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