Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190? | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 1895)
REFiNEB KEVEN&E. A Widow's Thrllllnfif Perpetuation ef thoMomory of Her HuBbond'a Beath by Dollrlum Tcrmona. Chicago IntcfOccHti. In tho publiii cemetery of Alchlsou, Kan., about a mile southwest; of tho city limits, ia a monument with a his tory. To old residents there who aro ac quainted with tho circumstanced un der which it was erected, some ten years ago, it has become a familiar object, but a stranger seldom looks nt it without a shudder and an ox clamation of hror. It is a dull rod eranito shaft, broad at tho bnso nnd tapering towards tho top, and stands on a slope fiomo fifty feet back from tho main road. Tho image of a snake, about n3 largo as a man's arm, is twined around it from tho base to tho apex. On tho four sides of tho pedes tal is engraven in large, plain letters thiri Inscription: x ItU'llARD ILVIims, Died IVhrunry 13, 1877, of mU.llllUM T1IEMEN", Aged 4J years. Mrs. Richard Harris, widow of tho deceased, ordered tho monument inado aftor a desian of her own, and placed it at her husband's crave about two month's after ltis death. Mrs. Harris h( ill lives in Atchison with her son and daughter, tho form er (V youth of ilftecn nnd tho latter a handsomo girl of eighteen. Tho boy has tho blonde features and vivacious temperament of hid father,. while tho girl inherits tho dark cbmplexion and taciturn disposition of her mother. Her mother, it is said, was novcr beautiful, although, oven iiow,ib would be hard to suggest an alteration in her features which would mako them more nearly perfect. There is some thing about her countenance which most people find repellant. Either tho sombre history of hev life in Atchison has left its ihipnnt on her features or she assumes a cold and haughty air because bIio prefers to bo let alone. As it is, she has few intimate friends and mingles very little with her neigh bors. She first camo to Atchison from Georgia in 1807 with her mother. Her name was Loretta: Hullett, and she was then in her nineteenth year. Her mother started a private boarding liouse, and tho girl, who was vory skillful with her needle, made good motley as a soamstress. After twelvo months' residence in Atchison her mother was taken ill witli a fever and died, and tho girl was thrown on her own resources. Slio opened a millinory shop, but having no capital to carry on tho busmoss was soon obliged to give it up. Then si e secured employ ment in several private families as a seamstress for short perlods,and final ly went to work nt tho houso of Dr. Chalice. Tho doctor was wealthy. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Harris was a widow, and her son Dick lived witli tho doctor and his wife. Tho Harrises, too, wero possessed of largo means. Both families bad re cently coino to what was then almost tho frontier from tho East. Thoy wero vory aristocratic nnd moved in tho best Bocioty, When Lioretta Hul lett camo to Dr. Chalice's houso to work as a seamstress Dick Harris was a youug man nearly twenty-six years of age. Ho was a tall, handsome blonde, with light brown hair and gray oyes. Ho had Bpent four years at Harvard and graduated, but he had devoted more attention to ath letics and midnight suppers during his college course than to his books, and the consequence was that ho nev er stood well in his class, and nar rowly escaped being "plucked" when linnl examination day came. .'In Atchinson lie studied medicine in tho oflice of his brother-in-law, Dr. Chalice. Ho seemed to have a natural apti tude for tho profession and a tact bordering on intuition in tho treat ment of diseases. Old residents relate remarkable cures effected by him after physicians of long experience had pro nounced the cased practically hope lees. But he exhibited the samo dis like for medical works that ho had shown for hie Greek and Latin text books while at college, and employed himself mostly in taking long horse back rides into tho country in tho daytime and carousing about town with congenial spirits nt night. Notwithstanding his notori ous habits, however, his genial dis position, his nntive wit, nnd tho standing of his family, made him wel come in tho best Bociety. Indeed, his reputation as a very fast young man seems rather to have commended him to most of tho young ladies, and his conquests among tho fair aio said to have been very numer ous, His engagement to first ono and nnd then another was freely talked of as a settled fact on several occasions, but whether or not these reports had any foundation the weddings never took place, and his heart seems to have remained in his own keeping until he fell a victim to tho charms ot hiss inter's seamstress, Loretta Hullett. Ono of Dick's few literary accom plishments was an nbility to read Spanish with considerable skill and to speak it vith the fluency of a na tive. When he was a youth of 17 and full of love (or a wild life on the front ier incident to that ago his father sent him to a ranch which he owned in Southern California and gave tho establishment into his charge. Although his management ot tho concern was by no menus so success ful in the way of financial results as the elder Harris desired Dick, by con stant association with tho men about the pi ace, ul I of whom were Spaniards, became almost ns proficient in their laugunse as if he had never known any other. Ho wns charmed with tho smooth cadence of the tongue, and when ho subsequently went to college he devoted some time uml attention to the ctudy of its grammatical con struction. Upon his return to Atchi son he discovered an old Spanish gun smith named Znnthes, and used to mako almost daily visits to the old man's shop and upend hours in talking to him. It was but a short timo after tho dnrk-oyed Lo retta had been employed at Dr. dial ico's house until ho discovered that she, too, could talk Spanish, nnd his visits to the old gunsmith suddenly ceased. As reticttit with him as she was with every ono else in rogar,d to her paat history, ho was left in ig noranco as to how or whero she had acquired It. Ho manifested no undue curiosity on this point, hdwover, and contented himself with tho inct that Bho could speak it fluently. At first ho conversed with her mere ly as an amusement. Ho used to spend an hour, sometimes more, In tho sitting room where sho worked al most every day beforo going back to tho oflico after meals, or while waiting for them when hccaniohomotoo early. This conversation for tho most part was mado up of ordinary small talk about peoplo and events in the city with which botli happened to be fa miliar. Neither made cny attempt nt concealment, because neither felt that thero was anything to conceal. Dick's mother and the Chalices frequently found them chatting together, but paid no attention to it, and in fact wero rathor pleased that Dick seemed to prefer this to somo other occupa tions in which ho had been accustom ted to find amusement nnd cutortain mont. It was not long, hbwover, be foro these conversations began to last two, even throo hours. Not infrequently Dick failed to go down to tho oflico at nil in tho after noon nnd spent tho timo talking to "tho girl," ns sho was designated in tho household, and watching her nim bio fingers whilo sho sewed. Ho found himself thinking of her a great deal, although ho would hardly confess it oven to himself. Tho oflico seemed to ?;row more of aboro than over, and is counted tho hours from tho time ho left tho sitting room until ho was back again. His mother noticed this and remarked to him that ho scorned to liko to stay at homo much more than he used to. In tlio ovenincs ho nlavcd cards with Loretta. Ho had learned to be quite an expert at this whilo at college, and prided himself on tho accomplishment. But tho "littlo Spaniard," as ho play fully named tho girl, won at least as often as ho did, if indeed she did not havo tho odds iii her favor. This, too, won his admiration. Then ho thought of hor nearly all tho timo when he was awako and dronmed ot her when ho was -.sleop. An unaccountable timid ity seemed to come over him whenever tho other members of tho family wero in tho room with them. In short, ho was in love with her and afraid that ho might betray himself to his mother or his sister. Ho knew tho views of both well enough to understand that thoir anger would be something dread lul should they discover tho real stato of affairs. In tho fall of 1808, Into in Septem ber or early in October, Loretta said an aunt of hers in Georgia was vory ill and sho should liko to go and seo her. Shu left and returned about the middle ot the November following. A few days after sho had gone Dick said ho wanted to pay a visit to ono of his collego chums in Ohio, cot tho necessary funds irom his mother and leic. lio returned about tho 1st ot Decomber. About two weeks after his arrival his sister camo into tho sitting room one day and found Lor etta sitting on his lap. Sho deninnd cd n.i explanation. Dick got very red in tho faco, and stammered oiit'somo thing about "my wife." "This is my husband," said Loretta calmly, putting her arm around his neck. "Your husband?" said Miss Chalico contemptuously. "When wero you married?'i "Whon I went to seo my aunt," re plied Loretta, with a touch of irony in her voice. When Dick's mother was informed of the marriago sho was complotely prostrated. Bub her love for him, deep as it was, temporarily gave way to her indignation at tho thought that, as sho expressed it, ho had thrown himself aw'ay on a gypsy waif, nnd she ngrced with her daughter that they should bo ordered from tho house nt once. Tho Doctor was hardly less shocked than his wife and mother-in-law at Dick's escapade, hut looked at the matter philosophically and tried to persuade Mrs. Harris and his wife to accept tho situation nnd make the best of it. To recognizo the erstwhile seamstress as a member of his family was humiliating, but he argued that the publicity which would bo given to the affair by turning them out would be far worse. But as Dick said he would go, in any event, and his mother and sister weio obdurato, tho young couple left the elegant residence ot the Chalices and went to live in a modest little cottage on Cherry street. For a year and a half after his marriage Dlclc quit his fast companions and fast habits and devoted himself faithfully to the practice of his profession. Mr. Chalice found an oflice for him, paid the rent until Dick got money enough ahead to pay it himself, gave him the freo uso of his library, nnd helped him in various other ways. When his first child was born Dick appeared perfect ly happy, and seemed to havo no thought or ambition outside of his wife, his littlo daughter aud his home. Gradually, however, ho began to fall into his evil ways again. Atchi son Bociety had from the'first accept ed tne verdict oi ms mottier ana sis ter, and the aristocratic circles in which he had once moved now knew him no more. He was always very fond of society, nnd this treatment preyed on him. Although he probab ly never directly referred to the mat ter in his wife's presence, as it is said he always seemed to stand in awe ot her, Bhe understood that she was the cause of it, and an estrangement grew up between them which soon develop ed into indifference on his part and hate on hers. Dick's mother, after the first anery impulse, felt the same deep affection lor nim. and ho used to spend whole days with her at tho Chalice house. Sometimes ho brought his two children with him, but never his wife. The nioro Dick drank tho moro his practice fell away, nnd the moro busi ness ho lost tho more ho drank. Dr. Chalico used to expostulate with him bub to little purpose. Ho was soon a complcto wreck. His wifo would nob allow him to come homo nnd supported herself aud tho two children by sewing. Dr. Chalico furnished him with food and clothing, nnd finally, when ho wns taken sick brought him to his houso, whero ho died ono bitter winter night, shrieking that tho dovils were carrying him away and that his wife was setting thorn on. Mrs. Chalice and her mother agreed that what property Dick bad loft should be given to his widow and chil dren. Tho widow, however, said eho would only accept enough to got a monument for him sho could take caro of horsclf and tho children. When sho bought and set up the shaft with thu snake and tho inscrip tion on it all Atchison was shocked, and Dick' J mother and tho Chalices wero wild with shamo and indignation. Her friends tried to persuade" her to remove it, but sho refused to listen to them. There were talk of legal pro ceedings to have it taken away, as be ing a libel on tho dead, but thoy wero never instituted, and it stands there still. For a long timo other people were careful to bury their dead so far away that its horriblo shadow could not fall upon their graves, and for many years thoro was a vacant space for sovcrnl yards around it, but grad ually this feeling woro away. Now thero aro graves in most of the ad jacent lot8,and overgreens nnd willows ,bido from sight tho last resting placo of poor Dick Harris and his grim memorial stone. An Example to Royalty. Adam B ndcau in N. Y. Mnl! and Express. No sovereign of the Old World over formally invites tho most important persons of his State "to meet" tho rep resentatives ot foreign powers. Tho compliment is absolutely unprece dented abroad. A European monarch considers tho diplomatic e'relo u part of his court; ho lays down laws for its precedence and placo among his own subjects and somtimes among its own members; ho bids tho corps to all groat ceremonies, ns a mattor of courSo; b.t he gives no fetes or onter tninmonts in its honor, either at his palace or elsewhere That courtesy is left for individuals of lessor conse quent to offer if they chooso. But tho American President issues invita tions to tho Supremo Court of tho United States and to both houses of Congress, aud summons all tho officers of tho army and navy at tho Capital "to meet" the foreign plenipotentia ries, an elaborate international com pliment such as kings havo no ver paid. Tho grace of the act and tho dignity of the potentate who performs it aro en hanced by tho fact that tho President is his own oxnmplar nnd sets a pat tern of politeness.thnt royalty might bo clad to follow. This is not tho only instanc3 in which republican urbanity transcends the etiquette of courts. It has long been customary for the President to ask the chiefs of all legations to adip lomatic dinner at the Executive Man sion. Tho compliment is annual, and was pnid by President Cloveland as it has been paid by each of hia predeces sors for half a century. But tho emi nent men of the United States at tho English court have often spent years in England nnd never sab with her Majesty, who nevertheless announces her dinner party in tho court circular for every day in the year. Duringtho twelve years that I passed officially in England no American Minister din ed with theQueen except Mr. Pierre pont, and that was during the first visit of Gen. Grant. Reverdy John eon, Gen. Schonck, Mr. Motley, Mr. Welsh, all camo and went and never visited Windsor, except to present their credentials or their recall. Mr. Lowell may havo been invited after I left tho country, but this typical Amer ican courtier received no royal sum mons to dinner whilo I was in Eng land. Mr. and Mrs. Piorrcpont were asked to call at Balmoral when they Imp osed to bo in tho Highlands, for Mra Pierrepont had pleased both the Queen and tho Princess of Wales. She even had a special audience for pres entation, a circumstnnco almost with out precedent for an envoy's wile; but on all theso occasions both sho and tho Minister lunched with tho royal household, not with tho head of the Stato. War and Taxation. Popular Sclonco Monthly tor January. Tho factors that have been concern ed in effecting theso economic changes nnd accompanying disturbances are not, however, simple, but somewhat numerous nnd complex. They, never theless, admit, it is believed, of clear recognition and statement. In the first place, the results of tho Franco German war tho radical changes in the character and construction ot war armaments since that period, nnd the continual augmentation of permanent military forces, have en tailed upon all tho states of Europe since 1873 continually increasing ex- Senditures and indebtedness; and in irect taxation, by means of duties on imports, to meet these increasing financial burdens, has been found to be most in accord with the maxim at tributed to Colbert, that the per fection of taxation consists in so plucking tho goose i.e., the people as to procure the greatest amount of feathers with tho least possible amount ot squawking. Col. Lamont has returned to Achllle Olivieri. a wealthy manufacturer ot Venice, an exquisitely jeweled casket, made expressly for Mrs. Cleveland and presented to her with the man ufacturer's compliments. Accompa nying the casket is a courteous letter thanking Sig. Olivieri for his kindness, but declining to accept the gift on the ground that Mrs. Cleveland accepts no presents except from personal friends. LITTLE KATE AND I. Wo didn't wait for an income to marry on, littlo Kate nnd I. Wo had no rich relations to leave ns legacies or to send pearl nccklnccs, diamond or nnmcnls, or thousand dollar bonds for wedding presents. I wns Bimply a brakcntati on tho Eastern Michigan railway, a long and lonely stretch of rails over desolate marshes, Btcep mountnin grndos, and solitary sweeps of prniric land; sho was tho bright-eyed waitress in ono of tho restaurants nlong tho lino. But when I fell from tho platform when tho great, accident happened, you lieard of the great ac cident, I suppose, when there wns such a shocking loss of life it was Kate's caro and nothing else that brought mo back into tho world I had so nearly quitted for good and nil! "I would havo dono it for anybody, Mark!" paid sho, when I tried to thank her. "Would you?" said I. "But it isn't everybody that would havo dono it for me, Kntc!" So I asked her to marry me, nnd sho said yes. And I took a littlo cottngo on tho edgo of tho Swampscott woods, and furnished it ns well as I could, with a red carpet, cheesecloth curtains at tho windows, a" real Connecticut clock, nnd a set of walnut chairs that I mado myself, witli seats of rushes, woven in by old Billy, the Indian, who carried his baskets nnd mats around tho country, and Mrs. Perkins, tho parson's wife, madeusaweddingcake, nnd so wo were married. Pretty soon I found out that Kate was pining a little. "What is it, sweetheart?" said I. "Remember, it was a contract between us that wo wero to liavo no secrets from each other! Areyou notperfectly happy?" "Oh, yes, yes!" oried Kate, hiding her faco on my shoulder. "But it's my mother, Mark. She's getting old, nnd if I could only go East to see her, just once beforo tho Lord takes her away!" It was then I felt tho sting of my poverty most. If I had only been a rich man to havo handed her out a check, and said: "Go at once!" I think I could have been quite happy. "Never mind, sweetheart," said I stroking down her hair. "We'll lny up a fewdollarsfrommonthtomonth, nnd you shall go out and seo her be foro she dies!" And with that littlo Kato was forced to bo content. But there was a hun gry homesick look upon her face which went to my heart to see. "If I wa3 rich!" I keptsaying to my self. "Oh, if I was only rich!" One stormy autumn night wo were belated on the road, for tho wind was terrible, shaking tho century old pines and oaks, as if they were nothing more than tall swamp grasses, and driving through tho ravines with a shriek nnd a howl liko a wholo pack of hungry wolves. And tho heavy rains had raised Bho streams bo that wo .wero compelled to go carefully and blowly over tho bridges and keep a long look ahead for fear of accidents. I was standing at my post, in front of tho second pnssenger car, stamping my feet on tho platform to keep them warm, and hoping littlo Kate would not bo perturbed at my long absence, when tho news ngent camo chuckling out: "Wo'ro to stop at Stumpvillo sta tion," snid lie. "Nonsense," said I, "I know better. This train never stops short of Wnu kensha city, least of aU.when wo aro running to mako up for lost time, as we aro to-night. "Oh, but this is nn exceptional oc casion," said Johnny Mills (which was the news agent's name.) "Wo'ro go ing to put nn old woman off. She has lost her ticket, she says. Moro likely she never hnd one. Goes on as though Bhe had her pocket picked." "It's most a pity, isn't it, to put one off to-night?" said I. "Least of all at siieh a lonely place ns Stumpvillo sta tion, whero there aro only two houses and a blacksmith shop." "Yes, I know," said Mills, adjusting tho newspapers' that ho carried in a rubber caso under his arm. "But tho superintendent of tho roadhas got out a new set of instructions, and he's that particular that Jones wouldn't daro overlook acaselikothis. There's been so many confidence games play ed on the road lately." "Which is tho one?" said I, turning tolook at the end window of the car which was at the rear. "Don't you see? Tho old party at tho back ot tho two fat women in tho red shawls. She's haranguing Jones now." "I see," said I. It was a little old woman in a black silk poke bonnet, a respectable cloth cloak, bordered with ancient fur, and a long, green veil, who was earnestly talking and gesticulating with the conductor. But ho shook his head and puBsed on, and sho sank back in a helpless littlo heap behind the green veil, and I could see her take a small handkerchief from a smull basket and put it piteously to her eyes. "It's too bad,' said I. "Jones might remember that ho onco had if he hasn't now a mother of his own." "And loso his placo on the road," said Mills. "No, no, old fellow.nll that Borb of thing does very well to talk about, but it don't work in real life." So ho went into tho next car, and tho Bignal to slack up camo presently. I turned to Mr. Jones, tho conductor, who just then stepped out on theplat form. "Is it for that old lady?" said I. Ho answered, "Yea." Snid I, "how far did Bho want to go?" "To Swamp scott," said ho. "You needn't stop, Mr. Jonos," said I, "I'll pay her fare." "Youl" he echoed. "Yes, I," aaid I. "I'll take her to my own houso until sho con telegraph to her friends or something. My wifo will bo. good to her, I know, for the eake of her own old mother out east!" "Just as youplcnso,"said Mr. Jones. "But when you've been on tho road nslongnslhnvc, you'll find that this Bort of thing doesn't answer." "I hopo I slinll never bo on the road too long to forget my Christian chari ty," 1 answered, a little nettled. And 1 took out my worn pocket-book and handed over tho money. We did not stop nt'Stumpvillo sta tion nfter all, but put on moro steam and ran as fast as it Mas safo to drivo our engine and when, a little past midnight, we renched Swampscott, whcn-ive wcrcduo nt 7;nO,Picrre Reno, tho Frenchman, camo on board to re lievo me. and I helped my old lady off tho train, lint basket, travelling bog and nil. "Am I to bo put off after all?" said she, with a Beared look around her. "Cheer Up. ma'am," said I, "You aro all right. Now, then look out for the fctcp! Hero wo are." Where am I?" said tho old lady. "At Swampscott, ma'am," said I. "And you nro tho kind man who paid my faro?" said sho. "But my daughter nnd her husband will repay you when " "All right, ma'am;" said I. "And now, if you'll just tnke my arm, we'll be homo in a qunrter of an hour." "But," said she, "why can't I go di rectly to my destination?" "It's middling late, ma'am," snid I, "and houses don't stand shoulder to shoulder in Swnmt&eott. My nearest neighbor is a mile and n-half away. But never fonr, ma'am, I've a wife that will bo glad to bid you welcome for tho Bnko of her own mother." She murmured afew words of thnnks, but she was old and weary, and the path was rough and uneven, in tho very teeth of keen November blast and walking wasn't an easy task. Presently, wo came to tho little cot tngo on tho edgo of the Swampscott woods, where tho light glowed warmly through tho Turkey red curtains. "Oh, Mark, dearest, how lato you are?" cried Kate, making haste to open the door. "Come in, quick, out of tho wind. Supper is all ready, and but who is that with you?" In a hurried whisper I told her all. "Did I do right, Kate?" said I. "Right of course you did," said she. "Ask her to como in at once. And I'll put another cup and saucer on tho table." Tenderly I assisted tho chilled and weary old lady across tho threshold. "Here's my wife,' said I. "And hero's a cup of smoking hot coffee nnd some of Katie's own biscuits nnd chicken pie! You'll be all right when the cold is out of your joints a bit!" "You aro very, very welcome," said Kato brightly, as sho advanced to un tie our visitor's veil and loosen tho folds of her cloak. But, all of a sud den, I heard a cry, "Mother, oh, mother!" "Hold on, Kate!" said I, with tho coffee-pot Btill in my hnnd, ns I had been lifting it from tho firo. "This is never " "But it is, Mark!" cried out Kato breathlessly. "It's mother; my own mother! Oh, help mo, dearest, quickly; she has fainted away!" But she was all right again, present ly, sitting by tho firo with her feet on ono of tho warm cushions, which Kato had knit witli wooden needles, and drinking hot coffee. It was all true. Tho unfortunato passenger whoso pocket had been picked on tho train, and to whoso rescue I hnd come, was no other than my Kate's own mother, who hnd determined to risk tho perils of a journey to tho far West to see her child once again. And she has been with us over since, tho dearest old mother-in-law that ever a man had, tho comfort of our household, and the guardian angel of littlo Kato and the bnby, when I am away on my long trips. And littlo Kato declares now that sho is "perfectly happy!" God bless her may she never bo otherwise. How Gun Barrels are Made. St. Nicholas. Tho beautiful waved lines and curious flower liko figures that appear upon tho surfaco of tho barrels are really tho lines of welding, showing that two diflerent kinds of molals, iron k and steel , nro intimately blended in mak king tho finest and strongest barrols. Tho process of thus wciling nnd blending steel and iron is a vpry interesting ono. Flat bars, or ribbons, of steel and iron nro alternatively arranged togother and then twistod into a cablo. Sevaral of tho cables aro then welded togother, and shaped into along flat bar which is noxt spirally coiled around a hollow cylinder, called n mandrel; nfter which tho edges of theso spiral bars are hcatod and firmly welded. Tho spiral coil is now put upon what is called a welding mandrel, is again heated and carefully hammered into tho shape of a gun-barrel. Next comes tho cold hammoring, by whicli the pores are securely closed. Tho last or finish ing operation is to turn tho barrel on a latho to exactly its shape and size. By all the twistings and weldings and ham merings, tho metals are so blended that the mass has somewhat tho consistency and toughness of woven steel and iron. A barrel thus mado is very hard to burst. But the finishing of the insido of tho barrel h an operation requiring vory great euro and skill. What is called a eylindor-bored barrel ia where tho bora or hole through tho barrel is mudo of uniform sizo from end to end. A choko boro is one that is a littlo smaller at the muzzle end than it is at the breach end. Thero aro various ways of "chok ing" gun-barrels, but tho object of all methods is to mako the gun throw its shot closo together with oven nnd regu lar distribution and with great force, Thero are several kinds of metallic combinations that nun-makers use, tho principal of which aro called Damascus, .Dernaru uuu iuimn.uii.-ii one. Damascus barrels aro generally eidoxed the best. The con- Miss Rose Elizabeth Cleveland calls for the abolition of the 'ladies' win dow" in post offices. She says it ia an agency of demoralization, because it enables young ladles to carry on correspondence that would not bo tol erated by their families if the letters were delivered at their homes. Eradicating a Habit. From Youth's Companion. A man can, if ho will, eradicate a deep-rooted habit. For years tho Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Brooklyn, read his sermons. Ho would havo continued a "reader" had not new circum stances ordered him, if ho wished to hold his audience, to preach nob only without a manuscript, but without notes. Ho uprooted tho invetcrnlo habit, and his eloquent discourses nro now delivered without oven a scrap of paper appearing on tho pulpit-cushion. Though carefully prepared, they, are unwritten. Tho change required a remarkable mental feat. Until he visited London, General Grant was known as tho shy man, from whom no ovation had over ex torted more than two or three words. When a Washington crowd congratu lated him on hia nomination to tho presidency, ho told them he wns "en tirely unaccustomed to public speak ing, and without tho desire to culti vate the power." But at tho great dinner-party in the Guildhall, which welcomed him to Lon don, tho shy.silent man put appropri ate thoughts into such felicitous lan guage as to win tho approval of schol ars aud orators. During his tour around the woild, his public acknowledgment of tjio honors paid to him wero terse, epi grammatic, witty and wise. His inti mate friends wero astonished nt the transformation, and ono of them, Gen. Bndeau, alter hearing tho general's speech in London, recalled a s:ene in Missouii. General Grant was travelling by railroad, and whenever tho train stopped,a crowd of people surround ed it, anxious to see and hear, as a woman nut it, "tho man that lets tho women do all tho talking. During ono of these halts, the gener al's youngest son, Jesse, then a boy of seven years,came out on tho platform. "A speech! a speech!" shouted tho crowd; bub tho father remained si lent. "Papa, why don't you speak to theni!" asked tho boy. Then, as his father remained mute, Jessie cried out, "I can make a speech, if papa- can't." "A speech from Jesse!" ahoutedtho crowd. Thero wa3 a hush, as tho lit tle fellow began reciting: "The hoy stood on the burning deck." One hot day, when General Grant and his family wore out in the lawn before their house, Jesse mounted a. haystack, saying, "I'll show you how papa makes a speech." All ot them laughed as Jesse made a. bow, which his father never did, and began: "Ladies and Gentleman, I am very glad to see you. I thank you very much. Good-night!" Grant blushed, and the others laughed; ho did not relish the imita tion; it was too close. Bismarck's Narrow Escape. London Figaro. According to private correspondence from Berlin, Prince Bismarck lias been considerably troubled of late by tho effect of the bullet wound ho received bo many years ago from the revolver of a would-be assassin. Many people have forgotten even the circumstance that tho great German Chancellor was so murderously attacked by the youth Blind, but as a matter of fact five shots wero dis charged at him, and it was simply owing to the sturdy way in which he grasped his assailant's arm that only one of them took effect. This bullet glanced off ono of tho Chancellor's lower ribs, and a bony excrescence whicli developed in consequence still marks tho place. As it turned out, too, Bismarck's risk was by no means at an end when he grappled with ami seized his nssailant. A military guard hurried up hearing the Chancellor's shouts, nnd tho impulse of tho foremost of these Btalwart Prussian grenadiers on seeing a com paratively feeble stripling being held and seemingly maltreated by a pon der ous man with a bald head for Bismarck's hat had fallen oil was to club his nfie and bring it down on the hitter's baro pate. Luckily for Ger many, however, theChancellor warded hiB impending fate by shouting out Hold on, I am Bismarck!" on which as the latter himself tells the story, the soldier dropped his wenpon in a much greater fright than that of his escaped victim. Living from Hand to Mouths Trom the Cleveland Leader. One startling fact brought out by tho great miners' strike in tho Schuyl kill valley is the strictly hand-to-mouth system of fuel distribution in great centres of population. 'The stock ol coal 0H hand in cities near tho mines is Utterly inadequate to supply the jieeds of manufactories and other largo consumers for more than a few -weeks in advance. 01 course, at points more remote, es pecially such aa receive Iheir coal mainly by routes like tho gieat lakes, which aro closed a large part of the year, the accumulation of fuel is quite extensive at certain seasons in par ticular. Taking the country as a whole, however, in view of the ease with which stocks of coal may be carried without loss or injury, the margin protecting consumers lrom the con sequences of a stoppage of work in the mines is very small.' A total ces sation of mining in all parts of the United States would very speedily be followed by terrible distress and busi ness stagnation. In fact, the world, even yet, conies far nearer living from hand to mouth, in the necessaries such ns food and fuel, than we are apt to thiiik. Eternal industry ia the price of protection from cold and hunger. According to "The Musical Couri er," the number of pianos manufac tured in this country in 1887 has been .52,000, requiring 4,57(1,000 keys, aH many hummers, 200,000 casters, over 12,000,000 tuningtpins, and some 1,500,000 brass nsraffes. r i SM Al L vj-M- -ui - -. i