Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA DAILY BEEt SATTTKDAY , MAY 22 , 1807.
r * SAv20 / A25 y y @ K2K2 < We ! = = r-Y
A Railway Mail Clerk. |
By OY WAUMAN. 1
( Copyright. 37. by S. 8. McClurc Co. )
Hallway mall clerks are not railway em
ployes , although they arc under the orders
of the railway official ) ! when on the road ,
Tlicy are , A * a class , a bright lot of men.
They bring inoro brains and acquired skill
Into their work than any class of govern
ment employes In proportion to the amount
of money they draw. They ride the fastest
trains In the country and ride ahead. On
most roads their car Is coupled to the locomotive -
motive and they take whatever Is left when
the grim reaper has finished with the engine
men.
men.Kcllablo statistics show that the mortality
among railway mall clerks through railroad
tircldents Is greater than that , among the
ticops In the civil war. . These clerks are re-
Wiirul to pass an examination at a rating of
more than 90 per cent. Department employes
at Washington ate given thirty days' vaca
tion each year , but the railway mall clerk
Is called upon to face the dangers of midnight
rides twelve months In the year. The pay
of these men Is not what the government
fchould give up for such work , and It Is grati
fying to note that while I write congress , sit
ting at this pud of the avenue , where the poor
nblde , Is considering a bill for the benefit of
llio.tj men who , not knowing what Is written
liere , will guard this manuscript en route
anil help to place it before the editors to
morrow morning.
t know ono mall lcrk Intimately and
found htm ono of the most Interesting' char
acters I ever met , The story of his eventful
llfo would be Interesting at any time , and
ought to bo especially apropos here as an
HliMtratlon of Iho character of the average
railway mall clerk and of the dangcia
through which they pasa. .
The farms In Illinois upon which we were
every man In the place , by the description
given him In Chicago , and by the middle
of the following week this wealthy citizen
had been notified from headquarters that ho
would bo held up on the next Saturday night.
Doc was at his post , and as the lone home-
man came down the reid the highwayman
stepped out from the shadows of a Jack oak
ami coveted his man.
That night the gang drank up the beat
part of the $28.00 and voted Doc "a dead
6 mo toucher. "
The verdancy of the gang he had to deal
with made Doc's work comparatively ecsy.
Hrf-Invariably drank gin and water , and by
a clmple trick that n child ought to have
detcoted the trick of drinking the water and
leaving the gin he was nlwajs sober.
When the proceeds of Doe's raid had been
expended , together with the $7 received for
the " ] ay's.'r'watch , the gang determined to
rdb n hardwire 'More. The Job had been
undertaken ohrc. 'but had failed. The time ,
at Doc's suggestion , was fixed upon election
night. A grc.'iP'many farmers , ho Bald , would
be In to vote and trade , and thd' ' people
being cither drunk or tired , would sleep
eoundly when once nulcep , and the gang
voted that Doc was a great thinker.
The tlmo arrived , the store was entered ,
and when they were all In , Doc ducked down
behind the counter and reached the rear end
of the etorc. Now a big bull's eye was
turned upon the gang , who arose from their
work to look down the dark barrels of a
half dozen shotguns. Ono of the gang , see
ing Doc with the sheriff's party , made a
play for his pistol , but the sheriff shoved
his shotgun yet nearer the robber's face and
eald , boftly : "Be quiet , " and ho was calm.
The next day the father of ono of the
gang , who was himself a hard man. made
an attempt to kill the detective , and , hav
ing done his work , Doc departed. Friends
of the accused hired n lawyer , who made a
THEY SAW LARGE AND SMALL ENVELOPES SAILING OUT OP THE BURNING
DEBRIS.
reared were not far apart , but "Doc. " who
lived with his uncle , left homo before ho was
21 and went west. I had been In town to
get the plow sharpened , and on my way
homo I saw Doc climbing across a cloddy
Held behind a harrow , and ho ha ( led me.
"When ho came out ho hung his chin over the
top of the fence and said : "I'm soln' west. "
"When ? " i
"Tonight. " ' I
, "No ! " i
"Yea. Will you Jlno me ? "
"What's it cost ? " I asked.
"Forty-nine dollars , second , clues , from St.
Louis to Denver. "
"Ilavo you got the money ? "
Doc shook his head ,
"Did you ever see that much money ? '
"Well , not at one look , but I've got it all
flguied out/ '
"How much have you got ? "
"Haven't got any. but I got a Job at Whitl-
cer's stable In Carr street , an' if you 11 go
I'll see that you , never want. We can sleep
in the haymow and board around. "
"How'll wo get to St. Louis ? " I asked.
"Rldo when we're tired o' walltln , an
iwalk when we can't ride , " was his reply.
"I'm In the silk and you're in the tassel , "
ho added , thoughtfully. "Life Is all before us.
but you can't get anywhere on a farm. Look
at the Jays around hero. What do they
knew ? They simply stand round OH ono
foot llko a gander till Uio beard breaks
through the freckles , and then they push the
old folks off and take the plow and In a llt-
tlo while got pushed oft themselves. Life on
a farm da ono continual round of work and
want. Will you jluo me ? "
' The thought of getting up at morning and
not knowing where I was going to sleep at
night frightened me , and I told Doc so , and
\ 'years later , when the westbound
train stopped at u little bleak and dreary
mountain town where I. having gone west.
had elected to drop anchor , I looked out from
Doc sitting close
the car window and saw
up to the creeper of an old sorrel horse that
MBS hitched to an express wagon.
I went over to him at once , for I was lone
some. A mountain town Is not a thing one
J apt to love at first sight. Desolate. That
Is 'better than four columns of agate to < K--
Bcrlbo the place. The dry march winds came
out of the canyon and swept the sand or
the Mesa up Into eddies that swished and
twirled in around your collar and cut your
lace. The sunlight waa so dazzling that
It bewildered and seemed unreal , and the
cold winds werc constantly contradicting its
"Tro'you homesick , Doe ? " 1 asked ae I
redo up town with him. for ho waa there to
liaul people and their baggage up to the ho
tel
"Nop. " he said. "It's the dry wind It's
busted my Up oo that 1 look like I'm go n
to cry when I'm tryln' to laugh. I'm ' goln
back home this fall. " ho nddcd after a pause.
"to get my money I'm 21 now , but I m
comln' back out here this country Is all
r' '
Doc. who had earned h's ' title by doctoring
lib uncle's horses , had Inherited a llttlo
fo-tutie ot $1SOO , and when the summer had
come Jind gene ho went back homo in it
Pullman car , for ho had saved $50 out of
Ills salary of $ CO anil board every month.
Five years later , in tue dawning of the
morning , an I was climbing out of an upper
liei-lh at another mountain town , a man
caught hold of my coattall , and I found that
the "man under my bed" was Dee Pippin.
( Ho said ho was living in Dpnvcr ; BO was I ,
nnd In a few flaya ho came In to see me. Ho
came often , and told the best stories I had
ever heard. Ho was thin and pale , and il
noticed that ho coughed and pounded ma left
lung when ho did so , Thrso stories were not
told to IUB for publication , but I know ho
Will not care , for he Is careless now.
Doc went to Chicago after receiving his
money , and became acquainted with a well-
Icnown detective , I think ho suld It was
ttlllly Plnkertnn. It was llko the Hnkcrtons
< o detect In this almost beardless boy a re-
tntirkably Intelligent perron ,
I'lppln was offered employment , ho ac
cepted It. and waa sent nt unco to a email
town In Illinois to find out a band of thieves
Who were stealing hogs and robbing chops ,
If loc had tried ho could never have be
come a good dresser. Bven clothes that were
insdo for him didn't flt. and he wore his hat
crosswise , like the leading man at a ( French
funeral. His appearance upon this occasion
was In bis favor , and he was not long In
forming Iho acquaintance of the toughest lot
of loafers In the town , They liked Doc , as
every one did who knew him , hut It was a
long tlmo before tlmyenilJ trust him. Doc's
money gave out. and he tried to borrow , and
the- gang gave him the laugh. "flit out an' '
turn a trick work , " said one of the men ,
"What can I do7 Show me end then
watch me , " eald Doc.
"See that Jay rldlu' out o' town ? " aald the
lough , nodding down the road where a lone.
liorseawi W B going r.way with the sunset
on his back.
"Yea. "
"WeH , he's golu' out to his place In the
country goes every Sal-day night an1 comes
back Monday hold 'Im up. "
Dee know the man , u bo knew neurly
beautiful picture of thcee Innocent lads who
had lived all their lives In this quiet country
town , and who had never been guilty of a
wrong until they were encouraged and
trapped into it by the wicked young detec
tive.
tive.Alas
Alas for the criminals ; one of the gang
gave up to the sheriff and by the finding of
stolen goods and the property of a man
who had been murdered , they were all , rave
the one who had weakened , sent to Jollet ,
where they are still receiving their mall ,
' in this celebrated
young Pippin's success now
brated case won for him the full confidence
ot the agency , oud before lie had reached
Chicago other Important work was mapped
out for him , but to .tho surprise of the
agency he refused to accept another assign
mcnt.
"I could not bear , " ho said to me , "the
thought of living a whole life that was a
lie to appear always to bo that which I
was not to mix and mingle constantly with
the wicked of the ! world , in which there
should bo so much happiness.
"It Is a great and Important work which
ought to bo done , but It Is not for me. "
Returning to the west again Pippin en
tered the service of Uucle Sami as a rail
way postal clerk.
Finding a letter in the mall marked to
me he took his blue- pencil and wrote on
the back of the envelope : "Hello , Doc. R.
M. S ! " and I knew then that he was In the
railway mall service.
It was some time after the receipt of this
brief message that the meeting in the sleep
ing car. already referred to , occurred , and
It was during his many visits to me at Den
ver Jhat ho related the detective ttorles
heroin retold.
"How Is It , " I asked ono day , "that you
are assistant superintendent ot the inal
service In the west , when you are under 30
and new , comparatively new , at the busi
ness ? "
"Hard luck. " said Doc , smiling sadly ,
coughing and thumping his chest.
Then It was that he began to tell mo some
of his experiences in the pcstal car , but ho
dlil not tell it all. Ho was as modest as he
"WILL YOU JINK ME ? "
wcs honest , und would not tell to mo , his
friend , the real tales of heroism In which he
was himself the hero. He told mo enough
however , to Intercut me and cause me to find
out more from a mutual friend and to vcrlf >
the Information by t-ome of the records am
correspondence , which I was afterward per
mitted to see. I found that hla loyalty , brav
ery und devotion to duty had been warmly
commended in autograph lettera from the
highest otllclals In the mall service.
It watt , Indeed , hard luck that brought him
promotion and an easy place , which he couU
not have gained save through the Kindness
of higher ofllclals , He had been In any num
ber of wrecks , for many of the western road
were new at that time and railroading waa
not as safe as it Is now. * Once there waa a
head-end collUlpn , tu which the wreck took
lire. Doc wan dreadfully bruised , but he hat
all hit ! Hmb * , and as the flames crept closet
ami clrcer to his rar ho busied hlmsel
carrying the mall matter to a place of safety
When bin work had been completed and the
ilamcs lit up the canyon they thawed Doc
lying upon hlr mall bag * , apparent/ ! dead
The trainmen found him and boon restorei
him to roiisclouiiH'fF , for he had only fatntei
from overwork and the pain of hla man )
It WEB nearly a year before he was n'ole
to take his run ugaln. and this tlmo hie
route lay over the- Saute Fc njstum ,
Olio night , when the train came raailug
down the canyon , the engine jumped the
track , the mull car went to pieces against
Iho locomotive , the coaches piled upon the
Mfrccs , and the wreck began to burn.
When the trainmen and passenger * came
'onvard to look for "tho fellows up ahcnd"
they saw Urge and small envelopes tailing
out of the burning debris , and they know
at once that the mall agent/ / must ho fast In
, ho wreck. The whistle valve had been
'orced ' open , and now the wild , ceascleso cry
ot the wounded cnglno drowned all other
sounds , and mnda It Imposlsble for the men
to hear the cries of the Imprisoned postal
clerk. All this ho knew , and while the
mngry flames were rating their way to where
10 lay ho pulled the register bag to him , nnd
> egan to ehy the valuable mall out Into Iho
eago brush.
When the steam was exhausted and the
cry of "tho engine had hushed there catno no
sound from the cnglnemcn , for their voices
vcro hushed In death. Above the sound of
ho crackling names they could hear Doc
calling to them from his place below the
wreck , and the bravo trnln crew worked des
perately right In the very face of the fire to
escue the unfortunate.
Gradually the voice of the prisoner grew
nlnter and fainter and before the rescuers
reached him It hushed entirely.
At last , Just as they were about to give him
ip , as he was now apparently dead , they
ucrcedcil In dragging Doe from the wreck ,
and to the joy of all he soon revived. Ho was
et alive , but had breathed so much of the
lames that hlo loft lung was almost ruined ,
and he wan never able to resume his place
on the road.
It waa this unfortunate wreck and the
tory ot his heroism that gave him the 1m-
> ortint position of assistant clerk of the
vcstern division of thr > United States mall
crvlce when he was not yet 30 years old.
t was the burn In his breast that made him
cough and beat hla left lung , that pinched
ils face and made his eyes look larger than
hey were. Ho went on silently almost
cheerfully doing what he could , but we who
votchcd krcw the hidden scar that he had
hure was v.'C.rlng his llfo away.
Not long ago I returned to Denver and
ncetlng the chief clerk In the street asked
ilm about Doc. I had been 'wandering over
ho face of the earth for nearly two years
and was "behind the tlnue , " as good coun-
ry folks say , and now as my friend looked at
no his face took on a eatlder shade nnd he
answered slowly : "Wo burled Doe six months
ago. "
Current Literature
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly for May
las a notable article entitled "Some Ameri
can Castles , " by John P. Hitter. In this
paper are given descriptions and pictures of
iiony of the finest residences or "castles" of
ho Hudson river the Ilhlne ot America
Among the Illustrations nre "Lyndehurst , "
he country seat of the Gould faintly ; "Fojit-
illl , " the Ed win Fort-cat home ; "lierrlck'c
-"oily ; " "Ophlr Farm ; " White-law Hold's es-
atc ; "Grcystone , " which belonged to Sam
uel J. Tllden ; the Rockefeller castle and
llelvolr , " the Llllenthal castle. Another In-
.ercstlng article , Illustrated by many excel-
ent pen and Ink drawings of views in Japan
mil Korea , la "Japan's Three Invasions of
Korea , " by Tellchl Yamagata , a relative of
the great Japanese marquis.
To those readers of fiction who long for
something out of the ordinary run , we would
recommend "Jasmin Ilobba , " a serial from
: he French of Henri de Noussanne , now run
ning In the International. It Is about as
ilgh a flight Into the realms of fiction as
one could wish. The hero , Jasmin Uobba , a
poor llterateur , falls heir to $100,000,000 and
sets out to spend an accumulated income of
$10,000,000 in two years. Jasmin , being a
dreamer and In love with the manneis and
: ustoms of the fourteenth , nnd fifteenth ccn-
iurles , determines to reproduce that age , and
the May Installment shows us how far he
and his bosom companions have worked out
their scheme in the restored castle and
seigniory ol Plerrefonds , from which they
have excluded everything pertaining to the
nineteenth , century.
The artlclo of perhaps the mcst unique
Interest iu the May ifsuo of The National
Magazine is "Some .Personal Aspects 'Ol the
Queens of Europe , " by George B. Kdnton.
The latest photograph of each sovereign Is
reproduced , and a gossipy sketch of the royal
lives in their more personal and domestic
aspect. Is dealt with. The seventh chapter
of the serial. "Christ and His Time , " by
DalUs Lore Sharp , with illustrations from the
paintings of the old masters , appears also
In the Mav table ot contents. The list of
Illustrated articles Is .completed by a eketch
of the "Virginia Historical Society" of Richmond
mend , by Sally Nelson Robins , which tipeaks
of some of the valuable colonial antiquities
In the possession of this society.
An Important feature of the May number
of Donahoo'a Magazine te the diacuealon of
the effect of the Dlngley bill on business In
terests. Arguments against the bill are pre
sented by Thomas G. Shearman of the tariff
reform committee. Senator Duller and Hon.
John F. Fitzgerald. The defense will be
published In the June issue. Harlow Howe
gives an interesting description of the
method of instruction employed In St. Mary's
school for deaf-mutes. Buffalo , N , Y. The
article is profusely illustrated with vlewo
of the building's and portraits of graduates.
The May number of the Humanitarian con
tains an article on the late John Dlddulph
Martin , with , portrait. Grant Allin writes
on "The Vice of Thrift" and Prof. Levas-
saur on "Tho American Workwoman. "
The May number of the monthly Open
Court Is a Schopenhauer number. The
editors have had the good fortune to acquire
iho original cast of Elisabeth Key's famous
liuBt of Schopenhauer , and have had It pho
tographed as a frontispiece. Besides this ,
are four photographs of the great pessimistic
philosopher having well known historical as
sociations * , and his signature taken from an
autograph copy of his works. Dr. Paul
Cams , in an artlclo called "The- Prophet ot
Pessimism , " gives a full and well-rounded
appreciation of Schopenhauer , while the'-e
are also Interesting reminiscences of Elisabeth
Nt-y.
Nty.Tho Chap-Book of May IB Is notable , for
the first installment of Mr. Benson's "The
Taming of Dodo , " and for a stirring scene
In the expei [ nice of Mr. James' unfortunate
"Malsle. "
Harper's for May opens with ' "Cross
Country Riding in America,1' by Caspar
Whltnny , Illustrated by C. Dana Gibson and
others. "A Few Native Orrhlda and their
Insect Sponsors" Is a study of Grogs-fertiliza
tion , written and Illustrated by the late Wil
liam Hamilton Gibson. "White Man's
Black Man , " the seventh of Potiltney Blgo-
low's eerles entitled "White Man's Africa , "
Js a study of the African negro aa u. laborer.
The Illustrations ore by H. Caton Woodvlllo.
"Two Umleficribcd Portraits ot ShakeBpero , "
by John Corbln , Introduces what Is probably
the only life portrait of Shakespeare In oxlct-
.
The articles by Prof. W , 55. Rlpley , the
fourth Installment of which uppearu In the
May number of Appletop's Popular Science
Monthly , uro growing moro Interesting as
they proceed. The present article deals with
stature , tracing the influences that bear
upon the physical height of man , particularly
In his savage state to the relative abund
ance of the food supply In the region to
which ho is confined , Oflier urtlcleu are
"Tho Bubonic Plague , " by Prof. Victor 0.
Vaughn ; "Sources of the New Psychology , "
by Prof. E. W. Scripture ; "The Latent Vital
ity of Seeds , " by M , C , do Candollo , and
Korean Interviews , " by Prof , Udwanl S ,
Thci International Htudlo for May contains
n very Instructive paper on nrt In Japan ,
written under the caption , "Mortimer
Mempes' Japanese Drawings , " and Illustrated
with eleven splendid pictorials. Other arti
cles , all of which are admirably Illustrated ,
are "Tho Work of T , Millie Dow' , " by Nor-
moii Garstln ; "On the Choice of Simple Fur
niture. " by A. M. Hallllo Scott ; "A Decora-
tlvn Modeller : Alcxandre Charpeitles , " and
"Evolution of Village Arrbltectwe In Kus-
laud , " by G. L. Morris ,
„ NEW BOCA'S.
Gertrude Atherton's story , "Ills Fortunate
Grace " describes love among the four hun
dred , or rather what pafbes for love at the
altar. The dialogue is of the "smart" order
and runs In a prolonged chatter continuing
to the last page. A blase duke IB the central
figure , around which aspiring helre&scs flit
llko HO raauy moths , each outbidding the
other for the ducal crown ; the Irate Amer
ican father of the highent bidder refusing to
pay for the coronet ; the ambitious American
mother heading u mutiny and rushing
abroad with ( he girl and threatening to sell
her own houses and diamonds , that the duke
may bo piesrrvcd to the family , and the dis
gusted father > lvlillng to the conspiracy be
tween wlft- und daughter , TUSKO ill IJn-
eulshtu millionaires ot Mra. Atbcrlon'u are
extraordinarily vulgsr people , with their
Incomnt talk of wealth and position , the
wives win tbolr nuccessea through mctnoas
of low coquetry , and the author's version of
family love seeming scarcely clean enougn
to bo tolerated. D. Applcton & Co. , New
York. Mcgeath's. . , .
„
"Astral Worship , " by J. II. Hill , Is a small
volume largely drawn from the works of
Ilobcrt Taylor , a man who left the English
ministry about seventy years ago and who
wrote ami lectured against the authenticity
of the scriptures and was Imprisoned for two
years on account ot his teachings. The pur
pose of "Astral Worship" Is to trace back
the various religions of the world to the older
form of religion founded In the worship of
personified nature. The resemblances of
Oriental beliefsnnd the paganism of Greece
and Rome are referred back to the earliest
astrological Idci * oCanclctit philosophy , and
Christianity IB cJolm d as one of the younger
descendants of thu old faith. The Truth
Seeker companyNow York.
Under the cnptlotn "Kings In Adversity , "
Sdward S. Van Zllei presents a couple of most
fascinating talcs ithtu remind ono strongly of
Hie Zcnda storlee. The first ot these , "The
3rown Prince ot.'Krtwnla , " holds the reader's
Interest from thb Jlrst page , presenting an
unbroken succession ot surprises. Rcxania
Is one of thoseocoutitrlcs across the tea. so
romantically situated cs to have escaped the
notice of the inbdorn geographer , hilt Its
location Is not so obscure In the mind of
the author. The crown prince of this charm
ing country , desirous ot better and more
reliable Information on the relative merits and
demerits ot the rtpubllcan form of govern
ment , visits thb United States , traveling
Incognito , and ho - scarcely arrives at N'ew
York before he falto Into the hands ot a band
of conspirators , composed ot exiled Rcxanlan
revolutionists , by whom he Is removed to a
deserted mansion at Westchcster. His first
evening In the new world Is spent at the
mansion of Mr. Strong , a banker , with whom
lie had become acquainted aboard ship , and
whose beautiful daughter became fascinated
t > i the charming manners of the guest. The
attraction for each other waa mutual , but the
abduction ot the ptlnco after leaving that
night , coupled with the discovery following
that the name he had assumed , "Count
Szalakl , " was fictitious- tended to cast n
shroud of mystery over the affair. Scnsi-
: lonal developments followed rapidly , the king
of Rexanla becoming III and dying with no
successor present to defend the crown , while
a republic la declared , with the former prime
minister as inesldont. . The prince , In the
meantime , Is extricated from his strange
; > roJlc.amenti to find himself called upon by
his sense of-duty to return and light for the
restoration of the crown , believing monarchy
: o be an Institution absolutely Indispensable
to Rcxania. Ills love for Miss Strong Is a
lowcrful temptation to refrain , and struggling
between love and honor , ha places his fate
lu the hands of the woman he loves anl
lionor wlnai The dialogue throughout 's '
bright and sparkling often epigrammatic ,
and the characters clean cut and attractive.
The second story , "A Princess on the Rhine , "
s extremely fantastic , bringing a Connecticut
Yankee Into medieval environments , with
fairy-tale Incidents as an extra relish. Tno
plot Is exceedingly Ingenious and a pleas-
Ins tlngo of humor brightens Us pages llko
glints of sunlight breaking through the dark
foliage of its ancient forests. F. Tennyson
Necly , New Yolk.
Four Interesting storlee arc told by Mar
garet Deland under the title , "The Wisdom
of Fools , " each tale Involving some distinct
moral problem , rather suggested than solved
or answered. In the first , "Where Ignorance
Is BlUs , " we have a psychological problem
presenting one form of dilllculty arising In
matrimonial alllanco through union of minds
whoso penetrative capacity under extreme
tcstp carries them along separate and dis
tinct planes of vision. Reason in such In
stances is Incapacitated as a pacifier and per
manent estrangement follows. In this In
stance William West , a Tillage parson and
exemplary character In every respect , three
days before his approaching wedding day con
fesses to his Intended an almost forgotten
sin a forgery committed while hardly more
than a boy some twenty years previous , for
which he had made full reparation and re
pentance. His betrothed had views of hered
ity such as they were that forbade further
procedure , and the engagement was broken
the day before the wedding was to have been
celebrated. The other stories are , "The
House of Rlmmon , " "Counting the Cost"
and "The Law , or itno Gospel ? " < Houglilon
Mlfflln & Co. , Boston. Megeath's.
"How to Tell' ' a Story , and Oth6r Esaye , "
by Mark Twain ) consists of a number of
writings by the famous humorist that have
already appeared im leading magazines , but
have not lost any of their charm under covers
of a book. In his essay on "How to Tell a
Story" Mr. Clemenai claims that the humor
ous story Is distinctively an American prod
uct. The English , lie says , can write comic
ones and the French those that are witty.
The humorous story Is dependent for success
on the manner ot lulling it , but in comic
and witty stories ) the matter Is sufficient to
make them go. nThere Is something rather
humorous In the thought of Mark Twain
undertaking to tell other people how to tell
a story. Talking to the general public In
this vein is much aa though a seagull should
seriously try to instruct us In the art of fly-
Ing. "Only a portion of art can be taught ,
and the artist needs the whole. " Harper &
Brothers , New York. Megeath'D.
William Dean Howell's new piece of real
ism. "The Landlord at Lion's Head , " may bo
styled a study in the mixed effects of edu
cation and heredity ; In this case heredity
triumphs. Jeff Durgln's Harvard year Is
mcst briefly described. The novelist simply
tells us In a succinctly realistic manner that
Jeff was not only a freshman , but a Jay a
jay who remained a Jay. After a mcst un
settled experience of adventure abroad and
of flirtation at home , In which he loses his
early sweetheart , ho finally marries happily
enough and Ecttlee down to thu family pur
suit of innkotplng. Perhaps the most In'ter- '
cstlng episodes of the book are those that
center around this1 early Bwcetheart. Cyn
thia , a country girl whom Jeff , in the Tirst
flUHh of college greatness , finds a trlflo too
provincial for his new culture , but whom a
young artist of keener perception discover
to be exactly the girl to be his wife. The
scene In which Jeff confesses to Cynthia hla
serious flirtation with an unknown rival Is
qulto delicious In its way. The lesion taught
In this story Is the futility of bestowing
a university education on a "Jay ; " that the
veneer acquired by foreign travel and edu
cation may. make a man the worse for mis
leading him Into the assumptlo'n that he Is
what the voncering represents. Harper &
Brothers , New York. MeReath'ts.
"Tho Plant World , " compiled by Frank
Vincent , is one of n series of chapters In
tended chlpfly for homo reading by students ,
and containing selections relating to plants
and trees In different parts of the world.
These selections are made from the best
authorities and are well written , entertain
ing and Instructive. The book has an In
troduction by Commissioner Harris , which is
In Itself n recommendation , D. Appleton &
Co. , Now York. Megcath'g.
The scenrn In H. Muulfold Craig's "Tho
Sacrifice of Foolo" are laid In England nnd
In India ; Mrs. Hutherglon and her daughter
Salome quarrel over Salome's determination
to marry a man to whom her mother Is op
posed ; the latter being unjustly Incensed ,
vows never to leave the house until her
daughter complies with lizr wishes ; Salome
being also obstinate marries the man ; this
mutual sacrifice Is termed "the sacrifice of
fools. " Passages of Salome's llfo in India
show the effects of sacrifice as practiced In
the Jungle by the ape worshippers , Tim
purpose of the novel teems to bo to show the
folly of Ill-judged sacrifice. Frederick A.
Stokes company , Now York. Megeath'a.
A typical and terribly emotional etory is
told by 13. J. Capes In "The Mill of Silence , "
which received the necoud prize in the Chicago
cage Rixrord's $30,000 author'u competition In
the series of "Stories of Mysteries , " The
nan alive a I mast from the beginning Is a
continuous tale of horrors shrouded In
mystery that hovers over an old mill In
Hampshire , England , The narrator Is the
last surviving member of an accursed family ,
who lived at the mill , These who llko dories
in which "upom horror's head horrors ac
cumulate" will bp pleased with this on the
whole rather unh althy narrative , Rand
McNally & Co. , Chicago. Chase's ,
"Devil's Dice"ia wnsatlonal story by Wil
liam La Quoiu , lsl\\ rapped in a thick veil
of mystery now anil , theu bordering on the
Krucaome. The ( huro , Stuart Rldgway , an
Englishman , nipeU o , lovely Englishwoman at
a gay French entering place and falls
violently in lovpiM'lth her and the recipro
cates1 , but tells him hta hopes are In vain ,
us she cannot marry him , and Intimates
that a dreadful iseorct tortures her heart.
Shu suddenly disappears for some months ,
und ( hen In Londsu he rt'cclvrs a iioto from
her asking to ere him. At the appointed
ulaco a man mccn'.liiu ) and says he cjn see
the Uty ! condltloiielly , So lie goes In a clcne
carriage with the man ; In bllndfpldrd and
taken Into the hous , where he l-s married tea
a corp&e iu br.dal attire which he thlnka
U the woman he has loved. Borne time
after lift finds her living and terrible plot
I * revcAtad. and after a while Stuarl Is1
rrmrrlfd to the flesh and blood Sybil ami In
happy. The elucidation of the mystery
forms nHTKO \ portion ot the ntory. Rand ,
McNallr & Co , . Chicago. Chase's.
A good and thoroughly Scottish tnlo Is told
by S. R. Crockett In "Lad's Love. " The
plot la laid In Galloway , whoso people are
reproduced In picturesque detail. Nathan
Murdoch and hte loving 'LUbcth , the mean-
nen of the man , the Innocence , the sincer
ity of the girl , arc the attractive features
of the story , which emphasizes the pitiable
fact that women , In a majority ot mar
riages , wed unworthy men. The girl , Nanco
Chrystle , Is admirably portrayed , also. The
title , "Lad's Love , " Is tlotived from the old
name of the scented wormwood , sprays of
which youths courting the girls imcd to
wear. 1) . Applcton & Co. , New York. Me
geath's ,
The reader fond of romance and adventure
will be certain to derive pleasure In James
Knapp Reeve's story , "Tho Throe Richard
Whclans. " It Is a tale of the sea In which
thu scene shifts from port to port with the
accompanying lively episodes Incident to n
sailor's life. Among these , adventures with
pirates , the discovery of rich treasure nnd
the love of a prlncccs ot one of tbe far nway
Islands to which the sailors drifted , ron-
tribute to the lively Interest .of the ule.
Frederick A. Stokes company , New York.
Mcgeath's.
MAGAZINES RECEIVED.
The- Nineteenth Century , 112 Wall street ,
New York.
The Banker's Magazine , 78 William street ,
New Yorjt.
The National Review , 70 Fifth avenue ,
New York.
The Lotus , Kansas City , Mo.
The Great Round World. 3 and B West
Eighteenth street , Now York.
The 400 , 214 Monroe strict , Chicago.
Annals of the American Academy of Po
litical and Social Science , Philadelphia.
The Westminster Review , 112 Wall street ,
New York.
The Railway Conductor , Cedar Rnplds , la.
Municipality , 31 Church street , Buffalo ,
N. Y.
BpOKS RECEIVED.
Rand , McNally & Co. , Chicago : "The Little
Lady of Lagunlta's , " by Richard Henry Sav
age ; paper ; 25 cents. "Prince Schamyl'B
Wooing , " by , Richard Henry Savage ; paper ;
25 cents. " - -
D. Appleton & Co. , New York : "Apple-
ton's * "Annual .Cyclopedia and Register of
Important Events of the Year 1896. " Third
scries"yolumo I. Cloth , $ C ; half Russia , ? 8.
American Book company , Chicago : "Car
penter's Geographical Reader ; Asia , " by
Frank G. Carpenter. Cloth ; CO cents.
Laird & Lee , Chicago : "Tho Mechanical
Arts Simplified , " by D. B. Dlxou. Silk cloth ;
$2.50.
' ' "Mr.
American 'Publishers' corporation :
and Mrs. Hannibal Hawkins , " by Hello C.
Greone. Paper ; 25 cents.
Peter Kckler , New York : "The Opposltcs
of the Universe , " part Iv , by Maule Sands.
Paper ; 50 conts.
The Engineering Record , New York :
"American Plumbing Practice. " Cloth ; over
COO Illustrations ; $3.
Published by the author : "Darts , Sparks
and Fragments , " by Harry Sutphcn , 821 Jer
sey avenue , N. W. , Washington , D. C.
Paper ; 116 pagqs.
AMHIUCAXS THIS 1IP.ST.
Milan Hell SHJM Tln y Kxccl All Others
IIH IlllHllIlllllN.
"American men are the beat husbands In
the world , " writes Lilian Bell In an article
entitled "On the Subject ot Husbands" In the
Woman's Homo Companion. "If these dis
satisfied American wives could only know that
an all-wise Providence 1ml , In the American
man , given ua the best article In the market ,
and that when we rebel at our lot we are sim
ply proving that wo do not deserve our good
fortune , they would never discuss the subject
of having any other nationality.
"Of course In every nation ( hero Is a class
of men who are as noble , as high-minded , as
chivalrous as even the most captious Ameri
can girl could wish. But I refer to the gen
eral run of men when I say that there Is
something about men born outside of Amer
ica , a native selfishness amounting to a sort
of callousness ; a lack of perception regarding
the fineness of womanhood , which , summed
up In few words , might bo called a mental
brutality , which well-nigh unfits them for
close social contact with the supersensltlvo
American woman. And just as surely as
American women persist in disregarding this
subtle , yet unmistakable truth. Just so surety
will they lay themselves open to these eous-
bruises of which American men , as a race ,
are Incapable of inflating. I say they are
incapable of Inflicting them because Ameri
can men , In the face of everything cald and
written to the contrary , are , lu regard to
women , the .finest-grained race of men in the
world. If at first you are Inclined to ques
tion the truth of tills statement , consider the
men who have boon educated abroad. How
much Is left of their Americanism ? To be
sure , they are cultured. They underatanu
music and art , and always wear gloves , but
are gloves essential to a happy home ?
"Now , this Is all general. I beg that the
wayfaring man , though a fool , will not Im
agine that these strictures are true of over *
man who is not an American , or that all
American men are perfect. I hardly think ,
on the whole , that I need fear that I shall
bo thought to consider all American men per
fect. But I do wish to state clearly and
frankly my admiration for American men as
a race. And when an American man Is a
gentleman ho is , to my mind , the most per
fect gentleman that any race can boast , be
cause Ms good manners spring from his
heart , and there ) are a few of us old fashioned
enough to plead that politeness should go
deeper than skill. "
Standard , reputable articles are not dear at
the prices asked for them. Substitutes offered
by unscrupulous and Irresponsible makers are
costly at any figure. Be sure that no hum
bug is practiced on you when you go to buy.
TWO WOMI3.V.
Hoth WIvt'H of tinSitiHf Man Meet for
( In1'liNt Time.
Two women were they , and recently , In
the outer corridor ot the county Jail , they
met for the first time , says the Peorla Her-
aM.
aM."Who Is that lady talking to my husband ? "
asked 'ho ' last comer of Captain Trlpp , as
they entered the corridor and f > aw a woman
talking to Marlon Camp through the barrfid
porthole.
"That's his wife , " said the captain.
"And who Is that lady talking about my
husband ? " atkcd the other woman turning
away from the bars.
"I am his wife , " was the reply of the now
comer.
Thus met for the first tfmo In their lives
the two wives of Marlon Camp , who was ar
rested ft Monica on the charge ot bigamy.
There was no hybterla , no anger , and , In
fact , no display of emotion , The oilglnal
wife had her chat with her hiihbaml and then
gave way for wife No , 2 to enjoy a brief coi |
versatlon with him. At the conclusion there
at the ladles had a little chat by themselves
and appeared to bo much interested In each
other. When they parted the Illinois wife
Informer ! Turnkey Wilson that the Iowa lady
was a charming llttlo woman , while the Iowa
wife ( old Captain Trlpp later that the Illinois
lady was very friendly toward her and treated
her with marked consideration.
The situation is full of peculiar possibili
ties. No doubt the three of them could get
along very comfortably under ono roof were
It not for the protest of the law.
DON'T STOP
STOPTOBACCO
TOBACCO
SUnnKNLY. To do so Is injurious to
the NorvouHSystom. "HACO-CUKO" h
t-ioj-'iilzud by the inudlcal prufoHsldii IIH
the Scientific Cure for tliu Tobacco
liablt. It Is Vi'k'L'talilo tnul Hunulc.sK ,
"HACO-Ol'KO" cures wlillc yon USD to
bacco ; It will notify yon when to tUop.
"IJAUO-OUHU" is Ktianmtml to euro
where all others fall and Is BO Id with a
\VUITTI3V OUAHANTKI5 to euro auy
ease , no matter how bad , or money re
funded with ten jw cent Interest.
One box (1.00 ; three boxe-g ( guaranteed
cure ) , fc.fA ! lit till druggists or nnt direct
upon receipt of price ) . Write for fn-o booklet -
lot , testimonial : * and proof * ) . Kl'HKKA
i.IIEMlCAIy & MFC , CO. , LA CROSSB ,
uia
Some Lending Special Features.
\
MINE OF INTERESTING READ
ING FOR NEXT SUNDAY'S
la r * * * "
Bret -Harte's
Great California Story ,
"Three Partners , "
A story of onrl.v mining days In California In It Hret Ilnrto returns
to his old stylo. the virile , sympathetic style which in nil is his fame. Ills
characters are miners , and , .although the tides of varying fortunes lloat
them out Into the wider world , they come back to California In the
end as managers of larue enterprises. Mixed up In the ingenious wel > of
the story are a number of western studies. Our old friend , Jack Hnnilln ,
the gambler , makes a brief , but picturesque appearance. Then there
are "Whisky Dick" Hall ; the villainous prospector , Steptoe , and the cun
ning Belgian , Paul Van Loo. The love element of the story Is furnished
by the beautiful Mrs. LTorncastle , and the fair but heartless , Kitty
Baker.
Honoring the Soldier Dead.
Prophetic words of General Orant atllrmed after long lapse of time-
Death's ravages In the Grand Army of the Republic Resting place of the
martini lenders of the rebellion Widely scattered graves of the com
manders. u
An Electrical Castle.
View of the private laboratory of Sir David Solomons , the Krlttah
baronet , who has the most elaborately equipped workshop In existence-
Tills English millionaire Is spending his fortune iu the Interest of pure
science Electricity does everything in his establishment The most
elaborate private photograph gallery In the world Automatic machines
which control one another and an engine which runs without human at
tention A machine for measuring the velocity of light. ,
To the Summit of St. Elias.
An American expedition , headed by Prof. Henry G. Bryant of the
Geographical society , will this summer contest the honor of reaching the
summit of Mount St. Ellas , the highest point of land on the North Ameri
can continent , with the European party led by Prince Lnigl , duke of Abrusc-
7.1. In this article ProC. Angelo Ilcilprin , the famous explorer , tells of the \
great hardships and trials attendant upon high mountain climbing. ,
ipecial
[ jepartmetits
In Woman's Domain.
For the Little Folks.
Music and Drama ,
With the Secret Societies.
The Realm of Sport.
Gossip About the Bicycle
Social Happenings of the Week.
Unexcelled
"j ews Service.
.
N.
New York World's Cable Letters.
Associated Press Telegraphic News.
Special Correspondents Everywhere.
All the Local News ,
J/ not a regular subscriber , buy it of your newsdealer ,