HOW IT HAPPENED. I got to thinlciu' of lirr , both her parents dead nnd gone , And all her muter * nmniod off , and none but but her nnd John A-livin' all alone thcie in that loncHomo norl ofjvny , And him 11 blnined old bachelor conllrmdor every dny. I'd knoun Vin all from children , and thqrdad- dy from the time ETo settled in the neighborhood nnd hadn't ory a dime Er dollar , when ho manicd , for tobtart houHekeonin' on ; So I got to tiiinkin * of her , both her parents dead and goucl I got to thinkin' of her and a-wondorn she done That all her sisters kep' a gittin married one by one , And her without no chances , and the best girl of the puck , An old maid , nith her hands , you might Bay , tied behind her Imok ! And mother , too , belore she died , she used to JOB' take on "When none of Vm was 'left , you know , but Evnline and John , i And jes' declare to goodness "at the young i men unint be bline To BPO what a wife they'd git if they got Evuline. I got to thinkin' of her ; in my great affliction she "Was sich a comfort to us , and bo kind and neighborly : She'd tome and leave her housework fer to he'n out little Jane , And talk of her own mother 'at she'd never 8ee again : JIaybe sometimes cry together , though , for the most part , she TV'ould have the child so reconciled , and hap py like , 'at we Felt lonesomer'n ever ; she'd put her bonnet on And t.ny she'd railly haf to be a-gittin back to John ! I got to thinkin' of her , as I say ; and moro and moro I'd think of her dependence , and the burdens 't she bore ; Her parents both abein' dead , and all her sisters goiip And mairifd o T , nnd her a livin' there alone with John ; You mi ht bay jes' a toilin' and a-slavin" out her life For a man 'at hadn't pride enough to get his elf a wife , 'Less some one married Evaline and packed her offsomo day ; Bo I got to tbiukin' of her , and it happened thata-way. JAMES WIIITCOMB EILEY. HIS STEPMOTHER , "Hush , Doras ! is that rain ? It sounds as if some genii were dashing pails ofwater against the casements. " "It's rain , Guy. The equinoctial storm , you know. " "And that dreary moaning down the chimney is it wind ? " The boy shivered a little , and drew the bedclothes up around his chin. The red flames from the blazing log on the hearth danced up and down like a magic lantern ; the shaded lamp burned steadily on the table. Dorcas \Vynter stitched quietly away at her sewing without looking up. "It must be an awful tempest , Dorcas , " uttered the lad , as a fresh gust of wind seemed to shake the octagonal tower to its very founda tions. "It is , Guy. I heard old CaptLake say that the tide had not been so high since the year the Boyal Victoria was wrecked off Paine Point. " "It is better to be here , even with a broken leg , " said Guy Paley , slightly lifting his eyebrows , "than out at sea in such a blow as this ! " i "A good deal better , Guy. " : "Not that I am a coward , Dorcas ! " cried the boy. "There are worse things than a storm at sea , and I have an instinct that I shall be a sailor yet ; But this sickness has taught me- this sickness and you , Dorcas , that it's better to go for a thing in an honest , straightforward -way , than to try to reach it by sneak ing. But I always supposed it was a line thing to run away to sea , or else I shouldn't have tried the get-out of- the-window by-midnight dodge , and broken my leg. I'm wiser now ! " Dorcas smiled at him with melting hazel eyes and rose-red lips , revealing n line of pearls. "Poor Guy ! " said she. "It was a liard lesson"wasn't it ? " 'I think I need it , Dorcas. If ever there was a thorough-paced young ruffian it was I ! " groaned the boy. " .But , you see , nobody ever talked to me. Scoldings without end I-got , . I grant you , but no one tolhed commonsense mon-sense to me before. You are the only one who seemed to think me worth reasoning with ; and you shall see , Dorcas that , I am worth the trouble. Once I'm up from this .scrape I'll tackle my lessons in real earnest , and try to. do something Letter. And-I say , Dorcas. " "Yes , Guy- , "You're the prettiest girl I ever saw. " "Nonsense , Guy. " "Oh , but you are ! and the sweetest and most sensible. I can't think how you ever came to be a housemaid in a place like this. " Dorcas colored a little. ' "Shall I tell you , Guy ? I came as 'governess to the primary depart ment , but I had no discipline , they told me. The younger boys did ex actly as they pleased. I've always thought that Mrs. Tail , who suc ceeded to the position , had some thing to do about the bad reports of -my management that reached Dr. Delfer's ears. But that can't be proved , neither can it be helped. I was alone here and friendless , jmd was glad to accept a.vacant position under the housekeeper to mend linen , care for occasional cases in the in firmary , and make inj'self generally useful. " "I knew you were a lady5 ! exul tantly crind the boy. "I could see it In your face. " "I would rather ycu would call me u true .woman. Guy , than a lady , " Li ; \ said Dorcns , moving the lamp a few inches farther back , so that the light > yould not shine in Guy's eyes. "But I say , Dorcus , how old are you ? " "Bather young-I afraidGuy only nineteen. " "And I am fourteen , Dorcas. Will you wait seven yeai-3 for me ? " "Guy ! " "I shall be twenty-one then , and my own master , " eagerly added the boy ; "and I'll work like a slave to gee a good profession , and if you will marry me , Dorcas , I'll make the best husband that ever was to you , for I'm desperately in love with you , that I am. " Dorcas burst into laughter. "Guy , " she said , "what a child you are. " "But you do love me , don't you ? " "Yes , of course I love you ; but not a bit more than I do Cecil Parker or little Frankie Gaines. " "Dorcas ! " "Well , a trifle more perhaps , be cause I've had all the care of you these four weeks , and you've really behaved very decently , but " "I won't , Guy. " "We're engaged , all the same , " said Guy , with a deep sigh of relief ; "It's a bargain. And now you may get me my gruel. " "Yes , Mr. Paley , " said Dr. Delfer , with a nod ot his spectacled brows , "that wild boy of yours is a different. And the infirmary nurse has done it all. Not to mention the credit the doctor gives her for keeping down the fever and managing the trouble some splints. He was the worst boy in the school. I don't mind admit ting to you now that I was contem plating expelling him from our mem bers. " "Guy always was a wild serb of chap , " admitted Mr. Paley. "But his aunts spoiled him. lie never had any bringing up to speak of. " "But this illness seems to have exerted a wonderful influence over his moral nature. " added Dr. Delfer. "And I really think Dorcas has done it all. Her influence has been won derful. " "She deserves a greae deal of credit i. am sure , said Mr. Paley. "I should like to see her and thank her. I've brought a few presents for her a warm shawl , a silver snuff-box and a black stuff gown. " Dr. Delfer gasped a little. "She I don't think she cases snuff ! " said he feebly. "All these nurses do. " "Yes but there she is now. " The door opened and Dorcas Wyn- ter came in , carrying a student-lamp , which she had just filled and trimmed anew. Dr. Paley dropped the silver snuff box in astonishment. "I beg your pardon , I am sure ! " stammered he. And when the doctor suggested that the nurse had better Rccompany young Guy on the journey home she assented without remonstrance. "Nurse , indeed ! " said Miss Sophro- nia Paley , a guant high-featured damsel of fifty. "As if a pretty sim pering chit of a thing like that could understand anything about nursing - ing ! " " She does , though , " said Guy. AnnHr > Tili ATI/I T . . . . . . - don't believe I should be alive now if it wasn't for her. " "You are quite well enough by this time to dispense with services , " said Miss Sophronia. 'A boy that eats the quantity of muffins and plum-jam that you did at tea last night cannot call himself an invalid any longer. She has been here a month , and " "But she's not to go away for all that , Aunt Soph , " said Guy , who was devouring roasted chestnuts like a dragon. "Ask papa. She's to be Mrs. Paley one of these days and " "Mrs. Paley ! " Aunt Sophronia turned green and yellow. "It's come to that , then , has it ? Well I've sus pected it this some time. And all Fve got to say is " "Seven years from now , " said Guy , with his mouth full of chestnuts , "I shall be twenty-one , and she will be twenty-six. Not enough difference to signify. And , " he uttered with a grin , as his aunt flounced wrathfully out of the room , "you'll get your walking ticket , old lady , when I'm married ! I'd as soon have a death's head and bones around the place anv time. " He was sitting cm led up in the easiest chair in the library , reading a book , half an hour afterwards , when the door opened , and his father came in. Something in the paternal glance and movement struck the boy. "I never saw father look so young and bright before , " he thought. "Something must have pleased him very much. Perhaps aunt Soph is going to marry some old fogy or other , and the coast will be clear.3 "So you knew about it , Guy ? " said Mr. Paley laughing. "About what , sir ? " - - "About my engagement. " The book fell with a crash to the floor. "Your what , father ? " "At least you told Aunt Sophronia about it. Well , I'm glad you are pleased , my boy , and Dorcas says she will always love you as if you were her own son. As a general thing , I don't approve of stepmoth ers , but you and Dorcas love each ' other so'dearly that Why , Guy , what is the matter ? " forthe boy had rushed out of the room with an odd suffocating sensation in his throat. He met Dorcas coming up the gar den path with a bunch of scarlet hol- Iv-berries in her hand. " "Dorcas , " he cried. "Dorcas , you are as false as the serpent woman ! You beau " She comprehended him in an in stant , though his voice was choked into silence. She Hung away tlie scarlet cluster and put Tier arms tenderly about him. him."Dear "Dear Guy , " she whispered , "I iovo him ; but if you are unwilling- it takes away any of the home feeling for you , it only remains for you to say so , and ' , Her voice died away , her head dropped on his shoulder. There was an instant's silence , and Guy said bravely : "Well , so let it be. My father is a trump , and you are the only woman alive who is worthy of him. And I suppose people would say six years was too much difference in our ages , although how they're to get over the fifteen years between you and father I don't know" he added , with a forced laugh. And then and there Guy Paley learned his first lesson in self- abnegation. Dorcas picked up her holly berries and went Into the library , where her promised husband stood. "I have just seen Guy , " she said. "Isn't he pleased ? " "Yes , I think he is , " hesitated Dorcas. "Guy is a strange boy a noble nature. I am notsure , Horace , " she added , with a dimness in her eyes , "that I would have married you if I could not always have had Guy with me. " "And my true wife will be Guy's true mother ! " said Mr. Paley , draw ing Dorcas tenderly to his side. He Tries Their Courage. Professor Cook , of Harvard Col lege , is one of the most popular in structors in the university. Every freshman has a course in chemistry under the venerable scientist. But if the course were not prescribed it is likely that his class would be fully as large as they now are. An hour in his experiment room is like at tending an entertainment. Hemakes things lively in the most approved "college celeb ration" fashion with his explosions , burning chemicals and other fireworks experiments. The professor has spent a good many years over his crucibles , retorts and receivers , and his hand trembles visibly \\hen he picks up any one of his apparatus or instruments. One of his lectures is devoted to dangerous ex plosives , and a stir always goes over the room when he picks up a bottle la beled nitro-grycerine. His smile is as innocent as a child's and it reveals the most genial and sympathetic na ture in Harvard College. When he picks up the bottle and holds it up , the yellow liquid stirring with the shaking of his hand , he always sa.ys something like this : "Now , gentle men , it is commonly believed that if I were to drop this little bottle we should all be blown to the skies ( his hand trembles a little more , and timid freshmen look longingly at the door ) , but if this compound is pure , perfectly pure , mind you , I can light a match with perfect safety and thrust it downtheneckofthebottle. " Here lie feels for a match. "But , " he instantly adds , "I am free to con fess that I have not enough confi dence in its purity to try the experi ment. " ( Many sighs of relief and one of the Professor's divine smiles. ) A Chimpanzee's Joke. In a recent lecture M. Romanes is reported as having strongly denied the existence of even a trace of any feeling of the-ludicfousin theronowned chimpanzee "Sally. " Itmay be worth while to record a small fact observed by me lately , tending , I think , to fa vor an opposite view. Being alone with a friend in Sally's house , we tried to get her to obeythe commands usually given by the keep er. The animal came to the bars of the cage to look at us , and , adopt ing the keeper's usual formula , I said : "Give me two straws , Sally. " At first she appeared to take no notice ; although she had been eying us rather eagerly be fore. I repeated the request with no further result ; but on a seccaid or third repetition she suddenly took up a large bundle of straw from the floor and thrust it through the bars at us , and then sat down with her back to us. Our request was perhaps unreasonable , seeing that we had no choice morsels of banana with which to reward her. She did not , however , seem ill tempered at our presump tion , and the next instant was as lively as ever. It seems to rne that her action on this occasion certainly came very near to an expression of humor. Bather sarcastic humor per haps it was , but she certainly ap peared ottake pleasure in the specta cle of something incongruous , and this surely lies at the base of all sense ot the ludicrous. Nature. Condition of London Ceme- tries. The recent official return on the condition of the London cemeteries is unsavoryreadingenough. In Bromp- ton cemetery , with an area of 28 % acres , there have been buried within less than fifty years , 155,064 bodies , while in the Tower Hamlets cemetery , with twelve acres less , in about the same time the number is 247,000. When it is remembered that these masses of subterranean corruption are accumulated in the midst of pop ulous districts ; that the soil is pecul iarly unfited for the purpose , and that in adition , every artificial means is adopted for prolonging the natural process of decomposition , surely it is clear that the time has come for n practical effort to be made to enforce a reform of the svstem. London Truth. , The Sun's Energy , The most satisfactory way of at * riving at an idea of the enormous snergy ofthe sun is by measuring the amount of heat which his rays are capable of generating ; and further , by bur knowledge of the relation which exists between heat and me chanical work , we are able at once to estimate the amount of work which the sun is capable of doing , and also the quantity of energy he must be losing year by year. By suitable ar rangements we can cause a certain quantity of his radiation to be ab sorbed by water or other substance , and note the rise of temperature which results , and as we know the mechanical equivalent of each degree of temperature in water , for instance , it is only a matter of calculation to arrive at a knowledge of the sun's total energy. Like everything else connected with this wonderful body , figures gives us , says the Scotsman , no adequate conception of his energy , and various illustrations have been usedbydifferentinvestigators. Thus , Hershel considered it in relation to the quantity of ice which it would melt in a given time , and states that the amount of heat which the earth receives when the sun is overhead would melt an inch thickness of ice in two hours and thirteen minutes. From this it can be calculated that i' the body ofthe sun were entirely sur rounded by a sheet of ice on its sur face of more than a mile in thickness , the sun's heat would entirely melf this coating of ice in the same time- namely , two hours and thirteen min utes. ' Prof. Young uses and ever more striking illustration. He says- "If we could build up a solid column of ice from the earth to the sun , twc miles and a quarter in diameter spanning the inconceivable abyss o ; ninety-three million miles , and if the sun should concentrate his power up on it , it would dissolve and melt , not in an hour , not in a minute , but in a single second ; one swing ofthe pen dulum and it would be water , seven more and it would be dissipated in vapor. " Of course , of this enormous quantity of heat the earth receives but a very small fraction. The re mainder , except , of course , what the other planets receive , passes away in to space and is lost forever , so far as can be ascertained , to the solar sys tem. If we estimate in mechanical power what we do receive , we find this to be on each square foot of sur face equivalent , on an average , to about fifty tons raised a mile high yearly , or to one-horse power con tinuously acting , to every thirty square feet ofthe earth's surface. It is by this enormous supply of energj that the whole world is kept alive and active. It keeps us warm anc drives our steam engine and watei wheels , it circulates our atmosphere and brings us rain and snow in duf season ; it grows and nourishes oui plants and animals , andin a word , IE the source of almost every earthly blessing. She Strung the Beans. A reporter who went down to Braid- wood to gather some news regarding the destitution of the miners tells a story on an old Scotch lady living in the neighborhood. The reporter heard the yarn from a storekeeper. It seems this old lady had not long ago left the land ofthe heather and was not fully up in the peculiar ways ofthe Americans. Onedaj'atastore she noticed some string beans expos ed for sale and she said it was a shame to pick them before thej' were ripe.The The groceryman explained to her that the beans were very fine eating , indeed. He urged her to buy some , at the same time giving her some in structions about preparing them. He told her she must string them and then boil them until soft and tender. The old lady , anxious to learn all she could of the ways of the land of her adoption , finally took a mess home. Some hours later a neighbor a ( wo- mancame in'and found the old ladj busy in the preparations for her noonday - { day meal. What she saw caused her to burst out. laughing. There the old lad } ' sat with the beans in her lap , a needle and thread in her hand , string ing the beans. In a few moments the neighbor had sho\vn the old Scotch woman how to string beans , but the joke u as too good to keep find the heard of it. Chicago Herald. A Rat Story. A Greenboro , Ga. , citizen te'ls the following story. His wife had been bothered by rats and mice playing tag in the dining-room , and seta trap to catch them. Late that night the husband , hearing' queer noises , stole down to the room. What he saw he describes in these words : About a dozen snmll mice had been caught in the trap. This was surrounded by four or five bi rats , which had dragged it to one corner nnd were holding a consulta tion. As I looked in , alarmed by the light , they hurried their preparations to a close. One of the big fellows seized the door of the trap between his teeth ; another rat seized him by the tail , another and another quick ly took hold ; asuddenpull was given and quicker than I can relate the door flew back , the mice scampered out , and before I could walk across the room old rats , young rats , old mice and young mice had disappen red leaving the trap in the corner , with the door shut and eTcrj vestige ol the bait gone. What is Castoria is Dr. Samuel Pitcher's prescription for Infanta and Children. It contains neither Opium , Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. It is a harmless substitute for Paregoric , Drops , Soothing Syrups , and Castor Oil. It is Pleasant. Its guarantee is thirty years * use by Millions of Mothers. Castoria destroys Worms and allays feverishness. Castoria prevents vomiting Sour Curd , cures Diarrhoea and "Wind Colic. Castoria relieves teething troubles , cures constipation and flatulency. . Castoria assimilates the food , regulates the stomach ' 4 and bowels , giving healthy and natural sleep. Cas toria is the Children's Panacea the Mother's Friend. ,1 Castoria. "Castoria is an excellent medicine for chil dren. Mothers have repeatedly told me of its good effect upon their children. " Da. Q. C. OSOOOD , Lowell , Mass. " Castoria Is the best remedy for children of which I am acquainted. I hope the day is not far distant when mothers will consider the real interest of their children , and use Castoria in stead of the various quack nostrums which are destroying their loved ones , by forcing opium , morphine , soothing syrup and other hurtful agents down their throats , thereby sending them tc premature Braves. " DC. J. F. KINCHELOE , Conwav. Ark. The Centatu ? Company , TT Murray Street , Now York City. POSITIVE > G Warren SU New Tort JACK DWYBJR'S r ATTlU'TlT" OT A HP" COUNlY-SbAl A FIVE CENT CIGAR. Try this popular brand. It is one of the finest nickel cigars ever placed on sale in McCook. F. D. BURGESS , PLUMBING , Steam and Hot Water Heating , North Main Avenue , McCOOK , - - NEBRASKA. ' A stock of best grades of Hose , Larra Sprinklers , Hose Keels and Hose Fixtures , constantly on band. Ail work receives prompt attention. J. S. McBRAYER , House Mover % Drayman , McCOOK , NEB. 63P House and Safe Moving a Spec ialty. Orders for Draying left at the Huddleston Lumber Yard will receive prompt attention. Da. HUJIPHHETS * SPECIFICS are scientifically and carefully prepared prescriptions ; used for many years in private practice whhsuccess.andforover thlrtyyearsusedby thopeople. Every single Spe cific Is a special euro for the disease named. These Specifics cure without drugging , purg ing or reducing the sj stem , nnd are In fact and deed thosovereicn remedies of the AVorld. tISTOFPKIXCIF.AI.XOS. CUBES. PRICES. 1 Fevers * Congestion. Inflammation. . . .25 a Worms , WormFe\er. Worm Colic. . .V5 'A Cryinir Colic , orTeethlagof Infants . ,45 4 Diarrhea , ot Children or Adults . i > 5 5 .Dysentery , Griping , Bilious Colic . . . 'J5 6 Cholera M orb us , Vomiting . 25 t Coughs , Cold. Bronchitis . 25 8 Neural sri a , Toothache , Faceache .25 Headaches , SlckUeadache , Vertigo .25 1U Dyspepsia , Bilious Stomach . 25 11 Suppressed or Painful Periods. .25 12 Whites , too Profuse Periods . 25 IS Croup , Cough , Difficult Breathing. . . . ,25 14 Salt llheum , Erysipelas , Eruptions. .25 15 Rheumatism , P.hettma tic Pains. . . . .25 1 < { Fever and Aznc , Chills , Malaria . 5O 17 Piles , Blind or BleedJne . 50 19 Catarrh , Influenza , ColdintheHead .50 at > Whoopintr Couch , Violent Coughs. .50 24 Oenernl Deblllty.PhyslcalWeakness .50 27 KidneyDtsenBC . 50 28 Nervons Debility . 1.00 3O Urinary Weakness , Wetting Bed. .50 3'Z Discuses of theIIcartPalpUatlonl.OO Sold by Druggists , or sent postpaid on receipt of price. DR. HiniriittEYs' JUVUAL , (144 pages ) richly bound In cloth and gold , mailed free. HumphreysMIedicineCo.lOO Fulton St.XY. PE Children Cry for Pitcher's Castoria. When Baby -was sick , tro gave her Castoria. When she was a Child , she cried for Castoria , When Bhe became Hiss , she clung to C&storia , uastoria. " Castoria Is so well adapted to children that I recommend it as superior to any prcccriptioa known to me.1' me.1'U. U. A. AocnEit , M. D. , Ill So. Oxford St. , Brooklyn , N. Y. " Our physicians In the children's depart ment have spoken highly of their experi ence In their outsldo practice with Castoria , and although wo only have among our medical supplies what is known as regular proumirf , yet we are free to confess that the merits of Castoria Las won us to look with favor upon it. " UNITED HOSPITAL AND DispKKainr , Boston , Mnsa. C. Smrn. Prea. . KILPAT1UCK BROTHERS. i I I Horses branded on left hip or left shoulder. P. O. address , Imperial. 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