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About Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190? | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1896)
i TNEIMDIMJMM EATER. ATlsorof tho Dangoroua Sort Do orlbod by Ex-Mnyor Onrtor Har rison. Chlfco Malt. In his letter from India, ex-Mayor Carter Hnrrison tells of tho captured xnan-eattag tigers shown in cnges in tho public garden of .Toyporo. Tho man-eaters do not soom to bo diiajt poarlng as rapidly as might be oxpect cd under Enlglsh dominion in India, Sand many thousands of people aro annually made victims. Tho tigers even lurk along tho highways and de vour tho nativo postmen. Of how the dangerous boasts aro sometimes destroyed is told in tho following ao count by a lato writer tho article hav ing a timely interest from tho allusions snado in tho ex-Mayor's letter: Whilo sitting in tiio little depot at Jooa one afternoon, In conversation with tho station agent. "Freight No. 13," from Madras, camo in on to tho siding opposite to wait for tho Bom bay express to pass. Attached to tho long train of rlco cars wcro several flats, somo with "daks" on them, others with palanquins, and on tho hindormost a very odd-looking object which at onco attracted our atten tionthe in oro that there Bccmed to bo a man insido it. "What have you got on that rear car, Tales?" my friend, the agent call ed out to tho conductor of tho freight. "You'vo got mo now," replied that official with a laugh. "That's a non descript. No naino on it. Billed to Yuloodian. Walk up and see for yourselves, gentlomen. That is tho Bhlpper inside; name, Geetor Zoom Joogr by trado a tiger killer! But you won't find him talkative.' The "nondescript" was a round cago-liko structure, somo twelvo feot in diamctor by six or seven in height. Tno bottom was ot blade umber, ana tho flat top of the same, but not quite so niasslvo, whilo tho sides wcro of thick; Btralght, brown bamboo rods or bars, sot upright liko stanchions in tho black bod pieces, with spaces be twixt them four or five inches wide. In short, it was a heavy round cage, made years and years ago, and of curious workmanship. But tho old nativo insido it was a still greater curiosity. Ho was array ed in a dirty blue cotton frock and drawers or trousers of tho samo stuff. His feet wero bare such feot! Thoy were shrunken, bony ami of such shiny, wino-brown huo as to givo ono tho idea that thoy had been calcined over a slow fire. Tho man was bare headed, too, and what is not common among Hindoos, his hair, thin and in part gray, was bratded in a cuo down his back. Tho tightness of tho skin across his brows gavo to his countenance a strangely mummified expression, hardly relieved by tho deep, dull black eyes and coarse, thin eyebrows, whilo tho lower part of his lace was curiously marked with still coareor, crinkled hairs, too scattering to bo termed a beard. His general comploxion wan liko an old withered walnut. From tho elbow down his arms wcro have, and they seomod mere parcels of bone and sinew bound tightly up in sun-dried hide, while his lean fingers, liko claws, terminated in nails an inch or moro long. Indeed, in matter of personal appearanco Mr. Geeter Zoom Joogr was ono of the very strangest, unhu man human beings 1 ever chanced to meet in any country. Set against tho sido of the cage wero two short spears or lances fiv or six feet in lenath with handles of somo black wood and their sham slender points of bright steel, which shouo liko silver. Theso blades or points wero of thomselve3 nearly or quito two feot long altogether very ugly looking im plements. A few stolid responses wero all that I could elicit trom the man by ques tions. Ho said, or rather admitted, that ho was going to Yuloodian to till a tiger. ami that killing man-eaters was his business. Fifty rupees was his price for killing a dangerous tiger. He hnd mado this his business for twenty years since tho Sepoy war. I felt vety" curious to know how tho old man hunted and asked permission to go up to Yuloodian and participate in the hunt. To this request ho made no reply for awhile, but upon my urn- ins it sevornl times at lencth said, "Tho Sahab can suit himself." Just then the express whistled in, and as soon ns it hnd passed tho freight, and with it old Geeter and his cage, moved on. Lato in the afternoon after my duties on the beet Ion wero over for tho day, I went up on the way freight to Yuloodian, taking my Remington car bine and stock of cartridges. It was dusk and tho huts were closed, but by dint of knocking and shouting I learn ed where the tiger hunter had located his case. I found it a short distance beyond-the village. After somo little parley I was admitted through a little trap door in the top, which was secure ly fastened again, but my l ecept ion was a most ungracious one. Ho grumbled ominously in tho nativo tongue of my disturbing the night and breaking the spells. Besides our two selves in tho caee there was the caress of a goat to at tract the tiger. Hour after hour of the damp, warm, dark night we sat crouched motionless there. Old Geeter neither spoke nor moved, but I could hear him breathp. Onco wo heard a fchort, querulous roar, which I suppos ed to be that of a tiger at a distance, "but no tiger came near that night. The next night I took a bird-call with me. 1 had intended to imitate the bleating oi a kid. thinking thus to at tract the tiger, but reflecting after a few trials that this was a tiger with a taste for human flesh, I began to counterfeit the crying of a child, which I found no dilficult matter when once I hod got the right key for it. I said nothing to Old Getter of my trick when I reached Yuloodian that even ing, but joined him as before. Tho night was very still. Several times tho weird cry of a devoteo in tho distant village of Rnzotporo came faintly to our ears over many milec Tho stars shono down with a misty lustro. It was very damp.yot warm. Onco a cloud of green, sparkling fire flies camo, and drifting in betwixt the stout bars of tho cago fairly lighted it with their glinting fires. Later a dole fully howling pack of jackals swept past us, eight or ten rushing up to sniff tlin goat's blood. Thero were other sounds. Like a wail from dead, misguided millions came tho melancholy cry of tho devotee in his solitary and painful vigil, and not long af tor wo neard tho gruff bark or grunt of a prowling tiger from across tho "sarkee. With that I softly drew out my "call" and began sobbing and crying liko a child in distress. Old Geeter started and uttered a low exclamation, then, as quickly divining my motive,ho sat down again in his former listening posture. Several times I imitated tho cry of Hindoo children "maumay, man may, maumay" then sobbed on as Bomohttlo ono lost in tho jungle. Presently my old confrere whispered "llcesh" ("Hush") Tnrku zo ("Tho beast hears"). I heard nothing and continued to hear not a sound, but tho old native was grasping Ono of his speers, crouch ing on his knees, every muscle braced. Fivo or ten minutes passed on. I fancied the old man's ears wero hardly so sharp as I thought them. But on a sudden a low, eager shuffle, as when somo carnivorous beast scents a gory morsel, broke tho still ness. Looking intently through tho darkness in that direction I espied two flashing orbs in tho high grass. Slowly, stealthily, and with scarce ly a rustlo of tho dry stalks those green-tinted, fiery eyes wcro coming nearer. Tho carcass of tho goat was hung up against tho cago bars, inside it. Within twelve or fifteen yards tho creaturo seemed to fly at me, bound from out the grass against tho sldo of tho cage, uttering a low, intenso howl. The cago rocked violently, l was thrown to ono side, but old Geeter, better prepared for tho shock than I, kept his crouching position, and as tho tigor clung, arowling and tearing at tho carcass, he thrust his spear, giving it a slight wound. Astonished at tho sharp prick, the great beast bounded to one side, then with a savage roar sprang againBt tho caco acain, its eyes flashing, growling horribly, the picture of venomous wrath. Tho air was stifling with mus ky broath. It wrenched and toro at cago with its claws. Tho bamboo bars sprung and cracked frightfully. But this was tho chanco Old Geeter was waiting for. Before I could tako aim or firo ho lunged with all his force, driving that long acute lanco point out betwixt tho bars,deep into tho tiger's exposed breast. witti a loud agonized cry, strangely in contrast with its deep bass growl and roar, the beast leaped backwards to tin ground, it was tno animals mortal cry, and I never saw a moro fearful death struggle. Timo and attain it bounded high in tho air, tumbling down heavily, only to leap upward acain. Its frightfully hideous cries might have been heard leagues oil. It must have bpen some minutes ere death relieved the animal's dying pains, nor did we venture forth till it lay limp and breathless. Daylight showed it to be a very Bleek, yellow and black mottled tigtr of the largest size. It had fattened on human flesh. Not less than thirteen persons.includ ing child ten had been its victims dur ing tho month It had besot the village. I romained to seo tho people of the hamlet coma out at sunrise to exult over tho "karachu." They performed a kind of thanksgiving dance. Old Geeter remained with them to collect i,u, ..,. T .-... "I1"''.1 I-: .. Two days ater 1 saw lnmpassJooa his cage on a freight train Uelook- iaInM?..,.um ed as grim us ever. Law on Dogs. Judgo Dresser has ruled that a live dog is not stealable in Maine. Under tho Maine law a dog in not subject tc larceny, because he is not an article of food, not mado by the toil of man, and not included in any other of the clnstes of stealable property. How over, the hldo of a deg is stealable, because it is mado valuable by tho toil of man. Thus the owner of a dead dog is protected by law, while tho owner of a live dog is left to his own resources to protect his dog. This is quite apremiumon dead dogs. Tho Legislature has the power to mako a hvo dog stealable. If the Legislature fails to do this tho doc comes under the common law, and you can mako off with him, and, al though he cost his owner a small for tune, and was imported from Italy, you can't bo arrested for btealins. But the owner can bring a civil action either of tiespasw, trover or replevin. Hawks arestealable because they have a "noble and generous nature and are serviceable to mankind. Bee are stealahlo because they produce lood. A man mado mad over vegetarian ism was n curious inmate of a Penn sylvania hospital. Tho sight of any animal, bird, insect or reptile, slain at tho hand of man, would send him into paroxysms of hysteric rase. Ho would wear no shoes, in order to kill the fewer animalcuhe as ho walked. Every shoe or woollen articlooicloth ing that came in his teach he would destroy; a funeral would fill him with frenzy, for ho held that tlm dead should bo carried into the woods and covered with leaves; while his vegeta rian ideas as to food were equally pronounced. On every occasion pos sible he would slip oif to eat grass, each blade of which he would carefully wipe in order to preclude the destruc tion of an insect. 'A Few Smites. "What made the tower of 1'iealean?" "Bocauso of tho famine in- the land," said a boy who got tho tower confus ed with Joseph's brethren. Teacher. Llfo Insurance Agent "Madam, our company has never failed to pay a singlo claim, and when you consider that one-sixth of our holders die every year, you "Madam "So many diel Really I can't think of taking a poli cy; I don't think it would be Bafe." Harper's Bazar. Kosciusko Murphy, who is a book keeper in a grocery store, met a friend who clerks in a cigar store on Austin avenuo, and asked him (or a cigar. "Ain't got any," said his friend. "Ain't got any," said Kosciusko. "Why, when! used to work in a cigar store I always had my pockets stuffed with cigars." "Yes; probably that's tho reason you ain't in a cigar store now," was tho crushing reply. "John," sho said, soltly, "have you beon saying anything about me to mother lately?" "No," replied John; "why do you ask?" "Because she said this morning that sho behoved you wero on tho ovo of proposing to me. Now, I do not wish you to speak to mother when you have anything of that kind to say. Speak to me, and I'll manage the business witli mother." And John said he would. Thero lives in Leominster, on Cen tral Btreet, a rather nervous four-year-old girl, who could never sleep unless tho room was dimly lighted. One night recently tho lamp becamo extinguished, and sho called loudly for her mothor, who asked what was tho matter. Sho said between sobs: 'Tho light is out, and I can't see whether my oyes are open or not." A Pittsburg editor says: "Hus bands nro not mado to order." We'll bet ho can't convince mostwiveB they aro not. Washington Critic. A Denver man lias been arrested for stealing three boxes of cicars of tho value ol eighty-threo cents a box. Tho defenso will be insanity. Life. A steward wrote to a bookseller in London for some books to fit up his master's library, in tho following terms: "In tho first p'neo I want Bix feet of theology, the samo quantity of metaphysics, and near a yard ol old civil law in folio." Now York daily papers often speak of "Long Island girls," but an investi gation shows that girls who live on island 3 grow no longer than girls who don't. Irate father "You remember you wanted to marry that bookkeeper of mine about a year ago." Daughter "Yes, father." "Aprettysort ofaman you picked out. Ho has decamped with my whole fortune." "You remem ber, father, that you told him lie could not have mo until ho got rich, don't you?" "Of course, the, young " "I have just received a dispatch from him at Montreal saying ho is rich now, but is perfectly willing to marry a poor man's daughter." Littlo Dot "I don'tlike to help wipe dishes." Omaha mamma "Why not pet?" "If I learn howtodosuch things just light, I'll crow up into a servant girl, won't 1?" "No, dear. If you learn how to do anything just right you'll never be a servant girl." Don't bo impatient. It will soon be May-Day, and you can put on your Arctic overshoses and winter over coat, tio up your ears, and go out in the wild-wood and sit down on the re mains of a snowdrift and eat a spring sandwich. It isn't as if thero was nothing to look forward to. Some ono observes that the class of men who used to blow out their ll,,,,!,,. nniv n1Dl Mnw niitth... i ,".. ,:.", , r i 1 1 J ' 8 'n0'10 e thna' ?nS? out the gas have no brains to blow out. "Why do yo j wail so, George?" in. quiied .Mrs. Saygood. "Because," groaned George, I have run the point of a nail into my foot." "Well," she said, softlv, "never mind, 1 have seen you run the p'int of an ule into your heck and look up for more without catching your breath." "I hear that Gen. Lightfoot is going to run for governor," said tho judge. "Glad he's going to run for some thing," said the major, with feeling, 'he ran Trom everything all throuch the war." Perfect unison in purpose and desire is a beautiful thing between parent and child. To illustrate: "Then Al decitha, you will bo mine?" "Yes, Ferdinand, if pa is willinj. I always do what he wants me to." "But will ho givo his consent?" "He will." Pa always does what 1 want-hlni to." "Wo hdve heard a great deal about the reckless extravagance of the far west," says The Chicago Times, "but we cannot go quitoso lar as to believe the varu that thero is a hotel in Dead wood where theychnnge the nap kins every time they change propri etors." He "But ain't you afraid your par ents will be angry if we get married." She "No, they won't care. Why, they are married, too." The Colonel. Some wacs were walking nround an agricultural implement store, and they chanced to seo in the rear a dressed hog hanging by a hook in the wall. "What sort of nn agricultural implement do you call that?" they asked. "That is a putent combined root-grubber, corn-shelter, apple-crlnd-er, gate-fitter, double-action, back spring sod-ploiuh; but I guess you won't want one, for it takes a mighty smart man to manage it." "My son, don't misplace your sym pathy. When a man goes to thedogs, remember that in many instances it is mighty rough on the dogs." Burdette. Swimming; Among Sharks From ttib San Frauclaco Kxatniner. Tho brig W. G. Irwin, Capt. J. E. McCullnch, arrived recently, twenty days from Honolulu, having on board Frank Miller, a young seaman picked up at sea of! Diamond head, six miles out trom tho island capital. Tho res cued sailor belonged to tho whaler Jacob Howland, which sailed from this port on the 27th of November last. His experience was certainly a terrific one, involving as itdidasov-entecu-hour swim in water infested with sharks; and that ho was not de voured by Bomo of thorn appears littlo less than miraculous. Miller s story, as related to an Examiner reporter, is as follows: "On tho night of March 2, while it was my watch below, I had occasion to como on deck and get into tho for ward chains. We had just been try ing out two sperm whales whioli wo had taken, aim everything about tho ship was simply smeared with grease. When I stepped into the chains my feot slipped, and I fell, striking my head against tho side of the vessel, partly stunning me. Whon I camo to myself enough to mako an outcry, the ship had got a long ways ahead, and I could not mako them hear me. I knew which way tho land lay, and swum for two and one-half hours in that direction, but a current kept carrying mo back. When I was pret ty nearly done up, 1 found a piece of a wooden gutter floating in tho water, and kept it by me aftel-ward. But I couldn't get to shore try ns 1 might, and tho sharp-edges of the plank rasp ed my arms and legs dreadfully. To ward morning tho wind began to drivo mo inshore, but very slowly. I floated along all tho forenoon and about 3 o'clock in the afternoon hnd becomo so weak that I couldn't hold on any longer. I cavo myself up, and was just letting go when 1 t caught sight of tho Ir win. She had just cast off the tug which had towed her out of tho har bor. Of course I held on awhile long er, and as thoy came by thoy heard mo call and lowered a boat. Thoy had to lift mo into tho boat, and on bonrd and up to tho deck of the brig liko a baby. I was that weak. But I very soon cot all right again, for nev er was man treated better than Capt. McCulloch and his men treated me. My ship was nino miles off shoio when I went over and I was in tho water nearly eighteen hours. Tho sharks had swarmed around tho snip tho day before, when wo woiethrowingtho whale refuse overboard, and I tell you I did not feel easy." Capt. McCulloch of tho Irwin seomed of the opinion that young Miller had purposely jumped overboard with tho intention of swimming ashore. A Kanaka sailor had done the samo thing two days before, swimming five miles to land and carrrying a largo bundle of clothes. Young Miller, how ever, insists that ho fell overboard, though admitting that life on board tho whaler had been a veritable hell through the vileness of tho food fur nished and the harshness of the officers. Tho Howland, he states, must now bo cruising toward tho Arctic. Sho is commanded by Capt. Shockley. A Doctor's Strange Death. Dr. F. G. Fuller, a prominent physi cian of Lincoln, Nebraska, left homo to visit a patient in tho country. That night ho went to the residence ol Mr. Grant, six mile3 south, and ex plaining his horse had run away and thrown him out ot his buggy he was cared for. Tho next morning Grant with him went to where his sulky was, some distance along the road, and leit him looking for his marc. Next morning Grant saw tho sulky still thero and going to it found tho doctor on tho ground dead. The impression is that death resulted from concus sion of the brnin. lie Had taken a couple of lap robes and fixed a bed a few feet from the buggy, had also put up his umbrella to keen off tho sun and hnd opened his medicine caso and had taken such remedies as would be proper for a shock, evidently knowing what was the matter. Tho body was found about twenty feet down the bank from where tho bed was, hav ing probably rolled there in the death struggle. A C ontinent of Coal. Cor. Boston Glubc. Thirty years ngo there were less than 3,000,000 tons of coal a year taken out of tho anthiacito regions of Pennsylvania; last year the output was 31,000,000 tons.au average in crease of over 1,000,000 tons a year. In f-pire of this enormous output the coal beds of that region are hard ly opened yet, and "Pennsylvania alone Is estimated to have coal enough insido its limits to last the whole world for fiO.OOO years to come. This is not all. Tho whole conti nent of North America is nothing but a big coal sandwich. Under tho ledges of the Rocky Mountains, below the prairies of the great West anil sup porting also the farmlands of Ontario and the virgin forests of British Columbia, are billions of tons of coal, waiting for the miner to come and dig it. Prof Hitchcock, in his "Geology," says that reckoning on tho present into of increase in tho earth's popula tion, there is coal enough in tne United States alono to supply all tne inhabitants of tho globe for 333,333 years to come. The Privilege of the Floor. The privilege of tho floor of tho senate or the house during its session is very highly valued by most men. It is restricted, as you know, in the house to the president and his cabinet, senators, representatives and ex-representatives, officers of the army and navy who have received the thanks of congress, and the higher officers of the senate and the house. Tho senate extends the privilege a iittle further, so as to take in a few of the higher officials in. the departments and one private citizen, by the name of Mr. George Bancroft. Cor. Philadelphia Record, Sharp In His Business. From Texan Siltlnc. "Now, that name," said tho hotel clerk running his dlamond-hilted fin ger down the register and pausing at the name of Gurlproat, "that name is a fraud. That man is traveling incog., and there is something crooked about him." - - "Why do you think so?" inquired a reporter, on tho trail of a fugitive item: "Why do I think so? Why. I al most know it in fact, I do know it intuitively. It is my business to bo familiar with names and tho dorivia tion and nationality of them. Now, there in no such namo as Gurlproat. It is neither English, Irish, Scotch, German, Swedish, Welsh, French, Spanish, Italian Russian, Malay, Greek, Norwegian nor Choctaw. It is a machino name, manufactured for an emergency something like the char acters in Dicken's novels tho Veneer ings, PogBnaps, Weggs, Dorrito, Jag gers, Nickelbys and Chuzzlewits. 'I am obliged, you know, to bo sharp in my business." "Aro thero any other earmarks by which you know this man to bo a fraud?" "Well, yes; I have spoken to him on several occasions.calling him by name Gurlproat and on every occasion he has appeared to fail to recognize tho namo as at all familiar.andl have to repeat It. I toll you he is a sly fakir from Flytown. He is a queer and you can bet high on that." "Now, thero s a man," continued the hotel clerk, pointing to another square-toed specimen ot caliraphy; "that man Jones there, A. Q. Jones, he's all O. K. Thero is no subterfuge about him. Ho comes in and planks down his gripsack, deposits a roll of bills in the safe, calls for a stylus, in dorses tho registor,and thero you have it flat-footed. A. Q. Jones, $2,000 in his roll in the safe. Ho is a man who will do to tie up to. We have to be good judges of human nature in this business, I tell you, and nro obliged to bo teototally and strictly sharp. But Jones is solid with this house. He has been here a week now, and I have advanced him 550 or ?000 on his roll.' "You aro sure tho roll contains money, are you?" inquired tho report er, carelessly. "Sure! Why, it is an express pack age, sealed, and tho amount marked on tho corner. Guests often leave them with us for security." "I should want to know it was all right before I loaned money on it," pursued the reporter. "Tnat s wnere you wouiu looi your self. That's whoro you would insult guests and drivo trade away. But" ths uharp clerk spoko this a little un easily "just to show you what a square man Jones is, I'll send up this bill," and the clerk proceeded to sound the loud timbrel which summoned a bellboy. "Here.run up to 58 with this," said the clerk. Whilo tho bellboy was on his mis sion the suspicious Gurlproat camo up to the office to settle his bill. "That's him Gurlproat," said the clerk, forming the words with his mouth without uttering a sound: "Eight dollars and a quarter two days and a halt." "Hey?" said tho despised Gulproat. "Two days and a half eight and a quarter," answered tho clerk winking at tho reporter. "Eight dollars " "Eight?" "And a quarter." "All right; correct;" and Mr. Gul broat tendered a S10 bill. Tho sharp clerk spent five minutes critically ex amining and testing the same. While doing so the suspected guest observed: 'ifColonellJnmesuurlproatot. Mont gomery, Alabama, calls for me plenso tell him I liavo gone to Washington." The hotel chrk looked suddenly up and his faco was like a circus poster gilded by the ray3 of sunset. "Aro you Congressman Gurlproat of, Alabama?" he inquired. "Hay?" "Are von Congressman Gurlproat of Alabama?" "No, I am his brother. I am Judge Gurlproat, formerly of tho Supreme Bench." He had his change, and in another instant tho porter was obsequiously escorting him out to a carriage. "Why," exclaimed the clerk. "It's singular I happened to forgpt tliat Gurlproat family of Montgomery. It just beats all. Funny, isn't it, when you miss a man's name." The bell boy returned at this inter esting junctute of the proceedings with tho startling information that A. Q. Jones had skipped, bag and bnggage. hook, line and sinker, foot, horse and dragoons. The clerk turned white, and his fingers shook like a splinter on a rail in the wind as ho suddenly went down into the safe after the ex press package. He fished it up. toro oil tha end and proceeded to shake out a generous wad of newspaper clippings, some of it gems of poetry, the balucne choice extrncts from the humorous papers and medical read ing notices. Safety of Building Associa tions. The co-opeiative banks, sometimes called building associations, although they never build directly, aro the very ingenious out-growth ot an endeavor to make the savings of men of modest means yield a higher rate of interest than savings banks pay, and also to distribute theso savings in small loans among the snine class. Thoy have proved eminently safe and successful in both respects. But here, also, the borrower must have a "margin," albeit a smaller ono will pass muster than in the savings banks. This is no indication ol insecurity, for tho loan is at its maximum and the "margin" at its minimum only at the outset, for tho monthly payments Immediately and constantly increase tho latter and decrease the former. Boston Herald. What's In a Name. All the Year Hound. A name is certainly not tho least important factor in a man's career. How much more difficult would it bo for a Muggins or a Finnigan to gain ' acceptance as a poet, however great his talent, than for a Tennyson or a Miltonl No matter how great a man's. energy, talent or courage may bo, an odd or ridiculous namo will be a clog to him through lite, and ndd immensely to hisdifficulticB in making his way upwards. Of what, avail a. man's aristocratic appearance, cor rect dress, coat of the most fashion able cut, and satisfactory balance at tne bank, if his visiting card con dems him to pity or ridicule? What a consolation it must bo to a lady af flicted with a disagreeable name to know that sho may have an oppor tunity of chancing it for a better in a way at once gratifying to her pride and affections. This privilege of tho ladies has been assumed by tho Popes who chango their names when they aro chosen as successors to St. Peter. Tho introducer of this Papal custom, Sergius II., mny well be ex cused for the innovation, seeing that his own name signifies Hog's-month. Melancthon was not above this weak ness, and ho adopted the Greek form of his proper name, which signified "Black Earth;" and tho learned Eras mus made a similar transformation, of his dutch name, Gerard. In the timo ol Louis XVI, a distin guished writer who was amember of tho Academy, a Councillor of State and a friend of Richelieu, had the misfortune to bear the name of Gueux (Beggar). Can wo wonder at his adopting tho namo of his patrimonial estate and calling himself Balzac? Many other instances might be quoted of 'men of talent and eminence being dissatisfied with tho names that wero borne by their ancestors. Somo people in their anxiety to compensate their children for tho vul gar or ridiculous family names which they have inherited, couple with them what they consider aristocratic or euphonious Christain names. Hence, we have surh combinations as Gladys Beatrice Higgs, Constance Aureiia Smith and Victor Augustus Jones. Ono can sympathize with tho fact that many pleasing hours of consul tation and discussion are given tho young mother and her husband in deciding what name will sound most mellifluously and assort most fitting ly with tho sterling and attractive qualities which are so preceptibly packed up in that little cherub their first born. The ancients had many supersti tions as to names, anu even elevated tho study to a science under the title of Onomantin. When the Romans raised an army or numbered the citizens, they wero always careful that tho first namo taken should bo an auspicious on More than one Emperor owed his ele vation simply to his name, and Ciesar, in his expedition to Africa, gave a command to obscure Scipio. because the people believed that the Scipios were invincible in Africa. Similar influences weighed with the French envoys, who went to negotiate a marriage between oneof the Spanish princesses and Louis VIII. They re jected Urrnca, the elder and moro beautiful princess, who was intended for their royal master, and preferred her sister, because her name, Blanche, had a more musical sound. A Spanish Ambassadoiito the Court oi Elizabeth considered his dignity slighted when tlio Queen appointed u, wealthy citizen to receive him because his host bore the very short name of John Cuts. He soon found, however, that if Cuts had a short name he had a long purse and a right royal way of dipping into it for the sake of uphold ing the English name for hospitality. Had Enough of It. Bonton Globe. Littlo Fred D and his father and mother weregoing to bonrd with a neighbor for two weeks, while tho house was undergoing repairs. Fred was delighted at tho prospects. "Mamma," he said, "didn't you say I must thank God for every gooi thing?" "Yes. Fred." "Shall I thank him because wo aro going to board?" "Yes if you like." When the two weeks hnd expired, and tho lat dinner at tho boarding house had been eaten, Fied leaned back in his chair and heaving a long sigh of relief, said, in tho hearing of his hostess: "Now let's thnnl: God we've got through boarding." Swift Birds. Thomas Alexander, in his book en. titled "Game Birds of the United States," says that wild ducks, un aided by tho wind, fly from sixty to 100 miles an hour, and that the blue winged teal, " going down tho wind at tho top of his speed, will make fully 150 miles nn hour, possibly more." The swittest bird on the wing is the frigato bird, a sort of nautical bird of prey. Sailors believe that it can start at the peep of dawn from the coast of Africa, and following the trade winds, land on tho American coast before sunset. It can undoubt edly fly more then 200 miles an hour, but wo do not know ol any trustwor thy record ot tne speeu oi which it capable. Golden Days. l? Some Get Left. From tho Omaha Herald. Pundita Ramabai is a young lady from India who is now lecturing in this country on the condition of her sex in her native land. Sho says that in India girls aro often betroth ed before birth. This statement is a littlo hard to grasp. The gir! who, betrothed before birth, should turu out to be a boy, would certainly be playing a mean triak upon somebody. , I