IRA Li BARE, Editor and Peopbietok
SUBSCEIPTION BATES. ,
One Tear, cash In advance, $1.25.
Six Months, cadi in advance 75 Centa
iatered at the ITorthPlatte (Kebraaka)postoffice aa
second-cIasBEiattor.
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1897.
It is .stated that nearly all the
great steel mills of the country
have enough orders on hand and in
sight to keep them at work for a
yean thereby giving employment
to thousands of laboring men.
As was expected for several days,
ex-trea&urer Bartley was arrested
Saturday charged with embezzle
ment of state funds to the amount
of S527.762.93. Bartley promptly
furnished bond and his case was
continued.
Forty thousand old veterans of
the Union array answered their
final roll call in 1896. The fellows
who have been growling over "the
enormous pension list" will be
gratified, but there are millions
who will read the statement with
heavy hearts.
The action of General Thayer in
testing the constitutionality of the
recanvass act has created much in
dignation among the fusionists of
the state. The recanvassing of the
votes will cost the state consider
able money, and if the law is in
valid it should be so asertained
before the work is performed.
A FEW days ago a thief enteYed
the apartments of the Spanish
vice consul at New York and stole
$3,000 in cash and $17,000 worth of
jewelry and a number of valuable
papers. The perpetrator of the
deed is supposed to have been a
Cuban spy, and that the papers and
state secrets were the real purpose
of the robbery. Sly boys, those
Cubans.
Walt Mason says: Tim Sedg
wick intimates that Benton Maret
is the real governor of Nebraska
and that Silas Holcomb is a dummy;
in other words. Silas is the case of
a "Waterbury watch, and Benton is
the works; Silas is. the handsome
meerschaum pipe that pleases the
eye, while Benton is the elegant
Turkish tobacco that charms the
gullet. In which case Silas ought
to publish a card.
Sheldon's bill re-apportioning
"the state for legislative purposes,
was indefinitely postponed in the
house Friday, thereby killing it.
The present apportionment is an
injustice to the people of the west
part of the state, and especially
this district, which casts 6,000 votes
and has but one representative,
but the constitution provides that
re-apportionments shall be made at
stated periods and at no other time.
Had a census of the state been
made in 1895, the present legislature
could have legally made a re-appor-tlonment.
The chief items in which there
has been an increase of importance
during the past year, aside from
manufactures, were the imports of
dutiable food products and live ani
mals, and ot free articles of volun
tary consumption, commonly kuown
as "luxuries" were imported un
der the McKinley act in 1892. The
farmers will be particularly inter
ested to note that, under the Mc
Kinley act, the importation of food
and live animals products which
come in direct competition with the
products of the American farmer
aggregated only $39,000,000. In
1895, after one year of trial of the
existing tariff law, the importation
of this class of goods aggregated
$231,000,000 and in 1896 this was in
creased to $233,000,000, notwith
standing the depressed times
which reduced the volume of im
ports upon most lines of goods.
In closing an editorial, a writer
in Saturday's Journal truthfully
says: "The republican party in
Nebraska undoubtedly owes its
signal defeat last fall to the great
mistakes of its conventions, brought
about by the vicious methods of
trading votes for nominations. Un
known men who make politics their
business have sought office for what
they could make out of it and by
scheming ard dickering with each
other, have secured their election to
offices of honor and trust to which
they never would have been nomi
nated if they had come before the
convention on their individual mer
its.' The party has been humiliated
into the dust by the malfeasance of
those who have been thrust upon it
by these indefensible and dishonor
able methods."
; On Friday last the State Senate
passed a strong Cuban resolution
of sympathy, with but one dissent
ing vote. After reciting the situa
tion in Havana, and the treatment
accorded American citizens, it pro
ceeds: "We regard such treatment
barbarous in the extreme and mim
ical to the spirit that should be
shown by one civilized nation to
another and that longer silence or
inaction on behalf of the United
States would be a dishonor to the
diginity and loyalty of the Nation
That we resent and disapprove of
the present attitude and policy of
the present administration in its
unpatriotic treatment of these out
rages, daily committed by Spain
agrainst our national honor; and
That we commend the action of
Consul General Lee in resigning
his Consulship rather than obey
the instructions of the State De
partment in its unpatriotic and un
American policy in Cuba."
Sundry pops who voted for farm
er Heitfeld in the Idaho legislature
and elevated him from his barn to
the senate, are making a great hue
and crv because, as thev allesre, he
never paid them the promised re
ward for.their patriotic action, which
was $250 per head. After Heitfeld
was elected, according" to these
statesmen, he arbitarily cut down
the price of votes $150. It is" said
that they propose to make so much
noise about the fraud that he has
perpetrated on that the farmer will
be refused his seat when he moseys
down to Wahlngton next week. It
is a distressing situation. Journal.
EAIBIES OF THE E0G.
SCOTCH PIPERSAND DANCERS IN THE
STREETS OF LONDON.
They Appear Only on Dreary Jaya, When
They Have a Monopoly of Sidewalk En-
tertainin;, and Usually Manage to Bag
All the Fcnnles Within Beach.
Out of the thick fog that haugs over
the square comes the Scottish piper, aud
with him the Scottish dancer, both clad
in full Scottish regalia. Not since our
last foggy day had I seen them. So far
as I know they never appear in clear
weather. Their friend aud ally, the fog,
drives away the thunderous piano organs
which curse London, leaving to them a
clear field. They come out of it playing
merrily; they disappear into it playing
merrily, but not until they have tarried
long enough to charm away our pennies.
Unbearable as the bagpipe music is
to any savo the ears of the faithful, it
has an indescribable charm in a Loudon
fog or in a Scotch mist. It rouses you
out of tho dull, sticky phlegm that tho
soot laden fog imposes on you. It brings
you to tho window of your apartment to
wait impatiently until the gay, swag
gering figures appear from behind tho
yellow curtains like living pictures at a
music hall.
Tho dancer carries two rusty swords,
the only thing about him that is not
bright and fresh. He lays them down
on the pavement. Meanwhile the piper
marches on straight ahead, swaggering
and blowing, as if he were piper to the
wholo Scottish people. So forcefully
does he march that we fear he is going
to pass us by for tho wealthy household
ers in the next street.
Then suddenly ho performs a half cir
cle, still playing and now marching with
finicky steps, which show off his great
white spats strikingly in the dim light
At that instant the dancer looks up at
the windows, bows, and 'smiles and
craves our wealth. If wo are conscious
of a preconcerted theatrical movement
on the part of our canny, kilted friends,
it only re-enforces our admiration, and
jingle, jingle, jingle, go our pennies
Americans' Frenchmen .Englishmen's,
landladies', servants' penuiesl A har
vest cf pennies, reaped by canny fingers
and put in an extensive granary some
where in the most picturesque of all na
tional garbs. Still the fingers go up to
the feathered cap for .a few more pen
nies; still tho piper plays for a few more
pennies which are forthcoming. It is
kept up until the people in tho windows
set. their faces hard against any further
payment until goods are delivered.
Then the player takes np his position
on tho sidewalk opposite the side of the
street which has contributed most lib
erally, and the dancer gives us well,
what do you suppose he gives? Not a
highland fling, of course. No Scot in a
kilt would bo guilty of that any more
than a Scot in a kilt would mention
Bobby Burns at the banquet of a Scot
tish society.
But nowhere else is the highland fling
and the bagpipe quite so attractive as on
a London pavement when the fog is
thick and one must work by lamplight
at midday. The gayly clad piper who
summons the greatest of Scottish bards
and his guests to dinner, and after they
ore seated marches solemnly around the
table splitting tho ears of these saino
guests, has not one-half the poetry of
the piper of tho fog. I have heard tell
how the finest of Scottish dancers dance
around fires in the open to amuse tho
queen when she is at Balmoral. She is
welcome to them. Though the piper bo
a royal gamekeeper and the dancer a
royal gillie, I rest content with my
Scots who march out of the fog and back
into it after they have emptied my pock
ets of pennies.
Another collection is taken before we
may enjoy tho sword dance, which is
quite tho perfection of the dancing art
as tho Scotch know it If that does not
get tho last of your pennies, the farewell
collection will. All pennies, all collec
tions, disappear somewhere in that
dancer's kilt, though that dancer's kilt
grows no larger. How he carries them
an English penny is as large as a sil
ver dollar is a questiou, for after a
few collections the brawniest of hairy
legged highlanders could not dance un
der the weight of his wealth. But I
have seen the dancer now and then take
a handful of something out of hiskilfc
and put- it in a pouch under the piper's
pipe. Often not a penny is left in tho
block. After the messenger boy, who,
being in a hurry, has reclined on a stoop
for a little rest and recreation, has part
ed with his last ha'pence the dancer
picks up his rusty swords, the piper
strikes up a tune and they march away
into the fog. In one foggy day they
must earn enough to keep them in Scotch
"whusky" until another foggy day
comes. If it is possible for such a wicked
thing as a London fog to have fairies,
the piper and the dancer are they.
London Cor. New York Eress.
THE PHOTOGRAPH.
My own poor holidays were of the
scantiest at the timo of this narration.
I 'had enjoyed my freedom for ten days
of June: but though the period bade
fair to live forever in my memory, !
seemed to have been already a twelvo
month back at work upon the evening
when I found Dick's letter awaiting me
at my lodgings:
MrDEAit MonxiMETi I am In town again at
last. Arrived last night. Come round and
smoko a pipe tonight if possible. I've a hun
dred things to tell you. Meanwhile, if yon
will believo it, I'm engaged. Yonrs, Dick.
The news he told me was the ploas
antcst possible, for I also, to tell the
truth, had learned in my'ten days' free
dom how unenviable arc tho liberties of
the mere bachelor. I remained free for
the present, but I nevertheless hoped to
follow his example before the year was
out.
One can do a good deal in ten day
indeed I had fallen hopelessly in love
in less than that number of hours. But
I felt it rather tco much to ask that
Maud should have recognized and learn
ed to reciprocate my feelings in so short
a time, and so I had not spoken. All
the same, I knew that it would be a
crushing disappointment to mo if she
had not accomplished it. Her homo was
at Brighton, she once told me, and she
well knew my friends, tho Meynells,
For Maud I could find no words to
express her. I put my hand into the
breast pocket of my coat and drew, out
a photograph. It was not a very good
likeness; the hair was not dressed in the
fashion which had become familiar to
me, and that fashion, of a surety, was
tho most charming that ever occurred
to the mind of ingenious woman. But
still the picturo had enough of her to
be for me tho most beautiful thing in
the world, save only her sweet self. I
had stolen it. She was stopping with
tho Lutrrells, with whom I spent my
holiday at Sandybar, and Madgo Lut
trell was a great friend of mine. She
had detected or foreseen my devotion to
Maud, I think, even before it revealed
itself to mc. At any rate, I knew she
would bo discreet, and, trusting to her
clemency, I had stolen the preqious pho
tograph out of her album upon the morn
ing when I left Sandybar.
I had soon finished the meal which
stood ready for mo and from which I
had been kept by Dick's note and by tho
emotions resulting from its perusal.
Then I fouud my hat and stick and my
very largest pipo and set out across
Loudon to Dick's rooms. The place was
in darkness and untenanted when I en
tered, but I knew that ho would not
fail me and struck a match to discover
if he had left a note to tell me when ho
would return. "Back at 8," it read.
"Meanwhile, there's baccy and a new
Stevenson."
It was now upon the stroko of 7, so I
lit the lamp, found Stevenson and pre
pared to spend an hour pleasautly. The
time passed most happily. At last I laid
aside the hook and filled my pipe. I
walked acioss the room to take a spill
'from the mantelshelf arid in a moment
found myself gazing at tho photograph
of Maud Cameron tho girl I loved, the
girl I hoped to marry.
It was in a frame of elaborately beaten
silver, already somewhat tarnished by
tobacco smoke, and beyond a doubt was
a portrait of Dick's fiancee.
I turned away from the mantel her
face looked forth npon me liko a stran
ger's out of that frame and took my
copy of her photograph from my pocket.
I laid it upon the table in the full light
of the lamp. It had not all her beauty;
her loveliness was half of everchangiug
expression, and so must needs escape
the camera. But still tho picture gavo
the lie to all the overwhelming evidence
which had crushed my faith in her. For
a moment I was content He might ac
count himself master of her love; might,
if it pleased him, believe that no man
disputed with him the kingdom of her
heart. For a moment, despite all evi
deuce, I believed that she was still true
to the unspoken fact between us, that
she could not betray me.
There was a sudden sound of footsteps
on the stairs, a hand upon tho door, and
even as I thrust back her photograph
into my pocket the door opened and
Dick entered.
"Hope you've not had long toAvait, "
he said. "I had to be out for awhile. "
"Not long, " I answered. ' 'And now,
I suppose, I must congratulate you?"
Dick laughed. "Do you only suppose?
I am tho luckiest beggar in the world.
But, never mind, you will see her some
day, and then you will speak differently.
You will envy me, madly, for in
deed But we'll wait until you have
met her. Only I promise you you may
safely venture your congratulations.
Here is her photograph, by tho bye, a.
wretchedly bad one, but still not all nn
like." He moved to the mantel and handed
me her picture, inclosed in that abom
inable frame of his. I took it from him,
and for a minute and more gazed hard
upon her face.
' 'It is all true, " I kept whispering to
myself. "She has betrayed me. ' '
Dick watched me in silence, evident
ly convinced of my admiration. In reali
ty I was wondering whether it would
bo better to tell him that we had met
Presently he broke silence. "Well,"
he said, holding out his hand for the re
turn of her photograph.
"You are lucky, " I answered slowly.
"Sho is very beautiful."
"Aye," he said contentedly, "but
you don't know how beautiful! That
photograph is a libel."
He put it back upon the mantelshelf
and selected a pipe. Then he stretched
himself in an easy chair.
"You two must know one another
indeed she is already eager for your ac
quaintance." I was steeled, I thought, against all
that he could tell me, but upon this I
well nigh betrayed myself. Had she ad
mitted that her fancy for me I knew
that she did come near loving me was
dead, I could have borne my burden un
complainingly and might have forgot
ten. But that sho should ueny that ic
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They do not weaken by their action, but
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greatly invigorate the system. Regular
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druggist. 4
had existed that she had ever known
me that was past toleration.
"They live at Brighton, " Dick con
tinued, "so that we are not too far
away to visit them. You must come
down some day with me. I want you to
know her."
There are times when it were unwise
to be sincere.
"I shall be delighted," I said even
while I reviewed the excuses upon
which I should be able to rely in the
event of his some day tendering a more
definite invitation. Then I turned the
conversation intopther channels, and in
.a little while, somewhat to the disgust
of my friend, who had much to tell,
left
About a month had passed when 1
had a note one day from Mrs. Luttrell
DsauHr. Mortimer Wo have taken tickets
for the Lyconm matinco on Saturday, and
three or four friends are to meet us there. 1
wonder if yon aro freo that afternoon and
would caro to meet us and go with us to the
theater. Youra very truly,
Frances LtrrrncLti.
It was a miserable, foggy day, and 1
half feared they would not come. But
though their train was somewhat delay
ed they presently arrived, and we took
a cab along the Strand. Madge looked
unusually pretty and greeted mo with a
-T 1 t i 1 j.
lusiiuijumuuLr cutierimuess. mm cuuui-
ed on a little sympathy from her, but
her aspect was one of rather mischie
vous enjoyment. It would have been
timely enough if sho had held in store
for mo some very delightful surprise.
She even referred to a matter which
had hoped for a month past had escaped
her observation.
"I did not think that you would de
scend to theft," she said. "I would
have given it to you. And, of course,
you havo discovered your mistake."
Wo wero entering the theater as she
spoke, and there was a momentary press
of people, and! affected not to have
heard her speech; indeed I was not a
little angry. Her clumsiness was ob
viously intentional, for I was well
aware that she in nowise suffered from
want of tact.
A moment later we wero boing shown
to our seats.
"Will you take the inside seat?" said
Madgo, and I moved obediently co the
last vacant one, next to the lady whose
face was turned from me. I was just
taking my seat when sho turned and
looked up at me. She had the grace to
blush, for it was Maud Cameron, but
there was no tremor in her voice when
she spoke a moment later.
"How do you do?" she said politely,
and in tho same words. I answered her.
Presently sho leaned a littlo nearer
and spoke tome inker soft, pretty voice:
"You havo nothing to say?" sho said.
"You may talk, you know."
I turned to her with a look of desper
ation. Why could not sho leave me to
myself? "I had forgotten, " I said. "I
must congratulate you or Dick, at auv
rate."
"Oh," she answered smilingly, "you
may congratulate me also. Do not fear;
it has happened marvelously well."
"Marvelously well!" I echoed.
"Yes," sho continued, "aud particu
larly in that you are his special friend.
It is so nice for tho wife when tho hus
band's friend is nice. But why didn't
you tell him you knew tho Luttrells
and me?"
I stared at ,ber, incredulous of her
cruelty.
"How could I tell him?" I said indig
nantly. "You had denied acquaintance
with me, and, since you had forgotten,
do you think I wished to remember?"
I was a trifle .startled at tho effect of
this speech. It should have silenced her.
I thought so at least, but it seemed as
if I had injured her, and now a greater
indignation than my own arose in her.
' 'It is not true, " sho said. "What do
yen mean? I saw him only a fortnight
ago, when I returned from Sandybar,
and I distinctly remember telling him
that day that I had met you there.
Mother did suggest that he might bring
you down one Saturday ;but, of course' '
I interrupted. ' 'You only saw him a
fortnight ago? Why, 'tis a full month
since he told mo .you were engaged.
And yet you have known him only a
fortnight?"
Sho looked at mo with a sort of piti
ful amazement
'Ho told you he was engaged to mc?
Why, he's engaged to Mary, my sister.
And besides"
A new life entered into mo. Tho old
hope lived again. Yet I was convinced.
"He showed me your photograph, " I
said.
She looked at mo a moment. Slowly
the bewilderment faded from her face,
aud it appeared sho was mightily
amused.
"Did he tell you my name?" sho
asked.
told me you were engaged to him. I
don' t remember if ho told me your name.
But there was no need. I do not forget
so easily."
Maud chuckled. There is no other
word.
"You have seen tho photograph be
fore?" she said.
"I stole it out of Madge Luttrell's al
bum the day I was to leave Sandybar.
I thought"
"Surely it was a little curious to
steal the photograph of a lady you had
never met, for it is to Mary, my sister,
that Mr. Ferguson is engaged, and it
was her photograph you took from
Madge's album. She is considered rather
like me."
I was stunned with thp sudden joy
and with the sense of my great stupidi
ty. I knew that her eyes were upon me,
and I would have given worlds to be
with her for a moment only, away from
this great crowd of people.
"I burned it, " I said, "a month ago.
You will give me one of your own?"
She answered nothing, and at that
moment the curtain rose. But I was
well content. Exchange.
A Joke on a Supreme Court.
Judge Burlingame has a joke on the
Michigan supreme court. In ordering s
new trial for J. S. H. Holmes, convicted
of murder in the first degree and whose
defense was insanity, the supreme court
took occasion sharply to criticise Judge
Burlingame's charge to tho jury, assert
ing that it too fully expressed the court'
opinion of the merits of the case. The.
charge to the jury in the Holmes case
happens to be a verbatim repetition ol
a charge to a .jxixj made by Judge Bur-,
lingame five yeara ago in a trial where
insanity was the defense, and in sustain
ing the verdict at that-time the supreme
court found fault with the charge be
cause it did not go far enough. Cor.
Chicago Times-Herald.
The strongest fortress in European
Russia is Croustadt. It is the Russian
naval depot of the Baltic sea. 1
OSTRICH HUNTING.
Profitable Sport That Is Slaking: tho Af
ricaii Birds Scarce.
An ostrich chase . is very attractive
sport, or rather tho salo of booty is sa
great as to attract hunters. The Arabs
give themselves to it with a real passion.
Mounted on their fine little horses, they
try as much as possible to fatigue the
ostrich, for as it in 8 feet high and has
very strong legs it possesses a quickness
of movement which the best horse can
not attain. It has great endurance.
Overtaken by the hunter, it seeks to de
fend itself with its feet and wings, but
more often it still strives to escape by
night, uttering a plaintive cry. In fact,
the ostrich is deprived of the power of
flight by reason of its great size. The
muscular force with which nature has
endowed it is not equal to lifting such
a weight Its peculiar organization has
made it the courier of the desert, where
it is able to quickly traverse the almost
limitless expanse.
Tlio Arab Jniows verv wp flint if: i.
the habit of the ostrich to make great
detours about its nest in a circle. He
chases it, then, without ceasing until it
is almost there, when, worn out, it suc
cumbs, concealing its head in the sand
in order not to see its enemy, or in
stinctively hoping to escape a dangei
which it cannot see any more. This
chase requires eight or ten hours, but it
offers largo rewards. The plumes are
worth a considerable sum, the skin
makes good leather, and the Arabs are
very fond of the flesh. Besides, in spite
of the fact that it reproduces its species
rapidly, tho ostrich is all the time be
coming rarer, and it is hunted for ex
port and domestication in other coun
tries. It is one of Africa's great re
sources and may become a new source
of prosperity to Algerians if they are
willing to make tho effort. Tho point ol
the popular saying, "tho stomach of an
ostrich, " has been confirmed recently by
an autopsy on one, doubtless for a time
captive, when the following was found
in its stomach: A parasol handle, two
keys, two great pieces of coal, a glove,
a handkerchief, a pair of eyeglasses, a
ring, a comb, three large rocks, the necks
of two beer bottles, the sole of a shoe, a
bell and a little harmonicon. Paris II
lustre. THE INNU1T RACE. '
A Peculiar 1'eople Who live on the Coacl
Xino of Alaska Territory.
The Innuit race of people, commonly
and also corruptly called Eskimos, occu
py almost the entire coast line of Alaska,
with tho numerous outlying islands
from tho boundary line westward along
the arctic coast to Bering strait; thence
southward to tho Alaskan peninsula,
over the peninsula and the Aleutian is
lands, and eastward and southward along
the coast to Mount St Elias, with the
exception of a comparatively small ter
ritory at Cook's inlet, and also at the
mouth of Copper river, at which points
the Tinneh tribe of Indians from the
interior have forced their way to the
coast Living constantly on or near the
sea, they from infancy have not the
slightest fear of the dangers of tho deer
and at an early age become bold navi
gators and skilled fishermen and sea
hunters.
The word "innuit" in their native
tongue signifies people, and as such is
used by them to designate those of then
own race as our people. "Eskimo" is a
word of reproach and has been given
them by their neighbors, the term mean
ing "raw fish eaters." The Innuits oi
Alaska are physically much superior tc
those inhabiting tho eastern side of the
continent, in Greenland and Labrador.
They are all of the same race and speai
a common language tlirough each local
ity, and of tei each village from the At
lantic to the Pacific will possess a dia
lect distinctively its own. Those of oui
territory are tall and muscular, not a
few of them being 6 feet in height,
They havo small, black eyes, high cheek
bones, largo months, thick lips, coarse
brown hair and fresh, yellow complex
ious. In many instances men will be
seen with a full beard and mustache,
and in some particular families theii
manly beauty is further enhanced by
wearing a labret below" each corner ol
the month in a hole cut through th
lower lip lor the purpose. They arc a
cood natured people, always smiline
when spoken to, and are fond of danc
ing, running, jumping and all athletic
sports. Alaska News.
Bobber Gulls of the Pacific.
"Out pn the Pacific coast a great deal
pf amusement is furnished to people oi
an observant disposition," said L. C.
Gardner of Grays Harbor, Wash., Mby
a walk along the seashore. For instance,
there is the robber gull, one of the most
graceful of birds, which always follows
tho pelican. The latter is an expert at
catching fish, which it sees from a
great height, diving with the swiftness
of a bullet and seldom missing its prey.
But after getting tho fish in its huge
beak with tho pendent sack it is unable
to handle it readily and always throws
it in the air, catching it in its pouch,
which answers the same purpose as a
soldier's haversack. That, is the gull's
opportunity. The instant the fish leaves
the beak of the big bird the robbei
swoops down with the swiftness of the
wind, and beforo the fish reaches the
distended jaws of the pelican it is snap
ped up, and the pelican is left far behind,
looking foolish. Pursuit is useless, for
the pelican is a heavy flier, while the
gull is one of the swif test of the feath
ered race. " Denver Republican.
Didn't Know It.
" What do you think of those auto
graph hunters, Noah?" asked Johnson.
"Autograph hunters? What are they?"
replied Noah.
"Why, people who hunt autographs,
of course," explained Johnson.
"I really don't know enough about
'em to say," said Noah. "Fact is, I
don't believe I ever even saw an auto
graph. We didn't have any in the :irk,
I know. "What kind of a looking beast
s it?" Harper's Bazar.
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Streit.1.
TWO DEVILS.
Flaming Flame was a devil red
This is what the old Northmen said
A demon subtle and swift and sly.
Who lived upon wood that was old and dry.
The Northmen fell on their knees for fear
Lest Flaminp Flame should coino too near.
For his bite was deadly and sharp, they said,
And his tongue was cruel and Ions and rod.
Flaming Flame
Was the devil's name.
This is what tho old Northmen said.
Riminy Rime was a devil white.
Who drovo his horses at dead of night
And comlwd their manes, with tho wild wind
tost,
As he called their names Hail, Snow and
Frost.
And the Northmen fell on their knees to cry
As Riminy Rime went driving by.
They shivered and shook with an awful dread,
For be split great rocks at a glance, they &aid.
Riminy Rimo
Was fearud in his timo.
This is what tho old Northmen said.
Flaming Flame Was a devil red.
Who ato dry wood, so tho Northmen said.
Riminy Rimo wa3 a devil white,
Who split up rocks in tho dead of night.
But littlo Goo Goo, In his cradle warm.
Loves Flaming Flamo and fears no harm,
While Riminy Rime at the window, too,
Draws beautiful scenes for littlo Goo Geo.
Flaming Flame
Was a dovil's name. .
Riminy Rimo
Was feared in his time.
Bat who cares a fig what tho Northmen say.
For little (Joo Goo knows better than they.
Nell K. aicEIhono in Youth's Companion.
A LAZY L0YER.
"Mighty souls!" tho patriarch cried,
flattening his nose against the grimy
window pane and peering out into the
storm. "Jest look at it a-comin down!
Hed I 'a' know'd wo was a-goin to hev
it like this, you'd
home you'd 'a'
'a
seen mo
a-leavin
a-leavin
seen me
home."
The old man thoughtfully stroked his
bushy beard. He felt that he had met
but just retribution for coming to the
store to loaf. When, an hour before, he
bad awakened from a doze in his arm
chair, picked up his stout stick and
hobbled to the village, tho sky was clear
and blue. Not a cloud was visible any
where, and tho sun was blazing down
on the fields of yellow grain that he
overlooked from the porch of his little
house on the hill. But the storm, as
storms do in that mountainous part of
Pennsylvania, was gathering its force
unseen behind tho neighboring moun
tains, piling black cloud on black cloud,
and then, like an army charging on a
sleeping enemy, it swept forth from its
hiding place amid tho flash of light
ning and tho crash of thunder and del
uged the valley.
"My, oh, my!" muttered the old
man. "It serves mo right. I ought to
'a' know'd better. Whenever I runs
down hero for a minute's loaf, it rains.
Never a team comes along to give me a
lift homo, an I hez to paddle back in
me leaky ole boots."
He hobbled to his chair by the empty
stove, about which were gathered the
men of tho village, despite the fact that
no fire blazed within and cold weather
was far ahead.
"I hope the company hain't displeas
in," snapped tho chronic loafer. He
knocked tho ashes out of his pipo, refill
ed and lighted it and sprawled out upon
the counter, pillowing his back against
a pile of calicoes.
Not at all, at all. It's the loafin I
hate. I never could loaf," said the old
man, glancing at tho prostrate form.
The chronic loafer made no reply save
a iaint "hull!"
"Jest because a felly sets around the
stove hain't no sign he's lazy, " said the
miller warmly.
"Fur be it from mo irom saym so,
boys, fur bo it," said the patriarch,
stroking his board. ' 'But, as I was sayin
awhile ago, I don't want to git inter no
sech habits as Absalom Bunkel."
"Abs'lom Bunkel Bunkel Bunk
el?" repeated tho shoemaker, punctuat
ing his remarks with puffs of -tobacco
smoke.
"Eunkel Bunkel?" said the store
keeper inquiringly, tapping tho end of
his nose with his pencil.
"Who tho heck's Abs'lom Bunkel?"
the loafer cried.
"Absalom Bunkel wa3 a man as was
nat'rally so lazy it was a credit to him
every timo ho moved," the patriarch
began. "You uns knows the ole lawg
house thet stands where Big run crosses
the road over tho mo'ntain. It's all
tumbled down now. They ain't no
daubin atween tho lawgs. The chini
bley's fallen; the fence hez gone, an tho
lot's choked up with weeds. It's a for
lorn place, but when I was a lad it
was jest about the slickest thiug along
the ridge yander. That's whero Absalom
Bunkel lived an his pap lived before
him. Absalom's pap was a stingy man
so stingy he'd squeeze a cent tell tho
Injun yelled. Consequent, when he died,
ho left Absalom a fortuno of $700. It
was a fort'nate thing fer the sou, fer
he'd much ruther 'a' set on the porch
a-listeuin to the birds an watchin the
bees hummin over the sunflowers, with
the pangs of hunger a-gnawin throo his
insides, than to 'a' worked.
"Now, Absalom was afore my time,
but I heard all about him from my pap,
an what my pap said was alius true
true as gawspel, it was. When ole man
Bunkel died, Absalom was 85 year old.
He didn't go off spendin his fortune.
Not much. He jest set right down on a
rockin chair on the front porch an let
his sister Nancy tend the house. Nance
milked the cow, Nance made the gar
den, Nance done the housework an come
to store. He done nothin absolute
nothin.
' 'He was. never outer bed afore sun up.
Ef it was warm, he'd set on the leefle
porch all day, lookin over the walley.
watchin the folks goin by an the birds
aswoopin along tho fiel's or throo the
trees, listeniu to the bees a-buzzhi aroun
the garden, to the dreamy hum of natur,
fer to do him credit he loved natur'. Ef
it was cold, ho set all day be the fire'
place a-bakjn his shins. Once in awhile
Nance'd fergit to leave him wood when
sho went out fer a spell. Does he cut
some? Net him. Ho jest goes to the
nearest possible fenco rail, kerrys it in
ter the house, sticks one end inter the
fire an kceva a-pushin it In as it burnt
off.
"Now, it happened thet when he hec
ben livin this way tell his forty-fifth
year ole Andy Crimmell tuk the plact
about a mile beyant his. One nice aft
ernoon, as Absalom set a-dozin on hii
front porch, Andy's dotter, Annie May,
cpme rippin down the road on her way
fo store, Ippkin as pretty as a pictur' in
her red sunbonnet swingin a basket an
8ingin a melancholy piece. Absalom
woke with a start as she stantW? nnfm
, TT.iWia oWn v. t l.
sight of her pink cheeks afore she duck- on? cenS ft lm tonnt3ti.extr (thirt7
cd under her bonnet, fer when she seen expense of this handsome cover. ltifmal
hTnTliho-sudden, stopped sihgin an
walked by, a-lookin over the walley.
Thet ono glance done Absalom BunkeL
He staid awake tell she come back.
"Theinight ho didn't eat no supper.'
" 'Nance, 'sez he to his sister. 'How
fur is it to Crimmels?'
" 'Nigh onter a miled,' sez she.
"An ho jest groaned, drawed hit
boots, tuk a candle an went up to bed.
"Twicet a week all thet summei
Annio May Crimmel come a-singic
down the road. An Absalom, dozin oc
the porch, 'u'd hear her voice tell she'd
reach the edge of the woods. There sho'c
stop her song an go ploddin by, gazir
over tho walley, like he wasn't about oi
wasn't wuth lookin at. Absalom kept
gittin fatter an fatter from doin noth
in, an it seemed to him like Annie Maj
CWmmel was prettier every time . she
went to store. Ho was ourastless; he
was onhappy. He know'd wbat'wai
wrong, an he seen no cure, fer to him
thet girl walkin 'long the road not 2C
rods from his house was like a chuni
of bread danglin jest beyant the reach
of a starvin man.
"Perhaps you uns wonder why he
didn't go down an speak to her. Thet
wasn't Absalom's way. He might as
walked thet fur to git warm. But tc
speak to a girl? Nover! Oncet he called
to her, but she was, bashful an hung
her head an walked on the faster.
" 'Nance,' sez ho to his sister thet
night at supper, 'I've kinder a notion
fer Annie May Crimmel, ' he sez.
" 'Hev you!' sez she, lookin sur
prised, though of course she know'd it,
an fer weeks hed ben a-wonderin what
'u'd become of her.
" 'An perhaps, ' sez he, 'you wouldn't
mind steppin over there tomorrer an
tellin her.'
" 'Umphl' she sez,perkin up hei
nose. 'You'll see mo a-gaddin round the
walloy settiu up with girls fer you!'
"He set thinkin a piece." Then "he sea
trem'lous like, 'Nance,how fur is it to
Crimmels'?'
" 'A mile to an inch,' sez she.
"He jest give aground an went off tc
bed ag'in.
"They say thet next day toward even
in Absalom was seen to rise from his
chair, to hesitate, to set down, git up
ag'in an begin movin toward the road.
Ho got to the gate, pushed it half ppen -an
leaned on it. Tell sunset he stood
there, a-gazin wistfulliko toward Crini
mel's place. Then he give a groand an
went to supper.
"Winter drove the lazy felly inter the
house. All day long he'd stay by the
windy watchin fer Annie May Crinv
mel, an as sho passed he'd smile soft
like. When sho was gone, he'd look sol
emn ag'in. An all the time he kep git
tin fatter an fatter an mors an more on
rastless. "The winter broke. March come an
went. April 1 was a fine, warm day,
so Absalom took his cheer out on the
porch an set there lookin down the ridge
into the walley, where the men was
a-plowin fer oats. All at oncet he heard
a creakiu of wheels an a rattle of; gears
thet caused him to turn his eyes up the
road. Outer tho woods come a wagon,
piled high with fnrnitur'. It was a
flittin, the Crimmels' flittin, as he
know'd when he seen Andy a-driviu
an tho missus an Annie May settin on
tho horses. Bunkel was stunned clean
ed stunned. The flittin went creakiij
past the house, him jest settin there
starin. He know'd what it meant tc
him. Ho know'd it was fer him the
same as the death of Annie May, but
he couldn't do nothin. The wagon
swung round the bend below the house
an was outer sight.
"Whenhoseen the last of tho red
bonnet flashin in the sun, he th'pwed
his hands to his liead like they was q
pain there. Sudden he jumped from hii
chair an run toward tho road yellin:
'Hey, hey! Annie May!'
"He tore throo the gate, down the
road an round tho bend. They was in
sight agin.
,f 'Annie May!' he called. 'Annie
May!'
' The wagon stopped. The girl climb
ed offen tho horse an run toward him
When ho seen her comin, he set right
down to wait fer her. She stood still.
" 'Annie May, ho called, 'come here,
I've somethin to tell you. '
"But she turned round an walked,
with hangin head, back to the wagon.
Ho jumped up an begin runnin aftei
her ag'in. She heard his callin, an
throwed out her hands an started to
ward him, cryin, 'Absalom, Absalom!'
"Bu4 Ab'3:ilom Bunkel never spoke
his mind to Annio May CriniineL Afore
he reached her ho stopped sudden, kindei
hesitated, then fell for'ard, faco down
ward, inter the road. The girl went te
him, but found him dead dead from
pverexertin."New York Sun.
London is 0,815
Washington city.
miles northeas't of
anent Tstory-tellers, no doubt, be
lieved the infant Hercules' inherited' S
?w sBb'ng-uowers from his
father, but modern science shows that a
baby's strength depends largely on th?
goUier's health at the time the baby is
To bestow a strong and rugged constitu
tion on her little one, a prostive mother
should fortify her own health and strength
svith Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription. J
is the most, wonderful health buildeTeJI
devised for women. Tf it.KFf
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It enables ber to meet ber time Tot triS I with'
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There is no other medidne ennal t it i
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edy of its kind prepared by a reulSl
ly graduated experienced physician No
woman should risk hr t,i?C i
intr to antr "J ?on-
mere
i -r-u.u
4
oy a
cated person.
MMV
uaeda-
am&2 andtheir
CrVAf " ctl unnecessary siexnesa
lamiiies from ranch
ading a
rhe Peot
volume, explaining human S"'
clear and intert? i"?0 "
many mSTS,
treatment of common aflmente-KtK mc"
three Tinnd.. T.-S'nte-j over
plates.
It will "be fTjhL "orea
-receipt of twenty-one cents in ot
Stamps to pay the M
If .a handsome cloth.lvt,nt L.v-.fv ?v X
Address, World's IHsoenur Ii-aILX
sociation. No. (A A Up?JA