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About Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190? | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1898)
f 1 err -i AN IMPORTANT COIN. THE CENT IS NOW MORE IN DEMAND THAN EVER BEFORE. The renny-ln.tho.81ot nnd the Itargnlii Counter Ilespnnslblo fur It Incri-mrd Ue Ono Automatic Mnctilno Coin puny Take In Hnir a Million n Day. Notwithstanding tho rumpus raised by the disputing friends of gold and silver, the most useful and hard-working member of tho coin family Is of neither of these materlnls. It con sists of 95 per cent, of copper nnd G per cent tin and zinc nnd bears on its face the legend "one cent." Two recent devices have been large ly responsible for the Increased use of our only copper coin. One Is the penny-ln-thc-slot machine, which lias spread over the land like tho locusts of Egypt within the last two or three years. A single automatic machine company In New York City takes in half a mil lion pennies a day. As there Isn't a crossroad village In tho country that hasn't a chewing-gum, klnetoscope, music or weighing machine operated In this way the number of coins re quired to keep them all going is en ormous. The other Invention respon sible for the rise of the cent Is tho "bargain counter." Tho craze for 49 cent and 99-cent bargains makes work for a lot of pennies. Superintendent Mllman of the New York Sub-Treasury said the other day that It was no un usual thing for one of the great depart ment stores which make a specialty of "bargains" to take $10,000 worth of cents one million pieces at a time. The penny newspapers and In some places three-cent street-car fares have also Increased tho field of operations of the one-cent piece. "Tho cent Is really the most interest ing and least known of our coins," said Mr. Mllman, "and there are some very cuHoub facts about it. The Sub-Treasury is the clearing-house for the pen nies In circulation in the metropolitan district, and the penny is for us a barometer, a calendar and an accurate Index of business conditions. "Why, in the middle of July there was a week or more of cold, rainy weather and the supply of pennies coming in for exchange into larger de nominations fell off one-third. A heavy storm or the sudden coming of cold weather, anything that keeps tho penny-spending part of our population at home, Is accurately reflected in the falling off in the supply of cents com ing to us for exchange. All through the summer the pennies accumulate on our hands, but when cold weather comes and the children get back to school, and retail trade revives, there Is a great demand for them. "Come this way," said Mr. Mllman, "If you want to see the way wo handle pennies," and he led the way to the minor coin division, where half a dozen clerks were busily at work. In one corner of the room was a stack of canvas bngs reaching nearly to tho celling and making a good-sized py ramid. "Those aro all pennies." said the director. "I suppose there are some one hundred million pieces there, and we have more below." In another corner of the room was a stack of loose coins piled high above tho heads of the clerks, who were busily counting them off into the canvas bags. The pennies arc kept in bags of one thous and each, and when they come in they are all counted over. There are several unique features about the coinage of pennies, and the work is managed in a somewhat dif ferent fashion from the turning out of gold and silver coins. In the first place, although the United States Government is tho only authority entitled to indulge In the manufacture of coins, our Uncle Sam uel does not prepare the blanks from which pennies aro made. He finds it cheaper to let out the work by con tract than to do it himself, and It Is at present in the hands of a Cincinnati firm. They prepare the copper blanks In sheets large enough to turn out ono hundred pieces each. It is not known exactly how much the Government pays for these blanks, but the price is in the vicinity of $1.25 per ono thou sand, or a trifle over one mill for each unstamped cent. When the copper sheets ready for stamping reach the Philadelphia mint, where all our minor coins are made each one is tested to see that tho alloy Is in the right proportion. Thence they pass directly to the coining room. Here the sheets are cut Into strips, from which the round blanks, called "planchets," are first punched, and these are run directly through the stamping machines, where they re ceive tho Impressions from the dies. Pennies are not counted by tho la borious process of handling each piece, but by a device known as the "count ing board," by which five hundred are counted at a time. Tho counting board is an inclined plane, with columns the exact width of a cent, separated by copper partitions In height exactly equal to the thickness of tho coin. The cents are spread over this board and fall Into the grooves prepared for them, all surplus coins falling off Into a trough. Then the counting board la emptied Into the canvas bags, which are carted away to be shipped to any part of the country. Washington Star. What WmiM llllnu- 1 1 rat. Warwick That man Wilkins Is a ge nius. He has the finest plan I ever heard of for raising the temperature ol Alaska. Wickwlre What's his scheme? Go Ing to fasten an aurora borealls in po sition bo It will keep off the north winds during the day? Warwick No; he's going to build a hotel and advertise the place as a coo) summer resort. Puck. ARABIAN WOMEN AND MARRIAGE. Their Life It Full of Sentiment anil Quaint Customs. Arablnns have peculiar ideas on the marriage question. An Arab will in vnrlnbly offer lnnrrlngc to his brother's widow. It Is considered n sign of re spect to tho dend brother nnd the liv ing woninn by so doing, as the Semitic tradition in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures tells us. In au Arab town n statement made before the cadi con stitutes nil the essential marriage cere mony. In the desert tho only neces sary function Is the slaughtering of n sheep within or before tho tent of the bride's father. Arabs not Infrequently change and exchange wives, to the high satisfaction of all concerned. If a man Is dissatisfied with bis wife he mny return her to her father, but he must also return her marriage portion in full, and If she be of the Hcdouln blood a she camel must bo added to the original dower. Arab wives as a rule are treated with consideration and with no small share of tenderness. In Arabia woman's position Is one of dignity, her attitude one of self-rc-sspect. Arab men are as full of senti ment as of prowess, and no more ashamed of the one than the other. In some Arab tribes a man and maid on breaking together before throe wit nesses a Hat, thin cake of almond paste aro formally iilllauoed. An Arab has an absolute right to tho hand of bis girl cousin. He must formally re nounce that right before she can marry any one else. When a girl has more than one male cousin, tho prior claim is the oldest cousin's, or. in some tribes, that of the oldest unmar ried eous;n. The man must provide all necessaries for bis wife and if she has money or earns any she spends It In dross. If she makes blm a skull cap or a handkerchief he must pay for her work. In the land of Ishmael no honey moons mo ever taken by tho bridal couple after the ceremony has boon performed. However, It frequently falls to the lot of the bride-elect to previous to the marriage. If make a very trying journey Is to be married to a man In a n boring town she goes to him no to her, for she Is leaving her 1 and he Is not what more natural that she should be put to the ii venloneo? Hcsldos, it Is consh luck lor the bride to cover the tanco. if there Is any, between lief and her future husband. And what a picture she makes as she comes rid lug proudly her nuptial camel! She rides In a litter, canopied by embroid ered, tassoled and tinseled silk or line clctli. fin the canopy Is an appropri ate text from the Koran, embroidered in gold. The camel wears a proud plume of ostrich feathers. His long neck is dyed deep with brilliant han tiab. His face and bead and bung with wee mirrors, which Hash in the sunlight. Ills grotesque bulk and his gaunt legs aro swathed and bung with phulkarls strange eastern cloths be dlgbt with squares and ovals of look ing glass and long, thick stitches of rich silk. Some girl or woman friend rides with the bride, and attendants and protectors precede and follow bur. Springfield Republican. Thwlr I'ixeil Tastes The circulation and distribution of books during the last century may bo Illustrated by the following anecdote of the Scllly Islands there are 3uf, out of which four or live only are Inhab ited. The library consisted of two books, a copy of tho Ulble and the "History of Dr. Fuustus." The latter book was handed about from house to bouse and was dropping to pieces by continual thumbing, until at last lit tle was loft either of bis wonderful en chantment or of bis terrible cm). This being made generally known, a meeting of the inhabitants was called, and it was resolved that as soon as tho season permitted any Intercourse with Cornwall a fresh suppply of books should be sent for. What books, however, were to be ordered? The meeting considered this question very earnestly. At last It was uuanlmously agreed that tho Penzance bookseller should be ordered to send them, at once, one now book, a new copy of "Dr Fuustus." Unintentional Injury. "Young man," said the Senator to the reporter, "you have done me Irre parable harm." "What have I done?" asked the be wildered reporter. "I got in largely on a temperance platform, as you mny recollect." "Yes, sir." "And you speak of mo In this morn ing's paper as 'drinking my coffee with gusto.' It will take me more than a lifetime to got it out of the heads of my constituents that gusto isn't some kind of alcoholic beverage." Cincin nati Knqulrer. Wn Crrtnliitv ICxriiaalile. The teacher of a city school recently received the following note explaining the absence of one of the pupils the day before, according to Harper's Hound Table: "Please excoose Henny for abs 'iits yesterday. Illm and me get a i banco at a ride to a funeral In a cbanlge, an' I let him stay at home, as be had never rode in a cbarrlge an' never went to a funeral nor bad many other pleasures. So plose excoose." Iciioriiiil KiliK-utor. Willie Say, pa; didn't you tell mo the other tiny that it was wrong to strike any one smnller than your self? Pa-Yes. Willie; that's what I said. Willie Well. I wish you'd write my teacher a note to thnt effect. I don't think she knows about it. Chicago News. REST. -. Let ns rest ourselves a bit, Worry? Wave your hand to It; Kiss your linger tips and smllo It farewell a little while. i Weary of the weary war Wo lmvo cotno since yesterday. Let It fret us not, In dread Of tho weary way ahead. Whllo wo Tet look down not up To ftcok out tho buUoroup And the dnlsy, wlioro tliey wave O'er tho green homo of tho eravo. Let us lautioh us smoothly on Listless billows of the lawn, And drift out aoross tho main Of our ohtldlsh dreams again. Voyage off, beneath the trees. O'er tho field's enoliantod seas, I Where tho lilies aro our satis. And our seagulls, nightingales. Whore no wilder storm shall boat Thau tho wind that waves tho wheat And no (outposts burst abovo Tho old laughs wo used to love. Lino all troublca-giiln release, Languor and exceeding poaco, CntlMiiif Idly o'er tho vast Culm mid-ocean of tho past. Let us re.t inirsolvo a bit, Worrj V Wave your hand to It KM yotirllnger-tlpa and smllo It farewell a llttlo while. James Wlittcomb Klloy. THE OTHER GIRL. On my arrival at the station, Lady Mannlngton, Molly and the French maid hud collected their chattels and aloud round the Immense heap In atti tudes denoting various degrees of Im patience. I apologized. "It's of no consequence." said Lady Mannlngton, in a tone signifying It was of the greatest. Molly shook her head at me and smiled. I looked at the two ladles ami the French maid and then I looked at tho miniature conveyance. "The brougham Is only seated for two," I hinted. "Celeste can walk," said Lady Man nlngton. "I should prefer to walk, niamtna," said Molly, with an air of much good nature. .u dy So Molly and I started to walk over the crisp snow, .lust outside the sta tloii 1 helped her over tlio stile. "We may as will take the short cut," I ob served; "It Is not so very much longer, and I have so much to say to you." "V, b.it about?" asked Molly. I hesitated. "It is about a friend of mine" 1 replied at length. "t.h:" "lie la In the deuce of a moss," I be '..i.i:. confidentially, "1 want your help." "What can 1 do?" asked Molly, - polling her eyes. "You can advise mo," I replied, tak ing courage. "A wonians' wit" Molly was pleased. "(Jo on, Mr. Trevi r." "I fear you will think my friend par ticularly foolish," I said, sorrowfully. "Very likely," replied Molly, indiffer ently. "1 assure he has many good points. Hut It happened a girl wanted to marry him." "What:" exclaimed Molly. "I can't think what she saw In him," I replied, uncomfortably. "She could not have been quite nice," said Molly, decisively. I stopped to lest the strength ci the ice over tho p.ool. "1 have seen her look quite nice," 1 remarked, th night fully. "You know her?" asked Molly, qul.kly. "Oh, yes. It wasn't really the girl who wanted to marry my friend; ll was l.cr mother. I moan the mother wanted the girl to many my frkinl. 1 l.ope 1 make myself clear?" "I don't think that Improves mat ters," retorted Molly. "My friend was In love with an other girl a really nice girl. In fact, a quite splendid girl. Ono of the very best," I said, kindling. "You know that girl, too?" asked Molly a little coldly. "Yo-os." . . "Well?" "My friend was staying at n country house, and so wore both the girls and her mother, and sln " "Who?" asked Molly. "The gin whose mother wanted her to marry hlin. 1 ilo hope 1 am clear. She got blm Into a quiet corner, and Gtinchow or other my friend found out she had hold of his hand. I don't know how It happened. It just oc ct.ru .!." "Ihr.v clover of your friend to find it cut," said .Molly, suronstirally. I woU on hastily. "And then he ppw her head coming nearer and near er his shoulder, and lie didn't know what to do." "I wonder," said Molly, "ho did not call for help." "You see," I went on, "he was afraid she would propose, or or the mother n.. lit come. He guessed the mother v..- .irony near. Then he thought of t) thor girl, and he got Into a dread fi ..anlc. In fact he lost his head." "It could not have been a great loss," observed Molly disdainfully. "No-o. Hut It was the only ono he had, and lie was accustomed to It. He didn't know what to do . So he said ho was already engaged." " Did ho say 'already?' " "Yis." It was a cold day, but I mopped my brow with my handker chief. Molly uttircd n penl of silvery Inugbter. "1 am really almost sorry for that girl, but it served her right." "The girl dldu't turn n hair. Su HHIHHBnHHni-v- LHbHB&BH oin lHU.v mwii simply Rtrnglhtencd herself up and asked to whom he was engaged." "Well?" "lie blurted out the nnmc of the otber girl. He couldn't think of any other name." "To whom, of course, he is not cn gnged?" "No. And 1 don't suppose- uho would have him." "Is that your whole story?" "Vc v nearly. The girl went nwny and told her mother, who enme up gushingly nnd congratulated blm. She Is n true sportswomnn. Afterwnrd she went, about telling everybody of the engagement, nnd my friend hna had to receive congratulations ever since." "How nwkwnrd!" said Molly, medi tatively. "Has tho other girl heard of It?" "Not yet. This all happened yester day." "Yesterday?" I nodded. "And the worst is the other girl Is expected to nrrlve at the Towers almost Immediately." "Dear me," said Molly. "And your friend Is at the Towoin now?" "1 didn't menu to let It out," I re plied, a little abashed. Molly began to laugh. "It Is most ninuslng; but why did you tell me about It?" "1 want your advice." "Who Is the other girl?" asked .dolly, curiously." "Please don't ask for names," 1 Im plored. "What," 1 asked, with elaborate In difference, "would you do If you were the other girl?' Molly stopped and broke off a spring of red berries. They wore not so rod sis her lips. "Of course." she said, "I should be very annoyed." "Ah, or course," said I, forlornly. "At any rate, 1 should protend to be very nnno,od." "Hut, really-" I began, delighted. "Oh thnt would depend on the man." "Supposing, for the sake of Illustra tion." said 1, surveying the white ex pause of a neighboring field, "I was the man?" "This Is nosense," said Molly. "We can't make believe to that extent." "Why can't we?" "You could never be so foolish." "Hut if-" "Let us talk about some thing sensi ble," said Molly with decision. "Hut my poor friend is depending on mo for advice." She thought. "Of course, your friend must get away from the Towers be fore the other girl arrives." "You aro quite clear ho ought to go away?" 1 asked mournfully. "There can be no doubt about that. Just fancy everybody rushing to con gratulate the other girl, and your friend being present at the time. There might be a dreadful scene." "I can picture It," I said, repressing n groan. We hnd arrived at the entrance to the uveiiue. I stopped and held out my hand. "Good-bye," I said. "What do you mean?" she ex claimed. "I 1 am going away. I am the man." I do not think I nm mistaken. The color faded slightly from her face. "And the other gin?" sue queried faintly. "You nro the other girl." Tho red replaced the white. She stood quite still, with her eyes bent downward; and then she began to trace figures In tho snow with the toe of her tiny boot. "Good-bye." I repeated. She looked up. "Of course, I am very angry," she said. And then she smiled and hold out her hand. I took it hum bly and forgot to relinquish It. "Miiniina will be getting anxious," she remarked. "We must hurry. Hut wo did not hurry. Plok-.io-Up. Tim (iiiv.'i imii'k Ittisiiril for Sunday. "It was during the administration of Governor Albion K. Parrls," says the Kennebec (Me.) Journal, "that General Lafayette made his memorable tour of the United States, and paid his visit to Maine. It was a Sunday that the General concluded thni visit and pro posed leaving the State from Portland. Governor Panis remonstrated with blm for taking his departure on that day and said: 'If you will postpone your trip until Monday I will myself escort you to the Stnte lino with all tho military honors.' Hut Lafayette, ac customed to the Continental Sabbath, Insisted on not altering his plans, nnd left Maine on Sunday, while the Sabbath-honoring Governor of a God-fearing Stale attended his church service as was his habit." Hand I'alnlHil Slmn s'nlea. If you want to be lu style, as iarls sees II. have your boot soles Illus trated. Cupids, landscapes, poster girls, ac tresses, anything, in fact, that Amer icans can prop up In club windows, and show the passing throng. This Illustrated footwear 1h now to be seen In tho show windows of all the fasliii.nablo shoe shops on the Paris lxnilevard and in the Hue do in Palx. These figures are hand painted. The wealthier the customer, tho higher priced the painter. A Chinese philosopher has been found In the kitchen In one of our Western college presidents who makes this distinction between the Orient nnd the Occident: "In China the men boss the women; In Amotion the wom en bots the men." "Do I 'boss' Presi dent lllank?" Inquired Mine. Presi dent. "Xo, you no lwiv him," re joined the astute Chinaman, "but he do what you hay." Chicago Advance. A STRANGE WOMAN. BY TAW. I'HODBN. I hnd sold my mill, and was on my way homo. It was evening when 1 reached Qrnnvlllo, where I took tho stage. An old woman was my sola companion, She nppenrcd to bo ono who had seen much trouble In life, nnd at tho present tlmo sho seemed weigh ed down by some special care. Sho was rather a large woman, somewhat bent, and quite unwleldly In her movements. Sho wns evidently used to hnrd work, for whon 1 took hor nrm to help her In, nlthough It wub under hor shnwl, I could feel tho Btrcngth of ono well used to the la bor of houso and farm, so common i with woman of that region. Her dross was shabby, and her face wns covered by a black veil, which was disturbed but once to my knowledge, and that was when I had been looking out In to tho dnrkncsB, nnd snw it drop when I turned back my head. Sho was very hoarse, and any attompt to respond to somo passing remark from mo would sot her Into n violent fit of coughing. Weighed down by hor troubles as sho was, I saw that she should be left to herself, and so I said but little. Tho country through which wo wore riding wiir a dreary ono, and pictures of road-agents, and tho cleaning out of my five thousand dollnrs, not to speak of a worse fato than robbery, would occasionally come up to my Imagina tion. I wasn't nervous, but tho con sciousness of the tempting bait I car rlcd with mo was sufficient to nwakon certain apprehensions In splto of my self. Three months before this, n stage had been stopped some twenty miles from hero, and one of the passengers who had attempted resistance was shot. Why might not this ono bo tho next to take Its turn? I could but wish thnt a vigorous mnn wns sitting In the sent opposito in placo of that helpless old woman. As far as I could learn, sho was to Btop at a crossing two miles this Bldo of my destination, where her son wns to tako her homo In his wagon. 1 should have four miles of It alone, though, to toll tho truth, I felt more lonely with such company ns this than If I had boon by myself. Finally she appeared to fall Into a doze, her bowed head and swnylng body Indicating a long flight Into dreamlnnd. Sho hnd been watching nt tho bedside of a consumptive daughter, and now must go homo to tend n grand child that was suddenly stricken down with diphtheria. "You need your sleep, my good soul," I thought. "Wo know not who lmvo tho greatest trials in life. Mine Is at present an Imagined evil, yours Is in the real." As tho stngo rumbled over tho un even rond in tho gloom of that wild nnd Bwampy country, tho spectral pines retreated endlessly to tho rear, roveitl Ing an occasional star appearing In tho north, that seemed to gazo In admoni tory silence upon me. My oyos had got so tiBod to tho grow ing darkness that I could mako out ob jects near mo with some distinctness. At ono time I noticed that tho old wo man was uneasy In hor sleep; tho ac tion of her hands Indicated some thing exciting. They wore under her shnwl, but the movement was very perceptible. I had hoen looking from the window, and I observed this unea siness when I turned my glnnco In side tho stngo. I wiiB gazing curiously on the shabby figure whon n suspicion darted through my mind that sent tho blood to my heart. I had read of such things, and why was this not hut pshaw! my moucy was simply a magician conjur ing up visions and spectres of the night. Tho stage slackened up, nnd then It stopped. The slurnborcr started and nwoke. For nn Instnnt the entire fig ure seemed to chnnge In Its aspect. Every lino of tho cumbrous body was full of vigor that Ill-compared with tho air of exhaustion which had previ ously characterized It. I was Interrupted In my observations by the entrance of a fresh passenger, whose deep, heavy voice bad already lndicnted a powerful physique. Ho wos a formidable looking customer. His groat height compelled him to stoop considerably au ho entered, and when ho took his seat by the side of tho old woman, tho stago nppenrcd to settlo on his side. I could mnko out hut little in tho gloom, but this man's face was suffi ciently distinct to show a resolute character, fearless and ready In nn emergency. He had an aggressive air, and the reserve of a man who was not to bo made free with, ho peered Into my fnee from under ills heavy brows, and then glanced at the sleeper by his side. I couldn't quite analyze my feelings when I found this third passenger shut up with me. That he was a man not unused to violence was apparent. As a bravado or the leader of a vigi lance committee he could readily act his part. Which role would he incline to? There were still several miles to cover, and I wns Interested. I did not like the way he had of turn ing his eyes on thnt old woman. I couldn't make out In the dark just their expression. What struck mo as being rather singular was her utter stillness after the vigorous start she had given. She couldn't have fallen again into a sleep as quick as that. I confess to a. creepy sensation as I viewed this pair opposite me. "This is a dreary ride for any one who has reason to wish his Journey over," said the new passenger, at last, In his bass voice. What did he mean? Did he know about my money? Here was a deepen ing of tho mystery. It certainly was becoming a dreary ride to mo, I con trolled myself, nnd pointing to tho wo man, aald, "Ono llko her might well call It so." "How's that7" "SlckncsB at her home perhaps death! " "Ah!" and ho turned n look upon tho unconscious subject of our remarks.tho moaning of which I could hardly fath om. The northern lights wore now shoot ing up In tho henvens, reflecting a dim light In the stage. A vision of my cheery homo rose to my mind. Mother nnd children woro pictured In that pleasant sitting-room, talking perhaps of father and his re turn. Should I over sec those dear ones ngaln? What If Dut my meditations were Interrupted by tho heavy voice of the passenger. "Heturnlng homo, I tnko It, Blr?" "I am." "You consider this n safo road, do you not?" "Never heard of any trouble here." It's going on around us, though. Heard of tho pull last night?" "Tho pull?" "The robbery on the Hanson road, I menn." "Robbery!" 1 gasped. "I did not hoar of It." "Oh, yes; It's getting pretty near." "Nothing worse, I hope." "Murder!" and tho speaker's volco sank to a still deeper tone. The old woman started In the cor ner, as If disturbed In her dreams. Ho glanced meaningly at Iter, and then directing his thumb that way, ho said, "An uncommon slcopor." "Tired out." "We'll not disturb hor." "Tho murderer tins a dovlllsh name," ho snld, after n brief silence. "Which?" "The last robbor no, not tho last, exactly, for tho robber and murderer of all is ono man." Tho stago entered a gully thickly Blinded with trees, and when tho pas senger snld this In his abysmal volco, my scalp crept over my head. It was so dark that not even his herculean form could be seen. "What was tho nnmo?" I asked, In a hush. "Lcft-hnndcd Dick." Tho stago went very slowly nt this point, nnd my ear caught a movement as If tho Blooper was again uneaBy, and was ndjustlng her shnwl. "Why that?" "Ho lost his right hand In a fight, and ho Is a demon with his left." "I'd rather tackle a dozen than a left-hander." "This man is cqunl to n dozen. I know ho hns murdered as many ns thnt." Tho Impression wns gaining on mo that tho mnn before mo was honest. Ho struck me, moreover, as having a purpose hero In this stngo known only to himself, but which I began to sus pect. Ho acted like ono that had seri ous business In hand. "Is thero no way of trapping tho fiend? I think If ho could come Into your grip, sir, ho would fetch up pret ty quick." "Size doesn't nlways toll," ho return ed. This fellow 1b llko a madman. He neither fears nor waits." "How does he keop It up?" "He's cunning as the devil. He goes disguised." "How!" I exclaimed. "Disguised. Hut his handlcss arm " "Oh, that's easily fixed. If he's a man ho has It In his pocket " "If he's a man! How elso docs he go?" The stage emerged into the open country. The aurora was at its height, and throw Its palo light into tho stage. The shawl of the sleoplng woman was suddenly twitched at tho hands, and I noticed that the old black veil was somewhat awry. I also noticed that her neighbor had changed his posi tion. "My good woman, I hope your sleep hnB rested you," I slowly uttered, sharply eyeing her shawl In the gloom. Her answer was a violent fit of coughing. Tho Btngo was moving rapidly, and It rocked us to s.nd fro. The coughing ceased, and a startling transformation followed. By an instantaneous movement the shawl and skirt, the veil and bonnet were thrown aside, and a man was re vealed, his right arm a stump, In his left a long-hladed knife. "Loft-handed Dick!" As I pronounced this dreaded name, I threw myself Into a position of de fence. I was not the object of attack, however. Llko a flash of light the vil lain struck at tho breast of the man he feared. As the deadly knife descend ed, tho nrm vus caught In a human vise. With fearful oaths he struggled to free himself, but the giant was on the alert, and bore down on the assas sin with all his weight and power. The outlaw was not to be easily overcome. He was truly a madman in spirit and strength. I now took part In the struggle, and the fellow was soon brought under. His arms were pldlon ed behind him. and the driver, who had stopped his horses, was directed to move on. The road-agent was duly disposed of by his enptor, who proved to be the most daring and formidable sheriff In that part of the country. I reached my home In good spirits, and my arrival was a glad surprise. I said nothing of my adventure till the next day. You may well Imagine that there was thanksgiving in that house. Mrs. Todgera Mrs. Monson wears k sealskin sacque, but I've never heard her petticoats rustle yet Chicago Nbwb. .?Wva)kv
