j s
CIIAPTKK XXIII.
"How many shall we be? Miss Smythe
and Mr. Tauuison make two, six O'Hrien
and Dr. Werner make nine, four gentle
men and five ladies, without us three; that
makes twelve. We must find two more
gentlemen. Four young ladies and two
young men. won't do."
The sjieaker was Mrs. Denbigh.
"No. we should get into a 'iuorl' with
the O'Brien girls," said Nora, laughing.
"But whom shall we ask?"
"I suppose Kummel."
"And the Gyiuuaisallebror." suggested
Elizabeth.
"No. he'd invoke the goddess sage aud
holy, divinest melancbo ly."
"1 wish, Nora, you had never heard of
Milton."' exclaimed the blue-stocking, in
dignantly. "I've an idea," cried Tom.
"What?"
"Invite Meyer's uncle, the Von."
"Tom, you're a wise boy, and a treas
nre in the way ui a cousin, but, unfortu
nately, we don't know the Von," replied
Nora.
"Doesn't matter. He said the other day
he'd like awfully to know you, and 1
told him I'd get him invited."
"Viveiit les cousins: Mother, we'll in
vite him. With a Von in uniform for her
neighbor, 'Shorlot' will titter her little
soul out; and as for 'Morgoret,' she and
Kummel will get on first rate. Mr.
O'Brien and Miss Smythe will make a
neat couple, aud Tom Thomson and Mrs.
O'Hrien form a pretty contrast. Now all
the ladies are provided with gentlemen,
except you, mother. Whom could we in
vite to meet you I really don't know, un
less, of course, we could induce Meyer
himself to f.ivor us with his company."
It was not until the luughter at this
nonsense had subsided that the invitations
were really written and gent.
Tf.f. .(( china was then looked out,
a trjly hiir;co,uiu set of mutilated but
peerlessly fine porcelain, as purchased by
Mrs. Denbigh on her various exieditiolis
to the "Alte Market."
V-'.: it would half the women of Eng
land do. were it not for the existence of
that dissyllable "fancy V With it. and
its twin sister, "You don't mean it!" even
the least eloquent of Albion's daughters
are never rcsonrceless. Well, it tries a
man's ii;it:eneo when he is stating las
honest opinion, to be interrupted every
mini! re uirli the intimation thai he doesn't
mean it. Hut: "fancy!" "fancy!" is really
such a very harmless exclamation, that
I am sure half my readers will sympa
thize witli Miss O'Brien in what I am gi
ing to relate. It was at the Denbigh.'
tea party. Mr. K in mel had Ik-cu con
versing with Margaret on some apparent
ly commonplace topic, when, for aUmt the
tenth time, she leaned i : viird. and with
that nir of Ice.nhless interest common to
a certain typo of young lady, uttered the
dis liable "Fancy!"
Now, German are of an inquiring bent
of mind. Germans also drink their tea
out of their spool's. Herr ICimmie'., in the
very act of raising a spoonful of ten to
his lips, with little fimrer gracefully ex
tended, stopped midway:
"Kindly, miss, do say nie what you
mean by 'fancy?' "
If Meyer's uncle, the "Kadett," the
"Von." had at the same moment turned
to Margaret's sister, the irrepressible
"Shorlot." and had asked her, with the
game politely soleniu air: "Kindly, miss,
do say me what yon mean by tittering."
that young lady could not have looked
more nonplussed than did Miss Margaret.
Happily, Herr Hummel' attention was
at that moment diverted by the voice of
Nora:
. ' Is your tea right, Gerry?"
"I'd like some more milk, please. Mis
Denbigh."
"Cream, Gerry."
(The admonition, in a whisper, was ac
companied by a sigh, heavel from the
depths of the maternal bosom.)
"Well, if ye've got any cream. Miss
Denbigh, I'd like that"
Gerry was bent on obeying.
Mr. O'Hrien smiled. Mrs. O'Brien
groaned. Nobody spoke.
"Won't you have some more cake, Ger-
ry, dear?" asked Nora.
"Yea, thank you, Miss Denbigh if I
may sit nnder the table to eat it" A
wise child was Gerry to make that con
dition, and a happy man would Tom
Thomson have been could he have crept
under the table with his tea, his cake and
hi shyness, like little Miss O'Brien.
Meanwhile were his eyes not deceiving
bim? Decidedly the cloud had broken; it
va raining.
Here was a theme for conversation.
With a smile playing about bis lips the
nervous Scotchman turned to the Irish
lady.
"That anminous cloud hna broken; it is
raining."
The matron started, it must be admit
ted not without all reason. Tom Thomson
was always a startling apparition, and
a he now raised his grent eyes and fixed
them on the blooming face of the Irish
lady. Informing her in a cheerful tone that
the autuinons cloud had broken, and it
was raining, Mrs. O'Hrien was not alto
gether to blame In concluding him to be,
M abe afterward declared, "out of his
alasea." It is an ill wind that blows no
mtj any good, but it ia also a rare wind
Hurt blow nolxii'y any ill, and the cloud
that bursting afforded Mr. Thomson a
theme of conversation, con Id be anything
bat welcome to a lady clad in light sum
mer apparel, and tbia jnat when the "por
tjr,M aa abe whispered In an agonized tone
ta Mr. O'Brien, waa drawing to a close.
React the anresponalve manner In
whieh ah received the commnnlcatlon
aft with a unite by her neighbor, Cale
: feari aa4 Kria had (ailed to anderitand
Kfc other.
, nionfret, 4arliar aad Mr. O'Brien
e ast la ft dlraeflM of her eldest
n ".Xi hat that yooof lady waa lUU-a-
ing to a glowing speech on Englishmen by
.Mr. Kummel, whose enthusiasm for the
tiation dated since his making the ac
quaintance of what he called her "charm
ing she-friends." Miss iH-ubigb thy which
he meant Elizabeth) aud Mis "Mary,"
as he called Nora evidently under the
delusion that she was the younger sister,
and that "Mary" was a safe name to give
her.
Meanwhile Mr. OT.ricn, senior, and
Miss Smythe were exchanging their view
on Germany, and, ueither of them know
ing the least thing alsjut the country, its
customs or its literature, they found
their views agreed iii the most striking
manner; Miss Smythe abusing the coun
try aud its customs in the strongest
terms; Mr. O'Hrien doing the saive, and
pooh-poohing the literature into the liar
gain, starting from a poet whom he call
ed "Gaity," and whose masterwork he
stigmatized us an "incomprehensible rig
marole, written moreover in the most
abominable English!"
And pray. I hear somebody ask, what
were the Misses Denbigh doing all this
time? Were they as siient as the Scotch
man, or is something being reserved for
a "bonne bonche?"
Elizabeth Denbigh, the strong minded,
the man hater, had "made an acquaint
ance that closely affected her heart."
CHAPTER XXIV.
"Mother, what would you say to a son-in-law?"
"What, dear? You don't mean to say
Nora has engaged herself. Hush, here
she comes."
And Mrs. Denbigh left the room, her
fiusrer on her lip.
"Well!" said Elizabeth.
"Weil!" said an echoing voice.
"Is that you, Tom?"
"That's me," answered the grammar
ian: ,
"Tom, dear "
"What do you want, that you're dear
ins me?.
"Come, Tom, for once don't be an imp.
Tell me, what would you say to a mar
riage in the family?"
"A marriage in the family?" Tom's
face grew pensive. "So Nora's going to
marry?"
Nora! nothing but Nora! Here was
Nora herself; could she be made to un
derstand'? "Nora, dear."
"Well. Bet?"
"Tni engaged" (impressively).
"Dear me!" (sarcastically). "Nobody
wanted you, I'm sure."
This was the last straw tl.Ut broke the
camel's back.
Elizabeth laughed till the whole room
shook.
"Hm! yon don't seem so occupied after
all." remarked Nora dryly, unable to for
get the pouiMiis manner in which her
sister had announced that she was "e:i
gaired." The misunderstood maiden jumped up.
"There's nothing for it but to hold a
meeting. Stay here, Nora, while I call
the mother and Tom."
The summoned ones appeared, and nev
er did orator more stun his audience.
"Family, I'm going to confess. I mean
Harry O'Hrien proposed to me yester
day and and I accepted him. I hope,
family, you've no objection."
Having delivered herself of this sjieech,
Elizabeth rushed out of the room.
Now, certain it is. strong emotion was
written on the faces of Mrs. Denbigh,
Miss Denbigh and Mr. Tom Denbigh.
Yet not an Ah! Alas! Oh! Hurrah! Huzza!
Ha! Hush! or Hark! escaed them; so
untrue it is that "strong emotion" ever
finds vent in words. It was not until a
full minute after the exit of the speaker
that Mrs. and Miss Denbigh, having had
time to grow calm, simultaneously pass
ed their bands ac oss their foreheads,
and, simultaneously, delivered themselves
of the one word "Wonderful!"
" "Stremely," said a small voice; then,
putting his hands in his pockets, Tom
left the room, adding only, while a look
of ineffable contempt spread over bis
face:
"She did it to lie 'centric."
"But, Betty, how did it begin?"
"It didn't begin at all."
"Don't talk nonsense. Bet."
"I tell you again it didn't beein at all,
in the way you mean. Harry says it be
gan at the railway station."
"When you gave h::;i that freezing wel
come?" ,
"Yes; he declare that settled him."
"Odd."
"Very odd. I told him I thought so
too. Well, he never spoke two words
with me alone since then, until last night.
He was going away, and you were all
surrounding Mr. Thomson or somebody,
and we got to stand apart, omehow."
"There are always 'somehow' in love
affairs somehow."
"What do you say. Nora?" .
"Nothing; go on. Bet"
"Well, we got to stand npnrt, and then
he told me that he was in love with me.
and I well, I knew that"
"You knew that?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Inspiration, I suppose" (quietly).
"Bet, you're splendid; go ou."
"Then he proposed."
"And yon?"
"Declined."
"And her
"He said be waa quite'satisfied."
"Odd!"
"Very odd. I thought ao too, family."
"'Strorrlinary!" The speaker was Tom,
who all thi time bad stood . with his
banda behind his back, looking at the
"'centric" damsel. " 'Strordinary!" he
repeated.
"Well, family, I anppose you guess al
ready the romance didn't end there. He
repeated that be waa finite satisfied; that
iht h- l aief imagined I would 4 ye
when he asked me. But I might think
over it and change Biy mind, am) then,
with a prophetic outburst "Liebetb.. I
know I know you'll listen to me some
tinier if the muun had not bounced out
from under a cloud in the same moment,
it would never have been, 1 fcnuw, fam
ily. Hut out it tlew aud lit up the scene,
as they say in novel, and there he stood,
h-ikiiig so crestfallen after his little out
burst a la Disraeli, that I put out uiy
hand and I uppc it was my fate aud
1 I do love hiui sol"
CHAPTEU XXV.
It was plain Tom was not a little dis
gusted at the conduct of his strong
minded cousin. It was inconsistent, and
the man of uiue felt that. It was his
first initiation into the ways of girls; it
made him feel skeptical. Here was a
girl who, for uiue year past (he dated his
experience from bis cradle!, had, day
after day, assured him that she despised
the whole race of mau. aud what had she
done? deliberately faljen in love. The
question low was and a very important
one it appeared to the young man. as he
sat down on a stone, in the little garden
iH'fore the hoiie; a stone of tragic asso
ciation, for on it was engraven: "Here
lieth Hobby, the ginny-pig" the question
now was, thought Tom, as he pensively
contemplated one fat leg, the sock on
which had vauished into his lioot - if I.ias
beth, the hater of men, could so sudden
ly change, was it not possible, nay. to be
feared, that other young women who pro
fessed no such hatred might suddenly
act in the opite maimer? There was
Gerry, for instance why, she stood le
fore him. and now he knew that! Gerry
never could l-ar to see his sock untidy;
with her chubby bauds she pulled them
up out of hi boots and began "settling"
them.
What a nice little girl (Jerry was! Hut.
bah! she was only a girl after all. No
wonder the young man should heave a
sigh. As for Gerry, she was far too hap
py to notice that. As she looked up at
Tom, her cyt; were overflowing with mer
riment. "'.Magitie, Tom a mar'ge!"
Hut Tom was in no smiling mood, and
the marriage, or "lnar'ge," a Gerry
cailed it, was the very cause of that cir
cumstance. "S'pose," he said cynically, looking
down at the little girl, who was giving
his sock a last smoothing, "s'pose, Gerry,
when you're a woman, you won't mar
ry?" "I, Tom? Don't ye know I'm going to
marry you? It wn. lie such fun calling
each other Mr. aud Mrs. Denbigh."
(Jerry's parents adhered to the affec
tionate old style of address, and Miss
O'Hrien. as was evident, thought this a
necessary part of matrimony.
Mr. Denbigh, however, whom she thus
frankly reminded of her intention to mar
ry him Mr. Denbigh, still contemplat
ing his leg. asked the following sole-nil
question :
"Gerry, have you 'pinions?"
"What's that?"
Gerry started. Tom seldom spike so
solemnly.
" 'Pinions, Gerry? I wonder you don't
know what 'pinions are."
This was only an ignoble means of
gaining time, of course. (Jerry blushed,
and felt she ought to be ashamed of her
self, whilst Mr. Denbigh racked his brain
to think of a good definition.
"'Pinions, (Jerry that's when a girl
takes it into her head she's slm perior
to us."
"Shoe what ?'
"Shu-perior." (With a look of impa
tience.) Gerry would much have liked to know
what shu-N-rior meant, but, remember
ing her humiliation of before, refrained
from asking.
The question was a difficult one to an
swer, and (Jerry, really afraid of com
promising herself, had half a mind to
put her pride in her pocket and risk ask
ing what 'shu-perior" meant, when an
other thought struck her. which proves
that in the smallest atom of womanhood
lurks an atom of woman's wisdom. Put
ting one arm round Tom's neck, and lay
ing her soft little cheek to his. she said:
"I think you're a very nice boy, Tom.
and look here!" (producing a bag of
sweets) "this is the sort that mcits iu the
mouth."
Well, one may lie a cynic, but a man
of nine must be more than cynical to
withstand such wiles as these.
Tom took the sweets, aud kissed the
sweet little giver..
Crunching a juicy ball between his
teeth, he said:
"I don't believe you've 'pinions, Gerry."
And (Jerry, she also crunching a weet.
replied:
"I don't believe o either, Tom."
CHAPTER XXVI.
In the English quarter of Ecks there
still lives an odd English couple for
eigners make no distinction for those liv
ing north of Tweed. In the third story
of a "genteel" looking house, Miss
Smythe-Smythe till makes spills, and in
sists on Tom's using them; still makes
experiments in crochet to find out a neat
pattern that will require next to no cot
ton; still wears a black silk rap, dress,
and apron, and insists on reciprocal use
of her ear-trumpet; still sometime talk
of the Denbigh, especially Norn, "who
must be married a year now, Tanm."
"Ay, indeed, aunt"
"Tanm" ha found it. impossible to
make Miss Smythe believe that the mar
ried Miss Denbigh is Elizabeth, not Nora.
IDs aunt to this day maintains that it
was one of "Lucy' misplaced jokes,"
when that young lady, upon bidding her
farewell, raised her voice to an unneces
sarily high pjfch, informing her through
tier ear trumpet that she was going to
be married. Mis Smythe-Smythe admits
that she may lie Scotch, and the Scotch
may Is- unable to understand a joke, but
"Lucy" (as she act ill call Elizabeth)
came to the wrong person when she
thought to make her believe that.
As for "Tautn." he, too, has changed
little since we last saw him. The great
blue eyes still stare vaguely but kindly
into the world, and many are the act of
chivalry done by the strange Scotchman
whom the girls all treat a a brother.
"Only Tom Thomson!" "Who minds Tom
Thomson?" "Dear old Tom Thomson!"
Not a girl in Eck but know and love
our friend, whom at ten o'clock every day
yoti will we at the "parade," in lightest
of kids, with a flower in hi buttonhole,
for murder will out Tom Thomson is a
bit of a dandy.
"Mrs. O'Hrien. yon have clearly no
heart!"
The O'Briens, with the exception of
young Mr. O'Hrien and vvlfe, have return
ed from Ireland, Here Margaret ha
just married what her family call a "bor
rister," whilat Charlotte i developing
into a dignified young ludy. Gerry and
Tom only ee each other at distant In
tervals, the" latter having been sent to
school; but, a Gerry ha not yet devel-o(s-d
"'pinion," their friendship has not
diminished iu the least, ami they keep
dp a lively exchange of short letter, writ
ten iu a noa-seusatioual style on ruled
pajs-r.
As for the Denbighs, Mrs. and Miss
iK-nbigh are still professional women, aud
a. such have taken up their abode ia
Iuou. Nora's income is not yet ao
large that she no longer Iieeds to tudy
the shop windows, to enable her to in
dulge in the luxury of a "sweetly pretty"
wardrolie. Then, there is mother still tc
dress, aud Bet of course. Bet will never
learu to dress, and looks, as ever. hop
lessly far from stylish. Among other old
habits. Miss Denbigh ha still preserved
that characteristic one of "dropping
bows" on accidental tears, etc. Hei
brother-in-law does not spare her with
banter. To thi gentleman Elizals'th. in
an unlucky moment, confided the story of
the tablecloth, and Nora is probably des
tinel never to hear the end of it.
Mrs. Denbigh has kept no lcs true U
her old self. ( n her last birthday hei
children presented ber with a Sevres tea
service; yet so strong is the force of habit
that Nora declare she has not yet
learned to use it without trepidation, lest
the bandies should melt off. This state
meiit, it is but just to add, Mrs. Deiibigl
declares to be a base falsehood. Hei
girls, she says, were always, and will evii
lie. incorrigible in their lack of filial re
spcet. Considering the heart-breaking
evil of their nays she not rarely simulates
a despairing expression. It is commonly
remarked, however, that not even then
does the smile vanish from the deeje
brown eyes, nor is there any increase iu
the faiut lines that time and its train
of sorrows have traced on the broad,
high forehead.
And what of Bet, the apostate? Why.
it Is to-day "mother's" birthday, and iu
she walks, followed by Harry, to whom
she pompously hands her gloves, having
relieved herself of that incumbrance. As
the young man lakes them aud carefully
folds them up, with just a faint twinkle
iu his merry gray eyes, his sister-in-law.
Nora, exclaims, "Poor fellow! what a life
you must b-ad!"
Sympathy is sweet to man; the pified
one tries to look miserable, but fails.
And then Bet produces from her pocket
a note.
"Sit down, Harry" (feigning a tragical
air). "In the presence of my family. I
mean to make you my first confession.
Put a straw to his back, Nora; he'll need
it. This letter is from the only man I
ever smiled on. previous to knowing you.
Don't start, dear. He hud a melancholy
cast of features and a humble mode of
speech that took my fancy. But it was
not to be. The feeling was all on my
s Ic. He married shortly before we left
Ecks. and now, hark!" (She read the let
ter; then. Hinging it from ber. struck an
attitude. "This, family, to me! Come!"
(changing her voice) "without delay I in
sist on our drinking to the health of the
twin, i tok at that individual! Did you
ever see such a picture?" (she pointed to
her hiisbandl.
Between laughing and struggling to
look trairic. Harry O'Brien did indeed
present a curious aspect
A letter was brought into the room just
then. It was for Nora, and she flushed
as she glanced at it. for it was the second
she had received from the same source
within a week. She slipped it into ln-r
pock:'f. and for the present kept her
secret.
The secret that Tom Thomson, plain,
practical, but houest-hi arted Tom, was to
be in London a few days later to ask her
mother to make her home with tii -m.
should Nora consent to In-come his Wife.
"So I was not your first, yor ot.ly
love. Bet?" asked Harry.
"Was ever man so vain! That you
weren't."
"This is a bitter pill," and Mr. O'Brien
sip-ied his wine.
"1 hope (hut help -d you swallow it,"
sri- 1 bis wife.
Thus, amid merriment and hunter does
the even-iiK pass; but la-fore the little
party breaks up. Nora plays (he pieces
her sisa-r and brother liest line; the "Bal
lade" with the story in it, "lIIihirite."
with its peals of laughter, and the piece
called "Night." ending in a sob. And as
the pianist plays them is it the memory
of old times alio of another listener that
inspire her? her whole soul is at her
fingers' ends, and the girl iu the picture
banging on the wall seems to smile down
on her Dorry, who is burled far away iu
the steppes of uussin, beside the river
that dragged her to its depths; Dorry lak
en from her dear ones in all her sweet
fresh girlhood. And what does Dorry
say to the little company gathered be
neath her picture?
Assuredly, what she had always said in
life:
"That' right, uearies; be a jolly fam
ily!" (The end.)
Men and Their Hals.
"Well, well," remarked a leading but
ter the other day; "everyltody bus smil
ed at the vnnlty of women as they take
long and fond glances at their relb-c-tlons
In the store windows, but woman
la not a marker for (lie ordinary num.
The uglier a man la the longer It takes.
lilui to suit himself with a iiat and the
of teller doe he look Into the glana while
buying one. I have an mi usually uu
prewmsenKliig customer, who would ex
bnuHt the patience of n Job. He came
Into the store tin- day after the Hpi'lug
Htylea arrived and consumed two boms
and ten minutes in getting a hat Cut
pleased him. The next d.-iy he return
ed the hat aud bad one made to cnlcr.
This man ia ho ugly Hint nothing con!. I
Improve lils look but a mask." Plilln
delphla Record.
Home One Mmt Huffcr.
If a Chinaman dies while lioing tried
for murder the fact of bis dying Is
taken n evidence of hla guilt. He 1ms
departed, but soincltody must suffer,
and his eldest son, If lie has one, Is,
therefore sent to prison for a year. If
he lias no son, then his father or broth
er gets a flogging. It'a all In the family,
aud somebody has to pay for It.
Pope'a Illch 11 ate.
It la dotilrtful whether any one has
more gold and silver plate and other
objects of value than the Pope. It Is
declared that were be to melt (Iowa all
the niedala, chalna, ream-la, and other
objecta preserved in the Vatican, the
amount of gold obtained would make
more coin than the whole of the prowcut
European circulation.
FACT5 ABOUT SILVER.
Cut This Out and Carry It in Your Pocket for
Ready Reference.
, FIRST.
' . 1. Silver ha lays been rues so red tiy
l gold.
( I 2. That by which something else Is
f measured 1 ihr standard of vaiu. Ttie
5 numlier of ounces of silver ail ouuee of
m gold would buy has always been tti
0 rstlo.
V 3. Like all other values, the rstlo of
P llver to gold hsa bees controlled by
m supply aud Uuisud.
4. vVkeu this government was founded
J the commercial or true ratio was Ih-
0 lleved to be 15 to t.
a. At tnai ratio silver soiumd
free and unlimited to ttie mint. iin'A
dollar. 1M grains no gold; 24ilA
eijuals 371 jcrnlli Sue silver, the "sil
ver dollar ot lb (iiiilllc"
fl. The lineut and belief of the "dad-dl-s"
was that 371 W grains of pure sliver
I ) ivorcld buy as much of anything as 24
' I ieralns of pold would buy.
I ' 7. or that IU ounces of One silver would
) pay as much deh( a one ounce of goM.
( ) 'hkcosik
I ( 1. The ratio of 15 to 1, Died by law. re-
time.
2. Owing to admission of foreign coins
which were Inferior, no Aiuericsu gold
or silver coins circulated. Coinage of
stiver dollars wbs suspend- In 1M4, and
whs not resumed uutll l.--o. Tiii-u l.""o
were coliesl.
3. In the "dollar f the daddies"
ceased to exist. The weight of ihe sliver
'Pillar was changed to 412' grains. This
altered the rstlo lo 1 to 1.
4. stiver then became more profitable
to eX!ort than to coin.
5. Thus we went to the single gold
standard, on which we have Imi-ii down
lo the present time.
0. Kroppliig (tie silver dollar legally
from colimge In 1 ST.i was only making a
mere record of whst had been actimlly
true from lS-'U. Silver declined to he
coined during that rntlre period except
In small ounntltlctt.
7. The whole amount nf silver coined
from the fouuilstton of the (ioveniment
to 1S73 was about x.sU although Its
coinage Mas free and unlimited.
Til I Iii .
1. From 1h78 to July 1. W, under Mm
lied silver coinage we colnwl. In full
ieenl tender silver dollars, f 42i).2'.i.tiil,
at the ratio of HI to 1.
2. In the elirhly-flve years prior lo 1S7S
the whole amount of sliver coined by
the t'nlled mate iiuder free sliver coiu
axe wus 2--..'iS.,jrj.
3. In the eighteen years from 1H7H to
1K11 the whole amount of silver coined
under limited cnlnntre was $l71,U27.72it.
4. More than Hi7.ooo.0oii more nf sliver
was coined In eighteen ers of limited
eolusge than during the elgiity-flve years
of free-silver coinage.
m a. a u ine silver oonars in or -ui-
W'hnn Our Trade Interest Are.
In declaring for the free coinage of
silver independently of all other couu
tries tho Chicago convention in effect
declared for a different and lower money
standard than that om-A by tho great
commercial nations with which wo
trade. Trado and commerce follow the
lines of least monetary rcnistanco, and
out of total merchandise imports and
exports last year of I,539,C08,130 only
163,h63,827 was from single silver
standard eountriea less than 1 1 jicr
cent
Even In onr South American trade,
about which so mnch has been said, out
of a total of $145,808,055 only 6 per
cent, $8,991, 8fl3, was with silver Btand
ard countries, while 72 percent, f 105,
217,804, was with single gold standard
countries, and $31,483,338 was with bi
metallic countries.
Practically epeaking, all biuietallio
countries are on a gold basis, their
legal tender silver being exchangeable
for gold, but the bimetallic trade ia
small. Let Kurope serve aa the example.
While much less than half of its popu
lation has the single gold standard, the
following table shows our trade:
8IKOI.K OOI.D. BIMRTAl.MC.
England.... tMfl.aoS.TOl Franoe ll(B.7a.Wr
Germany... 173.U17.S18 Ketherlsnds 4a.lK4.Wfl
Austria 8,C3:.il Italy b7.214.HJtJ
Portugal.. .. 4,d,0B4 Belgium..,. B).3M.oH5
Sweden and Switzerland li.uofl.if!
Norway.. T,1K3,3 Spain 14.50l.lUJ
Denmark... 8,tjc..lt3 Greece 470,74
Turkey 2.114I.4& All other... 812.111)
Koumania.. 1U.J8J0
Totol !2iB.lfiH,74l
Total r745,717.620
Buaaia, idiigle silver standard, tS.S33.244.
To classify by standards, the tot.il for
eign commerce of the United HtaUM
will surpriae many:
Gold. Bimetallic Bllver.
Europe r4S.717.d20 1250.822.741 U.Sii8,244
a America.. OS,217,W4 81, 4X3.838 8.W1.SU)
N. America S2.au,7 48.851,824
West Indie.. 17,541,622 82.SX2.ISVJ 64.
Asia M.K.1,421
Africa t,m.m 1.208.844 B8u,U
Oceanic 13,S84,CM 10,108.081
Totals Kl.47,o28 e4Sl.SU.072 liei.80a.827
Unclassified, 82,151.706.
Our trade and commerce are not only
on "a gold basis," but are on "a single
gold standard. " To adopt silver mono
metallism, which independent free coin
ago would surely produce here as It has
everywhere else, would be to permit
Europe to fix the price of our surplus
products on a gold basis, while it could
pay ua in our own legal tender silver
dollars coined freely out of 63 cents
worth of bullion. Is this busineaa?
Hard Times and Free Mlver.
There is not a ti rat -class commercial
country on earth now that Una free
coinage. There is not a free allver coun
try on earth that hus as much us $5 per
capita In circulation all kinds of mon
ey. There la In circulation In the United
Htates $24 per capita, or I10..10 per
capita more than any free sil
ver country on earth. We have
more silver In circulation to
day than ever before and more per capi
ta rtian any free silver country ou Mirth.
Our dollar will buy more sugar, coffee,
flour, mcul, meat, medicine, hardware
and clothing than In 1873. A barrel of
corn, a bushel of wheat or 100 pounda
of tolwcvo will buy nearly double aa
much of tho article that farmers con
sume aa the same kind of corn, wheat
or tobacco would buy In 1873. Tha
wngee of tho laboring man will buy
double aa much of he necessaries ot
life now aa In 1873, and his wagea hare
not been reduced one-fourth aa much aa
the purchaalng power of hla money tuta
been Inerenaed.
All of the above propositions we a
sert without fear of Intelligent contra
diction. Then, If It be a fact that no
free sllrer country on earth baa aa
much a$.'. per capita; and If It be a fact
that we hare about $24 per capita; and
If It be a fart that we have more allvcr
renry are full legal tender at loo rents
each it-i-ept for redemption of e,.u rtr-tltl'-stes,
Hhlcli are not ifgnl icleleri.
. Kubsidlary silver ihalf-duliars. y.iar-ter-dollars
and dlineai are lejtal u-inler
to the amount of tlu Iu auy oue trauaac-
tloll.
7. Tha total limited b-g-at tender sliver
coined Is 17tf.artH.2n8.u.
8. Total silver coined bv the fulled
States dowu to July 1, 1S. tol'H.
3ti 10.
KOVKTH.
1. The reason a new demand for free
eolnage of silver by (he I lilted Htales
has arisen Is that owing to Increased
pr'nlii. 1I..11. caused chiefly by Improved
methiula of mining slid better facilities
for transportation, the output of stiver
lH-came ao large as to diminish Its value
Iu reliftlnu to -oM.
2. I'own to W8 silver was wore profit
able to export than to coin, aud that
year only 2Vtt.i was offered for coinage
In the I'nlte,! Siatea.
S. In 1S.VI the world's production of
silver as ,il,4'i,'JJ ounces; real ratio
to gold. IS :t-S to 1.
4. In Is7l the wurld'a production of sil
ver waa 'J7.7ru(.fssj ouni-es. or more lln.11
double. Hallo Id gold. 17 hs.
5. Iu lsl the wurld'a production of sil
ver wus !.'l.27il.il ounces, trel.'iug that
of lW. Heal ratio to gold. 2H.7S.
(1. In ls-.ifi the world a production of sli
ver was pHi.iasi.isio ounces, or more than
Ave time what It aa Iu ls-'sJ. Ileal
rmlo to gold. 31., "si.
7. That Is to say, an ounce of s-old Is
worth to-day nearly 32 ouu-e of sliver.
H. Vet owners of uncoined silver want
us to S'-cept It for free and unlimited
coliiHk'c al the proMr!!oii of Hi ounces
of sllv r to I oum-e of gold.
FIFTH.
I. The effeet would be to flood the
country with silver dollars worth 62 to
V: cents.
2. When the fioi eminent was founded
the "daddies" believed and Intended
Unit fifteen ounces of silver would pur
cliiiHe ss much as one ounce of gold, or
Ihm fifteen ounces of silver would dis
charge a debt which oue ounce of gold
would discharge.
.1. To-day one ounce of gold will pur
chase as much as 82 ounces of sliver. If
we coined allver at 10 to 1. therefore.
'e wunld be forcing on ourselves a dollsr
of a purchasing power or debt-paying
powtr of only one half the present dollar
of mir currency, all Its dollars being kept
up lo a value of pal cents each by the
existing gold standard.
4. Free colnsge of silver would put us
on the silver standard with China, Japan
jnd other countries In which labor Is In
iiriictlcnl serfage, and rlvillxatlon l
scarcely licgun.
.1. There Is not In the world to-dny a
flrsl-clasa nation that opens Its minis to
the free and unlimited coinage of sliver.
Ill circulation per capita than any free
silver country In the world; and If It be
h frict that the purchasing power of
our dollar Is now aliout double what It
wns In 1S7.3, and that the products of
the fiirm will purchase more necessa
ries of life than In 1873. our free sliver
friends will have to hunt farther for
till; hard time complained of. They
-nu't charge It to a reduced circulation
or lo higher prices. Galveston News.
Why This Favoritism?
Silver can be profitably produced in
this country nt.(KJ cent an ounce. If
'is now selling here for a fraction over
CD cents. The mine owners ask that
the government shall make their prod
uct worth $1.1.'!) for coinage purposes.
Why this favoritism? If the govern
meiit -which means the taxpayers Is
to double the value of silver bullion,
why may It not logically be Bsked to
double the value of wheat, corn, cot
ton and potatoes by making an "un
limited'' market for them at a flctltloua
price?
The silver product of this country Is
relatively of minor Importance. Its
real value in 1895 was about $32,000,
(MtO. The copper product was worth
$:i8,0O0K)0, pig Iron $10.".000,000 and
soft coal ?11o,0i0,(ki0. Why should
these products be sold sold at commer
cial rates and sliver be doubled In
money value by act of Congress? The
silver craze Is, at bottom, the most un
just pafernallstn ever attempted in this
country. New York World.
Chonae Your Metal.
Our free silver friends tell us that ail
ver Is Just as good aa good aa gold. If
so, what harm results to anybody from
allowing the creditor of bank or govern
ment to make his choice of meals? Why,
at any rate, object to paying debts 'in
the kind of metals borrowed? If a silver
man prefera silver to gold, either gov
ernment or Imnker will pay It to him,
and for all debts, all taxes, all obliga
tions due the nation, State, county or
municipality silver ia now a full tender
and to all Intents and purposes primary
money. Medina (Ohio) Gazette.
Mcalco'a Oliver Dollar.
Mexico haa free and unlimited coin
age, and yet the Mexican silver dollar,
although larger than ours, la quoted In
New York, Paris, London, and Berlin
at ri2 cents. It abould be said also that
in Mexico It la worth but 52 cents In
gold and that it passes there and elae
where at Its bullion value aa measured
by the money of commerce.
Will t'oele Sam Ever Be la This CeaU.
tlonT
U. S. B" gosh I Worst booze ever got
on. If 1 Ret aobn tbia tlma, I'll nevar
do it again.
