Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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8 THE LEDGER: GAFFNEY, 8. C« APRIL 14, 1898. LATEST COTTON MILL NEWS. ITBMS OF INTEREST TO TEX TILE WORKERS Morth and South Carolina Mills, Their Improvements and Their Ad- vancements—Opera tive Personals. TSouthern and Western Textile Excelsior] John T. Norris has became overseer •f spinning at the Millfort Mill, Ft. Mill, S. C. Arch Ennis, of Charlotte, N. C., last Monday took charge of the card ing in the Millfort Mill, Ft. Mill, S. C. Ossipee Cotton Mills, a few miles from Elon College, N. 0., are making ■oine improvements in their dyeing plant. Jas. West hasch-tngei from Clinton £. C., Cotton Mills to become 2d hand spinning room at the Toccoa (da. Cot- ten Mills. H. Pennington, of Chester, S. C., has removed to Greensboro, N. C., to take a loom fixer’s position in the Proximity Mills. Robert James has loft the employ ment of the Southern Cotton Mills, Bessemer City. X. C., to enter the Coiled States Navy. Mr. Smith, who was succeeded as averseer of carding with the Aiken Mfg. Co., Hath, S.C., by Wm. Jenkins, has gone North with his family. A decree for the sale of the Stan dard Cotton Mills, Rock Hill, S. C., was signed at Charleston this week ly United States Judge Simonton. The Jonesviile. S. C., Knitting Mills are negotiating with machinery dealers and will shortly order four or More knitting machines for knitting men’s hose. A repeat order for Saco & Pet tee Machine Shop revolving top cards has been placed by the Victor Mfg. Co., Greers, S. C., with the Charlotte Machine Co, The Alpha Cotton Mills, Charlotte, will start night work in two weeks, and are now advertising for extra hands. They are now putting up some new shafting. Harry B. Setzler. formerly super intendent of the Beaumont Mills, Spartanburg, S. C., is now the card room boss in the negro cotton mill at Charleston, S. C, The Lowell Machine Shop, Lowell, Mass., is shipping spoolers and twisters to the Sterling Cotton Millw at Franklinton, N. C., for their addi tional 4.0UU spindles outfit. The Brooks Mfg. Co., which we noted lust year as establishing a cot ton batting mill, etc., at Greers, S. C., have now taken out incorporation papers, capital stock, .f l.OOO. D. B. Rodman, superintendant and E. F. Amack, overseer of the Walhalla H. 0., Cotton Mills have resigned. J. W. Walker has taken charge of the carding and spinning at night. We learn that the Chatham Mfg. Co.. Elkin, N. C., is disposing of the largest part of its output of blankets to a big woolen mill in one of the Western States, who say they can buy these excellent goods of Chatham Mfg. Co., cheaper than they can manufacture them. WennonahCotton Mills.Lexington, N. C., have placed an order for one iKlahunty raw stock dyeing machine latest pattern, with “indestructable” metal cylinder. They are also hav ing installed a Sturtevant system of conveying cotton to and from open ing or lupper room to dye house. Mill Engineer Geo. E, Ladshaw, of Spartanburg, S. C., is busily engaged at present preparing plans and speci- licutions for the new factory of the Me Aden Mfg. Co., McAdensville, N. C. He will also furnish plans for the reorganization of the power and bead driving plants of their mills. A $7.0,000 cotton mill is planned to ho built at Norwood, N. C., a town of a couple hundred inhablte.nts at the terminus of the branch of the Southern railway southeast from Salisbury. The plan is to build a b 000 spindle yarn mill, for which a local company is being formed, the organizers being E. M. Asbury and L. H. Lentz, both of Mt. Holly, N. C. A good joke is told on u Spartan- fc'irg, 8. C.. physician who was called to see a patient at Arkwright Mills who had some blisters on his arm. The doctor pronounced it smallpox or the new disease. The boy then told the truth and said that he had some hot lard to get on his arm on Sunday before while frying some eggs out in the woods, and only prac ticed the ruse to get out of the mill for a few days.—Headlight. The Globe Mills, Rock Hill, S. C., purchased at receiver’s sale a month »go by a syndicate of local business men headed by Jno. R. London and Carey, Bayne Jc Smith, New York, commission merchants, is being re organized. The new company is known as the Victoria Mills, and has been chartered, capital $75,000. It /» expected that the 7,800 spindles and 320 looms will be started up in short order, as the market is very good now on colored goods. At a special meeting of the stock holders of the Bamberg. 6. C., Cotton Mills last week, an issue of $10,000 »ix per cent. 15-year bonds were ruled, a majority of which will be taken there, the others are being ne gotiated for in Ba'timore. It is re ported that the $40,000 thus secured will be spent for new machinery, A 5,000 bale bonded cotton warehouse is also to be built at Bamberg. It will be buW* on-the latest Improved plans and fitted throughout with au tomatic sprinklers and fire apparatus. The annual meeting of the Charles ton, 8. C., Cotton Mills, employing negroes, was held at the People’s National Bank there this week, and the old board of directors was unani mously re-elected. At a subsequent meeting of the directors C. O. White was re-elected president and E. H. Sparkman, secretary. The meeting was quite a long one, and the direc tors heard a very encouraging report from Stephen Green, the consulting engineer and manager. Mr. Green had made a thorough examination of the mill, and his report was quite fa vorable as to the condition and pros pects of the concern. W. M. Williams has changed from the Dover Yarn Mills, Pineville, N. C., to the Monroe, N. C., Cotton Mills; C. P. Mims, from Clifton, S. C\, Mills, to Whitney, S. C., Mills: W. A. Henderson, from Wayne Cotton Mills, Goldsboro, N. C., to Hope Mills, N. C.; F. W. Goodman, from Newberry, S. C., Mills to Richlands Mills, Columbia, S. C.; Wm. Ellison from Rock Hill, S. C., to the Abbe ville, S. C., Mills; Eugene Stewart from Pelzer, S. C., Mills, to Ander son, S. C., Mills; John W. Shaver, from Riverside Mills, Danville, Va., to Greenville, S. C.; M. L. Murray, from Gibbonsville, N. C., to Graham, N. C. Thirty-five years make a genera tion. That is how long Adolph Fisher, of Zanesville, O.. suffered from piles. He was cured by using three boxes of DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney, and Macon Thornton’s Pharmacy, Blacksburg. Beware the fury of a patient man. —English. It is a great leap from the old fashioned doses of blue-mass and nauseous physics to the pleasant little pills known as DeWitt’s Little Early Risers. They cure constipa tion, sick headache and biliousness. Cherokee Drug Company. Gaffney, and Macon Thornton’s Pharmacy, Blacksburg. Let not your tongue cut your throat.—Arabic. Children like it, it saves their lives. We mean One Minute Cough Cure, the infallible remedy for coughs, colds, croup, bronchitis, grippe, and all throat and lung troubles. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney, and Macon Thor nton’s Pharmacy, Blacksburg. You cannot rivet a nail in a po tato.—Japanese, e. . The farmer, the mechanic and the bicycle rider are liable to unexpected cuts and bruises. DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve is the best thing to keep on hand. It heals quickly, and is a well known cure for piles. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney, Macon Thornton’s Pharmacy, Blacksburg. Women, wind and luck soon change.—Portuguese. M. L. Yocum, Cameron, Pa., says: ;, I was a sufferer for ten years, try ing most all kinds of pile remedies, hut without success. DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve was recommended to me. I used one box. It has ef fected a permanent cure." As a permanent cure for piles DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve has no equal. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney, and Macon Thornton's Pharmacy Blacksburg. ’Tis the frog’s tongue that bstrays him.—Haytian. Thousands of sufferers from grippe have been restored lo health by One Minute Cough Cure. It quickly cures coughs, colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, grippe, asthma, and all throat and lung diseases. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney, and Macon Thornton’s Pharmacy. Blacksburg. Fools do at lust what the wise do at first.—Portuguese. A little boy asked for a bottle of "get up in the morning us fust as you can,’’ the druggist recognized a household name for "DeWitt’s Little Early Risers," and gave him a bottle of those famous little pills for con stipation, sick headache, liver and stomach troubles. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney and Macon Thornton’s Pharmacy, Blacksburg. It is easy to sit at the helm in fair weather.—Danish. A torpid liver robs you of ambition and ruins your health. DeWitt's Little Early Risers cleanses the liver, cures constipation and all stomach and liver troubles. Cherokee Drug Company, Gaffney, and Macon Thornton's Pharmacy, Blacksburg. What is the use of running when we are not in the right road?—Ger man. Success—Worth Knowing. ■S) yenrs’ success In the South, proves li uklies' Tonic a irront remedy for (.'hills mul all Malarial Fevers. Hotter than Quinine. (Guaranteed, try It. At HruKKlsts. nOc and $1 00 bottles. No-To-llac for Fifty Cents. Guaranteed tobacco habit cure, makes weak uicu siruuy, blood pure. 60c. >1. All druauista CASEY’S LITTLE BOY. Casey's little boy was ono the neighbors didn't like, A&d Parson Booker called him once an 1 ‘onery little tyke” Becanae the boy at divers timea—hedld It Juat for fun— Would give the parson’s study bell an awful pull and run. Of freckles Casey's little boy had plenty and to spare. He had a saucy upturned noae and likewise “sandy" hair, And all the neighbors chided him for all the mischief done, But “Ah, gowan!” was the response he gave to every one. He hardly over went to achool—he didn’t have the time. He had so many brooks to wade, §o many trees to climb. So many funny boats to sail and water wheels to build. With all those more important things his busy Ijkind was filled. And Sunday school and church to him wore not a joy, alas! If left to his desires ho would calmly let them pass. He hatnd rules of conduct and was nearly al- ways.seized With an immense desire to bo doing as he pleased. There used to be a water mill about a mile away Where Casey’s little boy would go and loiter every day. Ho loved to watch the water as It hurried through the race, And scores of other pleasures seemed to center in the place. Ono day th« miller’s little girl fell In the rush ing stream As Casey's little boy came by and heard her frightened scream. He dove beneath the wave and brought her safely to the bank Just as his own poor strength gave out. He tottered back and sank. The funeral was very large, and everybody cried And took their grief to heart, as though their dearest friend had died. And now they've built a monument that time cannot destroy Which says, ''Here Lies a Hero,” meaning Casey’s little boy. —Nixon Waterman in L. A. W. Bulletin. STORY OP A MAYOR. Peter Lonergan was Ashcroft’s first mayor. Ashcroft was oue of those satel lite towns whose existence was duo principally to a handful of unfortunate prospectors who had wandered from the central mining star. Aspen, Colo., was Ashcroft’s mining star. Lonergan was a Scotch •Irishman, 6 feet 6 inches in height, with a decidedly apologetic stoop. 'His eyes were blue, his hair shaggy red, and for lack of a razor and as a time saver ho wore a full heard. Pete had fought in tho civil war and prided himself on being an American miner to tho core. Big finds were being made at Ash croft, and she had claims which were panning oat rich stuff. Part of her pop ulation was composed of a certain ele ment recognized in all the new camps of Colorado, Now Mexico and Arizona as bad men. Poto knew a bad man and could han dle him. That was ono reason for his election. The winning of a mining camp office is usually through individ ual merit. Justice is close to tho surface in all such camps—that is, tho justice which weighs a man’s character and treats him according to the marking of tho scales. It is true that tho miner, in judging of a companion’s worth, entire ly sets asido the enthusiasm which prompts his comrade to talk half the night about a prospect hole which will pan out tho richest stuff on record. Such o weakness is overlooked, for oven tho disconrser knows ho eulogizes; so do his hearers, and no harm is done. If after six months’ residence in a mining camp a popular demonstration is made in a man’s favor, ho may be sure ho has assayed at a high figure. Thus it was in Peter’s case. And now he had won a distinction which would follow him through all camps—ho was Ashcroft’s first mayor. Tho first few months Peter dignified tho offico with his presence were filled with hard work and considerable risk. Threats meant for the mayor’s ears al ways reached them, but his duty, ho said, was located and patented, and ho intended working it out. And he did. It was not the gambler ho was after, for cards and tables were necessities, and the hanker was obliged to be straight, but it was the bad man who hastened into camp on his mission of hold up, claim jumping, crookedness and general meanness that Pete looked for and found. So it was that the first few months were busy ones, hut this work brought its reward, for some of tho bad men left—a few were buried outside of the town—and Pete won a wide repu tation for being uncomfortably quick with his gun and hasty in temper when executing tho high duty the cuizcns of Ashcroft had imposed on him. Finally offico duties slackened and Pete had time for thought. His thoughts centered upon a subject which made him look slightly ill at ease. They were thoughts without verbal outlet. Pete had no confidants. The mayor of Ashcroft was in love and engaged to be married. Yet for a year he had lived in this lit tle mining camp and no oue bad known a word of his secret. No one over heard Pete reveal anything about hir private affairs or his family and no one ever dared ask a question. This mining etiquette—it saves trou ble and prejudice—is one item of an unwritten code of social mining laws worthy of stndy and adoption outside of a camp. The thought that troubled Pete most, now that be had time to dwell on it, was how to get out of camp without revealing his mission—that of being married. It was a matter close to Pete’s heart, too close to be commented upon by Ashcroft. Then there was an other reason for silence; he knew tho boys would give him a send off, and he wished to avoid it, for he was a modest man and hated fuss and show. Ho oould well afford to marry, for though he was not rich he had had fair- ly good luck. His claims Paradox uud Prospect were In his name alone—not a third nor a sixteenth interest belonged to any one else. Not that be was close, but mining was a principle with Loner- g an and a partner sometimes interferes with principles, so even though a cash interest might have aided the develop ment of his claims and at times forced him over bad places be chose to remain comparatively poor or uncertainly rich. Oue night while standing at the hotel bar talk drifted from paying shippers and new strikes to the last bad man who bad been iu camp. This was Pete’s chance. Downing his “three fingers’ with an experienced gulp, he turned to the crowd and said: “Boys, there’s a d d bad man leav ing this town tomorrow, and it’s my purpose to follow that vein if I go to Missouri for it,” and there he stopped, for it was a long sentence for the mayor. A few of Ashcroft’s citizens stood in front of the saloon the next morning, and remembering the mayor’s remark the night before scanned the ^passengers in the Aspen coach, but saw only two, the mayor and the surveyor, so they concluded that the bad man Pete had told them of had gone away the night before in bis own outfit, and Ashcroft never questioned tho authority of her mayor to leave the important functions of bis office to do a neat detective job. It was only a day over two weeks when the Concord coach, covered with dust, rolled up iu front of tho St. Elmo hotel at noon, and to the amazement of the two dozen curious spectators Peter Lonergan stepped out and then turned to assist a very small woman through the narrow door of the coach. Peter bad not spoken a word nor recognized by a nod any of the citizens surrounding him, but they noticed with smiles that he wore a new suit of civilized cut clothes, now shoes—not hoots—and to their amazement his whiskers had been clipped. Conjectures as to his companion were varied in tho minds of his audience un til the driver unstrapped the boot of the coach and threw down the leather cov ering, and there revealed to the gaze of the dumfouuded bystanders a new trunk. On one end of it was stenciled iu black letters “Mrs. P. Lonergan, Ashcroft, Colorado. ’’ The gossip of Ashcroft had up to this time been chiefly confined to rich strikes, new leads or lodes, of the possi bility of money coming into camp, hut the sight of that trunk revolutionized social enstoms there, and like a fire brand to alfalfa flew tho many forked tongue of gossip, spreading in a few hours from the town to the hills tho nows that Pete was back without his man. The joke was on the boys, the drinks were on the town, for he had brought back a wife. If it had been any other man than the mayor! Gossip was verified by fact as the long string of citizens filed into the hotel and then out of it after having scanned tho consump tive, dirty register with its last inscrip tion, “Peter Lonergan and wife, Ash croft, Colo.” Now the hearty good feeling every man entertained for the mayor came promptly to the surface, and that after noon a committee was formed to give “Pete and his woman” a ball at the hotel and instructed to spare no expense. A team was sent to Aspen for the mu sic, and two of the committee were or dered to hnstlo up the finest grub that ever had been laid out us a spread iu Ashcroft. Everything was to he eon- ducted secretly, and the ball would have been a great surprise had it uot been for the proprietor of the St. Elmo, who ap preciated the fact that Pete and his wife had had a loug journey from the east and a 12 mile stage drive that morning and might need a rest before the hall. Accordingly he took Pete aside and said: “Mayor, you’ve got the joke on the boys, and they hold up their hands, but between ns they are getting up a ball in your honor—that is, for you and your W if e —und they are going to do the thing iu shape. They sent to Aspen for the music and are rounding up every store in camp for expensive grub. The hall will begin about tonight, just as soon as wo can have supper and clear the room, and, mayor, there was some talk of sticking each boy $1 at the door to buy oue of those parlor organs for the missis. I thought I would give yon a tip to let you know their game, but don’t give it away to the boys on your life.” “Well, it’s pretty decent of tho boys, but I’m afraid tho missis is tired out. As to tho dollar, I won’t stand that. Throw open your doors, and if there is any charge to the business give mo the bill.” That night was an eventful one in the history of Asberoft, and one never to be forgotten by Pete. About 8 o’clock a committee of four visited tho mayor, two miners and their wives. They told him a ball given in his honor would open at » o’clock and that their wives would “do the introdnein.” Pete tried hard to look surprised, but it was clear acting. However, tho min ers were too excited to notice anything of this. At 9 o’clock Ashcroft was still in a bustle. Tho hotel dining room had boon cleared of its table, and at oue end of it stood Pete, his little wife and two of tho finest ladies iu town with them. The music, two violins and a comet, had opened the hall. Yet uot a soul had arrived. Pete had been waiting impatiently for three minutes, uncomfortable in bis now clothes, aud now he was chafing at what looked to him like a hitch iu tho affair. Suddenly tho swinging doors leading to the barroom were thrown open, aud “Left, left, left, right, left, came from Ben Sowls, who, with a new broom over his shoulder, led 30 stalwart miners in military style down tho room, then right wheeled and around several times. There were miners of all conditions, aud men who were uot min ers at all. One was a lonesome Indian, who had teen invited iu, aud who came, gun and all. They came to a front face halt before tho bridal party, each man carrying a bundle of some thing of practical use, from a sack of flour and baaon to the kitchen utensil*. In the center ti the pf- T • bnby burro, with its miniature pack saddle, piled two feet high above its back, pre senting tin “grub stake." The last man in the Hue drew by a string a tiny crcdle made of a cigar box, and it was the possible admission of this little prescut that bad caused the delay. Some of the boys at the meeting in the barroom thought that the “woman” would understand the spirit in which they gave it, and others argued that she would uot. At last old man Worthington, who had known Pete for years, rapped on the bar and said: “Boys, I’ve sized that woman up, and she’s no fool. Pete can explain our western ways to her, and you can bet your life be ain’t no man to marry a stuck up girl.” And that ended it. The last man drew in by a oord the result of bis handi work. JVheu they halted and faced Pete and hfs wife, Sowls advanced a step aud brought his broom to present arms and delivered the speech of the evening. “Mr. and Mrs. Lonergan, we, repre senting the citizens of Ashcroft, con sider the detective work Pete Lonergan went to Missouri for a great strike aud that it has resulted iu a credit to tho camp. We think, though, he might have given his old friends a tip and uot have deprived us until this lute hour of the chance to honor this great event iu a manner more fitting. You, madam, as tho wife of Louergan. are welcome to this camp, aud every boy in his out fit has a warm spot for you under his vest. If the little things wo have brought here tonight will be of any service to you both, we will be mighty pleased. We only ask that you will use all of them.” At this moment the boys smiled and dropped their bundles to applaud and emphasize tbe remarks of their spokes man. The little burro, as if to strengthen their sincerity, walked to the end of his rope aud stretched bis woolly head to ward Pete. The mayor came forward a step, and while playing with the cars of the beast cleared his throat several times aud coughed. Then he started his response: “Boys, I’m uot much for speakin, but I’m no slouch on thinkin. I don't know how to thank you for this ball and all this useful outfit, but I do feel blame grateful, boys—wc both do. Now let’s dauce, aud I promise you we’ll use every darned present you’ve brought us.” Then the men filed up in line aud met Mrs. Lonergan and danced with her. In tho small hoars of the morning tables were brought in and supper was served. Every delicacy the boys had been able to procure at such short no tice was there, aud in the ceuter of the table rose the bridal cake with its two sugared figures. It was daybreak when the ball was over, and all the boys agreed, as tho last drink was taken, that Pete had struck great luck. Aud so it proved. Mayor Lonergan’s wife was worship ed by the boys before she had beer, a mouth iu camp. She was a delicate lit tle lady, with a low voice and modest manners. She hud been brought up in a comfortable home iu Missouri, yet she grooved into the life of Ashcroft as if she had been designed for it. If a miner was hurt, it was Mrs. Lonergan who looked after him aud his wounds. If one of tho boys was hard up aud needed help, it was Mrs. Lonergan who found it out aud sent Pete to his aid. Thus it was that the quiet little woman won tho love uud respect of tho minors of Ashcroft. The mayor, under the influ ence of his wife, grew to be quite a new man. His whole soul was wrapped up in the little woman aud her work. It was just a year after the hall. The whole camp loved tho wifoof tho mayor of Ashcroft, aud there was not a man in tho whole district who would have uot ridden 48 hours to do her tho slight est favor. Pete had gone to Glen wood to see a physician, aud tho boys held a meeting to talk over the coming event. They had urraugod to do the handsome thing by tho heir. They had decided to have a large silver mug made from the ore taken from their hills aud to present it M a time when they could give Pote and his wife a reception worthy the name of Ashcroft. But they never did. Tho mother aud the hoy were burled within the boundary of Pete’s location, the Prospect She had asked to bo buried there and uot taken homo. Ashcroft seemed to fade with the loss of that woman. Due man after another pulled up stakes aud left, but not with out a lump in his throat as tho stage passed tho Prospect. Pote did uot talk much for a year, and ho never put a pick into Ashcroft s ground after the death of his wife. Some of the boys claim he went out of his mind outirely. Ho locked his cabin as it stood, tak ing away only one thing, u little cradle made of a cigar box, with a broken string still attached to it.—Henry Rus sell Wray in Pittsburg Post. Pearls. As yet the origin of pearls is a matter of mere speculation. Thu old theory that they were “congealed dewdrops pierced by sunbeams” was supported by naturalists as late as 1(184 aud is evi denced iu a Venetian medal bearing an open oyster shell receiving drops of rain, with the motto, “By the Divine Dew.” Later couchologists, however, contend that the pearl nucleus may be some minute particle, as a graiu of sand, or tho frustule of u diatom, or a tiny parasite, or perhaps one of the ova of the pearl oyster itself. This particle or foreign body is gradually surrounded by thin layers of nacre until it is com pletely encysted and the pearl formed. The consecutive layers may vary in brightness aud color, aud a defect may be caused by contact with another for eign substance, thus changing tho value with each new layer, uud sometimes causing a “lively kernel" or “seed” to be inclosed iu an apparently pour poarL —Lipp.uoott’s. THE SOCIABLE GAM HOW MEN AND THEIR WIVES PLAY QAME OF EUCHRE. Tramps, Fashion* and Nsw Bablas G«t Btlxsd Tugathar la the Woman Plajrere* Minds—Why Blggibjr and Croaby Wera Flensed to Chnngs to Pokar. Biggsby and his wife went around to the Crosbys the other night to spend the evening, and they bad been there only a short time when Crosby said: “S’posing we have a game of euchre. ” “Oh, Jet’s!” said Mrs. Biggsby. “I think euchre is perfectly lovely,” said Mrs. Crosby, aud Biggsby said: “All right, we'll have a game or two.” So the cards were brought ont and a table cleared for the game. Like most men, Crosby aud Biggsby like to play cards as if it were a matter of life and death, but it was different with the women. “I like enchre because it is such a sociable game,” said Mrs. Biggsby as she munched at one of a dish of bon- bous Mrs. Crosby had set in tho middle of the table aud Crosby had somewhat impatiently set aside. “Now, in whist one has to give such close attention to the game that”— be gun Mrs. Biggsby, when Biggsby inter rupted with: “Come, cut for deal.” “Hope I’ll get it,” said Mrs. Crosby, with a chuckle. “You’ll be real mean if you do,” said Mrs. Biggsby. “I always like to— Uh* Mr. Crosby has the deal, and he’s my partner. Goody, goody!” “You’re horrid. Oh, by the way, I met May Griggson aud her baby on the street this afternoon. She'd been down getting the baby photographed. I’d never seen her baby before, although it’s 5 mouths old aud”— “I’ve never seen it yet. Is it pretty?” “Well, it has May’s eyes and nose to a T; but, of course, oue can’l toll much how such a young baby will look when —oh, aro those my cards? What's trumps?” “Hearts. ” “Oh, mercy! I’vo a perfectly awful hand! I hope my partner”— “Come, come,” says Crosby: “no talking across the table. What will you do?” "Oh, I pass! I haven’t a single trump, and”— “I’m uot much better off,” says Mrs. Crosby. “But about May Griggson. They say that Tom, her husband, thinks that tho sun rises uud sets iu that baby, aud that May won’t leave it alone for an hour, not even with her own mother, aud—oh, did you know that Jennie Traft’s engagement to Fred Hilton had been announced?” “No!” “It’s so, aud—ob, is it my play? What’s trumps?” “Hearts.” “Who led?” “Crosby.” “Then I—oh, dear! I don't know what to play. Let mo see, I’ve got to follow suit, haven't I? I guess this nine spot will do. As I was saying, Jennio and Fred are engaged at last, and tb< y say that the wedding is to be right away, for—isn’t that a new waist yc-.: have on?” “Yes. Yon like it?” “I think it’s lovely. Hero they said two years ago that the fancy waist was going out, aud I do believe that they aro worn more than ever." “Of course they aro for—what? It’s my play? What’s trumps? Hearts? Why, I thought diamonds were trumps. Well, it doesn’t make any difference, for I haven’t any. What’s led? Spades? Who played that ten spot? I haven't any spades, and so I guess I’d better trump it, for—oh, my partner has al ready trumped it with tho right bower, aud there I throw away that good left bower! That’s too Lad! But, as I was saying, my dressmaker says that she lias made mere fancy waists this season than ever before. ” “I don’t doubt it. I’m having mo one made of black chiffon over orange silk, with beautiful jet passementeries uud— What? It’s my play? Let me see— what’s trumps? Hearts? Well, you needn’t be so cross about it, Mr. Biggs by. What led?” “Diamonds.” “Diamonds? Aud you say that hearts arc trumps? Hearts, hearts. I haven’t any hearts nor any trumps, so I’ll play this club for—yes, it's of fine black chiffon, and you can t think how lovely tho orange taffeta silk looks under it. Tho chiffon touos tho orange down to tho loveliest tint of pinkish yellow, and I’m having rows and rows cf fine tuck ing iu front and”— “I should think it would be lovely. But aren't you sorry those cunning aud pretty little boleros have gone out now that— Oil, is it my play? What’s trumps?” “Hearts,” growls Crosby. “Mercyl Don’t take my head off if hearts are trumps. Jack Crosby. That's the way with men. They play cards us if their lives were at stake, uud I— Oh, say, maybe, s’posing we let Jack and George finish the game and you go up stairs with me and see a new bon net I’ve just had sent home. It’s the most fetching thing I’ve had for years, and I'm dying to show it to you. I don’t care for enchre anyhow.” “Neither do it. Whist is my game.” “Mine too. There! You b mrid, cross men, you! Go on with the game by yourselves.” Which they were glad to do after changing the game from euchre to poker.—Detroit Free Press. Hangrr Roaala. The Russian journal Novoye Vremya complains of the degeneracy of the pres ent populace of the great empire, at tributing it to the lack of proper nour ishment. It declares it may be safely said that the lower classes have one- third loss to eat than their grandparents' bad.