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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1888)
1 J f f CLOUD CHIEF - - A. C. HOSMER, Proprietor. RED CLOUD. - - NEBRASKA. THE CHAMPION. Exultant, proud. The hero bowed To the eager, worshiping, countless crowd; Then stood upright, Like a viator knteht, A figure or virile grace and might. From the Temple of Fame The priestess came 'To write on her tablet the hero's name. And now behold His name enrolled On the virgin tablet in script of gold. i Then she asked: "Oson, What hast thou done For the meed of glory thou hast worn? 'From sword and brand. From traitor's hand That sought to ruin thy father-land "Twas thine to save? Thine edict gave ' Freedom and manhood to the slava!" The hero heard: But never a word Of his the list'ning silence stirred. "An oratcr. then," She asked agaisi. -"Thou swayest at will thy fellow-men? "Doth a poet's soul Thy name enroll. And crown thy head with its aureole? "Or dost thou bless. By Heaven's grace. With holy counsels a fallen racer His dull head hung And his surly tongue At the priestess' feet this answer flung: That's not my 'lav;' Ta'n't in my way To gabble, or scribble, or preach and pray." Ill pleased, she viewed The multitude Adoring, and her quest renewed: "Then hath thy hand "Wrousht out oine grand Achievement by thy genius planned!" His fierce eye shone As it looked upon His hand, a hammer of bene and brawn. She understood: "'Tis a hand imbrued In the blood of a slaughtered multitude? "Some warrior great. Thou rulest fate Of pope and emperor, church and state? "Well, men muit die!" And her sorrowful eye Gazed on his brute-like majesty. No flush of shame With his answer came: "No, priestess: that is not my game; "I say with pride. These lists deSed The world at a thousand pounds a side!" Contemptuous buraed Her ey ;s. she spurned Her tablet from her. then home returned. And there she stood. From her altitude Scorning the man and multitude. But a big. broad zone With jewels shone Round his huge bulk of brawn and bone. Edward P. Jacbion, in H.irper'$ Weekly. THE NEW NEIGHBOBS. Unpleasant Anticipations That "Were Not Realized. "Well, now. Jed, what do you think old 3Ir. Sims has done! He has rented the lit tle cottage nest us. Manday Green told me so this morning, and that ain't the worst of it, either. It is let to a man with a wife and boy. and the boy is one of them smart ones. They can't abide with him in the city, and so they will brins bim here to worrv the life out of honest and peaceable folks" "Is that their solo object in coming hero, mother J' "Manday says she is sure that is it, for she heard the man tell Sims that he must pet his loy into the country, and what else can 3-0U make of it! Sims would rather die than sell you that proierty, Jed. Now he rent it to a man that owns a harum-scarum boy that will be our esiecial torment. It loes!oe!n too bad," and the old lady set down her cup, and looked as she probably felt, completely put out. Don't worry over it. mother; jwrhaps the mother of the boy may compensate for all his s-hortcominirs, iu being neighborly, and comisany for you. I am sure you need something of that sort. Mr. Sims' family being the only one near, and they choose to feel so bitter toward us, that seems to me a fitiethinstohavethe cottage out here oc cupied." "Well, here they'll be within a stone's throw of us, whether wc will or wish it. I'm glad its no widow to angle after my boy.' The boy colored slightly and laughed heartily. There now, you have found a crumb of comfort, mother. No one wants to angle ufter your great, awkward boy. I am sorry Mr. Sims feels so towards us. I would like to buy the little place, and add it to mine, as it join u so nicely. It would save me the building of a new house, for this old one has served others well, and I can not expect it o do duty for us much longer. This dear Did home of my grandfather, I feel like clinging to its walls, humble as they may seein to others." "Yes, the home of Amos Johnson is good enouyk for us. Jed, or them that come after us: "Did Manday say Mr. Sims had rented the cottage;'' "Yes, and the family will be here this week' "Well, strange to say, I know more of tho matter than Manday. The family have purchased, not rented. Their name is Orcutu" "llought it O dear! Now there is no hope ol their making a short stay," sighed the old lady. "I dou't know of only one loop hole, mother, and that is with Mr. Sims joining them 011 one side, and Manday Green prying around and making herself generally ob noxious on the other, they may get dis gusted, and Wvo us to rural solitude again. But now, really, mother, I enjoy the pros pect of having near neighbors, even if Man day has discovered an imaginary bad boy Among them.'' "There you go at Manday again, Jed. I do wL-h you felt more like a Christian should towards her. There is not another woman around here that cornea in so often to see how I am gettin on. Any othef woman of her age would be settin' their cap for you, but that is not her way at alL She often remarks that herself." Bachelor Jed smiled griraly, and rising from toe dinner tabic, strolled out into the yard, picked up his broad straw hat he had flung on the grass before going to dinner, and whistling cheerily, took his way to the barn, while Mrs. Johnson looked after her handsome son with a fond pride. It was a well known fact in the neighbor hood, of which the Johnsons formed a good and prominent part, that the mother of Jed watched with a jealous eye all the unmarried ladies, with the exception of Manday Green; and as the aforesaid Manday had so often declared to her that she thought it would be so cruel in any one to supplant Mrs. Johnson in the affections of her son, that good lady believed Manday free from any designs on her Jed. Well, mother," said Jed a few days after the arrival of the new neighbors, "I saw Manday sailing into the house over the way, and I suppose a call has been made." "Yes, she dropped in here a few minutes and told me about it. I do think Manday is the most neighborly of any of us. She is the first one to go in there, and it was not from curtofity either, for she said so." "It was very good of her, of course," drily remarked Jed. "Manday says Mrs Orcutt is a dreadful pretty little woman, and as pleasant and common like as need be. She says she don't look one bit worried over the idea of having a bad boy to manage. She didn't see the boy; his mother said he was not well, and had kept his room the most of the time. Mr. Orcutt will not be here often, for his busi ness keeps him in the city. That boy will just run wild around here with his capers, you may depend on it, for Manday says Mrs. Orcutt looks too mild to hold him in." 'If the boy is sick lean not see any danger ol our being overwhelmed with his pranks. Do go over and see them, mother; don't let her feel as if she was all alone with a sick boy and we so near." "That I will I don't want to feel as if they was intruders even if the boy is hoce. 8trange I should feel so put out about one boy, for I well remember when you was a lad, and I dare say this youngster's mother love3 him as well as I loved mine, but then you was an extra good boy, Jed." "Why did you allow me to grow up such a bashful booby then, mother!" 'Now do jest hear. Who ever would think of calling you such a name as that, pray tell! I know you have always kept shy of the girls around here, and I am right glad of that," and Mrs. Johnson spoke from the depths of her heart then. None of the rustic beauties in that quiet farming district had succeeded in attracting the attention of Jed Johnson. At the death of his father he hail come hnme from a dis tant college and taken charge of tho farm. As he found his company among his books and with his mother, he was looked uion as a bashful bachelor, a title that would not disturb him any if he knew it. "Jed," said Mrs. Johnson, "I called on Mrs. Orcutt to-day, and she is one of the prettiest little women I have seen for many a day. She seems dretful taken up with her new home and says if Johnnie only im proves, she will be perfectly contented. I don't know which she meant, his health or conduct, I dare say it's both. She thinks he will be out in a' few days. I wonder if I called her name right! She opened them big blue eyes of hers when I called her Mrs. Orcutt, so wide and inquiring like that I thought may be I wa3 wrong about her name." "It might be. mother, for I noticed she looked surprised when I used her name in seaking to her to-day. A board was loose on the fence back of the garden, and I saw her trying to nail it on, so I walked over and fasUmed it for her. It is my opinion we have found some very nice neighbors." In a few days Johnnie Orcutt was out, and, as nothing terrible seemed to develop in the neighborhood on account of it, Mrs. Johnson quit: lost her fear of being terror ized by a bad boy. "Just you wait until he is well, before you think him so tame," was the quieting ( !) remark of Manday. Things seemed progressing finely with Mrs. Johnson and her pretty neighbor, who dropped in often and chatted so pleasantly, that Miss Manday grew quite jealous and told the old lady she was quite carried away by a pretty face. 'Dear, no, Manday, it's not her face as I knows on, but it's her bright cheery ways that takes my heart." "O, well," with a toss of the head, "I'm no hand to lay aside old friends for new, as you must know. How do you kuow she ain't fishing for Jed:" "Mercy on us, Manday! how you do talk of Mrs. Orcutt." "Hain't yon ever heard of married women flirting! I have, if you hain't' "Til never believe any such thing of her, anyway: beside she never comes here when Jed is about home, and they have not got one bit acquainted yet."' 'WelL why don't her htisband come home oftcner, I'd like to know." 'I am sure I don't know, Manday; for some good reason, I dare say." "Well, I'd ak her, I would, but it's no affair of mine. Good afternoon, Mrs. Johu t.on." The following afternoon Mrs. Johnson took her Imitting and went over to sit with her little friend the intervening hour before supper getting. She found her busy mend ing a coat for Mr. Orcutt. "I'm so glad to have you come in. Mrs. Johnson. It seemed so quiet hero, for John nie is off to the w.kkIs this afternoon. I could not go with him for I had uearly for gotten this coat mvded mending, and Ed ward is coming to-:norrow. Johnnis can scarcely wait, he is so anxious to see his papa' "I found it lonely to sit down without some one to talk to. You are spoiliug me about being aloue. I am getting childish, I am afraid. Mrs. Orcutt." . ''Call me Jenny, will you plcae ! I would so much prefer it. I always allow Johnnie to call me that." "I soe he does, but it don't seem to me tbo rightthing for him, to be calling you Jenny." 'He always has sinco he could talk at all. Then too," and she blushing slightly, and, laughing, said: "it does not make me seem so old to have Johnnie call me Jenny; I don't mind telling you.Mrs. Johnson, I don't like to appear older than I really am." "None of us do for that matter. How cozy you look here. Young fingers have such a knack for fixing up things." And the old lady's eyes traversed the room with it's prettyadorning, and then rested on the fair form or her young friend, dressed with a good bit of taste, and then at the sweet face bending over her mending. "Do yon know, -Jenny, I have thought a great many times since you came here how much I have missed in not having a daughter. Not that lavish Jed had been a girl, oh, no; I can't do without Jed, bles his dear, brave heart; but if he had a sister of your age, what a comfort and blessing she would be to me now. I have been so blessed that sickness is almost a stranger to me. I get to thinking nowadays over it, and. I think a woman with no kin of her own sex is not very well prepared for sick ness." "None of ns feel prepared for that, I think, let our surroundings bs what they will," said Jenny; "but please don't go home so soon, Mrs. Johnson." "O, yes, I must, for I find I am not swift in doin' any more, and I somehow feel tired to-day. I always like Jed to find his supper waiting for him when he comes in at night; but come over dear, and chirk up my old heart often.' '-That I will, but d in't look for me to-morrow, for Edward is coming, you know." Jenny walked down to the gate with the old lady, picked a bouquet of sweet peas and pinned on the snow-white 'kerchief Mrs. Johnson wore, and bidding her good afternoon, went singing bank to the house, while the old lady went slowly back to her home, which, somehow, seemed quite cheer less and lonely to her this afternoon. The following morning Jenny Orcutt an swered a knock at her door. Jed Johnson stood there with a troubled look on his face, and she saw beneath the brown mustache the tremulous workings of his mouth. "Will you come over and see mother, pleasel I fear she-is very sick. I knew nothing of it until this morning. She seemed well last evening. If you will kindly stay with her, I will go now for a doctor." 'O, yes, I will go now. Indeed, I am sorry to know she is sick; she seemed well in the afternoon, for she sat with me until tea-time." In a few minutes Jenny was beside her friend, and Jed was flying on the road to the Tillage. Mrs. Johnson had been seized with an acute rheumatic attack and lay moaning in great distress. ."It is so good of you to come to me, dear," she said. "Jed is almost beside himself, for ho never saw me sick before." "At the rate he went off he will soon be here and bring relief to you, I hope," said Jenny. "I was greatly surprised to hear yon were sick, for you were in usual health yesterday, were you not !" 'Yes; only I felt tired and childish," moaned the sufferer. That day was but the beginning of many that Jonny Orcutt sat at the bedside of Mrs. Johnson, or busied herself about the room to make it cheerfulfor the invalid, and when she became convalescent, prepared her tempting dishes with her own pretty, use ful hands. Mrs. Johnson declared that a glimpse of ber face even did her a warld of good. Manday Green shook her head in a very "you'll-see-how-it-wili-turn-out" sort of a way, and remarked to the woman in the kitchen while Jed stood conveniently near, thai if the got sick she did not want a boy rushing in and out of the house at all hours, and she "thought a woman that cared for her husband would keep her own house and not her neighbor's." A very amused look came over the hand some face of Jed, and ho very pleasantly said: "A woman that has no husband can do as she pleases, eh, Manday!" "Yes, thank Heaven," and the little old maid perked her head on one side and looked very indej)endent. "And very fortunately they are at liberty to do for others," said Jed, in a way that puzzled Manday, and the look on his face perplexed her more. "I dou't know what we would have done the past few weeks without Jenny. Not that we would have wanted for neighbors, Manday, but mother and the doctor says she is one of the best of nurses, and it was very kind in Mr. Orcutt to insist upon her staying with us, and he was here, too, the most of the time during his visit, for of course ho could not get along at homo without his little housekceiwr." "Dear, me! some folks seem just bewitched over a new face," was the parting shot of Miss Manday, and she sailed out of the house aud through the gate at her swiftest pace. Alas, for poor 3Iandny ! Johnnie Orcutt was mounted on his bicycle and coming with all the speed he could muster; the curve in the road hid Manday until he was vory near, and she was so full of jealous rage that she did not notice the shrill little signal behind her. In an instant down went the prim spinster and over her head landed Johnnie, while the green parasol left tho roadside path and landed into the highway. 'O, you horrid little wretch," shrieked the female, as soon as she could get her breath. Johnnie sprang after the parasol, capt ured it and handed it to her, saying: "Indeed, I am very sorry, Miss Green. If you had only looked back when I gave the signal that I was coming, I think you could have stepjwd aside, but I could not stop the bicvclc quick enough; I tried to do so, in deed I did, truly." "What right have you to go around here with such a machine as that, I want to know! One of Satan's own inventions, I'll warrant, and none but his own imps would want to be hilarating around on it, either. The signal that you was a-cotning was sounded months ago, and I knew, then, just how it would be. But what are yon stand ing there grinning with all your might and mouth for!" "You look so funny. Miss Manday; in deed you do. There is some dirt on your face, j'our bow on the front of your dress is. I think, a little to one side, and some thing seems to have come off the top of your head." Mis Green made a quick grab for her false foretop lying in the dirt at her feet, clapped her hat on her head, and skurried off, too full of iudignation to utter another word. "WelL now." said Johnnie. "I dou't know what Jenny will say to this. I'll have to tell her, anvway. I am sorry it hapjxmed, and she will believe me when I say so, too." Mrs. Johnson was pleased to see Jed, bashful Jed. so much at his case of late in the presence of Jenny. In fact, she noticed they -often sat apart, and talked so very friendly. "Jed," a:d she one day when she had be come quite herself again, and Jenny had run over to see her a few minutes, "I think I had not better get well too fast, for I will lose my nurse, and I don't like to think of that," "I have been talking of a plan to keep her here with us, and she is waiting to know if you object." "No, I don't object to any of your plans, Jed, you know that very welL But what is this one!" "I have heard yv say you wished yon had just such a daughter as Jenny. Now you can have her for your daughter, but I want her for my wife." At this proposal the old lady's cap nearly flew off her head, and tho only thing that prevented her bounding out of her chair, was her rheumatics. "Good heavens!" she gasped out, "Jed Johnson, what of Mr. Orcutt!" "He is quite willing to allow his sister to do as she pleases." "His sister! and Is-iprloscd all this time you was bis wife, Jenay." "Dear Mrs. Johnson' and Jenny leaned over the chair, and pl.iced her fresh young cheek close to the pale one of the old lady. "I was not aware of the mistake you had made concerning me, until Jed told me dur ing your sickness. You do not think I wished to deceive you. do you! And can not Ihavea place inyour heart along with Jed!" Mrs. Johnson drew her down to her in a clasp and said: "Bless you, Jenny, you have a place there now, and nothing could please me better than to see you Jed's wife. But, deary ma I always said I would never tetany woman take Jed from me, aad here I be, a-consent ing to that very thing." "I am sure I would not wish to take him from you. You tee, you are to take Jed and I." "Yea, that is it, after aU. But,Jod,aow in the world did you get orer your bashful ness enough to" "To court Jenny, mother! You see you did all that yourself, and I am sure it was very kind of you. You have been courting herall summer." "Well I'm glad I made it out, at all events, aid Mrs. Johnson. Yankee Blade. JACKSON CITY'S FATE. Aa Eastern Town Which Yirtaally DM Before It Was Bora, Just across the Potomac, near the western end of Long Bridge, .1 tract of land containing 90 acres, was recently sold for $18,000. which in President Jackson's time was fabulously valuable. A gentleman from New York, widely known as a popular inn-keeper of that day. offered $5,000 for a lot 75x150 feet, upon which he proposed to build the finest hotel then south of Philadel phia. But the owners of the land wanted $10,000. and that settled the business no hotel was ever built. The land referred to 90 acres was laid out during Jackson's administration and received the name of "Jackson City. It was owned by a company which issued $100,000 in bonds, and the corner stone was laid by President Jackson with military and civil pomp. But it never make a spurt never had a population of over twelve souls, and in a lew years the corner-stone was dug up and used for years by an old colored "aunty" as a mortar to beat her hominy in. Not far from the proposed hotel was nature's cause for the origin cf tho craze to build a city which was to rival Washington Curtis Spring which was famed as a picnic and excur sion resort Curtis Spring was the capital's Saratoga, and the little steamer took down thousands of pleas ure parties annually. During the late war most of this ground was occupied as forts for the defense of Washington. The locality is now occupied by several brickyards. The only remaining struct ure of that city "laid out on paper" in 1837, is an old dilapidated brick build ing, almost directly in front of which is a square post bearing these words: "Center of pike, 19,200 feet from junc tion." Nobody knows what the words mean nor why the post was placed there, obstructing as it docs legitimate travel. By the way, a little to the north of this is Mason's Island, or Analostan Island, as it is now called, which is separated from the Virginia shore by a small rivulet. This island is tho birth place of James M. Mason, who. with John Sliilcll, was sent by the Confeder ate Government to Europe, in 18G1, to secure the recognition of the Confeder acy by England and Franco. The ruins of the house in which he was born still remain upon the island. And then Arlington is almost within a stone's throw of this island. Who has not hoard of Arlington, the former home of Robert E. Lee, the chieftain of the Confederacy, and now the resting place the silent home of more than 16.000 soldiers, who gave their lives for their country? But there is one fact connected with this spot not generally known. The iron flag-staff from which the stars and stripes fly to the breeze stands upon tho exact spot once occu pied by a charminglittle summer house erected by Washington for his own use, and frequently occupied by himself ami wife during the "heated term" in town. And it was on this siot that the Mar quis lc La Fayette stood on his last visit to this city about sixty years ago, and pronounced iho view from it the finest in the world. Washington Letter. POLITE ETIQUETTE. Sonae Good Point for Tlio Desirous ot Imprnvlue Their Manners. To bow to a friend or an acquaint ance is a simple enough matter, yet all the grades of liking, all the degrees of familiarity, can be expressed quite as surely as by the signature to a letter, and more subtly. If you know people intimately, your bow and smile express intimacy and cordiality; if you have a very slight acquaintance, the bow is less smilinz ami more formal. A bow no longer requires that inclination of the body which the Turveydrops oi other days used to practice a mere bend of the head is sufficient. No man should bow to a lad" without complete ly lifting his hat from Ins head. If he has a cigar in his mouth he will of course withdraw it. It is never good form to smoke while walking or driving with a lady, unless it were in au after dinner stroll in some quiet country neighborhood. In town it should never be permitted, even if the. lady were one's own sister and had no aversion to the odor of tobacco. These facts concerning her would not be known to the people one might meet, and the smoking would to them have all the appearance of a discourtesy. When walking with a lady a man lifts his hat to all the people whom she recognizes and who bows to br, whether lie himself knows them or not. In thoroughfares a man should keep at the left of thu lady he is wr'king with, thus protecting her from the pressure of the crowd and leaving her right hani free to carrying her parasol and lifting her dress. It is an obsolete ab surdity for a man to be dancing around a lady whom he escorts, changing the sido on which he walks with every cross ing of the street. In walking or driving in a p.irk or iu any place where you meet the same person again and again, it is not necessary to bow each time. A cordial salutation on the first is quite sufficient. It is a lady's privilege to be the first to offer her hand. Where an introduc tion is merely for dancing, there should be no shaking hands nor indeed it is usual to shake hands on being intro duced at a reception; but a married lady should extend her hand, by way of cor dial welcome, to her own guests, and especially to any stranger brought to her house and presented by a conimoi friend. Chicago Journal PULLMAN'S PALACES. Tha Tru Stary ef tha Origin or m Graal Pablto CoavBlace. Various accounts of George M. Pall man's invention of the palatial sleep ing cars that bear his name are afloat. The do not agree in general or in par ticulars. In order to get an exact and authentic statement, Assistant Super intendent J. W. Stockton, of the Pull man company, was asked for the facts. Mr. Stockton reflected a moment, and then said that Mr. Pullman told him the. whole story some two years ago. His narrative was very interesting, not only in itself, but as an illustration of the possibilities of useful inventions when attention is once fastened upjn them. Mr. Pullman's statement, ns Mr. Stockton recalls it, was substantially as follows: After the idea had been conceived and the patents obtained, Mr. Pullman went to Chicago and had his first car built there, putting all his money into the venture. The cost of the work was about $18,000. In all its essential features the car was the model on which the Pullmans of the present day are constructed. The build ing was, of course, watched with the utmost care and impatience, but, curi ously enough, it was found, after the car was done, that it was so wide that it would not clear the platforms of the stations on the line of the road where it was to run. As Mr. Pullman had put all his funds into the coach, and no one else was ready to contribute for construct ing a new one on a smaller scale, he naturally lost heart in some measure. The car was stored at Chicago, and the enterprise was given up for the time being. No use was made of the vehicle until the assassination of President Lincoln finally gave the inventor the desired chance to enter on the road to fame and fortune. Mr. Lincoln's body was to be taken from Chicago to Spring Geld for burial, and the question of its transportation was brought up. Some one suggested that this unused pnlace drawing-room sleeping car be cm ployed, and Mr. Pullman hurried to get it ready. The Chicago & Alton railroad, under the strain of the great excitement of the time, sent out gangs of men forthwith along the line to nar row up the station platforms and re move other obstructions so that the car might pass. This being done, the car was used as was proposed, and, as all the great newspapers of the world were Mitent on publishing every item of in terest about the burial, Mr. Pullman's invention of course became the subject of universal comment. From that moment its success was assured. The Pullman Company as it now ex ist was founded in 1867 with a capital of $1,000,000. Its stock to-day repre sents nearly $16,000,000, besides $2,000, 000 debenture bonds. The Pullman cars are operated on nearly 89.000 miles of railway in the United States. Canada, Mexico and England, and in spite of some grumbling about charges, are universally recognized as the finest railroad equipment in any part of the world. Boston Globe. SWEET POTATOES. How to Plant aad Caltlvate tha Tender Young Sprouts. The sweet potato can not be planted out before what may be called good corn weather, and ns this will not occur before June, the middle of April is time enough to start the bed. Eighteen inches of manure, or just enough to give a gentle bottom heat, is sufficient, the sun under the glass doing most of the work. After the bed is made and heat started it is ready to plant. Lay over the manure six inches of sandy soil; if all sand, just as well or better. Halve the potatoes lengthwise and lay flat on the sand they may nearly cover the ground. Sprinkle over the top just enough sand to barely cover the potatoes. After the young sprouts have started their roots into this sand and the tops are about six inches high, they arc slipped off. and each shoot is a plaut and ready for the ground. Only a light, friable soil will grow Ihcin profitably. This is thrown tip by the plow into ridges four feet apart. The plants arc dibbled out on these ridges one foot apart tho cut worm often destroys quantities of the sets, and must be watched for, destroyed when found, and other sets put out where needed. At least a couple of crops of sprouts can be taken from one set of tubers, and an time in June will do to plant them, so there is no danger of not having plenty of plants. It takes from 8.000 to 10.000 sets per acre. Stable manure is tho best, SL Louts Republican. m m White Specks in Butter. Your correspondent says in substance that white specks are occasioned by dry cream. With au her precautions, if she will place in tiic churn with her cream a quantity of thickly-soured milk she will find a corresponding quantity of white specks, as sour milk is the one and only cause of white specks. The sour milk forms a sub stance like cheese curd, which is sepa rated only by the process of washing, while washing with a barrel churn the specks can nearly all lie eradicated. Sho takes great stock in water setting, and here we will agree with her. on the ground that when milk is set in a cream er the cream is token from the milk while the milk is perfectly sweet and free from any sour milk to form white specks, aud from our experience we have become thoroughly convinced that no farmer can profitably conduct a dairy without a good creamery, especially a winter dairy, as the loss of cream in extremely cold weather will more than cfftet the expense of a good crcatusry. Country Gentleman. MISCELLANEOUS. If a man publishes a paper which Is of no interest to its readers he had better offersomc contemptible premium to induce people to take it. There is a New York man who fre quently gets into difliculy through a habit which he has. when hard up. of pawning his wife's cork leg for money to buy drink. Texas is excusable for feeling big. The State contains 274.356 square miles, which is more than double the area of England, Scotland and Ireland com bined. Some of the shepherds in the moun tains of Bulgaria live for ten and fifteen years attending their flocks, and never knowing what it is to sleep in a house or to enjoy any of the comforts of civ ilization. An Indiana judge did not know what a cartoon was. A lawyer sketched the body of a jackass with his. the judge's head and face attached as a specimen, and was promptly fined $25 for contempt of court. A very curious toast, the apparent irreverence of which disappears upon reflection, used to lie common thirty years ago at commercial tables on Sun days. It was, "Rusty swords and dirty Bibles." An old log-cabin that was built by George Washington and occupied by hiin while surveying a part of the Shen andoah Valley, is still standing in a fair state of preservation a few miles from Winchester. Va. Miss Gushington "Do you not find Dr. Smalltalk entertaining? He is such a mimic. Mr. Snecrington (who detests the doctor) "I have often noticed that the doctor takes people off cleverly." Town Topics. Smith "I see you are keeping company with Miss Jones ytt?" Brown Yes.'' "Does it mean business?" Can't tell. I wouldn't bo surprised, though, if I received a proposal soon." Binghnmton Republican. The Graphic tells of a wealthy Western man who was about to visit New York City for the first time. and. wishing somebody to show him around, telegraphed in advance to secure the services of "an experienced bunko stcercr." Farmer Bascom "I do wish tho threshing machine would come around this way." Johnny Bascom "O. pa. that reminds me. Teacher wanted me to tell you he was comin' to our house to board next week." Burlington Free Press. In the office of the Recorder of Deeds. Philadelphia, is preserved a justice's docket over 100 years old. One of the entries in the volume is as follows: "Commonwealth agt. Stephen Blunt, July 24. 1778. Charged of drink ing Damnation to General Washington and all his Armv. Defendant held in 200." A woman in Newton, Kan., who is so poor as to have become an object of charity, kicked because a can of baking powder which she received was not ac companied by a prize, and another female beneficiary of the benevolent society sent back to the grocer a quantity of bacon and beans with which she had been supplied, stating that she ' wanted a turkey and somo cranberries. The failure of the potato crop of 1887 was the worst that has befallen the country since 1881, when the aver age yield per acre was only 53.5 bushels. The disaster is attributable to two causes, opposite in operation but uniform in their ultimate result. The crop in the Western States was stunted for want of sufficient rain, and that in the Eastern States w:is rotted by a sur plus of it. Illicit "cider brandy" distilling, it is claimed, is indulged in by some of the farmers in Litchfield County, Conn. The cider is boiled in a copper kettle with a tight cover, and a pipe conveys the steam outside which condenses into brandy in the winter air. If a spotter" arrives the pipe is disconnected and tire cover removed; the spy only finds the farmer boiling cider, which is per fectly legitimate. THE POISONED KEY. How Pudna' Tyrant Disposed of Disa greeable Companion. Another delightful relic of the life and times of the Tyrant of Padua is a simple key about the size of an ordi nary door key. It was the key of the Duke's library in his private room. When he wanted to get rid of any of his suite or any person in his household that he had a bitter feeling against, he used to ring his bell and ask for Mr. John to be sent to him (fancy name of course.) When John entered the Duke would say: O. John, I wish you would go to the book-case in my private room and bring me the 'Dngonct Ballads.' " Certainly, your Grace." Mr. John would say, and away he would trot with the key iu his hand. When he got to the library he would put the key in the lock of the book-case and turn it. But direct!' he turned it, out of the handle of the key shot a long poisoned needle, which stabbed the hand of the holder and instantly shot back again. John would let go of the key and say: "What the deuce was that." Ho would look at his hand and sec only a small, dark blue spot. He would think nothing of it but all of a sudden ha would begin to feel queer in his head. Presently some one would come in aud find him in a fit on the floor and the household would be alarmed. "Mr. John has had a stroke of a fit." the people would say. A doctor would be sent for. but his services would be of no avail. In twenty-four hours Mr. John would be dead and everybody would think he had died through a lit. There were no buthering coroners' inquests to upset the plans of clever fellows liks the Duke Francis in those days, (horte A, Linds, in Referee. if " t- V- .." 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