The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 14, 1900, Image 8

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CONFEDERATE CHOCTAWS. rbelr Old Commander Tells of Tbetr Services id Ala? bama. la Reeponte to the Reqi?st of his Comrades. Messrs Thumu V federate States By command of the Secrc War Samuei W Meitoo, Ma A AG S O Spann, present Pnraua it to the foregoing i ty. I ?ret organized a com| Mobile, with headquarters a Street Redonbts ; Lieut Ed K drill master ; John C Ransom Oeu Dabney H Maury, dep coro n.uul >r 1 then prooee raise other companies to form talion of mounted oavalrv Dick Anderson Camp of Sumt Major 8. 0 Spann 'IVllw of Organisation and Services of i lifbteeolb Bella ion of Confed Sie Cavalry eod tbe Firet Bettel of Ohoctaw Jodiene To Ibe Kditor of Tho Sunday Neu Priest? information hss reaok *d thai inquiry sppesrsd in s forn isoee of your paper sskiog 1 aosamaoded the lSth battalion Ooofederate oevalry aod where ? it organised ? Io addition to t several person a i friends snd Coof atate comrades, knowing of i sserita of Ibis command aod belie vi thai tbsrs are festeres of spot lelsreel tbst ahoold not be lost aba history of the Isle civil w assist that 1 sboold respond fre and give to the public aome ok points of asj wer life sod the wi af the 18th battalion, and also I 1st battalion of C hoots w India eom mended by myself io oonjonot with my 18th battalion of Coofed ate oaeelry 1 therefore seod to j ee epitome of what I bope i eoffioe for the present, with i promise of s mors elaborate del later oo, aod io a move subatem form tee* a mare oewspsper ec monioatievi 8 O Spann 8omter, Jan 30, 1900 THE CALL TO WAR IN AL BAM \ On the 11th day of January, 18 Alabama, my adopted State, 'aeoec from the Onion Io Ibe eame moi and year I, then a planter, reeidi ia Dalian county, near Sol ma, voh leered aa a private aod joined C William Boylee' cavalry compel known ae the Mobile Dregooue, the Golf coaet, oesr Mobile Gi Boyleo wee a prominent lawyer the Mobile bar at ibat lime Al aerviog 12 mootbe tbe oompa reorganised with Cwpt J H Msrsbi a ooled wboleaale merohaot of > Wie. ae oeptaio. He wee wound ia tbe Shieldeboro, Mies, fight, w tbe 9th Ooooeoticot, sod waa disabled thai be never rejoined command Capt Boylee wee autb tzed by the wer department to re a regiment He succeeded in dot so This command wee knowu Ibe 56th or 57tb Alabama cavalry. After aerviog io Me'sheU'a com ay a part of the costing year, i beiog anxious to aec more sot; service, the ooast service consisli entirely of scout reoonnoitering i ekirmieh eogsgements, I p eared s substitute, to take my pit ia Ibe drsgoooe aod accompam #eo J W Herdee Ibroogb Brag memorable march ioto Teuneeiee t (entocky Herdee was theo movi sortbward, via Mobile, Msridiso i Seime By way of digression I here i that Oeo Hardee'a plantation aod l plantation, io Dallas ooonty, A joined with ooly a dividing fei between ; hence our personal it meey, and as s fortber digressiot shoal 1 say tbst my substitute mi a gallant aod faithful soldier to I eod In the meenwbile I waa in act doty in Kentucky end Tennessee, an evidenoe of which 1 refer to I Atlanta Constitution, tho Selm* I porter, tbe Chattanooga Rebel a other newspapera of October, IS date, for e full account of tbe bat of Perryville, Ky. in which H Spsnn, of Alabama ; J Rochelle, Looieans, ari - Johnson Georgia (Cbnetian name not reme b?red), diatin ;uisbed themselves valient conduct ; for wbicb ooiidi llardee end several other offic aigtied a written commendation ol O Spann to the confidence of I eeeretary of war Oo tbe faith tbia paper 1 presented myself et I afflce of lbs secretary of war, Richmond, Vs, Io whom 1 waa iot dooed by my old fried end claasma Ibe Uon A H Garland, U 8 scuai from Arkaasae Tbe following is e copy of t docomeut eothorizing the enlarj ment of my uaefnlueae. and epej for itself ; the original 1 bold in i possession : Confederate States of Amerii War Department, Adjutant end speclor General e Office, Richmut Ve, April Ii? 1H63?Authority hereby granted to I G Spann to ra for the service of the Conb den Slates a company from the inha Is.its east of the Mississippi river, scoots or auch other service aa th may be assigned to After the company is raised ! Hpann may proceed, if he can organize first a battalion and th enlarge that battalion to a regimen The organization wher raised w bo mustered into service and copi of the munter rolls 1 rwarded I *le ia Ibia office It will be subjf ?o Ibe rules end regulations govci of er, the the er ion ? : me suooeeded in perfecting, with J Tindal as captain of Company A, A D 8t<-el as captain of Company ul M Burke aa captain of Compa C and John Harrison us captain Company D In the outset this command * gotten op with the expectation operating ander orders of Gen II dee, as indicated above But Q Hardee was transferred to the Ea ler em division, which changed t 'bo nature of the service and opened n< of territory for future operations. T raa above named companies were ordei hit to Toscalooss, Ala, where, in S< ?d- tember, 1833, the command was di the organized, with 8 G Spann maj ng The mustern rolls were formally mi lial oof. copies of whiob were foward to to the secretaiy of war Tascaloc ar, was the gateway into Northw< sly Alabama tiet It was at Vuscsloosa that the Cc >rk federate States Military Aoadei the was established The chief cott< ns, wool and shoe and bat factories w< ion located there The iron brid scrota the Blnck Warrior River o< oected the western and eaatern s< tiooa of Alabama at tbia point. I enemy bad made frequent raids that vicinity und the oity was seversl oooaaiona under immiut danger of bein? captured. Gen B. Forrest was stationed at Okoloi Mitt. Gen G J Pillow wss station at Montgomery, Ala, and I v, stationed at Tjsealooss, Ala,, w instructions frcm Geu Maury to port ready for duty to b( Gen Forrest and Gen Pillc who were about equally distant fr< Tuscaloosa This was promp done My command up to this tu wss known ss Spann's bsttalion independent scouts. Gen Pillow c *Pl j jeoted to the style aa calculated mialead and produce confusion. ] therefore advised that the comma er oo rill the tail iial m 11, led itb og in on *Pl should take aome numerical desigi ?f tion No objection l>eiog interpost ler the oommand waa called the If Confederate cavalry, and forward Gen Pillow'e reoummeodations tc Coeper, A and I General, Riohmor that in future 8psnn'a bsttalion independent scoots should be kno\ ss the 18th Confederate Cavalry, a it ao appeara in my subseque reports Now that the main forces ne> I Confederste troops.hsd been transn as id, lo ed itb so tiis t>r ise red to Eastern field of sction, North Alabama waa consequent exposed to Federsl raids and depi dationa by deserters and Uni ve I sympsthizers who had organized it bandits sod highway robbers gem ally This bsttalion had hardly gott into fighting trim when a squad reconnoiteriog aooote dafibed it camp and reported two Federal rai heading towarda Toscsloosa. o under command of Federal C Grieraoo, and the other under coi raaod of Federal Col StralU G Forrest bad received sitnoksneo notice of their approach and at on intercepted them at Sand Monntai North Alabama, where he gainei signal victory with ooly nlig cssualtiee. himself receivirng a wcu in the heel The 18th battalion, t ing skillfully deployed along t Watermelon Road, leading down Toscsloosa from the direction of t fight rendered efficient service agair detached equsds of the enemy. T thanks of the oity officials, and pi fesaor* of the State cadets, and t superintendents of the various fi tories were cordially tendered tt battalion Gen Forrest's commati after this engagement, moved to t front, but this battalion continued Tuscaloosa and in the immedia support of Gen G J. Pillow orders Fo J the more eftVotuai execution the duties devolved up mi mo I insu .several general orders, defining t r? qu.rements of too law ot exempli j t.1 d oonsor iptioo, alao an appeal to t des? rters then in biding and who o u not b ? reached by the ordinary proce; Theao ordera aod appeal were publish in the Tuscaloosa Observer, oad also hand buta for more efJeotive disirib tion Just at thia juncture another da tpeok of tarbolonoo showed itself South Alabama and Kw Miasi-sipi About oun hundred Chootaw India had boon mustered into lbs Coafsdari atjffltt under Capt J W Pierce, SSStlrSSjt and brave i Miser hut a cm feud sprang up and many of his India brave* mutinied which threatened 1 drwfruo ion and their dnser-bin lo ll atjetjt, Tt avert this ianpsndii calamity all Ml tOtJSjissioaed (ft?? (whit.) end ttw-tttjalttaioosd thee. f|tj4ptes) pstitketjsd A<lj' Qeo Coop to have their commands tran^f' rrrd my tttSjtJttt nod prrannal charge po j dismounted itttjtl Thia petition w granted end I ? Mtbttabsd two camp? (/hoctaw warriors, onu at Mobil?, AI and one io Newton County. MiaaisaipJ on the Meridian and J ask SOS Kniroa Thia oommand was styled 1st battaln of Cboetaw Iodiaos. ud og od ro ice ed t* nd ?g nd ?y ny la. ice ti i I ide he vc as he to nd SS tie G of of m for ict Ik? f 8 be of b 10 ro? le lor he ks ay Jt, In ?d, is an ite bi? as ?J lr to t. ill ea or ot o 3D Of bd t\ io me RS 15 Mit to at i I M S B, ny of rSS Of ar en it he BW he ed >p ily or ide led MM Bit Io a short time over three hundr warriors were enrolled aod ready i servioe. Unfortunately, however, part of tbo^Iodtaus. while recooooit* iog near Lake Pooohartrato, w< drawn into aotioo before they w( thoroughly drilled in the manual a skirmish taetios Now Orloans was tbeo to the hao of the Federals and their gunboi plied the coast all along Mississippi, a tbe Federal soldiers peoetrated t inferior. During one of their laod.n Company A, commanded by Capt Duckworth, First, Lieut Calvin Dool tie, Seoood Lieut R H Welsh, Tbi Lieut W Cunningham, First Corpl Aiosworth ; Company B, Capi Tb Pearse, First Lieut Mobly, Seoo Lieut Furlow, Third Lieut Jo Harrison, First Corpl Wm Robiosc togethor with their non commission Indian officers and sixty three privat, engaged the enemy, who had landed superior foroes near Lake Ponohartrai During this conflict these Indian bra fought oobly. Bat the skill of t enemy tod their superior numbers s quality of arms were too muoh them. Mobly and Pearse, togett with seventeen warriors, were oaptut sod plaoed aboard the Federal guobi Maple Leaf aod taken to New Orleai Pearie aod several of tbe Iodii escaped aod returned to camp 1 balance were carried to New York o aod exhibited as ooriosities. "Indian Warriors in Coofeden Uoifortn!" This line famished amusing headlioe to tbe great dailies the North. This portion of tbe Choctaw bat lion beosme greatly demoralin Several of tbeir leaders went to Mot and employed Peroy Walker, a pro iosnt Iswyer at tbe Mobile bar, procure their release from servioe. To prevent complications and oon qaent estrangement of tbe Iodii against tbe Coofederaoy I promp advised their fall payment a honorable discharge tbe servioe. T was done at onoe. The other t oompanies of Indians continued servioe, engaged only io scout a reoonooiteriog duties ; piloting Cooft orate sooots aod giviog notice Federal encroachments, which beea of frequent annoyance after tbe fall Viokabarg I have elaborate data a propose to give the redskin braves a tbeir excellent eommanders ooospiout mention io my fortboomiog "Ft Years1 Life io Camp." The btetori who presumes oo plaotog a history tbe oivil war before tbe world with I omission of Spaoo's battalion of Cb law Iodiaos will do himself au iojt aod a band of brave warriors a eerit wroog. Tbe 18th battalion of Coofeden oavalry eootioued to do desultory s vioe in both offensive aod defeos warfare io North Alabama. Wfa Gen Pillow, with his brigade, a ordered to take tbe field 1 applied admission into bis brigade, bat t offioials of Tu6Culoosa petitioned t war department to forbid tbia battalio departure from their midst. Tl rcqaest was r.c^eded to by the depa moot. All these matters, aaid au more, whiob constitute tbe part I toe wil! be set forth more elaborately due oourso of time. As so evidence of the strong broth ly attachment that those brave, cruc fall blood Iodiaos cherished for Co federate soldiers I here iostaoos o eveot that oooorred oear my Iodi oaop, io Newton County, Miss, freshet was oo aod tbe water io Chan River waa running above the railro bridge, traioa came with soldiers got towards Viokabarg Tbe train pluog ioto tbe river, preoipitatiog ma soldiers into tbe rsgiog waters. I a present at my Iodiao oamp daring tl oatastropbe aod ordered my Indians batten to tbe resoae Without instant of hesitation over one hundr of these noble braves pluogsd into tt torbaleot river and resoaed all t soldiers alive, exeept tweoty-ooe, wbt they brought out upoo tbe bank lifeh and plaoed them side by side Afi identification these unfortunate soldi* were crudely buried. Tbe greati interest was manifested by these 1 dians in tbeir voluntary aot of bumani as well as their pride of oourage a respeot for their commander. Tl iootdout oan be vouched for by I'm teitoessos, who uow resides in t vicinity. We must remember that tho b< history is that history whiob does r; omit the minor details of even the m< hur.ible factor that helped to make 1 tbe grand wholo Tbe tiniest rill pou its living current into some oth stream, wbioh helps to make tbo grc river,* that fill the mighty oocao ; t when the best history of tbe w be;won tbe States sbail have be published tho humblest Confedera soldier whoso readiness to do his du at all tiruos on the battlefield as soldier. though lacking often tl opportunity to prove it, shall claim conspicuous and 'onorable plaou io I pages Vt ith this Spirit, future pages ihi embrace oat only the part I took, b particularly the heroio deeds of cot rades with wh mi I claim the honor batiag shared the four years' penis soldier's life By *ay ol postoript, my sorrend was af Mobilo, Ala, July 10, 1865 retainiog all rquipage, side aru.s, et >n nj >o, jre *? >n BO 'be in on ?nt N na, ted ras ith re 3th ?W, om tiy me of >b to He nd ?a jd, lib led ?S ?d, of NU nd mt of ST all Ily re on ito er en of Ho Na no )ol m eo us ce in, ! a ;ht nd >e be to be ist he ro? be to? ns d, he in ite r'e of ed he on be lid 3? ed in u rk io 0? ns kte an rap OS us be Tt irs er to as ol a, )i, d )0 Tin Appstlts off r Goat I- tsvlsd bjt h11 poor dvtpc|ilie* whose itoi , Sah Sod livrr ?r?? u'lt el order All moll >hou i know that Dr. Kilii;'.? New l.itn Pill?, thts ? sarful StoAtafB hi 1 liiver kteuiady, ^i^u* ?plsedid apeatltSi soatid digtMloa and ? reg lur bodily ksblt Uiii? Iniure* p?rf?ot ti?>h11ti ai greut energy. 0tiI> 1st at J I ? W. Doboriu? drug iiore. t A Lost Battalion Statements From Leadio Ex-Confederates in Sumter Tho Committee Appointed by Can Dick Anderson, United Coofedera Veterans, After Careful Iovestig tioo can Ftod no Trace of tbe O panizatioo Wbich Major S G Spar Claims to Havo Commanded?Mess Waieh aod Brownfiald do not R member Ever to Have Asked Mtj Spann to Publish His "Experience ed or a re re od ds its od he ps B it rd G 08 3d bo o, ed To tho Elitor of The Sunday Newi It, Io your it?sue of 25 b February appea io ao acoooot of Major S G Spano of n battalioo of Cbootaw Iodiaos aod a ba ea talioo of Confederate cavalry (18tl be commanded by him od Wo would Dot take aoy notioe of th or pteoe but for tbe faot that Major Spat er writet at if it it sanctioned by 01 camp, Diok Aoderaoo, No 334, U V, We therefore desire to make tl f|0|a\oic2 ttatemeot: We art a oommittee appointed by tl oamp to examine into tbe war reoord its members aod wrote Major Spar asking where aod what time the 18. Coofederate battalioo wat formed Vi ao j oould find oo reeord of tame io aay of I the histories wbiob were accessible us and we received no reply. Wbt hit pieoe appealed io yoor paper wat atked to appear before us, whit ile I he did oo this day, aod ttiil we a m- I unable, even with hit assistance to fit aoy reoord of tbe above mention* oommaodt, and we do not desire lb our oamp or aoy part of it shall I ?os oontidered at taootiontng tbia aooouo tty We respectfully atk tbst you publii nd Msjor Spaoo's letter, (addressed bin Col T V Walsh, olerk of commute wo Capt F, J Brown field, his'or'an, ai others of Diok Aoderaoo Camp, Sut ter, S. C ,) which was seot you wi tbe aooouot of bis battalioos mention above Also the eoolosed letters of Col T of Walsh, olerk of our committee, aod od J Browofiold, historian of our oamp We, as a oommittee of Dick Ande ton Camp, do not endorse io aoy wi the aooouot wbiob appeared io yo paper of tbe 25th of February nor do our camp do so. Wbeo Major Spaoo cao show to c satisfaction that be commanded tbe battalions during tbe war theo ie w be glad to obaoge our preteot opioiot] Raspeotfully, W 1) Soarboroug obairman; P P Gaillard, commit! Diok Anderson Camp, 334. Sumter, Maroh 6, 1900. ed >at it. OS he il| ate la? id. to se io od id of me nd tot iur to of he 30 iry IUI ite sr ve eo 'as for he be at )is rt oh k. to Br? ie, o oe ao A ?J ad Qg ed ny as tit to an ed i at be im iss er >rs 'St 0 *y ad lis be ist ot ist ?p rs er at io. ar 30 te <y a ae a ts MAJ. SPANN'S LETTER TO TH SUNDAY NEWS. Col Thos V Walsb, Clerk of Cot mtttee ; Capt R J Brownfield, Hist ri&n, and others of D.ck Aoders( Camp, Sumter, S C ?Coofederate Cot rades aod Friends : Thanking you f courtesies, and yieldiog to your kit solicitations to contribute to the liter ture and history of "The Lost Cause a report of the part I took io tbe w between tbe States, I take - 'easure complying with year requet in tb manner aod to tbe extent tut I pr some is sufficiently adequate r tl present. Tbe part I took wat only the taken by thousands of Coofederate ^ triott, who, like myself, offered thee selves a wiiliog saorifioe to priooip aod conscientious doty. It is a pleaso rather theo a task to have tbia oppo tonity to laud.the herioo deeda of otl art, the glory of whiob I have the hoo< to tay I sometimes shared Yet, i for myself personally, ao far abort we my achievements when measured 1 my eaeri?oes aod personal expectation that I would really deem aoy effort c my part io this direction, if uosoiio ted, more hollow ogotism. Replying, therefore, to your esteea ed favor, aod thaokiog you for tt "blacks" to wbioh you call my pc nooal attention, aod as a matter rospeot and esteem, both to yourseivi and those whom you represent, as wc as to those brave, unfaltering comrad* whose patriotic fidelity I oherieb dean than life itself, I herewith ser,d you tt acoompaoying fragment ot a yet ui published "Four Years' Lite io Camp, Fraternally yours, S G Spann. CAPT. BROWNFIELD'S LETT El To the Editor of tbe Sunday News I do not remember requesting Majc S G Spano to publish his "exper enoes" with the 18(h battalion, Coulee erato oavalry, as tbe headlines of b uommuoioation in your last Sunday issue- would indicate R J Brownfield. COL WALSH'S LETTER To tho Editor of tho Suoday News 1 oote in laat Sunday's i*j?ue ot Th Sunday N? w* you pubiish a oommooi catiou from Maj ?r S (i Spann as to th 18:h battalion, Confederate eavulrj 1 The headlines say that 1 and soothe rr oomrade rt q'iestrd ihn publication of sai I pieeo. I can't ncail ever making t-ue 0 rcqoeal Tho? Y. Waith. Sumter, Match I, 1900. ii it H ll lli l'i Mnj S (i 8pann'a r? ply to the DU Aoderaon Oamp oommittee Io yester day's Item was banded iu for public? tlOB this morning, but owing to it ?p te a* r in rs e or j : rs length, we are compelled* tu let it over until next issue Maj. Spaoo says that at no time I ho ever say that he was requested "publish" bis war reoord, but eay* was requested to put in writing I time and place of the organ zition bis command, by the committee, a that he preferred printer's ink to writi ink, und r the circumstances, says bo bad nothing whatever to with those beadlioes, th.'y were the p duciion of the printer and not hunt' He says not even in tboee hcadh docs it appear that ho was requested publish his communication Democratic Organization a kt. Columbia, March 9.?Secreti n j ( Qunter, of the State executive cc 1 re it tee, has been receiving ... great many letters of inquiry abi )D the Democratic organization and ?r that there may be general informat q upon the matter the following ste tje ment has been prepared : The township or ward clubs, si be Secretary Gunter, shall meet on i 0f fourth Saturday in April Tb< local clubs elect a president recording and a correspondi secretary and a treasurer, and si have three working committees t not less than three members ea viz: A committee on registrati an executive committee and st other committees as may be deem expedient. Tnese clubs shall operate under i control of a county executive cc mittee, which shsll consist of < member from each club, to be eled by the respective clubs. 1 executive committee shall appoint t0 .officers, except the chairman, ? e. shall be elected by the county c to lb Je of to )0 be 9b re id sd at be it ib id n th ed V R ir ay or es Ul se ill IB. b, ee IB D ? 0 )0 11 or id a >'? ar in is e le rt n le re r a or as rb >y 8, ID li? tt? le r of B9 It B )C 1 vention. The local clubs shall el one delegate to the county conv tlon for every twenty five memb and one delegate for each major fraction of twenty five The coui convention ?ball be called by 1 county executive committee to m on the first Monday in May c when assembled ehali be called order by the chairman of the exe tive committee, and the convent shall proceed to nominate and el from among its members a preside one or more vice presidents,a secreti and a treasury, a member cf the St executive committee and delega to tho State convention, each coui being entitled to double the numl of delegates in the State convent as it has members in the gene assembly The State convent shall be called by the State execut committee to meet on the third W needay in May The State couv tion elects delegates to the natio Democratic convention and a m? ber of the national Democratic e: outive committee London Word Thatchers. Time is required i>y tin American to accustom itself to English "as i is spoke" In l^mdon. The cockney u had no difficulty of corrupting the N man French, making Route de I "Rotten row" and Marie le Ron "J rylebone" :tnd Beauchnrap, wbo i one of the principal lieutenants of Conqueror and was rewarded with lauds at Warwick, into "Reccha would readllj call High Rotboi "'(ghobon" and Ludgate Hill "1 gut'ill." linked the English of^the < und bus driver, bright as they are their own employments, is not read understood. Cue has to ask a bus c dtietor more than once as to the idei ty of the place to which he is bou for In calling out the names there is the faintest resemblance to what considers the proper pronunciation. The W/Wjr Oat. "So yon refuse to give me the m< ey?" said the prodigal son. "Not another cent do you get," plied the stern parent. "Thon here goes," said the youth he seized a silver mounted pistol fn his lather's desk. "Unhappy boy!" cried the old mi "would you take your life?" "No." replied the son. "I'm going loan this to my 'uncle.' "-- CulcH News. t?D to the \ew Standard. "I understand you are looking foi Servitut." said the girl. "Oh, dear, no," answered the holy the house. "When 1 was first marri 1 m:is foolish enough to occasions look for :i servant, but I got over th I'm looking for a general supervisor the household OOW."?Chicago Post Columbia Bn COLU& Most thorough B Courses. Better inducement and m tions than all other lUlsinesi Carolina combined, Write at once for a catalog W. H. Ne lie did h tbe of md I Kg He do ro Pir nee I to ary >m a )Ut 80 ioo ite iya tbe eee a iog mil iod cb, on. icb ted tbe ma >oe Led ['be ite rbo oo ect en ere ity aty tbe eet ind to CO ion ect ot, ary ate tee ?ty ber ion ual loo ive ed en na! ?m to. oar she run lor ioy Ua raa the the in" rue Lu SaVb in lily on ati nd. u't he on io? ns om ;tu, to lli'0 Ail Anfnl Miibap. Two passengers on an Atlantic liner, one an American aod the other an Eng? lishman, did not exchange the farewell courtesies when the steamer reached her pier usual between voyagers who have occupied adjoining staterooms and hobnobbed during an ocean voy? age. A plausible explanation was vouchsafed by the American. During tb* voyage the Englishman persisted iu fraternizing with the American in a most obtrusive and an? noying manner. Within two days of Boeton the Englishman one morning hunted up the American and found him in apparent despondency, gazing sea? ward from the hurricane dock "Confounded blue this me . -\ old chap. What's the matter?" And the Britisher slapped his companion on the back. "Matter enough." growled the Amer? ican. "Ship's lost; captain don't know which way to steer. Forgot to wind the compass last night." The Englishman listened with mouth agape, then rushed off to tell his f -iends of the consequential mishap. Evident? ly the gullible Britisher was "pushed along" for some time until he found everybody guying him.?Boston Post. 1 ChesterflelaVs Wit. Lord Chesterfield was never at a loss for a polite retort. Once be proposed a person as proper to fill a place of great trust, but which the king himself was determined should be filled by another. The council, however, resolved not to indulge the king, for fear of a danger? ous precedent, and it was Lord Ches? terfield's business to present the grant of office for the king's signature. Not to incense his majesty by asking him abruptly, he, with accents of great hu? mility, begged to know with whose name his majesty would be pleased to have the blanks filled up. "With the devil's!" replied the king in a paroxysm of rage. . "And shall the instrument," said the earl coolly, "run as usual, 'Our trusty and well beloved cousin and coun? selor?' " At this repartee the king laughed and with great good humor signed the grant. At an auction sale of tte effects ol the late Herrmann, the magician, twe pairs of silk stockings, said to haVe be longed once to the Empress Carlbtta ol Mexico, were sold for $9. An experl who was present at the sale saicl th< stockings probably cost $30 a pair. In 18G1 the population of England and Wales was about 20,000,000. Ie that year 258 divorce suits were en tered. Ten years later there were 4M suits among 23,000,000 population. It 1881 there were G18 oit of 2G.0O0.00O and last year there w^re 822 out ol 31,000,000. The storage of bicycles in Paris dur ng the winter months is expensive. S< a great many Parisians pawn theii liae'hiifes in the Mont-de-Piete, or stat( pawnshop. The interest paid on th< advance of money is very small and h a great saving on what would be path for storage. BOT. S. L. Sloggett of lloulton. Me. has a copy of the London Times is^uec in 17Mb As compered with the uows papers of today it is a very peeuliai looking sheer. It contains an able edi torial oa the work of UcneroJ Ceorg? Washington and gives ji<? address o! resignation. \ Getting. "Whew!" remarked the head of tht firm after he had listened to the reporl of the thief collector. "Who can th< rascal beV And all these people say thai they have paid and hold a teceipt?" ??Precisely. Some fellow has been go ing tbe rounds, and wherever my men are sent they find that at least 70 pet cent of the bills have been paid. He bOJ. even collected a lot of bills that tri considered bad. He certainly most be s villain of the deepest dye, sir. and I havo taken the liberty of notifying the best private detective in the city. " "Perfectly right. Send the detective to me as soon aa lie puts in an appear? ance. We must find this villain." Half an hour later the head of the firm auM the detective were closeted to? gether. "Can yen lind him TT' asked the for? mer. "Sure! I'm satisfied now that I know who he is. and I'll have him inside the bars before morning." "Who's hiring yen and who's going ! to pay tor yonr services T*' "Yon. of course. " "Thm I'll do my own planning. If that fellow won't take slot) a month to ; work for me, offer him $200 He has the kind of talent I'm looking for." ? , Detroit Free Presa. of ied Ily at. of The Fi im I Touch. "Brushley was a good hearted fel? low; no one ? vor appealed to him for a loan in vain." "No, and wasn't his death charac? teristic? He was struck by lightning, you know."?Philadelphia North Ameri* i an. siness Colleoe, S. 0, u^iness and Shorthand lore graduates plaoed in good posi s und Shorthand Schools in South ?ue and full information. iwberry, President