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BED CLOUD CHIEF
A. C. HOSMER, Proprietor.
KED CLOUD.
NEBRASKA
MR. BOWLES' EXPERIMENT.
The little room was stuffy, the little room was
hot:
There was nothing disagreeable that the little
room was not;
The boys were more than half asleep, the
Teacher pave a nod.
Then roused himself to rattle up a youngster
with his rod.
'Now, lKiys." he said, "just follow me; for
once I think we'll yield
To summer's overwhelming power, and seek
the pleasant rleld:
There Nature spreads her treasures; open wide
your sleepy eyes
And look on Nature's wonders; learn her se
crets and grow wise."
The boys made no objection. they trooped
out in a mass:
They perched themselves along a wall or set
tled on the eras.
"While Mr. Bowles, the teacher, showed, in low,
impressive tones.
The lemons to be gathered from the leaves or
mo-.jy stones.
The boys thought this quite gloomy: tuey were-
yearnmj; to be free.
For lessons and the meadow didn't seem to
quite arree:
So Simpson Junior watched his chance, and
slipped away unseen:
The Rt'ntle zephyrs wandered o'er the spot
where he bad been.
Then while the learned teacher went softly
maundering on.
The boys stole slyly out of sight till Ave of
them had gone:
But still the teacher lectured on with scientific
zral.
And showed the way the ruminant digest
their grassy meal.
But Short, and Tommy Jones, and Dick wers
stripping for a swim:
Smith thought that Bowles could get along
without more aid from him.
And Kobicson mas hunting for some non-existent
ega.
And damaging his nasal tube, and barking
both his legs.
Vet Mr. Bowles dilated on the progress of the
sap
"Within the switch he carried, and he laid it on
his lap.
And produced a pocket microscope and care
fully explained
The extraordinary methods by which Nature's
ends are gained.
Nest he lifted up his spectacles to ask his little
class
Some questions on the method of the growth
of meadow grass.
When, lo: the sight that met his eyes abruptly
made him stop
No bov was left but Jenkins, itho ire tl"pinj
liif a top.'
So Mr. Bowles determined his new system
wouldn't do.
If boys preferred to climb a tree to learning
how it grew.
He thra-hed them all next morning, and they
had no farther chance
Of leading teamed Mr. Bowles another such a
dance.
f, Paul Rial, in Golden Day.
- 1 -mum
JOCKEY TODD.
How He Showed His Heart to
Leona as Plain as Day.
Jorkey Todd was always sent with his
pair of bays on the tortious journey of the
torpedo-man. He was in the employ of a
torpedo company, and it was his business to
take the nitro-glycerine to the oil well, pour
the fluid into the long cylindrical shell,
lower It to the rock, and drop upon the cap
the weight that would release the explosive
to rend the petroleum stratum.
One day on the Custer road he save the
bays the whip. They broke into a wild run,
and the Custerites have a vivid memory of
Jockey Todd's dash through the town. He
came down the main street like a whirlwind.
and they held their breath, waiting for the
explosion. As he rushed upon them they
lived an ace. But Jockey Todd sat on the
box as carelessly as if he were winning a
race in a walk. In the post-offlce door stood
a girl of twenty. She had run out of the
street to avoid the team. She had hardly
time to turnaround before the bays shot
past, yet her quickeyes noted thecalmness of
the man at the lines. "Oh 1" she cried, 'the
Sandy!"
The Sandy was only a small mountain
stream that flowed into the Tuna, but the
bridge had been torn up for repairs. The
plunge into that narrow ditch would be
fatal beyond doubt to the driver, and he did
cot seem to know about it.
The spectators, fascinated, could not flee.
Their hearts beat hard and their eyes pro
jected as they looked for the explosion. The
bays cleared the ditch, and the wagon dived
into it. The Custerites could not believe
their eyes, for there on the ground stood the
driver, unharmed, and away down the road,
with the waon tongue bumping on the
ground between them, the bays were run
ning at full peed toward Harford.
Every sjectator shouted and ran to the
bridge. Leona Jervis went with the crowd.
and when sho saw Jockey Todd coolly
answering questions she feil in love with
him. Noticing her, he remembered that he
had seen her in the jiost-offlce door, and he
smiled as he recalled her frightened look.
Meeting his gaze, she blushed, and his smile
quickly gave place to a scowL Daring al
ways, he strode to where she stood, and
asked in a harsh tone:
"Did you think to see a man in bits, blowed
in every direction by the glyeer'n' i"
"No:Icomehopm' to see him clear the
ditch as easy as he come to it."
"I ask your pardon. Jly name is Todd
Hiram Todd.'
"And mine is Leona Jervis: I live there,"
pointing to a house on the hill above the
Tuna.
From that impulsive beginning the ac
quaintance of Jockey Todd and Leona Jer
vis ripened into a mutual affection.
Some days after this. Jockey Todd pulled
up the ba s as he was passing Leona's home.
She was getting breakfast for her brother
Grip.
When Jockey Todd was leaving. Leona
threw her arms around his neck and said:
"Give it up. Hiram; I am so afraid all the
ime."
"I will Leona. I will never drink again."
But that was an evasion. She clung to
him tighter, and pleaded: "O, Hiram, I
san't let you go back to it. The terrible
glycerine will surely take your life some
day if you keep on bandlin' it. and I'm
worried "to deatfqpll the time. Why, I never
.hear an explosion, if it's only anemnty can.
without jumpin. My heart just stands still
while I wonder if it's you or or "
And she stammered 'into silence, hiding
her face on his shoulder. He filled out the
sentence, whisperingin her car "Or Grip."
Her face pressed his shoulder in assent.
Grip was a moonlighter one who torpe
doed oil wells in the night at the risk of ar
rest and imprisonment. The torpedo com
pany for which Jockey Todd worked had a
patent entitling them to the exclusive right
f torpsdoiBfcTOil wells, so that all persons
engaged in clandestine operations with the
torpedo at the well were in danger of the
law. Such persons were called moon
lighters. Grip Jervis had long been sus
pected by the torpedo comjKiny, and detect
ives had been employed to watch him; but
he was cunning, and had never been caught.
Leona's ad mission to Jockey Todd was the
first reliable evidence obtained by any one
in the company's employ that Grip was
actually a moonlighter.
Jockey Todd loosed her arms and jerked
open the door. Leona's face blanched.
"You're not goin' to tell on Grip, are you!
He carries a pistol, and would kill you."
'I ain't goln' to do nothin' now. I'll shoot
this well, and think things over on the way
back. I'll most likely give it ud."
O, I'm so glad!" Leona exclaimed, for
getful of her brother in the joy of having a
half-promise from her lover that he would
abandon his dangerous business.
"'Tisn't because I'm afraid of gettin'
killed. When a feller's got to die he'll do
it, no matter what his business is. Neither
me nor Grip's goin' to get hurt till our time
comes. No; it's because I'm a regular and
Grip's a moonlighter that I'm bothered.
I'm mixed between duty and love. Say,
Leona. what did you tell me fori"
"I didn't quite tell you. You guessed it,
and I couldn't lie."
"Well, kiss me good-bye, and we'll fix
things up somehow."
She watched him drive up a small hill in
the road. The shadowy appearance of the
team and driver in the fog when they
reached the top of the rise, almost made her
cry out in anguish. With superstitious
foreboding she returned to the house.
Jockey Todd drove slowly; there was tur
moil in his mind. He possessed a sense of
honor, and it troubled him to be deceiving
those whom he served. He felt that if he
withheld from the company the evidence
that Grip was a moonlighter he would be
treating them unfairly. He was very glad
when he reached the oil well that he had
come to torpedo. The exciting task that he
was about to perform would for the time
divert his thoughts. He stopped the horses
a short distance from the derrick, and
jumped to the ground. Then he opened the
box to get the glycerine. There was none
there! The box was empty, yet he himself
had seen the cans placed there at the fac
tory before he started. He shut the lid
with a slam.
"It was mean, durn mean, of Grip Jervis
to steal my stuff while I was in his house
courtin' his sister."
He put his foot on a hub of a wheel, and
leaning an elbow on bis knae, became
thoughtful. He could not go back to the
factory and declare that the box had not
been filled, for he had signed the receipt,
and it was already filed as a voucher for the
quantity he had taken. If he reported to
the company that he had lost the glycerine
he might be accused of conniving with the
moonlighters. At last he saw a way out of
his difficulty. Being on good terms with a
man who manufactured glycerine, and
whose trade was largely with the moon
lighters. Jockey Todd resolved to go to him
and trytobuy enough of the explosive to
"shoot" the well. He hid the shell under
some bushes, and drove to the factory,
where he succeeded in purchasing the
amount of glycerine he needed. He also
bought a shell.
When he returned to the well, curiosity
led him to look under the bushes where he
had secreted the other shell. It was gone.
'Grip is tryin' me mighty hard." he mut
tered, as he swung a can of glycerine care
lessly from the box.
It was not long until the torpedo was at
the bottom of the deep well, and then
Jockey Todd picked up the three-cornered
weight. "I'd like to drop this on Grip's
head," he said, between his clinched teeth,
as he stood over the casing through which
the oil was soon to spout.
"Now git!" he said to the men employed
on the lease, who were standing in the der
rick. They fled, and he dropped the "go
devil" into the casing. He heard it strike
the petroleum, and a second later a sound
like the snapping of a percussion-cap reached
him. Then he ran from the derrick floor.
He was only a few paces from it when a
column of oil shot over the top of the der
rick. He was always proud of a successful shot,
and a quick response on the part of the well,
but this time his pleasure was momentary.
As he turned to look at the flow, something
flashed in the sunlight. He shut his eyes
quickly, but not soon enough to avoid see
ing Grip Jervis lying under some low-hanging
bushes, and beside him the shell Jockey
Todd had brought to the well that morning.
He became angry and jumped on the box.
forgetting his reel. He took up the lines
and spoke to the bays. They started off at
a rapid gait, and he let them go. The sur
face of the road was soft Ad muddy, and
there were many deep ruts. Into one of
these a front wheel sank, and he went out
on his shoulder into a puddle. The horses
ran on. passed the Jervis home, and dashed
into Harford.
Leona saw them and the empty wagon,
and her heart stood still. At last it had
come, and Grip would soon return with the
news of Hiram's death. She stationed her
self at a window from which she could see
up the road. A great weight of dread op
pressed her, and there was a lump in her
throat, but she did not weep. She had al
ways prided herself that she was not "one
of the cryin kind." Presently she uttered
a glad exclamation. She saw Jockey Todd
on the top of the little hill. He was walk
ing along rapidly, and she knew at once that
he was angry. But she did not mind that,
and ran to meet him.
"O, I'm so glad you're not hurt!'1 she
said, running into the middle of the muddy
road.
He was covered with mud and presented a
sorry appearance. Leona's reaction of
spirits was so great that, unheeding the
scowl on his face, she laughed at him.
"Do you think it's funny I" he snarled.
"It wouldn't be if you had been hurt,"
she replied, softly, as she looked fondly upon
him.
This, however, did not appease him.
"That brother of yours was the cause of
it I'm comin' to see him to-night."
Her smile faded and her face grew pale.
With trembling lips she asked:
"Are you comin' alone t"
"Do vou think I'd bring anybody!"
"I don't think you'll find Grip."
"I will if you've got confidence in me."
"Well, what if I have!"
"You won't tell Grip I'm comin' for sup
per." They had been standing in the mud in the
middle of the road, but both were so earnest
that neither thought of the ludicroas side of
the situation. She looked steadily at him
for a moment after his declaration that he
meant to come for supper. Had he canght
her hand and held it, or attempted to coax
her, she would have doubted him, and would
have said that she would tell Grip to expect
him. But she saw he was still angry and
was asking no favors, although he was de
termined to meet Grip if possible.
-Well," she said, deliberately. yon
come you needn't ba surprised to Una piates
only for two."
That '11 ba enough, if they're for Grip
and me."
With that he left her and went splashing
through the mud toward Harford.
Leona was angry, thoroughly so, and
called after him: "I s'poss you'll change
your clothes, and come in your Sunday suit.
If you and Grip cat together, you might
need your good clothes to be buried in."
Leona had a high temper, and when it was
aroused her tongue wa reckless.
Jockey Todd did not reply nor look
around. Leona returned to the house,
called herself a fool for running into the
mud to meet Jockey Todd, and resolved to
inform Grip that he could expect a visitor
for supper. But the day passad and Grip
did not come home. She began to be un
easy about him, fearing he and Jockey
Todd had met She had not begun to get
supper when she saw Jockey Todd coming
up the road. She was so angry at him that
she did not laugh when she noticed that he
wore his Sunday suit Something serious
was impending, and she wished she could
warn Grip; but it was too late, for there he
was talking to Jockey Todd at the gate She
had not seen her brother approach the
house.
Grip was laughing, but Jockey Todd's
face was dark.
"You had no business to play me that
trick. Grip."
"The company can stand it" said Grip.
He was reckoning on Jockey Todd's love
for Leona.
Leona went to the open door, and could
hear all that was said.
"But if I report it the com pany won't
stand it"
"But you won't report it," said Grip, still
laughing.
"Mebbe I will, and mebbo I won't"
Grip put his hand to bis hip pocket and
tapped the butt of a revolver. "If you tell
the company I stole the glycerine, I'll put a
holem you." Grip had ceased laughing,
and assumed a threatening air.
Leona ran down the steps. "What are
you two fightin' about!" she asked.
There was no reply.
"What is it. Hiram Todd!" She turned
fiercely on him.
"Grip's got to quit moonlightin'," he an
swered. "I guess he'll do as he pleases about that,"
she said, sharply.
"Well, all I've got to say is that I've
warned Grip."
At this Leona's eyes flashed, and she
shook her fist in Jockey Todd's face.
"If you tell on Grip. I hope he will kill you.
Now you can go your way and I'll go mine.
You're a coward to come here and threaten
my kin."
"Well, you've got my word for it Grip.
Quit now. when you've got a chance. Re
member the'glycer'n'."
"Remember this, Jockey Todd," Grip re
plid. and laid the revolver across his arm.
"I will, and get one for myself."
Jockey Todd turned his back on the brother
and sister, and started toward Harford.
"She never was as pretty as when she
wasshakin' her fist at me. I think she
could make life interestin', but I have to
give her up."
Thus mused Jockey Todd as he went his
way in obedience to her command.
The brother and sister she in no amiable
mood toward him went into their house,
and soon sat down to supper. There were
plates for two, and for some reason, when
she was washiug them after the meal,
Leona's eyes became moist.
The next morning Jockey Todd went to
the company's office and resigned his posi
tion, giving as a reason for leaving their
employment that he was afraid the glycerine
would soon number him among its victims
if he did not stop handling it. A few days
afterward be got work as a pumper on a
lease on the hill just above Leona's home.
He could sit in the engine-house dor and
see her moving about in the yard.
One day Grip cams home with the news
that Jockey Todd had quit shooting wells
and gone to pumping them. Leona stared
at Grip a moment, and when he smiled said :
"You needn't think he give up his job be
cause he was afraid of you. He couldn't
stay with the company and not tell on you."
"Oh! he was afraid, though," said Grip,
with an air of bravado.
"Some of these nights you'll find out that
Hiram Todd don't fear any thing. Mind
what I say. Grip."
Grip only laughed.
When Jockey Todd took up bis abode in
the engine-house on the Krohm lease, he
was surprised that the silence of the woods
after night was agreeable to him. He
found comfort in the quiet that was broken
only by the stroke of the pumping-engine
and the rattle of the rods. These sounds
were so regular in repetition that he grew
to consider them a part of the stillness.
The naming gas jet threw at the whim of
the wind changeful shadows across the
cleared space in which the derrick stood.
The trees nearest him in the encircling
woods were distinctly brought out by the
flickering light and when it bent before
the breeze, it gave him glimpses of grim
trunks that were in the darkness when the
flame stood still, but beyond was the dense
night of the deep forest He got into the
habit of watching this change of light and
shallow, and of gazing at the impenetrable
darkness.
"Leona acted accordin' to her light but
she couldn't see any further into my heart
than I can into the woods. May be I can
show it to her some time as plain as day."
Thus he mused upon Leona, and waited
for the time to come when she would fully
understand him.
Leona began to regret her hasty action,
as day after day went by and no harm came
to Grip. He was still free and light
hearted, while her spirits drooped, and sho
went about her work in a listless, preoc
cupied manner. Often in the evening she
she stood in the door and looked up at the
gas jet In the distance it was only a point
of light but she knew that under it Jockey
Todd was sitting, and between him and her
the night intervened. At last the sense of
the injustice she had done him was so heavy
upon hor that she resolved to right it One
evening, just after the night fell, she threw
a light shawl over her head and started up
the hilL She knew the way, and did not
need the guidance of the gas jet that sud
denly went out
Jockey Todd was leaning back in his
chair in the engine-house, and wishing be
could see Leona. His eyes were closed, and
when, after a few minutes, he opened them,
the derrick and the cleared place were
lighted only by the rays of a moon not yet
in the third quarter. Supposing the strong
wind had blown the light out, he got up to
relight the gas. When he stepped to the
door be saw a man going to the derrick. He
became cautious at once, and remained in
the engine-house. The intruder walked all
around the derrick, and Jockey Todd,
watching his actions, concluded he was a
moonlighter. He knew the well was to be
shot that night but for the moment had
forgotten it Hs had been away in the
early evening, and had not learned where
the glycerine had bean concealed.
The moonlighter examined each part of
the derrick in turn, and did not seem to dis
cover the marks left by the glycerine man
who had hidden the explosive. At last the
moonlighter struck a match. By its light
Jockey Todd recognized Grip Jervis. More
over, he saw that Grip was drunk.
Soon Grip found what he was search ng
for, and turning his back to the derrick, be
gan to pace off a distance, counting aloud,
"One, two (hie), three " Then Jockey
Todd ran out of the engine-house toward
him. Grip stopped and faced about He
was se intoxicated that he could not stand
erect "Who's thati"
"Me-JockeyTodd."
"Stand where (hie) yon are." Grip felt
for his pistol, but in a second Jockey Todd
was on him and held his hand in a firm
grasp. There tras a sharp struggle of a
moment anl Grip staggered back unarmed.
Jockey Todd put the pistol in his pocket
"Now, Grip, listen to reason; you are too
drunk to shoot this well. You:sit down and
I'll do it"
"I ain't drunk, I shoot this well myself
mind that. You never was nothin' but a
well-butcher, anyhow."
"I tell you if you pick up a can of glycer
ine to-night you'll drop it, and that'll be the
end of you."
"Stand out of mv road."
Grip made a lunge forward. Jockey Todd
avoided the blow and returned it Grip fell
back on a stone and lay there stilL
Jockey Todd soon found the glycerine and
the shell. He carried the explosive to the
derrick floor, then quickly fitted together
the joints of the shell. In a few minutes
the torpedo was filled and lowered to the
rocs, and he droped the weight.
On going out of the derrick to avoid the
flow of the petroleum he was met with the
command: "Hands up, Grip Jervis ! I've
caught you at last"
Leona. crouching behind a clump of
bushes, heard the words, and shivered in
fear, for it would belike Grip to show fight
and perhaps be killed.
"I'm not objectin' to hold up my hands;
but I'd like to inform you, Mr. Perkins, that
you've got the wrong name."
"Well, I'll ba torpedoed." exclaimed the
detective, "if it isn't Jockey Todd !"
"The same."
"Well, I'm done up!" Perkins ejaculated,
putting away his revolver.
"I was sure I had Grip Jervis," he con
tinued. "You see. Grip was in Harford
this afternoon, and got drunk. He did a lot
of talking, and said he was going to shoot a
well on the Sextuple Tract to-night I fol
lowed him, but he gave me the slip. So I
could do nothing but watch the gas jets
from the top of the hill. When I saw this
one go out, I made a bee line for here. I
got here just as you were lowering the shell;
after you dropped the weight, I went for
you, thinking you were Grip. Hang it! I
wish it had been him."
Leona was both relieved and distressed.
She was glad that Grip was free, and
troubled because of Jockey Todd's arrest
"Well. I guess you'll have to come along
with me, Todd."
"All right, Perkins. Wait till I get my
hat."
Ho led the way to the engine-house, care
ful to keep the derrick between Grip and
them. Entering the engine-house, he reap
peared in a moment with his hat on, and a
coat over his arm. aGueis I'd better light
up," he said.
Striking a match, he fired a long pine
stick, which he thrust into the stream of gas
he loosed from a pipe, and instantly the
scene was brilliantly yet uncertainly lighted.
Leona peering through the bushes could
see his face. It was determined.
After the detective and Jockey Todd were
out of sight Leona entered the open space,
meaning to follow them. She jumped when
she came near stepping on a man, and ut
tered a low scream when she saw Grip lying
before her.
Bending over him, she caught him by the
shoulder to wake him. It was hard to do.
but at last he grunted and opened his eyes
stupidly. "That you, Leona f Breakfast
ready!" he asked, huskily.
"Get up. Grip. You have fallen and hurt
yourself."
Staggering to his feet he looe around
in a dazed way. Presently h said, "O, I
know! Where's Jockey Todd!"
"Gone."
"He got afraid and run."
"Why!"
"We had a fight and he knocked me down.
I was tight, or he couldn't have done it"
Leona became strangely excited, yet she
seemed calm, and her voice, although con
strained, was even when she said: "You
came here to shoot the well, and Hiram
wouldn't let you. because you were too
drunk. You fought him, and he knocked
you down."
"Yes, that was - . way ; but I'll get even
with him."
"What for! keepin' you from bein ar
rested!"
"What do you mean!" Grip stared at her
blankly.
"That Perkins arrested Hiram for shoot
in' this well. Perkins thought he had you
at first."
"And didn't Jockey Todd squeal on me.
"Never said a word about you. Went
right along, and kept Perkins from lookin'
around."
Grip hung his head and was silent a long
while. When he spoke again he said:
"Well, that's what l call the square thing.
A man can't come it over me that way,
though. I'll tell Rogers the whole story,
and I know he won't push Jockey Todd."
Leona !". onl;-: "Come, Grip, let's go
home."
Grip was si taken up with Jockey Todd's
generosity that he never thought to ask
Leona what she did there.
Next day Grip did tell the whole story to
Colonel Rogers, and, as he bad predicted.
Jockey Todd was not proceeded against
Grip was offered and accepted a position
with the torpedo company. That night he,
Leona and Jockey Todd sat down to supper
together. .Vezandtr L. Kin&ead, in Harper'
Wttkly.
Benefits of Early Rising.
No reasonable being', remarks a med
ical contemporary, can deny that a
habit of early rising, conscientiously
formed and steadily persisted in, is
distinctively conducive to health, hap
piness, usefulness and longevity. Dod
dridge says the difference between ris
ing at five and seven o'clock in the
morning for the space of forty years,
supposing a man to go to bed at the
same hour at night, is nearly equiva
lent to the addition of ten years to a
man's life. Franklin tells us that the
morning hour "has gold in its mouth
and he also tritely remarks that he
who rises late may trot all day and not
have overtaken his business at night.
Dean Swift avers that he never knew
any man come to greatnesn and emin
ence who lay in bed of a morning,
while good old Jeremy Taylor advises
us to let our sleep be necessary and
healthful, not idle and expensive of
time beyond the needs and con
veniences of nature, and he fur
ther bids us to sometimes be
"curious to see tho preparation
which the sun makes when he is com
ing forth from his chambers of the
East" In "Paradise Lost." Milton
speaks of Adam's sleep before the Fall
as "airy light from pure digestion
bred,'' and that he was awakened from
it by the "shrill matin song of birds on
every bough. Christian Inquirer.
A hen-pecked husband says that
he pities the man who ever gets his
widow's might Bostan Post.
ON THE PLANTATION.
A Pleasant Landscape Sketch on the Bantu
of the MlMUsippL.
The nutumn was struggling for recog
nition and was making an impression
upon all but the midday hours. In tha
morning the air came cold and crisp,
full of incentives to work. In the even
ing the soft languor ana dreamy inert
ness of summer had been driven away by
a wide awake activity, with good reso
lutions and plans of future energy to
be discussed inside closed doors and
windows into late hours of the night.
The roses in the garden bloomed pale
and listless after their exhausting sum
mer season, shivering perfumelessly in
the practical October breezes. Tho
.trees were in the full glory of their
rich green foliage. The cane in the
fields stood in thick, solid maturity,
with long, green, pendant leaves curl
ing over and over in bewildering
luxuriance. The sunset clouds, burst
ing with light and color, gilded the
tops of the boundary woods and il
lumined like a halo the features of
plantation life. The Mississippi river,
reflecting and rivaling the sky above,
rolled, an irredescent current between
its yellow mud banks, cut into grotesque
silhouettes by crevasses and steam
boat landings as it dimpled in eddies
over shallows, boiled and swirled
in hollow whirlpools over depths, or
rushed with inflexible, relentless
rapidity, following the channel in its
angular course from point to point.
The day's work had come to an end.
The plantation bell rang out its dis
missal and benediction. The black
smith laid down the half-sharpened
cane knife and began covering up the
tire. From mysterious openings on all
sides of the sugar house workmen
issued with tools in their hands. The
stable doors were thrown open, and tho
hostlers, old crooked-legged negroes
hurried about with food for the mules.
The cows tinkled their impatient bells
outside the milking lot while the fran
tic calves bounded and bleated inside.
Along the smooth, yellow road through
the field came the "gang" with their
mules and wagons, plows and hoes. In
advance walked the women, swaying
themselves from side to side with
characteristic abandon, lighting their
rude pipes, hailing the truce to toil
with loud volubility. The men followed,
aggressively masculine, heavy limbed,
slow of movement on their hampered,
shod feet; wearing their clothes like
harness; with unhandsome, chaotic
faces, snrill eyes and concealed natures.
They watched the women with jealous
interest, excluding them from their
hilarity and responding grudgingly
and depreciatingly to their frank over
tures. The water carriers, half grown
boys and girls, idled at a distance,
balancing their empty pails on their
bare heads quick and light on their
feet, graceful, alert, intuitive, exuber
ant with life and spirits, they were
happy in the thoughtless, unconscious
enjoyment of the short moment that
yet separated them from their hot, dull,
heavy, dangerous maturity. The an
ticipations of cheer and rest the subtle
satisfaction of honestly tired bodies;
the flattering commendations of their
own skill from the finely cultivated
stand of cane on each side of them; tho
past expiations of plowing, ditching,
weeding, hoeing; the freezing rains;
the scorching suns; but above all, the
approach of the grinding season, the
roulaison with its frolics, excitements
and good pJy. all tended to elate their
spirits, and their voices, in joke. song,
laugh and retort sped down the road
before them to the quarters and evoked
responsive barks and shouts from the
dogs and children there. Grace King,
in Monsieur Matte.
GIRLS' SCHOOL DRESS.
Some of the Points That Can Be Urged lc
Favor of Plain Costumes.
No doubt the faculty and trustees ol
any girls' school would do service to
universal womankind by insisting upon
a plain, sensible costume to be worn
by all pupils during the school years.
Many points can be urged in favor; re
gard for physiological needs of devel
oping girls, the freedom of the cos
tume, the sisterhood, which would at
ouce put all young ladies, 'rich and
poor alike, on the footing of equality
in dress during the years they are in
timately associated beneath the same
roof and in the same work, ending
foolish and oftentimes bitter rivalry
between those who can, and those whe
can not, afford to dress richly; and,
perhaps, no less important point than
the others, reserve the pleasures of
beautiful costuming for the entrance
upon social life, which is really the
beginning of the necessity for' indi
viduality in dress.
While girls are in the school-room
thvir minds should be occupied with its
work and the simple, healthful pleas
ures incidental to harmonious develop
ment of the bodily aud mental powers
which are to make the grand women
later, and a simple costume, varied in
color to save monotony, would conduce
greatly to the benefit of a school or
college course. Make this regulation
dress pretty and attractive, light in
weight, refined and graceful, always
bearing in mind the freedom for devel
opment of good, sound limbs and mus
cles; but keep rich fabrics and fine
jewels for the social debut.
Keep the girls young, and with some
thing always in anticipation, for noth
ing is more disgusting and dishearten
ing to thoughtful people than the blase
miss of sixteen, who knows every thing
and doesn't see much in life anyhow.
Annie Jenncss Miller, in Dress.
Restaurant guest "Whew! The
cook must have dropped her vinaigret
into the short-cake.' Waiter "I
guess you've struck a strawberry, sab."
Omaha World,
CLOTHES FOR SOLDIERS.
How Uacle Sam Supplies His Army With
Good Goods at Cost.
The largest clothing, boot and shoo
store in this country is run by the
United States though they sell things
down at coat prices and there is no
profit in it Every army recruiting
station is a branch store where supplies
are dealt out It is different from or
dinary stores, in that the United States
treasury furnishes the money that buys
the boots, hats, blankets and clothes,
and the money that buys from the
United States also comes from the
Treasury. Besides his pay each soldier
in the regular army has an allowance
for clothing which varies from $178.8.;
to $228.49 for his five years' term. This
is only from $35.77 to $45.69 a year. If
the soldiers had to go around and buy
their own clothing at ordinary rates
they would not have a new coat nioro
than once every other year, and they
would have to sleep in their under
clothes to keep warm.
So the United States, have gone into
the business of supplying their ordinary
things to soldiers at the bottom prico
at which the contracts for them can be
made. There is no rent nor salesmen's
salaries nor insurance nor profit to be
paid by the Government. As a result,
tho prices at which clothing is sold to
the soldiers are so low that many working-men
who are paid four times a
much wages as the soldiers are not
clad as well. The blue coats cost $3.38.
They are made of good material, well
cut, and are better fitting than the
uniform of the average policeman, for
which he pays several times what the
soldier pays. His caps cost 49 cents.
His stockings cost 9 cents a pair, and
they are better than those ftie Bowery
stores sell for a quarter, while the 49
cent caps are as good as any man could
want. For his blue trousers the sol
dier pays $2. They are so cheap that
he can buy half a dozen pairs with his
month's pay, which is more than many
young men who look down on soldiers
can do.
The two bits of extravagance are the
flannel shirts and the blankets. Tha
shirts cost thirty-eight cents more than
the trousers, but they are as good
shirts as can be bought at any price,
and they do not shrink into a woolly
ball when they are washed. Tb
blankets are sold for $4.28. It is east
enough to go to almost any dry goods
shop and buy cheaper blankets than
the soldiers have, but these blankets
are wool and weigh six pounds. One
pair of them is enough in cold weather,
and they are warmer than several'
pairs of cheap blankets. The United
States consider the health of their sol
diers, and though they economize on
the caps and trousers they supply the
best woolen shirts and blankets.
There are various kinds of shoes, that
sell from $1.76 to $3.04. Then there
are heavy stockings that sell for more
than the nine cents that the summer
stockings bring. There are under
clothes for sale, that are of such a good
quality that the officers wear them in
preference to the underclothing that
they can buy in the usual way.
The United States go further and
supply all the necessities of the soldiers
at cost prices, and their cost rates are
frequently lower than those at which a
private storekeeper could buy, as the
United States buy in large quantities
and are sure pay. It also tends to in
crease a manufacturer's outside trade
if he gets large garment contracts, and
a big manufacturer, with a large stock
on hand, can afford to sell to the
United States at cost. If he sold at
the same rate to private sellers they
might cut retail rates, while the United
States sell to nobody but soldiers.
When a recruit is sworn in the ser
geant takes him into the clothing-room
and fits him up with a full outfit The
cost of it is taken from his pay. though
at the rates at which the Government
sells it does not take him long to pay
up. No one may buy clothing in this
way from the Government except sol
diers, and it is a crime for any clothing
to be given or sold to any one else. If
the Government were to sell to every
body at the same rate the business of
the furnishing goods stores in the
neighborhood of recruiting stations
would be ruined. X I". Sun.
Hanged with a Woman's Hair.
Among the strange things which
have found their way into the rooms
of the Natural History Society is a
sparrow which was hanged by a
woman's hair. It was discovered by
T. A. Lamson, of 24 Florence street
Near his house is a large number of
pine trees, and he saw at the end of a
limb on one of these trees a sparrow
suspended from a branch. He could
see nothing by which the bird win
hung, and it was a very curious sight.
His son, who was called, went up into
the tree and carefully sawed off a
small portion of the limb. The whole
secret was then revealed. On the
twig was a neatly built nest, in which
there were three speckled eggs. When
examined they were found to be cold,
which showed the home had been
broken up for some time. The male
sparrow was hung by a woman's hair
which was placed around his neck just
as neatly as though it had been done
by human hands. The other end was
fastened to the nest, being a part of it.
The eggs were on one side of the nest,
while on the other side was a hole just
large enough for the bird to go through.
It may be, perhaps, that he had been
attacked by an enemy and took this
way of escaping, only to meet his
death. In going through the nest the
hair might have caught around the
"chippers neck, and thus caused the
bird to choke to death. Worcester
(Mass.) Spy.
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