The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, April 13, 1880, Image 1
TiIl-WEEKLY EDI TION._ WINNS1BOIIO, S. C.," APRIL 13, 1880. VL Y-O 5
TWO BIDES OF LIFE.
- There is a shady sido of life,
And a sunny sido as well,
And 'tie for any one to say
On which he'd oboose to dwell;
11'or every one unto himself
Commits grievous sin,
Who bars the blessed sunshino out,
And hhuts the shadows in.
Tho clouds may wear their saddest robes
The sun refuse to smil,
And sorrow with her troop of ills,
May threaten us the while;
But still the chest ful heart has power,
A sunbeam to provide;
And only those whose souls are dark
Dwell on life's shady side.
Lightly Won and Lost.
The last load of hay had been carried
from the upland; and stored within the barn.
The heaviest task of summer had just ended,
and nearly every one on the "Old Howland
Farm" was rejoicing over the fact. Farmer
Howland sat back in his easy chair, with a
look of satisfaction on his honest face. The
meadows and the uplands had each yielded
a plentiful crop of grass and clover that
year.' 'he skies had been fair, the weather
cah and bright; men, women, and chil
dron had worked throughout the season
with a will; and only one or two slight
thunder-showers had fallen before the fra
grant loadd were cut, and raked, and tossed,
and dried, and stacked, or stored in the
barn. An English farmer, in the same
frame of mind, would have called for an
extra flagon of old October ale, and his good
wife, hale and hearty, would probably have
shared the sturdy draught witph him. But
Mr. Howland only smoked his pipe on the
porch of the farm-house, without even a
drop of cider to wash it down withal; and
his wife plied her knitting-needles in her
own particular easy-chair beside the open
door, and never dreamed of ''stimulants"
of any kind, save such as her own content
ed mind and cahn, approving conscience
gave her, at the end of the unusually heavy
househdld tasks, which had been so faith
fully attended to during the past four busy
weeks. Did I say that every one on the
old Howland farm was rejoicing, because
"the haying" had .come successfully to an
end?
Nay, there was one--the farmer's only
daughter, and the heiress of the green do
main-to who each successive swing of the
laborers' scythes had been like the measur
ed stroke of doom. There was one who
had long looked forward, with tears of sad
ness, to that day of all; one, who, now
that it had really come at last, was more
unhappy than she cared to say, or woulld
have dared to show.
Pretty Margery Howland sat on the orch
ard wall at the foot of the "ten-acre lot,"
tying many a knot in the pink strings of
her straw bonnet, and listening eagerly and
anxiously to every word that fell from the lips
of a tall, athletic, handsome, but somewhat
stern-looking young man, who leaned
against one of the apple-trees beside her,
talking In a low, even, composed tone,
while his gravelue eyes were studying the
far away landscape, rather than the sweet
face beside him. Alas! its usual light and
blcom were overshadowed now. Poor
Margery was but sixteen; and with all the
ardor of a girl's first love she loved this
young man, who stood so calmly at, her
side talking of the morrow, which was to
separate them, perhaps, forever. -
He was poor, and also ambitious; an or
phan, without resources, without near rel
atives, almost without f riendls, for his proud,
self-contaIned spirit was by no means apt'
to win him favor, except- from those who
knew him well, in winter ho taught the
district school; in sununer he worked from
place to place amnong farmers, studying
meanwhile--"fltting for college," as only
a New England'lad can do.
HIe was ;eady now to go. His work
upon the Hfowland farm was d'me1, and the
money receivedi for it, would 1help him
far upon his way. Early -tihe next morning
he was to leave the farm. By nightfall of
the next day he would be regularly entered
as a student at Yale.
Margery. llstened to it in1li
"nd whop willi you pomeo back ?" sIhe
askedl at last, with a little sigh,
"Rap~k?"' Ho glancd down at her wlst..
fuil face, with a look of sur'prise. "Black
here I Never-that I know of!"
Shme turned deiadly pale. i3ut ho was
looking awamy toward the distant mountains,
atnd did not notice .It.
"My hife lios yonder, Margery, beyonid
those hills. Oince clear of this little town,
I know nothing that wIll bring me back,"
Shp wa~s silesit,
"Am, the relIef I'' ho exclaimed sudden
ly, to "think that I have done forever with
this rough, rude labor that drags a man
* down to tile level of the beasts! In future
I shall .win my bread by the exercise of my
brain. I can hardly wait for to-morrow's
light to dawn, I am so eager to be away."
Still she was silent.
lie stood lost in a roverle for a few~Ino
mjnts, and then suddenly roused hhnsielf.
Well, I must go and peck my books and
papers, I suppose. I shall be off e rly
before tfhose dark eyes of yours are open,
Margery. So I will say good-by now.".
'He held out his hand. 4 8he laid here In
it, and looked him bravely in tihe face.',
"Good-by, Clinton Parke I I wvish you.
a:1althe success In life that I am surb you
wIll deserve."
."'lhank you. I will ,try to deserve th.e
highest,"'he answered, a little pulzled byP
heOr wglrd4 apd the jook qlho pje."Good..
N{ot a wotdas totm fu ure hIot a word
cal thoughts, the young man strode on to
ward the house, aad went up to his room.
And Margery I .
Face downward, by the orchard wall, she
knelt in her despair. She had kept her
secret! She had saved her pride! That
was all. And so the trial came to her which
comes to every woman once in her .life,
and which makes or mars that life, accord
ing to her capacity for bearing, enduring,
or rising above that grief.
Ten years passed by.
Clinton Parke, no longer a college stu
dent, but a weary and unsuccessful man,
fotuid himself once more at the old Ilow
land farm, just as summer was giving place
to autumn, and the uplands, shorn of their
green burden, smiled bravely beneath the
Indian slimner sun.
Alas I the bright visions of his yv 'th had
by no means been realized. The worid
was full of jgreater men than he. Once
having discovered that truth, he soon grow
wise enough to act upon it. During the
tenl years of his absence, the little country
village near the Howland farm had grown
into a town, and now it wanted an academy'
to educate its youth, in place of .the old
district schools, that had served their fath
era and mothers in their day.
Of the academy, Professor Parke, grad
utile of Yale, was now the acknowledged
lead. Here, in the quiet place to which he
had once said it was impossible .that he
could return, his days was likely to be spent
-his grave to be made, for aught that he
could say. le was glad to flit even so
small a place in life as this, so moderate
had his once soaring ambition become of
late.
Musing pa these changes, he walked slow
ly one evening up toward the Howland
farm. - At the foot of the ten-acre lot,
where lie and .largery had -rested on that
far-away evening, he paused sgain. A. lady
sitting there, on the broad stone wall- be
neath the apple tree, moved slightly and
looked up as he came near.
It was Margery--grown older and more
beautiful, richly dressed, and with a name
less ease and grace in her manner that were
not of the old time-the old which he began
to remember suddenly and so well.
She greeted him quietly, and madd room
for him in the old place by her side. They
talked of other days till the twilight closed
in around them, and the dusk of summer's
night, full of soft. influences, and sweet
smells and sounds, descended, like a veil of
peace, upont a weary heart.
. And suddenly his eyes were opened to
his early and his life-long mistake.
He knew now what he had always missed
and unconsciously yearned an'd longed for,
yet never iound. And something told himn
that for want of the lost love, this woman's
life had beei barren, and cold, and unsatis
fying, too.
".Margery !" lie said, in a low voice, as
she rose to return to the house.
She stopped short and turned toward
him, trembling slightly-at his tone.
"Years ago I left you here, when I ought
to have taken you with me," lie said, earn'
catty. "Since then I have groped blindly
on through life, never really knowing what
I sought or missed till now. I am a poor'
man, Margery. I can offer you Jittle more
than I could have offered you then. But,
is it too late-too late for life and love, for
me, for you, for both of 'is, Margery ?"
Hie bent toward her, holing both her
hands in his. His cheeks 'were ilushed,
his blue eyes, no longer cold or grave, hook
cd Into hers with a glance of fire.
She only sighed and drew awvay her
hatids.
"Years ago I loved you-worshiped
youh'' she said, sadly. "You left me for
anmbition, and here, ini this very p)lace, my
heart was crushedl and changed to stone.
You wvon me lightly--ypu lost me as light
ly-and nowv I can be wvon no more l I am
marriedl, my husband is rich, and luxury'
and splendor fill my home. I fill my life
with things like these. It might have been
so dlifferenit, if when I loved you, you had
loved me back again. Now It is too
lateoI"
She left him and wvent toward the house.
It was his turn now to sink( dowyn besidle
cole orhad all, to hide lia face upon01 the
codgray stone, an.d pray for strength to
bear 'me sorrow that had come so sudldenly
upon him.
Alas I my reader, how many humani
lives imght be changed and( glorified (yours
andh mine, It may be, among the rest), if
ooly wnEN we love our (lear ones most
tenderly and fondly, they as tenderly and
fondlly would "lhove uis back again." It
seldom happens so here on earth. Perhaps
it may 1n heavent
1'roverbs.
A faithful friend Is a strong defence..
Anger and haste hinder good counsel.
Be just, but trust not every one.
Betteir are small fish than an empty dish.
Conduct and courage lead to honor.
Dopen'dence Is a poor tradle to follow.
Despair blunts the edge of Industry.
Envy wvalts at virtue's elbow.
Exalt wisdom, and she,will exalt thee.
*Friendship Is stronger than kindred..
Fear of God Is life beginning of wisdom.
Great gifts make buggars bold,
Great qualities make great men.
Hope Ia grief's best music..
'Hear first ; speak afterwards.
In order to learn, we must attendl.
Idle0 people have the most labor.
Judge not men or thinigs at first sight.
Jests, like sweetness, have often sour
sauce1
*Keep, good companiuy, and be'eone of the
number.
ICnowlc'dge of ourselves requires great
penetration.
L4arnhngreOnes and eloVateg the mind.
itov0 ailocdshin lIlte no fehowshiip,
l'.dness goverus better than anger.
MJeditation Is tits.fotatin of discourse,
Never spo$ with paliror po'verty.
No sorrow Is so grat' btQt time will lessen
Tihe Shadowy Driver. 1>
---- ____ It
A commercial traveler representing a well
known house in Fort Wayne, recently ar- w
rived in Cincinnati, from Jonesboro. a go:d
sized town in Wrant county. lie started o
for Muncie and intended to take in the way tl
stations and make that city early. lie was t<
unavoidably detained. The roads were p
bad beyond a pen description. Ile was n
driving through a piece of woodland, near i
the northeast corner of Grant county, just c*
after dusk. The horses were dragging the
light spring wagon throug mud, into wh'lh g
their hoof sank a foot deep or more. Sud- o
denly the horses sprang forward with all I
the power possible, and a formidable being
appeared in front of them. It was a black v
object, and, stalking-about like lanquo's '
ghost, witi one wave of its bony hand stop
ped the frantic steeds and chained them, as j'
it were, in their tracks. 'The occupant of y
the wagon says he was overconi with a e
feeling peculiar to death. lIe could not ti
scream, talk or move. Ie sat like a statue. I
The ghost-like personage, with one great I
step, put itself into the wagon and seating I
itself beside himl took the re;ins from his t1
hands and, pulling the whip from its socket b
and cracking it over the head of the horses, b
they started off ini a rapid gait. Not a word n
was said, but the mysterious being guided b1
the horse a quarter of mile over the most it
horrible road in the country, when it arose g
to its feet anid placing its hand on t ie head
of the drummer, is if blessing him, it sprang v
into the mire and vanislied.
'l'he drummer could not speak for near Li
an hour, so overcons was he, yet. lie vows rI1
he knew everything that passed. Ile soon a
reached a farmhouse, stopped his team and 11
tried to call out, but his voice failed him. is
le drove to the next one, and then was is
able to ask for lodging, and got it. YIe did i
not tell a word of his adventuic, however,
to the farmer, fearing lie would make a n1
dunce of himself, le said; but the real s
cause was superstition, no dotibt. The next h
morning he started for Muncie, a:dl was V
quite nervous when he arrived[. Tlie traveler il
declares that be saw the strange being as i
above stat;ed. When asked how it looked t
in the face-its counte.nance-he replied 11
that lie did not observe closely, but when
he looked for its face all was blank-blank. (1
Yet lie saw the form, and believes that had a
he put forth his hand lie would have felt s
something taugible t
t
The Forgetful 11usband, s
--- (1
'Oh, dear, what shall I do? The hoop I
had burst off my wash-tub, and my suds dl
are all over the floor I" said Mrs. Alhen iin I
a tone of despondency to her husband, as
he caime to wash his iatnds in the sink after
oilhng his new horse-rake.
"That is had, Julia. You will have to k
let your washing go until to-morrow; then 1
you can borrow Mrs. Seldon's tub."
"But this will all fall to pieces if it i
stands, and we are expecting company to- t
morrow." . It
"I can't help it; I can't stop the work to- s
go off with it now. You must make hay f
while the sun shines, if you make it at all. 1
Can't you tie it up so that it will do for to- I
day? 1 should think that you might." t
"Perhaps so, if you will help me. But E
what can I take?" . e
"Oh, anything for this time; but really, Il
I ought not to stop a minute. Where is at
the clothes-line?"
"The colored clcthes are on it to day." at
"Haig hehm on the fence, and let inc I
have the line quickly." .l
- Mrs. Alden went out and moved her at
clothes and took the hne down, while Mr. t
Alden stood in- the door and whistled in- I:
patiently.r
"Do mop up thir water, Julia. How can N
you stand such a puddle? There, I forgot 1i
to got you a 14op-hanlle, but you can make I
the ol one (1d to-day' can't. you?"
"I suppose 1 shall have -to. You pro- ~
misedl to get ime one three weeks ago, when ~
you broke this.". C
"I know 1 did, but I never think of it-- "
a man has so many things to see to. Theroe
that willl (10 this wveek; it dloes'n't leak much. r'
I dontt see what mnade it break." I
"The hoop1 rustedI out. The old1 tub lhas
(lone goodl service; it has been ini uso tifteen
years."
'"There, confound itl what did you leave t
that wash-beard there for? I have broken
it to pieces."
"It is worn out, and rotion. I wish yout
wouldl get inc a new one.. I can never tiik- '
cr it up again." .
"Rub11 your- eldthes with your hands; my
motheri always did, and she never had a
wvash-hoard in hera life."
Alden marchr:d off to the hay- fld b)efore r
heinet wvith.another- cataustrophle to take up
his thme.
lie was hardly out of sight before a tin '9
peddler's cart, stop)ped at the door, contaiin- I
ing a colletiomi of all articles uisedl in a I'
family, from wvashi tubs dIown to brooms,
mop)s andI p)ins.
"Anything ini thme way of tr'ade to-day,
Mrs. Alden?'' asked the man.
''No, I think not. Ay husband does I
not, like to' have mne buy of peddlers. lie l
says I alwvays get cheated."
."Have yon a 't as good a right to hiavo
suitable apparatus to work with as lie has?
lie has a nowv I wo-rake and alhay-trendcr, I
and his wife is washhig in a .tuth tied up (
with a rope, and( a wvash-board that looks i
as if Noah's wvifb I a I brought It out of the I
ark, as a leaky water pail; and a dlipper I
without a handle, a broken mop03. handle--- I
bless me, Mrs. Alden! What Is the uisem?
You badl amore money when you marriedl p
than lhe lhad, and I wluild have tols to c
work with that were comfortable, to say '
the least. lie never stopus to think what a c
tIhing costs ir it wIll make his work cualer. c
It tires you more to get along with these c
things than it does to (10 youri wvork." 'a
~ mr. Alden sat down and looked tho pro- t
perty over. IR was ridiculouis to get along (
this way. The peddler was rIght; she had c
more money than lher huisband when they g
started life, and she had worked harder a
thn ever lie had. She hatd managed cvery
way to get along, and lie never seemed to i
think that she needed anything new or con- t
venient. Hecr setting out was almost worn a
out, and nothing was ever replaced. "Yotu t
must'make It do; it eosts everything to <
livel" andl so she had dlraggedl along,'year I
after year, and things wore out anti were a
not replaced. A bIg Ilump' rose in hieV '
thiroait as she sat there thminkhng,
"Wt1at clo you 0,sig f or a wqsi-tub?'' she t
inquired a$. length. t
'Two dollars.for the ltarge one; tt doliar <1
0,nd a0 quer.ter for U,hV.noet slae. Mop- .t
Ignles for a quarter;'.wash-boards for a r
quarter, dipper's 'twenty cents, broom thirty a
cents. r
'tIand:mo dnon tw w' ash-tube Is ..e. c
ease--one of each size; a zinc wash-board
to.'
"Yes: and at pail and a dipper too. ]
oul( have them."
A nd * she (lid have them, and sundry
her necessary things, amounting 'a all tt
to sum11) o( twelve dollars. Shb paid in bar.
r, such as feathers, rags, eggs, dried ap:
les and butter, and went >) work witli
mewed courage but she k ew that hei
usband woulu growl at th outlay, and
gpected a regular tempest at linner.
She was not disappoinkte1 But she hadt
)t the things, amd was glal f it, and ac
mldn't feel very bad. Mr. - Iden opened
is eyes In astonishllent.
"You paid twice what t4 things ar(
orth. 1 could have bought iem cheaper.
(e could have got along a w ilc longer."
"1 supposo I have as good a right t
idge of what I need to do my work ao
o01 have to get things to mal$e your work
isy; and I have made up n mind to-daay
mt when I need anything ht eafter 1 shall
lve it. You tnlow that ev y article that
bought to-day was actually needed in thc
ose.- You have said time and time again
tlt you'd get them, but you nevet' remem.
er it. It is a hard place for a woman t:
L! in-to have to do all her ovn work, aml
ot a thing convenient to do 6 with. It iF
ke the ancient Israelites bektg m u-pelle<l
> make brick without straw, ail I' m no
uing to do it any longer."
"All owing to the hoop bu'rsting otr thi
ash-tub to-day."
"Yes that was the last feather that brokc
tC camel's back; that and the new horse
ike camte too near tolether. 1 couhl not
void comparing your conveniences wili
line; and you can see yourself how li
ood. You havo every new machine that
intended to make farm work easy, and I
aive nothing alt tll."
.Mr. Alden said no more, but ate his din
er in silence, and the hired men exchanged
gniticaut glances with each other. They
ad thought and spoken of the patiencc
'hich the little woinan had shown in work.
ig.lat such a disadvantage, and always try.
ig to make the ;est of what she had, am
icy were heartily glad that she had at last
lnde ia protest against the injustice.
After the day's work was done, Mr. Al
en drove his team down to the village,
ud when lie came back he brought a now
ove for tibe kitchen, and a new pump foa
te cistern, and .a butter worker for tin
airy, and the little wife has found, sinc
iat day, that her rough places have beei
nootied in a most satisfactory manner,
[cr good man had never thought about it,
[e (lid not mean to be unjust, but-hi
idn't think!
At Ton Paoos.
Rev. Dr. Wade 11111 recently shot ault
illed his son-in-law, Major Andrew Scrog
ins, in North Carolina. It appears thai
croggins, while in a passion, strippec
nd whipped Dr. Hill's youngest daugh
,r. bcroggins' wife was present amt
egged her husband not to 'hurt hoi
Lster, but lie paid no attention to the tear
al entreaties, and inflicted painful chastise
enit on tile girl. As soon as the fathe.
card of his son-in-law's conduct 110 wen
) him and demanded an explanation
coggims said 11e had acted on the ilpulsi
f the moment, but Dr. lill replied that h<
ad no right to lay his hand on the child
lid the two gentlemen becoming involve(
I a quarrel over the matter, got to blows
ud had it rough and tumble, the father-in
iw coming out best. This so enrage
laj. Scroggins that h went home, and,
fter consulting friends, sent a challenge t(
tc reverend gentleman, which was prompt
d declined by the said gentleman. Thi
uajor then vowed to his friends that hi
rould get the best of the old man, oven i:
e had to throw poison in his coffee. H1
riet himself with a navy revolver and
irk, so aus to be fully p)repared to lay ii
utalgonlist out on sight. T1he reverecnd dloc
r also armued hlimself to thle teeth, in case
t ani emiergency, 1and( wdnt about hil
piritulal work as5 usual. Itecentily tile tw<
iein chanced to meet 0on horseback in the
01ad1near tilc dloctor's hlouse. Maj. Scrog
ins exclaimed withl a snmeer :"Ahia
'ye got you now!" Thle doctor replied
'Keel) cool." Th'le mfajor rep)lied, "'Tei
unuites to say your p)ralyers." By thi;
mefi they were teni paices apart, and th<
np)romplhtu due1 ~ll as(soo to take place
)r-. 111l1 said, ''Well, sir, P'm readly," ai
mi samie tune (drawving a Derriger.. Maj
croggins saidl, ''And so am 1. May th<
~ord haIve mercy on1 us bothl" With thal
e fired twice in rapid suIccession, -neithic
hot taking effect. Thu1l doctor firedl once
illing Is antagonist inistantly. Heo thce
ode back home1(1and( toldl the av'fii ulows
~rlendls calrriedl the maijor's remains off fo
urial, and( the d1octor gave himself up
hle greatest, excitemient prevaledC(, thoug)
)r. lill is justifIed in tihe opinionl of thi
ubillic. TIhe deeedec wasl quite a promi
onIt farmer and politician. Dr. U1111 Is
aptist minister of great popularity an<
sefulness in North Carolina, andl ha1
eritten. several or-thodox wvorks whie
aive received the commendation of Il
ret,hren,
Self.Propenling Torpeoeso.
Of late years torp)edo-boats and elf.pre
eihng torpedoes have b)en halvented whice
an be sent aigainIst a hlostile vessol, an
Ihichl11 no antovering can avoid. Th<
igenuit,y that has been displayed in tiles
CIr,ition and tile p)erfectionl to which tihe
ave been biroughIt are wond(erful. Tiler
a one variety of self-mioving torpedlo whIic
ideld by a driver, whlostanlds on the shor
r on the deck of a vcs.sel, holding a pair o
tire reinse in Is hand. A skIlful drIve
anl condulct these torpedoes through
rowdl of 81muli1 vessels, straight to ti
nomy's tlalg-shitp, withI the ease with whic
dIriver of a butcher's cart thlreads his was
lIroughl a crow(fedl street, in order to rui
own a fat man whom 110 has Beon a bloc)
if, and( marked for is prey. Still morm
xtraiordiinary is tile torpedo wlhi can bi
ant to (10 its deadly work without anyi
a guIde it. -rTis marvelous invention (di5
lays a degree of intelligence worthy of
rained huinting-dog. When a hostile flee
pp1roaches our shore, all we have to do I
0 leadl half a (dozen of these doeile torpe
oes to the heaCh, pohlt .olt tQ thenf tli
artcula. ship which 1as wish to have de
troyed, andt (htonplace them gently In thb
rater and order themi to "s'.cat' or to "sc)
nm," as thme case may be. The intellige.
)rpcedos wIll immediattely sink just iiehov
lie surface, andi then swim straight for thl
oomed vessels. After these have beeo
lowni up, each 'torpedo will select an Ad
.yral, Captain, or other Important. oleite
nd bring is body back to ti40 ho nw
eossarlh for,pubilecaton, hu ev
enoo ot.od t4ih
Huorat of lJi1i1blling
It is odd that among all the desperate
people who shoot themselves at Monle
Carlo not one has spared a butict for the
croupier who deals out destiny. Very
lately some traveler cainced to knock at
tho door of a lonely Atnerican shanty No
one answering, the traveler entered. Iiei
saw a dead mn sitting at a card table with
the blue mark of a bullet wound in his fore
head. T1he nurder was easily explained.
The dead m1111an heli four aces in his stiff
ened hand. Opposite hin on Ilie rough
log table lay four kings, wiih which his
opponelt had.hoped to win, andI, being let
with four aces, had taken a hasty revenge.
Now, confirtued gamblers believe religiou
ly in the good and bail ellect which cerir0n
croupiers exercise oil their fortunes. One
croupier always deals in such a way thmt
there are no regilar "runs" or scric, no',t
even a run of alternate b hacks and reds.
Another is a1 more forttniate ('rollier, when
his han is in1. "ruls" are not infrequelnt.
As the dreamn of the gambier is to back a1
r(un a(1 sc( his capital doubled at every
coup, this croupier's luck is elgerly fol
lowed, and he receives elegait presenms of
cigars atid champigne. It is uinteces':ary
to 111d that these olwea vances ire as purely
superstitious 31s the red ii's (1a11ce roun(
his red cedar tree. ('roupiers know the
value of their philcc too well to tiy the trick
of substituting arratnged packs of cards for
those of the di-ce'ion, anu theories of
their luck are wholly fantastic. A place
like ,lonte Carlo, full of money and ii of
dupes, naturally attracts gentlemen' who
correct the errgrs of Fortune ill ways more
or less ingenious. A certain Com(te de
Montvilliers has left. a legendary fame. At
Wiesbaden he found out a1 way of stopping
the gas by which the rooms were lighted.
lie laid his plans well, in a moment all
was (lark. and the Count was oif with an
armful of bank notes and as much gold as
the ancestors of the Alenmonidte carried
from the treasure house of Croesus. Next
night the rooms were lihted with lamps.
Montvilliers, who was an intelligent bandit,
changed his method. lie managed to sneak
under a divan in the rooms, and stayed
there until all the company and croupiers
had departed. When all was darkened and
silence he crept out, lighted a lark lantern,
and uncovered the roulette table. With a
pair of pinchers lie gently tightened the
wires of all the red compartments, so tmtat
the roulette ball could not easily enter them.
Next day he backed black, and naturally
with success. But it judicious croupier had
marked the run on black and examined the
roulette wheel. Without,sayiig anything, he
reversed at night the arrangement of Mlont
villiers, who next day lost all lie had gained
by resolutely backing his favorite black.
Scoundrels who have not the nerve for
these heroic measures watch the tables and
sweep up the stray money of the unobser
vant. It has happened to detect -an
ameteur thus removing a stake to another
color, where the ameteur proved unsuccess
ful. One of these scoundrels lilt on at real
ly happy thought. A player had left a1
large sum of gold on red, where it was
r doubled and doubled again. Two louis
rolled off, undetected by the owner, to the
marked off space called cnvcrs, where they
pro. pered and became twenty-four louis.
A thief who was looking on knew this, and
the head croupier was also well aware of
it, and of the intentions of the robber. B5ut
the latter succeeded. Sliding up to the
real owner of the money, he said, "Sir,
will you (o me a favor? I have twenty
four louis on cnvcrs; I dare not take them
up for my father-in-law his just entered
the room, and I have promised hn 1 will
never play." The other bowed politely,
raked in his own twenty-four pieces of gold
and shortly afterward presented them to
.the ingenious guardian of orphan moneys.
A Fematilo sharpor.
Onle of the laltest trickts lahyed upon33 shop)1
keepers was successfully p)erf)rr-:ed att a1
Cincinnati grocery store the other eveintg.
A wvoman entered1 andt ordlered1 a 1pound3 of
the best, coffee. She caried a jar undi(er
her arm, and, whon the grocerytnanu was
about to hpour the coffee in a1 psaper bag, the
cusi,omer told himu to dump It inito the jar
inlstead. The 1man1 (lid so), the femnle leanIinIg
over the~ counter and still holding thte jaru
undler her atrm, with the bottom of thel ves
sel concealed. Whetn she had receivedi the
coffee, the female pt,t heie hand in lier
p locket, andl, w,ith a wvel l-feigtled. expr)essionl
of anlnoyanice, crIed: ''I (d0 leclar-e,- I have
rleft my1 purse at home)0 ill just, set the jart
of coffee dlowni on the counter here Wvbile I
runi home andt got the mlonley.'' She
placed the jar ont the counter- and wvent, out:
r but she failed to return, and, when thle
rstorekeeper pickedl up the jar, he wvas stur
pised to find that, it dlid. not con3tai1n anyl
Scoffee, and thlat the bottom had1( beenl knock
ed out.. 1t then flashted upon)1 hismind11( that
when lie p)oured the coffee in the jar it ran
through into a bag concealed by thte fema)Ile
sharper. - __
(dve im 113 Your Etys.
. Looking at the preacher enicournages hhnt
to believe you arc aitteninag to andi art- it
terested in whlat, he say3s.
-If It would be uncourteous not to look
1at a person holdIng a coniversation with you,
is It less so to avert, theo eyes froma the
preacher while lie is add(ressinlg you ?
S As a teacher-of the most miotnentuts of
all truth lie haes a right to eve~ry testimtonly
you can give hhn of youtr inlterest 13n whtt
lie preaches, and looking at him is of those
,testimoties.
Look at the preacher, because yotur goodh
r example wvill aid In recallinIg the waiidering
Seyes of others, r buke their inat,tention,
a and restore their host sense of propriety.
1 LookIng at the plreachier is emlinenlthy
Sfavorable to keeping up the mind's atten.
I tlon to lils message. The eye helps the ear ;
C and both help to fixedness of thought upont
a what is uttered.
3 .Eid it, at Last.
- An old Virginia (Nov.) stage driver says
t thlat ho has been more exasperated and
a chatgrined at lis failure to iun down a hog
- than by beIng robbed by road agents. lie
a says lhe has gone with a rush down a steep
grade with a five-ton sta:e. and six;ln-hand
3 after a hog, turd just at the moment when
C he expected to catch the flying grunter tunder
I the forewheel, hto would lurch to one side
I' with a grunt of satisfaction at hits escape,
a He never succeeded in ruinning dlowun t hog
i except in one itanIce, int tha~t case 'the
-hog had just ag~ccded in dodging .a tfain
of cars coming out of a. tunineh anud was too
A tncoh etartlpd t4 escappi 1io li rati it
down, but upset ils stage and killed~ two
passengers, besides mIming twtr o. life.
Out of 15tttter.
"'lere comes Iobby from Sleepy IIollow,
with at load of butter. We're shbrt, arn't
we, J1onas?"
"Yes, all gone but the bud-lot, and they
are all crying for,something good."
Robby, froin his watoll-''Mr. Nipper
l've got some butter for ye.''
Nipper 1s Ius' and does not hear.
"lIello there, Nipper; come and see this,
butter!"
Nippwr slowly clores his order book,
directs the delivery boy to hop nroulnd
with the codlisl, shifts I yellow ham, near
tihe door from one peg to another, cocks his
stovepipe lit oil the back of his baldhead,
tlutists a thu2mb in each armne-hole of his
vest, and siutlles slowly toward the strect,
as though aboIt to sctlint, at the state of
tIhe weather. "Why, tobby, what ye got
t here'?"
"Ilutter, 11r. Nipper.'
"Butter, hey? Now if ye in..l eggs I
ight bluy. Iltter's dull, IRobby; the town's
full of 1ut ter."
"Is that so? )aisy heard as it had gone
ull)."
"lone up---well, yes; gone up the spolt;
Dick, take them turmips to I$ichtinger,"
turning away.
"Won't you look at this lot, Mr. Nip
"I.tolby, we're full. Jonas was jest say
im' he couldn't store another til). Tie
town's gltttted-glutted, lRobby; and heaps
of it spoiling inl New York, and no buv
ers."
"1ut this is an extra ine lot, from the
best t'eet of the pasture with the spring
broo'k inl it, where yf used to catch trout,
ir. Nipper; and Daisy made it with her
own hinds.'
"Yes, yes, but it looks salvy-like
worked too much-no texture you see, and
full of buttermilk; won't keep, Robby,
won'{ keep. 'T'lhen it lacks the gild-edged
tone 111 flavor. \Yhal do you ask for
is?"
"Well, Daisy i hought as how she orter
hlev lifteen cents."
"Too high; can't buy; good mornin."
"See here, Nipper; what'll ye give?"
"Rlobby, if 1 give ye ten cents for that
butter. .lonas will be as i boiled lobster
Jonas will swear and make things lively.
lut you're an ok1 friend, and l'm goin' to
do it, and take the consequences"
"Iicltinger, come this way; I can show
you an awful nice lot of butter; there it is.
That's what I eall elegant; made by Daisy
llt tercup, the nentest and pr'et tiest girl in the
Country. I used to sipark her mother be
fore she married. She's (lad now; ol
friends, ye see, and can't help dealin.'
Look at the color--there's dandelions pnd
buttercups; look at the texture-as free
froin salve as snowfilkes, and if ye 11111 i
hair or bug I'll make ye 2a present of it.
Smell of it-1 dare say ye can scent the
clover blossomns. ''aste It; notice the tone,
the mellowness, the aroma-equal to cream
candy any time. What do you think of it,
ltelihinger?"
"What's the price, Nipper?"
"Twent.y-live cents to an old customer."
"Pretty high, isn't it?"
"'hat depenls on what ye're buyin.'
Grease is grease, and butter is butter. If
ye want. grease I can sell for less; but if ye
want the best grade, the gilt-edged, the
gold-leaf, as it were, June butter--butter
thnt'll keep, 1mnd ye; ye might go further
and fare wonse. Let eic tell ye that butter
is on the rise; the town is cleared out, and
them New York chaps are ont lookin' up
round lots. That means a foreign demand,
aid great selril1y, sir-great searcity.t'
The Wo rt7 1$ Hillnext.
A dozel men were loaling awaty the rain1y
hour's in at business 'place nelr the ferry
dock I)etroit when the conversation turned
upon11 tIle sub j(et ofgenieraI pub1l1ic rasll1ity'.
A eilizen sa1id lhe had1 given 21 boy3 a1 (quarter
to get chanl2ged( and1 had never seen 1him1
algalin; anot01her salid ho wouln't trulst his
ownI gr-andfathIer, and a third woulid give
.$l10001 to see 21n hlonest man11.
'"1 hauve not. yet lost, my faith in human
n)atur2e," thfly roil -marked a man on a bac1k
sent. ''Any of y'ou may13 call in a stranger
to us( aill and( 1 wviii give hliml a llve-<dollar
bill to g~o and1( get, chaIngedl. If he fails to
comII back I lose 11he money(13; if lhe returnsi
you2 will see hmow~ fool ishi your ass5ertions
aire.
Jhu aIf2 doz8en men12 rulshedl to the door(1. A
Reedly, gaunt2i 2and10 evi-lookinug Africani wa'~s
pa2ddlIing bly inl the ralin, and1( ho wa select..
ed to make the test.
"'Stralnger,"' said the 1)12 ma no handn't
lost confleneo, ''take this fi ve-dllar21 bill
arund22( t he corneOr and1( get it, chlanged 212nd I
will give youl tenl cents."
Th'le lalck 21an1 depar11teCd withIout a wvord~
1and4 for the ne(xt ten: minutes tihe laugh was21
on1 tile manl who senit himl. It d1ied a1way,
ed1 ot:t tile bill, and( said:
"'I runne2Ld atll ob)er 112' 1nobody3 cou1ld
chailnge 12121)"
Ilec was given: his ten cents, and1( the 2man1
wh'Io lost tIle qua2rter 1by (12e b)oy sa11( hc
coldn12't beieved such1 an2 exii)tlin of hon8
(esty if he laid nIot wvitnessedl it, and1( he was
wvillinig to buiy the cider for the crnowdl.
It was only aifter the cider had1( been: de
stroyed and p)aid for that, he0 earnd)( that th:e
bill giveni the negr-o was a base couterfeit
whieb'1 no 0110 would1 ac(cept. .
A Mineo Owner's Mlstako*
A man)1 now at prominent m1erchant of
VirgIhua City won at poker an unldevelo
weud gravel claim near Nevada City, worthl
inl t 10 neCighblorhood of two hundred dollars.
nais friendls h:ad thme 1augh1 on him for' sever,
al days regardIng Is "'lnvestmeont," and
aslked hlim whaltt p)roportIonl of thle taxes he
wou:ld pay In case they aIccepted the pro
perty as a gift, - He finally got mlad at theIr
inlcessanltgutyingt, and told thlem they would
see 1he was not such a fool as theoy teok hn
for befoere lhe. got through wIth thlat mine.
lHe thlen wrote to some capitalist acquaInt
ance that hle had a claim worth a fabuleus
stum, which lie would sell for $2,000, being
hard pressed.-financIally. The bank was
next visited, $500 worth of gold dust and
nuggets bouight, and tile claim thorontgbly
"salted." Whlen the inltending pulrchmasers
arrived they prospected1 the ground a little,
and the panning out was attended by big
cleanups~ T1hey paid the $2,00(. the same
day, and1( got possession of the ground,
Work was at once begun, and they tok
out $8,000 inside of thrfle wekls. Thle
4'salter'1 was so. tatken aback'that Ite. 4id
not ailile for a montb) and Llio parties to
whom ho donfide(, his'ehrewdness at thie
ttme of,its porpotration never meet hii,ato
this day but they ask him if he hau another
~ate1 intAo. to 4(31.
'.egend of a Iaggngo-snastier.
I know him. It wai years ago. Ills name
was-well, call it Bumps. .1f you over get
into a railroad struggle, where one struggles
to get another off the track, you will know
more about Bumps, or your friends will.
This humps was a nice young man. HIS
hair always combed low down ; he wore
brass bu1t tons ; and there was a mysterious
relport current that he had been known to
call on the sherry for three, on the Fourth
of July, and had actually paid for it--paid
for it, sir! We held him in awe, we boys
did. lie conhl talk about lever watches,
pointer dogs, steam harges, atd he could
relate iceidents of <lillieilties in prize rings
so beautifully that I used to wish to knock
some one in the stonach, and break some
ai ibit ious Engliishmnan's jaw-bone. If
limiI said anything the whole town swore
that it was so. If lie didn't say anything
we stood back and waited for developments.
At last he went away. bis uicle used his
inluience to get him ia position as baggage
naster. I never heard of him for years,
but, I was called one (ay to see hiin (tie. I
went with great pleasure. Bumps was a
mnere skeleton ; his eyes were like saucers;
his hair was ail worn Olt from tearing
around so in his bed. lie told me all about
it. lie (rove everybody out ot the rogm,
ba:O- me stuing. up my nerves to hear a won
deriul tale, and theu he comienced. Ho
went on the railra(1 a pure y oung man.
1le took charge of trunks and boxes, ani
conunenced by lifting them by the handles,
and setting them down caref ully. lIe had
not served but a iontlh when the president
of the road called him into the 0111cc, cut
(town his salary, and told him if there were
any more complaints from- the conductor,
Bumps would be dumped out of a berth.
'Then the young man grew cold and siern.
lie was bound to suit the railroad corpora
tion or die. lie began by walking up to a
poor old chest belonging to an orphan, and
putting his foot through the corner. The
conductor saw the act; the two shook
hands, and they w ept for hours on - each
other's breasts. Bumps had not made two
trips before he could sling a satchel eleven
yards, retaining both handles in his grasp.
Innocent owners of such things threatened
him, and commenced suit against 'him, ijnd
swore they would never ride on that road
again ; but Bumps was firm., lie was dig
ulied ; he was solemn ; lie was working
for a higher sphere ; he was treading in the
path of duty.
When gentle females would hang up their
tend(* little baskets and- satchels, Bumps
would smile a diabolical smile, and get in a
corner and junmp on the articles and toss
them up and kick them, and fling them
through ethereal space. And when the train
stopped he would throw oat a wat8rfall' and
a tooth-brush in answer to call for check
"22." Husbands threatened him, and
dared lhim out of his den, and called him a
b4se fiend ; but Bumps was solemn. HIe
knew his line of business. When he got
hold of a nice trunk he would carry a coun
tenance like a stiawberry for joyfulness.
1le would jerk off one handle, then another,
then kick in'the ends, then take an axe and
smash the lock, and then let the shirts and
things rattle out on the track. It got so at
last that people actually paid high prices
for the privilege of liv ng along the line of
that road, as they got'th r shirts for nothing.
At, that vas needed was to have the child
ren follow up Bump's train. But there
caie a black day. A miserable, contempt
ible, sneaking wretch, who owned a saw,-'
mill, Went traveling. lie ran his factories
two weeks on nothing but trunk stuff, and
he brought out the wickedest trunk that
ever went into a car. It - was seven feet
thick all round, and there were sixteen
nails'driven in, one on top of the other, uu
til the thing was clear proof. Thea he
gave it into Bumps' hands, charging hin to
be "very careful, if he pleased." 'The train
started. Bumps got the axe us usual, and
struck at the lid, but the axe bounded back.
lie struck on1ce more ; the axe flew in
piieces. Then.hie got a crowbar anid a dan
of powder, but he coinii't, burst.a rail. He
swore and1( jumpiledi upi iand( down, anmd wvant
ed to (lie, and( wished he'd never been born.
lie get all the train men ini; they all pound
ed, but the triunk heli tlim. .It went
thriouagh all right. it was hahnded dowvn
without a janm, and the owner was there to
sa.y, "Thank you, sir,'and ho pretended
lie wvas goimar b,ack again, and hiad the chest,
puit on iboa,rd once more. Bumps grew
pale. lie grew sick. hlis legs shook, 1ie
had chills all over haiim. The trunk wenmt
back, a wit-ness of "mani's iinhuimanity to
mia.'' lhunpsa grew wvorse, lie felt that
lie was forever (ilngraed(, and went to butt
wvith lie brain fever. They tried to console
himn, anud said( thuat they coiuld have trust.ed
the chest if they~ had only-t,hought to -have
a collision. I was there wheni lie died(.L
never waint to weep~ as I wep)t thuemi. lie
just shrunk right away, muir.m uring: "'Oursii
I t:at t-r-u-n-k."
Fioweorsa on the Table.
Set llofvers on your talel-a whole nose
gay If you canm get It, or but two or three,
or a single lowr-a rose, a pink, a daisy,
aind you have someting that remInds you
of., God's creationa, aid gives 'you a link
wvithi the poets5 that have donie it most honior.
Flowers on the miornling table are especially
suuitedl td thcem. They look like the happiy
wakening of the creation; they bring the
p)erfiume of the breath of nature ito your
room; they seem the very represbntativo
and embodiment of thio very smile 'of your
home. the graces of good morrow; proofs
that soe inltelleetual beauties are ini our
solves or those about us, some Anrora (mf
we are so lucky as to have stuch a compan
lou) helping to strew our life with Sweet
ness, or in ourselves seime masculie wild
erness not unworthy to possess s'uoh-a coim
paudon or unlikely to gain her.
Bhnes on Starting a Filre.
Mtarting a fire is a familiar daily e
for thousands of thousands thu'ruglo
United 8tates at all' times; but titer0
many who do not know the bept *af'.
centrationt is the leading feature lai 'tle lit-' "
tie, butt very Important donestid . uty.
1st, the fuel shiould ie "1concentrated, that
is, put -together ini a 'odniact hep; and ,& 4
2d, in a .~ace on the gaga 'Ire the '
draft can~ be 'concentrae u~on It SThedd 'r
two poInts gaIned, It Is an seiit'mrt 4
produce a brisk fiter Wheni the I tI~~
whIeh we have peupsd*i' i4
Ii1 sufficient 'qutl%, . reU t4&eH
wood or coal, as the c~ Ia e,~ 0~m
hr o he f Idt~i il*