon him
with the glaring fun* of a "wilci beast,
"if tou loved llfat being with one tenth
of the passion that is destroying me. j
you "would cut vour wagging tongue j
from your gaping mouth ero you would 1
permit so flippant a mention of so sacred j
.a name."
He started. and stared at me, while I i
walked indignantly away.
Did he unc.er^tand my words? Did |
- he comprehend them in their breadth j
and depth?
On'y so far. perhaps, as a shallow :
brain and & sr.periicial feeling could !
reach, for he ytjw one entitv, and I an- j
L
From t^at moment, however, he
ceased to _tjeak of her in my presence,
and I, feeling that she was lost to me
for ever, only secretly worshipped her
from afar.
So matters drifted on for a time, and
I became miserable over my solitarv
brooding; and while I wished myself
far enough from the scene of a rival's
trinn-ph, I shrank irom tne inougm, 01
goiug where I should never look upon
my idol again.
"One ni^ht, having forgotten something
at the store, I procured the kev
from the porter and entered the builcfing.
To my surprise, I soon perceived the
glimmer of a light in the countingroom;
and on approaching it cautiously,
thinking there might be a burglar at
work, I was still more surprised to see
the safe-door open, and my rival seated
on the floor, apparently counting a
large roll of bank-notes.
"Well, this looks like singular nightwork!"
said I.
With a startled cry, be rainy leapou
to his feet,"letting the money fall around
him. and turned towards me one of the
moss gnastiy laces i erer Deneia.
After looking straight in my face for
a few moments, during which he shook
and trembled, and his very lips quivered,
he stammered out:
"Wh-wh-why, is it you? Wha-whawhat
do you want?*'
"Suppose in turn I ask you what you
are doing with that open safe and
money at this untimely hour?"
"Oh, that?'1 he answered, glancing j
down at the scattered bank-notes, and
evidently recovering himself with an
effort* "Ha, ha!" he affected to laugh.
"Do you know, my dear fellow, I took
you for a burglar!''
"Instead of yourself, eh?"
"The fact is, you see, mv dear friend
"Suppose you leave the 'dear friend1
out?" I interrupted.
"Well, then,' he coolly went on, "tho
fact is that, after going home, the idea
came mto my neaa tnat i nau mauo &
mistake in my money report; and as
the governor, you know (meaning our
employer), is very particular about
trifles, and might discover it before I
should get a chance to make a correction.
I thought I had hotter attend to it
at once.'*
"And doubtless you found an error,
which you were about to set right!" I
said, with a sneer which ho seemed not
to notice.
"Oh, yes, I think there was an error;
but I am not quite sure, because of your
inlwrrmtmri- T shall have to <7*0 all
over the money again. And now that I
have accounted for my presence here,
suppose you do the same," he added,
giving me a searching look.
"Well, I came in to get " Here it
occurred to me that I, an honest man,
was being interrogated by one who was
perhaos a thief, and I suddenly broke
off and added: "That is my business."
'Oho!" he exclaimed with a peooliar
look and leer.
"And I came in by the porter's key,"
I sharply continued.
"Aha! yes, yes. Just so!*'
"And by what key did you come in?"
"1 suppose you are not ignorant of
the fact that there is ?. private key?" he
answered.
"Which belongs to the governor."
"And which his daughter could get
for me."
"Having everv confidence in your integrity."
"At least she ought to have in her future
husband, you know."
This allusion to his coming marriage
with my worshipped angel nearly drove
me wild.
I controlled myself as .well as I could,
and merely said:
"I hope you will find your money affair
all correct, and not hare to take
away or add anything!"
? "fhank you! I hope I shalir..he
iiandly answered.
I turned away abruptly to seek what
I came-for and leave the building.
As i was about to aepart, in no enviable
frame of mind, he ealied out:
"' I suppose you will report what jou
have discovered, and as much to my injury
as possible?"
"Probably you arc now judging me
by yourself, 'I angrilv replied; '-but I
w'ill thank you to understand that I am
too much of a gentleman to be a talebearer."
' Ail right, then, and good-night!" he
said.
Bein^ too angry to respond I hurried
out and locked the door without saying
another word.
1 returned the key to the porter; but I
did not mention to him, nor to anyone
else, the fact of my having met my fellow-clerk
in the building, under circumstances
so calculated to excite suspicion
of bis being thure for an evil purpose.
In this I am now certain I did wrong;
but I was young then, without experience
in the evil ways of mankind, strict
ly honest and honorable myself, and
possessed too much pride to demean
myself to the low condition of a talebearer.
1 reasoned, too, that if my rival had
originally designed to rob his employer,
he would" not do it after what had occurred,
and that I really had no right to
injuro his reputation merely bceause he
had been chosen from all the world by
the fair being who was all the world to
me.
Ti .i.: i:i 4.U
ju was ftumcuiiug jiku a luwmu dira
this event, thnt 1 was one day fearfully
startled and shocked at suddenly finding
myself under arrest for stealing money
from my emplover.
Notwithstanding that I knew myself
to be entirely innocent, - the very fact
that I should be suspected of such a nefarious
transaction nearly crushed me
with shame.
Judge of my unbounded amazement
and horror, then, on being assured that
marked money had been found in my
trunk, t&at the amount of a thousand
pounds had been abstracted within the
last few weeks, that my fellow-clerk and
rival had suspected mo ever since the
night (so he swore) he had jecn me
coming out of the store, and that the
porter had already given evidence of
i : i ~,l L:. v
llij uaviug uunurv cu nia
the building at an unseasonable hour.
I comprehended at once that this was
a most fiendish plot of my rival to get
me out of the way and shield his own J
dishonesty, for he alone had robbed his
employer, and profited by it
What could I do?
My statement of the fact that I had
entered the premises for another purnose
was not believed: and when I add
ed the whole truth of what I had seen
there, I was simply regarded as a coldblooded
rascal, who was trying to involve
an innoccnt young man in my
own ruin.
All my previous life of probity went
for nothing, or only stooG out, whiterobed.
to make my later acts appear
more dark and damning.
Well, to be brief. I was tried, and
convicted, and sent to penal servitude
for a term of years.
OUt^ WUV VVH5 Uijr lUOl, WW pTCftUlb i
when the awful verdict "Guiltv" was
pronounced byt^e jury; and I shall'
never forget the mournful look of pity
with which she regarded me for the last
time, as she passed by in the felon's
dock, leaning on the arm of my wicked
rival and destroyer.
Well, I was, as I have said, oonvi'cted.
and I served out mv time: but be
fore I left that place of misery and degradation,
I had the satisfaction of seeing
my hated rival there, in the convict
garb, justly brought there by his ovil
deeds.
After my release I learned that his
angel wife, my - worshipped love, had
died of a broken heart
That was the end of life for me.
All since then has been only the dull,
dreary round of a mechanical existence,
with no hopes no fears, no passions,
[ I101U1I1<? UUl lilC LllCU nmiuug ugic Liu.
the Master shall call me hence.
I am as one dead?I am as one buried
?and the world and all that live in the
world are dead to me.
Why do I still exist?
Because it would bo very sinful to lift
my hand against the life the Master
gave me.
Let Him work His will,. how and
when He will; and let me humbly bow
before the awful mystery that I cannot
understand.
no, who has a purpose in all things,
placed me here for a purjxwe, afflicted
me for a pr.rpose, ana win worK out a
purpose through my sufferings; but
what that purpose was, or is, or is to be,
is known to Him alone.
I only wait for the end, and resign
I myself to say:
"God's will be done 011 earth as in
heaven.;1
The Great Pyramid.
Mr. J. B. Bailey writes to the St
James Oazeite as follows, with reference
to the desirability of exploring the great
pyramid: "Now that Great Britain is
dominant at Cairo, would it not be a
good plan to clear away too sana ana
rubbish from the base of the great pyramid
right down to its rock}* foundation
and try to discover those vast corridors,
halls and temples, containing priceless
curiosities ami treasures .with which tradition
in ail ages has credited the great
pyramid? The wonderful building, of
such exquisite workmanship, was erected
many years before any of the other
pyramids, which are only humble imitations.built
by another nation, and also
for other purposes; for neither King
Cheops nor anybody else was ever interkr?r>^0f
mirrhtTf mocc rrf
UK, uvuua tiiio VJ vxThe
smaller pyramids also exhibit
neither the nicety of proportion nor-the
exactness of measurement, both of which
characterize the firat pyramid. From
internal evidence it seems to hare been
built about the year 2170 B. 0.; a short
time before the birth of Abraham, more
than four thousand years ago.
"This?one of the seven wonders of
the world in the days of ancient Greece
?is the only one of them all still in existence.
The base of this building covers
w 4 k I T.f Art n PAllflro nf
Uiuru llliXII k II i i. LV/V^ 11 OVjUiU \?/ IVV1VU v*
ground. Its four sides face exactly
north, south, ea3t .and west. It is situated
in the geographical center of the
land surfacc of the globe. It was originally
435 feet high, and each of its sides
measures 762 foct. It is computed to
contain 5,000,000 tons of hewn stone,
beautifully fitted together with a nacre
film of cemcnt. And these immense
blocks of stone must have been brought
from quarries five hundred miles distant
fr&m the site of the building. The present
well known king and queen chambers,
with the various passages, might
also be thoroughly examined by means
of the electric or lime lights. The astronomer
royal of Scotland some rears
since ciosely and laboriously examined
all that is at present known of the interior
of this enormons building.He states
that measurements in tho chambers,
etc., show the exact length of the cubit
of the Bible?namely, twenty-five inches.
This cubit was used in the building of
Noah's ark. Solomon's Temple, etc. He
also maintains that the pyramid shows
the distance of the sun from the earth to
be 91,810,000 miles.
A Dakota Man's Mistake.
A man from Illinois got off the Northwestern
train at Estelline the other day
and met an old friend now living in Dakota.
"How's old Jim Stanford prospering
out here?"' asked the Illinois man.
"Jim's gittin1 'long poorly, very poorly.
You see Jim made a mistake and
it set him back."
"How'd he make a mistake?"
"Set his house on the ground with no
underpinin' under it."
"Well, s'posin' he did, I don't see what
hurt it would do."
"Of coursc you don't?you live in Illinois.'"
"Well, what hurt did it do?"
"Why, han? it all, pardner, this Da
koto sile is so darned fertile that the
house took root and ojowed!"
"It did? Well, admitiin' it's so, I
should think it would have been better;
he'd had a bigger house.1'
"Yes, that's what Jim 'lowed at first
He had a nice two-story, then a threestory
one, and pretty soon a five-story
one."
"I don't see anything bad about
that" , - .. 4 . r j. _
"STo, course not; but when he got up
there, instead of headin' out with a
French roof and a lightnin'-rod, the
blamed houso took to branchin' out with
bay windows and piazzers, and pretty
soon the whole thing bio wed over ana
killed x yoke of brindle oxen for Jim. I
tell you, you can't build houses in Dako
ta without underpinniaV' ? Estellint
{Dakota) Bell.
Made to .Fit the Coffin. I *
A farmer from Ahnapee __in the
city a short time since, and told one of
our merchants of a case in that neighborhood
illustrating how moan persons
can become who make money-getting
the object of their existence. Xhe story
is as follows: A family residing near
Ahnapee and worth about $6,000 in cash
ana lands arc notoriously stingy ana
live like misers on a mere pittance. Recently
the old woman was taken very
sick, and came nigh unto dr.vth. She
called her son and told him not to go to
t/>r> /vrnrMTsft in arran<rincr the
""*r" - o rt "?
funeral, and that a pino board box
would be good enongh for a coffin. Under
her directions the iwn took measurements
and nailed four pine boards together,
making a not very elaborate
coffin, but recommending itself on account
of its cheapness. After this the
woman decided not to die and recovered.
But her husband was taken sick
and soon went the wav of all flesh. Now
the son was in a quandary,aa he did not
wish to go to the expense of making a
new coffin, and tie one air- :dy made
was too short by several inches. He
finally hit upon a plan, however, and
taking an old S3W amputated the limbs
jnst aoovc the ankle. This made every?U:??
,? nnrnon flfturl tKA VlAY
IH1U? WHO VVXI/CV/ 41H.VU w*+\s w?
nicely, and the burial proceeded without
a further hitch.?Green Bay (TTts.)
Gazette
DELICIOUS EELS.
Tho Japanese mode of Maicfng the Serpentine
Fish a DelifhWnlvil?rRel.
A Jajwr - coo-espond cc &. of" -the San
Francisco Chronicle writes:" One afternoon
in April I was strolling about the
streets engaged in watching the interesting
occupations of th epeople, when
I met a young Japanese who had been
educated at Harvard, and who appreciated
a slice off tho breast of a canvas-back
duck and a tenderloin steak as
perfectly as "one of the manner born."
Having politely saluted me, he remarked:
"I am on my way to Manoki's.
Would you like to join me in a feast of
broiled eels?* It is said that this month
the unagi is a fit morsel for the gods."
I replied, with a somewhat dubious
shake of tho head. "I never was very
fond of those mirine snakes."
"Probably you have never tasted them
prepared by my countrymen,1' ho. slyly
returned. "1 remember once eating
some at DeJmonico's (shuddering.)
They wero soft, flavorless morsels, mcloscd
in a quivering jelly. Come along
with me."
"Are the eels good to-day?" patronizingly
inquired my friend of the proprietor.
"I have heard that their flavor
is not quite what it used to be. Do you
* " iv -
procure tnem irom tne cnj canaie. 01
are they.from the Sumida river?" The j
proprietor bowed, then twitched the left ,
corner of his mouth, after the fashion of J
a Japanese- uttering a joke, and an- ^
swered:
"Honorable sir, do you for a moment J
imagine I should offer canal-bred eels to ,
such a judge as yourself? No, no! '
You know that 1 have a high reputation
and buy nothing but the most beautiful i
eels that come from the Sumida. Re- 1
membering that the time was near for :
you to pay us a visit, I have saved some (
of the finest fish you ever saw. Would ,
you like to come into the kitchen and
inspect them?" 1
' Hnl.'1 trpntlv added his wife, who !
had listened to his speech with downcast
eyes, "that is so. We have some
eels fit for a daimio."
"What do you say?" inquired my
companion. "Would you like to visit
the culinary department?'' 1
"Not until I have dined," I answered j
sniffing suspiciously at tho faint odor of ,
pickled radish that issued from a rear
dpnarfmpnf-. Tho waitress auicklv ai>
peared with some trays containing (
square, black, lacquered boxes, bearing (
the signs of the house and a number.
Placing one before each of us, she re- .
moved the tightly-fitting lids and revealed
the contents, which were sec- j
tions of nicely-browned, broiled, split .
eels, skewered together, that gave out a :
most appetizing odor. The girl smiled
as she watched my looks, and replen- !
ishing my saucer, placed it near me, .
murmuring:
"I think you will find the unagi very
pleasing to your taste." "I
took my chopsticks in my right '
hand, inserted the points in the flesh, ]
broke off a morsel and ate. Ye gods! 1
It was delicious! rich, tender, delicately
flavored, and boneless! I drew my box j
toward me, nodded approvingly at the ,
attendant, and enjoyea the delectable .
food. The smiling girl brought in box ,
after box, the contents of each.being .
nicer than the last I have partaken of ;
fried oysters at home, broiled fish in all !
"countries, and the delicacies of every |
clime, but havo never more thoroughly
enjoyed any dish than I did those eels, j
At last I laid down my chopsticks, and, 1
glancing at my friend, exclaimed: ,
"You were right in saying that this is j
a dish for the gods. We ought to intro- <
auce it at tiome." I
The waitress bowed in acknowledge
ment of my praise, and inquired if we
would like to eat some rice.
"Yes," nodded my companion, "I
think I could empty a bowl or two.1'
Away went the girl, who, after a brief (
delay, returned, bearing a large tray on ,
which was a covered wooden tub, con
taining hot rice, two lacquered bowls, a \
teapot, and some tiny nips.
I contrived to eat one portion of the I
lighted my pipe and watched my friend,
who had his bowl refilled a dozen '
times, and moistened his food by satnr- <
atins: it with tea. i
"How do you contrive to render the 1
skins of the fish so tender!1' I asked the <
girl.
"I do not know," she answered, 1
glancing timidly at the mats, "ine J
cooks never permit us to learn their <
secrets. If you like to visit the kitchen 1
they will no doubt explain everything to 1
you." <
"Now for tho bill," said my compan- 1
ion, refilling his pipe. "Altogether, you 1
have given us a very tolerable meal." 1
In a few moments she came back. <
carrying a small scoop-like tray, in I
which was placed a slip of paper con- _j
taming a reckoning, xrus sne pusneu
along'the mat toward him; she then J
bowed and remained with her face close *
to the floor, while he minutely scruti- 3
nized the document Taking nis purse {
from his sleeve he dropped some money ]
into the tray, and remarked in a low <
tone: " 1
"You may beep the change'1 (10 <
cents). His munificence almost over- J
powered the waitress, who bowed re- <
peatedly, and gratefully murmured: *
."Your. generosity resembles that of a
foreigner. Anvone can see that you
have traveled.'1? After we had smoked
awhile he asked whether I would like to ;
i 3 1
visit ine Kitcauu, ituu va kjj rcpijiug m ,
the affirmative summoned the landlady, j
who said: "Yon honor us too greatly, j
My husband shall show you how we (
prepare the eels." We rose, quitted the |
room and descending the ladder-like
stairwav, the steps of whifh were |
polished smooth as glass, slipped on our i
loot-coverings and entered tne kitchen. }
On the hard earthen floor wero rows of j
little charcoal furnaces, provided with
iron rods that served as rests for the j
skewered eels. Maroki, whose only
failing was a weakness for bowing and
ooliteTv suckinsr in his breath between | 1
Jiis speeches, le<i the war, and \ra3 ex- j
ceedingly attentive. Pointing to a ^
range of tubs containing fine specimens j
of fish, he remarked:
"Theso were caught this morning; j
thoy arc the most expensive fish in the }
Nippon Bashi markot. Are they not j
worth looking at?" 1
"How do you contrive to so com- j
pletely extract their bones?" I de- T
mandcd. ,4Our cooks can not aceoni- |
ulish that feat" Motioning a lightlyclad
servant to approach him, he said: (
"Some customers have just come in. ^
Prepare an eel in the presence of these ^
gentlemen." The man, who evidently j
took great pride in his work, selected a i
vigorously squirming fish, struck its t
head smartly upon a wooden block j
upon the floor, and kneeling by it ?
f rasped the creature's neck, inserted a (
nife in the left side of tbtr vertebrae,
and dexterously ran it down to the tail;
then rapidly applied his instrument to .
nthpr qirJp r?f 'h*r>V1wnp *mr? ta. 1
peated the process, leaving the eel split '
open. Holding up the head, to which
was attached the vertebra? and lateral *
oone inclosing the intestines, he bowed
and>said:
"T^iere is not a splinter left in the
fish."
"That is so," proudly remarked 'the
proprietor. "I only employ the most
skillful men and cooks." The operator
washed down the block, chopped the
flattened ell into three-inch lengths, and
shouted to a cook, who advanced to remove
it on a dish. The nest process
was a mysterious one and was performed
behind a screen? from whence the
plstter of eels was presently handed out
to one of the boilers. My opinion is
that the fish had simply been plunged
into boiling water to make the skins
tender.
We advanced to a range and saw a
cook skewering the pieces of eel on lon?
bamboo splinters. Then he placed
them on the rods over the glowing coals,
and when one side was browned, dexterously
pickcd them up with-a pair of
iron chopsticks and turned them. After
+ 1? Att lift
the fish with the same instrument and j
plunged it into a vessel containing old j
shoyu, which was thick and- dart as :
molassc.1. The steaming unagi was
then drained, placed in a lacquer box;
and sent up-stairs to the customer.
A Chinese Millionaire.
Hu Hsueh-von, the great Chinese
banker and millionaire of Ilangchow,
is dead. In some respects, says the
Shanghai News ho was one of the most
rem ;rkablc men in his country. His
father was a merchant, and ho himself
began life from a pretty low run^ on
Hif? 1;irMf>r Imvincr hr>(>n oriinnallv a
* {5 - -- -- 0 _ V
simple clerk or "purser/* as the Chinese
sometimes say, in a commercial hong.
But by dint of his extraordinary talents
for business he rose rapidly in wealth
find fame, and for some years past has
been recognized as the leading merchant
of China?the representative of
China's financial and commercial interests.
To borrow a phrase made familiar
to us by Mr. Edward Jenkins, Hu Taot'ai
was,, in no far-fetched sense, a true
Paladin of finance, and when he died
had already been honored by the emperor
with "a button of the first grade
(fou p'in tmg-t'ai), a yellow ridingjacket,
and the rank of provincial judge.
His beautiful palace at Hangchow was
one of the show places of China. The
Chinese say that his career was scarcely
like one of real life?it was a "spring
dream." Advancement from so low a
tv* JrrVi hrm/tre o rwl nnlmnnfl
W IV/ (.UC Ulgii UVUVl^ Ml?\* MW vvv>..v.
cd wealth which he afterward attained
is a phenomenon less common in China
than in Europe and America. There
liave been many miners and gulch laborers
in the United States who have
risen to be bonanza kings. Mr. Gilead
P. Beck does not stand alone in the annals
of the far west. But in China such
freaks of fortune are rare, and Hu Taot'ai
may fairly claim a place as a successful
merchant beside Tzu Kung, tiie
disciple of Confucius, who, when engaged
in business, always made a
profit. In this, however, the sage was
more fortunate than the millionaire,
though he nover amassed much wealth,
for the losses sustained oy nu in nis
celebrated silk speculation wore simply
fabulous, and thure wore probably few
merchant" in the whole of China who
ever owned as much a6 wao then sacrificed.
Hu died at midnight a few days
ago at Hangchow, age something over
30 years. He was not .5- Particularly
cultured man, but his in5ue"h66^was
^reat, and he was renowned for the cx^
Lensiveness and liberality of his charities.
The Hu Pao, in its obituary notice,
says: "He has saluted the world; and,
ao\v that he has gone, having died in
impoverished circumstances, wno is
ihere who will not look back upon his
career and accord him a sigh of regret?"
A Novel Enterprise.
A Halifax, Nova Scotia, correspondent
of the New York Evening Post
writes: B. B. Barnhill, of Joggin's
Mines, Cumberland county, has under
construction an immense rnft for the
purpose of carrying to New York about
3,UW,UW supermini xuui/ ux puco. iu^s,
spars, hardwood timber, and boards,
[ts dimensions arc, length 410 feet,
width 55 feet, depth 35 feet, and it will
draw 21 feet of water. The raft is being
built upon a well-constructed cradle,
ivhich will be launched with the raft
ind removed from it in the water, leaving
the raft with its chains and binders
to support itself. The structure is torpedo-shaped
at the bow and stern, and
i cross-section amidship will be of the
form of an ellipse. When completed it
will weigh 8,000 tons. The weight is so
distributed over the four set of launchways
as to exert a pressure of SO pounds
io the square inch, which is about two:hirds
of the pressure allowable on ordinary
launchwavs. About one-sixth of
i i? i _j. j
cne cargo mis uuuu sivwcu. ??nun wujpleted
the cost will be about ?20.000.
the raft is to be towed to New York by
in "ocean tramp," or by two tugs, as
joon as launched, which will be about
midsummer. Should Mr. Barnhill's engineering
skill prove equal to his enterDrise
and courage in planning and uniertaking
so nov ! an operation he will
lave provided a cheap method of water
carriage for the products of the forest
Many persons view the scheme with in;redulity,
and predict that it will be a
lailure.
Wealth and ita Annoyances.
A gentleman familiar with tho millonaire
congressmen tells me that they
ire not really to be envied. Thev have
nueh trouble, and some of their clearest
lopes, beyond the roach of gold to remjdy,
have been destroyed. This genJeman
added: "I tell them I would not,
poor as I am, but young and happy, exchange
places with them. They say I
im right; that they are prona 01 meir
Achievements, bat much money has
Drought them mach sorrow. In matters
>f moment, where their personal pride
a concerned, they are munificent In
ordinary affairs they are close, so much
;o that they will sometimes take a bobail
car to save 5 ccnts fare or walk and
>ave 5. And yet I know that one man,
without the world's knowledgo, isspendng
manv thousands of dollars yearly in
i grand charity, and I predict, if he
eaves a will, the public will be amazed
it his superb benefactions. i asseu
ny companion if he thought he would
De stingy in case enormous wealth came
x> him. He replied: "I dare say my
rrhole nature vrouid be changed and
;hat I should become narrower than
some of these men. Just now, if I were
>pulent I would go to a poor artist in
:his city, who. alone ana unaided has
jecome a superior painter, only needs
lelp, patronage, culture, instruction
it Paris, and Rome, to be distinguished
md comfortable. Without these aids
le can barely support himself, his wife,
md eleven cfiiiOren.?Augusta i
Chroniclc.
The life of the British army In Egypt
5 described as "all beer and skittles."
"Two years ago," says the Boston
Transcript, "it was all acarc and batilea"
Pea Sanders.
Old man Pea Sanders is probably the
most notorious "moonshiner" in north'
Georgia. He has been in Fulton
Countv jail eight times on the same
charge.
We saw old man Pea on Saturday
night's north-bound train. He was just
out of jail and on his way home.
The Toccoa people will appreciate the
old man's appearance when we say that
he would remind you forcibly of "Grip
Scott"
With an old, flabby wool hat, rim
turned close against the corner on the
left side and a keen, searching eye that
was never dazed during his 76 years of
life, old man Pea is the perfect ima^e of
some civilized independence. Nothing
abashes him.
He is afraid of neither man, woman,
or beast. He is an incessant talker and
lores to teli of ins tncfcs on trie revenue
officers.
His latc?L dodge. Just before his last
arrest an officer got off the train at Belton,
near which town lie lives, and started
over to old Pea's house. He met an
old man in the road.
"Old man, do you know Pea Sanders?''
"0, yes; bought many er gallon er
lieker from him.11
"Where does he live?*1
"Ri^ht down thar.11
"Is ne at home?"
"Guess so; ii ho ain't the old 'oman
[ is.*'
"Good day, sir," said the officer.
"Good luck Lo yc," said the old man.
The officer marched on to old man Pea's
house. Old man Sanders turned around
as the officer went on and muttered to
himself: "Guess you won't lind him toi
day. mister."
We said to the old man, "Mr. Sanders,
do you intend to keep on moonshining?'1
Said he: "Them fellers in Atlanta axed
me (here and I told 'cui I never made
any lacu
Guess, then, you mean to make some
more 'mountain dew.'11
"Let 'em prove it if I do.1'
The old man seemed very well satisfied
with his imprisonment and among
other things said he had been "boarding
at lha United States hotel in Autlanter.
They treated me very well, but I like er
froze up in that cold spell."
A young Hour merchant from Atlanta
engaged him in conversation.
Said he: "Mr. Sanders, did you buy a
still before you left Atlanta?"
? "Oh! when I want another one, I
thought I would come around and get
you to make it for me."
The old man's ticket gave out at.
White Sulphur and the conductor started
to put mm off. Col. E. Schafcr, of
Toccoa, stopped forward and paid the
fare. The old feiiow chuckling to him
self said: "Good friends is better than
money."?Toccoa (Ga.) Xcics.
??? -cTesting
Sends.
The plan of testing seeds by seedsmen
before sending out is more and more appreciated.
In fact, before ordering the
year's supply, seedsmen new generally
test samples?at least the better class of
them do. It is no less essential that
buyers test seeds before planting. This
is frvirly accomplished by placing the 1
seeds between folds of flannels or blotting-paper
and keeping theui moist and
at a temperature of Go to 70 degrees
Fahrenheit.
For testing seeds in a lanre and critic *
vCal way, however, many di^p^^Hans
h^^bccn devised. the most
completOrrrrtTffagjn'oper warmth and
at the same time constant moisture, is
that of a prominent seed firm of England.
It may easily be applied to the
testing of seeds on the farm, where a
considerable number < samples is required
to be tested. The arrangement
consists of a wooden frame with sloping
glass cover, inside of which is fixed a
shallow tank of water. In this tank are
placed bricks of the ordinary size and
of a porous nature, the surface of which
stands well above the water, but in a
position to absorb sufficient moisture to
cause germination: and on these bricks
the seeds being tested are laid.
The surfaces of the bricks are divided
into spaces sufficient to contain one te^t
of from 200 to 300 seeds, and numbered
for the sake of accuracy in registration.
The temperature is kept at about 70 degrees
Fahrenheit, and* at this point tests
of clover and some of the grass seeds
can bo completed in from two to
thj^e days, its advantages arc that
seeds can be watched in the acturl process
of germination, and non-germinta
ing seeds examined lor tlie cause. me
ease with which a humid atmosphere
and even temperature can be obtained
and preserved when the bricks aro once
heated is apparent. The regular supply
of the exact amount of moisture without
its having to be applied by hand at almost
haphazard, as in the case of tests
of soil, also speed, accuracy, and simplicity
in working, are also apparent.
A Mysterious Piece of Mechanism.
J. A. Lonfr. of Akron. 0.. told me
yesterday of a peculiar thing similar in I
character to Planchctte, with which the
little manufacturing citv in which he
lives is bewildered. Its introduction
there is something he does not know
about, but he has a large family of children,
and as the bewitched and mysterious
piece of mechanism made them all
so nervous that they could hardly sleep
at night he does know where one particular
machine went to. He smashed
it up for kindling wood. "The affair,"
said Mr. Long, "consists of a rectangular
board, which may be of any size,
but was usually about two feet by eighteen
inches, on which were placed all the
letters of the alphabet. A little table
with three legs on small rollers goes on
the top of this board. Two persons sit
down with their finger tips on this table.
One of them asks a question to which
an answer is desired. Then they wait
the action of the little table, to which
their fingers arc glued, as it were. It is
certainly curious how th.it table will fly
around at times. As the legs point out
different letters on the board sentences
are formed, which constitute the answer
to the question propounded. You would
not believe it unless you should operate
it yourself, what wonderful and strikingly
pertinent answers are made. The
whole town has been filled with machines,
but I smashed the one at my
house."?X- Y. Tribune.
! -1J ?i
A six-year-vm suii ui v.. iu. ohui il, ujl
Sugar Grove, X. Y., swallowed a toy
knife while using it as the dart of a
blow-gun formed of a hollow metal penholder.
The knife, which was open,
measured an inch and five-eighths in
length, and went into the stomach handle
lirst. As soon as the boy's grandfather,
Emri Davis, heard of the accident
he prescribed a diet of buckwheat,
having read just the night before how a
young Californian had got rid of a knife
whicn he had swallowed by eating
heartily and frequently of half-cooked
buckwheat The little bov was sriven i
all the buckvrheat cakes he wonlcf eat
and no doctor was called in. He recovered.
A BANK'S INGRATITUDE.
In 1S75, H. C. Warner and I published
the Scottville Argus. Scottville is a
Kentucky town and is principally noted
for the activity of the town hog and the
lethargy of the town constable. I was
the editor, water-carrier, wood-chopper
and rent-dodger. Warner was publish-!
er, book-keeper, fire-maker, pressman j
and refit-dodger. We did the most of
our work separately, but in dodging the
rent collector we worked with perfect
concert of action. Our paper was six
monfcis old when it died. Under different
conditions it might have lived a few
moments longer. Warner did not write
anything for the Argus, yet he largely
contributed to its collapse. This is the
way it occurred: One day a prominent
business man presented Warner with a
pair of brogan shoes: Immediately after
my friend put on the shoes I detected
a foppish air about him. He took delight
in greasing the shoes with a tine
article of tallow and prancing in my
presence. Having thus gained recognition
at the hands of the capitalists, he
began to withdraw himself from circulation
and to cultivate an exclusiveness
which greatly depressed me. I knew
that those capitalists would be our ruin,
ana, :uuck, now weu iiiy s>uspiuiuuj>
were founded.
"Good scheme on hand.*' said Warner
one evening as he carne into the
bedroom where our type setting, editing
and presswork was done.
"What is it?"
"Well, several parties here want to establish
a bank, and they want us to advocate
the idea. What do you say?"
"I am opposed to banks,1 I replied.
"If a bank be started here it will dc us
no good."
JLLLliL 5 V\ liUlV JUUIU YYlUUg. V7Ui
failure thus far can be attributed to the
fact that we've had 110 bank. Why, sir,
just think of it. All successful newspapers,
all great journals are published in
towns where there are banks. If banks
were not conducive to the health of the
newspapers, why the newspapers would
move away. Now, what I want you to
do, is to write an article in favor of the
bank, urging the fact that our people
take stock in it.
Well, we advocated the establishment
of the bank, and the bank was established.
Shortly afterwards, Warner,
wearing a thick crust of melancholy,
camc into the office, sat down on our
pinebed, and, with a sigh, remarked:
"It was a mean trick.''
"What was a mean trick?" I asked.
"Well, I'll tell you, even though you
have nothing to do with the business
department of this office, we are
ruined!"1
"Ruined!" I exclaimed.
"That's what I said. I know that
you do not understand business, but I
think that closer relations should be es
i u ? ~ ,i j.
luunsiiuu ueiwuwi tut; euituruu ueparimcnt
and the counting-room. We are
busted."
"Explain," I pleaded.
"Well, it was caused by the treachery
of the bank men.''
"Have they run away with any of our
money?"
He looked reproachfully at me and
continued: "This morning a fellow
drew 011 us through the bank.. H&ij&es
about fiftv miles from here, and wo -were
all riffht until that infernal 'bank was
started. Tl?seofflcialshav^j|jj|to^
i'uuKes me mad. The sheriff will
be around pretty soon to take charge of
our material. 1 am determined that he
shall not have the type."
"How can you help it?"
"I'm going to put it into my pockets
and stroll away with it" He did so,
and is now running a paper in Argenta,
Ark. I met him the other day. "How
are you getting along?" I asked.
"First rate," he replied. "Only the
cattle pied my type. You see, during
the recent cold weather, I had to move
my office into the stock yards. I didn't
get out a paper this week. A Texas
steer hooked my press and broke it Ah,
how fondly I remember those good old
days we spent in Kentucky. See that
mon nrnirirr w\rwlor*V W<?11
iUl?i ' ' V, "w O
working against me. He's going to
start a bank in my town."?Opie P Read,
in New York Mercury.
^ ?
Late Styles in Wall Paper.
"There are two sots of styles in wall
papers now," said a Pittsburg dealer
recently. "One stylo makes soft colors
in felt paper the proper thing, and the
other favors raised, bronzed and silver
decorations of gaudy tints; solid colors,
such as the velvety deep reds, crimsons
and blues. The soft colors mi?ht be
called non-committal in their character.
None of the shades are either positive or
bright The tints of red, for instance,
are dull and look like brick-dust wellwatered.
The yellow do not glisten or
shine, and look dead and lusterlcss.
These felt papers are very effective for
the drawing-room aud bed chambers,
and are particularly so when used with
a figured frieze. The frieze should be
of a different color, darker in shade and
very wide. The best hand-made goods
of this quality come from England, and
are beautifully done. American handmade
goods are much higher in price."
"Are Japanese stylos in much favor?"
was asked,
"Ob, yes. Everything that is Japanese
goes just now. The imported Japan
ese papers are made in imitation of raised
leather of various hues, worked in
odd flowers and grotesque figures. They
are worth from $12 to Slo apiece, and
can be used for dining-rooms, the hallway
or library. A greater favorite,
however, is the" Lincrusta-Walton wall
decoration, but it is much more expensiva.
It is made up in raised imitation
of bronze, silver, gilt and all fancy
woods, and is very durable.One advantage
is that when the wall happens to
crack the paper is rarely affected. The
figures, if desired, can be made to stand
out in bas-relief by a secret process, and
panels for wainscoting or to cover the
wnoie suriace 01 tne wan can oe maue
wonderfully life-like and handsome.
Some rolls of Lincrusta-Walton are
worth $4o and over.''
"Are paints and plaster much used?"
"Papier-mache is very frequently called
for to be made into combinations
with plain papers. Then there is comb-J
* -l i. r_ ?i_: i.i ^
uu pamx, wmcn is uiixa.-i;ismuu:iuiu.
The process consists in covering the
wall thickly with paint of the desired
shade, and then combing it before it
dries into fantastic fan-shaped lines and
curves. Plastcr-of-paris comes into use
in the same way as papier-mache, only
the figures are made heavier co<} more
prominent" ? Pittsburg Commercial
Gazette.
The annals of modern diplomacy de
scribe no event more important and
unique than the spectacle of Queen Victoria
and Mrs. Minister Phelps sitting
in a cozy room at Windsor Castle
drinking tea and comparing their respective
views on establishing the autonomy
of raspberry jam. This occurrence,
says the Philadelphia Press, can- j
not iau to draw me two groat .hngnsuspeaking
nations closer together in the
twnds of common sisterhood
WIT AND HOIOR.
An Ohio young man has been sound
asleep for three consecutive weeks. His
father emphatically declares that not
another copy of a London comic weekly
shall come into the house.?Drake's
Travelers' Magazine. *
It is somewhat strange that the Niagara
View Hotel burned down for the
lack of water. There is generally no
lack of water at Niagara. The rumor
that there was a scarcity is a Falls report?Detroit
Free Press.
Terrible Effects of Extension of the
Elective System: First Freshman?"Say,
old man, don't we want a bookcase?''
Second Freshman?"Xo; hang' the lux-*
uries! We need a wine closet and some
glasses."?Harvard Lampoon. ,
A new natural history says, "When a
lion becomes old and unable to injure
man his mane falls out" This is a valuable
hint If you happen to meet a
lion any time you can tell by examining _ _?
his mane whether to run or not?Nev)
Haven News.
In a restaurant after the "Mikado."
He?"Well, I suppose it will be fried
oysters as usual." She?"Don't say
fried oysters; call them 'something lingering
in boiling oil.' " He (failing to
catch on, aside)?"Great Scott! She's
going to order one of them expensive
dishes."?New York Tribune.
"Go back and tell your people to send
an immediate invitation to the Angel ,
Gabriel," was the reply of a prominent
divine to the committee from a Meriden
church, after they had stated the qualifications
which the pastor must possess
to be eligible to a call from their fastidious
congregation.?New London Telegraph.
Mrs. Ross has complained to the
Mayor that a two-storv brick house belonging
to her has been stolen and carried
away. It cannot be too earnestly
impressed on the people of Louisville
that, as they live so near to Ohio, it
would be a w'se precaution to take their
houses indoors at night?Louisville
Courier-Journal.
"This paper says a German professor
has discovered a way to make good, nutritious
bread out of wood." "Pshaw!
there's nothing curious about that"
"Nothing curious? Why, just think of
it?good, nourishing food from wood."
"Certainly; the poorest kind of board,
vnn Irnnw frmfains hrnnd."?TSinnham
ton Republican.
"What is your name?" asked the
Sheriff of an old negro who had come
in to pay his taxes. "Jim Fiy, sab,
fodder o' de late Mr/Fry." "How long
has your son been dead?" "He ain't
dead, de late Mr. Fry ain't" "Then
how can he be the late Mr. Fry?" "Case
he's neber on time?alius late, salt."?
Arkansaw Traveler.
Cremation is evidently making he*.dTr
J "J - n 1 1 -VV_ J i.1 _
way. li naictue couia nave kiiiku mis
method of disposing of the dead it
would have succumbed to the cartoon
printed some years ago, depicting a
small boy with a tin can in his hand
standing" at the open door of a crematory
and asking of the proprietor: _r-? *
' Please, sir, is daa done yet?"?Boston -r?-*r
"Hemld- , ,
^jS^Tebster to his employer, ail Austin
merchant "What is it?'* "De bookkeeper
kicked me, sah. I don't want
no bookkeeper ter kick me." "Of
coarse he kicked you. You don't exrjct
me to attend to everything, do you?
can't look after all the little details of
the business myself."?Texas Siflings.
"I wish I were yon star," he said
dreamily. "So do I," she returned
promptly, heroically sw allowing a yawn.
"And why, dear one," he asked impul?
sively, "why do you wish I were yon
brilliant orb?" "Because," she replied
in cold, matter-of-fact Bostonese tones,
"because yon brilliant orb is just 11,760,971
miles away." And he faded
silently out like a mist before a summer
sun.A
very pretty little girl, only 3 years
old, attracted the attention of passengers
in a New York train for this city
thp. ntVipr dftr. and finallv one gentle
~ w' "" ~~~~J ? W o
man succeeded in getting her upon his
knees. "Where are you going, sissy?"
he inquired. "I'm doin1 to Hartford,"'
said the child; adding eagerlv; "I've
dot on a new pair of flannel drawers!
Did you ever have a pair of flannel
drawers?"- Further inquiries were
smothered in the laughter of everybody
within hearing.?Hartford Times
Here is a o;ood election story from the
East End, which has not, I think, been
reported: Col. Cowan (of the Volunteers)
was reminding the independent
electors of Mile End that he had "done
the State some service." Then, with
virtuous pride, the gallant Alderman
put the question to nimself. "What
have I given you?" Before he could
reply, a voice'from the distance shouted,
"You guv me three months, Mr. Haider
man.:r?Lojidon Truth.
Last Sunday, as Parson Bledso passed
down Austin avenue, he noticed Uncle j
Mose hard at work in his front yard
mending the fence. "Don't yer know
dis am aer Lord's day?" "Yes, parson,
but I kept yesterday sacred for Sunday."
"Dar was no church sarvicesyesterday."
"Ob course not I means I went fishin\
an' cotched de biggest string ob fish
yer ebber saw. Yer don't expect a man
ter obsarve de Lord's day twist, does
yer?"?Texas Siftings.
rri. _ r_: ? j c ~ !.;?
JLUC lriuuua ui it ueiuiiu HIULL IU tuij
city, who occasionally lingers with the
wine-cup far too long for his own good
or that of his family, are just now having
a laugh at his "expense. His son,
poor little innocent, chanced to hear
some older people talking about sleep,
and piped in his_ childish treble after
tlxis fashion: "JPa gets awtui sleepy
sometimes; he came home the other
night and was so sleepy he couldn't get
in the house, but just laid down by the
wood-pile right out of doors."?Portland
Orcgonian.
Miss Jones?I do so wish to go to the
De Veres' dinner next Tuesday. You
are going, Mr. Dumb, are you not? Mr.
Dumb?Ah, tell the truth, I don't care
for that sort of - thing, you know.
Deucedly slow. Miss Jones?Yes, but
they are going to have a new style of
candelabra, on the table, I hear. " That
surely ought to tempt you. Mr. Dumb
?Well, you see, Miss Jones, fact is, I
don't care for candelabra much, vou
know. Miss Jones?You don't? Mr.
Dumb?Xaw; all kinds of canned fruit
disagree with me.?2*cw York Mail.
One of the passengers on the Katahdin
on her recent memorable trip was a
Allccorchrk n cn<x.
v?u\.tu; viuviui ?' uv uiibuu ?A
cialty of a remedy for seasickness,
which he has recommended very frequently
to his friends, and in the efficacy
of which he had the most unlimited
confidence. The Massachusetts doc
tor uses that remedy no more. As the
steamer went into Portsmouth Harbor
he came on deck, and in a sorrowful
tone of voice spake thus to one of the
officers: "If I ever take any more of
that villainous stuff I hope I may be
hung and quartered. It made me sicker
than a horse.1 ?Rockland Courier.