THIS OMAHA DAILY J3EJ3 : THUllSDAY , DEOEMHEIl 5 , 1895. 11
SUPPOSE YOU WRITE A BOOK
Route of Human Thought from Throbbing
Pen to Gold Print.
FACTS FOR THE BUDDING AUTHORS
Vnrloii * 1'lntid mi Wlilch 1'iilillnluTw
liiilrlul < Hie Jluniifiu-liiro of
Hook * Arm UK -Ml * ultli
AiitliorH Man HILT ! lit Homier * .
Mr. George Haven Putnam , a noted New
York publisher , prints In the New York In
dependent an Instructive letter on the rela
tions of authors and book manufacturers.
-An nn Illustration of the enormous waste of
literary effort In the United States Mr. Tut-
mam states that not tnoro than ono and
one-half per cent of manuscripts received
are accepted by his house. While n certain
proportion of the manuscripts rejected by
one house arc accepted by another , he esti
mates that fully 90 per cent of the works
which are prepared for publication In book
form never flnd a purchaser at all. This he
regards ns an enormous waste of labor and
° TmTViannur of determining the value of
manuscripts submitted and the terms on
which publication Is undertaken are detailed
as follows ! .
The first thing that an author who has a
book In readiness or In preparation has to
consider Is , which firm In the considerable
list of publishing houses In the- country
is moHt likely to be prepared to give favor-
aide attention to his production , nnd wliicn
Imprint would , If It could be secured , prove
- of the greati-st service to the book. It may ,
however , often be difficult , nt least for a
beginner In literature , to KC-
cure trustworthy Information n to
the Idiosyncrasies of the different publishing
houscHj and the author should guard hlmssll
from being unduly discouraged In having1 uls
manuscript declined by iwvcral publishers ,
nnd should continue to submit this to one
house after another until It has I > Mn the
rounds ot all the llrms whose Imprints are
work should bo declined
worth t-ecurlng. If the
clined , by all , the wilier may bo pretty well
8atlsfled that whatever Us Intrinsic merits , It
la not of such a character as to secure a
popular appreciation or a remunerative-
A confident author , possessing a mens couscla
Inllatl illvlnl , may t'llll contwlo himself with
the reflection that perhaps all publishers
ro mistaken ; and that If his volume coulil
only overleap the harriers which publishing
stupidity has placed between It and the pub
lie. the latter would eagsrly accord the ap
preciation and the tame and the moneys.
The history of literature does present In
stances of obtuao publishers refusing to r c-
osnizo literary gems , which have , laUr ,
brought fame and fortune to their authors ,
and profits nnd prestige to more clear-sighted
and enterprising firms. Ths number of such
Instances is , however , In all the centuries of
publishing , at best but inconsiderable ; while
literary history falls to give record of the
dlscoumgingly long , yearly list of under
takings In which the publisher's enterprise ,
Influenced , possibly , by Iho sangulnenesa 01
the author , ha outstripped his clearsighted
ness and Judgment , and which have brought
to him loss Instead of prollt. It has , lu fact ,
been estimated that one-half of the books
published each year in the United Status
have failed to return their cost , and that
one-half of the remainder have brought no
profit , thus leaving the cost of supporting the
publishing machinery of the country to be
berne by the publisher's share of ths profits
ot oiie-iiuarter of the books Issued.
' In submitting a manuscript , there Is , ns
a rule , nothing to be gained by the author
In securing a personal Interview with the
publisher. Of course there may ba many
considerations which will render It desirable
for authors and publishers at some time to
come together , but It is very ejldom that
anything is gained by such personal woid at
thu lime the manuscript is first handed In.
A literary work , lu the few minutes' tlmu
that it Is "proper to allow for a call In a
business cilice , cannot iccelvo such atten
tion as authors usually expect for their
productions. It la not , like a Chatham
struct hat , to bo cared for "while the owner
waits. "
There is also no advantage In taking tlmo
to point out to a publisher the particular
merits or peculiarities of a. work. If the
' J''purposo and value of the work cannot be
mada clear to the examiner of the manu
script without a personal explanation from
the author , It Is not likely that the volume
la In sliane to be of much service to the
general public. It is probable that there are
today but few writers so unsophisticated as
to undertake themselves to read their manu
scripts to the publishers to whom they sub
mit them. Any such would , of couise ,
promptly ba told that there Is no tlmo In a
business olllce for anything of this kind ;
and It might also be explained to him that ,
Irrespective of the question of time , a pub
lisher's mind is not apt to bo , during busi
ness hours , In a sufficiently free and recep
tive state to render him appreciative of the
beauties of literature ; and such consideration
as ho might be induced to glvo would , un
der the circumstances , be most likely to
prove unfavorable.
In fact , as Is now very generally under
stood with all the larger publishing houses ,
the business of making a first examination
and analysis of the manuscripts submitted Is
lu the hands of assistants who are called
"readers. " The production of manuscripts Is ,
as taid , being actively carried on by thou
sands of literary aspirants throughout the
country. From .Maine to Texas , from Klorlda
to Alaska , the cacccthes scrlbcndl , accom
panied by a greater or smaller amount of
Inspiration , Is keeping In motion thousands
of earnest pen : ) , while the manuscripts which
are the results of all tlijs hopeful tcrlbblUig
are , with the exception ot a small portion ,
llmllng their way to Chicago , poured Into the
publishing houses of three cities New York ,
lloston niul Philadelphia. These three cities
thus form the literary Elfters and the liter
ary clearing IIOUFOO of the continent. As a
result ( if such concentration , the leading
publishing houses receive each ( exclusive of
magazine material ) from ono hundred to
nevcr.il hundred manuscript * per month.
The task of caring for this mass of ma
teriel Is qulto a considerable one and In
volves no little outlay of tlmo and money.
The cash uiluo ot the manuscripts , If cal
culated on the basis of the author's esti
mates , would bo enormous , and even with
such considerable discount ao It might be
proper to make on those miniate * , la still
< iulto largo , and the labor of keeping the
records ot the manuscripts , of the corre
spondence'- connected with them , and of
safely returning to the owners the greater
portion of them , calls for the services ot a
number of "manuscript clerks. " The manu
scripts , when recorded and numbered , ore
cent out to the examiners , being usually
divided among these according to their nub-
Jccta , fiction going to one class of readers ,
science to another , theology to a third , etc.
The written reports which come buck from
the examiners refer to tha manuEcrlptu by
their numbers , and It may often bo the case
that the cxam'ncrs have no knowledge cf the
mimes of the autliou uhoso material ( hey
are repotting upon. The publishers then
Klvo to the returned 'manuscripts
euch further consideration as U
warranted by the reports of
their examiners ; but whllo a favorable re
port secures for a work careful attention a
decltlcdly unfavorable 0110 U usually accepted
as Una ) .
it win be teen that , under such a syy'em ' ,
n work lias every opportunity of pscurlUK tlio
tltorotigli oxamliiatloii ami the Impartial con
sideration upon which writers ( not unnatur
ally ) lay 6u mucli stress , nod tliat in connec
tion with such an examination of manu
scripts , Identified by their numbers , much
Ies weight can bs glveu to personal Intro-
Ouctlons or recoinnu-nJatloiu accompanying
tlio inantiDcrlpts than writers are apt to Im-
agUic. As before mill , publlihera are Always
on the lookout lor gaud material , and far the
flnt efforts of the young writers who nre to
licromo the leading authors of the next de
cade ; and each day's supply ot manuscript !
Is carefully , If not hopefully , scan tied In the
chance that It may Include A "Jano Eyru" or
n "Uncle Tom. "
When the author and thfr publisher have
ojjrced between them that a work Is to be
published , It remains to be decided under
\iulch of the several publlthlng arrangements
th ? publication shall be undertaken. The
following arc the methods jnost generally In
USB Ju tlili country :
first , the author Bella his manuscript out-
tor a flitd gum , the publisher becoming
the absolute owner of the copyright of the
work , and bring t liberty to print , without
any further remuneration to the nuthor , as
many Millions of It as lie may nnd demand
for. Under such a purchase , unlesi there be
Bpfclal provision to the contrary , the pub
lisher Is al.oo at liberty to transfer the copy
right and th * right to publish to nny other
publisher , the author retaining no control
over the publishing arrangement * or over the
form of the editions printed. This owner
ship , on thi part of the publisher or his
assignee , Is , of course , limited by the term
of the copyright he has purchisKl twenty-
eight yoaro at tlio end of which term the
author , or , tf the author be dead , his wldnn
or child , regains the right to publish the
material , and by secnrlng a renewal of the
copyright for the renewal term of fourteen
years , regains atsw thp exclusive control ol
It , and Is ataln ; at liberty to make wlint
publishing arrangements may seem desirable.
Under the second method , tbe author re
tains the copyright of the work , and receives
from Iho publisher , ay royalty , n certain
percentage of the retail price of the copies
sold , In tills , as In the first care , the pub
lisher assumes the expenses of manufacture
nnd publication , and In consideration of this
outlay , wb cli can , as a rule , nut be reim
bursed from a tulo of less than 1,000 coplc ? ,
tin first 1,009 copies sold are frequently ex
empted from copright. In other words , the
publisher and the author begin to make
money out of the book at the simc time.
The royalty Is pild simply as a commutation
of profits , nnd It Is In order , therefore , for
the payments not to begin until the profits
begin. If lesi than 1.UOO copies are told
of a work of current literature , there must
be , as a rule , a deficiency on the publisher's
Investment. This deficiency would , of
courf3 , bo Increased If HID author received a
royalty on all the copies cold ; and it teems
reasonable that. If the publisher lias con
tented to assume the risk and Investment
of bringing n work before the public , ho
should not , If the venture brings loss Instead
of profit , be called upon to swell such loss by
a compensation to the author. How
ever much labor may have been Invested In
a work , It may be contended that If the pub-
uo DC not wining' lo pay for It the amount
It has cost to produce , It possesses no com
mercial value and can earn nothing for Its
author.
The limit of 1,000 copies to be cxccpted
from copyright became customary when the
sale of that nutnbar would , us n rule , return
the first Investment. It Is the case today ,
however , that with novels and other works of
light literature published In p.tper covers
and at low prices , n wle of from 2,500 to 3.000
copies Is required to return the. llrst cost.
If the work continues In sale , 'it Is fre
quently arranged , however , that after a cer
tain sale has been reached a royalty shall be
paid also on the llrst 1,000 copies.
The percentage of the retail prlco which
IB paid as author's royalty varies according
to the nature of the work and according also
to the probable extent of its sale. While it Is ,
ot course , not practicable lo estimate
In advance of publication with any degree of
precision what sale can bo depended upon , It
is the capo that for a second or third book
by the author whose previous volumes have
won immediate success , a circle ot readers
may be assumed to be waiting , and for such
a book the author may properly expect a
higher rate of royalty than would be paid
on the first book of an untried author. U
is also frequently the practice to have the
rate of royalty Increased after a certain num
ber of copies , say C.OOO or 10,000 , have been
sold.
sold.Under
Under a third form of publishing arrange
ment the author assumes for himself the
cost of manufacturing the work , remaining
Iho owner , not only of the copyright , but
also of the stereotype or electrotype plates ,
If any have been made , and of the coplfs
printed. Instead of receiving a royalty lie
pays to the publisher a royalty or commis
sion for taking charge of the publication
and of tha sale of the book. The flrst step
In such nn arrangement after the publisher
has ilec'ded that he Is ready to associate
his Imprint with the work , Is to
have estimates prepared showing
the cost of printing the book
In fiie model selected. The publication agree
ment is baseJ upon such estimates.
It Is customary with books the edition of
which remain the property of the author , for
the publisher to make such outlay for adver
tising as the nuthor may have directed , the
amount of the same beliiR charged against the
author and bolng deducted from the proceeds
paid to him from tlie sales.
The fourth publishing arrangement Is a
compromise between the second and the third.
Under this , the author assumes the cost of
putting his volume Into type , and retains the
ownership of the plates ( Including the. illus
trations , if there bo any ) , whllo the outlay
for manufacturing from these plates the edi
tions of Uio book Is berne by the. publishers.
The coat of ordinary advertising and that of
the copies given to the press for review Is ,
under this method , assumed by the pub
lisher , but special advertising outlay may be
divided hntWPPM nittlmr nml nMlillctint. Tim
author owning his plates receives from the
publisher for the use of these plates a royalty
In addition to that which he receives for Ills
copyright , nnd usually equal to the1 latter.
There are certain conveniences In retain
ing the ownership of the plates of a book
which causa inany authors to prefer this
method. If any changes , corrections or addi
tions are considered by th& author essen'Ial
or deelrablc before the printing of further
editions , It Is much easier for the author to
arrange for these to his satisfaction If ho be
the owner of the plates , than If It Is flrst
necessary to decide with the publisher how
the cost of such alterations ought to be di
vided. It ia also a convenience for an author
who , at the close of a contract with one pub
lisher , deslrs-s to transfer his work to some
other house , to bo In a position to transfer
his plates at the same time , Instead of being
obliged first to arrange for the purchase of
thesv ? , and possibly to combJt some diflerenc =
of opinion as to their market value. In the
event of a publishing firm becoming bank
rupt , the stereotype plates belonging to them
are of necessity disposed of to the highest
bidder , and an author not owning his plates ,
might undergo the annoyance of seeing hie
books transferred to some publishers to
whom he would never of his own option have
committed them. And finally , an author who
owns his plates as well as his copyrights ,
feels that ills literary property Is more fully
under his control , as part of lii estate , to
devise and bequeath as teems beet to him.
A fifth publishing method , which Is not
often employed In this country , is what Is
called the half-profit arrangement. The au
thor contributes the book , In which he has
Invested his labor , and the publisher Invests
the capital needed to manufacture the book ,
and tha machinery and business connection
needed to bring It before the public , and the
profits , if any accrue , are divided equally be
tween them. The principal objection to this
method U the many occasions to which It
gives rise for differences of opinion between
author and publisher. It IB not easy , in con
nection with the
somewhat complicated ma
chinery for publishing , advertising and dis
tributing books , to determine with perfect
equity and precision just what proportion of
the general expendlturs properly belongs to
any one book ; and that Is to uy , Just what
ls the actual cost of the publication , and , of
course , until this can bo determined , It is
not practicable to arrive at the sum of the
net profits which are to bo divided. The
pioper amount to bo expsnded In advertising
and In "pushing" ( lo usea business term )
any ono book may also easily be a cause of
an honest difference of opinion , tns publisher
being naturally averse to Investing nny del
lars that do not sewn likely to bo repaid ,
while the author Is tils-posed to consider every
dollar wisely invested that serves to bring
Ills writings more widely to the attention of
tliu public.
Publishing contracts under all the above
methods , excepting the flrst , are usually
drawn for terms of years , ranging from two
ttl ipn. ThPSA rnntr.tpta nrnvlrin , iinnr
other thing ? , that the author , or the repre
sentative of the author who comes to treat
with the publisher , la the > absolute owner of
the copyright of the work In question , and
of the right to publish the same , and that he
will assume the cost of any lawsuits or other
measures which his publisher may bo obliged
to undertake to defend such copyright or pub
lishing right against Infringement. They
provide , further , that the work contains
nothing llbelous , or In any way defamatory ,
and that the author will make good to the
publisher any loss or expense to which he
may l put In tao event of anything llbelous
bdng found In or charged against the work.
The wife of Mr. Leonard Well * of East
Orlmflcld , Mast. , had been cufferlng from
neuralgia for two days , uot being able to
fleep or hardly keep still , when Mr. llolden ,
ihe merchant there , seat for a bottle ol
Chamberlain's 1'aln Oalm , und etked that
she give It a thorough trial. On meeting Mr ,
Wells the next diy lie was told that ibe was
all right , the pain had left her within two
hours , and that tbe bottle of Pain Ddlm was
north J5.00 It It oould not be had for lets.
THE PLUG HAT POTENTATE
Aahantoo'8 Merry Ilond , His Army , His
Oastlo and His Gold.
ENGLAND REACHING FOR THE PRIZE
Maxim InjvHIon * of Cl-v lllr.nHon n *
Cure fur SnvitKcry lliin-
Itlut Over Afrlcii'H
( iiililm S
Should the Turkish question bo Fettled In a
tutlsfactory nunner. Great Britain will give
Ita entire attention to the subjugation of the
king ot Ashntitce , and perhaps add a few
million acres to the Imperial domain. The
army of Invasion Is about to embark for the
rebellion section of Africa , and will attempt
for the second trmo to conquer the most ex
traordinary ruling potentate In the world.
The king of Ashanteo Is the absolute mon
arch of about 3,000,000 subjects. They live
In the heart of the African forest , a few hun
dred miles back from the "Gold Coast. " The
king wears a girdle of dried grass around his
hips and a "plug" hat. He owns no crown ,
but In some way has become possessed of a
silk tnt , which now doc ? duty as an emblem
ot sovereignty.
Another remarkable fact about the barbar
ous king 19 that ho 1ms no thronj. Ho has ,
bowe\cr , a solid gold stool , which does s rv-
Ice as a throne. It takes four able-bodied
slaves ts tug this heavy stool around.
Hut the great official emblem of royal au
thority Is nn umbrella. This curiosity has a
big bamboo handle and ppokos ot embossed
gold. On the end of each spoke is a liumin
skull. Nobody , not even the king himself ,
knows the significance ot this strange scepter
of majesty , but It haa descended to him from
a long line of ancestry.
King 1'rempeh , among other things , has ex
actly 3,333 wives allowed him by law. Why
this Ilber.il figure was decided upon his maj
esty does not know. Like the umbrella , they
came to him by Inheritance.
The king wears earrings. They are of solid
gold. Ho also has other personal adornments
of solid gold. His royal ancestors all wore
gold earrings , too.
His majesty lives In a big stone and native
brick palace the only structure of the kind
In the kingdom. Ills royal hlghnesj sleeps
on the floor. > -
The king ID many times a millionaire , and
It is believed that he has several barrels of
gold dust and nuggets. Ashantee Is rich In
gold.
gold.King Prempeh Is a bloodthirsty monarch ,
and he is In the habit of linking human racrl-
flccs on a wholesale scale. Whenever It
pleases him lo do so he orders a few hundred
subjects to bo beheaded. Besides this , during
certain religious ceremonies , it Is customary
to kill subjects.
It la Just twenty-one years since the British
go\ernment appropriated $4,000,000 to send
out an expedition to bring the king of
Ashantee to term ? , nnd before the expedition
got back , after burning Coomasle , his capital ,
It had cost ns much more.
The English troops under Sir Garnet
Wolseley remained only two days In the
capital of Ashantee. Before they left the
savage potentate agreed to do certain things.
That was King KofTee.
His successor , the present king of Ashantee ,
King Prempeh , has not fulfilled these con
ditions.
Turning aside from the complications of the
eastern question , the dispute about Venezuela
and the row with Hussla over China , the
British government sent an ultimatum to the-
king of Ashantee. They gave him until
October 31.
But this savage monarch was not fright
ened by the ultimatum of Britain. He did
not even wait until the ultimatum expired.
The advance of the- British Into the king
jf Ashantes's country Is expected to be well
under way early In December. In the mean
while troops will be sent to Accra from Lagos
and other places. All Is now excitement on
the Gold coast.
THE GROVE OP SKULLS.
The one thing which has always excited
the horror and amazement of travelers who
have penetrated Into this African town ,
lying 140 miles back from the Gold Coast , Is
the Grove of Skulls , where in countless
numbers the bones of victims of the king
lie upon the ground with the festering re
mains ot those who have recently been dis
patched.
Here , where vultures gorged with human
flesh , perch upon the trees waiting for the
new -victims which many years liave taught
them to look for with certainty , Is a specta
cle , presented the like of which Is to bo seen
nowhere else upon earth.
This spot , where the executions have taken
place from time Immemorial , Is in a small
grove back of the largo market place at
Coohassle. The victims are brought to this
place with their hands securely tied , and
they are made dumb by two knives thrust
crosswise through their checks.
The poor wretches are for a tlmo tortured
by being pinched , pricked with swords ami
fired upon at short range with blank car
tridges. The powder from these cartridges
enters the flesh , causing excruciating agony.
Then the executioners , who are fan
tastically dressed , seize their huge swords
nnd , flourishing them In the air , lop off the
heads of the victims , one after another.
Then they retire from the scene , drenched
with blood from head to foot , and leaving the
bodies lying where they fell.
As soon an the executioners retire the
vultures swoop down from the trees above
and the ground Is soon black with them. At
night the panthers como and slink away ,
satiated , before the dawn.
WHAT STANLEY SAW.
The pathway leading to the grove has been
worn broad and deep through years of use ,
and It Is always slippery with blood. Henry
M. Stanley , who. ns a war correspondent , ac
companied Sir Garnet AVoIseley's expedition
to Coomasslo In 1S74 , visited this grove.
"As wo drew near. " says Stanley , "the foul
smells became so suffocating that we were
glad to produce our handkerchiefs to prevent
: he Intolerable and almost palpable odor from
mounting Into , the brain and overpowering
us. After earno thirty paces wo arrived before
fore- the dreadful scene , but It was almost
Impossible to step longer than to take a gen
eral view of the great Golgotha. Wo saw
some thirty or forty decapitated bodies In the
ast stages of corruption , and countless skull ?
which lay piled In heaps and scattered over
a wide extent. The stoutest heart nnd most
etolcal mind might have been appalled. "
Several officers of the expedition , although
t remained but two days at Coomassle , mad ;
.he trip to this awful spot and subsequently
described It as beyond anything else In horror
to bo seen In the world today ,
"Under a huge tree , " told one of these gentlemen -
tlemen In a letter , "the skulls were piled up
o 1 Igh that they reached almott to the lowest
Imbs. You could nowhere see the ground ,
as it was all covered with bon j and skulls.
: iero nnd there could be seen a decomposing
> ody.
"Tho vultures slowly rose from the ground
upon our approach , but several of them were
so gorged with human flesh that they could
not riteanil lay blinking at us on the ground
ctumitly flapping their wings. The smell o
the place was something awful.
SEUtOUS 1IUS1NBSS AHF.AD.
According to the cable dispatches no
more than 300 men will leave England t
take part In this expedition. Hut they wll
bo joined by the West India regiment a
Sierra Leone and a naval brigade from th
British West Africa squadron. Probabl
the entire force will equal that which Si
Garnet Wolseley headed. But U will bar
mere serious business to perform. Woliele
was charged with the errand of punlshln
the Ashanteee for their lawless raids Int
British territory. The present Is an cxpcill
tlon for conquest. The Atbantco king ha
rejected an ultimatum offering him a Drills
protectorate. 11 ? must now fight for hi
autonomy and flghl In vain , for beyond
peradventure this Istorlc kingdom , for cen
turlcs ono of the mbst highly civilized an
moot formidable In Africa , will shortly pas
under British ccdlroU
This will not be accomplished without
fight. The king nt Ivshante ? stands at th
head ot an army which In a peace footln
numbers at least 5TJ ( > UX ) But every one ot hi
subjects Is a , soldier , sworn to fight to th
death. The penalty.'Oil1 surrender or flight I
immediate execution.
Moreover the king Is absolute over a do
main which inaytbsaCOO miles In extent
nearly all of It cot-eta ! with practically 1m
penetrableforests,1 A * few roads are milii
tallied with the utmost difficulty , and th
navigable streams are.overhung with noxlou
vegetation. Deadly , fevers will dog the In
vailing army at every stsp , themselves mor
hostile than the clumsy firearms of the na
fives.
It will be an arduous march , but the gsm
Is worth the candle. Every stream tha
crosses the Ashantee Itlngdom washe
"golden sands. " The soil Is replete wit !
nuggets. Eight generations ot Ashante
kings have levied tribute on their subject
in this form : The golden sand to the miner
the nuggets to the king on pain of Instan
death.
Under this system the royal palace ha
become- treasure hous ; . Sir Garnet Wolse
ley found In the king's palace rings , mask
and other trinkets of pure gold and of verj
creditable workmanship. He also found th
skull of a British officer heavily mottntci
with gold and jewels. It was the trophy o
a battle fought early In the century , am
was ui tl as a drinking cup.
A. O. Bartley of Magic , Pa. , writes : "
feel It a duty of mine to Inform you and th
public that DeWltt's Witch Hazel Salvo cure
me ot a very bad case of eczema. It also
cured my boy of a running sore on his leg.
A QUAUTI3II "OKXTUKY OK KIHTIXO
IlccoIlct'tloiiM of 1'nrly Journalism li
A ii rt her it XclirnMcu.
The following extracts relating to earl >
journalism In Nebraska are taken from the
contribution of E. N. Sweet to the souvenir
edition of the West Point Itepubllcan :
"Tlmo ( lies ! It Is difficult for me to re
allze that the JSth. ol November , 1S93 , Is
the twenty-fifth anniversary of the existence
cf the West Point llepubllcan , but such , In
deed , In the case. Just think of It ! Twenty-
tlvc years since the writer pulled the lever
of the old Washington hand press , and
printed No. 1 , Vol. \ , of the Kepubllcanl
"In the spring of 1870 I was postmaster
at Chllton , Wls. ( and also editor nnd pub-
llaher of ths Calumet County Reflector. I
accompanied in editorial excursion through
Iowa and Nebraska , ' and caught th ? western
fever. Upon returning home I lmmeJlatel >
resigned as pos'mayler , and in n short time
thereafter established the Mirror at Mis
souri Valley , la. We had a county seat
light there and loot. In Ihe fight I 'dropped
$ COO , and concluded to emigrate to Nebraska
and grow up among the 'sand hills. ' And also
the Mirror was smashed , and my printing
outfit was moved across the 'Big Muddy
nnd landed at West Point ( a point which 1
fixed upon after due deliberation as favor
able and promising ) , ready for business.
"J saw West Point for the flrst tlmo by
moonlight , and Its appearance was impressive
and picturesque. Through the dim vistas o
the past , in Ills mind's eye , the writer sess
It oven now. This was before the days of
railroads In the ElUhorn valley , and I rodt
from Fremont to West Point in the night
time , by sta e , Have , forgotten the name of
the driver who took''me through , but dls-
tlL-ctly remember that" ho c"ouM talk a 'bnzz-
oaw imo silence , and makea guinea hen
ashamed of herself , bnt ho liandled the lines
skillfully and flourlshcl his whip successfully
and so wo got thert-safely.
"Early the next morning I met and held an
Informal conference with the leading men of
the flourishing little town. Thesegentlcmer
talked 'business , ' and before the sun had
reached Its meridian Jt was settled that t'ne
Republican should be established there at an
early date. An srf IC'was being established
on the 18th day of November , 1870.
"I was favorably -Impressed with West
Point and Its surroundings Immediately I saw
It. I liked the 'snap' of its people. On the
morning following my arrival at West Point
to canvass the prospects for establishing a
newspaper there , a proposal was made by
some of the llbera ) ami enterprising citizens
to raise a bonus as oj Inducement ; to which
I emphatically demurred. However , I asked
that ? 200 or $300 bu advanced for the purpose
of paying expenses of removal from Missouri
Valley , etc. , the subscribers lo the fund to re-
cclvo credit on subscription and advertising
which met with general approval. A solic
iting committee was Immediately selected and
before 12 o'clock , noon , the commutes In
formed me that about $350 had been raised
In cash.
"Notwithstanding West Point was a border
town twenty-live years ago , the 'lighting
editor' had but little to do. On one occa
sion , however , during the second week of the
existence of the new journal , ho was buoyed
up with what semel ( to be a fair prospect
for a first-class row. A largo number ot
track layers on the Elkhorn had bean to town
and Indulged freely In drinking whisky ,
beer , etc. , and a dozen or more > got lute
a free fight nnd 'painted the town red , ' as
the saying goes. The Itepubllcan published
an account of the unseemly occurrence as a
matter of news , and scored the parties en
gaged In It as an example. The paper con
taining an account of the breach of the
peace was issued In-the evening. At about
9 o'clock the following morning the fighting
editor cast his eagle eye- down the street
and saw two score or more tracklayers mak
ing a bee-lino for the printing office.
Preparations for war were Immediately
begun. The fighting editor was lu a haze of
glory grasping a hammer In one hand and
a bottle of Ink In the other , and put on a
bold front that would have daunted a Hon.
M. 8. Bartlett , the foreman , promptly
equipped himself with the shooting ntlck
( which wasn't loaded ) and a mallet ( which
was ) nnd announced himself ready for the
fray ; young Ilufus Vaughan a compositor
stood at Bartlett's back armed with a 'side-
stick' and a column rule , and close In his
rear stood the devil flourishing the hell box
and lye brush. Tramp , tramp , tramp ! On
came the railroad hosts ! The door opened
and 'Say , mister , have yee's any of them
papers left which gives the b'ys the dlvll ? '
'Why , yes'Give , mo halt a dozen.
What's the cost ? ' And In regular order
came the other fellows and purchased
copies of the JlepubJIcan. They went away
happy , and tha fighting editor vent across
the street to Zajlceks' 'to see a man. ' "
UeWltt's Little Early Utsera , the pills that
-euro constipation and bllliouaness.
Quaker Wisdom
"If you want to know what a ducat is worth ,
try to borrow one" a breakfast , try Quaker
Oats. , - ! > ,
OATS
Sold only in 2-lb. Packages.
rOKF.lt I'l.AYIMl nil'LOMAT.
A Smiiili of ( lip Nntlniinl Onino thnt
1'nrnlj ( ( ! the Victim.
Mr. Von Schwerlnger ot iho German em
bassy at Washington Is likely to carry with
him always some Ideas ot American ways
ot doing lu polite society anil cntertnlujng
foreigners In the matter of card playing de
cidedly more In the nature of dime novels
of the most melodramatic and scnsfltlon.il
character than Is at all compatible with the
rral state ot affairs.
The cause of all tlila Is that Mr. Von
Schttcrlngcr has been made the subject of n
practical Joke , the recollections of which are
likely to ba of lifelong duration. The episode
took place at Deer park , when some ot the
young bloods and sports In the fashionable
'Ife ' nt that resort put their heads together
for ths purpose of terrorizing the foreigner ,
nlio , happily for his future reputation for
bravery , proved himself "game" In the most
unexpected manner.
On the evening agreed upon , relates the
Chicago Tlmep-Herald , Mr. S'on Schwerlngcr
was Invited by the ringleaders to lake part
In a quiet little game of poker. When the
cards vtre dealt Mr. Von Schwcrlnger on
looking nt his hand discovered that six cards
had been dealt to him. Thereupon he laid
down the cards , quietly remarking that
he would not play that hand. One and an
other of the young men leaned excitedly
forward , exclaiming that ho would piny ;
that he must do so or there would ho
trouble. The foreigner simply reiterated his
former statement that hu would not play
that deal. Thou Uio fun began for the young
bloods.
Immediately from nil sides of the room
sprang up the card players , Iherc was a flash
of cold steel r-f vvery side , pistols were
Jerked from hip pockets , dirks , bowle knives
and even razors caught tl)5 ) gleam of the
lights of tin card room. Each and every
weapon wns leveled In the direction of the
foreigner , \vhllo the air became lurid with
profanity that would have enlightened .t
cowboy In the elasticity and scope of the
English language.
Appalled at first at such an amazing spec
tacle , Mr. von Schwerlnger must have felt
the cold chills run up and down his splno
with sufllclctit speed to have heated them
selves to boiling point. With a nerve and
manliness that coul.I not have failed to Im
press Itself upon any ono not bent upon
the successful carrying out of a practical
Joke , the unarmed foreigner rose to his feet
with the dignified speech : "Gentlemen , my
life Is In your hands. "
The Joke had gene too far , however , for
the young bloods to bo satisfied with any
such tame ending ns this. There were wild
whoops , and again with renewed vigor the
pistols nnd bowle knives were flourished
about. Then some one In the crowd Jumped
upon a table , and Immediately a scene of
pandemonium ensued. In the midst of It all
the foreigner made his way out of the room.
Afterward , In speaking of the truly Ameri
can game of cards In which ho had taken
part , he gave the briefest , most graphic ac
count of the manner lu which his exit had
been accomrlished.
"I was a great many times getting out of
that door. "
A Ciit'M Misfortune.
No cat In Maine probably had more need of
her nine lives than did one In a Monmouth
store last week and week before. The large
oat bin In the rear ot the feed store , holding
an oven carload , had Just been .tilled , when
the cat , chasing a mous ? , went down head
first between , tho' partitions of the bin , elghT
feet , to the floor beneath. There she re
mained on her hcad for thirteen days , or
until the oats having bcn removed , the was
discovered. Tabby is now allvo nnd well and
Just as eager for mice as ever.
In SWEETHESS and POWER
of TOME , BEADTr of DE-
SIGH , and STRENGTH of
CONSTRUCTION
"BAY STATE"
GUITARS ,
MANDOLINS ,
BANJOS ,
ZITHERS , and
FLUTES
nre-eqiinlM liy no oilier Ameri
can Instruments. Ixmeblln prlod
ot imyEtrlelly laltfli Kraclu Instru
ment * , at AIVAUUS. send ( or
CuUnlugucs.
JOHN C. HAYNES & CO. ,
4'3 TO 603 WAixiHaroN ST. ,
OOSTON.
ad way's
Pills
PillsCure
Cure
ss ,
9
-AND-
Liver Disorders.
V'S J'JT.T.S nre jiiiroly icvctablo ,
mild nnd reliable. Cause perfect ill 'outlon ,
coniploto absorption nudlio.iUhfulrogulurlty
25 cts n box. At Driinsi taorby mall , "Hook
of advlcu" ( rooky mull
RAD WAY & CO. .
P. O _ IloxIiOD , Now York
Searles &
Searles
SPECIALISTS IN
Nervous , Chronic
and
P/lvatc Diseases
All 1'rlVHtu I > | H < MIM o
anil niHorilerHof Mnii
Trrutiiiunt by mull
cuimultiitloii fruv ,
SYPHILIS
Cured for life and the polaon thoroughly
cUnnstd from tlia nyBt m , PILK3. KISTUIvA
end HUCTAfj ULCERS. HYDnOCliJ.l ! AND
VAniCOCKl.U permanently and succtisfully
curnl. Method new nnd unfalllnir.
STRICT UREANDGLEEtel.
Uy new method without pain or cutting.
Call on or address wltli ilainp ,
Dr. Searles & Searlcs , 1,1nHa-1L4t } | 1t ;
Mr nmmausod Wool Soap ) ( IvrUutnmo bad )
WOOLENSvtMnot shrink Jf
WOOL SOAP
* * Is used la the laundry.
Wool Reap It delicate and refrcililmrfurtmtb pur-
totct. Tlio bettclo u er.Unnaturalvourdealer * .
Vo Uei : toilet od Jauudrr.
Rawarth , Schoddc fc Co. . Makers , Chlcan.
3 CnMLatB IHUotUio. . 01 licuosrd m. ,
Mov otk. r CfeMiout tJtT.U. ti/ttl *
BATTLE Ax PLUS IN THE LEAD
JUMPED INTO PUBLIC FAVOR ON
ACCOUNT OF ITS SIZE AND QUALnY.IT5
A GREAT BS © PKECE
OF HIGH GRADE TOBACCO FOR
DoyouWash QUICKLY ?
Do/ou Wash THOROUGHLY ? I
Poyou Wash CHEAPLY ?
You may IF you will use
The best , purest and most economical soap rnado
Sold everywhere. Made only by
IRBANI
CHICAGO.
Leading Business Men of Beatrice , Nel >
AHSTHACTS OF TITLE
TltUM. Yule t Sun.
AGHICUI/J'UllAI , 13H'Ii-
.1. It. IlurkH & Co.
( J. W. Mniirur.
ATTOH.M3YS AT
\V. II. A
C. ] : . HilMh.
1.V , Colby
< ; . Ci. IJorm-y
IS. II. FOKKT. . . . . .
( iflKTKH. IlliiiuiUor & Illbb
A. lliiy.lctl.
< i. .11. JultiiHt4in.
I. . M. IVuiliri'loii.
U , \V. Sulilu.
HANKS.
The VtfHt Niilloiiul IliliiK-
H. 0. NniKli. CiiMbliT.
Union .SuvliiKN Jlaiili ,
IIAIUIKUS.
N. K. Hint HI.
C. A. ONborii.
Scott t Avey.
1II3ATIIICU OAN.VIXO CO
L. C. I'jirki-r , Ocn'I JUwr
iiiimvnus.
1II2ATHICK OATMISAIj CO
I. . K. Wnlkcr , I'rcHlilfiil
IlltlCIC.
- I'nvliiK & lltillil-
Ilrlck Co.
iiu.si.MO.s.s cou.iuas.
HI. II. IlnrrliiKi-r. .Normal
unit hlioi-lliiinil tJvlioul.
IllITTHIl AM > KOOS.
lliiKtvt'll * IlawUulI ,
\Vhole mIr.
CLOTHING.
I ) f n I Hi JlroH.
COAL.
If. A. AlfxniKliT.
.1. S. Atlicrtuii.
.1. i : . FIHil.
llooil Ilron ,
iV. i . U'cbHlisr.
COMMISSION.
i : , e. stcvrnx.
COXI'HOTIONKIIY.
TurUUli Caiuly Kltcbvii ,
1 * . JiilfovitHi. 1'rov ,
O. W.
K.V. .
J. I. . Kubiit.
SIllllllOIIH .V I'll 1-1 0 TV.
N. ! Hiuiltf. .
CONTUACTOHH.
Arnold llrix.
DIIV < ; OOI > H ,
Omuliu Cnib lry UuuiU
Httirr.
) I. S , WnlbiiL-li.
nitKHSMAKING.
MUH llolln lilnhoii , Aul ,
Ml 10. Dibble.
Sir * . A. II. Overman.
MU I-uno ftfuvou * .
Urn , It , O. To vuaua.
IJEXTISTS.
Dr. IV. II. Sr > Ker.
DHPAUTMEXT STOKE.
J. KU-lii.
IJVIS WOHICS.
C. II. It
IXI > HIKM : COMPANY.
AilnntM K\ircN Co.
W. II. .MoHliAuvnt. .
FIMVH AXIJ FHRU.
J. C. MrCrlmiiioii.
10. \ V.VliHlcr. .
FLOUR .MILL.
IllaHc IlroH ,
TlioN. lllnclc , Miller.
II. C. JOIICN.
GUOCEUS.
Ili > iirlu ( < > firm-fry Co.
lluriiH .V Hull.
Jolm 1'iiJHx.
Win. II. ItuljbliiN.
HAitmvAitn.
F. n. SI CON.
Mlllu CornliiiNUcr.
IIOHHUSIIOKIXG.
lniT & Son ,
Mll IIillj.T.
\V. M. .MIIHiHI. ,
,1 oh 11 I'lilluvlc.
HOTELS ,
Tinfiriuiil GViilral , W. J
rnlliTxoii , j'roii.
J'liu I'aililnrk , W. I )
Monllon , I'riiji ,
IXSIJIIAXCIC.
C.-o. W.
IIIO.V AVOUICS.
Gi'on < Arltivrluht.
\Vlioli-Hiile mill lliilnll.
JOII I'ltl.VJ'KHS.
Iluulrlcu J'j-lullii r Co.
.Illb'l'ICIi OK 'J'HKI'KACB
T. II. J'uKoii.
Md'HT AMI I'.OWUH CO ,
1,0AN AtiH.vrs. y
I" , O , Drake A Cu.
aillAT MAllKUTS.
J , llllliotvuii ,
AIKIICIIANT TAII.OIIS.
H. I'rllrli.
\Vlllhtiii Mfiiiiiu.
j. r. siuiiii.
\V. II. WulUur. -
aiIII , JMTO , CO ,
Tli Itn | > Hli'r .Mill llfK ,
Co. , CV. . ailllur , Trenn.
.Ml Ili-llti IIUIiDji ,
Att. V , Ileiiiliri'Nt.
Sfrn. A. II. OVITIIIUU ,
J. Ha in I nil , Wholesale A
Ilclnll ,
I' . II.
NEWS.
'jlllllorU IIUIIMI * \ 'MN , ft
' " 1' 'Stl11" ' ' J'ai1' Kc
J'r >
PA IXTiil.
John Trrliuiif.
I'llOTOUKAl'IIKU.S ,
C. J' ' . ICIflllllllllN.
J. A. > li > .1liilil. | |
J. Jl. WOI..IH.
I'lIVSICIAN.S.
A. II. I'VIHi. ' ,11.1) .
\V. .1. lllllTJN , M. I ) .
W. l'\ li > t ; ,11 , II.
A. V. HoliliiNOii , M. I ) ,
VS , IJTU
II , Homer.
I'OIJI/l'IlV.
II. FlNlibuc-Ii.
IIHAh ESTATE.
J. C. FlrlHiur A : Co.
( iri-tii liroM ,
IlllLTNllllU lllVfNtllll-Ilt CO.
HE.STAUUA.Vr.S.
H. H.In u n ,
J. IMaiiHii
Ovei'imui , v .
S. J. I'varMiill ,
STAI.MOX.S.
bTAUCII MFGIt.
CJiarlcN fcloll. ,
SALOONS.
Urn ill.
II. Doilui' .
Ili'iiry limn * .
SKWlNii
'r'i ' ! > ! "jiriVilii5"A'i 7' '
NIIOKMAKKIl.
AVIIIiiiNc-livn.
HIIOI3 HTOKHH.
J. 31. lt > MINt < < lll. ,
} ; , ll./JU.IiM0.V Co.
Tim
Jvlnic Nliov Co ,
.loll 11 1'lljflH.
C. II. Mumforri , 1X1 ,
TINSMITH.
Ga * VollfiKliie ,
WA1. & 1'AI'EH.
II , J. Itunnull & Son * .
WINDMIMti.
W. II. Oluey & Son ,
, " ' " 4' " . ' " kK.-J ll ; tiilr )
H. H. Vulv. wllh IK'iuu.
' - Co.
K , A. Colt ft Co , TH. CO ,
llyuu llroK.