PREFERRED WALK ON STREET
American Tourist Indignant at Seem
:. ing Imputation That He Had
Feline Proclivities.'
Senator Dopew was asked by a re
porter aa he was having bis luggage
examined last month, if be bail
brought any stories back from Europe.
The Bcnator laughed aud replied:
"Well. In the smoke-room of the ship
T heard an Interesting thing about a
Montannn In Chester. Chester, you
know, is walled. Its wide walls, on
which you could drive a horse, are
famous. You can circle the town on
them.
' "But the Montanan knew nothing
about Chester. He had only arrived
In Liverpool that afternoon. And as
Boon aa he finished his quaint dinner,
he said to the waiter In the Quaint
Chester Inn:
.."'What is the best way for mo to
amuse myseir here for an hour or two
before bedtime?"
"'Well, elf said the waiter, 'it's a
fine evening, the moon 13 full, and I
think you'd find a stroll on the walls
most enjoyable." '
"The Montanan, Ignorant of the pop
ular promenade upon the wide walls
of Chester, thought he was being
guyed. He frowned at the waiter and
said bitterly:
'What do you take mo for? A torn
eatr "
Temperamental Toilet Table.
A very aged Englishman many years
ago gave this ad vice to his daughter
in a letter as to what a lady's Grossing
Cable should contain:
The best beautiQer a young lady can
use la good humor. The best renovator
truth; the best rouge Is modesty; the
best eyowater is the tears of sym
pathy; the best gargle for Uie voice
la cheerfulness;, the best wash for
smoothing wrinkles is contentment;
the best cure for deafness is atten
tion; the best mirror is reflection, and
the whitest powder is Innocence.
Charity by Proxy.
There la an Oregon statesman who
la very prudent with his money. lie
rarely spends anything If he can get
some one else to do the spending for
him. One morning he was walking
down the street with a friend and
they met a beggar who had a tale of
woe that was amazing. The states
man listened and asked some ques
tions. Then he turned to his friend
and said: "Jobs, this man's story
affects me greatly. Glvo him a quar
ter." Life.
A Slight Misunderstanding.
First Man I called on a couple of
ladles last night.
Ills Friend (absently) So? I'll bet
the other fellow held kings. ex
change. .
It Is so hard to separate some men
from their money that they seem to
be suffering from lockjaw of the
pocket book. '
Nebraska Directory
Uncle Sam Breakfast Food Co.
Gentlemen:
I have been using your
food (or several months and
found it indispensable. After
October ist I will be located in
New York. Is your food sold
there? If not I will try to get
some grocer to order some I
cannot measure in dollars and
cents its value to me.
R. I. Collet,
Sioux City, Iowa.
UNCLE S A 171
will cure you also of
' CONSTIPATION.
HERBERT E. GOOCH CO.
BROKERS AND DEALERS
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O Furnishing and Pressing o
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MRS. BARBARA E. HAYS, MGR.
General Machinists,
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r i m Kim
TOM 1
ROCKET
(Copyright, by Short Stories Co., i.ia.
Tom Rocket was a highwayman." No
one ever christened him Tom, and his
father's name was not Rocket. When
he was tried for his life at Warwick
assizes, he was arraigned as Charles
Jackson, and they were particular
about names then. If you indicted a
man as Jim, and his true name was
Joe, he got off; and when the law was
altered so that they could set such er
rors right at the trial people, least
wise lawyers, said that the British con-
stitutlonwas being pulled up, root and
branch'.
My father was a Gloucestershire
man.. He stood six feet three In his
stockings, and measured 36 Inches
across his chest. He was a lawyer,
and was at the time I have mentioned
engaged In a great tithe cause that
was to be tried at Warwick spring as
sizes: ' So, shortly before Christmas,
he had to go over to look up the evi
dence. There was no cross-country
coach, so he rode; and, being, as I
have said, a brave man, he rode
alone.
He had ridden ten miles, when he
came to a wooden bridge that there
was In those days over the Avon.
Just beyond It rose a stiffish hill, at
the top of which was a sudden bend In
the road.' Just as my father reached
this turn, a masked horseman sudden
ly wheeled round upon him, and bade
him "Stand and deliver!" It was Tom
Rocket! In a second my father's pis
tols were out, cocked, and snapped
within a yard of tho highwayman's
chest; but, one after the other, they
missed fire!
"You've given me a deal of trouble,"
said Tom, "so Just hand over your
purse without any more ado, or by
G d! I'll send a bullet through your
skull just there!" and he laid the
cold muzzle of his pistol on my fa
tber's forehead just between his eyes,
My father made a virtue of neces
sity, and quietly handed over his
purse.
"Much good may it do you," he said,
"for there's only three-and-six-pence
In it."
"Now for your pocketbook," said
Tom, not heeding him.
"Pocketbook?" inquired my father.
turning a little pale.
"Aye, pocketbook!" Tom repeated;
"a thick black one; it Is in the left
hand pocket of your riding-coat."
"Here It is," said my father; "you
know so much about it that perhaps
you can tell what Its contents are
worth!"
, "I'll see,". Tom replied, quietly tak
ing out and . unfolding half-a-dozen le-
gal-lAoking documents.
"They are law papers not worth "a
rush to you or anyone else," said my
father.
"Then," Tom replied, "I may tear
them up," and he made as though he
would do so.
"Hold! on' your life!"., my father
shouted, struggling hard, but in vain
to rise.
"Don't be cross," said Tom, "it
don't become you to look red in the
face. Now, attend me," he continued
in an altered tone. "Do you see that
bridge? Well, there's a heap of Btones
In the center. Isn't there? Very good!
If you will place five hundred guineas
In gold, in a bag, amongst these stones
at twelve o'clock at night this day
week, you shall find your pocketbook
and all its contents in the same place
two hours afterward."
"How am I to know that you will
keep your word?" my father replied
a little softened by the hope of regain
ing, even at so heavy a price, tho pa
pers that were Invaluable to him.
"I'm Tam Rocket," replied the rob
ber, securing the pocketbook upon his
person, "and what I mean, I say; and
what I say, I stick to. Now, get up
and mind," he added, as my father
sprang to his feet, "my pistols don'
miss fire."
"I shall live to see you hanged," my
father muttered, adjusting his disor
dered dress.
"Shall I help you to catch your
horse?" Tom asked politely.
"I'll never rest till I lodge you in
jail," said my father, savagely.
'Give my compliments to your
wife," said Tom, mounting to his
horse.
"Confound your impudence!" howled
my father.
W
uuuu nigui, sum mm, witu ti wave
of his hand, and turning sharp round.
he jumped his Jiorse over the fence
and was out of sight in u moment.
It was not quite fair of my father, I
must own, but he determined to set a
trap for Tom Rocket, baited with the
five hundred guineas, at the bridge.
He posted up to London, saw Brad
shaw, a famous Bow street runner,
and arranged that he and his men
should come down, and help to catch
Tom; but just at the last moment
Bradshaw was detained upon some im
portant government trial, and so an
other runner, Frasor, a no less cele
brated officer, took his place.
It was settled that the runners
should come by different roads, and all
meet at a wayside inn about five
miles from the bridge, at eight o'clock
p. m. on the day my father's pocket
book was to be returned. -
My father was a little late at the
place of meeting, but when he arrived
there he could, see no one about, ex
cept a loutish-looking countryman in a
smock-frock, who was swinging on a
gate hard by.
"Good noight, malster," said ny
yokel.
'Good night to you," said my father.
'Can ye tell me who this yer letter's
for?" said the yokel, producing a fold
ed paper.
My father saw in a moment that it
was his own letter to Bradshaw.
"Where did you get. that?" he said '
quickly. - .
"Ah!" replied the yokel, replacing
it in his pocket, "that ud be tellins.
Be yer expecting anybody?"
"What's that to you?" said my fa-'
ther.
"Oh, nought," said the yokel, "only
a gentleman from London "
"Ha!" cried my father; "what gen
tleman?"
'.'Will a name beginning with P suit
you?" asked the yokel.
"Praser?" The word fell involun
tarily from my father's Hps.
"That's the name," replied the yokel,
jumping down from his seat, and
changing his tone and manner In a
moment. "I'm Praser, sir, and you're
Mr. Sandiger, as has been robbed of a
pocketbook containing waluable pa
pers; and we're going to catch Tow
Rocket as has got it that's our game,
sir. All right, sir; now to business."
"But where are your men?" my fa
ther asked, when Fraser had explained
the reason for his disguise.
"All right again, sir," said the run
ner, "they will join us. We have not
much time to lose, so please to lead
the way."
This was his plan: Two of his
men were to lie hidden on each hur
dle, while he and my father, in a boat
that was concealed beneath the main
arch, of the bridge, unseen themselves,
could watch the heap of stones where
the money was to be placed, and the
stolen pocketbook left In exchange
for it. As soon as Tom Rocket, or any
of his friends, removed the (bag In
which the gold was packed Fraser was
to whitle, and his men were to climb
from their hiding places, and secure
whoever it might be. If he leaped
over the railing of the causeway, and
took to the water, there was the boat
in which to follow him.
My father gave him the bag, saw
him write upon it,, and make some
scratches on about a dozen of the
guineas, and then my father let him
self down into the boat, in which he
was Immediately joined by the runner.
"It's all right," said Fraser, in a low
tone.
"Do you tniun ne will come?" "whis
pered my father.
"Certain," replied . Fraser, "but,
hush! we must not talk, sir; time's
up."
For three mortal hours did my. fa
ther sit In that boat, and the runners
lay stretched out on the broad of their
backs upon those hurdles, watching
for Tom Rocket to come , for his
money; and for three mortal hours
not a soul approached the bridge, not
a sound but the wash of the swollen
river was heard. By the time that
the clock struck three, my father, who
had been nodding for the last 20 min
utes, fell fast asleep as he sat cov
ered up in his cloak, for it was a bitter
cold night; but was very speedily
aroused by hearing Fraser cry out that
they were adrift.
My father was for returning direct
ly to the bridge, and so was Fraser;
but, somehow or other, they lost each
other in the dark, and when my father
arrived there, having run nearly all tho
way, he found, to his great surprise,
that the officers had left. He rushed
to the heap of stones, and there the
flvst thing that caught his eye was
his pocketbook the money was gone
Lord, how he did swear!
Determining to have it out with the
runners for deserting their posts, he
hurried on to the Inn. Tied Into five
chairs, hand and foot, trussed up like
so many Christmas turkeys, with five
gage in their five mouths, and their
five pairs of eyes glaring at him owl
ishly, sat the real Mr. Fraser and his
four Bow street runners. Tom Rocket
had 'managed the business at the
bridge himself!
Upon examining his pocketbook my
father found all his documents, and a
paper on which was written these
words:
By destroying these writings I could
have ruined you. In doing so I should
have Injured your client, whom I respect.
For his sake I keep my word, though you
have played me false.
TOM ROCKET,
Here Mr. Josh paused, and smoked
for some time In silence.
"And what became of Tom?" asked
one of the company.
"Well," replied Mr. Josh, "after hav
ing been tried three times, and get
ting off upon some law quibble on each
occasion, he, who had robbed to the
worth of thousands of pounds and es
caped was executed at Nottingham
for stealing an old bridle!"
GAUGES NOT ALIKE
WIDTHS OF FIRST RAILROADS
VARIED WIDELY.
George Stephenson's Idea Was Accept
ed, in the Early Stages of the Rail
" Standardization Finally '
Brought About.
Tile American standard railroad
gauge of to-day was predetermined by
the tramways In
the English coal
mines, which were
made to conform
to the width of the
common road wa
gons. When George
Stephenson chose
a track for his
first locomotives he
naturally adopted
the gauge of four
feet eight and one
half inches to
which he had
been accustomed
In Newcastle col
lieries. With the build
ing of the first
railroads In America came the im
portation of English locomotives, some
of which were, from Stephenson's
shops, , and the . result was a general
introduction of the English gauge as
the standard in this country, particu
larly in New England and New York,
and In the' section of the west where
railroad construction was financed by
Boston or New York capitalists.
Except In Texas the prevailing gauge
throughout the south was five feet. In
the middle states there was a confu
sion of gauges. At least seven differ
ent widths of track could be found
within the single state of Pennsyl
vania, says Moody's Magazine, and six
of these ranged with fractional varia
tions between standard gauge and four
feet ten inches.- The same condition
existed in Ohio.
Many of the most prominent lines
were originally constructed with other
than standard track. The Erie and
the Albany and Susquehanna had a
gauge of six feet, as did the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western. The Galena
& Chicago Union (now the Chicago &
Northwestern) also adopted the six-
foot gauge, but after 40 miles had been
constructed the track was relald at
standard width.
The Missouri Pacific had a gauge
of five feet six inches; the Chesapeake
& Ohio, five feet; the Cincinnati, Ham
ilton & Dayton, four feet ten inches;
the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern,
four feet nine and one-half inches, and
the Pennsylvania, four feet nine
Inches. ,
It was once thought that railroads of
a gauge of three feet or three feet six
Inches, were particularly adapted to
regions where construction costs are
necessarily heavy and traffic light. Ex
perience soon demonstrated, however,
that they are lacking in operating ef
ficiency, and they are everywhere dis
appearing. Within a few years the
Central Vermont has relaid the track
of one of its narrow gauge branches,
and the Southern Pacific has only late
ly converted its Oakland-San Jose line
into a standard road.
Shippers avoided sending their
goods over routes where they would
have to be reloaded, and the process
of transferring freight was extremely
costly to the railroads, absorbing a
large share of the profits. Some com
panies laid a third rail so as to accom
modate cars of standard' gauge. Oth
ers shifted loaded cars by means of
cranes from one set of trucks to an
other, and the Vermont Central fur
nished cars with trucks which could
be adjusted to either standard or nar
row gauge track.
The original Pacific railroad bill left
to the president the determination of
the gauge, and Lincoln decided upon
five feet, but congress reversed this
-uling and adopted the standard gauge.
No Time to, Think of Accidents.
"Of course, it is something, of a
strain on the nerves to be on the
watch constantly, but we become so
used to it that we are almost a part
of the machine," said a veteran of the
throttle. "Now, take the train upon
which I run. I know I am expected
to make time, and my thought is on
that to get all out of the engine I
can and I have no time to think
treh of anything else. The system
is very different from what it was
when I first ran an engine. The block
system is so perfected that we have
little cause to fear an accident that
human care can guard against so we
bend all our thoughts to making time.
The fireman is given no idle moments
in which to get up a fear, even if he
was given that way, and if the steam
is kept up we know we are making
the time required, and do little else.
It is all a part of our daily life, and
we get what might be called hardened
to it."
After Many Years.
One of the traffic agents of a railroad
system passing through the state of
West Virginia recently received a let
ter from a man in Wheeling making
Inquiry as to the address of the presi
dent of the road. The writer added
that it was his wish "to make a wrong
right." The desired information be
ing accorded, the head of the system
was in due time in receipt of the fol
lowing unique communication:
"Sir: When a child I took some of
your, company's coal, for which I now
beg to Inclose a check for $20, in full
payment. I am now a child of God
and paradise and lost souls are my
pnly desires." Illustrated Sunday
Magazine.
STEEL RAILS IN HOLY LAND
Consul Tells of the Damascus and
Mecca Line, Its Construction
and Equipment.
Deputy Consul John D. Whiting ol
Jerusalem recently made a journey
oyer the Damascus & Mecca railroad,
and describes the line and its equip
ment as follows:
The rails used in the construction
are all steel and come from the United
States. From Damascus to Daraa
wooden ties were laid, which are al
ready being replaced by iron ones.
From Daraa south, only iron ties,
which also come from the United
States, are used.
Some of the flat cars and the freight
cars came from Belgium,' while the
passenger cars are from Germany.
The first-class cars are of the com
partment style, a corridor running
clear through on one side of the car
into which open the small compart
ments which accommodate eight per
sons each. They are finely uphol
stered, and cost 23,000 francs ($4,600)
each. Until now there have been no
second-class cars. The third-class
cars are fitted up with stout wooden
benches . in rows, with an aisle run
ning through the center... They are
not upholstered and have no curtains,
but have glass windows and shutters.
They cost 10,000 francs ($3,000) each.
This road has been built by the
Turkish government, assisted to- a
small . extent- by the contributions of
devoted Mohammedans. Meisner Pa
sha, a German, has control of the con
struction of the road, and is assisted
by other European engineers. The
greater part of the manual labor has
been done by extra pay.
The Damascus station of the rail
way is situated at the extreme south
ern end of that part of the city called
the Medan. In viewing Damascus
from the heights to the northwest the
city resembles a saucepan or a spoon
with a round bowl, the main part be-
ing round and the quarter called the
Medan corresponding to the handle.
The latter is practically a single long
street. The station consists of sev
eral buildings, some of which are ware
and baggage houses. Large repair
shops are being erected. The present
station building is a small affair, but
it is probable that a suitable structure
will soon be built.
CHILD SAVED BY HER HAIR
Remarkable Presence of Mind Evinced
by Occupant of Cab in a
Grave Emergency.
An old engineer on the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad said: "I had a thrilling
experience once. We had just left a
small town in Ohio, and were going at
a good rate of speed, when I noticed
several children playing near the
track about 60 feet ahead. I blew the
whistle several times and the children
scampered away, all except a little
girl, who seemed fascinated by the on
rushing train. I put on the brakes,
but saw that she would be run down
unless something was done at once.
Letting go of, the throttle I reached
down, and, leaning far over, caught
the child up by her hair. I swung her
up beside me, and, at the stopping of
the train set her down with the bid
ding to run along home."
Among stories of heroic nerve and
devotion to duty none surpasses that
of an engineer on the Lake Shore a
few years ago, who, while burled un
der the wreck of his engine, tightly
pinned, while steam was blowing all
over him, ordered his fireman, who
was trying to aid him, to leave him
and flag No. 7, which was then almost
due. The others bad forgotten that
another train was rushing on. to de
struction, but this heroic engineer did
not forget It is of such stuff that
heroes are made.
Simplifying Railroad Trips.
Millions of miles would, be lopped
off the railroad ticket lugged through
Chicago and other railroad centers by
the traveling public if the .proposed
plan .to abolish coupon tickets on all
lines in the United States, Canada
and Mexico Is adopted. The plan pro
vides for a definite line of action. Not
less than 12 feet two inches of ticket
is required by the tourist on a trip
from New York to California and re
turn by a sight-seeing route, while one
may cross the Atlantic with a piece
of pasteboard not more than three
inches long. In fact, the through
ticket form is no less than 52 inches
long, of which 20 inches are devoted
to the contract of purchase. To this
form is paffeted, during the course of
the journey, a collection of two-inch
coupons that grow to a bewildering
length.
This reform was outlined at a re
cent meeting of the American associa
tion of Passenger and Ticket agents,
and promises to be solved satisfac
torily. In some ways railroads are
the most efficient concerns on earth;
in others they have lagged behind
the times. Joplln News-Herald.
, Ouaint English Station.
One of the quaintest railroad sta
tions In the United Kingdom Is Lang
ford, on the Wltham and 1 Maldon
(Essex) branch line. The sole staff
consists of an aged widow, who has
performed the duties of "station mas
ter" for many years. Her cottage,
situated in a garden, is also the booking-office;
a small wooden shed on the
single narrow platform represents the
waiting-room; and trains stop only
when there are passengers to take up
or set down.
Union Pacific Adopts Steel Cars.
Announcement is made by the
Union Pacific railroad that all future
orders for passenger equipment of all
descriptions will be fer steel cane.
SILHOUETTES OF :
WESTERN CANADA
The man from Iowa began to talk
land before the train was well out of
the C. N. R. depot in Winnipeg. The
talk began in rather wide circles. The
rush to the land, the bumper crop, the
system of summer fallowing pursued
in the semi-arid . districts, were all
discussed, and then, with a sort of
apologetic smile, the Iowa man said:
"I'm a bit Interested In this country
myself. Some of the men down home
got a few sections up here along this
line, and I'm going to have' a look at
them. Never been up In Canada be-'
fore" (it is curious how these mid
western Americans pronounce the
name of the Dominion as if It was
"Can'dy") "but if It looks good we
will be up to stay next fall."
"You see, it's like this." said the
man from Iowa quite manifestly con
tinuing an argument that had been go
ing on in his mind for some time.
"Back in our State land has become
dear. Anybody wanting to sell can
get $70 or $80 an acre for ft, and
every arm that's offered Is snapped
up. , In Saskatchewan we have just as
good land that cost us $11 and $12, so
that a man can. take up five .or , six
times as much there as la Iowa on the
same investment of money. -
"It Isn't the money, though, that
brings most of us up from Iowa. I'm
not sure that money would be enough.
The 'invasion' is a family affair. . We
have no chance of keeping our eons
around us back home. They .have
to leave the farm and go into the big
el ties of the neighboring States to get
work. To keep them on the farm and
m touch with us, we come up here
and make little colonies with the chil
dren - around us, on homesteads or
bought land. This makes It easier for
the farmers back there in Iowa to get
land for the stay-at-homes. The fam
ilies that come to Canada are. kept
together and the families that buy
the farms they leave are kept ' to- -gether,
too; There won't be any slack-
ening of the rush, either, for they still
raise big families back in Iowa."
One could almost see the mental
process of this typical American farm
er in defending a step that meant a .
new flag, a new allegiance, a new
land,- and new associates.' To aban
don Old Glory of the Declaration of
Independence for a. good . thing In
cheap land would hardly , be playing
the game, but to go out into Sas
katchewan to "keep the' family togeth
er," was another and a quite higher
motive. : "
Why seek too closely to analyze the
reasons for the greatest land trek in
the history of America? It is enough
to know that the sons of the frontiers
men of Iowa, and Kansas, and Minne-'
sota the best blood of the mid-west
are pouring into the Canadian west in
an ever-increasing stream, ' and are
learning that "God Save the King" and
"My Country 'Tis of Thee," are sung
to the same tune. Toronto (Ontario)
Globe. -' . ' .-
NATURAL INFERENCE.
"I don't like that Jones, girl. She's
always running people down"
"Goodness! I didn't know she had
an automobile!"
Where Are-Harry and Isabella Allenf
Harry Is now aged 20 years, and his
sister, Isabella, aged 18 years. - The
children were taken in charge by the
Nebraska Children's Home society in
1897 from Grand Island, following the
death of the father, Silas Allen. The
mother Is now in Oklahoma, and Is
distracted because she cannot locate .
her children, whom she has not seen
since they were taken by superintend
ent of the society twelve years ago,
who now refuses to tell their mother
where they are. If the children will
address P. O. Box 898, Omaha, Nebr.,
giving their own address, it will be
sent to their mother.
Chiid of the Press.
Mrs. Cynthia Westover , Alden was
the founder of the International Sun
shine society, which is now said to
have a membership of 3,000,000. She
Is president general of the society,
which was christened with 18 spon
sors in New York city at Christmas.
1896. It has been called the child of
the press, Mrs. Alden being connected
with a New York paper.
Doubtless.
The Homebody What's the indus
try in New York, near as ;" ye could
jedge, Agner?
The Traveled Man Steppin' lively,
I reckon. Puck.
Reason Enough.
"His feelings are greatly hurt since
he lost his job."
- "No wonder he's hurt. He fell from
a high position."
A great deal is heard of the art of
remembering, and but little of the
fine art of forgetting.
Constipation causes many serious dlsesMft. It
le thoroughly cured by Doctor Fieroe's Pleasant
Pellets. One a laxative, three lor cath&rUa.
Following cheap advice is apt to
prove expensive.