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- - -. . .. 1 f~ d t . TRI-WEEKLY EDITION. WI ST - WI~~~~NNSBORO. S. (.. S ,1TEMBER 20, 1883..ETBIHD14 IETTER THINGS. I Better to smell the violet cool, than sip the ] glowiug wine; Better to hark a hidden brook, than watch a diamond shine. Better the love of a genial heart than beauty's favors proud; Better the rose's living seed than roses in a. I crowd. Better to love in loneliness than to bask in love all dlay' Better the fountain in the heart than the r fountain by the way. 1 Better be fed by muother's hand than eat alone at will; Better to trust in good and say, "My goods a my store-house fill." e Better to be a little wise than in knowledge to abouhd; 11 Better to teach a child than toil to fill per fection's round Better to sit at a master's feet than thrill a listening state; * Better to suspect that thou art proud than 1 be sure that thou art great. 1 Better to walk the real unseen than watch t the hour's event; - Better the ''Well donel" at the last than the air with shouting rent. 1 Better to have a quiet grief than a hurrying J delight; Better the twilight of the dawn than the noonday burning bright. Better a death when work is done than earth's most favored birth; Better a child in God's great house than the king of all the earth. 13 TRYING HER POWER, ( "1 can hold him against the world." a The speaker was a tall girl, with dark face, from which eyes of witchery s looked out. She had lips which were I slightly compressed, as she finished the I sentence. "I would not be so sure, If I were j you," was the response from the other i person, who stood on the path which led to the road from the country house t behind them. The two girls had strolled down the walk in the crisp winter sunlight, and they looked as unlike as two people t could well be. Julia Stallo turned her head with a 1 quick, imperious movement, as she ex- r claimed: "Why,would you not feel sure, since I am sure? Do you think- I would give my promise to a man who did not adore e me?" "But men may adore at one moment and be indifferent the next," returned Miss Branch, stopping to twist more r closely about her head the blue, puffy I mans of wool which protected her from the cold. "The man whom T love will not do so " was the quick reply. kiss Branch, who was four or five years older than the magnificent brunette beside her, looked at her curiously, in I silence for a time. Miss Branch was small. One at flrst would have said she was plain, but one " might discover that her face possessed a wonderful power of expression; there might be a concentrated spark in her eyes that would possess force in what ever way she ch-se. Aflter a pause, she said, quickly: " I should imagine it might be easy for a man to be faithful to a creature like you. Is Mr. North coming to day?" "Yes." "I think-you make a great mistake in loving a man so much. Ai! what is t hat?" The exclamation was caused by the sound of something rushing through thme shrubrmberry of thme evergreens at the right of where the two girls were stand img. Julia Stallo shrieked a little and shrank to one ide, and at the sameI moment, a huge, dark-colored dog .dashed out from the cedar hedge. ITis head was down, his mouth scattered foam, and his eyes emitted sparks. While Julia, who had sprung away, had gone directly in the path of the infuriatedl animal, Miss Branch, who had remained where she had beenm st anding, was several yards from him. t The brute was going on with that unfswerving leap which Is so terrible to 1 see, and had passed Miss Branch, who had not moved, toward Julia Stallo, who seemed petrified with terror in the spot where she stood. "For God's sake, jump out of tihe way?" cried Miss Biranch, shrilly, "lie < will not turni" If Julia heard her she gave no sign; she was lncap)able of moving. Miss Branch could not stand quietly I There was a dash of physical courage in her which enabled her to sprinig for ward, slipped off the crimson shawli from her shoulders as she (lid so, and t,hen flaunting it futll in the face ofthe] wild-eyed animal, who moved to one side, and wavered in confusion, while Jlulia Stall sank to the ground in a heap, amid her white face was like the face of the dead, save for the p)rotrud ing eyes of horror. The (dog, baffled for the moment and uncertain, now turned towaria kliss. Branch. Useless for her to try to run. She clasped her hands and stood still. Only for a breath of time, however. The sound of a footstep on the frozen gravel might have been hoard by the 4girls, If they could have heard any T1hae footstep was that of some one running furiously. The figure of a man appeared, lHe had a pistol In his hand, and though there was a terrible fear in his mind that lie might not aim correct ly, lie could not hesitate. Thle flash, the report of the pistol, and time dlog rolled over on hi,s side, withi a moan, his teeth set fast in the skiirt of Miss Branch's dress. It was to Julia Stallo's side the man sp)rang, hardly glancing at Miss Branch who coolly drew a penknife from her pocket, and stooping, cut her dress away from time gi-lp of the dying dog's teeth. "That, I suppose, Is Mr. North," she said to herself, looking at him at tentively, as he bent on one knee over Julia, whose senses had come back to her sufficiently to enable her to recog nize her lover. "Yes, evidently lie oves her. I wish she had not been so ure of him. It is such a temptation to )rove her words false." This is what the quiet-looking girl vas thinking, as she again wrapped her hawl about her and walked slowly town the path. In a few momemts, she heard her niame called, and pausing and looking >ack, she saw the two coming toward ter. When they were a little nearer, the nan hurried forward and raising his at, said, in a tone which was not quite teady: "I do not know what you will think f us. I confess I was for the moment apable of thinking only of Miss Stallo. (ou will forget that, I know. I can Lot tell you how grateful I am to you." "Indeed! Why?" asked Miss Branch. Although her words were abrupt, the oice in which she spoke then was far rom being so. There wai a silky soft ess in it that Julia Stallo had never eard before, and which made her look uickly at the girl who had spoken hem, while a pain, that was almost like knife thrust, suddenly went through er heart. Miss Branch had only glanced at Mr. orth as she had replied, and he had ot given any thought to her, so pro oundly was he absorbed in the danger vhich had so recently threatened the voman he loved. When the two walked away again, diss Branch turned into another fath, and walked rapidly toward the Louse. There was a flush on her cheek and a park in her eye and aspect although lifferent from that which she had worn n hour before. When she reached her own room, she at down before the fire without renov ng her own wraps. Looking into the urning coals with an insane gaze, ier face gradually changed, tuitil rulia Stallo would hardly have known The white hands were held' tightly ogether until their beauty-and they vere very beautiful-was marred by the ude pressure. "What do I owe to any man among hem?" she asked, at length, in a half vhisper. "And as for Julia, she is a raby in her feelings, and will not suffer uch." She rose and walked with a deter nalied air across the room. At this noment some one knocked. She open d the door and Julia stood there. "May I come in?" asked the girl. "I was just coming to discover if' ou were still frightened," responded Miiss Branch taking Julia's hand in ier own, and looked with more than rdinary keenness into the girl's face. "Don't speak of it," cried the other vithi a shudder. "I can never be able o see a dog again without a shudder. . shall never be able to see a dog again vithout a fright. Think of what might iave been, if Luke had not comet He ays he admires you for your presence f mind, although you are-but how I Lo chatterl" catching herself up with blush. le admires you so much." "Even though I am plain," calmly emarked Miss Branch, no flush stain ng her cheeks as she spcke words dif icult for a woman to accept. "But I did not mean to tell you hat,'' caressingly said Julia. Miss Branch laughed, not bitterly to he ear in the least. "Oh, I don't mind it at all,"she said, ightly. "I am plain, and I know other >eople know it." In her heart, the women was saying: 'le shall pay for those words." In the days that followed, it would ave been a curious study for one not ritally interested to have watched the hange in Luke North'a manner toward dIiss Branch. Gradually, from a polite listener to ter1 he came to turni with an apparent y irresistible inclination toward that mart of the room where she happened to ae. lie stood near her chair; lie looked at ier if lie spoke; lie listened with a pe auliar vivid look upon his face wheni she nadie any remark. T.Lhiis attention was not marked; on he contrary, it almost seemed as if lie vere desirous of concealing even from uis own consciousness the attraction vhiich Miss Branch held for him, and which every day lie felt more and more >owerfully. Had he ever thought her unprepos essing? When Julia reminded him me day that he had said Miss Braiich vas plain, he uttered an exclamation >f astonishiment, but made no other eply. His betrothed, in a troubled one, persisted, on dweliguo h ubject.elig1)0 tc "I suppose she must but be fascina lng, Is she not?" she asked wistfully. Teman's face wore a strange smile. Ile averted his eyes, as lie remarked, in i harsh voice: "Fascinating! Yes, 1 think that nust be the word by which to describe four' friend--and she is your friend, is ihie not?" asking the question sudden y. Julia Stallo trembled a little, and ~urned pale. Sne seemed to struggle a nomnent with herself, and then she said, ~aintly: "Oh, yes! Of course she is my ~riend." Tihe winter (lays raii on. Miss Branch inad come to stay with her friend unti upring. How did it happen that Mr. North 3ould now sometimes come' to the house md remain, perhaps, for a couple ol mours before Julia would come into thme room? lie alwvays scrupulously called !or her the moment lie came, but lie ap L>eared to forget she had not come. On one of those days when Julia had rnot come, North had been strolling shout the room in silence. Though lie liid not speak, his eyes returned again ad again to the woman who sat so guietly on thie sofa~ There was a reck less resolve in his face, and that look was mingled with something which could not be interpreted, which any woman might do well to fear, even thoug'h she could not understand it. North came and leaned over the girl. [is voice vibrated, as he said: "Miss Branch!" She looked up--a light, bewildering and enthralling, was in her eyes, and diffused in a lovely glow over the iith erto unlovely face. "What would you say to me if I were to tell 'you that I love you?" he asked quickly. There could be no mistaking the ex. pression In her eyes; there could be but one reading of the curves about the mouth, The binding loveliness that was in the gaze at that Instant made the man's heart almost stand still. Did she really love him? "Need I answer?" she asked, softly. "Yes, answerl" imperatively. "Then I should say that I love you," was the low spoken reply. Something in the man's face made Miss Branch suddenly rise to her feet, while her face grew palid, and the glow died from her eyes. "You are mocking mel" she cried in a smothered voice. "You do not really love me?" VI am thinking of a young man, my half-brother, whom I love more than brothers usually love," returned North, in a stern voice. "You may recall Morris Loring. Ah, I see you do! You killed him, that you might be amused. Perhaps it was not manly of me to re solve to avenge him in some slight de gree. But I did not think of so base an action until I fancied you wished to play with me. I do not love you, Miss Branch, but I can understand how a man might be infatuated with you. It was beneath me to stoop to such a course as this. I don't ask you to for give me." "No, no," said Miss Branch, her voice husky and strange. "Do not ask that for I never could do so." "And why?" "Because I love you. At last I love Do not speak to me. I tell you that for the first time in my life, I love. Do you think I am sufficiently punished for trying my power? Do you pity me, Mr. North?" She stood looking at him for an in stant, then turned and hurried from the room. North gazed blankly at the door which had closed behind her. lie had not known how much he could despise himself, and there was a curious pul sation in his 'heart which made him un willing to see Julia. It was-a week before lie returned to the house. When Julia unformed him of Miss Branch's departure, lie would not allow himself to manifest any in terest. The few weeks that had passed had formed an episode in his life which he could not wish to remember. A Sual in a Sack. An interesting incident, illustrating the maternal affection of an animal for its young, was brought to notice during the visit of an excursion party to Ana capa Island. A young seal pup only a few months old was brought away from the.island by little Ernest Whitehead, who desired to take it home for a pet. The little animal was secured by a rope around one of its fins and tied within a small yawl belonring to the sloop. Shortly before sailing a large seal was noticed swimming around the sloop an chored off the cave where the capture was made, uttering loud barks and at times howling piteously. No particular attention was paid to the animal at the time or to the little captive, which at times barked in response to the old dam's plaints. The l7oat sailed away making for the Ventura shore. When off San Buenaventura a calm in the wind decreased the speed of the boat, when a large seal was noticed near by. On reaching the wharf at Santa Bar bara at two o'clock next morning a seal was again (discovered swinmming about the boat. It was not supp'osed that this was the mother of the captive or out of pity for its misery the pup would have been thrown overboard. To better secure the pup until daylight the rope was taken from its fin and it was tied up In a jute sack and left loose on the deck. Soon after coming to anchor the seal responided to its mother's invitation by casting itself overboard all tied up as it was within a sack. It is asserted by the man on deck that the seal mother seized the sack and with her sharp teeth tore open the prison of her offspring. This, howvever, is a mere conjecture. If it did the little pup was saved other wise it would drown tied up in thme sack. The incident was the more interest ing from the fact that the 01(1 seal had to follow the sloop at least eIghty miles over the ocean in a hopeful emndeavor to rescue its young. The Dead. . Most everybody Is (lead, says Bill Arp, that Is, all the old folksi. There are mighty few left of the old1 stock that used to move around so lively and take the lead in business and public affairs. Some of us are getting lone some now. The ranks keel) tilling up), but we don't know the new recruits. Old Father Time is a conscript officer and lie won't take any substitutes nor give anybody a bomb-proof place. There are no quartermastere nor comn rmIssaries nor potash getters in this war, but it is fight, fight, fight all the time. Fight as they did at Thiermopyla where there were only 300 against 1,000,000, amid there was no possible escape. Sooner or later all of us have to go. We can't desert nor dodge nor play sick nor shmoot a finger off, and there are no furloughs and no pensions and mio discharge. There is not oven a promotion for good conduct or noble daring.~ There is nothing but to do and die. WelI, it's all rigtht I know or it wouldn't have been so, but it grieves me to hear thme bell toiling all about aiid to see the old stock passing away. -Wurtenberg, Germany, has over 8000 breweries. -Albany's brick-making industry has reached a proditction of 1,000,000 bricks a week. -In Rome a small Egyptian obelisk has been discovered in an excavation behind the Church of alanta Maria sopra Minerva near the site of thme Temple of Isis and erapis, It lies at a depth of flfteen feet, and is in good preservation A sphinx in basalt wps found,- also, with acartouch on the breast. "Died Ga ' It is morning on the lrie. To the east Is the y sunrise and the dim, far-away outli of a moun tain range; to the north shadowy line which may mean hills o, t1iber; to the west and south a broad, jevel ocean of green grass which ha:, o limit. It seems a3 level as a floor tb the eye, but it is cut up with dry ravhiO and ditches and there are sharp ridgds;and dips and sunken spots. The sun is warm, tlhe air still, and every blade of grass is loaded with dia mond dow-drops. There is no bird to chirp, and no crickets to. call out, but there is no feeling of lo iness. One who faces that morning -n .rems the vastness of the pra last I'quiet amazement. 'h- is an aWe upon him aki" . a which man feels when i sees the ocean lashed to mighty fury. The one is an exhibition of Divine anger -the other of Divine peace. Seel A rough-clad, full-bearded man, Af iron muscle and fearless courage, suddenly rises from a hollow, tosses aside his blanket, and slowly turns his head in every direction to scan the green grass sea. At the same moment his horse emerges from a dip which has heretofore sheltered him, and, with a whinny of recognition and pleasure, advances strught upon his master. Alonel Man and horse are the only living creatures in sight. They are as much lost to the world as two grains of sand washing to and fro in the Atlantic. The master's hand steals up until it rests upon the horse's neck, and the faith ful animal crowds a bit nearer, Both are awed by the broad expanse, The mighty grandeur of Nature steals in upon the man's soul, and it seems to pass like an electric current to the horse. Hle raises his head. His nostrils ex pand. His eyes grow clearer and larger. Surely he must see the picture spread out before him there, and something of its beauty must be felt. See that! The man's hand goes up to his eyes. He is looking straight to the west. le stands like a rock, and his eyes are as keen as an eagle's. The horse is looking in the same direction ears pricked forward, lips quivering and every muscle in his legs tightened up as if for a race. What is it? A flutter on the surface of the prairie caught the man's eye for an instant and then dis appeared. It was two miles away. It was only a trifle; but on that trifle de pends his life. A shipwrecked sailor catches his breath at sight of every white cloud creeping above the water line.- The hunter on the prairie feels his heart pound at the flutter of a bird's wing-the bark of a coyote-the hoot of an owl-at sight of a hoof-print or a broken bush. Thes3 may mean nothing, or they may muaki an ambush -a race for life-capture and torture. "Yil yi! yi!" The level-seeming prairie is broken two miles away by a dry ravine deeper than a man's height. This curves and bends aiid leads on for miles. Scramb hug out of its depths, and each one sounding his war-whoop as he mounts his pony, are a score of Indians. For two days the hunter has swept the horizon in vain. Ie was alone on the great ocean. Night had been tranquil and full of sound sleep. Here, now, rising like specters from the earth be fore him, is a band of blood-thirsty de mons raving for his life. The sight stuns him for a few seconds. Then, with a growl of chagrin and defiance, lie flings the saddle upon his horse, picks up his rifle, and while yet the In dians are a mile and a half away, he mounts and heads for the east. A race for lire has begun. The hunter's horse strikes into a long, steady gallop, wvhich would keep him alongside of a traini of cars. There is a chorus of yells from the redskins as they made the first rush. Then the silence of the prairie is broken only by the thud!I thud I of horses' feet. The very silence is ominous, and speaks of a gim determination to run the victim dlown. Steady, now!I The hunter's horse de vours mile after- mile of the green prairie, now at the crest of a swell nowv almost hidden in a dip-for an in stant out of sight of those who follow. They gain a little. The hunter plans that they shall. Every yard they gain requires an extra speedl that will take ten minutes off the race after high noon. At 10 o'clock they have gained half a mile. Then the pace is even, and neither loses nor gains. Tihere is something terribly grimi in following a mani to his death. Not a shout-not a call-not a rifle-shot. Thud! thud! thud! over level aiid ridge and alwvays to thme east. The sun mounts higher and higher, and now and then the hunter glances back with a faint hope that the pursuit has ieen abandon ed. No! iIe might as -well exp)ect a wvolf to quit tihe pursuit of a wounded deer leaving its life-blood to stain the grass at every rod. It is high non, 'rie pursuit began over sixty miles away, but tile breeze brings to the hunter's ear-s that same monotony of hoof-beats and lie glances back to see that same dark line strung out at his heels. It has become a question of en durance. If lie can tire them out lie will escape. IIe shuts his teeth anew, reaches forward to caress his horse iIe is down! A burrow caught a foot as the horse sped( oniwards and man and animal roll to the ground. Tile race is finished. The poor beast whinnies anl apology for his sfall as he flounders about with a broken leg, and the exultant shouts of the redskinis hardly reach the hunter's ears before lie Is dlowni alongside tihe crip)pled horse and his rifle aimed at the approaching foe. It is another bright, peaceful day. IIere are the same pure air, the same blue sky, the same panorama of grass and flowers and dimly outlined moun tains. A band of hunters are crossing the prairie at a steady gallop, instead of a single man riding for his life. A vul ture rises up with a hoarse scream a second-a third, and the odor of de cay reaches the nostrils of ilders and horses. The band halts, rides to the left, and presently all look down unon a sight which tells its own story. The swollen caaaass of a horse, the scalped and disfigured body of a hunter-tramp led body of a hunter-trampled grass spots of blood-broken airows-the earth uptorn by hoofs. One with stouter heart than the rest dismounts and picks up a dozen flatten ed bullets and a score of arrows. Then he circles round tle spot and gathers up the empty shells thrown out by the hunter's Winchester. Bullets, arrows and shells are deposited in a heap by the corpse, and the man points out one three-five--seven spots on the prairie where the trampled grass and stains of blood show the fall of horse or man. i_ ,1a voic in which so row and 'Poor Toml But he died game!" The Unnished Manusoript. Some time ago the writer visited Prof. Gailnet of Little Rock, Ark., and while sitting in the library, en gaged in conversation with the enter taining gentleman, observed a roll of manuscript tied with a strip of black cloth. We asked him if it were some thing designed for publication. "It will never be published," he said, and began to unroll it.. "See how it ends," and glancing at the bot tom of the last page we read, the fol lowing: "While he sat alone, deeply musing, a hearse passed the house, and -"here the sentence broke off. Re questihig almost imploring, the Profes sor to toll us the history of the curious manuscript, he finally consented. "I came to Arkansas when I was a young man. One night I sat in my library writing a story for a magazine. I was in good health and had cause to feel elated over the success I had just attained by the publication of a small volume of sketches but still I felt the heavy weight of melancholy depression. I arose and walked out, but soon re turned, not experiencing any change. I bent myself to the work of writing a dreary story and worked with surpris ing rapidity until I wrote, 'A hearse passed the house and--' Here I stopped. A strange presentiment told me that I would never finish the sentence. Next day I took up my pen to finish it, but I had not touched the paper with the pen when a piercing shriek caused me to spring to my feet and rush from the room just in time to see a horse, at tached to a buggy, dashing wildly to ward my gate. A frightened woman was in the buggy and I rescued her. I put the manuscript away and devo ted myself to my new acquaintance; our friendship grew into love and fin ally we married. Then followed ten years of happiness. I did not tell my wife of the unfinished manuscript, but one day she found it and begged me to finish it. I did not like to confess my foolish fears and finally I told her that I would. The next night,, after my wife had gone to bed, I took down the story and read it over. I would finish it for her sake. I took up the pen and was just in the act of touching the pa per when my wife called me. I ran to her and found her in a dying condition, having been attacked by rheumatism of the heart. "Have you ever attempted since to finish it?" "Yes. After my wife had been dead for several years I determined one night to finish the story. I went to the desk, but had no sooner dipped my pen in the ink when a noise in an ad joining room attracted my attention. Hurrying in the room I found my son lying on the floor dead. He had al ways been in wretched health and md committed suicide?" "Do you ever exp)ect to thiish the story?" "I expect to try again, It is imipossi ble for me to remain superstit,ious, even though I may have a powerful cause for doing so. Of course, all this would have happened even if I had not begun the story. I think that next Tuesday night, if I feel like it, I shall devote myself to the completion 'of thme wvork, for I desire to see it in print. Conmc up and see me start off." We were busy when Tuesday night came, anid-cowardly confession-wvere not sorry that something kept us away, Early Wednesday nmorning we hurried to the house where for years the pro fessor had hived. The horrible thought seized us that he had taken up his peni to uinishi the story aiid had fallen dead. Sonmc time elapsed before we had the courage to knocic at the (10or. At last we rapiped. No answer. Another rap. No answer. Withi blood almost at freezing point and with hair standing erct, we shoved open the door. The old manm sat lean - ing back in his chair, eating pie. "Come In," lie sai cheerfully. "You see I have just finished that story, anid it gave me an appetite for pie. Pie's a good tihing to eat after you finish up a story, but you want to wait until you are through writing." "Did you hear any strange noises?" we asked, "when you began to write." "Well, yes. A calf over in an ad joining yard bawvled for a while. Oh, yes, you are thuiking about that story I told you sonmc time ago. Well my dear fellow, you should not have been so foolish as to have believed me. I never was married, you know. lIIve some pie." -The prince of Waedlihsn black costumes. ae eihsi -David O'Connell's birthplace is a neglected ruin. .-Several new comic operas have re cently been brought to Europe. --The duke of Abercorn ownms 100,000 acres of Tyrone county, Ireland. -A thorn in the hand is worth several in the bush, for probing purposes. -Dininig cars have made their ap pearance on a French railway line. -There are fifty-six shops for the sale of horse-flesh as food in Paris. -A reaction of public sentiment in favor of the Eniglish sparrow is observ able. -A "mysterious" disease Is reported to be killing off a great many horses In Utah. Bohemian Chiefs. "There," said Jack Ryder, formerly Artemus Ward's agent, last evening as ie produced his scrap book and pointed )ut a cut of an elderly man with a short pipe in his mouth-one of these pecu liar, thick-set pipes that are indigenous o newspaper ofllces-"there was the king of the Bohemians, Harry Clapp. He died in New York, where he had swung a sharp quill for many years. He handled the most saucy and fearless pen of any of the old school of Bohe mians that used to hang out at Pfaaff's, Dn Broadway. Clapp made Pfaaff rich, although he himself died poor. Harry used to take his meals there, and one day the coffee and victuals so impressed the celebrated Bohemian's palate that he wrote a column about Pfaaff's cara vansary, True, it was a puff, but Clapp.could make the rankest kind of a puff so witty and interesting that it would be acceptable to any journal. Clapp's dissertation on Pfaaff and coffee and articles that the other journalists subsequently wrote on the same subject, made Pfaaff famous, and to be famous As a New Y ork tradesman is to be rich. [t strikes me that it ought only to be aecessary for a needy journalist to prove that lie was one of the fraternity to get the best that Pfaaff's place affords. It was a great gang that hung around Pfaaff's iii the days when Charlie Brown was delivering his one hundred lectures it Dodworth hall. One night long, Lank; hoosiery Josh Billings, then a poor auctioneer, called on Brown. Bill ings had written but little then. He wasn't one of the Bohemians. lIe was too thrifty. "A few days ago I met him in New York for the second time. lie has be .ome a dignified, almost courtly gentle man with considerable polish, and all he evidences of prosperity. He has grown rich, owns his own housejn New York and drives his own carriages. I'he gentleman of them all, however, is Bret Harte. lie is a man of medium iight and build, with full beard and uoustache and a general air of elegance. [f he takes a fancy to a person and gets wvarmed up he is one of the most schol irly and entertaining conversationalists hat I ever met. If Billings is rich md, mind you, I don't undertake to elittle him, for there i, a great deal of riim intellectually-Ilarte ought to be colling in wealth; but he is usually hard up. Such are the freaks fortune plays literary men . Strange that so many iumorists who amuse others have so little themselves to enjoy of this world's ioods! Bailey, the Danbury News man, called here once to see me with reference to Artenmus Ward, who was his god as a humorist, and told me in cidentally that he had a friend here among the journalists who was a hu inorist and a man of genius and who had done considerable work for him. The individual was Leonard. I had never heard of him, but I believe lie was on the Leader, The poor fellow died in the hospital, I think, and Bailey bought his articles, as long as he was able to write them. I don't remember any other humorists besides Brown Qriswold and this otther man Leonard then on the Cleveland papers. Yes, Griswold was a hiumc,rist--when he was drunk. He was absolutely the funniest man when lie was in liquor that I ever saw. Artemus Ward was not always an amusing man under the same cir eumstances, although he wuuhl load up with ideas that would work out in great shape wlehli he was sober. 'Gris' was once advance agent for a show, and while he was at Nashville one night he was seized with a desire to go on a drunk. Hie didn't know a soul, but lie stepp)ed up to the bar andl began talknmg to himself, as if lie had met a friend. 'Gris, take a dIrink,' said lie to himself in a changed tone of voice. 'Oh, no; I've sworn off.' "TJhe imnaginary man urged 'Gris' to drink until the latter yielded. The bar tender, who evidently took 'Gris' for a lunatic, set out one glass, but the imag inary man grily ordered him to furnish another glass. 'Gris' took a glass bu each hand, clinked them together, aniu with the 'Hlere's lookin' at ye' of 'E ri.,' and 'Drink hearty' of the imaginary man, 'Gris' drained both glasses. Then the imagiinary man urged '(Gris' to sing a song, and( after dlemurrinig for some time '(iris' complied with the request. '(iris' kept up this circus for more than an hour. It was a fashionable resort and some of the bloods1 of the city heard of it, gathered around and enjoyed the fuun a while. T1hien they rushed forward, took 'Gris' in hand-well it was one of the tallest tinies that a gang ever saw in Nashville. Charles Brown was careless of money, but of course he aimed to get allilie could out of his business. That's how lie came to leave Cleveland. Gray was payIng him $1,000 a year. lie de manded an increase of pay. Gray was unable to grant it, and whieni Vanity Fair of New York offered hini $1,800 a year lie accep)ted the position. Vanity F air died at the end of 18 months. Ward used to say that lie.killed it, and then Arteimus brought out his lecture. I w.as formerly unable to appreciate Nasby. His letters are not funny to me, but he has ai little thing in Lotos Leaves entitled John Upanddownjoh n, which is really_lIne."_ Oileor than Ho. Looketd. Coloniel George L. Perkins, of ,.or wich, Conn., who celebrated his 90th birthday Sunday, August 6, and is as hale and hearty as most mn at 50 years, was a witness in the Tilton Beecher trial in 1875. Wheni his niamo was called the crowd in the Court-room saw a good-looking, dignifIed gentle mani, apparently about~ 60 years old, step briskly to the stand. Having an swered the usual questions as to lis name amid residence, Mr. Evarts pro pounded the succeeding question: "Hlow long have you 'lived in Norwich, Colonel Perkmns ?" " Eighty -seven years," responded the Colonel with the utmost gravity. The lawyers drope their pens, the spectators stared, the Judge looked puzzled, and the jury were in evident doubt~ whether there was a lunatic loose or a new liar had arrived. A ripple of merriment suc seeded as Mr. Evarts, with great seriousness, inquired a moment later: "Colonel Perkins, may I ask where you have spent the rest of your lit"" NEWS IN BRIEF -1l,108 acres in London parks. -Caterpillars have ruined the fol-= ge of the "grand old elms"-on Boston )ommon. -The oldest grave in the Frankfort )n-the-Malin Jewish cemetery dates )ack to 1272. -From $10,000 to $15,003 It is said, vill cover the deficit left by the Stenger Pest in Buffalo. -The umbrella trade will feel cheered at the intelligenec that Vennor predicts x dry August. -The Nashville iron furnaces have all been making money, many of them handsome profits. -The latest estimate of the corn crop In Kansas this year puts It at 100, 300,000 bushels. --There is said to be 90,000,000 acres f land in California admirably adapted to grape growing. -Charlestown, Mass., originated the iystein of town government in New England, in 1034. -The grape yield along the Hudson Valley will be unprecedentedly large udging fr)m present indications. -The stay-at-homes enjoy the rest ing spells of cool weather much more han the summer hotel keepers do. -A soda-water fountain in a Brook lyn candy store exploded a few days igo and broke the proprietor's arm. -Mr. and Mrs. Northcote, noe Fish, laughter of the ex-Secretary of State ire in England on their bridal tour. -The pneumatic plan of clearing the Paris sewers is said to have been at lentded with excellent result to health. -In 1876 there were but 1,870 then. logical students in Germany; now there Ire 2,707 Protestants and 758 Oatholics. -The French press is:animatedly dis cussing the vivisection question, and the anti-vivisection side appears to be paining ground. -Texas, on whose ranges over $15, 300,000 worth of cattle are running, has this year 1,00,000 acres planted in sugar. -Exclusive of lunatics in asylums and vagrants London's roster of pau pers during the last week in June num bered 85,555. -Evansville, Ind., is getting rid of . large number of English sparrows by virtue of a bounty of a cent for each :ne killed. -At the age of 83, the mother of General Phil. Sheridan is still living in the house in which the General was born, at Perry, O. -Three young men of Utah con verts from Mormonismn, are cand'dates for the ministry under the care of the Presbytery of Utah. --Th, receipts of the Patent Office for the current year will exceed 31. 200,000, according to the estimates of Conuissioner Marble. -The Duke of Newcastle recently re turned to his tenants one-fifth of their rent for the year, in order to relieve the lepression in agriculture. -Mr. SergeantBallantine, who visit 3d Utah, is credited with the opinion that polygamy is an institution emi nently suited to a new country. -Arrangements have been made to bring out Wagner's last opera, "Parsi fal," for the first time In England next winter, at the Royal Albert iall. -A Swede, 40 or 45 years old, has been sent to the Lazaretto at San Fran cisco, Cal., suffering witli gbnuine le prosy. He absorbed the taint in China. -rhe salaries. of the clergymen of the United States are about $5,000,000 a year, and the Commission of Agri culture says it costs $50,000,000 to feed them. -A man whose beard is already 271 mnches long and steadily lengthening, is living in Toedd county, Ky., and has not yet given tip farming to go with a side show. -Valentine Yeske, a Pole, tried to commit suicide recently in the Colum bus (0,) jail by partially swallowing a large- iron spoon, which broke wvhen being taken out. M1. Gustave Aimnerd, the wvell known writer of tales of adventure, who died recently, was styled the French Fenimnore Cooper. He had travelled the world over. -Trho Sultan has conferred on the Emperor of Germany the Grand Cor don of the Order of Chefeat..- Kaiser Wilhelm will probably have it put on Ice until cool weather sets In. -Sir Linthorn Simmons, speaking of the British army, says: "'l1he non-com missioned officers have also deteriorated In the last ten years, the record of cases of reduction to the ranks and imprison ment having nearly trebled." -A cave on the Colorado river, over one mile in length, and in some places thirty feet in width, is attracting con siderable attention at Lampasas,' Txas. This cave is about 10 miles from the town, and has two smail streams run ning Lhrough it, which are about two feet deep. -The highest salary paid by the French Government to any of its Dl plomatic officers is that of 284,090 francs to the Ambassador at St. Peters burg. Envoys and ministers of the second( class, as at Washington, for ex ~iple, receive 40,000 francs, or less than 510,000 per annuni. -An agitation for a farthing stamp for prinited matter under an ounce is goinig on in Entgland( led by Mr. Leraves, whio took ant active part in ob, Lainng the half-penny stamp it 1869. rte rate it Holland Is one-quarter ence, In France one-fifth pence, and in Belgium one-tenth plence. --The sweeping of the Paris streets, according to the latest official returns, 30sts 6,234,000 francs. Th'Ie number of ersons empl6yed in the work is 3010, including 820 sweepers, 2010 "auxiliary sweepers 30 centimes per hour. The total cost of maitaining, cleansing sud repairing the roadways is 8,402,000 rranos a year, and of the pavements and irossings 1,265,000 francs, or 9,767,200 francs altogether,