'run - Wttlty f&xibmt
IRA Ij BARE, Editor and PBornrcroR
SUBSCRIPTION BATES.
One Tear, cash in advance, ?Li5.
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Entered atthe NorthPlatte (Nebraska ) postofflce as
second-ctaPEmatter.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1897.
The Era says the city affairs
are in the same old rut." Is it
possible that the "reform" admin
istration has a few favorites and
that Mr. Chcyney is not one of
them?
It is agreed that Europe's wheat
crop is about 125,000,000 bushels
short of last year. It takes no
argument to show that the United
States is interested in the fact.
Uncle Sam is long- on wheat, and
short on nothing-.
The Era should have Mr. Parsons,
the city's legal advisor, bring- suit
against and recover from Geo. E.
French the $250 the latter received
as city attorney. Such action
would free the Era editor from the
chances of injuring his health howl-
.ing about Mr.
French.
Mr. Cheyney was, we believe,
present at the council meeting when
the bills of C. h. Patterson were ap
proved, 3'et, he as a tax-payer (if he
is a tax-payer) did not make any
objection to the claims. If Mr.
Cheynej is so vitally interested in
the welfare of the city, why did he
not make his "kick" at a time when
a remonstrance might have accom
plished some good.
The Era says the pops must
nominate honest men this fall.
"What's the matter with Millerjveli
her, Orr or Huffman are they all
dishonest? And then there is noth
ing to prevent Buchanan from being
nominated for county clerk. Are
these not honest or does the Era
favor "downing" the populist court
house ring and elect new men who
it can all the more successfully
"work" and thus plunder the coun
ty to a greater extent.
The Denver News, a free silver
organ, admits prosperity, and when
it advances to that point we see no
reason why aiiy of the lesser calam
ities should persistently declare7
there is nothing of the kind in
sight. The News is quoted as
saying: "The hopeful spirit that
pervaded the business atmosphere
of Denver at the opening of the new
year has now become a certainty
that the long expected change for
the better is here, not for a month
or two, but for years to come."
One year ago wheat sold in New
York for 64 cent; now it is worth
83 cents. One year ago silver bars
in New York sold at 68 cents; now
bar silver is selling for 58 cents.
In one year wheat has advanced 19
cents and silver has decreased ten
cents. How about wheat and silver
traveling together, dear populist
friends? How about those tons of
literature distributed last fall
which pretended to show that the
prices of silver and wheat rose and
fell in unison? Are you not now
pretty well convinced that such a
claim was and is false.
THE FIGTJBES FOB IT.
The Chicago Times-Herald makes
a strong presentation of indisput
able evidence of the return of pros
perity and of the upward tendency
in all lines of industrial enter
prise. It shows that there has been a
strong revival of stocks, principally
of railroads whose prosperity de
pends upon an increased traffic.
TJie forty-eight principal stocks
bought and sold on the New York
exchange show an increase in value
irom July 25 last year to July 25th
this year ot the enormous amount
of $211,305,992 the most of this be
ing during the past three months.
The price of wheat has gone up
within a year to the extent of 20
cents a bushel. "On the estimated
crop of 500,000,000 bushels for this
year, the increased value reaches
IbcolQSsal sum of $100,000,000.
jThe corn crop has been largely
enhanced in value by the recent rise
in prices. This represents no less
than $40,000,000. Other grains have
gone up in total value $10,000,000.
There has been a decided im
provement in the prices of live
stock. The value of farm stock has
increased during the past twelve
months no less than $200,000,000.
No one can gainsay these figures.
The croaker and calamity howler
must admit the force of the show
ing and confess that he is soon to
lose his occupation or be compelled
to go the asylum, if he insists on
continuing liis dueful wail.
HOW BRYAN BECAME A SILVERITE.
The annual meeting of the Trans
mississippi congress recalls a little
political history that is of interest,
says the Kansas City Journal. Six
years ago this organization held its
meeting in Kansas Citv, Mo. At
that time there was a split over
the money question. The silver
forces were led by the late Charles
Crisp of Georgia, ex-speaker of the
house of representatives. It hap
pened that "W. J. Bryan was a dele
gate from Nebraska to that con
gress. During the earlj' hours o
the tierce fight over silver Bryan
sat on the fence. He did not know
which way to jump. Senator H.
B. Kelly was a delegate from Kan
sas and presided over the meeting.
"When the fight was the hottest
Bryan went to Kelly and asked him
which horn of the dilemma he
should take.
"I must confess that I don't
know what to do," said Bryan. '
can't jret it through my head that
free silver is what we want, or that
it will bring the desired relief."
"You must remember," said
Kelly, "that the west is favorable
to silver. If you have any political
ambition you had better not array
vourself on the side of the jrold
standard. It will mean yourpoliti
cal death m the west."
"I believe that's right." said
Bryan, "and I guess I will take the
free silver end of the deal."
Bryan did so, and he has been
free silverite ever since.
HE WAS A STREET ARAB.
ttrange Career of Hie New Governor of
Alaska.
John Green Brady of Indiana, recent
ly appointed governor of Alaska, has
b?.d an interesting and romantic career.
To the best of his knowledge-he is a ua
tivc of New York city. Ho never know
his parents nor the namo they gavo him,
if any. Ho grew up a vcritablo street
Arab in the utmost poverty. In 18G0 he
was sent to Indiana with a carload of
waifs as miserable as himself.
The car reached Tipton, a county
seat 30 miles .north of ludianapolis,
and a number of the youngsters wero
committed to tbo care of residents.
Judge John Green, a prominent citizen
of the place, called for the "ugliest,
rapnedest and most friendless" in the
lot. Jack, as he was afterward known,
was nromntly presented, and at first
the judge, appalled at so much misery
in bulk, was inclined to go back on his
demand, but finally took tho lad homo
to Mrs. Green. She was out of patience
with her husband for his action, but
the absolute destitution of the boy ap
pealed to her, aud sho got down to the
real boy by a process of thorough clean
ing. After the examination sho thought
she might learn to like him, and Jack's
new life began.
Ho appreciated his home aud tho
kindness of his benefactors, and dill
gently applied himself to study, prov
ing himself capable and cflicieut. A
course at tho public school -was follow
ed by a year at Wavelaud acadomy, a
well known preparatory institution,
and that by four years at Harvard. Ho
had determined to bo a preacher, aud
after he had been graduated at Cam
bridge he was sent by Judgo Green to
England to pnrsuo his theological stud
ies. Returning to Tipton in 1S7G, the
next year he went to Alaska as a mis
sionary under tho auspices of tho Pres
byterian church, aud he has since re
mained there. His interest in the field
was not confined to his missionary la
bors, and in J881 he visited the United
States, displaying specimeLS of its gold
and silver ores and telling marvelous
stories of its natural resources. As a re
sult of his talks there was a large in
crease of the population of the territory,
capitalists and prospectors being attract
ed by his enthusiastic descripf ions. Air.
Brady contributed largely to the reports
of tho census of 1890 respecting Alaska,
and in tho Harrison administration
served as commissioner of tho territory.
New York Sun.
Crabs Causo Interstate Trouble.
The soft crab causes a good deal of
trouble at this time of the year between
tho states of Maryland and Virginia.
Ono of its peculiar tricks is to leave its
favorite lair at Crisfield in Maryland
and wander off into tho neighboring
state, tho crabbers, of course, following.
It is then that Virginia gets out her
guns' and begins to burn powder. Ro
cent dispatches report heavy firing, aud
it is all probably on account of the mi
gratory crab.
Governor O'Ferrall of Virginia is no
less an admirer and champion of the
crab than he is of Grovcr Cleveland,
and ho is said to have declared recent
ly ihat he will protect the crab which
seeks the shelter of the Old Dominion
at all hazards, even if ho has to depop
ulate Crisfield in order to do it. Thus
the soft crab may bo said to become a
hard case. Tho Baltimore American
questions whether this would bo fair.
"Wo allow the Virginians,' soys the
champion of tho Maryland crabbers, "to
come up hero and make all the money
and hold offices and lord it over us in
general, and the Virginia authorities
might at least permit us to have a few
soft shell crabs in return. Wo are be
ginning to think that Virginia is get
ting selfish over tho Bhellfish." Now
York Tribune.
JSIcctrlc Protection of Safes.
Tho latest idea for tho protection of
mouey aud valuables is to havo tho
safe which contains them secured in
side a cabinet Whero the safe is kept
in a vault the vault serves the purposes
of a cabinet In cither case an elcctrio
lining is used, consisting of strips of
metal mounted in connection with thin
metal sheets eo arranged that even a
pin thrust through tho cabinet and pen
etrating tho lining will sound the alarm.
The door of tho vault cannot bo opened,
nor can tho enrtain of tho cabinet bo
raised, "until a time lock has disconnect
ed it from the alarm system. In order
that the alarm-box may bo proof against
molestation it is made of steel and
placed within a hood lined in tho samo
way as "the cabinet .Any attempt at
tampering will cause on alarm to bo
sounded, as in the case of the cabinet.
Tho door is held closed by heavy lag
bolts, tho partial removal of -any of
which will give a warning signal.
There are several of these lag bolts, and
before the door can be opened th'ey have
all to be removed, which requires a con
eider able length of time.
OLD POSTAL USAGES.
CURIOUS PHASES OF THE MAIL SERV
ICE -Sixty years ago.
Gates on Ordinary Letters In England
were Almost JTrohibitive Adoption of
tbo Penny I'ost and tbo Queer Argu
ments Against It.
Wfien yuecn Victoria, ascendqd tho
throne, there were no telegraphs in this
country and few railways. Tho mails
were forwarded by coach, and tho post
ago rates were to all but tho well to do
prohibitive. It cost from 4d. to Is. 8d.
to send a "single" letter under an
ounce in weight from one part of tho
kingdom to another. There wero some
40 charges, varying" according to dis
tance tho average rato beiug 9d., or
half tho day's wago of a laborer. A
"single" letter meant a single piece of
paper (adhcsi.ve envelopes had not been
invented), and the addition of a second
scrap of paper made tho letter a "dou
blo" one.' The postage was paid on de
livery by tho recipient, and as no cred
it was given tho incursion of a postman
into a poor neighborhood was watched
on all sides with fear rather than hope.
Coleridge, tho poet, saw a poor wom
an declining to accept a letter on tho
score of inability to pay. Tho good
natnred bard (doubtless with some diffi
culty) found the required niuepeuce,
despite the wojnan's remonstrances.
When tho postman had gouo away, she
showed Coleridgo that tho letter was
but a blank' sheet of paper. Her brother
had arranged to send her at intervals
such a sheet, addressed in a certain
fashion, as evidence that all was well
with him, and sho as regularly, after
inspecting tho address, refused to accept
it Some humorist on one occasion sent
out largo numbers of letters, each on a
sheet as largo as a tablecloth, all of
which had to bo delivered as "single"
missives.
This system practically stifled written
intercourse among tho workiug class and
pressed with severity upon tho middlo
class, but tho rich and highly placed
entirely escaped postal taxation. The
privilege of franking covered tho corre
spondence not only of ministers, peers
and members of parliament, but of
their relatives, friouds aud acquaint
ances. While in ouo year early in the
queen's reign no less than 7,-100,000
letters were franked, a single Loudon
firm paid annually 11,000 for postage
and a writer in The Quarterly referred
flippactly to "so slight and'rare an in-
cident in a laborer's lifo. as
the receipt
of a letter." Among the
"packets"
franked was a grand piano. An
army
of clerks was employed to fix the charges
to bo collected, and the postal revenue
remained stationary between 18JJ5 aud
1835, although in the same period tho
population increased from 19,500,000 to
25000,000.
Moved by this state of things, parlia
ment in 1839 adopted Rowland Hills
proposal of uniform inland penny post
ago, which came into operation on Jan.
10, 1840. The writer possesses a copy of
Tho Quarterly Review of 1539, in which
a contributor (believed to be Groker)
fiercely denounces the scheme. "Will
clerks," he says, "write only to their
fathers and girls to their mothers? Will
not letters of romauco or love, intrigue
or mischief, increaso in at least equal
proportions? We doubt whether social
and domestic correspondence will bo
more than don bled. A gigautio exem
plification of the old proverb Penny
wise aud pound foolish," etc.
Macaulay says that tho penny post,
when first established, was the object
of violent invective, as a manifest con
trivance of the pope to enslave the souls
of Englishmen. It was described as
"sedition mado easy." The postal au
thorities, who is 1784 had opposed the
institution of mail coaches, were im
placable enemies of penny postage. The
postmaster general of 1839, Lord Lick
field, based his objections on the curi
ous ground that tho building at St. Mar-tin's-le-Grand
would not be large
enough. Tho secretary, Colonel Maber
ly, constantly repeated, "This plan we
know will fail."
As we know, it succeeded, aud tho
penny rato has been generally adopted
in Europe as well as in tho United
States. Tho number of letters rose from
80,000,000 in 1837 to 299,000,000 in
1847, aud for tho'year ending on March
31, 1897, about 1,900,000,000. Tho
postal surplus was in 1839 1,659,510
and in 1800-7 3,032,133. Tho number
of letters, which was in 1837 about 3
per head aud in 1854 15 per head, is
now 77 per head. Fortnightly Review.
Iligli Titles Without Cost.
English folk arc copying the Ameri
can custom of conferring titles upon
their children in baptism by using such
names as Lord. Earl, Baron, etc. This
will mean more to the English child
thau it has to the A'merican.
Ono parent in the midlands bestowed
on his progeny military as well as social
rank. One of his children is christened
Baron, auother Captain another Colonel
and auother Major General. Loudon
Truth has this statement from one who
knows this titled family, and they aro
to be fonud at (lip present time in tho
neighborhood of Birmingham. At this
rato every Tommy Atkins in tho next
generation may be a field marshal.
Every Time,
Master Tombs, this is an example
in subtraction. Seven boyf went down
to a poud to bathe, but two of tbem
had been told not to go in tho water.
Now, can you tell mo how many went
in?
Tombs Yes, sir. Seven. London
Tit-Rite.
Why lie Wanted tin Autograph.
Recently a young man wrote to Wil
liam Dean Howells for his autograph.
The novelist replied in a typewritten
line:
"Havo yon bought my last book?"
Tho young man answered:
".I have not I want to sell your au
tograph in order to get money enough
to buy it." -Atlanta Constitution.
Sir Christopher Wren, tho architect
of St, Paul's cathedral, London, was
buried in that majestic pile, and the
visitor is enlightened by his. epitaph,
thus, "Si monumentum quaeres, ciVr
cnm5pjce" (it you ass for his monn-
men t, look round).
'
Threo good wsishcs aro received hyan
Abyssinian duriug his career at has
birth, on his lharrk'ge mcrn and at his
death. At all other times he shuns soap
aud water.
1
A PRETTY ROMANCE.
Sho Secured & Consulship For Her Intend
ed Husband.
There were not moro than a dozen
people present at the marriage in New
York of Miss Laura DelphineKilpatrick
to Mr. Harry H. Morgan on a recent
morning, yet it marked the conclusion
of ono of tho prettiest romances of tho
ear. Miss Kilpatrick is tho youngest
daughter of tho late General Hugh Jud
Eon Kilpatrick, TJ. S. A. Mr. Harry
Hayes Morgan is the son of Judge P.
H. Morgan, late of the supremo court of
Louisiana.
General Kilpatrick was once minister
to Chile in fact, ho married in that
country and it was there his daughter
Was bom. During her father's term as
minister Miss Kilpatrick had formed a
otroug affection for everything diplo
matic. Sho became suddenly imbued
With tho idea that her sum of happiness
would, be complete if sho could only se
cure a foreign appointment which
would carry her abroad as soon as sho
was married.
Mis?; Kilpatrick spent some time in
Washington last winter. Her father
and Vico President Hobarthad been in
iimate mends. Sbe called on nim and
blushingly explained the object of her
visit, an appointment for her prospec
tive husband. Ho gallantly offered to
aid her and as tho first step introduced
her to tho president-
When the president argued that there
wero a few others who wanted foreign
appointments, sho answered gently that
there was surely none moro deserving
than sho. Whatever her ways aud her
manners, at all events she won tho day.
Tho president surrendered completely
and promised that before her wedding
was celebrated Mr. Morgan should havo
a desirable position abroad.
What seemed to tho young lover a tre
meudoosly long wait followed. Miss
Kilpatrick was just contemplating an
other trip to Washington when a jnes
sage from tho White Houso summoned
her betrothed to Washington. From tho
hands of President McKinley himself
Mr. Morgan received a- commission as
consul to Horgen, Switzerland, an ap
pointment with a salary of $2,000
year.
"This is your bride's wedding gift,"
said tho president. "I know yon will
prize it as much as you love and cherish
her."
A few days thereafter the pretty story
was carried to a charming finish in tho
private chapel m St. Patrick's cathedral
Tho following day tho couplo set sail
for Europe to fill tho diplomatic mis
sion secured by tho efforts of Miss Kil
Patrick.
j number or uandsomo cuts aro
stowed away on board tho vessel. But
of all their gifts tho ono most highly
prized is a lifo size portrait of William
McKinley, which was received from tho
president, accompanied hyan autograph
letter of congratulation. The vico presi
dent sent a check for $1,000 and a note
confessing his utter inability to select
a present to suit tho case. Chicago
Tribune.
Spider's Web Mado Into Cloth.
M. Cachot, a French chemist, recent
ly put in a claim for the reward of
5,000 which the Manufacturers' union
of England offered two years ago to the
scientist who would invent a uso for
the y.eb of the common spider. When
tho manufacturers arrived the other day
at M. Cachot's laboratory, they saw in
tho comer of tho room running from
the floor to tho ceiling a queer arrang'e-
mcnt of bobbins worked by a dynamo,
Looking farther up on tho walls, they
saw a largo number of spiders. They
had long mandibles and an immeuso
abdomen, from the rear end of which
issued tnreads. As the threads camo
from them the bobbins wound it, and
thus secured long strands of tho unbro
ken thread. For experimental purposes
a littlo of the spider web was made in
to cloth. It was found to give a fabric
very silky .to the touch and as fine as
oriental silk. It may be that the deli
cato silks of the ancients was mado
from the web of the spider, for it has
uever since been duplicated. Tho silk
robes which Gleopatra easily pulled
through an earring might havo beeu
made frcm the spider s web. New
York Journal.
A Persistent Office Sceltcr.
The most persistent office seeker seen
at the White House since the beginning
of the McKinley administration is James
Anderson McReady of Bcstou. Ho is n
funny looking littlo man about 55 years
old, with whiskers slightly tinged with
gray and weais a bell top hat with a
wide black band, black clothes, turn
down collar aud black tie. He usually
walks with his head down and takes
quick, jerky steps. Ho is a candidate for
consul general in Montreal. Despite the
fact that Representative Barrett of Bos
ton told him that ho hod no chauco
whatever of securing the place Mr. Mc
Ready still comes to tho White Houso
and refuses to believe that ho will not
be appointed. He has been in Washing
ton, according to his own statement,
two solid months and has been at the
White House twice nearly every day.
Still ho has ecpu the president only five
times. Ho arrives in the morning at
about 10 o'clock, waits around uutil
uoou -without seeing the president, then
returns again after luncheon and takes
jiis place pt the reporters' tahlo and sitg
around until late in t hp afternoon. This.
has been his practice for weeks. New
York Sun. '
Ho Wna Attached by Hnmmipg Birch.
Augustus Vanwyker of thp town of
Stillwater, Sussex coppty, N. J., went
out after his cows on a recent morning,
nnd in passing a small wood lot received
a stinging blow in the face within half
an inch of his right eyp. Blogd flowed,
and the shock aud pain nearly caused
him to faint "Auqthpr jab in tho back
of the neck cniised hini to investigate,
and ho was astonished to discover thpf
be had been attacked by two humming
birds, whose diminutive ueEfp contain
ing their young was near by.
Gin nnd the Missionary,
The latest figures for gin and mm
importatious into barbarian Africa
would lead one lo-think that tho church
was not teaching total abstinence to
the natives. In Gambia 22,3G8 gallons
.were received in a year; in Sierra Le-
pne, 242,080; in tne oia coast,
'1,302,899; in Lagos, J,8G3,G31, and in
the Niger Coast protectorate, a, buy, lob.
The countries that gupply the stuff are, !
pf course, the same countries that send t
the missionaires Greaf; Britain, lie
"United States, Germany, Franco and
Holland.
MAKES 0 BOYHOOD.
SOME EXTINCT REPTILIANS THAT
HAD MARVELOUS ATTRIBUTES.
Tho Terrible Blno Eaccr and tho Thou
sands of Victims Ho- Didn't Get The
Hoop Snake That All Knew of, bat Pew
' Ever Saw Peculiarities of Glass Snakes.
t
Tho blno racer was an ophidian cal
culated to causo the hair of tho small
boy to stand on end like tho quills cf tho
fretful porcupine. Nothing could exceed
the fiendish malignity of this snake,
whoso powers of locomotion were in
credibly swift and whose appetito for
boy was forever on edge. And it wa3
only by relioving himself of all impedi
menta, such as the bucket- containing
his small store of berries or his fishing
tackle and can of bait, that a boy was
able to avoid capture. It was tho cur
rent belief that when tho bluo racer
came up with his prey he swiftly in
folded tho unlucky wight in his deadly
coils, crushed the lifo out of him and
then devoured him at his leisure. So far
as history goes and tho mortuary records
show no boy was over cut off in .tho
bloom of his youth by a blno racer, but
disasters of this kind wero only avoided
by tho remarkable fleetueES of foot dis
played on such occasions.
His terror gavo him supernatural
strength and added wings to his feet,
and tho bluo racer was incontinently
left in tho shade. Tho bluo racer, ac
cording to a cloud of youthful witnesses
who have testified thereto, was a snako
ranging from 11 to 16 feet long, theav
erago length being about 15 feet Its
aspect was threatening in tho extreme,
and its eyes gleamed with a balefnl and
hungry light As it reared its ugly head
four or five feet abovo tho surface in
search of tho trembling youngsters his
underside was seen to bo of a bright bluo
color, and from this fact and his swift
movements ho received his apt and dis-
tmgnisniug name. Blno racers are as
scarce as hens' teeth now.
But tho most deadly, tho most grow
some and tho most nppajliug suako
known to boyhood was tho fearful
hoop snake, now happily extinct.
This scourgo of tho forest was the bete
noire of tho urchin, who was continual
ly in mortal terror of encountering it as
he wandered through the pleasant woods
or angled in tho waters of his favorite
stream. Tho hoop snako roamed tho
darksomo shades of tho forest like an
avenging Nemesis, and, like tho bluo
racer, was always on tho lookout for
boys. Tho hoop snake differed uniquely
from all other ophidia. When in mo
tion, it was tho habit of this snako to
insert tho end of its tail in its mouth,
aud, bending its body into a perfect cir
cle, it would roll silently and with in
credible swiftness through the woods.
Tho tail terminated in a horny spike,
harder than steel, in which was conceal
ed a sting of tho most venomous de
scription, and woe betide tho object'
that camo within striking distance of
this fearful weapon. The vims in tho
tail was far moro toxic than tho venom
of tbo rattlesnake or tho tooth of the
copperhead and was synonymous with
instant death.
Fortunately no . boy was ever- stung
by ouo of thesu snakes. His caution, his
prudence and proverbial good luck al
ways enabled him to circumvent the
machinations of tho enemy, but it re
quired ceaseless vigilance on his part
Indeed, but few Loys ever saw one of
these reptiles, although wo were well
aware of their existence. But at rare
intervals somo youth favored with ex
ceptional eyesight and a vivid imagina
tion would get a glimpse of a hoop
snake rolling its way along a distant
path.
Another curious snako that used to
interest youthful students of hcrpetol
ogy was tno gjass snaiie. as iar as
its habits wero known, tho glass snake
seemed to exist for tho solo pnrposo o
affording fun for the boys, who, when
tney encountered ouo of them, hit it
across tho back with a stick, whereup
on his suakeship broke into a thousaui
pieces, more or less, according to the
mathematical proficiency of the boy,
and his brittle anatomy flew in all di
rections. Yet this singular proceeding,
whilo it interested tho youthful experi
menters greatly, never discommoded
tno snaKO, or only teniporarily.-lor as
soon as left to itself tho parts all united
and tho snako was wholo as before.
This invariably happened, but although
boys havo watched for hours to see tho
mysterious process tno reptile never
"got together" until they had departed,
L-tiass BuaKcstirc not ucarn so common
now, nor aro tney so brittle as tney
used to be.
One fact in serpent history, however,
remains the same in spite of the dicta of
scientists, as any hoy of today can tel,
Tho tail of a snako will wiggle after it
is killed until tho sun gees down, Thero
isu t a boy in tho whqlo eoantry but
knows this to be a rock ribbed fact in
natural history. Learned men tell us
that this notion, ns they please to call
it, is a relic cf a far distant time when
our ancestors worshiped the sun, which
at 0110 timo-was depicted with serpent
attributes. Chicago Tribune.
Tho Telescope of tho Fntnre.
Tho lato Alvan G. Clark, in an ad
dress delivered before the congress of
astronomy aud astrophysics sometime
ago, indicated h?s belief that the tele
scope of tho future will be much more
powerful than tho present instrument.
Ho taid, -'The horizon of science has
been greatly broadened within tho last
fpw years, hut pnfc 011 tho borderland I
sea the glimmer of new lights, which
$yait for their interpretation, and the
great telescopes of the future must be
4heir interpreters. "
Tho Sensible CJuestjnn.
"Jove, that was terrihlc man fell
overboard in niidocpan the other day
and never was seen again!" said Hicks.
"Prawned?" asked Mrs. Hicks. .
"Oh, up, of ponrso not; sprained his
pnklo probably, " said Hicks. Harlem
Life, "
A Topular Titled 3Iaynr,
Duke of Norfolk is likely to bo
of Sheffield for the third time.
Tho
mayor
"ills grace. says a
"likes the wcik, and
the people like
him. He is one of the best men of busi
ness Sheffield has ever had as mayor.
The complete absence of 'side,' the
natural and unaffected manner and tho
enthusiasm which aro elmrnfiteristir? nf
his grace havo made him a very creat
favorite with nlf'plaejrps nnd will rp.ioh
scmp pf pur wplj to do citizens a valua
ble lesson m gooo: manners.?-' New
York Suq..
N ANCIENT MEXICAN CITY.
A Curioos Legend Some Relics of Emperor
Maximilian.
Queretaro was a town before tho
Spanish conquest and was mado a city
in 1655. A legend of Queretaro is that
an Otomito chief, Fernando do Tapia
by name, undertook to convert tho city
to Christianity in a way that seems
novel to us, but was common enough to
his day. Ho came from Tula with a
challenged tho people of Queretaro to
a fair stand up fight If he won, tho
peoplo surviving were to bo baptized.
Tho challenge was accepted, but whilo
the fight was in progress a dark cloud
came up and tho blessed Santiago was
seen in tho heavens with a fiery cross,
whereupon the people of Queretaro gavo
up and wero baptized. They set up a
stouo cross to commemorate tho event
on the site of the present church of
Santa Cruz. There is scarcely a church
in Mexico which has not a legend of
this kind attached to it Tho town is
identified with the history of Mexico.
Here the treaty of peace between the
United States and Mexico was ratified
in 1848, and here Maximilian mado his
last stand in 1867, was obliged to sur
render and was shot Everybody is in
terested in Maximilian mainly on ac
count of poor Carlotta. Maximilian was
executed on the Cerro do las Campanas
and with him Generals Miramiu and
Media. Tho place is marked by threo
littlo crosses of stone. Tho two gen
erals wero killed at the first volley, but
Maximilian, who had requested that he
bo shot through tho body that his
inpther might look upon his face, was
only wonuded, and a second firing was
required to kill him.
Tho emperor had been led to believe
that Carlotta was dead. Sho became iu
sano from grief and was kept in an asy
lum for mauy years, but sho still lives
and still mourns for her dead husband
and tho los3 of her throne. The United
States government protested against tho
execution of Maximilian, but in vain,
Juarez refusing to sparo him.
There aro all kinds of relics of Maxi
milian in Mexico tho Yturbide thea
ter, where he was tried and condemned,
tho table on which the death warrant
was signed, tho wooden stools on which
the prisoners sat during tho trial aud
the coffin of Maximilian, whose remains
wero subsequently sent to Austria and
buried at Miramar. I confess I do not
share in any sentiment of pity for Max
imilian, who was an adventurer with
out a shadow of right in Mexico and
took the chances of war. IIo was, it is
truo, a victim of Napoleon and of his
own ambition and was very scurvily
treated by these who had induced him
to set up his throne in Mexico, but to
have released him would have been ta
establish a claimant for the Mexican
throne. It was better that this man
should die- than that thonsauds should
bo sacrificed in the wars he would snre
ly havo fomented if he had been allowed
to live. Philadelphia Ledger
WAGES IN CHINA.
In Spita of Tboir Lorcncss tho Celestials
Wax Fat.
How a Chinese workman manages to
support his family and remain sleek aud
fat on tho wages "ho receives is an ever
lasting mystery to tho European and
Americau. Tho Chinese aro a peoplo of
marvelous economy. They will support
a family, furnishing food, clothes, shel
ter, from a small garden which they
call a farm, bnt which in America
would not moro than furnish an Amer
ican family with early vegetables.
In cities tho laboring men receive tho
merest pittance. In Canton, whero la
borers aro better paid thau in other parts
of China, skilled workmen livo on these
wages: Shoemaker, $4 per mouth;
blacksmith, 5 per month; lino ivory
carver, 12 per mouth; tailor, .$5 per
month; fine embroiderer, 4 per month; '
designer, 0 per month; silversmith, 8
per mouth.
TheChiucso aro superstitious, and
tho workmen support, in addition to
their temples and pagodas and priests,
which receive moro in proportion than
the churches of Europo and America,
idol makers, geomancers, fortuuo tell
ers, physiognomists, soothsayers, astrol
ogers and interpreters of dreams, who
exist by thousands and coin all tho mon
ey they waut. Another thing which
makes money for a certain class is tho
Chineso custom of burning great quan
tities of "spirit money," imitation
coins, which aro supposed to bo legal
tender for dead relatives. Ono city
alone employs 100,000 peoplo in making
this cash for ghosts.
.Peculiar superstitions embarrass tho
workman. For instance, carpenters and
builders have to exercise great care in
selecting a ridgepole for a houso. It
must havo neither cracks nor knots, aud
jn it a small hblo must bo made and
filled with gold leaf and tho wholo
beam painted red. This insures good
luck for tho owner of tljp house.
Tho tea trade employs thousands of
persons. The laborers receive from $'2
to $10 per mcfuth, according tc their
grade of work. Chicago News.
Fishy.
A man who resides on the cast side
relates an iucidont which may he true,
but it sounds fishy.
His boy caught a largo sucker a cou
plo of years ago, and sinco that timo ho
has been experimenting with his fiuny
pet somewhat. Tbo fish has been kept
put of tho water so much that it gradu
ally becamo accustomed to it, and fre
quently flopped out of the water itself
and followed the boy around. Finally
tho boy placed it in a pen and gradual
ly reduced its bathing periods until it
became acclimatized, abandoning en
tirely its native clement. It would fol
low the boy around like a dog, and ouo
day ho started over to twu across the
swinging bridge with tho pet fish flop
ping along after him. But alas for boy
ish hopesl Tho fish mado a slight mis-
puo and flopped overboard into tho creek
and drowned before tho boy could res-
pno him. Punxsutawncy Spirit.
Unring the fiscal year ended on ,Iun8
30 there were built in the United States
and officially numbered 721) vessels of
77,G43 gross tons, compared with 70U
vessels of 203,977 tons in the previous
year. Tno decreaso is almost wnolly m
wooden tonnage, which for 1897
amounts to 04,940 tons, compared with
94,715 tons for J89G. Of the total con
struction, 347 vessels of 113,0Go tons
wero steam vessels, compared with 322
of 134,947 tons for tho previous year. I
ISteel steamers built 011 the ereat lakes
numbered 15, of 55,806 tons, compared
with 24, of 50,020 tons, in tho previous
year.
i
"When a
boat goes
over Niag
ara Jballs,
it is lost
long before it
reaches the
edge of the
The danger begins
i river far above,
disease besrins to
iweep any one alpng on
ts current, the danger has
ilready begun.
If you are losing healthy
Iesh and getting below
our best condition it is
ime to get back atrain
-without delay. The best
strength-builder for people
who are " runnine-down "
is Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery.
It enables the digestive and assimilative
forces to make fresh, red healthy blood
which rapidly creates new tissue; no
flabby fat but solid, muscular flesh, nerve
force, and vital energy.
" I was a complete wreck ; appetite Rone, nerv
ous system impaired; could not sleep, and was so
weak that I could not stand on my feet ten min
utes." writes Miss Ella Bartley. of No. 213
South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio: ' I only
weighed 95H pounds when I commenced taking
Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery. After!
had taken a half bottle I began to improve-; I
could sleep soundly the whole night, and would
awaken with an appetite for breakfast, which
was a rare thing as I never had for two years
back eaten a hearty breakfast. I now have an
excellent appetite, and my friends say they never
saw me looking better or in better spirits since
they knew me. I tell them it is all due to Dr.
Pierce's Discovery, and I am so thankful and
grateful that I never tire of praising his medi
cine every opportunity I get. I had about given
up tn despair, and nobody knows what those
word? imply, but those who have suffered like
I did for two long years. I was convinced that
your medicine would help me, and I am here in
person, a living testimonial of its merits."
For constipation, Dr. Pierce's Pleasant
Pellets are a simple yet sure remedy, mild
but thorough in their effect, and a perma
nent cure. No ordinary Pills are so perfect
and scientific. By all druggists.
U. P. TIME TABLE,
GOING EAST CENTRA I TIME."
No. 2 Fast Mail 8:15 n. m.
XT t A a 1 . " TT, -. . . w
iu. i-iiuaaiic i!ixnres3....Jj.MU p. uu
No. 2S Freiht
'i.. 7:00 a.m.
going west
No. 1 Limited. .
No. 3 -Fast Mail
No.23-Froight..
No. to-Freight.
-.MOUNTAIN time.
3:55 p. m
11:20 p;m.
7:35 a. m.
1:10 p. m.
N. U. Olds. Agent.
SMOKERS
I11 search of a good cigai
will always find it at J.
F. Sclimalzried's. Try
them and judge.
D, M. HOGSETT,
Contractor and Builder,
AND AGENT FOR
IDEAL STEEL
iSffffiSSR. WINDMILLS,
4-ft, 6-ft. 8-ft, 9-ft, 10-ft, 12-ft, 14-ft
and 16-ft Wheels back geared.
IDEAL STEEL-- 10 and 12-foot
Wheels in direct stroke.and IDEAL
STEEL TOWERS.
NORTH PLATTE, NEB.
t
Yon Need
We have it have plenty of it
and can furnish you any quantity
desired. Our ice is good none
better and we make prompt de
liveries. We solicit your trade, feeling we
can please you.
KcIIdcp (S hmi
BROEKHR'S SUITS
ALWAYS FI.T.'
We have been making garmonls for
North Plalto citizens for over twelve
years, and if our work and prices wero
not satisfactory wi would not bo hofo;
to day. Wo,solicit your trade.
F. J. BROEKrBRu
MERCHANT TAILOIi.
Claude Weiipd,
DEALKK IX
Coal Oil,
Gasoline, .f.
Gas Tar,
And Crude Petroleum.
Leave orderu at office
in Eroeker's tailor shop.
Wanted A thoroughly competent
servant girl and housekeeper who will
appreciate a good home,for small family,
dwelling with modern conveniences.
Actqress with references, aud wages do-
mm ww m mint w
tif III ITHr it i 1 1 I at it I lilt I Mill till If t
Mb
a
mi
ICE.
i siretl.to Box 5G, Gothenburg Neb,
