The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, February 11, 1886, Image 6

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    JUST TOO LATE.
"Didn't you notice that she wore a
hat of last year's fashion ? " exclaimed
Miss Allerdycc , scornfully. .
' '
"But her'eyes were lik'e gray stars. "
"But her manner was dreadfully quick
and decided. "
"She was very pretty. "
" dear Richard * ab
"My , 3011 are really
surd ! The girl is a hospital nurse , and
what woman with any relinement or del
icacy would take up any such profession
as that ? It shows she can't be nice. "
"Ladies do such things nowadays"
less defiantly.
"Now , you know you are only saying
so because she is pretty. Of course la
dies < io queer things , Tout that doesn't
excuse an unwomanly feeling. Beside ,
she is only a solicitor's daughter. L
shan't ask mamma to call. "
"But don't von think common civil
ity"No
"No , I don't. She is only staying at
the Rectoiy , and wo are not forced to
call on every one's .friend. Beside ,
Capt. Hardwicke is expected home , and
it would make it awkward. What
would one of Lord Belmont's people say
if we asked them to meet a girl like Miss
Travcrs ? "
"All the same , she's as prett3r and la
dy-like as anyone-1 ever met. "
"Very likely , but she is not in our
sst. , itow , Richard , if you s y any
more , I shall begin to think that you
arc falling in love with her , if the idea
is not too absurd. "
But Richard had closed the drawing-
room door upon his six sisters' languid
voices and "was half wa3 * across the wide
lawn with its brilliant parterres of sum
mer flowers.
Poor Richard Allerdyce ! only son of
the richest "banker in Cliellowdean , peo
ple of good family , but with just that
uncertainty of social position which
made them afraid of overstepping any
boundaries , rather gratified at being on
intimate terms with Lord Belmont and
the Ilardwickcd , he was of divided
mind this summer afternoon.
He had been greatly taken by that
sweet face and slight iigurc in the Rec
tory pew last Sunday ; was sensible of
a thrill of more than civil interest when
he met their owner walking home with
the good old rector after service , and
was fntroduced to Miss Travers , while
the eyes like "grayest ars" were suddenly
raised to his ; and he had ever since spent
a larger portion ofhis , time than was
strictly needful in walking past the Rec
tory's rose-covered garden gate. But
on the other side , his sisters' words had
certainly struck home.
Brought up , as all the Allerdyces
were , like hot-house plaitts , sheltered
from every breath of frosty air , it was
not strange that Richard at five-and-
twenty , though a big , burly enough
young Englishman to look at , was but
little of a man in heart or mind. Knowl
edge of the world had been carefully
kept from him , as from his sisters , lest
they should learn evil ; but their very ig-
norauce had cost them the loss of power
to choose between evil and good and had
given them Tveak prejudices and con
ceited opinionativencss , insEead of a
jnind able to discern and prefer the
right.
Richard's handsome face was over
cast as he swung out of the lodge gate
and down the road. Miss Travers a hos-
Sital nurse ! certainly it was a shock ,
'ot onty did it seem to him unwomanly
for a woman to work at all , but infinitely
more so to do menial work. And then
the awful thought of what his mother
and sisters would say , were they asked
to receive a hospital nurse as his future
wife ! For it had gone as far as that in
Richard's susceptible mind , even in
these three short di3s. All at once his
thoughts broke off as Miss Travers her
self , sweet and bright as ever , in her
black dress , came out from the Rectory
gate , the great Rectory mastiff pacing
behind her.
Nov. * Richard's own collie was at his
heels , and there was a bitter feud of long
stauding between these two faithful fol
lowers. There was one angr3 * growl , a
heavy rush , a thud , and then a brown
body and a black rolled together in tiie
dust in a manner suggestive of a dog's
funeral on one side or the other.
Richard , who was actually staggered
by the suddenness of it all , could not
for a moment regain his senses ; and
when he did it was to find Miss Travers
with both hands locked in the hair of
Hollo's shaggy neck , pulling him from
his foe with all her strength , and calling
to Mr. Allerdyce to take hold of his dog
and pull him off.
She was being whirled round in a cloud
of dust 03' the frantic waltzers before
Richard could decide on where to take
hold , but the task was performed for
him by a gentleman in tweed knicker
bockers , who started out of the "White
Hart , " a few yards awa3 * , and ran to the
rescue. Between Miss Travers and him
self the combatants were separated ,
each carrying off a few fragments of the
other's person : and Miss Travers , flush
ed , panting , covered with dust , but look
ing lovelier than Richard had ever seen
woman look before , sank back against
the Rectory wall and tried to laugh. The
tranger lifted his hat , lookingstraight
at her , with a pair of piercing brown
eyes.
eyes."Excuse me , Miss Travers , " he said ,
ia a rather off hand manner , "but that
was about as rash a thing as any one
could possibly do. The dogs might
both have turned on you and bitten you. "
"Thank you , Capt Hardwicke , I had
not the least fear , " was her only re
sponse , given with a little haughtiness.
And then the gentleman , with a nod
to Richard , turned from them and strode
away as rapidly as he had come.
"Miss Travers , are you hurt ? Yon
never should have done a thing like that ;
Hardwicke was right ; it was awfullv
rash ! By the wav , you know Hard-
tvicke ? "
"No , I am not hurt a bit. Don't scold
me , please ; I know it was a silly thing
o do , but I didn't stop to think. Pray
ion't look so horrified. "
"But suppose you had been bitten ! "
"Well , I wasn't" And her face
dimpled with a friendly smile at his
shocked look.
"But you know Hardwicke ? " he per
sisted , quite unable to get over his sur
prise in that quarter.
"Oh. yes. Capt. Hardwicke was in
hospitalVith an accident some months
ao-o my hospital. I had charge of him
tferc , that's all , " she said , and her face
crew cold.
Tlien > i u puucu : i lujuirum ttiu hedge
so sharply that it fell lo pieces in her
hand.
"Look here ! let us cover over the
battl'i field with Ilowers , " she laughed ,
showering the petals on the ground be
fore her.
Richard went home more thoughtful
than ever. Surely this woman was a
novelty in his experience. She acted
with the skill and daring of a man ; and
3 et he would rather not think what his
sisters' faces would be like had they
but seen it. Was it actually ladylike ?
or should she not rather have fled from
the sceneof conflict , or screamed and
fainted ? To be sure , she looked as
beautiful as an avenging Amazon : but
then , was it quite correct conduct for a
3'oung girl ?
And Capt. Hardwicke's manner , so
abrupt , and dictatorial ; he seemed to
show her the difference in social posi
tion between a nobleman's nephew and
a hospital nurse. It must have been an
awkward meeting as his sisters had
said. And then a cold shiver came over
him as he thought of Miss Travers in
troduced as Miv > . Richard Allerdyce at
Bclmont Castle , and Capt. Hardvficke's
stoii3' stare of surprise. And 3et and
yet she was so beautiful.
Nearly three weeks had passed since
the dog episode , and Richard's course
still wavered in the balance. He had
grown to know Miss Travers well in
those three weeks , and to know her
well was but to love her better. There
never was a woman so sweet and clever
so sympathetic , so beautiful he was
certain of that ; no one he more ardently
longed to have for his wife ; and 3et !
That terrible strength of character , that
profession , that total lack of pedigree !
Onty last night , in the moonlit garden
of the Rectory , he had almost flung all
prudence to the winds , she had been so
dangerously , fatalty sweet ( she was al-
ways especially kind to him ) , but he
reeled back from the gulf just in time
when she mentioned casualty , without
a change of voice or countenance , that
she had an uncle who was a chemist in
Rochestes. Richard recoiled again as
he thought of it , and fancied Hard
wicke's look if he could have heard her.
For Capt. Hard wick was still at the
The hill stretched down even more
abruptly than on the side ho had as
cended , and near the bottom there was
a sudden sharp turn , with the railway
line running just below the nastiest bit
of road for miles around. Perhaps even
Agatha Travers would have hesitated
to hazard it , had it not been for the con
sternation in Richad's face.
"Mr. Allerdyce , you are faint-heart
ed , " she said gaily , as she starts on her
downward course a little more rapidly
than she had intended , but Richard's
new tricycle worked smoothly.
His heart stood in his mouth , as the
country folk say , as she began to glide
rapidly off. She turned her head and
flashed back a merr3T defiance.
"My uncle , the chemist at Rochester ,
used to say " Then the wicked sparkle
faded suddenly and she called quick and
clear , "Can 3011 not stop me , please ?
The break is stiff ; I can't make it work ;
it's running away. "
Poor Richard of the faint heart ! it
seemed to die within him. The next
second he had darted forward , but it
was just one second too late. The
check she had been able to put on the
heavy machine with the treadles ceased
to keep it back , and faster aud faster it
tore down the perilous road.
In all his life to come , Richard will
never know any minute so long as that
next , while the straight , slight figure
flying through space seemed to swim
before his 0303 , and his knees knocked
together as he stood.
On , on faster , faster ! She managed
to hold to the steering handle , and keep
the machine in the middle of the road ;
but the mad pace grew more desperate.
She could never turn that fatal corner
by the railway embankment ; over it
she must go. And it was just then that
Richard aud she both together saw the
puff of snow white smoke from the
hillside , that told them that the evening
express was out of the tunnel , and
thundering down that very bit of line.
It all flashed over Agatha in one
rush ; would the fall kill her or would it
be tlie train ? It must be one or the
other ; the next second or two would
settle that. A swift pra3er was on her
lips , but what she never quite knew , for
even as she breathed it , some one or
'
IT WAS A VERY PALE FACE THAT LOOKED UP AT KICHAIlD's.
"White Hart " and his
, perhaps pres-1
ence , and the atmosphere of exalted so-
ciet3 * about him , had been one of Rich-
ard's restraining though unconscious
influence.
Now as he slowty worked his way up
the steepest hill in the neigborhood , on
his new tricycle , ho"was pondering the
old question in his mind. Could he
take the fatal pungc , or was it too
costty ?
A trim , graceful figure on the road
before him , as at last he gained the
summit , drove all else to the four
winds ; and in a moment he had over
taken the object of his cogitations , and
sprung to the ground.bcside her.
"Mr Allerdyce ! how like a ghost you
stole upon me ! "Oh , I see , it was a tri-
C3cle , and what a beauty ! Do let me
look at it ! " she said , turning to shake
hands.
And Richard , nothing loth , began to
display his new toy a perfect thing hi
build aud finish the Allerdyces' posses
sions always were the most perfect of
their kind.
He began to explain it to her , forget
ting all about the chemist uncle , but she
interrupted him.
"Yes , T know all about them , thanks.
I see it is a regular bit of perfection. I
should so like to try it. May I ? "
Once more Richard was dumb with
surprise , A lady on a tricycle was-as
vet an unheard of thing in rustic Chel-
lowdcan , and it seemed aii outrageous
idea to him.
"I really don't think you could. My
sisters never have done such a thing , "
he faltered.
"Your sisters ? oh , perhaps not , " with
a little smile at the idea. "But I am
quite used to tricycles. I ride one
whenever I get a chance. "
A further blow for Richard ; but there
was no knowing how to refuse her , and
so he brood aside. She took her place
like one M ho was thoroughly _ used to
tricycles , and he could not but admit
that she adorned her position.
What a delicious hill to run down !
I realty must try it , " she said with a
happy little laugh , as she placed her feet
on thp treadles.
"Pray don't attempt it ! " was Richard's
horrified remonstrance.
something in brown tweed knicker-
bockers hurled itself over the road sidj
| stile before her , a stout stick darted
into the Itying wheel , and with one quick
swerve the tric3cle crashed info the
ditch , and lay there , a confused mass ol
spinning spokes and mutilated tires , -
while Agatha flew out from its midst
like a ball , and alighted on a grassy
bank a 3ard or two away ; and the ex-
press rushed past with awild 30 ! ! on
the line just below , and vanished round
a bharp curve that matched the curve
above it. _ -1
Then , and then alone , did Richard's ,
legs regain their power of motion , and
he set off as fast as the3 could carry
him to where the little black figure Ia3 * .
Somehow it took longer to run down
that hill than the last descent would ?
have led one tc lhinkfor when Richard ,
panting and breathless , reached the .
scene of the accident , the little black fig
ure , very much out of its usual trim
neatness , was seated on the grassy tan
gle that broke her fall , busily binding
up with her own small handkerchief a
deep gash in the hand of the knickers
bockered person who knelt at her side.
It was a very pale face that looked up At \
Richard's , with the sort of awe that any *
human being must wear that has just *
been face to face with death ; but her B
great gray eyes had a wonderful shina
ing light in them. c
"The poor tricycle ! I am so sorry. c
Is it very badly hurt ? " she said. ®
And , in his relief and gladness , Richi
ard could find words for nothing but , i
"Bother the tricycle ! " ±
He was read3 enough to say some- n
thing , however , presently , when he F
found himself obliged to stop and see
its remain5 ; decently cared for , while .
Capt Hardwicke took charge of Miss I
Travers' return to the Rectory. She ?
paid she was none the worse off for her
fall , but perhaps she was a little shaken ; E
for Capt. Hardwicke kindly offered her ?
his arm , and she took it.
Richard hurried after them before
long , his whole heart aglow. 3hat ? e
awful minute had taught fiim that life "
without Agatha Travers would seem a
poor and worthless thing , were she a
factory girl. He hurried after them , tl
therefore , and came in si < rht of the Rec-
tory gate as two hands unclasped over
it , and a small dark head raised itself
swiftty from a brown study , where it
seemed to have been resting.
"Good gracious ! " was all Richard
could utter , as Agatha vanished , and
Capt Hardwicke sauntered toward him.
"Ah , Allerdyce , caught us , have you ?
Then I may as"well tell 3ou all and take
your congratulations. Perhaps 3'ou've
heard how Miss Tavers' nursing saved
my life last year , and of course I fell in
love with her. She would have it , it
was onty gratitude , and refused to let
me make what she called a mesalliance ,
just because there's that brute of a title
coming to me some day. I offered to
drop the title altogether if she liked ,
but nothing would do , and we parted
rather out of temper. I heard she was
down here , and ran down to see my un
cle , hoping he would talk her over , but
I began to think it was no use. I was
frantically jealous of 3rou , old fellow ! I
saw she liked 3011 , and I almost believe
3ou could have cut me out , if you'd had
the pluck to tr3 % she was so set against
me. But to-day has made it all right ,
and she thinks I've saved her life this
time , so we're quits. Well , old man ,
ami not the luckiest man alive ? "
"But but surety her famity "
stammered Richard.
"She's an orphan. Oh. I see what
you mean ; she told me she shocked 3011
with an uncle who's a chemist Bah ! I
should think the mere fact of being a
hospital nurse was a patent of nobility.
But if she were a beggar maid , she
would still be a real princess , God bless
her ! "
And Richard's groan may have been
an assent
Fashions for 1886.
Dough , to look well , should be worn
with pulls.
Sugar will be mostpopularin "crush"
st3les.
Cucumbers will be worn long in the
stomach.
Butter will wear its hair long and onty
one hair at a time.
Pretzel's will be very much used for
decorating schooners and smaller ves
sels.
Restaurant pies will wear leather
ovcrskirts with crimped edges as form
erly.Hot
Hot water , trimmed with - coffee
grounds , a very thin fabric and dark in
color will prevail entirely at some re
sorts.
sorts.Nails
Nails , portions of barrel staves , small
sections of cord wood , buttons , etc. ,
will be1 "the thing" in bread.
Elastic boarding house steak will be
much in use and very much damned
during the season.
O3sters will be very decollette in
quality , but high in price. The3r will
be preferred with lemon edging and
horseradish bodice. Hot Springs News.
Tlie Ugliest Man in the War.
The writer of this had the pleasure
of being the ugliest man in the army.
True it was a somewhat uncertain dis
tinction , but it was a distinction , and he
wore it with as good grace , perhaps , as
anyone else could have done. In fact ,
he"was somewhat disposed to be proud
of it , and submitted to the good-natur
ed railing his ugliness excited with such
a philosophic grin as would almost al-
wa3s turn the laugh in his favor. Only
once did lib let the taunt disturb the se
renity of his temper , and then only for
a moment.
It was on the night that Gen. John
ston changed position by a flank move
ment from his lines at New Hope
church to Kenesaw. All who were
there can remember what a disagree
able njght it was , dark as Erebus , with
a slow , drizzling rain , not enough to
wash a fellow , but only to make him
sogjv and grimy.
Old soldiers know how an army
marching by divisions manages to rest
the brigades at intervals and at the
same time keep up a continuous march.
Perhaps my younger i cailers may be
'curious to know. The first brigade in
front , when it is desired to rest , simply
opens ranks and rests on cither side of
the road , while the second and follow
ing brigades march through. The first
one cleared , the second one is halted ,
and so on in succession , the iirst falling
in line as soon as the rear of the last
one passes.
Well , we were marching thus. The
next morning , just at sunrise , round the
skirt of Lookout mountain , I was riding
at the head of the regiment , tired , wet ,
sleepy , and hungry , when , in passing
Walthall's Mississippi brigade , I was
aroused from * miscn * *
rm 03 hearing an
unmistakable voice crying out :
"Tom ! Tom ! 1 sa3' , Tom ? "
"What the dickens do 3011 want ? "
asked his comrade , waking up. "
"I want you to wake up and look at
that man. If I was as ugly as that
colonel , I'd resign and go Kome. "
The laugh that followed for a moment
unsettled 1113 * complacency. It did
seem cruel , and I so forlorn anyhow ;
but , as the laugh Deemed to do the poor
devils good , 1 could not not begrudge it
to them , and tried in a sickty manner
to laugh too , Atlanta Constitution.
li
Real New England Beans.
Every day or two I see the Massachu a
setts members wending their way in
groups to the senate wing of the capi-
tol , about lunch time. That queer un m
dertow which keeps the two houses so Klhi
Jar separate , though they sit within a him
otone's throw of each other , also gener m
ally make the members patronize their sc
own restaurants. C-n inquiry it turned
out that the Massachusetts men went
over to the other end to get some baked
beans ! which Senator ! rye's protege , to
Landlord Page , serves in 'regular New
England style. Those over at the house
are weak in their color and baked into a
mass , while Page has a knack of putting
hi ? beans upon the table with the real
Yankee red tint and each bean perfect in
its form. This is what catches the New
Englanders , who all patronize Page's
bean-pot .during the week. But he tells
me he has made no monc3 * since he
came to Washington , and on the contrary
has actualty lost some. He sa3s the
senate restaurant is not a paying prop-
ert3 * , unless liquor is allowed to be sold
over the counter. From a Washington
Letter.
in
When rou are well oil keen as voa are. di
HERE AND THERE.
The Niagara Falls ice-bridge is mov
ing down the river owing to a changi
of wind , which dislodged it from its
position.
During the past season tho height o
the Mormon temple at Salt Lake Citj
has been increased 03 sixteen course.
of stone.
The Indians of New Mexico like tin
idea of bloodhounds being sent in pur
suit of them. They shoot tho dogs and
eat them.
Divorces are so easy among tho Bul
garians that a - womancan. . easily make
a trial of half a dozen husbands in the
course of her life
The French have the highest meteor
ological station in Europe , and theii
two largest observatories are the best
equipped in the world.
Twelve to one is the ratio in whicb
the divorces granted in Lane county ,
Oregon , stand to marriages that have
taken place since 1884.
A tunnel company has been formed ,
with a capital of $1,000,000 , to push
development upon a silver mine ou
Mount Helena , in Montana.
Five-sixths of the Irish emigrants
from Great Britain last year proceeded
to the United States , as did nearly two-
thirds of those of Scotch nationality.
The German chancellor is suffering
one of the penalties of greatness ; a pop
ular preparation for teething children
is called "Bismarck's baby powder. "
A Pittsburgh character who has to his
credit in the bank over So , 000 recently
"
applied to the count3 * poor board for "a
pair of shoes. He was refused them.
The Ohio state treasury is said to be
in a very bad condition. The estimat
ed needs for the coming year are § 1-
364,421 in excess of the estimated re
ceipts.
At Tampa bay , Fla , , next month ,
there will be drilled in squadron tactics
the Powhatan , Montana , Yantic , Dis
patch , Tallapoosa , Tennessee , Juniata ,
and Alliance.
Canada has this seasoa drawn her
supplies of raisins largely from Califor
nia instead of Spain and other Europe
an countries , on account of the preva
lence of cholera in those countries.
Son O mommoe , hero's a great
big knot-hole in do floor. Come an'
lookee. Mother ( abstractedly ) Oh ,
honey , don't bodder mommee when
she's busy. Bring it heah , an' I'll look
at it.
it.The
The mortality statistics of Atlanta dis
close a frightful percentage among the
colored population. Over 39 out of ev
ery 1,000 die annually , although the
mortality among the whites is only 31
in 1,000.
The best time for a young man to
take his girl sleighing is during a
"driving snow-storm. " He can use
both his arms to hold his girl in the
sleigh and let the snow-storm do the
"driving. "
An Ohio doctorwho has been collect
ing facts about opium-eating , believes
he can demonstrate that the use of nar
cotics is most common in towns where
the sale of alcoholic beverages is not
permitted
The little linnets are proving such a
nuisance this season at Santa Maria ,
Cal. , that the citizens of the place are
poisoning them. One fruit man put out
poison apples , and the next day picked
up 150 dead birds.
A law against cheating on Sunday , 01
refusing atterward to pay for articles
purchased on that day , has been asked
for by 523 citizens of Massachusetts.
Granting their petition would leave Sun
day buyers and sellers still liable tc
heavy flues.
The artistic diamond-back terrapin ,
which at this season of tho 3ear daintj
city epicures praise and devour , is fas't
disappearing from the waters of Miuy-
land. Nature is unable to meet the
increasing demands of gourmands for
this favorite edible.
Pneumonia has been cured by a diet
"
of onions. A physician claims "to have
cured himself in a severe attack bj
keeping a crushed onion ( constantly re
newed ) under his pillow and eating onty
the pulps of grapes broken up with
crushed ice in a teaspoon.
Miss Augusta ( ready to go out ) : "Well ,
mamma dear , good-by. I suppose I am
to give your love "to Mrs. Hanson ! "
Mamma : "Certainty , my child. Now "
don't make too long a call. " Miss Au
gusta : "I shall stay just three hours , f
mamma. You know the last time that
hateful Sadie Hanson called she staid
that length of time , and I am going t ( ai
pay her back now. " I
er
A common sa3ing is that a pcrson'f it
"manners are as W "rood as those of s ital
duchess , " but an observer of duehesse * al
says that as a rule those ladies have the alS
worst manners of am * women in the
peerage. Nobocty is born a duchess , sc
they must acquire their rank by mar
riage , and their heads are often complc-
tely turned by the elevation. A parvenu [ jj
duchess is usually ill-mannered in the is
consciousness of rand uer.
0
In letters of George Eliot latelypub-
lished : for the first time she shows her JK
hatred of being criticised. In writing tc qt
friend : "I sometimes shrink from
p
every article that pretends to be critical jy
I mean of other people's productions , jj
not , of course , of my own ; for , you gj
Know , I am well taken care of by mj Ol
husband , and am saved from getting u
my mind poisoned with print about my 01
self.
self.Mme.
Mme. Patti's continental tour has
been marred by one or two unpleasant tr :
hitches , directly attributal.as it appears , ar
the high rate of renumeration at m
which her services were secured. Thf th :
non-fulfillment of her engagement a. or
Antwerp was due , it is stated , to some- w
tiling like a strike of the musical por ev
tion of the public against the exorbitan. an
rate at which the seats were tariffed. nc
and , it appears from the last letter ol co
the Russian correspondent of IS An ty
Musical , that she has been obliged tc he
forego her visit to Warsaw for a siraor
ilar reason. The journals of the Polish ve
city unanimously protested against thi in
high prices of admission , and exhorted m
their readers not to countenance sucl a
extravagant demands. The advice lie
seems to have been very generally fol wi
lowed. The number of seats booke < he
advance , at all events , was so dis th :
couragiugly small that Mme. Patti ha. m
decided uot to s'.nir in Warsaw. Ft
II
AN ACROBATIC FAMILY.
Tho ITnnlon Brothers ( and Their Ko
marlcnblc Escapes Prom Death.
In Manchester in 1859 , while tho
elder brothers were playing in "The
Two Flying Men of tho Air , " William
fell from the trapeze and broke two of
his ribs , one of his arms , and cut his
head. Ho was laid lip for a year and a
half. Alfred fell once in 1865 in Buflalo
while turning a somersault from a
trapeze and attempting to catch a rope.
He broke two of his ribs and cut his
head open , Edward , one of the broth
ers , now in Vienna , whileperforming
on a long ladder in tho Academy of
Music in New Orleans under David Bid-
well's management , in 1860 , fell head
downward into a parquet His shoulder
struck a soldier , who had to be taken to
the hospital , while Edward was compar
atively unhurt. Thomas , tho brother
who committed suicide , had three falls
at different times. The last fall resulted
in his going crazy. His iirst fall was in
the Coliseum in Liverpool , while per
forming on what is called the perilous
ladder. He fell into the orchestra , and
smashed the base viol , but did not hurt
himself. His second fall was at Niblo's
Garden , in-New York , under the man
agement of James L. Nixon. He tried
to make too long a leap to catch a ropo
that was being held iii the wings by his
two brothers , William and George. He
only caught the ropo with one hand.and
fell on his brothers , hurting them so
that they had to be carried to their beds.
'
His last'fall was at Pike's opera-house ,
in Cincinnati , in 1864. It was in sum
mer and his hands were wet with per-
spiraiion. His grip slipped , and he fell
on the stage , his head striking the foot X
lights , and one of the gas-burners pene
trated his skull.
Three years after Thomas fell at Pike's
opera house he was arrested in Harris-
burg , while acting in a demented way
about the streets. He was taken to
jail. His brothers at the time wero
searching all over the country for him ,
and one day Edward received a tele
gram from"the mayor of Harrisbur
saying that an insane man , who claimed
to be one of the Hanlon brothers , had
been arrested. During a lucid interval -
Thomas asked why he was in jail , and
the keeper tried to quiet him. There
was part of a lot of steam heating pipes
in his cell , and the cock was on the end
of the pipes in his cell. He conceived
the ( idea to kill himself by turning half-
somersaults , so that his head would
strike each time on the cock. He turn
ed fifteen half somersaults in this way
and beat his brains out. Six mdn tried
to overpower him but he broke one
man's arm and another man's nose.
He was a small man and a scientific
boxer. After he had almost crushed
his skull in he finalty.became exhausted
aud was taken out of his cell on a
stretcher. He lived until the next day ,
and shortly before he dietl drank a cup
of coffee and ate some eggs. His broth '
er Edward arrived at the jail just as the ' 4 I
demented man was breathing his last. .
Their mother became insane on hearing
3r her son's death , but recovered her
reason afterward.
Just prior to the time Thomas fell at
Pike's opera house the brothers , who
were the organization of a theater
under canvas. At Mobile the soldiers
fought to get in and the Hanlons reaped
a harvest. It was when they reached
Cincinnati that they abandoned their
canvas theater and went to play at
Pike's , opera house. Philadelphia
Times.
Tough on Tommy.
"Tommy , will you have some more
pudding. 1113-son ? " asked Mrs. Smiley
at the Christmas dinner. There was a
large company present and she spoke
very pleasantly to Tommy , for she was
afraid he might be disagreeable. Tom-
1113was in the habit of making disagree
able remarks when there was company.
' I don't know whether I will take anv
more pudding or not. You are always
saying that I eat as much as four boys. "
-'Why , Tommy , you know better
than that. "
"Yes , you and pa arc always saving
I'm no better than a pig. Are you sure
enough in earnest when 3011 ask me if I
want some more pudding ? "
"TommyI'm ashamed of you. Won't
3ou have some more pudding , just a
little more. Come , now , that's a food
boy , " said Mrs. Smiley , looking at ° him
as if she would like to skin him alive.
"Well , " replied Tommy , defiantly ,
"I'm in a fix. If I say 1 want sonic
more 1 pudding , then vou say after tho
_ 1 1 . i , * " . . ' _ _
. . .
„ * " " .1 " " O * * * * * * * * * > * * * .it o * * V L JItlu
ate so much turkey that I couldn't
eat any more puddin' when you offered
to me. Darned if I know what to say.
New York boy has a tough time of "it
about Christmas , anyhow. " Texas
'
SiJ'tings.
The Vanderhilt Fortune.
We have made a calculation for the
family of Vanderbilts , and found that ,
it shall be as capable , as industrious ,
provident , as hard and selfish as the
founders of its race , and enough shall
escape the lunatic asvlum and the
home of the inebriate to take the be
quest , in another forty years , from , a 4
per cent , investment , with semi-annual-
interest reinvested at the same
fij-urc. the family estate will amount to
77,788,000. There is one pleasant
outlook , for we may reasonbly hooe
that in forty years this sura will exceed
Diir national debt , when a simple act of
Congressbeing passed to confiscate the
Tandcrbilt estate will
relieve our coun-
ry from all financial embarrassments ,
md , assuming that the family is not
nore prolific of sons and daughters in
he future than it has been in the past ,
jnly sixty-four unfortunate rich people
ivill suffer to avoid a great national 1
jvil. Napoleon destroyed old families
md provided against the formation of
icw ones by the simple provision of his 1
'ode that when anyone died his proper-
should be equally distributed to his
icirs. The English place a probate tax
the estate of deceased persons.which
may improve by adding an ascend-
ng scale of penalties , letting the poor
nan ; through the gateway of death with
nominal : toll , but unloading dead mil-
ionaires of such amounts as we think
vill be burdensome to them in climbin"
golden ladder , and cmbarrassino-
hem to explain to St. Peter that their
uillions were honestty come 03' . San
Francisco Argonaut.