Y
PLEASANT PRISONS.
THE SPECIAL ONES IN THE ENGLISH
PARLIAMENT.
They . * rt Intended Particularly For
Slcruhcrf. and Other Pcrfton * Who
Violate Parliament' ) ! Own Bltrnlty ,
RuIcN and Ciintonix.
Few persons are aware that Eng
land's parliament has Its own special
prisons within Its own precincts which
are intended particularly for Its own
members and persons who violate ltd
own dignity , rules and customs. "Of
course these prisons seldom are used
now , but they have been In the past ,
and not so very long ago , and may be
again. The house of commons has
one set and the house of lords another.
The commons prison Is a little way
up lii the Clock Tower. Here are two
nets of prisons , intended only for the
accommodation of one prisoner each ,
one set being a little higher up in the
tower than the other. Each set con
sists of a sitting room and two bed
rooms , the former being a nice , com
fortable room about three by five
yards , with a neat carpet and chairs
good enough for anybody. The extra
bedroom Is not Intended for the pris
oner or for any friends whom he might
desire to put up for the night , but is
the sleeping apartment of the official
who looks after him during his incar
ceration. This man is usually the su
pervisor of badge messengers , and , be
sides looking after his man , he Is also
his servant for the time being , and
waits upon him just like any other.
He never need worry himself much
upon the question of the possibilities of
the prisoner's escape , for the sergeant-
at-arms Is responsible , and inasmuch
as the only way of getting to and from
the prison is by way of this sergeant's
house and through it , the risk of such
a thing ever happening is practically
prohibitive.
While he is there the prisoner really
has n good time. No restrictions as to
hours are placed upon him , and he may
rouse himself from his slumbers just
when he feels most inclined and return
to them in the same way. Practically
the only thing he cannot do is to walk
about outside just as he pleases , but he
is permitted to take an hour and a
half's exercise each morning and an
hour in the afternoon on the terrace
of the house , and the terrace , broad
and long and with its splendid outlook
upon the river , is by no means a bad
place to take exercise. If he were left
entirely unguarded , the prisoner might
dive into the river and swim away , or ,
what would be simpler , hail a passing
boat So , just for precaution's sake , a
couple of officers accompany him
while he takes these breaths of fresh
nir.
nir.Ho
Ho goes on Sunday to the church in
Vincent square , and on these occasions
also he has a couple of innocent looking
attendants.
Moreover , there is no question of so
many ounces of bread and meat , but if
he has the money to pay for It he may
feed himself upon the choicest viands
that the most cultured palate could
suggest. Tlie house of commons has a
first class restaurant , where the hungry
M. P. may dine as well as he could any
where in London. Each day the dishes
which the kitchen has prepared are
indicated on a menu which is brought
up to the prisoner , and he ticks off any
thing for which he feels a fancy , and
it is brought to him. The only draw
back from his point of view is that the
bill is presented to him just as it would
be anywhere else , and in the event of
his refusing to pay up he would eventu
ally be served with a court summons.
Among the occupants of the Clock
Tower have been the late Charles
Bradlaugh , who found himself con
signed thither on account of a little
difference with Mr. Speaker on the
subject of the parliamentary oath.
When Northampton returned Mr. Brad-
laugh to parliament , he was not allow
ed to take the oath nor the substituted
process known as affirmation. Mr.
Bradlaugh , however , secured a New
Testament and took a self administer
ed oath , after which he proceeded to
the next step of signing the roll. He
refused to withdraw when the speaker
requested him to do so , and consequently
the took
quently sergeaut-at-arms
charge of him. and to the Clock Tower
prison he went.
When the erection of the Tower
bridge was being considered , a state
ment was made that the Tower bridge
bill committee was subject to bribery
and corruption a serious charge. Two
men responsible for it were pronounced
to have committed a breach of privi
lege , for the house is very sensitive
upon such matters , and the speaker is
sued a summons for their appearance.
One of them , Mr. Ward , gave himself
up without delay , and he got seven
days in the Clock Tower prison. The
other offender , after a little delay , was
captured and was for a brief period
housed at Newgate.
The first M. P. imprisoned in the
present house of commons was W.
Smith O'Brien. One day in 1S4G he
committed contempt of the house by
declining to sit upon a certain commit
tee. Consequently he was sent to pris "
on during the few weeks that the com
mittee deliberated. This time , how
ever , he was not sent to the Clock
Tower prison , which was not finished ,
but did his durance in the cellar of the
house.
A Scotch Custom.
In many parts of Scotland it used to
be the custom to place on a man's
tombstone the symbols of his trade.
Thus a sugar cane would decorate the
grave of a grocer ; an ax and saw , with "
hammer and nails , would be found on
that of a carpenter , an awl and a.ham-
mer on a shoemaker's grave , and so on.
The sorrow of yesterday Is as noth
ing ; that of today is bearable ; but that
of tomorrow is gigantic , because In
distinct Euripides.
WHEN DOGS ARE SICK.
The Way to Give Medicine io Thena
Highly Sensitive I'atlcnt * .
In all treatment of a sick dog re
member you are dealing with a highly
sensitive and nervous patient. Be very
gentle , avoid roughness or anything
likely to alarm him. In giving blm any
liquid medicine do not open his 'mouthy'
but , placing him between your knees ,
with his face looking in the same direc
tion as your own , gently raise his Jaw
and , pulling his lips away from his
teeth on one side of his mouth , to form
a cup or funnel , very slowly pour from
bottle or spoon the quantity he Is to
Lave Into It.
Keep his head raised for a minute or
two and If he does not swallow the
dose Insert a spoon between his front
teeth. This will have the effect of
drawing of ? his attention from the
medicine and lie will usually swallow
at once. If the dose is a pill , bolus or
anything solid , hold his head the same
way as before mentioned , but with tha
left hand under lower jaw , press firmly
on each side with thumb and finger at
the junction of upper and lower Jaws.
This will usually cause him to open
his mouth , when the dose should be
put into the mouth as far back as
possible over the tongue ( or he will spit
It out ) and close the jaws somewhat
sharply , and in most cases the deed la
done. If any trouble arises with the
action of his front paws this may be
got over by wrapping him round with
a shawl or-coarse apron.
When once you have got Into the way
of It , you will be surprised how simple
It Is. I am quite sure a practiced own
er or kcnnelsman would dose a dozen
dogs while a novice was making a
bungle over one. "All About Dogs , "
by Charles Henry Lane.
THE COLLAR BUTTON.
Its Blessings Realized Only hy ThoHC
Who Have Lived Without It.
"In looking over a trunk full of old
truck the other day , " said the elderly
man , "I came across a lot of old shirts
with the buttons sewed on , and as I
looked at them I realized anew what
the collar button means to humanity.
There have been greater inventions ,
surely , but not many that have con
ferred a more unmixed blessing on
mankind.
"The younger person of today , ac
customed to the collar button always ,
cannot realize what it was to be with
out it. He can never know what it
was to have shirts with the buttons
sewed on or not , as the case might
be. Not so very many years ago , when
the collar button was yet comparative
ly new , before persons had come to
keep , as everybody commonly does
now , a lot of buttons on hand , the man
who had lost his collar button thought
himself entitled to the sympathy of his
fellows , but wrung as he might be by
that loss he could not even guess at
the anguish that in the sewed on but
ton days filled the heart of the man
who , when he came to put on his last
clean shirt , found that key button , the
one on the collar band , most important
one of all , gone entirely or only just
hanging by a thread !
"I knew a man once who had this
happen to him and didn't swear. That
was the only great thing he ever did ,
but I have always thought that that
alone was enough to stamp him as a
most extraordinary man. " New York
Sun.
Ditched the Bishop.
"I remember once driving across the
country with Bishop , " writes Rev.
Cyrus Townsend Brady of "A Mission
ary In the Great West" in the Ladies' 1
Home Journal , "while discussing the
(
nature of the soul. That is , the bifehop
con
was discussing. I was only prompting ct
by a question now and then. We were
on the rear seat of a wagon , with the
driver on the front seat. It was a
very dark night. In the middle of the
y
wild plunge , there was a crash , and
over we went into the muddy ditch.
" 'I beg your pardon , gents ! ' said the
driver , who had retained control of the
j
horses as we scrambled to our feet. 'I .
was so interested in hearin the man
discussin my immortal soul , which I
hardly ever kuowed that I had one be 1
fore , that I clean forgot where we was
and drove you plump into the ditch. ' "
Better to Have Waited.
The other morning Jones turned up .
at the office eA-en later than usual. .
His employer , tired of waiting for him , ,
had himself set about registering the ,
day's transactions , usually Jones' first
duty. The enraged merchant laid his
pen aside very deliberately and said to
Jones , Arery sternly indeed , "Jones , this
will not do ! "
"No , sir , " replied Jones gently , draw
ing off his coat as he glanced over his
employer's shoulder , "it will not. You
have entered McKurken's order in the
wrong book. Far better to have wait
ed till I caine ! " Pearson's Weekly.
A Thieves' Trick.
A mastiff was trained to assist
thieves in Paris. It was in the habit
3f bounding against old gentlemen and
knocking them eve r in the street. A
"lady" and "gentleman" owners of
the dog would then step forward to
assist the unfortunate pedestrian to
'
rise , and while doing so would ease him
n
Df his watch and purse.
e
Leisure Class.
Lord Sayvan-De Livrus Ah , but
your leisure clawss in this country
have no titles.
Miss Sharpe Nonsense ! What's the
matter with "hobo , " "Weary Willie , "
"Dusty Roads , " and so on ? Philadel
phia Press.
Nearer at Hand.
"Did you ever reflect on the immen ?
sity of the solar system ? "
"No. I've got my mind full reflecting
on the size of the note I have to pay
aert week. " Cleveland Plain Dealer.
A Speech That Made a Hit.
Edward Hanlun , ex-champion oars-
Eoan of the world , related a good story
of how he delivered a speech after
winning his second race in England ,
His first victory had found him unpre
pared. He was ready for his second
with a speech composed for him by a
newspaper friend neatly copied out on
'
paper and stored away for use In his
j ! coat pocket.
When the crowd outside the club
house insisted upon seeing and hearing
the winner , he was helped out upon a
window ledge by his friends and held
there by the coattalls and the legs.
The crowd cheered him wildly. He
was too confused to speak. They
cheered him again. He threw out his
hand in a gesture of helplessness and
moved his lips In some Inaudible mum
ble of apology for his inability to deliv
er a speech. * They could not hear on
account of the noise that they were
themselves making , but they encourag
ed him with a generous applause. He
paw his escape and proceeded to shake
his head and work his lips in a fine
frenzy of oratory , gesticulating elo
quently and smiling his thanks. The
noisy and good natured crowd cheered
him to the echo , and his friends drew
him in from his precarious position on
the window ledge.
"You carried that crowd along in
style , " they congratulated him. "What
did you say ? We couldn't hear you. "
"Yes. Give us an Idea of your speech , "
the reporters put In. drawing out their
notebooks.
Ilanlan took the manuscript from his
pocket. "Here's the whole thing , " he
said. "Do you Avant it all ? "
"Well , rather , " they answered. "That
speech made a hit. " Argonaut.
Why He Carries a Cane.
"You wonder why. I always carry a
cane except when I am carrying an
umbrella , " remarked a well known
Philadelphia ! ! the other afternoon.
"Well , I don't mind telling you. It's allen
on account of umbrellas. "
"Can't see the connection , " rejoined
the friend to whom he was talking.
"Didn't suppose you could. But you
will when I have explained. You lose
fin umbrella every once in awhile , don't
you ? Put it down somewhere and
walk off and leave It ? "
"Yes ; I have had that happen to me
frequently. "
"Well , I used to , but not since I took
to carrying a cane. An acquaintance
in Chicago put me on to the scheme.
'Get a cane of some kind , ' he said to
me one day , 'and carry it every day
and every night that it doesn't rain.
By that means you become so accus
tomed to having something in your
hand you are lost without it. Then
when a rainy day or evening comes
and you are compelled to carry an um
brella about with you the benefit comes
in. Say you have gone into a restau
rant and when you come out the rain
has stopped. You walk out into the
street without your umbrella. Presto !
After you have taken perhaps a dozen
steps you miss something. Your cane
carrying hand is minus the burden it
usually bears. Back go your thoughts
to your umbrella and back go your
steps to get it. Simple ? Of course it
is , but the simple things oftentimes
prove the most valuable. " Philadel
phia Inquirer.
Four I ejrKed Weather Prophets.
Though the tortoise is an excellent
weather prophet , the fact is known to
comparatively few people. Tortoise
,
farmers on the African coast notice
that even 24 hours before rain falls
these curious animals prepare for it by
seeking the convenient shelter of over
hanging rocks. It may be a bright ,
clear , sunshiny morning , but the farm
ers believe implicitly in the tactics of
the tortoise , who is seldom mistaken ,
for the downpour is certain to come
within the time stated.
A pet tortoise would be a practical
present to bestow on one's friends.
This curious premonition of the approach
preach of rain is shared by many other
animals and birds and may be explain
ed partially by the fact that Avhile rain
is forming the atmosphere is increas
ing in weight , but there may also be
some need of moisture which makes
them aware of its approach or some
habits of life which' make them thus
sensitive. Chicago Record.
Cool and Methodical.
A lawyer who worthily bears a dis
tinguished name occupies an old fash
ioned mansion on the edge of New
York. His sister , who lives with him ,
tells a laughable story , which is re
ported in Harper's Round Table , illus
trating his coolness and love of method.
Recently his sister tiptoed into his
room some time after midnight and
told him she thought burglars were in
the house. The lawyer put on his dress
ing gown and went down stairs.
In the back hall he found a rough
looking man trying to open a door that
led into the back yard. The burglar
had unlocked the door and was pulling
at it with all his might. The lawyer ,
seeing the robber's predicament , called
to him :
"It does not open that way , you idiot !
It slides back ! "
The Blue Pencil. I
"This , " said the man who was showIng -
Ing the visitors about the office of the
metropolitan daily , "is the copy read
ers' room. It is the place where the
matter sent in for publication is boiled
Jown to the right dimensions. "
"Doesn't that make it warm ? " gig-
jled one of the young women.
"No , " be replied. "But the men who
re-rite the stuff get pretty hot over it
sometimes. " Chicago Tribune.
His Advice.
"Is it hard to propose to a girl ? " ask-
d the novice In affairs of the heart.
"Sometimes It's a good deal harder
aot to propose , " returned the man of
prorldly experience thoughtfully. "It's
ilways well to be on your guard. "
! STICK TO SIMPLE FOOD.
The Antericim nnnlncxM Man'n Pace
Demand : : Easily Diluted Dishes.
! "There was iu the old days far less
wear and tear upon the nerves , and ,
under such conditions , digestion was
more completely performed , " writes
Mrs. S. T. Rorer of "Why I Am Op
posed to Pies , " In The Ladies' Home
Journal. "The mothers of today must
look more carefully to the building of
their bodies and brains than their
mothers and grandmothers did. In
deed at the pace at which we Ameri
cans nregoing we use our brains at
full speed nearly all the time. What
man can build brain and brawn on
pies , layer cakes or preserves or any
other mass of material which from its
very complexity requires labor and
time for digestion , drawing the blood
from the Jmtln to the stomach during
his working hours ? Observe those who
eat their complex foods carelessly and
hastily and you will see at a glance
the conditions that necessitate a com
plete rest every now and then , or an
early nervous breakdown.
"In my close observation in the last
20 years I find very few people in our
common struggle for existence who can
for any length of time eat carelessly of
complex foods. At 40 or 50 a man may
perhaps have accumulated wealth , but
not health , and of what earthly use is
the first without the second ? Many
persons in the generation gone before
have eaten pies at least once a day ,
but they have not had meat three times
a day , nor have they rushed at our
pace. They gave more time to the di
gestion of the pie. People who recom
mend these rich foods rarely know any
thing of their complex conditions and
still less of the complexity of diges
tion. "
HAM SMELLING A BUSINESS.
Peculiar Occupation For Whtcli Only
Few Are Ciualltlcd.
The ham smeller's only tools are a
long steel trier and his nose. He stands
in a barrel to keep his clothes from be
ing soiled by the dripping brine , and
the hams > ire brought to him , and he
plunges his sharp pointed trier into
them , withdraws it and passes it swift
ly beneath his nose. The trier always
goes down to the knuckle joint.
In testing meat in that manner the
man with the trier judges by the slight
est shade of difference between the
smell of one piece of meat and anoth
er. The smell of the meat is almost
universally sweet , and that is what he
smells. The slightest taint or devia
tion from the sweet smell is therefore
appreciable. It is not the degree of
taint that ho expects to find , but the
slightest odor that is not sweet.
When he detects an odor , he throws
the meat aside , and if it is not un
wholesome it is sold as "rejected"
meat , but if it is tainted it goes to the
rendering tank. The ham tester smells
meat from 7 o'clock in the morning un
til 5 o'clock at night , and his sense
must never become jaded or inexact or
his usefulness would be at an end.
Hani testing is not a pursuit danger
ous to the health , as tea testing is sup
posed to be , but the ham smeller with
a cold in his head is like a piano player
who loses Iiis arm in a railroad wreck.
Kansas City Star.
A Test of Accnracy.
Drawing from memory is one of the
most difficult things in the world to do.
Even professional artists find that they
must rely largely upon hasty jottings
made upon the spot as suggestions for
their pictures. Those who are not art-
ists need to look keenly and closely at
what they wish to recollect , for they
must depend upon their memory to
bring details back to them. It is an excellent - '
cellent corrective of superficial observa
tion to sketch a scene as we think we
saw it and afterward return to the
scene and take another view. It is a
training both in accuracy and humility -
ity , for AVC learn how easy it is to deceive - .
ceive ourselves as to what we have
remarked. Florence Hull Winterburn
n Woman's Home Companion. *
She Got a Xew Pair. '
Sarcasticus and his wife were going
to the theater.
"Will you please go in and get my j
goats off the dressing table ? " said Mrs.
S.
'Your goats ? " queried the puzzled
Sarcasticus. "What fangle have you
women got now ? " '
"I'll show you ! " snapped the wife , *
and she sailed away and soon returned
putting on her gloves.
' Are those what you mean ? Why , I
call those kids. "
"I used to , " replied Mrs. Sarcasticus ,
"but they are getting so old I am
ashamed to any longer. "
He took the hint. Pearson's Weekly.
Economy. '
"What's this ? " exclaimed the young
husband , referring to the memorandum
she had given him. "One dozen eggs ,
one pound of raisins , a bottle of lemon
extract , a tin of ground cinnamon and
half a pound of sugar what do you
want with all these things , Belinda ? "
"I've got a stale loaf , " replied the
young wife , "that I'm going to save
by working it up into a bread pudding.
never let anything go to waste ,
Henry. " London Fun.
C
Dress Well.
It is not enough that people shall be
clad ; they must be dressed. "Costly
thy habit as thy purse can buy , " was v
the advice of Polonius to his son ;
"rich , but not gaudy , for the apparel
oft proclaims the man , " and the advice
Is just as good today as it was 300 t
years ago.
u
In Luck. n
"It's no fun being married. My wife
Is coming to me all the time and ask
ing for money ! " [
"You're lucky ! I have to ask my
wife always for money when I want
any ! " Heitere Welt. :
He Cruwhed the Heckler * .
The ninn who asks questions and in
sists on Mielr being answered Is a fa
miliar presence at all party meetings.
He Is known as the heckler. The speak
er Is not allowed to disregard him. If
a statement Is disputed , it is the era
tor's place to make It good. Any mem
ber of the audience may rise to his
feet and ghoul out a contradiction
whenever he feels like It. and by the
custom of English public life the
speaker Is expected to make some re
ply on the-spot.
Mr. Chamberlain was always a dan
gerous man to cross In debate , but the
personal feeling against him was so
bitter for years after his withdrawal
from the ranks of the separatists that
many an unhappy man was driven to
tilt against his shield. It was delicious
to watch Mr. Chamberlain's handling
of the situation. He would pause when
the Interruption grew serious and give
the heckler a chance to make himself
well heard. "Now If you will allow
me I will ask that gentleman to get
upon u chair that we may all have the
pleasure of seeing him. " A dozen anx
ious hands would hoist the objector in
to unwelcome prominence. "Now ,
sir , " came the clear , passionless voice ,
"will you kindly speak up ? I should
be sorry if any one missed what you
have to say. "
The heckler , now quite unnerved ,
would stammer out something , and
Mr. Chamberlain , listening with a ma
licious smile , would quietly readjust
his eyeglass and. turning to the au
dience , fling out a reply cool , cutting
and decisive. Sydney Brooks in Har
per's Magazine.
How Twuln Introduced Hawley.
"Only once did Mark Twain appear
Jn public as a political speaker , " says
Will M. Clemens in Ainslee's. "As a
jonscientious Republican in his politi
cal preferences Mr. Clemens took an
active interest In the presidential cam
paign of LSSO. While visiting in Elmi-
ra. N. Y. , In the fall of that year lie
made a short speech one Saturday
night , introducing to a Republican
meeting General Ilawley of Connecti
cut. In the course of his remarks Mi' .
Clemens said :
" 'General Ilawley is a member of
my church at Hartford and the author
of "Beautiful Snow. " Maybe he will
deny that. But I am only here to give
him a character from his last place. As
a pure citizen I respect him , as a per
sonal friend of years I have the warm
est regard for him. as a neighbor
whose vegetable garden adjoins mine ,
why why. I watch him. As the au
thor of "Beautiful Snow" he has added
a new pang to winter. He is a square ,
true man in honest politics , and I must
say he occupies a mighty lonesome po
sition. So broad , so bountiful is his
character that he never turned a tramp
empty handed from his door , but al
ways gave him a letter of introduction
to me. Pure , honest , incorruptible , that
is Joe Ilawley. Such a man in politics
is like a bottle of perfumery in a glue
factory it may moderate the stench ,
but it doesn't destroy it. I haven't
said any mere of him than I would say
of myself. Ladies and gentlemen , this
Is General Hawley. ' "
When a ICISH Was Valuahle.
The practice of kissing the hands
was instituted by the early Roman rul
ers as a mark of subjection as much as
one of respect , and under the first Ca >
sars the custom was kept up , but only
for 1 a time. These worthies conceived
the 1 idea that the proper homage due to
their 1 exalted station called for less fa
, miliar modes of obeisance , so the privi
lege of kissing the emperor's hand was
reserved as a special mark of conde
scension or distinction for officers of
.
high rank.
Roman fathers considered the prac
tice of kissing of so delicate a nature
,
that they never kissed their wives in
.
the . presence of their daughters. Then ,
too , only the nearest relatives were al
lowed to kiss their kindred of the gen
tler sex on the mouth , for in those
days , as now , kissing was not a mere
arbitrary sign , but it was the sponta
neous language of the affections , espe
cially that of love.
Under the Romans if a lover kissed
his betrothed before marriage she in
herited half of his wordly goods in the
event of his death before the marriage
ceremony , and if she died her heritage
descended to her nearest relatives.
Frank II. Vizetelly in Woman's Home
Companion.
Esisy Remedy.
Doctor Good morning , Mr. LoveiJ
What can I do for you ?
Mr. Lover I I called , sir , to to asj
for the hand of of your daughter.
"Humph ! Appetite good ? "
"Not very. "
"How is your pulse ? "
"Very rapid when when I am wit ]
her , very feeble when away. "
"Troubled with palpitation ? "
"Awfully when I think of her. "
"Take my daughter. You'll soon bj
cured. One guinea , please. " Pearson' ]
Weekly.
Chinese ns Cooks.
Second only to the French are tbl
Chinese when it comes to culinary skill !
and with simple materials they will
contrive to put together a meal whiclj
would shame an ordinary Americai
cook. In peasant families the wife oi
daughter does the cooking , but in all
targe establishments the cooks are in ]
variably men.
Innumerable are the illusions an.
legerdemain tricks of custom , but of al
these perhaps the cleverest is her
lcnack of persuading us that the mirac '
ulous by simple repetition ceases to be1
miraculous. Carlyle.
Bangkok Is a city of waters. It is an
ndo-Chinese Venice. More people live
n floating houses on the Menam , "the
Kile of Slam , " and the many canals ,
han in permanent buildings. |
THE HEDGE.
Fair neighbor of the thatched cot ,
With K\o\ro \ \ de Dijon cliutcn-il K bl ,
So star iweut , on troin plot to plot
Thou trlppctt , like n nymph of fable.
So blithe thy Kmlle , to Heft thy tone ,
Thy Icne vo Kood a life to trail In ,
I'd fain the hwlgi won ; overthrown
And our tv.o cunlvlK umilc one Kdr.nl
But "No ! " crli-s WlwJom. "Spare thj fence.
The thorn , the Ivy blackbird * nttt In ;
Leave Boinrtliltif : fur the liner cni < \
Some dream of joy to hope and roil in ,
"Some clad surprlw , gome mystery
Of Inconceivably * wcet meaning I"
Wisdom i wise. My friend and I
Scarce jin-aa the topmoxt twlpt by leaning ,
-0. 1) . C. In Good Word * .
NIGHTMARE.
The Sennatlon That Alway * Make * n
31 a n it Coward.
"Strange that we nre always so cow
ardly in nightmares , " remarked a New
Orleans lawyer who has a taste for
the bizarre. "I don't believe anybody
ever lived who stood up and made a
square stand against the amorphous
horror that invariably pursues us in
such visions. When I have a night
mare and the usual monster gets on
my trail , my blood turns to water , ami
my conduct would disgrace a sheep. I
am beside myself with stark , down
right fear , and I have no ideu left In
my head except to run like a rabbit. A
All pride , self respect , dread of ridicule
and even the Instinct of self defense
are scattered to the winds , and I be
lieve , honestly , I would be capable of
any Infamy In order to escape. 1 have
no hesitation In confessing this , be
cause , as far as I have been able tn
IIml out , everybody acts exactly the
same way iu the throes of nightmare ,
and I feel certain I would not make
such a pitiable spectacle of myself la
real life , no matter what might befall.
"I think that the explanation of tlu *
nightmare panic Is to be found in the
fact that the dream is almost Invari
ably accompanied by a sense of suffo
cation. It is well established that
choking the 'shutting off of one's
wind , ' to use a homely phrase has an
effect upon the mind which is entirely
distinct and different from that pro
duced by any other form of pain or
peril. It tills the victim with such horror
ror and distraction that lie is for the
moment Insane. He will do anything
to get relief. This has been brought
out on more than one occasion in the
defense of men who have been choked
and killed their assailants , and Judges ,
have held that the circumstances of
such an attack should be given special
consideration as extenuating the deed.
In dreams the entire nervous system Is
relaxed , and it is natural to suppose
that the mental effect of suffocation
would be intensified. At least , that is
the best apology I have to offer for my
sprints through nightmare land. " New
Orleans Times-Democrat.
Huliit In 11 Her e'n Work.
"When I retired from the contract
ing business a short time ago , " said a
well known man , "I had a number of
horses that I was anxious to dispose
of. Among them was one named Jer
ry , which for several years had been
used to working on a drum. In such
work a horse becomes accustomed to
lifting his feet high to avoid striking
the hoisting ropes. When the horses
were put under the hammer. Jerry
went to a Harlem grocer.
"About a week later the purchaser
of Jerry called at my house and told
me that he had a lot of trouble with
the horse. lie ; said that Jerry would
go a short distance , when he would
stop short and lift his feet high , and
after doing this would go a little far
ther , only to repeat it again. I told the
grocer why the horse stopped short
and lifted his feet and also advised
him to look up some contractor and
sell the animal to him for hoisting pur
poses , lie did so , notifying me that lie
received a larger price than he paid
me for the horse. " New York Sun.
How He Cot It.
In one of Chauucey M. Depew's
stories he told of meeting a man as
funny as himself.
"One day , " said Mr. Dopew , "I met
a soldier who had been wounded in the
face. He was a Union man , and L
asked him in which battle he had been
injured.
" 'In the last battle of Bull Run. sir. '
he replied.
" 'But how could you get hit in the
face at Bull Run ? ' I asked.
" 'Well , sir. ' said the man. half r poV
otreticallv. 'after
It forms an emulsion with the oil. and
r disturbing its cohesion attenuates
the combustible element as water can
not
Among the aborigines of Australia ,
the most common form of punishment
less than death is the spearing of the
offender through different parts of the
body.
