University of South Carolina Libraries
ISSUED TWICE A WEEK-WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY. I. m. grist & sons, Publishers. J % Jfamilg gjeuregaper: 4[or (he jpromotion of the political, Social, gLgriculturat, and Commercial Interests of (he $outh. |TER8iNoS'?orv,Y Rracra^.NCE' VOT, 4-R.~ YORKVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1897. ISTO. 5Q. BY HUGO ST. Fl Copyright, 1897, by the Author. Synopsis of Previous Installments In order that new readers of The Enquirer may begin with the following installment ot this story, and understand it just the same as though they had read it all from the beginning, we here give a synopsis of that portion of it which has already been published: Chapters I and II.?Harmon O. Westcott an American born to humble fortune, learns that he is endowed with the strength of Samson, but t'jat he must not use the gift except of necessity. III.?The young Samson, who has tested his strength, meets in Harold O. Westcott a physical double, born upon the same day. Harold is a bachelor of great wealth and without ties. Harmon reveals his secret and by way of example lifts an immense safe with ease, ana, taking a sword between the fingers of his left hand, snaps it in two like a pipestem. IV.?Harold is an amateur boxer, and. learning that Harmon is somewhat skilled in the art, engages him as his substitute in a match with a noted pugilist. The young Samson is an easy victor, and his double makes a contract with him to masquerade in the plumage of Harold O. Westcott for one year. Fie is installed in Harold's quarter's with a princely bank account, while the real Harold goes to Europe. CHAPTER V. my first day. All this occurred on a Wednesday night in May. Harold engaged passage on one of the outgoing steamers for Saturday, to remain away a year, during which time I was to be to all intents and purposes Harold, instead of Harmon, O. Westcott Much of the intervening time was spent by him in preparing me, so far aa he could, to face and dispose of the mat ters likely to come before me. Uf necessity there would be many little things which he forgot In those cases I must depend upon my own wit and ingenuity. "There will be any number of persons after money. They will insist that I promised them. I may have given some of them encouragement, but every distinct promise has been kept You will know how to dispose of them." "I think sa " "If they become obstreperous, throw them out, for some of them were not present at the debut of yourself and Mr. Mortimer and may not be aware of your capacity as a bouncer. My appearance is not calculated to strike terror to the ordinary heart, and you look just like me." I smiled, clearly foreseeing the nature of some of the coming interviewa A few days later I was alone in the handsome bachelor apartments long occupied by my friend, who had been so careful of his disguise in going aboard the steamer that he was pure no one suspected or dreamed of the truth. He took another name, as a matter of course, though the change was not great, being H. O. Walcott He promised to write me monthly and to hold himself ready to give me whatever counsel I might need. Since I was fully satisfied of the insincerity of many of the clubmen, I took no pains 10 Keep upon ineuuiy terms with them. When they called to cong .atulate me over the astoonding manner in which I knocked out the famous pugilist, I gave them to understand that I knew the trick they tried upon me and that no gentleman would have been guilty of anything of that nature. This caused a coldness between me and a number of the leading members, especially when I expressed a wish to try the same feat upon any -and all of them. I was as offish as they and held my head as high in air. "Who the deuce is this fellow?" I asked, holding the card in my hand, on which was engraved the name "Sam Johnson." I ordered the servant to show him in, and he quickly appeared, with a loud clearing of his throat and an overwhelming manner. He was large, flashily dressed, with dyed hair, side whiskers and mustache, an immense watch chain, slightly bald, and with the unmistakable marks of dissipation and fast living on his pimply countenance. He strode hastily across the apartment and extended his fat hand with great effusion. I allowed him to take mine, but did not return the pressure. "I hope you're welL By the horned spoon, I never saw you look better!" he exclaimed, as if the discovery caused his whole being to bubble with delight "lam well, but no better than usual. Why did you call to see me?" He flushed under this chilling greeting, but quickly rallied. "I've good news for you?the best of news." "What is it?" "We've floated the Queen. She is safe." "I didn't know that she had been in nuj UlUlgti, "Haw, haw, bawl As jolly as ever, eh, Harold, my boy? This mine is in the richest part of Colorado; 50 people were after it; had to play my points mighty fine, but I played 'em and won?eu* chred 'em all." "Well, what of it?" "That gives you tho chance of your life. You'll come in on the ground floor. You'll triple your money inside of six weeks, for things are booming." "How much did you expect me to put into this hole in the ground?" "Why, what you said?$20,000." "I have made up my mind not to put 20 cents into it" "But, good heavens, you promised!" he exclaimed, aghast and angry. "I made no promise. 1 told you I would think it over. I have done so, and you have heard my conclusion." I was self flattered by noting that this random shaft hit the mark exactly. "I s'pose that's true, but them words was as good as a promise. " "I don't regard them as such. It is useless to waste time. 1 look upon the NISTERE, M. D. whole thiug as a swindle, and you don't get a penny from ma" "By , but I will have it!" roared my caller, his face purple, as he rose from his chair. "You can't treat me IUUI way auu lUllUJUlc as muvu aa a ui a swindler." "1 don't intimate it; I say it You are a scamp, and if yon had your deserts would be behind prieon bars. If you do not leave at once, I'll throw you out." This was too much, and the infuriated rogue made for me. But he did not reach me. I had no right or wish to harm him. So I merely jammed him down so hard on the floor that it must have loosened several of his teeth. Then I opened the door tmd flung him through. "Go in peace." He went "I don't think Sam Johnson will ever give Harold much trouble after this, for even if I was gentle with him he discovered that I was his master? Hello I Come in!" ? ' V "Why have you been so long in calling, Mr8. Murphyf" beard it The door was gently pushed inward, and a woman stood before me. She was plainly dressed, but neat and clean looking, with pinched face that told of much suffering. A wan smile lit up her countenance as she saluted me, and she stood trembling and apprehensive. My heart went out to her at onoe. Possibly I was wrong, but I believed that whatever she represented herself to be that she was. "Sit down," I said kindly, pointing to a chair. "Did you walk up stairs?" "Yes, sir. There is a new boy running the elevator today." "What of it? Didn't I tell you always to take the elevator? What is it made for if not for ladies? If the boy makes any objection, let me know, and I will have him discharged." "Ye have always been kind to us, Mr. Westcott What would Mike and me do if it were not for yer goodness?" "Pshaw, there are plenty better than I, only you haven't found them I" "Nor any one else," she said, with a flash of her Irish wit This was one of the cases of which I had been informed by Harold. Mrs. Murphy was a poor, industrious woman who had buried two children and had a husband in the last stages of consumption. Harold had investigated her story and found her a worthy woman. "Why have you been 60 long in calling, Mrs. Murphy?" "Well, sir, the money which ye were kind enough to give me whin I came a fortnight since has kept poor Mike as comfortable as could bo, and, with the washing that I had, there was no need of trispassing on yer goodness, for which hiven will reward ye." "Nonsense! You mustn't wait until you're penniless, and why should you wear yourseii out witn wont wnon juiko needs your atteution? Let me see?it was $20 I handed you two weeks ago." "Excuse me, it was twinty-five." " Very well. Here's $50"? "God bliss ye I" she faltered, the tears filling her eyes. "None of that. You know I don't like it. If you run short, come whenever you need more, and, Mrs. Murphy," I added severely, "if you don't wish to offeud me, always take the elevator." I rose and accompiinied her to the elevator, ringing sharply. When the boy camo up, I said: "Tom, when this lady comes to call on mo, bring her up in the elevator. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir, but I'm afenrd"? "Shut up, or I'll cuff your ears! Step in, Mrs. Murphy. Goodbyl" 1 laid my hand in a fatherly way on her shoulder to help her. Before I could remove it she impulsively caught and kissed it At the same moment a hot tear dropped on the back of my hand, j And when I sank in a chair in my I room?I'm not ashamed to own it?there were tears in my own eyes. "That pays mo for all else, no matter what comes. If a man with wealth knew how to get the best good out of it there would be no such thing as ennui in this world." I had no intention of staying in my rooma It was a radiant day, with just enough coolness in the golden sunshine to make it an ideal one for an outing. I went to the stable where Harold kept his horse and had him saddled for a ride in the park. It may have been fancy on my part, but there wus something in the manner of Jack that made me half suspect he was not fully satisfied with me. It could not be, however, that his senses wero so much sharper than those of mankind, and I dismissed the thought its I vaulted into the saddle and cantered off. The pony had been standing so long iu the stable fhat he was fractions and caused me some concern, but after a i brisk ride along the roadway he calmed i down and became as tractable as a : child's animaL I continually encountered persons < who saluted me and whom, of course, I < saluted in return. 1 "Harold certainly has a large number of lady acquaintances," I thought as I raised my hat for the twentieth time. ] "He gave me little information about them, and I'm afraid I shall encounter i some breakers before I'm through. If matters get too hot I'll take a run out i of the city for a time? Hello!" A onnroVmr nhrrt hv mft on his wheel as if challenging a race with one of the i policemen who was certain soon to disoOver him. My horse shied a little, bnt ] not dangerously so. Just ahead of me < was a carriage, with the driver on top ] holding the reins over two spirited ani- j mala The sudden burst of the cyclist so < startled them that they plunged off at i headlong speed. The driver tugged at J the lines, but for tho time they were beyond control. A scream from within the i vehicle showed the terror of the occu- 1 pants, and the next thing I saw was a t woman that had opened the door and was trying to leap out, while some one j else, evidently a female, resolutely pre- < vented her. ] I spurred Jack forward and drew up < beside the vehicle. < "Don't jump, mudaml" I called. ( "You will be killed. Keep your seat, , and we'll check the team in a few min- j utes." ] "Mother, don't you hear him?" called , the one who was holding back the oth- j er. "Keep your seat It is Harold. Ha will save us!" j I had to spur Jack to his best before 1 ( could place myself within reach of the heads of the terrified tenm, but I did if j at last, and, while thus occupied, saw a , mounted policeman bearing down upon ( us. With his help I was sure all would j end well, provided the mother could be 5 restrained. Reaching forward, I seized tho bridla T rein of the near horse. In the excite- j ment of the moment I forgot my HtrenRth ( and drew back so furiously that tho | strap snapped, and the team continued , their wild flight without the slightest check. , I now determined to ride in front and , round to the opposite side, so as to grasp ] the other rein, remembering not to break { it flnk thft dfivil cot into Jack iust then. , and he refused to obey me. He shied td the right and came within a hair of unseating me. I was so enraged that 1 twisted his head back and dug the spura into his flanks. He whinnied with pain and became frantio. "Confound you I" I muttered. "Ihave a great mind to kill you! If it were not for those in the carriage, I would do it!" At that moment the form of a man flew through the air, striking the roadway as if burled from a catapult. It was the coachman, flung with frightful force from his seat, while tho team dashed madly on, with the strength of the daughter who was clutching her mother's dress evidently failing, for tho figure of the elder was partly through the open door and gathering herself for the fatal leap. CHAPTER VL A LETTER. Again my horse Jack showed his devilish temper. Urge him as I might, be would not place mo beside the heads of the running horses. When at their haunches, he began falling back. But I saw that one of the gallant policemen, who have done yeoman service so many times in similar cases of peril, was on the other side of the frenzied animals, had seized the bit of the horse nearest him and was fighting like a tiger with the furious beast But my interest centered in the middle aged woman, who was not only struggling to leap from the side door of the carriage but in the act of doing so. "Save her, ob, Hurold, save her, or 1 she will be killed!" called the daughter ( in agony, still clinging with desperate ' but waning strength to the loved form. 1 I was directly beside the woman and, ' extending my left hand, gave her a shove ' 60 violent that Hhe fell backward into 1 the lap of the daughter, who flung her arms about her mother and held hef < motionless. \ But in the act of leaning over to ' make my push effective tho infernal < Jack mado a quick shy to the right. 1 That brute knew that it was not his 1 master who was in tho saddle and re- 1 seuted it. As ho swerved the girth 1 snapped, and out I went upon the gravel ( with a forco that it would seem ought to have driven tho breath of life from 1 my body. ' And it camo mighty near doing so. 1 There was a shock as if I had been I struck by an express train, and all be- 1 camo darkness und oblivion. It was some two hours later that my < senses came back to me. I was lying on ' a cot in the hospital, with my head ' bandaged and a fierce pain flitting back 1 and forth down my left side. Tho phy- \ sician who had examined my hurts was gone, but one of the sweet faced nurses ' was seated in a chair, looking kindly into my face. Meeting my inquiring ' stare, she said in her low, soft voice: 1 "You had a severe falL " [ "Yes. It is a wonder I was not killed. Do you know whether I have any bones I broken?" "The doctor said not. You are suffer- 1 ing from severe bruises and the shock." I moved my limbs. The sharp twinge |' made me wince. , "I would not do that,"gently re- 1 monstrated my attendant "It only adds ' to your suffering and can do no good." ' "Tell me how the people in the car- 1 riage fared. They were in great danger i at the time I was flung from my horse." 1 "The policeman managed to stop the carriage before anything serious occur- 1 red. The coachman had both legs broken ' and is in a dangerous condition, but ' neither the daughter nor her mother < suffered injury." "Thank God for that!" was my fer- ' vent exclamation as I settled back on 1 my pillow. ITy attendant gave me a soothing lotion, and I soon sank into a refreshing slumber, which lasted until the following morning. By that time I was astonished at my own condition. The physician made another examination and pronounced me free from serious injury. "I was afraid of a fracture of your left leg, but I find it all right. You have been pretty well bruised and will be stiff and sore for several days, but there is nothing beyond that By the way, are you the possessor of a remark able degree of strength?" I flushed, but answered: "Yes; I am said to be unusually rtrong. Why do you ask?" "Yonr muscles are not abnormally large, bnt there is something very peculiar about them. They are literally as hard as iron. I never saw anything like it" "I have devoted no more of my life to exercise than do many young men, but nature gave me great muscular power from the first" "I heard, Mr. Westoott that at your club last week you nearly killed a professional pugilist knocking him off the Jtage and half way across the room." "Yes, that was cleverly done, though it is I who say it, but there's a good leal of humbug about these professional pugilists. They acquire a certain degree )f skill, and their reputation is their capital. They indulge in excesses and lissipation and go back as fust as they ivent forward. This fellow thought he iad an easy tiling in mo and was careess. He gave an opening, and I took Advantage of it That's all there was to t" "Nevertheless it was a marvelous performance. I should hate to run against your fist, Mr. Westcott" "There iB no danger of that," I remarked, with a laugh, turning in bed with so little inconvenience that I immediately sat upright "But did you attend the ladies who were in the carnage?" "No, I am not their physician, but I mderstand they were not injured, hough the elder would have leaped to certain death had you not thrust her cack when she was in the act of doing 10. The ladies"? The medical man paused, and I unlerstood why. He did not know their lames and halted for me to prompt him. But I was silent, for I was as ignorant is he. "There was unexpected good fortune ill round, excepting in the case of the Iriver, who seems to have been pretty svell battered up." "When can I go home, doctor?" "At once if you wish, but why not remain here for a few days? You could lot be in better hands." "I will think it over." A few minutes later he bade me good lay. I lay for some minutes in thought Who were the ladies in the carriage? Evidently they were old acquaintances if Harold, for the younger addressed me by his name. The circumstances were lot favorable, and I did not get a good new of her face, though I saw enough ? show that she had an unusually attractive personality. "It is odd that Harold told me nothing about her, but he gave little infornation of his female friends. The most particulars which I received were consenting Mrs. Murphy." It was all important that 1 should mow something about the two whom I lad attempted to rescue, with the result :hat the job was completed by the policeman. "It will be easy enough," I reflected ib I began adjusting my garments, jvhich the attendant, with some gentle protestations, placed within reach. A few minutes later I went out from the hospital. I would not use a carriage, for that would have been a confession of weakness, and for the same reason I refused to accept the cane that ivas offered to ma It took some resolu;ion and compression of the lips for me to walk with my usual gait and with rot the appearance of suffering, but 1 succeeded, and it was a good thing for ne, for the exercise did wonders in limbering the muscles, so that when I reached my apartments scarce a trace of my hurts remained. It was to be expected that before Harjld left the country he arranged matters so as to prevent any letters falling into my hands whose secrets he wished to keep. I know that he sent out many nissives which presumably were for that purpose, for it was understood that whatever missives reached his rooms were to be opened by me, and I was to io with them as I saw fit When I passed into the attractive apartments, I found two letters which aad come during my brief absence. The writing, of course, was unfamiliar, but a jlance showed that one was from a woman and the other from a man.. "That," I mused, holding off the ielicate white envelope, with its pretty superscription, "is from the young lady whom I tried to help yesterday. Something tells me that it is the opening of an era in my life. I will leave it to the last, and meanwhile find out what this fellow is driving at" It was an ordinary envelope, the di rtJCUUU 1U uxj unimiu) uuoiucra xjcmju, and I sat down, with my elbow leaning du the table and my side toward the light, crossed my legs (somewhat gingerly) and deliberately read the following astounding missive, which was dated two days before in the city of Chicago: Deak Jed?All promises well, but matters ire still in a delicate situation. Some of the farmers have settled in Eunsos and Mill reap good crops if the grasshoppers don't bother them. The same Is true of the Dakotas, of Texas and the southwest. Maybe the good work will extend to California. We're sure to win in the long run, but it's?expensive. Only the true stuff can bo used at this stage of the game. Bend ten thousand by return mail to my address at the Auditorium. Bddd. I read this extraordinary missive through several times, until every word was impressed upon my memory. I turned the sheet over and looked at the Dther side. Not another word was written, nor was there the slightest clew to the identity of "Budd" of the Auditorium hotel, at Chicago. I held the envelopo up to the light, but .nothing was there to enlighten me. The direction was to Mr. H. 0. Westcott, so there could be no doubt thaj it was intended for tho owner of these rooms, who was then upon the ocean, and that it was in accordance with our understanding that the letter was opened by me and was to be disposed of by no other person. But what in the name of the seven wonders could it mean? Except for the closing sentences, I would have been unable to make even a conjecture. The "true stuff" could signify nothing else but good money, for it was followed immediately by a demand for the remittance of a large sum. A oil fUia tTflfl TIT). XlUllJllllJU^ Uii VUiOl T? UJVM flMW ?questionable, the references in the opening of the missive must be to bad money. The "farmers" were the counterfeits that were being sent into different parts of the west, and consequently the 'grasshoppers" must be the detectives or officers that were sure to be hot on the trail of the "shovers of the queer." Such was the interpretation I put upon this remarkable document which had come into my hand, and the more I thought of the matter the more certain did I feel that I was right, though never forgetful of the possibility that I might be wholly wrong from the beginning. Often after a theory is once formed all subsequent discoveries seem to fit it exactly, until the final discovery knocks everything to smithereens. Here, as I viewed it, was a clear indication of some illegitimate scheme afoot in which Harold VVestcott held a personal interest. No criminal would dare make so direct a demand upon him for money unless he had solid foundation upon which to base the demand. Harold was one of the principals. All of which confirmed a shadowy suspicion that had never been wholly absent from me?namely, that the man had cogent reasons for wishing to "disappear" for a year other than the one he gave me. Surely a person who has an abundance of money and who leads an upright life has no cause to fear a residence in New York. My reflections awoke a resentful feeling toward Harold Westcott. His conduct was cowardly in thus enticing another into a trap in order to avoid the penalty he himself had incurred. Suppose worse came to worse and I fell into the hands of the law officers. I oould not deny my identity. The only possible doubt of that was in the mind of thfi virions hrnte Jack, and his testi mony would hardly avail me. Could it be that I was in error, and that the scheme was a lawful one? The best way out was to ascertain the truth. I read this extraordinary missive through several times. I would write to "Budd," tolling him that before complying with his request I must have more particulars. I pondered for a few minutes, and then wrote such a telegram. The only way to address it was to "Budd, Auditorium Hotel, Chicago." It was so addressed and asked him to give more particulars. With some hesitation, I appended the following: "Have met with an accident; brain hardly clear; instruot me how to address you." The message was gone, and, reflecting but a moment upon it, I awoke to the fact that a second letter lay before me awaiting attention. "Ah, now we shall see what the grateful young lady has to say!" TO BE CONTINUED. tGT During the courtship of Mr. Dis- j raeli, afterward Lord Beaconsfleld, and Mrs. WyndDam .Lewis, airs. .Lewis was living near Cardiff, when through the window she saw Mr. Disraeli approaching, and ordered the servant to say she was not at home. When the servant descend to the hall, Mr. Disraeli was hanging his overcoat on a peg. "Mrs. Lewis, sir, is not at home, said the flurried maid. "I did not ask for Mrs. Lewis," was the calm, statesmanlike reply. "But I don't know when she will be back," urged the maid. "Neither do I," philosophically replied he; "but I am going to wait till she does come back ; so make me some tea." He did wait, he got his tea, and married the widow. Bees As Messengers.?It is reported that an English bee-keeper has successfully experimented with^bees as carriers of messages, and thinks that, in 9ome respects, they are superior to pigeons for the purpose. The message, photographed in microscopic characters, is fastened between the insect's wings. It is the habit of the bee to rise in the air, and then fly straight home. Being invisible, except when close at hand, it is suggested that such a bearer of despatches in war would be quite safe from the bullet9 of the enemy. Boots For Votes.?Corruption in A Tfrolir elections IS VC1J V? lucopi tau 1U IWI jr. An old way was to cut a bank note in two, giving one-half to the voter before the election, and the other half if the candidate gained his seat. This election an idea more luminous was put into practice by a candidate in the constituency composed mainly of peasants. He bought 500 pairs of good solid boots, one of which he gave to each man, promising the mate when he was elected. In that district now 500 pairs of new shoes are tramping about the fields. 1 pteaUanaiu* grading. ABSURD POPULAR BELIEFS. The Reason Why Medical Fakirs Prosper. "Nine out of ten people believe," said a surgeon to the writer, "that the eye can be taken out for repairs, just like the works of a watch, and again replaced in the socket precisely as it was before. A moment's reflection to show anyone how impossible this would be. As a matter of faet, the eye is held in place by no fewer tban six taut muscles, and, in order to turn it out of the socket^ at least four of these would have to be cut through. Besides, it is connected with the brain by a thick nerve which cannot be stretched, and it is also connected with the inside of the skull by blood-vessels, and if these were cut they could ? -Aim! PopKana a fl mo liever uc iouuucu. a vi M v.uiv will come when a dead man can be restored to life; but you may feel perfectly sure tbat the removal and restoration of the eye \i a surgical feat that will never be performed. "Another extraordinary popular belief is tbat respecting the nature of a common cold. You will bear the most intelligent men saying tbat it is due to an excess of cold inside your body, and tbey will advise you to use a mustard plaster 'to draw out the cold.' In reality the cold is simply an excess of beat inside, and the mustard plaster is intended to draw out the heat. What happens when you get a cold is that the cooling of the outside of the body squeezes the blood-vessels, and forces a lot more blood into the lungs than can be accommodated. They become regularly flooded and gorged, and the result is really a fever, though we call it a cold. "It seems a small thing to make a mistake'abouc the value of beef tea to a sick man ; but I can assure you that hundreds of lives have been lost through the popular error that beef tea is a nourishing food. It is nothing more than water in which the pleasant and stimulating salts of the beef are dissolved, and has the same effect as a mixture of whisky and China tea. But it has scarcely a particle of nutriment, and both doctors and public have starved to death more people than I'd like to state through >>elieving tbat it has. "Very similar is the belief that an egg is as good as a pound of meat. If you feed yourself on eggs according to this absurd theory, you will simply shrivel up into skin and bones. The real value of an egg is its weight in good beef; so that it would take eight eggs of the average size to supply the place of a pound of meat. "Then there is the universal fallacy about the liver. I daresay that a million of money is spent every year on the livers of Great Britian, and about nine hundred thousand of that sum does harm instead of good. The liver is subject to about one hundred diseases, and the cure for any one of these may intensify any other of the ninety-nine. To take one case as an example: The liver may be making too much bile, or it may be making too little. Obviously, the remedy for one of these disorders would make the other worse than ever. So that when a person recommends something as being 'good for the liver,' just think that it may be good for his liver, but not for yours. "Women are far worse than men in their beliefs about the body and its ailments. I am quite sure that out of every hundred children who die under one year old, fifty are actually killed through the mother's belief that food is not nourishing unless it is solid. They don't understand that milk has an immense amount of solid matter dissolved in it, as sugar iB dissolved in water ; and so they give the unfortunate children cornflour and bread, which they can no more digest than they could digest iron nails. The result is a short life of misery and then death, while those of us who manage tc survive are made martyrs to dyspepsia all our days. i "Many beliefs are merely absurd without being dangerous. Hair, for J -/ -1 ik. instance, is composed 01 uimuai> iuc same material as the finger nails, and it is perfectly dead. Cutting the ends of it cannot possibly make it grow, although it does prevent the hair from splitting up ; nor can the hair become white in a night, any more than a wig. When novelists, too, by the way describe a person's hair as stand on end, they speak of a phenomenon that is perfectly impossible. Many of the lower animals have little muscles attached to the hair by which they can erect them ; human beings have no such muscles, nor any other means of making the hair stand on end except their hands or a comb and brush." A JOKE ON JERKY SIMPSON. "Where is Jerry Simpson ?" Probably a hundred members of congress have asked themselves and others that question during the last three days that the house has been in session, says the Washington Post, for bills have been called up by unanimous consent and passed, and Jerry was not there to object. Such unexplained absence was enough to create comment, as Jerry had pledged his word in open debate that he should never give his consent when unanimous consent was asked, and one objection was as good as 100 in such a case. "Why is the gentleman from Kansas absent ? No notice of his sickness has appeared." Thus asked one member yesterday, and to him another replied: "Well, you see, several of the boys had some little bridge bills?merely formal authorizations, which had already passed the senate?which they wanted to get through, and it was necessary to get Jerry out of the way. The took Clerk McDowell into their confidence, and this is the way it was done : " 'Say, Jerry,' said McDowell to the KaDsan, 'wouldn't you like to take a run home aDd see the folks for a little while, since the house has decided to do nothing? A fellow offered me a pass the other day. I can't go, but I can get the pass for you if you would like it.' "Jerry swallowed, the bait, hook and all, and that is why he is out in Kansas now and the bills have gone through." This story was telegraphed to Kan sas last night, and Jerry may be expected here before the gavel falls Thursday. COST OP A RAILROAD CAR. Some Interesting Details From the Pennsylvania Railroad Shops. The auditing department of a great American railroad 'Corporation rivals in respect of its records and transactions a governmental department. The earnings of all the lines of the Pennsylvania railroad system in a year average about $130,000,000 and the gross earnings of the Vanderbilt lines amount to rather * more?$45,000,000 from the New York Central, $21,000,000 from the Lake Shore, $10,000,000 from the West Shore and Nickel Plate, $33,000,000 from the Chicago and Northwest, $13,000,000 from the Michigan Central and about $15,000,000 from collateral lines or systems. These figures are large, but they appear still larger when they are compared with items of Federal revenue. The total receipts of the United States government from customs during the fiscal year ending in 1896 were $150,000,000 and from internal revenue taxes $146,000,000. The two together made up $293,000,000 of public revenue for the government of the affairs of a nation of 75,000,000 inhabitants, but the two railroad systems referred to represented together receipts of $275,000,000 and if a third big railroad system were added the receipts of the Federal government would be exceeded. The accounts of big railroad corporations require care and much bard work, and the system of precise bookkeeping in railroad accounts (now a special branch of accounting) has been carried close to the point of perfection by the Pennsylvania railroad, which, for instance, gives to the fiaction of a rent the exDenses incident to the con struction of a car or a locomotive. There are 30,000 passenger cars and 8,000 baggage, mail and express cars in actual use on the railroads of the United States, and the ordinary passenger car costs anywhere from $4,000 to $5,000, the difference representing added improvements in furnishing. There has recently appeared a detailed statement of the cost of constructing at the Altoona shops of the Pennsylvania railroad a sample, firstclass, modern, up-to-date, luxurious passenger car, and some of the items are of interest. The wheels and axles represent a cost of $332.25; the trucks upon which the car rests cost $533.62; the airbrake represents $181.75; the seat fixtures?25 in number- -cost $50.50; the three bronze lamps, $18.60; the two gas tanks, $84; the chandeliers, $50.72, and the item of screws, which might not appear to be an important one, $51.88. For the building of a car like the one taken in illustration 2,480 feet of poplar wood, 8,434 of ash, 1,100 of white pine, 2,350 of yellow pine, 450 feet of hickory, 400 of cherry, 700 of Michigan pine, 500 of oak, and 439 of maple veneer were required. To build the car there was required in addition 13 gallons of varnish, 45 pounds of glue and nearly 3,000 pounds of iron, exclusive of 800 pounds of iron castings. For the furnishing of the car there were required 69 yards of scarlet plush, 44 yards of green plush, 61 yards of sheeting and 243 pounds of hair. The springs on the car seats cost $43.17. The basket racks cost $77.35, the sash levelers $42, the bronze window lifts $24.40 and the gold leaf for the embellishment of the woodwork $14.58. For the window fasteners $15.47 worth of material was required, two stoves cost $77.56, and the tin used on the roof of the car $41.44. The labor in the con struction of the car represented a cost of $1,263.94, bringing up the expenditure to more than $4,400.?New York Sun. Filling For Nail Holes.?The following method of filling up nail holes in wood is not only simple, but said to be effectual: Take fine sawdust and mix into a thick paste with glue, pound it into the hole, and when dry it will make the wood as good as new. Frank Christian, Jr., in Stoves and Hardware, says he has followed this for 30 years, with unvarying success in repairing b ;llows, which is the most severe test .;nown. Often by frequent attachment of new leather to old bellows frames, the wood becomes so perforated that there is no space to drive the nails, and even if there was, the remaining holes would allow the air to escape. A treatment with glue and sawdust paste invariably does the work, while lead, putty, and other remedies always fail. Six Rules For Lamps.?1. Let the wick always touch the bottom of the lamp, and trim the top square and even, cutting off the corners. In students lamps rub off* the crust on the a/iofcs and noverout them. 2. Fill lamps within half an inch of the top. If too full the oil runs out, and especially when lighted, greasing everything that touches it. 3. In lighting, turn wick up slowly, that the chimney may heat gradually and thus not crack. 4. Keep the wick turned high enough to burn freely. If too low a poisonous and explosive gas is generated. 5. A free draught is as necessary with a lamp as with a fire, so keep all parts free from dirt. 6. Wash chimneys in hot suds and polish them with old newspapers.