# - * _ ' " / . - - " ' _ v ' " / : ' ' ; , ! ' ' ' - ' ' " " ' ' , - . ' : '
f y PERU
o 1 MIL ,
I
I Each story of tho Sheldon Cotton
Factory is fifteen feet between floors ;
there are seven such over the basement ,
and this rises six feet above the ground .
The brick walls narrow to eight inches
as they ascend , and form o parapet ris
ing above the roof. One of the time
Ife keepers in tho factory , Jack Hardy , e
If young man about my own age , often
Ifk runs along the brick work , the practice
giving liim a singular delight that has
seemed to increase with his proficiency
in it. Having been a clerk in the works
from the beginning , I have frequently
used the parapet for a foot-path , and
although there was-a sheer fall of one
hundred feet to the ground , have done
it with ease and without dizziness. Oc
casionally Hardy and I have run races ,
on the opposite walls , an exercise in
which Twas'invariably beaten , because
I'became timid with increase of pace.
. Hopelessly distanced one day , while
the men were off at noon , I gave up mid-
Tray , and looking down , observed the up
turned face of an old man , gazing at me
with parted lips , wide eyes , and an ex
pression of horror so startling that I
voluntarily stepped down to the brick
layers' platform inside. I then sa\v
that the apparently frightened spec
tator was Mr. Petherick , who had been
f or soma weeks paymaster and factotum
for the contractors.
"What's the matter , Petherick ? " 1
called down. He made no answer , but
walking off rapidly disappeared round
the mill. Curious about his demeanor ,
I descended , and after some little seek-
\ ing , found him smoking alone.
"You quite frightened me just now ,
Petherick , " said I , "Did you think I
was a ghost ? "
"Not just that , " he replied , senten
tiously.
"Did you expect me to fall , then ? " I
inquired.
"Not just thateither , " said he. Tho
old man was clearly disinclined to talk ,
and apparently much agitated. . I be
gan to joke him about his lugubrious
exprsssion , when the one o'clock bel ]
rang , and he shuflled off hastily to an-
, . other quarter.
Though I puzzled awhile over the
incident , it soon passed fo entirely from
my miud that I was s * trprised when ,
passing Potherick in the afternoon ,
intending to go aloft , he said , as I went
-by-
"Don'tdo it again , Mr. Frazer ! "
"What ? " I stopped.
"That ! " he retorted.
. "Oh ! You mean running on the
wall , " said I.
"I mean goingon it at all ! ' ? he exclaim
ed. His earnestness , was so marked
that I conceived a strong , .interest in its
cause.
"JUll mako a bargain with you , Mr.
Petherick. If you tell mo why you ad
vise me I'll give the thing up ! "
"Done ! " said he , "Come to my cot
tage this evening , and I'll tell you a
strange adventure of my own , though
perhaps you'll only laugh that it's the
reason why it sickens me to see you
fooling up there. "
Petherick was rea-3y to talk when
Jack and I sat down on his doorstep
that evening , and immediately launched
into the following narrative :
"I was bern and grew to manhood
near the high cliffs of the coast of Corn
wall. Millions of sea-fowls make their
nests along tho face of those wave-worn
precipices. My companions and I used
to get'much excitement , and sometimes
a good deal of pocket money , by tak
ing their eggs. One of us placing his
ieet in a loop at the end of a rope and
taking a good grip with his hands ,
would bo lowered by the others to the ,
nest. .
* "When he had his basket full they'd
ihatll him up , and another would go
down. Well , one afternoon I thus went
dangling off. They paid out about a
hundred feet of rope before I touched
the ledge and let go. "
r "What ledge ? " asked Jack.
"Oh 3" said Petherick , after a pause.
"Isea it will be troublesome to make
you understand the situation. " Then ,
after reflecting for some moments
"You must know that most of the
cliffs along that coast overhang the sea.
At many points one could drop six
hundred feet into the sea , and then be
forty or fifty feet from the base of the
rock he left. The coast is scooped un
der by tho waves. But in some places
the cliff wall is as though it had
been eaten away by seas once
running in on higher levels. There will
be an overhanging coping , then , some
hundred feet down , a ledge sticking out
further than that of the top ; under that
ledge all will be scooped away. . In
places there are three or four such led
ges , each projecting further than those
above. These ledges used to fall away
occasionally , as they do yet , I am told ,
for the ocean is gradually devouring
that coast. Where they did not project
further than the upper coping , one
would swing like a pendulum on the
rope , and get on tho rock , if not too far
in , then put a rock on the loop to hold
3t .till his return. When a ledge did pro
ject so that one could drop straight on
it , ho hauled down some slack and left
the rope hanging. "
"Did the wind ever blow it off ? "
asked Jack.
"Seldom , and never out of reach , "
said the old man. "Well , tho ledge I
reached was like this , " illustrating with
liis hands. "It was some ten feet wide ;
it stuck oat inaybe six feet further than ,
tho cliff top ; the rock wall went np
pretty near perpendicular , iHl near the
coping at the ground , but below the
ledge the cliffs face was so scooped
away .that the sea , five hundred feet
bolow , ran in under it nigh fifty feet.
"As I "went down , thousands of birds
rose from the jagged places of the preci
pice , circling around me with harsh
screams. Soon touching the ledge , I
stepped from , the loop , and drawing
down a little slack , walked off briskly.
For fully quarter of a mile the ledge
ran along the cliff's face almost as level
and even in width as that sidewalk. I
remember fancying that it sloped out
ward more than usual , but instantly
dismissed the notion , though Gaffer
Pentreath , the oldest man in that coun
tryside , used to tell us that we should
not get the use of that ledgealways. .
It had been as steady in our time as in
his grandfather's and we only laughed
at his prophecies. Yet the place of an
old filled fissure was marked by a line
of grass , by tufts of weeds and small
bushes , stretching almost as far as the
ledge itself , and within a foot or so of the
cliff's face.
"Eggs were not so many as usual ,
and I went a long piece from my rope
before turning back. Then I noticed
the very strange conduct of the hosts of
sea-fowls below. Usually there were
hundreds , but now therewere millions
on the wing , and instead of darting
forth in playful motions , they seemed
to be wildly excited , screaming shrilly ,
rushing out in terror , and returning in
masses as though to alight , only to
wheel in dread , and keep the air in vast
clouds.
"The weather was beautiful , tho sea
like glass. At no great distance two
large brigs , and nearer a small yacht ,
lay becalmed , heaving on the long bil
lows. I could look down her cabin
stairway almost , and it seemed scarcely
more than a long leap to her deck.
"Puzzled by the singular conduct of
the sea-birds , I soon stopped and set
my back against tho cliff to rest while
watching them. The day was deadly
still and very warm.
"I remember taking off my hat and
wiping the sweat from my face'and fore
head with my sleeve. While , doing this ,
I looked down involuntarily to the fis
sure at my feet. Instantly my blood
almost froze with horror ! There was a
distinct crack between the inner edge o
the. fissure and the hard-packed , root-
threaded soil with which it was filled
Forcibly Ijn-essed back , and in a flash
looked along the edge. The fissure
was widening under my eyes , the rock
before me seemed sinking outward , and
with a shudder and a groan and a roar ,
the whole long platform fell crashing
to the sea below ! I stood on a margin
of rock scarce a foot wide , at my back a
perpendicular cliff , and five hundred
feet below the ocean , now almost hidden
by tne vast concourse of wheeling and
afrighted birds.
"Can you believe that my first sensa
tion was one-of relief ? I stood safe !
Even a feeling of interest held me for
some moments. Almost coolly I ob
served a long and mighty wave roll o
from beneath. It went forth with a
high , curling crest a solid wall of
water ! It struck the yacht stern on ,
plunged down on her deck , smashed
through her swell of sail , and swept her
out of sight forever.
"Not till then did my thoughts dwell
entirely on my own position ; not till
then did I comprehend its hopelessness !
now my eyes closed convulsively , to
shut out the abyss down which my
glance had fallen ; shuddering , I pressed
hard against the solid wall at my back ;
an appalling cold slowly crept through
me ! My reason struggled against a
wild desire to leap ; all the demons of
dispair whispered to me to make an in
stant end. In imagination I had leaped [
I felt tho swooning helplessness of fall
ing , and the cold , upward rush of air !
"Still Ipressed hard back against the *
y/all of rock , and , though nearly fault'
From terror , never forgot for an instant
the death at my feet , nor the ntterj
danger of the slightest motion. HOWJ
long this weakness lasted I know not ; ij
only know that the unspeakable horror
of that first period has cometo - me in
waking dreams many and many a. day
sinca ; that I have long-nights of that
deadly fear ; that to think o "the-past is
to stand again on that narrow foothold , ,
and to look around on the earth is often
; o cry out with joy that -widens-away
rom uiy feet. "
Tho old man paused longGlancing
sidewise afc Jack , I saw that his face-
was pallid. I myself had shuddered-
ind grown cold so strongly had my
magination realized the awful experi-
§
Bnce that Pe'therick described.
"Suddenly , " said the old man , "these
words rushed to my brain : 'Are not
.wo sparrows sold for a farthing ? And
ano of them shall not fall on the ground
without your Father. Fear not , there-
cre ; ye are of more value than many
sparrows. ' My faculties so strained I
seemed to hear the words. . Indeed ,
aften yet I thiak that I did truly hear a.
roice utter them very near me.
"Instantly hope arose , consciously
lesperate indeed , but I became calm , ,
resourceful , capable , and feeling nn-
jccountably aided. Careful not to look
3own I opened my eyes and gazed far
iway over the bright sea. The rippled
> illows told that a light outward breeze
lad sprung up. Slowly , and somewhat
more distant , the two brigsmoved to
ward the horizon. Turning my head I
could trace the narrow stone of my
boting to where my rope dangled , per-
laps three hundred yards distant.
"It seemed to hang within easy reach
of the cliff face and instantly I resolved
and.as.instantly proceeded to work to
ward it. No time remained-for hesita
tion. Night "was coming on. I rea
soned that my comrades thought me
tilled. They had probably gone to
view the new condition of the precipice
rom a lower station , and on their re
turn would haul np and carry off the
rope , I made a move toward it Try
to think of that journey ! "
I nodded tohim silently.
"Shuffling sideways very carefully , I
lad not made five yards before I knew
that I could not continue to look out
over that abyss without glancing down ,
and that I could not glance down with
out losing my senses. You have the
brick line to keep eyes on as you walk
along the factory wall ; do you think
yon could move along it erect , looking
down as you would have to ? Yetitia
only one hundred feet high. Imagine
five , more such walls qn top of that , and
you trying to , move sidewiae incapable
of closing your .eyes , forced to look
down , from end lo endyes ; , three times
further I Imagine you've got to go on 01
jump off. Would you not , in an ecstasj
of nervous agitation , fall to your knees ,
get down face-first at full length , clutch
By your hands and with shut eyes feel
your way ? I longed to lie down and
hold , but of course that was impossi
ble. "
"Still , there , was a wall at your back , "
observed Jack.
"That made it worse ! The cliff
seemed to press outward against me.
It did , in fact , incline very slightly out
ward. It seemed to be thrusting me
off. Oh , the horror of that sensation I
Your toes on the edge of a precfpice ,
and the iinplicable , calm mountain ap
parently weighting you slowly forward. "
Beads of sweat broke out over his
white face at the horror he had called
before him. Wiping his lips nervously
with the back of his hand , and looking
askant , as at the narrow pathway , he
paused long. I saw its cruel edge and
the dark gleams of its abysmal water.
"I knew , " he resumed , "that with my
back to the wall I could never reach the
rope. I could not face toward it and
step forward , so narrow was the lodge. !
Motion was perhaps barely possible !
that way , but the breadth of nay shoul
ders would have forced me to lean some
what more outward ; and this I dared
not and could not do. Also , to see a
solid surface before me became an
irresistable desire. I resolved to try to
turn round before resuming the des
perate journey. To do this I had to
nerve myself for one steady look at my
footing.
"In the depth below the myriad sea-
fowl then rested on the black water ,
wuich , though swelling more with the
rising wind , had yet an unbroken sur
face at some little distance from the
precipice , while further out it had be
gun to jump to white caps , and in be
neath me , where 1 could not see , it
dashed and churned with a faint , per
vading roar that I could barely dis
tinguish. Before the descending sun
a heavy bank of cloud had arisen.
The ocean's surface bore that appear
ance of intense and augry gloom that
often heralds a storm , but , save the
deep murmur going out from far below
my perch , all to my hearing was dead
ly still.
"Cautiously I swung my right foot
before the other and carefully edged
around. For an instant , as my shoul
der rubbed against the rock , I felt that
I must fall. I did stagger , in fact , but
the next moment stood firm , face to the
beetling aliff , my heels on the very edge ,
and the new sensation of the abyss be
hind me no less horrible than that from
which Ihad with such'difliculty escaped.
I stood quaking. A delirious horror
thrilled every nerve. The skin about
my ears and neck , suddenly cold , shrank
convulsively.
"Wild with fear , I thrust forward
my head against the rock and rested in
agony. A whir and wind of sudden
wings made me conscious of outward
things again. Then a mad eagerness to
climb swept away other feeling , and my
hands attempted in vain to clutch the
rock. Not daring to cast my head back
ward , I drew it tortoiso-liko between
my raised shoulders and chin against
the precipice , and gazed upward with
straining of vision from under my eye
brows.
"Far above the dead wall stretched.
Sidewise glances gavo me glimpses of
the projecting summit coping. There
was no hope in that direction. But the
distraction of scanning the cliff-side had
[ riven my strained nerves some relief ;
bo my memory again returned the prom
ise of the Almighty and the conscious
ness of His regardl Once more my
muscles became firmstrong ;
' 'A cautious step sidewis * made me
know how much I had gained in ease
ind security of motion by the * change of
Front. I made progress that seemed
ilmosfc rapid for some rodsand even
aad exultation in my quick approach to
; he rope. Hence came freedom to
; hink how I should actr on reaching it ,
ind speculation as tohowsooa-mycom-
rsdes would haul me upj.
"Then the idea rushed ! through me
; hat they might even yetr draw it away
,00 soon ; that whilo almost in my
dutch it might rise from , jny hands.
Instantly all the terrors ofi'iay position
returned with ten-fold forcean out-
rord thnrst of the precipiceseemed to
jro-w tlistinct , my trembling hands
; old me that it moved bodily toward
ne , the descent behind me took an nn-
ipeakable remoteness , andi from the ut-
nost depth of that sheer aiir seemed to
iscend steadily a deadly and ; a chilling
vind. But I think I did no * stop for
in instant. Instead a delirium to move
'aster possessed me , and" with quick ,
idelong steps my following' foot strik-
ng hard against that before sometimes
> n the point of stumbling ; , stretched
rat like the crucified , Ipressed in mor
al terror along.
"Every possible accident and delay
V8S presented to my excited brain.
iVhat if the ledge shouldnarrow sud-
lenly to nothing ? Now I believed that
ny heels were unsupported in air , and
[ moved along on tip-toe. Now I was
: onvinced that the narrow pathway
iloped outward , that . .thisslope had be-
some so distinct , so-increasingly dis-
inct , that I might at any moment slip
> ff into the void. But dominating every
onsideration of possible disaster , was
itill that of the need for speed , and dis-
; inct amid all other terrors was that
sensation of the dead wall ever silently
ind inexorably pressing me outward.
"My mouth and throat were choked
yith dryneas , my convulsive lips parch-
jd and arid ; much I longed to press
hem against the cold moist stone. But
C never stopped. Faster , faster more
irildly I stepped in a delirium I pushed
ilong. Then suddenly before my star
ing eyes was a well-remembered edge
if mossy stone , and T knew that the
rope should be directly behind me.
Was it ?
"I glanced over my loft shoulder.
Ihe rope was not to be seen ? Wildly I
looked ov r the other no rope ! Al
mighty God ! and hast Thou deserted
me ?
"But what ! Yes , it moves ! it sways
in sight ! it disappears to return again
bo view ! There was the rope directly
it my back , swinging in the now strong
breeze with-a motion that had carried it
iway from my first hurried glances.
VTith tho relief tears pressed to my eyes , .
L . , -c.l ± . . - . Jg j-k-fjj&fefe
face bowed to the precipice , al
most forgetful for a little time of th <
hungry air beneath I offered deej
thanks to my God for the delivery thai
seemed so near. "
The old man's lips continued to move
but no sound came from them. W <
waited silent while , with closed eyes am
bent head , lie remained absorbed in th (
recollection of that strange minute o :
devoutness.
"I stood there , " he said at last"fo :
what now seems a space of hours , per
haps half a minute in reality. Then al
the chances still to bo run crowded up
on me. To turn around had been ar
attempt almost desperate before , and
certainly , most certainly , the ledge wai
no wider where I now stood. Was the
rope within reach ? I feared not. Woulc
it sway toward me ? I could not hop *
for that.
But could I grasp it should I be saved i
Would it not yield to my hand coming
slowly down as I pulled , enrolling from
a coil above , trailing over the ground at
, the top , running fast as its end ap
proached the edge , falling suddenly al
last ? Or was it fastened to the ac
customed stake ? Was any comrade
near who would summon aid at my sig
nal ? If not , and if I grasped it , and il
it held , how longshouldl swing in the
wind that now bore the freshness and
tremors of an imminent gale ?
' 'Now again fear took hold on me , and
a desperate man I prepared to turn my
face once more to tho vast expanse of
water and nothing beyond that awful
cliff. Closing my eyes , I writhed , with
I know not what motions , easily around
till again my back pressed against the
precipice. This was a restful sensation.
And now for the decision of my fate ! 3
looked at the rope. Not for a moment
could I fancy it within my reach ! Its
swaying were not , as I had expected ,
even slightly inward , but when falling
back against the wind , it swung out
ward as though the air were eddying
from tho wall.
"Now I gazed down steadily. Would
a leap be certain death ? The water
was of immense depth below. But what
chance of striking it feet or head first ?
What chance of preserving conscious
ness in the doscent ? No , the leap would
be death ; that at least was clear.
"Again I turned to the rope. I was
now perfectly desperate , but steady ,
nerved beyond the best moments of my
life , good for an effort surpassing the
human. Still the rope swayed as be
fore , and its motion was very regular.
I saw that I could toucn it at any point
of its gyration by a strong leap.
"But could I grasp it ? What use if
it were not firmly secured above ?
But all time for hesitation had gone by.
I knew too well that strength was mine
but for a moment , and that in the next
reaction of weakness I should drop from
the wall like a dead fly. Bracing my
self , I watched the rope steadily for one
round , and as it returned against the
wind , jumped straight out over the heav-
ing Atlantic.
"By God's aid I reached , touched ,
clutched , held the strong line. And it
held ! Not absolutely. Once , twice and
again it gave , gave with jerks that tried
my arms. I knew these indicated but
tightening. Then it held firm and I
swung turning in the air , secure above
the waves that beat below ,
"To slide down and place my feet in
the loop was the instinctive work of a
moment. Fortunately it was of dimen
sions to admit my body barely. I slip
ped it over mv thighs up to my armpits
just as-the dreaded reaction of weak
ness came. Then I lost consciousness.
When I awakened my dear mother's
face was beside my piliow , . and she
told me-tfcat I had been tossing for a
fortnight in brain fever. Many weeks
Hay thsro , and when I got strong-
found thafrl had left my nerve on that
awful cliff-side. Never since have I
boen able to look from a height or see
any other human being on one without
shuddering
"So nowyon know the story.Mr ; .
Frazer , and'have had your last walkon
the-factory wall. "
He spoke truer than he knew. . His
story has given me such horrible night
mares ever since that I could no more
walk on the high brickwork than along
that narrow ledge in distant Cornwall.
E. W. Thompson's Prize Story in.
The Youth's Companion.
The Man. Who Jumps.
"There's always some fool to jump off
a train and get hurt , " said a brakeman ,
and frequently the one that jumps is
just the man who always claims that he
knows better and gives other people
lectures for their foclhardiness. I'll
never forget a little thing that happened
one day as we were going into Indian
apolis. On the train was a sheriff who
had in charge three imbeciles whomhe
was taking to the asylum. They were
not handcuffed nor tied in any way , , but
were permitted to run about the car
just as they wanted to. On board was
a passenger who complained about this
a great deal. He thought the imbeciles
should be-tied np. 'They haven't any
more sense than to go and jump off the
train.'he said , 'and they should be bet
ter takea care of. ' But the Sheriff he
just took things easyand said he guessed
they were all right. Well , , as we were
goingin to Indianapolis I was stand
ing on the rear platform. This com
plaining passenger came put , with his
grip in his hand and his shiny silk hat
OIL liis head. As we came to a street
crossing he said : 'Guess 111 get off
here , ' and before I could do a thing to
stop him he jumped. He probably
thought we were running slow , but
those things are very deceptive. He
landed on his feet , but he didn't stay
there long. He just assumed the shape
of a half circle , bent the wrong way to
be uncomfortable for him , and ended
np with his nose in the mud and his
heels in the air. Then he spread out
and fell flat , kind o' sprawling out as if
he wanted to cover the whole street.
But the funniest thing was that as I
turned to go into the car I found one
of them imbeciles looking out the door.
He grinned as if he was never so de
lighted in his lifo and uttered : 'The
darned fool did jump , didn't he ! ' "
Chicago Herald.
THE JIMJAMS.
How a Elan Got Cored of Seoinfftho Mon
toys.
Prom tho Detroit Post
"Did you ever have the tremens ? "
was tho laconic inquiry made recently
by one Detroiter of another.
"Tho what ? "
"Tho tremens , snakes , shakes , tri
angles , jimjums , side jumps or what
ever you choose to call them. "
"Oh , I see ; you mean the jerks. No ,
I never had them and never will. I
went through an experience once that
convinced mo I had no nse for any
nervous disturbance of that character.
I was rooming with a capital young
fellow at a hotel. He was a Southern
er ; came from Texas and had all that
generous , impulsive nature that is at
tributed to the. best class of Southern
ers. But that fellow would get on the
most hilarious batters of the most pro
nounced type. He'd get blind , howl
ing drunk and keep it up until nature
would bring in her bill and send him to
bed because he couldn't meet them.
He'd spend all the money he hftd , all
he couldborrow , and then run his credit
to the very limit. He was ready tc be
anybody's friend , and the fact was taken
advantage of while he could work
the bars. He was quick to anger ,
and when his money disappeared
he was liable to be treated to a pair
of black eyes or a sore jaw. He
would come out of a spree determined
never to have another one , and while
his resolution prevailed he was gentle
manly , tidy as a fashion plate ami tho
best of coTjiniMTv , Ha was a Democrat ,
and Cleveland's election took the young
man clear off his feet. He was on the
war path for two weeks. He was
drunker than a lord and made Home
howl for weeks. He finally had to
give up and went to bed at the hotel.
He slept twenty-four hours and then
wanted whiskey. The doctors said to
give a reasonable amount , but the
debilitated politician wanted a quart.
Ho waa quieted for a time and I threw
myself on the bed for a nap. A voice
awakened mo. Iheard the young fellow
praying and saw him kneeling by the
bedside. His petition was that the
Lord , his mother and rll other interest
ed parties might forgive him for Avha
he was about to do. Ho felt it as his
duty to murder mo then and thero be
cause in his distorted judgment I wa
fit to cumber the earth no longer. I
was almost petrified with mingled as
tonishment and fear. I saw that hi
had 'em. He was an athlete , six fee
tall , and out of his head. In the cor
uer of the room were two Indian clubs
and a baseball bat. He rose from
prayer , started for the corner , and I
saw that I must do something or bi
beat into a jelly. I made a spring be
fore he knew I was awake , pinioned his
arms behind him and let out two or three
terrific yells. In a few seconds the
porter with a half dozen other men were
helping put the Cleveland man to bed
He got around all right and vows he's
done drinking , but I wouldn't sleep
with him after another Democratic vic
tory for half of the state of Micuigan.
I'm cured and I'll never have the rat
tles. "
A Genius for Friendship.
This genius for friendship , for en
tering into relationship with another , is
tho rarest of gifts. For tho most part
we go each our own way and make a
virtue of it. The keenly critical nature
is seldom the sympathetic or the help
ful. It brings to bear the disintegrat
ing , the analytical , rather than the
constructive and the synthetic forces ,
and is far more apt to commend the
unfortunate to the aid of Heaven than
it is to endeavor to make itself an agen
cy in heavenly work. A man has in
volved himself in some unfortunate and
exacting circumstances ; he has some
how dropped the clue of success and is
groping blindly in the labyrynth ; and
we remark on his unwisdom , and won
der how he could have done so , and
with the comforting reflection that it is
none of our affairs , we leave him to
grope his way blindly as best he may.
It is no affair of ours. But is it not ?
Does not the man or woman who fails
to speak the needed word at the right
moment to give the inspiration of sym
pathy or of counsel , become morally ac-
countble for the failure ? "No one ever
came so near as Margaret Fuller , " said
one who knew her well. "And I have
no doubt , " acids Mr. Emerson , "that she
saw expressions , heard tones , and re
ceived thoughts from her companions
which no one else drew from them. "
En tliis sympathetic capacity she made
of life her art. She saw the secret , in
terior capability. She brought this
rital educative power to act on all to
whom she applied herself to counsel or
aid. Boston Traveler.
Muscles and Brains.
From the Princetonian.
One of the strongest arguments that
ran be brought to bear against the pres-
snt ascendancy of athletics in our col
leges is their damaging effect upon the
studies of the men making up the teams.
En the college offices the other day the
register kindly showed me the records
Df the university base-ball nines of 1881
to 1884 inclusive. The nine of'SI had
in average rank of seven ty-rix in a class
Df 100. Tho nine of ' 82 averaged fifty-
three. The nine of'S3 averaged fifty-
bwo , while the nine of ' 84 averaged fif
ty-four. With the exception .of ' 81 ,
2ach nine contained two or three men
of high standing , whose record showed
that a man can study and play ball as
well. Each nine showed also two or
three men standing in the middle cf
the class. Finally , each nine con
tained several professional ball players
with whom every examination must
have teen in the nature of a lottery.
CJpon the whole , however , tho figures
were higher than we expected , and
were encouraging to one who believed
that running bases does not nnfitaman
for intellectual work. One of the first
iuties of a captain is to look after the
college standing of the men under his
charge. A few teams in good standing
will silence the critics of college athletj ;
tea. :
POTTS' PTTBCHASE.
Ke Explains a Transaction In 2Pork. to
JSrs. Potts.
From tho Lowell Connor.
"I think , my dear , March pork is a
good purchase , " said Mr. Potts , taking
another pancake and skimming over
tho morning paper.
"I guess wo don'i need any , thank
you , " said Mrs. Potts. "If you see
my good October butter anywhere ,
fou might send np a jar. "
! "You don't understand mo , my dear ,
t mean a little speculation. Let me
jhowyou how it works. Now I buy
> 50 barrels of pork at $12.37 * a bar
rel. " I
"Heavens and earth.Mr. Pottswhero
ire yon going to put it all. "
"Don't be so fast , wife. I don't over
see the pork myself , or have anything
to do with it. "
"I thought you just said you were go
ing to send up 250 barrels. "
"No , I didn't. The pork I am going
So buy is way off in Chicago. "
' "How did you know whether it is good Hs. .
Drnot , then ? "
"Dear me , wife ; what do I care
whether " it is good or bad ? I merely go
long. "
"You moan you go long minding
your own business. "
"No , no. That's a technical phrase.
Let me explain it to you. You see when
[ go longfiho bucket shop goes short. "
"Short ? " rl
"Short , Mrs. Potts. " ;
"Short of pork ? Why don't they get
some more , dear ? "
"Good Lord , wife , the whole thing is
plain as day. Here I go to a bucket
ahop and buy 250 barrels of pork ; that ,
ion't yon seo , makes them bears and
mo a bull. "
"Don't you know any bettor , Mr.
Potts , than to talk like that before
four own children ? I should think / * .
fou'd be ashamed of yourself , sir. You
get worse and worse every day. "
"You don't know what you are talk
ing about , Mrs. Potts. When I buy
250 or 500 barrels of pork it shows I
feel like a bull. "
"I should think you'd feel likean
idiot. "
"I buy 250 barrels of pork , as I said
before , Mrs. Potts , and cover it with
margins. "
"Whatkind of margins ? "
"Oh , 5-cent margins , to begin with. "
"I shouldn't think margins as cheap
as that would be good for anything.
You'd better let me go and pick them
out for you , Mr. Polts. Men neva"
know about such things. " /
"I buy 250 barrels of pork , 3rs.
Potts , and hold on to it untilMarch. "
' 'I thought you said you wouldn't
Lave any to hold on to. "
"As I said before , Mrs. Potts , I buy
250 barrels of pork and hold on to it
antil March comes , and thon pork , ac
cording to iny way of thinking , will be
worth a dollar or two more a barrel
than I gave for it , and I'll be anywhere
from $250 to $500 ahead. What do vou
think of that , Mrs. Potts ? "
"Where is the $500 coming from ? "
"From my deal. "
"Whatde'al ? "
"The deal I just told you about. " r
"I haven't heurd a word about adea ! ,
Mr. Potts. I guess you are out of your
lead , this morning. I don't know what
iaa got into you lately. ' '
1 Bitof Club Philoso
phy.
"Am Stepoff Johnsing1 in de hall dis-
javeniu' ? " " asked tho President , as ho
ose tip and winked at Samuel Shin to
itir Tip the fire and roast Elder Toots
rat from behind the stove.
"Yes , , sail ! " replied a high-pitched
* oice from one of the back corners.
"Yonwill pleasestep to de front. "
Brother Johnsing has always brag-
jed about the length of his heels , and
10 now appeared to think that the hour
lad come when lie was to receive a
> rize chromo. His facs wore a broad
frin , and just at that moment he would
lave lent Brother Backslide Davis fifty
ients without the least security.
"Stepoft Johnsing , " said Brother
Gardner in his deep-toned voice , "I war *
n a feed-stoh de odder night to see
bout gittin * two-bits wuth of meal fur
ay hens , when you walked in an' wanted
o git trusted fur a bale of hav fur vour
nule. "
"An' he trusted me.sah. "
" 'Zactly , an' it pleased mo to see it.
'n a few minits de ole man Cummins
imped in. De twoof you talked
'
bout degineral wickedness'of mankind
ur a few minits , . an * " < len a dispute arose
, s to de aige of de world. "
"Yes , sah. De old .man Cummins
loan' know nuIHn , salu" '
"You called him a liar. "
"But he called me a fool. "
"You called him a bigot. "
"An' he called me a humbug. "
' "Zactly 'zactly I heerd it all ,
Jrudder Johnsinpr , an' now I want to ax
ou what you know about de aigo oEdo
rorld ? "
"I I knows as much as do old man
Jummins. "
"How old am de airthT
"I dnnno , sab. "
"Oh , you don't I You an' Cummins
all names an' almost fight ober what
either of you kin"cum widin a millvunr
iiles of knowin' ! Dat's mankind , 2act-
7. "We kin be bluffed on what we do * >
now , but we won't back water for ans
bin' man on what we doan' kn r
Fhen we git a theory we fight fur
aoner dan fur solemn facks. If
an't convince de odder party bv
-e am ready to do it by sluggin' .
irudder Johnsing , it will be well for
ou to disreckolect a fe-fr facks. ( I gill
fargyment am worth a bushel o' &nse ,
t takes a man of strong common senso
3 admit his fault an' errors. You may r
elieve wid all yer might an' still be in
e wrong. Find a man who prides
imself on stickin * to his opinyuns , an *
ou has found a dangerous member of
e community. You may now sot
own , an' we will attack de reglar pro-
ramme. " Detroit Free Press.