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About The farmers' alliance. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1889-1892 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 1889)
WEAR YIN FOR YOU. , Jst a-wearyin for.vou, All the time a-feelin' blue; """""S. Wisljin' for you. tronderin' when You'll be comin' home ocen; Iteetless don't know what to d5. Jest a-wearyin' lor you. Kep a-mopin' day by day; " Dull in everybody's way. Folks they smile an' pass alonff Wonderin' what on earth is wrong; T wouldn't help 'em if they knew J e6t a.' wearyin' for you. Boom's no lonesome, with your chaig Empty by the fire place there; -Jest can't stand the eight of it; (f Go out doors an' roam a bit, ' ' But the woods is lonesome, too, Jest a wearyin' for you. Comes the wind with soft caress I -ike the rustlin' or.vour dress; Blossoms fiillin' to the ground 1 Softly like your footsteps sound; Violets like your eyes fo blue, Jest a-wearyin' for you. Alornin' comes. The birds awake i (Use to eing so for your sake) '-a-But there's sadness in the notes That comes thrillin' from their throats Heem to feel your absence, too, 1 Jest a-wearyin' for you. Krenin' falls. I miss yon more "When the dark gloom's in the door; rVems jest like yer orter to be s There to open it for me! Latch goes tinklin- thrill? me through Sets me wearyin' for you. Jest a-wearyin' for you; All the time a-feelin' blue! Wishin' for you-r-wonderin' when Ycu'Jl be comin' home agen. liestless don't know what to do Jest a wearyin' lor you. F. L. Stanton in Atlanta Constitution. HER HUSBAND'S MECE. you fret this letter?" Mattie erson, as lanced in- her hus band's face. , "On Wednesday' he said, with some hesitation. ' "And this Is Friday," rebukingly replied his wife. "You carried it about in your pocket for at least two days. It is from your niece, Fanny Atwood. She left New York yesterday and will be here on the 8 o'clock train this morning, and it is half-past 7 now. This is a nice state of affairs, isn't it?" "It was careless in me, Mattie," the young farmer regretfully admitted. He was a handsome, good natured fellow, sturdy in frame and pleasing in speech. He had a whip in his hand, and his wagon, loaded with milk cans, was standing at the gate. "She says she'll get off at Forest station, where you are to meet her," Mrs. Henderson said, her eyes once more on the letter. "Oh, pshaw," cried the husband with an impatience unusual with him. "I can't. I must have my milk at Beaver station on time. Why didn't she come over the road most con venient to me?" "I suppose she'll have to walk here," replied the young wife. "And as she says that she intends to stay three weeks, no doubt she has brought her trunk with her a trunk of no mean dimensions, I'll veuture to pre dict. I am a good deal more put out about it than you are. There's the butter to churn, the clothes to iron, the currant jelly to make, and goodness only knows what else. She'll be too dainty to lay a hand to anything, and will spend her time reading, sleeping and lolling in the hammock. She might have waited to be asked." "I know it will prove an infliction," the husband consolingly said. "But I guess there's nothing to do but to bear it. Things may not turn out bo bad as you fancy they will." . He got into the wagon and drove off. Mrs. Henderson walked into the spring house to churn thebutter. She was seldom peevish and rarely complained, but the visit really seemed inopportune. She was not very strong, and as she worked early and late and took no recrea tion, it was beginning to tell on her nerves. The farm was not entirely paid for, and they were not able to keep a girl. She was a sensible little woman, and felt that it was her duty to second her thrifty husband's efforts. Leis ure, if not competency, would come by and by. In descending the steps of the spring house she fell and sprained her an kle, the pain was so great that she almost fainted. "That means a week of enforced idleness," she despairingly thought. "Time so precious, and that fash ionably reared niece of George's more of a hindrance tnan a help. Oh, dear!" After much painful effort she suc ceeded in reaching the sitting room and threw herself upon the comforta ble lounge. She fell into a doze, and when she opened her eyes there stood Fanny Atwood, looking down into her face. She had on a plain, sensible look ing traveling dre3s. Her figure was compact, her complexion healthy, her air cheerful, her demeanor self pos sessed. Her cheeks were dimpled, her mouth indicated resolution, her soft brown eyes offered confidence and in vited it. She had walked two miles through the hot sun, over the dusty road, but one would hardly have thought so, she looked so neat, clean, and placid. "You are my Aunt Mattie, I sup pose" she said,m a low, sweet voice, a smile lurking among her dimples. "Yes," Mrs. Henderson said with an effort. "Your undo forgot to give me vour letter until this moraine:. He could not meet you because ho had to deliver the milk over at the other railroad at the hour you named, am sorrv you had to walk." "I wasn't vexed about it," replied the visitor. "Nor am 1 in a hurry about mv trunk. "I sprained my ankle,'i-Mrs. Hen- (fe3son said. "1 am atraid 1 will not be about for three or four days." !That is too bad,"eommise-at;ng-iy rejoined Miss Atwood. "1 I seems I was iust to come. I can do ever so many things for you." ." r:rp?!r?mz& HEN did Milll, asked "Yes," grimly assented Mrs. Hen derson. "I'll first look after that ankle," the visitor said briskly, cheerfully. She removed her dainty looking cuffs, and then took off her aunt's shoe and stocking. "It is considerably swollen." she safd. "I am not surprised," replied Mrs. Henderson. "You'll find a bottle of liniment in the cupboard yonder." "I wouldn't put liniment on it just yet," advised Fauny. "Have you any sugar of lead?" "Very likely. Look in that med icine box in the cupboard. There's a little of everything there, almost." Fanny found the sugar of lead, and then some linen suitable for a bandage. Sbe put the sugar of lead in a basin, added cold water, soaked the bandage in it and then wrapped it around the swollen ankle. She went about it like a professional nurse. "That feels very cooling," Mrs. Henderson greatfully said. "There is nothing reduces a swelling like sugar of lead water," replied Fanny. "Ill wet the bandage every now and then with it. Just you re main quiet, dearie, and don't bother yonrselt about anything. You have no girl?" "No, child," Mrs. Henderson said. "We cannot afford to keep one." "I'll get uncle his dinner," announc ed Fanny. "You'll get George his dinner!" repeated Mrs. Henderson. Fanny noticed the incredulity in her tone, laughed" prettily and said: "Why shouldn't I? If you wiU al low me to skirmish around I'll man age to find things. However, it isn't near dinner time yet. When I wentto the kitchen for the basin, I saw you had sprinkled the clothes. Shall I iron them?" She saw the odd smilo that came to her tired aunt's lips and correctly interpreted it. "Maybe you think I can't iron?" she pleasantly said, "Just you wait and S0?" . x "But the dress you have on, Miss Atwood? It" "Was selected for service," complet ed Fanny. "Of course I'll put on one of your aprons." When George Henderson returned from his errand he heard some one singing cheerily in the kitchen. He stepped in and saw his niece ironing away as deftly as it she had spent the best part of her life at it. She made such a pretty picture thajb he stood still and looked at her. "How do you do, uncle?" a twinkle of merriment in her brown eyes; then she went and kissed him, standing on tip-toe to do so. "I'm glad you've come, Fanny," he said with heartiness. "I suppose Mattie explained why I did no c meet you at the station? But why are you ironing? WHiere is Mattie?" "Sbe is lying down, uncle. She fell and sprained her ankle." Mr Henderson stepped into the sit ting room, a look of concern on his face. "Whv, dear, how did this hap pen?" " "Oh, how does anything happen?" she replied a little querulously. "Through my own awkwardness, no doubt. I almost fainted, the pain was so great." "Does it pain you now, dear?" "I'll bathe it in sugar of lead wa ter," he said. "There isn't anvthing better." "Fanny has already done that," replied the wife. "It was her own suggestion." "Oh, ejaculated Mr. Henderson, with increasing appreciation of his niece. "And she insists upon ironing. A pretty mess she'll make of it." "Well, maybe not, Mr. Henderson said in a quiet tone. "I watched her a little while. Mattie, you are a rrrrr irnnoT ln. clio i a vniiT onnnl " "Oh, nonsense beorger exclaimed his wife. "Beared in the city, as she has been" "Didn't necessarily make her a lazv, silly, novel reading imbecile," inter rupted her husband. "Perhaps we haven't been just to Fanny. I think she is a solid, energetic, capable sort of a girl, and it is lucky that she came. "Well, I hope it may prove so," doubtingly rejoined the wife. "George, there s the butter!" "I'll churn that," he said. "We'll at along. Just you keep your mind at ease. You will get about much sooner if you do." ranny Atwood prepared dinner, now and then slipping into the sit ting room to wet the bandage, and to chat in her cheery way with her patient. On the third day Mrs. Henderson was able to hobble to the kitchen, where she found everything in excel lent order. "Look at my currentjelly," Fanny proudly said, as she held up one of the glass jars to the light. It was translucentland bright as ruby tinted wine. "It is very nice," Mrs Henderson said. "How much sugar did you take?" "Pound for pound," replied Fanny, "I wasn't extravagant, was I?" "You were wise," her annt said with a smile. She opened the door leading into the cellar. "Fanny, did you whitewash the starway?" she asked in surprise. "Ys, auntie. It needed it. I knew you meant to do it, for I saw you had slaked the lime. Isn't it nicely done?" "Very nicely," Mrs. Henderson said. "But is wasn't right foryou to do it. Surely your hands" "Look at them." Fanny said, laughing. "They are as white an.d soft as any lady's. I put gloves on, and I have a sort vof dainty way of working. I can do it well without pitching into it all over. I have a knack, as mother calls it. If it was right for you to whitewash the cellar way, it was right for me to whitewash it. I came here to help you and to spare you; to ride the horses, to go to the mill with Uncle George, and to make myself useful and welcome. If you are not going to let me work, or have any fun. why I'll go right back to New York." " She spoke with voluble earnestness, her gestures rapid, hr dimples dancing. Mrs. Hattie Henderson sat down in a chair and cried f . "Why, aunt, what is the matter?" asked Fanny, her brown eyes widen ing. "I hope I didn't say anything to" "No, dear, you didn't' replied Mrs. Henderson in a broken voice. "Iam crving because I am ashamed of my self because I have been so unkind to you in my thoughts. I supposed that vou would annoy me, and hind er me; that you would be helpless, j seinsn, iauit nncnng; mauu "But you think more kindly of me now, do you not?" interrupted Fan ny, her hands moving caressingly over her aunt's hair "Most certaiuly I do," replied Mrs, Henderson, explosively. "That is why I confess my injustice why I want to make amends why I" uon tj mma it, aumy, etuu uie.j sweet, forgiving, sympathetic voice. "I don't censure you, and it's all right now. There may be and, iu fact, there are listless, frivolous. helDless girls in New York city and in other cities but I am not one of them. If I was, I am afraid I would despise myself." "I am glad you have come, Fanny, and I will be sorry when you go," Mrs. Henderson said, and she meant it. "My prejudices misled me, and I have been taught a lesson. Here after I'll not be so hasty in estimat ing people, . especially before I have met them." Not So Smart. An uptown Scrantpn man thought a great deal of his old mother cat for a little while after he reached home the other evening. He saw her carry a dead English sparrow from the front yard to the back of the house, and on the back porch he found thirteen more dead sparrows in a heep. The cat dropped the last one on the pile, and the man praised puss for her remarkable work. It tick led him so much that he went right away and told his near est neighbor all about the cat's feat of catching fourteen sparrows in one afternoon. His bliss was of short du ration, for the fact of the matter was that the cat hadn't caught a single one of the birds alive. The neighbor td whom he was bragging about tho cat had shot every one of the spar rows from his window with a little rifie, and the birds had dropped into the other man's yard. Scranton (Pa.) Letter. a "A Suspended Judgment." The true scientific attitude of th day, as expressed by the president of the British association, Professor Fowler, is a suspended judgment." Professor Fowler indorses Sir John Lubbock's idea that the field of in quiry is limitless and that there may be "fifty other senses as different from ours as sound is from sight, and even within the boundaries of our own senses there may be endless sounds which we cannot hear and colors as different as red from green of which we have no conception. These and a thousand other ques tions remain for solution. The famil iar world which surrounds us may be a totally different place to other animals, To them it may be full of music which we cannot hear, of color which we cannot see, of sensation which we cannot conceive." Science Gossip. The Printer Did It. A well known Australian writer a very bad penman in mentioning the name of a certain lady in an ar ticle, said she was "renowned for her graciousness and charity." For "charity" the compositor read "chastity." The author, on seeing a proof, recognized at once that there was an error; but, unable to remember the word he had used in place of "chastity," marked the proof with what is called a "query" ? to refer the printer to his MS. When the article appeared, the writer who had intended to pay a pretty compliment to the lady was sur prised to read that she was "re nowned for her graciousness and chastity (?).' Verdict for plaintiff, 2,500 sterling, with costs. San Francisco Argonaut. Only a Baby. A pretty story of royal etiquette is told by The Pall Mall Gazette. It seems that all the royal children, whether o Prussia, Austria, or Bavaria, take equal delight in seeing the soldiers present arms to them. When the Princess Gisela, who is aunt to the little Archduchess Elizabeth, was 4 years old she used to make a great fuss every time her gloves were put on. She was told one day that if she went out without her gloves the soldiers would not sain te her. All of a sudden the little girl became most eager to wear gloves. Then as soon as sho was out of doors she peered about for soldiers. Directly she cauirht sight of one she held up both her little fat hands and cried, "I got m gloves." An Automatic Nailmaker. An automatic machine for making horseshoe nails has recently been brought out. Wire is coiled on a reel on the top of the machine, which cuts off, stamps, points and heads the nails without any hand assistance what ever. The receiving box contains only perfect nails, for if there is any hitch in the working the machine stops it self, and points out by means of in dex where the fault occurs. A few moments only are required to remove the offending nail, and the machine starts again. Wanted It Good. "Are you fond of music?" asked Mrs. Symphony of an elderly relative from the country. "Well, yes, I am" was the careful reply; "that is, when it's good music, Laury. Now you take a good ac cordeum an' a fiddle an'a pair o' bones an' a flute an' let 'em all Jplay 'Old Nicodemus4 all at thesametime, and I tell you it's swectl" Harper's Bazar. SPECIMINS OF WIT. Some men's affairs don't gefc straightened out until , about tho same time they do themselves. "De June bug got do golden wing, Do ligntnin' bug de flame; De bed-bug got no wing at all, But he git dar all de same." Sure signs To meet a funeral pro cession is a Bigu of death; to lose a pocket-book containing bills of large denomination is considered very un lucky. "Do you know Dr. Shaw?" "Yes; he is a member of our church. Near ly all the members employ him as their family physician." "O, I see: he is a regular piller of the church." . Marion Harland says that the coming woman will have her own bank account This will prove pleas ant news for the coming man, espe cially if her bank account- is big enough for two. Norristown Herald. It is a fact worthy pondering that though the night falls around us it never breaks, whereas the daybreaks but never falls. We offer ' this deli cate fancy to some struggling aspir ant for poetical hours. It will cost .$100,000,000 to put our seacoast in a state of defence against a foreign foe, while it wen't cost us ten cents to mind our own business and keep out of a row with the rest of the world. Hattie "What in the world dfd Carrie marry that old man for? Why, she is actually giving her life away." Minnie "Not at all. She is selling her life as dearly as possi ble, He is awfully rich." The doctor "I think, my dear sir that it would be bettor to have a con sultation; your wife is seriously ill." Anxious husband "There, I told my wife long ago she ought th have prop er medical advice, but she was so afraid of hurting your feelings." London Standard. "Do you ever receive contributions written on both sides of the paper?" asked a gentleman, . entering a news paper office. "No, sir; never," em phatically replied the editor. "All riht; I was going to indorse this check to your order, but I don't want you to break your rules." Then be went out, lea ving the editor in a deep green study. Yonker's Statesman. It has often been said that the chief characteristic of the epitaph is its lack of veracity, but it is perhaps bet ter that it should err on the side of kindliness rather than wound the liv ing by a brutal truthlulness, as in the case of an inscription written for the tombstone of a lazy man by one who knew him well: "Asleep (as usual)." - State's Attorney: "So the defend ant did propose to you that you set fire to the store snd get half the insurance. State now whether or not he offered to protect you from all risk of punishment at the hands of the law. . What did he say about that?" Witness: "Yes, sir; he prom ised to see me through. He said he'd manage to catch me in the act and let you prosecute me." Mrs Grubber: "Well, well! What fools these editors be!" Mr. Grub ber: "Eh?" Mrs. Grubber: "Here I writ a letter to the editor of the Punkinville Trumpet, askin' what would be proper an' inexpensive to git lor a weddin' present; an' here in the paper he's printed a list of about a huudred things what folks gives as weddin' presents, an' there 'oint one of 'em costs less than a dollar." "Tell me, Uncle Charles," pleaded Amelia, "do you think that Henry will make a good husband?" "I think he will," replied Uncle Charles without hesitation. "I offered him a cigar last evening and he took it as freely as it was given. When he opened his coat in search of a match he exposed his waistcoat, and its . two upper pockets were filled with cigars. I have no hesitation m say ing that Henry will prove a saving, economical husband." Boston Transcript. ; Several men were at work on the brickwork of a new building. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and Mike and Pat were chums. Mike had brought no dinner pail, as he had been on a epree the night before. About nine in the morning he got very hungry, so he helped himself to Pat's dinner. When twelve struck, Pat missed his dinner, and upbraid ed Mike for appropriating it. "Faith 1 did, "but I'll get ye another one." "How are you going to get me an other one?" "I'll soon show you." There was a small pet' dog playing around the building, belonging to the lady in the next house. "Mike procured a small switch, and seizing the dog by the back of the neck, be gan hitting him with the switch, not hard enough to hurt him, but hard enough to make him squeal like "blue murder." The lady who owned the dog, hearing the rumpus, put her head out of the window and shouted angrily, "What are you hitting that dog for?" "Sure he ate all my din ner." replied Mike, in an injured tone. "Well, don't touch the dog. Come . in, and I'll give you some dinner." So in they marched and had their fill of cold turkey and mince-pies and all the fixin's. This st Jiy is literally true. A Brave Woman. Welsh papers describe a conspicu ous act of bravery performed by, Mrs. Irving, wife of Capt. Irving, Gadlys, Bagilt, North Wales. As the Irish mail was entering the sta-. tion at the speed of 50 miles an hour, an aged man slightly deaf, was in the act of crossing the rails, parry ing a parcel. The officials shouted to him. and certain death appeared to await the poor fellow, when, with out a moment's hesitation, Mrs. Irv ing sprang down, seized the man, and pushed him off the rails, narrow ly escaping with her own life. How My Hair Turned White. "How did my hair turn white? will tell you the tory. , j "On my way to Exeter on business my present wife, to whom I was at that time betrothed, asked me tc get a bottle of chloroform for her mother's headache. After transact ing my business I returned home and was almost at my gate when I met HughRawdon. He was a big hand some fellow and my rival for Ethel's hand. I wanted to keep on good terms with him, naturally, so when he asked me cheerfully to take a sail with him I could not re .'use, besides it was a glorious day. "After tacking about some time I suggested returning, but he would not'hear of it. I was enjoying my self too much to urge him, but by sunset 1 thought of my engagement with Ethel and that Ave must be on our way back. I told him my thoughts. "In an instant his whole manner changed. He sprang up, almost up setting the little craft with the vio lence of his motion, and, coming close up to me, said in a deep, hoarse voice: 'Herbert Wallacv, you will go back no more!" "I was utterly dumfounded with astonishment. . At first I thought he was only perpetrating a foolish joke, but when I glanced into his eyes and saw there the awful fire of madness, my wonder soon gave way to fear. "There he stood, glaring down up on me. Slowly, without removing his eyes from niy face, he put his hand behind him and drew from a. hip pocket a small Colt's revolver. " 'Move one inch and I blow your brains out,' he said; With his unoc cupied hand he cast loose the halliards and the sail fell with a thud. Still covering me with the revolver, he next threw both the oars overboard, and then sat quietly down opposite me. "My dear Bawdon,' I began, but he interrupted me fiercely. " 'Silence, sir, and hear me. I have brought you out here to kill you. I have been thinking of this moment for days and weeks together, brood ing over it, glorying in it, feeding on it. Ha, ha! you think I am mad. Yes, I am mad,' and he burst into a loud blood-curdling laugh that made my very flesh creep. "'Mad, yesl' he continued; 'but what has made me so? Hear me, Her bert Wallace, hear my story, and your own just doom. Ethel! Oh how I loved her! For her I toiled, for her I fought, ay, for her I sinned. To night, therefore, I will enjoy your misery, to-morrow we will jump over board together. Think of Ethel, think of her,, lost to you as to me forever! Ha! ha! ha!' and again that awful laugh echoed across the waves. "I have, and had, my fair portion of strength, but I was no match for Hugh Bawdon. Yet my only chance of life was to overcome him, and either bind or hurl him overboard. He had replaced his revolver, appar ently satisfied that I should offer no resistance, and seizing my opportu nity, as soon as he sat down I sprang wildly upon him. With a yell, like the howl of a wild beast, he received me, and the next instant we were en gaged in the most awful struggle ever man imagined. I had taken him at a disadvantage, and life, love, and Ethel seemed to lend strength to my arms and courage to my heart. He durst not let me go for one instant to reach the re volver, and gradually I pressed him back, back over the stern of the little boat. With a tremendous effort the madman recovered himself, and the next instant I was lying on my back in the bottom of the boat with his knee firmly planted on my chest. Oh, the agony of that moment! I expected to be instantly pistolled, but to my astonishment Bawdon seemed calm and quiet. "You had better not have resisted. Now I must tie you," was all he said. Never giving me a chance of regain ing my feet, he lifted me up and stretched me across the thwarts, binding me to them, hand and foot, with the halliards. "It was now quite dark. For an hour or two Bawdon sat still. Then he rose and coming to me, said: " 'I am sleepy and tired. Such yiolent exercise as you have com pelled me to take is not healthy in this warm weather, so, with your permission, I will lie under the thwarts and get a nap,' I suppose I gave some involuntary sigh or other mark of renewed hope, for he added: 'Don't deceive yourself. The least movement will wake me. We are only postponing our entry into the next world till to-morrow. He lay down in the bottom of the boat, and presently his regular breeding told me that he slept. "Just at that moment a drop of spray dashed into my face. With a supreme effort I broke my bonds, and pulling out my handkerchief wiped it off, and was replacing the handker chief when I felt in a corner of my pocket a little hard packet. In an instant it flashed upon my mind. 'Here was my deliverer!' That little bottle of chloroform which I had bought in Exeter and forgotten till that moment would save my life. With one silent cryot prayer and thankfulness I drew it out. In spite of our dreadful struggle it had es caped uninjured. I pulled out the cork with my teeth, and folding my handkerchief into a pad, I saturated it with chloroform, and creeping to the sleeping maniac, laid it gently over hr mouth and nose. Then I bound him as firmly as possible with every bit of the rope in the boat and took away the revolver. He had not moved from the moment when he lay down. "At length the morning came, and with it, in the distance a sail. I sig nalled as well as I could, for I was still afraid to shout. At last they saw me, and, bearing down took me on board. Shortly afterwaid Rawdon awoke from his sleep, and when he saw tha t his prej' had slipped through his fingers his ravings were frightful. I had escaped death, but since that night my hair has been as you see it. Eh? What became of Bawdon? Poor fellow he died in an asylum two days after. Ethel and I were mar ried a year later." Tho Only Basis of Trade With Her. He was an agent, with a big bas ket of goods on his arm, and he had just rapped on the door of a country farmhouse. An old lady of forbid ding aspect opened the door and sized him up before he had a chance to open his mouth and said savage- iy. "Don't want anything ter-day" "But, madam," he replied, with a weary attempt at a smile, as he mopped the perspiration from his brow with his coattail, "allow me to showyou the goods, please. I have washing soda at two cents a pound, silver tea spoons at ten cents per dozen and the finest tea at twenty cents per pound, with a teacup and saucer thrown in; this alone is worth" "Don't want anything ter-day," she repeated, still more savagely. "Madam," he replied, as he slowly returned the goods to the basket, "if I were to offer you the whole busi ness for ten cents would you take it?" "No, I wouldn't. I don't want your old stale, shop-worn stuff, .'it any price; so clear out." "Madam," he continued sadly, "if there is anything in the world that you would buy just let me know, and I will bring it to you on my next trip." "All right, you persistent puppy," she replied. ""The next time you come bring a dozen genuine ten-dollar bills for a dollar a dozen and I will take tho lot. Now, git out and go and load up with something sale able before you show that red nose of yours here again." A Sensational Letter. An amusing hoax appears to have been perpetrated upon the foreign press in the shape of a letter alleged to have been written by the present czar prior to his ascension to the throne, to the famous editor and pan slavist leader, Aksakoff, whose widow died a few weeks ago. The document in question, which bears the date of May 22, 18G6, contains bitter com ment on the class of courtiers by whom the imperial family was sur rounded, and compares the highest officers of state to contemptable lack eys. The publication of the letter in question has pxcited an immense amount of attention throughout Europe, and it appears to have been copied in almost every foreign news paper of any inportance. The whole thing is, however, but a hoax. The letter in question, instead of having been written by the present emperor, was addressed in 179G to Count Kotchoubey by the Grand Duke Alexander Paul witch, who subse quently ascended the throne as Alex ander I. The courtiers refered to in such bitter terms were the ignoble fa vorites ofhisgrandmother Catharine II. The original letter will be found in tho first volume of the "Life and Times of Alexander I," published by C. Toneville in 1874. A Formidable Weapon. Extreme low water in the Mississip pi recently unearthed an historical relic at the ferry landing at Colum bus, Ky., in the shape of a huge, old fashioned columbiad, which did duly during the late warin the hands of the Confederates. Those familiar with the history of the formidable weapon state that it played a con spicuous part in the battla of Bel mont, Mo., in the fall of 18G1, and that from its lofty perch on the bluffs above Columbus it sent many ahuge shell screaming across tho river into Grant's army, and that it had more to do with keeping the gunboats at bay than all orders at the fort. Tho gun is the only remaining relic of the Confederate fortifications erected at Columbus, Ky., thirty years ago. Chicago Times. Hard on Horses' Feet. There has been but little sickness among horses in St. Louis during the last few weeks, but there has been a decided increase in the number of cases of lameless. Nearly all of these are foot troubles, and are due to the concussion of our hard granite streets. You will see a still greater wear and tear of horse-flesh year by year as the streets are reconstructed. Carriage horses which are driven down town a great deal and the draft and delivery horses of the great firms are the principal sufferers. The fine roadsters are usually so highly prized by their owners that they rarely bring them down town, but use them exclusively for driving in the parks and on the boulevards. Interview in St. Louis Globe-Democrat. A Mob Controlled by Water Power. . The sheriff of Washington county, Md., who subdued a lot of refractory prisoners with the prison hose." used a weapon that is as efficient as a Gat ling gun, and much less harmfull. A riotous mob, that would stand up against musketry fire, may be scat tered by a well-directed stream of water. Men would of course, get used to water; it could not hold them in check very long, but they seem to be as much afraid of it when it is sud denly applied as a cat is of wetting its feet. There's a Charm About It. . The last counterfeit half dollar put out had thirty-seven cents of the real quill about it, or nearly as much as the government puts in, and the gang would have had to float tens of thousands of dollars to make day wages. It was harder work then digging potatoes, but there is a charm about beating Uncle Sam which never grows stale. Detroit Free Press. I Keeping the Gate. A man who was recently nrrcstesl on a charge of vagrancy was asked by the magrestrate why he did not go ,to work. . "I cannot," the man replied. "You cannot? Why I haven't evn a more strapping fellow in many a day than you are. Does anything ail you?" "No, sir." "Then why don't you work?" "Because I used to keep toll-gate on a turn-pike in tho South." "You are a disharged," snid tho Judge. "Here take this dollar." The judge was a wiseman. Hi knew the nature of a toll gate-keener: he knew that tho most active and industrious man in tho world, if put at toll gate-keeping, would become a sloth incapable of sell-support. Th town constable islazy, and Ukm own try school-teacher is not given to un due exertion but the, toll gate-keeper is the head waiter (we tan think of nothing more suggestive of indolen c Tho old toll gate-keeper was a sort of news budget. Ho had nothing in detail, but held the paragraphic gossip of several neighborhoods. In season ho had a little weedy garden back of his house, and in it yellow cucumbers could be seen, withering under the fierce rays of the sun, but no one ever saw him chop down any of the weeds or gather any of tlu cucumbers. Near bis house then was a well, from which water was drawn with a long pole set in a ss saw, and with a heavy weight on one end. It would bo risky to say that there" was any worse waterin the world. It was black ish, and had, in. connection with its other monstrocities, a burnt-left thor taste. But how the old fellow did delight in handing out that water to the thirsty and dust-covered t rav eler. He had a gourd that had breu broken and sewed up with a twine string, but the wound had never healed, and through it tho water poured down the way farcr's sleeve. As a rule the old fellow had seven children and several grandchildren. His daughter, a pale-faced woman, with large, sad, brown eyes, had buried her husband away over tho hill under the persimmon tree. The oldest of the grandchildren, n chubby little rascal, with a daub of molassos in his hair, would toddle, out to col lect the toll. The old fellow does not keep the toll-gate now. He lies under the persimmon tree on the hill. Calm in the Face of Death. A tradesman of Lyons, in Franco, of the name of G rivet, a man of mild and simple manners, was sentenced during the French revolution, with u number of others, to dio next morn ing. Those who were already in th cave pressed around tho newcomer to sympathize with and to fortify him. But Grivet had no need of con solation; he was as calm as if lie had been in his own house. "Come and sup with us," said they; "this is tho last inn in the journey of life; to morrow we shall arrive at our long1 home." Grivet accepted tho invita tion and supped heartily. Desirous to sleep us well, he retired to the re motest corner of the cave, and, bury ing himself in his straw, seemed not to bestow athoughtonhisapproach ing late The morning arrived. The other prisoners were tied together and led away without Grivet's perceiviug anything or being perceived. Fnt o sleep, enveloped in his straw, he neither saw nor was seen. The door of the cavo was locked, and when he awoke, after awhile, he was in tho utmost astonishment to find himself in perfect solitude. Tho day passed no new prisoners were brought into the cave. The judges did not hit for two days. Grivet remained all this time in solitude, subsisting on .somo scattcrd provisions which he found in the cave, and sleeping every uUrht with the same tranquility as on tin first. On the evening of the fourth day tho turnkey brought in a new prisoner, and became as one thunder struck, on seeing a man, or, as ho almost believed, a spirit, in tho cave. He called the sefttmel, who instant ly appeared. "Who are you?" said he to Grivet, "and how came you here?" Grivet answered that he had been there four days. "Doubtless." he added, "when my companions in misfortune were led away to death 1 slept and heard nothing, and no one thought to awaken me. It was my misfortune, since all would now have been past, whereas I have now lived with the prospect of death always before me; but tho misfortune now will undoubtedly be repaired and I shall die." , Grivet wns summoned before tho tribunal. He was interrogated anew. It was a moment of leniency with the judges, and he was set at liberty. A Chinaman on Walking. Nobody ever saw a Chinaman with muddy shoes, no matter what the weather, unless some hoodlums had pushed him into a puddlo. We take care of our feet instinctively, and grt into a habit of walking careftlly. If you watch on a muddy crossing. you will see one American after another pick his way over cautiously, and yet land on the other side with mud on his toes, while a Chinaman will walk along after them at his usual gait,and, seemingly not noticing his feet, stepping on tho other curb with not a particle of mud on his shoes. But when he crossed the street he did not walk as the American did. Had lie done so he would havo been as muddy as they. They stepped along gimgerly on their toes, or, at least tho front part of the foot. In this way they put all the weight of their body on the thinnest part of the shoe, from top to bottom, and when it flattened out with each step the mud touched the leather. Tho Chinaman walked over with the weight of his" body on the heel and instep of the shoe, and the toe barely grazing the ground. The foot of the shoe that felt his weight was firm and unyield ing, and did notspread into theniud. Fung Loud in St. Louia Globe Democrat.