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U FEMALE FINANCIER.;:
BY CHARLES B.. LEWIS.
4
H--r
Copyright, 1898.
Up to thu ago of 30 Miss Nancy Scott
'Itnd. simply been looked upon by poo
jplo of llniusvillo, among whom sho
find, lived for 15 years, as a vory or
dinary girl and a very homely old
maid. In fact, If a prize had been of
fered. for the most awkward and un
gainly and ugly-faced woman in the
four countries she would have dis
tanced all eompetitoru without even
.allowing her big leet. Her temper was
an bud as her looks, and if she hadn't
Juid u little house of her own and a
xinatl income to run it, shu would have
had u hard time ot it to iind a roof to
ahcJter her.
One day Miss Scott got word that she
bad been left heir to $50,000 In cash,
.and two weeks later the greenbacks
ivere counted down to her. A male relu-
tlvn whom she had never seen, and
ivlio was perhaps uglier than herself,
.had .died and left iter all his wealth.
There were people who took a second
look tit Nancy after she got her money
and found characteristics to praise, but
tbo majority couldn't see any change.
Up to that date nobody had ever hint
ed, that she was a born financier. Noth
ing bad transpired to make them think
o. She was a persistent kicker
against eggs at 11 cents per doen and
butler at 15 ccnU a pound, and it was
known that she made two pair of shoe
strings last her a year, but those things
were looked upon more in the light of
ieuouomy than iiuuucierlng.
MJss Nancy's llrst move along the
jKith of success was a venturesome one.
Every dollar of her legacy was put into
4in earthen crock and burled in the cel
lar. She didn't purpose that any bank
wreckor should get it. That she had
the money In the house soon became
common gossip, and In time the news
wan bound to reach the ears of out
siders. She lived all alone, and her
Iiouhc was a goodly distance from any
.other, and it wouldn't icqulro much
uervo on the part of a robber to pay
her a midnight visit.
One day, three months after the ar
rival of the legacy, a stranger reached
Unlnsvllle with a patent clothes-horse.
It was remarked, that he was neither a
pusher nor a talker, but among the few
houses he called at was Miss Nancy
ficott's. An old maid lias clothes to
'.hang on a clothes-horse, as well as any
one, and when Nancy had beaten the
price down from a dollar and a half to
.seventy cents she invested. The patent
-right man did not bow himself out im
jnedlately after getting his money.
He was a rather good-looking, middle--aged
man, and he dropped a hint Chat
Jhe was a widower and looking around
ior a second wife. Nancy was not
looking for a husband, second- hand or
-smy other sort, and she was not long
in. turning him down and out. When
xicvt sho saw him it was an hour past
midnight and lie stood by her bedside
-with, enndlo in hand. It hud been an
easy matter for him to get in through
st window, and once inside without any
Jiiaim ho looked upon that crock of
greenbacks as good as his. Miss Nancy
wasn't so very much surprised; neither
did sho scream and raise a row.
"You have money burled in a crock
in tho cellar," said the robber, as ho
aw that sho was awake.
"Well?" sho queried.
"Well, old gul, I'm after it. Sorry to
trouble you, but I must muke things
. safe."
In coming through tho back yard he
I lmd cut off a piece of the clothes-line,
. and ho now proceeded to tie her wrists
together and then make them fust to
the bed-post. During tho operation
.she gave him a bit of her mind, but he
was in too" much of a hurry to argue
with her. After threatening to gag
tficr if siic raised her voice he went down
-cellar to look for the treasure. He was
iiardly out of sight when Miss Nancy
began a struggle with the rope, and in
live minutes sho was loose. The aver-
.age old maid would havo run to the
nearest housu and raised an alarm.
This old maid took time to dress as
.she' liought It over, and her first move
was to open a window opposite the
open cellar door. This caused a draught
which blew out the robber s caudle us
Jie went searching about, and when
Jus eamo blundering up tho dark stairs
to relight it he received such a blow
-on tho head from a stick of firewood
that he wont backwards to tho ground
.3iad was tied head and heels when he
.recovered himself.
Just what conversation passed be
tween tho two Misu Nancy never would
vtell, but that it was vigorous and acrid
.and full of exclamation points "no one
.doubted. Tho man who hud comu to
..rob her had a watch, n pin, and about
$200 in cash. This wealth changed
.hands beforo ho left the cellar and he
never reappeared at tho hotel to claim
the four dozen clothes-horses he hud
. on atorago there. It wasn't a bud
speculation for tho old maid. No ilium
cier could havo done better, and some
would have done worse.
Six months later a fellow-townsman
organized a stock company to create
and conduct a water-power. After a
dozen pcoplo had declared it a good
thing and put in monoy, Miss Nancy
invested $5,000. A few weeks after In
carnating' things began to look u little
suspicious, and one evening she started
out to call upon the president of the
company. She encountered him on a
buck street of tho town as ho was mak
ing his way to tho depot, satchel in
hand. Sho wanted to talk, but ho was
in a hurry. Sho wanted her money,
but his hurry increased. Miss Nancy
wasn't ono of the sort to let go. When
tho man announced that he was on his
way to Chicago to buy machinery sho
announced that she would go along.
Sho walked besido him to tho depot,
and, finding her obstinato and deter
mined, lie readied down into his satch
el and gave her back her money. That
was not enough. She wanted $1200 more
for interest and trouble, and after a
brief argument sho got It. The man
got away with $15,000 of other people's
money, but Miss Nancy was ahead of
the game.
Then a "boomer" came to tho village.
le had recommendations from no end
of corporations, national banks and in
dividuals, and his schemes were many
and gigantic. Four or five new rail
roads, seven or eight factories, and
car-shops employing 0,000 men were
umong tho "booms." Among the prop
erties to bo turned into the syndieuto
at 100 cents on the dollar, and resold
at about 1,000 per cent, profit, was the
half acre of ground owned by Miss
Nancy. Sho also advanced $2,000 In
cash. While tho whole town was shout
ing and getting ready for a tidal wave
of prosperity Miss Nancy received a
hint which set her to investigating.
One evening a week later sho made a
call on the highly recommended boom
er. He was in his room at the village
hotel, answering letters, signing deeds
and counting up cash. He granted the
old maid a live-minute Interview. It
was nearer an hour before sho came
out. She had the documents to prove
that ho was a swindler and dead-beat,
and after trying in vain to bluff her
down or stave her off he returned the
deed of her property, which hnd not
yet been recorded, counted her out her
$2,000 in cash, and it was generally be
lieved that sho received a bonus of sev
eral hundred dollars. MIrs Nancy
wasn't financiering for the public, but
only for herself. Therefore, sho went
her way and said nothing, while the
public of Rninsvillc were "done" out of
a cool $50,000.
The boom had hardly collapsed when
the old maid had another adventure
with robbers. Knrly one evening there
came a rap nt the door, and three men
pushed their way In when the door was
opened. The woman was found and
gagged, and for live long hours the
men dug up the soil in the cellar and
hunted over the house for the money.
They found several crocks, but no
crock with $50,000 In It. They indulged
in threats of torture and death, but
Miss Nancy was firm. Even when
they blistered the soles of her feet
with a lighted candle she hud nothing
to tell. The robbers were in disguise,
but in roaming about one of them
dropped a letter from his pocket which
was found in a dirt-heap down cellar
two days later. In about a week the
victim nppcared at a farmhouse ten
miles away, and by means cf the let
ter convinced tho farmer that a son of
his was ono of the robbers. There was
some financiering, but It didn't include
the general public. Miss Nancy wanted
pay for her blistered soles and her
sleepless night, and tho farm changed
owners before the matter was settled.
It wus valued nt $3,000.
There were several other incidents to
prove that Miss Nancy Scott was born
to get ahead in the world, but there
wus ono in particular which went to
settlo any last lingering doubt in the
minds of her friends or enemies. Coal
was discovered in the hills nenr the
village. It wus no boom no swindle
but a sure thing, with the lending cap
italists of the county behind it. Miss
Nancy didn't Invest until several wid
ows had given up their mites and coal
hnd been found by the car-loud. Sho
might not havo invested then but for
the minister of her church, who cnlled
to say:
"Sister Scott, 1 am so certain that
the coal mine io u good thing that I
have invested all my savings in it."
Sho then tool: $5,000 worth of stock
and felt easier in her mind for a mouth.
One day sho got news that the deposit
hnd petered out, and that the whole
thing was on the order of a swindle.
Nobody knew where Miss Nancy got
tho old shotgun which she carried on
her shoulder as she walked up to the
mine. It had been shut down for the
day that an investigation might be
mudc, and the board of officials was
clovvn the shaft us the old maid arrived.
The men who were stationed to draw
them up wero overawed and driven
away, and when the investigation hud
been made they found a woman and n
gun awaiting them.
"I wnut my money," said Mlsu
Nancy, as the ofilcials asked what was
up.
"Hut the vein has given out," was tho
reply to her demand.
"If tho vein has, I haven't, and you
won't get out until I have my money I"
They laughed at her at first. After
a couple of hours they found she wns
very much In earnest, and they be
gun to plead and argue. They tried to
muke her believe that capital was al
woys Invested at a certain risk, and
that shu hud taken chances with the
i est of the shnre-holders. She wouldn't
look upon It In thut way, The miners
left her to fight It out on that line, and
the sat down to do it. The afternoon
passed and evening eamo on, and tho
president, secretary and treasurer wero
still at the bottom of the 20-foot shaft.
They threatened her with the law, and
she laughed at them. They coaxed and
argued, but they could not move her.
Hoping for rescue, they held out till t
noon next day. Then Miss Nancy low
ered pun and Ink to tho treasurer, who
happened to'linve'his check-book in his
pocket, and he tilled out a check for
$5,150. The odd sum was to pay her
for the hardships she had endured.
Uefore they were drawn up tho worn- '
an hud the money from the bunk, and
she was the only stockholder who got a
dollar out of it.
As to the crock of money in the cellar,
it never was there, and 40 robbers
might havo dug down 40 feet and
found only dirt. Soon uftcr the affair
of the mine Miss Nancy was tnken
very III, and when It was said she must
die she told where her money was hid
den. It was in a crock at tho foot of
an apple tree In the bnck yard, but
after she got well it was transferred to
the bank, where a portion of it, at
least, remains to this day.
QUEEN AND LORD MAYOR.
Their IlulntloiiH Are Not Now Wlutt
Tlicy Once Wen1,
The time was when the lord mayor
of Loudon went all the way from the
Guildhall to Westminster in his state
chariot, with postillions, outriders and
footmen in gorgeous liveries, to call
upon the sovereign and ask for royal ns
bcnt to his election.
The sovereign no longer awaits his
coming, nor are the lord chancellor and
the barons of the exchequer nt the foot
of the throne to present him; but on
each lord mayor's day in November the
new eh 11 magistrate of Loudon Is hi
his chariot, and his first official act is
to appear at the bur of the high court
in order to recognize the supreme nu
thority of the crown and incidentally
to Invito the judges to dinner ut the
Guildhall.
In olden days the king could not en
ter Loudon without the invitation and
sanction of the lord mayor; and nomi
nally the ancient precedent is still re
spected. When the queen mnue her
royal progress through the capital on
jubilee day, the lord mayor and the
sheriffs, In their robes and with their
liveried attendants about them, await
ed her coming at the site of Temple liar.
Sir George Fuudcl-Phillips, lord mayor,
presented his sword and mado obei
sance. The queen ueknowledgcd tho
formality by touching the sword.
The procession then passed on with
the consent of these guardians of the
ancient oily. Potent indeed is the sway
of time-honored custom in conservative
England!
The London which the queen entered
by permission of these three municipal
ofilcials is the ancient city which was
once surrounded with a wall. It is an
inner circle of a single square mile in
area, and not more than 37,000 people
sleep there at night. Outside this little
ring there is a metropolitan London
with an area of 123 miles and a popula
tion of 4,500,000. Still further outside
there is a greater Loudon with nn area
of 700 square miles and a population
of between 0,000,000 and 7,000,000.
Tint the only London thut has a chief
magistrate is the innermost circle, of
which the Guildhall is the center. This
is the ancient city where the trade
guilds wero powerful enough to govern
the English capital in the middle ages;
and they are still the nominal rulers
of the metropolis. The lord mayor in
reality represents 80 trade guilds, with
a total membership thut does not ex-
eeeu u,uuu, out, wim resources or po
litical power which have survived the
passage of reform nets and the Intro
duction of a progressive system of town
government in England.
The trade guilds have disappeared
everywhere else in England. In Lon
don they are still 'rich and powerful.
The lord mayor Is their servant. He
met the queen in her royal progress and
graciously allowed her to pass on in
state to the thanksgiving service at St.
Paul's cathedral in honor of the longest
reign. Youth's Companion.
A French ICceentrle.
Count liertrund, who recently died
at an advanced ago in Paris, wus a
very eccentric man, and to one of his
eccentricities he ascribes his long life.
Bogulorly once a year ho would leave
his home, go to a quiet hotel, betake
himself to bed and stay there for three
months. On these occasions he would
tee no ono but his servant, who brought
his meuls, and even him he forbade to
speak. Just before the Germans be
gan the tlege of Paris the count went
to bed and the servant, provingtrue to
his injunctions, said nothing of the
great events going on around him. Ono
day the bread proved so bud that the
count demanded an explanation,
whereby, of course, he learned that
Paris was encompassed by tho enemy.
Springing out of bed tho count paced
the lloor, repeating: "What should a
Bcrtrand do under such circum
stances'?" Suddenly he stopped, ex
claiming: "He should go to bed!" and
to bed he went, and stayed there until
the siege was over. St. Louis Globe
Democrat. I'roffNNlollIll SlIOCL'bN,
Young Doctor (exultantly) Well,
I've been successful with my first pa
tient. Old Doctor Of what did you relievo
him?
Young Doctor Ten dollars. N. Y.
Journal. .
RELIEF FOR CUBANS. vyuhuut hU.wl
IIunrirriM of Ton of Supplier doing from
Now York to Succor tun Destitute
Nkw Yoiik. March 4. Tho steamship
Bergen, of tho Munson line, sailing for
southern ports, will carry tho follow
ing relief supplies to bo distributed
among tho suffering Cubans through
Consuls Brice,,nt Matanzns, and Bar
ker,' ut Saua la Grande: Ono hun
dred and sixty-two cases of milk,
200 bags of rice, 125 bags of
boans, 14,000 pounds of codfish, 12,000
pounds of bacon, 400 bags of cornmcal,
25 tierces of lard, 000,000 grains of
quinine. All has been purchased by
tho Cuban Relief society on donations
received from charitable societies and
peoplo of philanthropic disposi
tion. Tho same steamer will also
carry a miscellaneous stock of goods
in tho shapo of food and clothing, tho
donations of outsldo committees, ag
gregating about 100 tons in all. Ono
of tho Mallory lino steamers bound for
Key West will carry 75 tons of miscel
laneous articles, comprising food,medi
cino and clothing.
MEXICAN WAR VOLUNTEERS.
AsKlrttnut Krcrotiiry Duvl llnndorn n l'on
slou DqclHlou CoiiGornliig a MInourl Ilut
tullon. Washington, March 4. Assistant
Secretary of the Interior Webster
Davis yesterday reserved the action of
the pension bureau in a number of
cases, among them being tho claim of
Jonathan W. Barber, lato privato com
pany li, Powell's battalion, Missouri
mounted volunteers, Mexican war. In
this enso tho assistant secretary holds:
Tho provisions of tho net of congress of Jan
uary 5, 1803, providing un Increase) of tho rnto
of pension granted on account of scrvico in tho
Mexican war to survivors of Powell's battalion
of Missouri mounted volunteers, Mexican war.
who aro pensioned under tho provisions of tho
net of March 3, 1891, for services during tho war
with Mexico, nnd such surviving mombors of
said organization aro entitled to rccclvo tho in
creased rate of pensions provided by said act of
January 5, 1803, under tho samo conditions,
lhnltatlqns and regulations as other Mexican
war survivors who aro pensioned under the
provisions of tho act of January 0, 1837,
A I'reuclier Loci tho Mob.
Evansvili.k, Ind., March 4. James
N. Pace, a Baptist minister, who was
robbed of a poeketbook on the steamer
John S. Ilopkln, at Cave-in-Itock, III.,
led a mob against the boat when it ar
rived at that place Wednesday night.
Tho mob declared their intention of
hanging all the roustabouts. John
Adkins, an Evansville negro, after be
ing shot several times, leaped into tho
river and was drowned.
Wiintft to Die nt Ills Old Homo.
St. Louis, March 4. John Abner, CO
years old, who has traveled on foot all
the way from Salina, Kan., applied
yesterday for assistance. The old man
is dying of consumption. Tie says ho
prays that his life will be prolonged
sufficiently so that ho may reach Dan
ville, 111., and die in a place surrounded
by friends of his beloved days.
Fiititlltlen Follow tho Collnpao of n Kiln.
Tkxakkana, Ark., March 4. About
four o'clock yesterday afternoon a
largo steam dry kiln at the Central
coal and coke sawmill tumbled in,
seriously wounding a number of work
men, two of whom will die. Others
are believed to have been killed out
right. The east wall of tho kiln
tumbled in nnd crushed the contents,
making a complete wreck.
Tried to lry Off tho Lid,
Duiiois, Pa., March 4. Six men were
badly burned, one perhaps fatally, by
the explosion of a keg of powder in a
London mine yesterday. One of tho
men attempted to pry off the lid of tho
keg with a pick, when a spark fell
from tho tool into the powder and ig
nited it. All tho men wero in tho
room at the time.
IIorHoloHH Vehicle I'opuliir.
Nkw YoitK, March 4. Horseless car
riages havo been a success in New
York. Though only a year has passed
since the first cab came here, the man
agers have made arrangements to in
crease the number of their carriages
by 100. This will put New York in
the front rank of cities that use horse
less carriages.
Will Comnmnd Uncle Knm'rt Nuvy.
Washington, March 4. Commodore
Frederick V. McNnir will in a few
days succeed to tho command of tho
North Atlantic squadron. This posi
tion will muke him the actual com
mundor of the United States navy and
ho will bo the chief naval crenius on
which tho nation will rely in case of
need.
A l'ritotlriil ..Toko Kudu Fntnlly.
Paius, 111., MArch 4. A mock trial
was held in Fitzpat rick's saloon and
Ed Newsom, a negro, was sentenced
to bo shot. One of tho jokers there
upon fired fivo blank cartridges at tho
negro. Ho ran from tho house, re
turning in a few moments with a re
volver and mortally wounded tho bur
teuder, William Van Gordon.
Itlot nt n I'ruyor Meeting.
Fout WAVNft, Ind., March 4. A riot
occurred at a prayer meeting at Shir
ley City, 15 miles east of here. Bor
nard Harris, janitor of tho church, was
beaten Into Insensibility and Rev. Mr.
Singer rushed in to suvo his life. The
mob turned on tho clorgyman and ho
was knocked down.
McKlsHnu for Socrotury or State.
Coi.umuus, O., March 4. It is said
that at a conference of several of Sen
ator Fornker's friends held Inst night,
it was decided to present Mayor Mc
Klsson, of Cleveland, recent fusion
candidate for senator agnlnst Mr.
Ilunna, us a candidate for (secretary ol
btatc.
To 'l'lione Coining: to Aluotui ov tthe
Klondike Uold Flcldn.
One thing should be impressed upon
every miner, prospector or trader com
ing to Alaska, to the Klondike, or the
Yukon country, and that is tho neces
sity for providing nn adequate and
proper food supply. Whether procured
in the States, in the Dominion, or at
the supply stores here or further on,
this must be his primary concern.
Upon the manner in which the miner
has observed or neglected this precau
tion more than upon any other ono
thing will his successor failure depend.
These supplies must be healthful and
should be concentrated, but tho most
careful attention in the selection of
foods that will keep unimpaired in
definitely under all the conditions
which they will have to encounter Is
imperative. For instance, as bread
raised with baking powder must be re
lied upon for the chief part of every
meal, Imagine the helplessness of a
miner with n can of spoiled baking
powder, iluy only the very best Hour;
it is the cheapest in the end. Experi
ence has shown the Boyal iiaking Pow
der to be the most reliable and tho
trading companies now uniformly sup
ply this brand, as others will not keep
in this climate. He sure that the bacon
it sweet, sound and thoroughly cured.
These are the absolute necessities upon
which' all must place a chief reliance,
nnd can under no circumstances bo
neglected. They may, of course, bo
supplemented by as many comforts or
delicacies as the prospector mny be able
to pack or desire to nay for. Alaska
Mining Journal.
A book of receipts for nil kinds of
cookery, which Is specially valuable for
uso upon the truil or in the camp, is
published by the Jtoyul linking Powder
Company, of New York. The receipts
nrc thoroughly practical, and the meth
ods are carefully explained, so that
the inexperienced " may, with its aid,
readily piepare everything requisite
for a good, wholesome meal, or even
dainties if he has the necessary ma
terials. The matter is in compact
though durable form, the whole book
weighing but two ounces. Under a
special arrangement, this boolc will bo
sent free to miners or others who may
desire it. We would recommend that
every one going to the Klondike pro
cure n copy. Address the Uoyal Jinking
Powder Co., New York.
A PRETTY INCIDENT.
The KIiuIiichh of n Siumlxli l.uiLy to a
Lone Soldier Hoy.
A recent traveler in Spain describes
a touching scene witnessed at the depar
ture of a regiment for Cuba. All day
long there had been heard the meas
ured tread of soldiers marching through
the street; all day long gayly bedecked
boats had been passing to and from the
vessel that was to take them to Havana.
The twilight began to deepen when the
correspondent saw a "startling and
pretty sight" the impetuous action of
a portly, good-looking and well-dressed
lady, who noticed a young soldier walk
ing dejectedly along down the pier in
his traveling gray, with a knapsack
strapped over his shoulders. All the
rest of the men hnd friends, their
novins, mothers, relatives, and made
the usual gallant effort to look elated
and full of hope. This lad had no one,
und it might be divined that he was car
rying a desolate heart over thu seas.
The handsome woman burst from her
group of friends, took the boy's hand,
and said: "My son has already gone to
Cuba. He is in the regiment of Andalu
sia, and sailed two months ago. You
may meet him, Pepe G.; take this kiss
to him." She leaned and kissed his
cheek."
An English boj' would have Bhown
nwkwarness, but these graceful
bouthcrners are never at a loss for n
pretty gesture and a prettier word.
The boy blushed with pleasure, und still
holding tho lady's hand, snid with quite
natural gallantry, without smirk or
silly smile: "And may I not take ono
for myself as well, senora?" The Indy
reddened, laughed a little nervously,
and bent and kissed him again to the
frantic applause of soldiers and civil
ians, while the boy walked on, braced
and happy. Blackwood's Magazine.
He Hnd FIiiiik Up.
The superior court wns in session and
the little mountain town was crowded
with people. Along about the middle
of the day when the judge wns worried
with a tedious trinl, Bill Williams, of
the Lick Creek settlement, began gal
loping up nnd down the streets on his
little red mule, firing off his pistol,
whooping like a Sioux, and otherwise
dispensing the energy which a liberal
supply of corn liquor hnd Inspired.
"Mr. UniliiT," commanded the judge,
sternly, "go out nnd arrest that man
and bring him into court."
The bailiff went timidly out of the
courtroom and the judge attempted to
proceed with business. But Williams'
ruckct outside did not cense. It grew
worse and the judge looked over the
room for some one else to Bend out, and
observed the bnilill' sitting complacent
ly on one of the back sents.
I "Look here, Mr. Bailiff, why did you
mot arrest that disorderly man? Are
you not an officer of the court?"
"Y-y-es," replied the bailiff, quaking
with fear, "I wuz, but I've done Hung
l up." Atlanta Journal.
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