If---
- -
Ifi"
ENGLAND'S PJIE3IIEB.
Amusing ; Anecdotes About Him A Carrier's
illstuke.
About forty years ago several haul
ers were employed m carrying pig
iron from Brymbo to Queen's ferry.
Among the number was one William
Griffiths , who is still alive. This man
* when going down Tinkerdalo one day
* with his load of iron , was accosted bv
a stranger , who chatted freely witli
him. Among other questions , the
er asked how much ho got per
for carryir the iron. "Six and
ponce , " said the carter. "What
weight have you on the cart ? "
'About a ton and a half. " "And
what do for ? " "
you pay gates "Eigh
teen pence. " " "How much does it cost
to keep the mare ? " "Thirteen shil
lings a week. " "How are you goinjr
to get up this hill ? " asked the
& . stranger. "Oh , 1 mun get mo shudcr ,
and push up here. " "I'll help you a
bit , " said ho , and at once put his
shoulder to the cart and pushed up
the hill well. When they reached the
top the hauler said , "You an' mo's
been as good as a chain horse. " "Well ,
well , " said the stranger , "I don't
know how the horse's legs are , but
I mine ache very much , indeed. I
suppose you can manage now ? " "Yes ,
thankyou , " said the hauler , and wish
i' ing him good-day they separated. As
soon as the stranger was gone a trades
man asked Griffiths if ho knew who
had been helping him. "No , " said he ,
"he's a perfect stranger to me. "
"That was Mr. Gladstone , " said the
tradesman. "Mr. Gladstone , " re
sponded the hauler ; "I dun know
what he'll think o' me , then , for I
never sirM him , nornothm' . I thought
ho was some farmer. "
Northrop , like most other import
ant villages , has its carriers. This
man visits Chester once or twice a
week , and carries all manner of goods
for the inhabitants of the districts
through which he passes. On one oc
casion he brought a barrel of beer
from Chester for a farmer living in
Moore lane , the entrance to which is
close to one of Mr. Gladstone's lodges.
Arriving at this spot he stopped his
horse and was wondering how ho
could manage to get the barrel lower
ed , for he was to leave it bv the lodjre ,
as the farmer had agreed" fetch it
from there himself. At that moment
up came Mr. Gladstone with his ax
upon his shoulder. "Hoy , old com
rade , " said he , come and give us a
hand with this barrel. " Without any
hesitation the premier assisted him to
lower it to the ground. "Now , old
fellow , " said the carrier , "if you'll
come up into the village I'll pay for a
pint of the best for thee. " "No , thank
you. You are welcome to my assist
ance , " said Mr. Gladstone , and walk
ed away toward the castle smiling. A
villager who was standing a little
way off came up to the carrier and
asked him if he knew who had been
helping him. "No , " was the reply.
"Why , said the villager , "that was
Mr. Gladstone ! " "What a fool I be , "
said the carrier ; "but he's a good old
chap. He helped me , and thou knows
he done it so willing like. "
-Mr. Gladstone on one occasion visit
ed one oJ his tenants with a bundle of
comic papers under his arm , in which
he and Mr. Disraeli were severely
caricatured. Handing them to the
tenant he roguishly said : "Here I
am ; what do you think of me and my
friend ? " i
At the Ho warden flower show of 1884
the premier was seen arming about
the castle grounds , where the show is
annually held , a fat old carrier woman ,
whom he humorously introduced to
the visitors as "Lady Margaret. " This
notable personage , Margaret Hughes ,
the earlier woman , was at one ot the
leasts given in honor of W. II. Glad
stone's marriage , and , as is usual at
such gatherings , toasts wore introduc
L2" * ' * ed. It fell to Margaret's lot to pro
K7 pose the premier's health. Springing
to her feet , she , in very homely yet
appropriate terms , made her proposi
tion. Mr. Gladstone , responding ,
thanked them all for their good wishes ,
more especially "Lady "Margaret , " as
he called her , the mention of which
caused roars of laughter. The title
has clung to her from that day to this ,
nd letters are often addressed to her
bearing that title. On one occasion
he said to the premier : "Oh , sir ,
why do you not come and live with us
always , where everybody thinks so
much of 3Tou , instead of going up to
London and bothering yourself with
those fellows who will never let you
.alone ? Why not settle down in your
beautiful house and enjoy yourself ? "
"Well , " said Mr. Gladstone , "let mo
put you a question. Why should you
not sell vour horse and cart , and give
up troubling yourself about this going
to and from Chester ? " "Eh , but , "
she answered , "that is my work and
I think if I save it up I should die. "
* 'And the other , " said Mr. Gladstone ,
"is my work , and I must do it the best
way lean. "
Mrs. Gladstone was going out for a
walk. She had got a short distance
from the castle when a party of vis
itors met her. "I say is the old gen
tleman at home ? " said one of them.
"Yes , " said Mrs. Gladstone. "We
want to see him , " said he. "Follow
me , " was the reply. "I'll take you to
him. " She led the way to the front
door and called out , "William , you're
wanted. " "By Golly , " whispered one
of them , "she must be his wife. "
London Echo.
rl _
An Incongruous Empire.
The union of Germany will never be
complete until the whole of the em
pire becomes subject to one code of
laws. It is almost impossible to say
how many codes are now in force in
various parts of the country. In Ba
varia alone there are no less than
seven different jurisdictions. Of
the 3,515,000 inhabitants of the kingdom -
-dom about 2.100,000 are subject to the
Bavarian cobe ; 641,000 to the code
Hapoleon , which is the law of the Pala
tinate ; 450,000 to the code of the
bishopric of Wurzburg ; 321,000 to the
code of the principality of Bayreuth ;
2,600 to the Austrian code , which is in
orce at Redwitz ; 200 to the Solms
statutes , and 100 to the code of Coburg.
The country must be a paradise for
.lawyers. St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
rv
-Si ? ' w * > '
Songs of the War.
Someone describes in a Philadelphia
paper the methods of Frank Howard ,
popular singer and ballad composer.
It is stated that after writing the
words ho will got together several
members of the mmatrcl company
with which ho is connected , and they
will all sing , suggest , and criticise
while ho embodies on the piano , till
at last the melody thus hammered out
is made to fit. The author of that
famou * war song , "John Brown's
Body , " describes in a letter to The
Graphic a similar process in connec
tion with that wonderful piece of pas
sion and nonsense , patriotism and
brutality , high-wrought enthusiasm
and'emotional fervor. The author , a
Mr. Jerono Leonard , resides at Rus-
sel , Kan. Ho was a boy of 16 years
during that iirst battle in the summer
of 18G1 , living at Leaven worth , Kan. ,
where his elder brother was an orches
tra leader in a variety theater. Leo
nard was fond of music , and very
much in the habit , with a boy com
panion , of thrumnimjroff combination
tunes from old melodies floating in his
head. The 8th Kansas volunteers ,
commanded by John A. Martin , now
governor of that state , were in Leaven-
worth during June , 1861 , preparing
for departure to Kentucky and Tenne-
see , from which department they did
not return until the war was ended.
The soldiers frequented the Canter
bury , and "John Brown Had a Little
Nigger , " "One More River to Cross , "
"Canaan's Happy Land , " and other
catch songs were exhausted. Young
Jerome heard his brother talking oi
the need of a new war song , went to
his room and hammered out of an old
cracked piano and two old Methodist
camp-meeting tunes the stirring rhyth
mic melody with its "hallelujah" chor
us we know as the John Brown song
and music. He wrote two of the verses
afterward so famous , and it was sung
on the boards that night. It set the
soldiers wild , and so traveled from
Leavenworth to Boston harbor , where
isinesa-ai the old stand.
.
A DEPUTY P. M. Bert. Thompson stt
has a deputy postmaster whether ° a
5 gets the appointment as postmaster
not. The young man made his debut ca
io the society of man , Sunday. ast
In.
TUB TRIBUNE has the very best facil-
es and workmen for doing Job Work err
Southwestern J ebTMLr . "W ? , , ar.
wnere in the union lines the favor of
the soldiery and the adaptive verdict
of the people. Nothing ever replaced
it. Mrs. Howe's "Battle Hymn" was
sung by the camp-tire , but the rude
and stirring "John Brown , " first set
echoing over a continent by the boy ,
Jerome Leonard , held its place on the
march and on the battlefield until the
end , and still has power to stir and
rouse with associations of "deering
do. " Neio York Graphic.
American Fables.
A Woodchuck who had. at great La
bor and many Back-Aches , managed
to excavate a Hole for'Himself in a
Hillside , was resting and congratulat
ing Himself when along came a Fox ,
who said :
"Ah um ! Just Fits me ! I've
been Looking for just such a Den for
the last three months. "
"You don't mean to Steal my Homo
away ? " queried the Woodchuck.
"Might makes Right in this Bliz
zard Country , and don't you Forget it !
Take yourself off , or I'll make you
sad ! "
The Fox took Possession , and the
Woodchuck withdrew , but next morn
ing he passed that way to find the Fox
fast in a Trap at the mouth of the Den.
Some boys had Baited for Woodchuok
and caught a Fox. As they Appeared
on the scene Reynard called out :
"I am but a poor Fox , while you are
Learned and Intelligent Human Be
ings. You have no right to Sacrifice
me in this Manner ! "
"Ah ! Yes , but this is a Question ol
M'ght instead of Right ! " was the Re
ply , as he w.as Knocked on the Head.
MOKAI. :
It Ceases to be Funny when Both
Sides begin to play the Same Game.
THE WISE BEE.
A Bee , which had long been noted
for His Industry and Perseverance , one
day Refused any Further Labor , and ,
though Advised and Admonished by
his best Friends , he Buzzed himself
out of the Neighborhood. Many and
Dire were the Predictions made in his
case , and great was the Astonishment
as ho Reappeared one autumn morn
ing , looking Better than ever before.
"Just as Easy as Rolling Off a Log , "
he replied to their Queries of how he
made his Living , "I am paid a Fat
Salary by Working-Bees to Travel
Around and Complain of the Hives
furnished us and the Clover Sowed foi
our Benefit. "
"And what would you have ? " ask
ed a Dozen Bees at once.
"I Advocate that our Keepers shall
step down and out , while we play the
Piano and Wear Broadcloth. "
"But in thit r.ase who'll make the
Honey ? " softly asked oae of the
Crowd.
MORAL :
It will be Awfully Nice if any of us
ever Live to see it. Detroit Free Press.
A Large Butterfly Collection.
An interesting , account is given al
Johns Hopkins University of Hermaii
Strecker , naturalist , of "Reading , Pa.
He is a stonecutter , a day laborer , but
known all over the world as an author
ity on butterflies. His scientific labors ,
it is said , are done at night after his
days work , is over and on Sundays.
He makes his own drawings on stone ,
writes his own descriptive matter , sets
the type and does the printing himself.
He has the largest collection of butter
flies in the world. Two years ago he
published a catalogue of North Amor-
lean species of butterflies which is the
most complete ever issued , since il
contains all the synonyms. In this
publication he gives long lists of names
of foreign countries where he has col
lectors working for him. He has col
lectors in every known island. In his
cell ction are hundreds of specimen !
which no other museum possesses.
Philadelphia Ledger.
General Gordon's Views of Death.
"God knows what my anxiety was.
Not for my life , for I died years ago
to a 1 ties in this world and to all its
comforts , honors and glories. " It was
on September 11 , 1877 , when on.hia .
expedition to Shaka , 560 miles south
west of Khartoum , with four com
panies of indifferent troops , to break
the neck of slave raiding in its very
den , that Gordon wrote these char
acteristic words , which may fitly bo
quoted at a time when there is too
much reason to fear he has actually
laid down his life for those whom ho
had vainly striven to save. They
breathe precisely the spirit with which
Gordon always regarded life and
death. "God "hasgiven you , " he says ,
writing to his friends , "ties and an
chors to this earth , you have wives and
families ; I , thank God , have none of
them , aud am free.- * * * You are
only called on at intervals to rely on
your God ; I am obliged continually to
do so. I mean by this that you have
only great trials , such as the illness of
a child , when you feel yourself utterly
weak , now and then. lam constantly
in anxiety. The body rebels against
this constant leaning on God ; it is a
heavy strain on it ; it causes appetite
to cease. Find me the man and I
will take him as my help who utterly
despises money , name , glory , honor
one who never wishes to see his homo
again , one who looks to God as the
source of good and controller of evil ,
one who has a healthy body and an
energetic spirit , and one who looks on
death as a release from misery. If
you can not find him , then leave me
alone. "
The instinctive clinging to live ,
which is natural to all men , Gordon
seems to have overcome as completely
as Ignatius Loyola , or John Wesley ,
or Cromwell's Puritans. When his
poor Soudanese lambs pressed him on
every side with their complaints , he
wrote : "I must not complain if they
have no thought of what 1 have already
gone through. There is only one issue
ifcp-it , and that is death , and I of ten feel
/wish it would come and relieve me. "
pe can hardly , doubt that if Gordon
ilvas in fact stabbed as he.left the pal-
fce he had so bravely held for twelve
Ffonths , he saw in the dagger an in-
lsirument : of deliverance. In every
Jference to death , it was with him a
3tlreat "release. " "I value mr life as
idjaught . , and should only leave wear-
pess for perfect peace. " London
Celeyruph.
rel
1 Why Women Dress.
If women dressed solely to please
men they would spend precious little
money on their raiment , for $50
would go as far as § 250 goes now.
No ; the truth is that one of the cheif
incentives to dress among women is
tlie desire to create envy iu the breast
of her fellow-woman. This passion
varies with women , but few are with
out it. It is as naturacal to the sex
as the borrow of rats or the dread of
horned cattle. It furnishes the sweet
est joy in life , and gives the widest
field for ingenuity aud originality.
That is the ruling" passion in the "fe
male breast when on dress parade ,
any observer of the Kearny-stree *
show on a pleasant afternoon will
readily see in the glances which are
bestowed on striking costumes and
evidences of the breaking of the com
mandment against covetousness
which abound on every hand. If it
were not for this feeling , woman's
dress would not bo the expensive
luxury it is to-day to husbands and
fathers. Remove this desire to out
shine other women and you would
take the pith out of the whole occupa
tion of dress. There would be lett ,
however , the natural desire of any
unspoiled woman to adoru her person
with pretty things. It may be seen
in the" little girl who is not yet able to
talk , but who is as much a woman in
her instinct for color and softness ol
fabric as she will ever be. The boy
cares nothing for such things any
more than he does for a doll or a
cradle. But the girl has the deftness
of hand and the keenness of instincl
for form and color which are hers by
birthright , and which , if found in the
young man , are the result of long
and careful cultivation. San Fran
cisco Chronicle.
Hints on Horse Breeding.
Unhealthy or unsound animals
should never be used.
Ill-tempered animals should nevei
be used.
Half-bred stallions of any breed
should not be used
Avoid breeding in-and-in.
Do not breed from , mares and horses ,
which having bred , produced bad
colts.
Determine exactly in your own
mind the character of the horse you
wish to produce and never lose sight
of it.
Avail of any opportunity that offers
to procure the finest animals and blood
that will suit ' your purpose.
To bree'd halt-bred horses , select a
pure bred horse and a big half-bred
mare , the better bred she is the more
valuable she will be.
Select a neatly made , large , roomy ,
healthy , young , well shaped , sound ,
well bred mare with a good tempei
and good action , or a tried mare that
has been successful.
Select a pure bred stallion , compact ,
well shaped , sound , healthy , vigorous ,
with good temper and good action.
The Last Gasp of a Humorist.
The Hon. Tim Tarsney , who suc
ceeds Herr in the next congress , is in
the city. He is a modest young Irish
man , with a beaming eye and a head
full of brains. Be visited the house
one day last week , and , during the
temporary absence of the corpulent
Herr , occupied that gentleman's seat.
When Mr. Herr returned he was as
tonished to see Tarsney , and exclaimed
in an apparently excited manner :
"For heaven's sake , man ! You are
not entitled to occupv that seat until
the 4th of March next ? "
Tarsuey began to explain , when Mr.
Herr laughed and said :
'
"I was'only joking , my boy. You
may sit there as long as you please : 1
welcome you. To tell the truth , I have
no hard feelings toward you 'because
you beat me. Cn fact , I am glad I an
out. I was tired of public life , any
way. Washington Hatchet. '
ADKKADFUL KOJIANUE.
Going : Crazy After Flnillnj : Ills Only Daughter
\NaflHarIed Alive.
"What life romances there are going
on all around us. " remarked one of
Inspector Byrnes' men to a reporter
ho met in the Fifth Avenue hotel on
Thursday.
"What brought out that romantic
remark ? " said the matter-of-fact ink-
slinger.
"You saw that man I saluted as
Charlie a moment ago ? " said the de
tective.
"Yes , You seemed v ry familiar. "
"We are. 1 arrested him afortnieht
a o. "
"Arrested ? What for ? "
"I thought he was working a bunko
racket on a man he was always fol
lowing and making up to , but I was
mistaken. He is hired to follow the
man. "
"Hired to follow him ? That's a very
thin story. "
"It seems so , but it's true. Hero
ho comes now. I'll introduce you
and let you hear the yarn. "
The stranger , a flashy young man.
returned through the corridor"arm in
arm with a respectable old gentleman.
The two separated at the clerk's desk ,
the old man taking his key and going
up-stairs to his room.
Then the young fellow turned to the
detective and was introduced to the
newspauer man.
"Well , ray day's work is over , and
a tough one it's been. He's led me
the liveliest'danco yet. "
"Where did he take you ? "
"Into every undertaking establish
ment on the East side , ordering cas
kets and shrouds. He ordered at least
fifty and I countermanded. "
"Why does he do that ? " inquired
the amazed reporter.
"It's a crank he has , " said the stan-
ger. "He's sound on every other
point but that. He's a wealthy old
chap , who takes trips about the coun
try , ordering caskets and shrouds in
every city to be shipped to him at his
home in West Virginia. "
"What started this mania ? "
"Ob , a terrible affair. He had no
immediate relatives but an only
daughter , a beautiful girl , aged 17.
She was buried alive a month ago , and
ever since he has been a little off , as
you see. "
"Buried alive ? How was that ? "
"She was taken ill , and the doctor
prescribed morphia. She took an
overdose , and apparently died. The
father went nearly crazy with grief.
The body was kept three days , and
was viewed by all the neighbors One
lady insisted that the girl did not look
as if she was dead. Doctors were
summoned , and they applied several
tests , which resulted"in their declara
tion that lite was extinct. "
"Then they buried here ? "
"Yes , after four men had dragged
the father from the casket. "
"The night after the funeral the
dogs ot a farmer living near the
churchyard' kept up a continual howl
ing , and on being let loose the next
morning made direct for the young
lady's grave , and began digging" it
with their paws. The old man was
informed of this , and had the body
disinterred in the presence of his
neighbors and the village authorities.
The body was taken out of the casket.
It presented a frightful appearance.
"The untortunate girl had evidently
made superhuman struggles to lift the
lid of the casket after it had been low
ered into the grave. In her frenzy at
her failure she must have lost her
mind entirely , as her face was disfig
ured in every possible manner. Her
long black hair had been plucked
from her head , the lining was torn
from the sides of the casket , and the
pillows was in shreds. Her hands and
arms were torn and bleeding. Her
clothing consisted in part of a light
summer dress , which was literally
torn from her body. Her lips were
bitten through. "
"And that set the old man crazy ? "
"Mildly so , as you see , "
"I don't wonder at it. It was terri
ble ; but why don't his relatives re
strain him ? "
"That would make him worse. He
is inoffensive , I am reliable , and they
are quite willing I shall follow him
about and set him straight. "
"But doesn't ever he object to your
presence ? "
"No ; we formed an attachment in
Baltimore , and he doesn't suspect that
I am anything more to him than a
chance ucquaintance.-A7cw York Star.
Illustrious Exiles.
Among the exiles who had sought
this far away refuge from Bourbon
persecution were military chieftians
who had turned the tide "of battie on
some of the most sanguinary fields of
European valor , and courtly dames
who had figured in all the luxury and
br'lliance of the best days of the em
pire. Generals who , at the head of
the superb soldiery of France , had
done the bloody work of their imperial
master at Austerlitz , Jena , and Wag-
rain did not hesitate to grasp the ax ,
the plow , and the hoe , while brave-
hearted women , who had shone con
spicuously in the brilliant courts of
Josephine and Marie Antoinette , cheer
fully accepted the humble , menial
dutfes of pioneer houswifery. Con
spicuous among the settlers was Count
Charles Lefebre-Desnonettes , who had
been a major general of cavalry under
Napoleon. He was in the full vigor
of a perfect manhood when he came
to Alabama an ideal sabreur. Erect
in figure , handsome in feature , and ]
graceful in bearing , he possessed a 1
masnetism of manner that was irre
sistible in its charm. He had followed
the fortunes of Napoleon from Mareii- ]
rro to Waterloo with a zeal and fidelity ]
that on more than one occasion won <
the highest emcomiums from the em- ]
peror. After the overthrow of the i
colossal power of Napoleon. Desnon-
ettes was marked for one of the vie- <
tims of Bourbon hate , and in the ]
month of May , 1816 , he was condemnj j
cd to death , without trial , by the second - :
cond court-martial of the First military 1
division ; but in the meantime he had (
found a safe refuge in the United 1
States. The personal relations that i
existed between Napoleon and Des1 1
nonettes were of the most intimate naI I
ture. On the retreat from Moscow they i
shared the same carriage , and when >
Napoleon was bidding adieu to his
sorrowing oftlcors at Fontainebloau ,
on the eve of his departure to Elba , he
said : "I can not take leave of you al ! ,
but will embrace Gen. Desnoncttes in
behalf of you all. " In his will Napoleon
leon left him 150,000 francs. After
Dcsnonettes had become established iu
pioneer homo at Demopolis , he built a
log cabin near his residence that ho
called his "sanctuary , " and in its cen
ter ho placed a bronze statue of Na
poleon , while abound the room-hung
flags , swords , pistols , and other troph
ies of battle. It was his habit to re
pair to this retreat at a certain hour of
each day , there , perhaps , to live over
in memory the glorious moments
when , at the head of his charging
squadron.3 , ho had stricken terror to
the hearts of the enemies of France.
Among the actual settlers on the Tom-
bigben , a scarcely less notable person
age than the Lefoore-Dosnoncttes was
Col. Nicholas Raoul , who had uccom-
panied Napoleon to Elba and had com-
mandcd the advance guard of two
hundred grenadiers on his return ,
He , too , was in the prime of life when
ho came to Alabama a large , line-
looking man , with a decided militaiy
air and bearing , energetic in speech
and action , and quick to resent the
slightest affront. Tradition recounts
more than one occasion when , in after
years , he administered merited chastisement -
tisement to burly American settlers
who had piesumed too far upon his
forbearance. His wife accompanied
him to his pioneer home , aud she was
one of the most beautiful and accom
plished of- the refugees. She was a
Neapolitan by birth , and had been
marchioness of Sinabaldi. When Mui
rat was king of Naples , she was a
maid of honor to Queen Caroline. In
spite of his energy Raoul was unsuc
cessful aftd he was at last forced to
earn a subsistence by keeping a ferry
on Big Prairie creek about fourteen
miles from Demopolis. New Orleans
Times-Democrat.
Grain Statistics.
The report of the consumption and
distribution of corn and wheat from
statistical returns from the department
of agriculture , shows that 37i per cent
of the last crop remains in tanners'
hands , against 33 per cent on the first
of March , 1884. The supplv in farm-
ers' hands last March was 512,000,000
bushels ; the remainder noy is 75,000-
000 bushels. The stock in the middle
states is 39,000,000 , against 22,000,00t
last March. In the south the proportion -
tion is the same as last year , 41.G per
cent , but the quantity is 145,000,000
bushels , against 138,000.000 bushels.
The proportion in the west is 3G.7 in
stead 30.7 , and the quantity amounts
to 490,000,000 bushels , or 144,000,000
bushels more than the stock last
March. Two years ago the remaining
stock at the same date was 158,000,001) )
bushels , or 3G.3 pur cent ot a crop of
1,617,000,001) bushels. The amount
shipped is a few millions less than last
year. Exports equal 28 OJO.OOO bush
els , against 32,000,000 bushels the
same date in 1884 , and the commercial
receipts at the western markets are
also less , the dull eastern crop reduc
ing slightly the demand , notwithstand
ing the reduction in price. The pro
portion in merchantable corn is very
large , 87 per cent , against an average
of 80 per cent for a period of years and
GO per cent for the last year. Wheat
reported m farmers' hands is about 33
per cent of a crop of 169,000,000 bush
els more than the stock last March ,
when the crop was less by 92,000,000
bushels. There has been a slightly
freer use of wheat for bread , and a
little of the poorer quality has been
fed stock. The stock March 1 , 1883 ,
was 28 5 per cent of previous crop or
143,000,000 bushels ; and that ot March
1 , 1882 , was 98,000.000 bushels. The
quality is reported above the average
in every western state except Illinois ,
Missouri and in nearly all the Atlantic
and Gulf coast states.
A Tough Turkey or Story.
C. S. Brownell & Co. , a Chicago
commission firm , received on Thursday -
day a consignment of several barrels
of dressed turkeys. A porter in the
employ of the house was directed to
open a barrel of the Thanksgiving
birds , and proceeded to do so. Ho
knocked in the head of the barrel ,
when he noticed a movement among
the deceased poultry. Before ho
could notice ihe cause a large and
plump gobbler stepped out of the
barrel and ran wildly around the
store , seemingly abashcc , at his own
nakedness. The bird actually hadn't
a feather on his body , and looked a
very ghost of a Thanksgiving dinner.
For a moment the porter was fairly
"paralyzed , " but seeing that there
was nothing supernatural in the
event , he pursued Mr. Gobbler and
put an end to his existence by cutting
off his head. The turkey had been
killed , or it was supposed to have
been killed , in the country and ship
ped when the mercury was serveral
degrees ( below zero. At this tem
perature the poultry must have re
mained exposed for at least thirty-
six hours. It is supposed that the
man who slaughtered the turkeys
failed to reach Mr. Gobbler's jugular
vein , an I he survived the plucking
and the terrible cold , only to meet
his death by the knife of an
assassin. Chicago Inter Ocean.
Ko Specie .Payments iu France.
The Bank of France nominally keeps
up the fiction that it does not refuse to
pay gold on demand ; but whenever
bullion dealers approach it with a de
mand for a largp sum , the question is
asked whether it is for remittance to
England or elsewhere abroad. If so , a
premium is clapped on just high
enough to prohibit withdrawals for the
purpose mentioned. "Early this
week , " says the Pall MnU. Gazelle , Feb
ruary 13 , "when the exchange on Lon
don had risen to 25.37i , the Bank of
France asked 3 per mifle premium on
gold , which destroyed the profit on its
remittance , and caused those engaged
to buy checks , or short bills on Lon
don instead. After all , this is prao ,
tically a refusal tt > sell gold , and what'
we get from France is only in driblets ,
the full-weighted gold coins in circula
tion being wedded out and exported
from France whenever the exchange
yields a profit on the operation. "
FACT AND FANCY.
During the recent ice-jam in Chesa
peake bay , millions of ducks were
crowded into small open spaces of wa
ter. This afforded sportsmen and pothunters -
hunters fine opportunities for killing
them , and great numbers were
slaugtered. One man is reported to
have killed thirty-two at a single shot.
The passage of the now penal cede
in the Minnesota legislature recalls the
fact that tiie lust hanging iu Minnesota
was in 1855. This wus when Minnesota
seta was a territory. Heretofore the
passage of a death sentence was loft
to the option of the court , but no
judge has ever exercised that privi
lege.The
The fact that three members of the
now ! cabinet are named William has
led a curious newspaper man to look
up the Williams in all the cabinets ev
er ' made in the nation. Among his
discoveries ( was that the interior de
partment ' is the only one which has
never i been presided over by a Will
iam.
iam.The
The North Carolina house of repre
sentatives has adopted the following
dcsijrn for a now state flag : A white
bar ' and a red bar run horizontally , the
red ' bar above the white. Near the
staff the color is blue to a depth of
one-third ' o&tne flag , in the centtA" of
this ' blue portion is the coat of arms of
the ' state in old.
While the Salvation army was hold
ing n revival in Troy someone shouted
"Fire ! " A policeman tried to stem
the I panic tfrat ensued , but was power
less I to do so , and prayers were chang
ed i to curses as the excited crowd rush
ed i for the doors. Several persons were
trampled I upon and badly injured.
Finally the policeman started up
"We're at the Fountain Drinking. "
The Salvationists joined in the song ,
and the panic was arrested.
"Ah , my dear Mrs Parvenue , did
you go to Italy ? " "Oh ! yes , " was
the reply , "we all were over it and
saw f everything. " "Did you see the
Vatican ? " "Yes , we were there , but
it ] was erupting fearful that day ,
throwing | up lava and smoke and stuff ,
and they concluded that it would not
be ] safe to go up to the top. It was a
fine | spectacle from the conservatory
of ( the hotel , and I enjoyed it quite as
much , as if I had been right on the
spot. , "
One of the most remarkable oils yet
discovered , is that found in the Arcngo-
oil , basin in Wyoming territory. In a
shaft put down on the cast side of
Bath creek to a depth of twelve feet. ,
oil , flows in exceptionally high specific
gravity. It is , when first exposed , of a
brownish color , and can be cut with a
knife like soft butter , it gradually
turns black on exposure. It hss little
odor when it first comes from the
shaft , though what escapes on the
south sid < > of the adjoining ridge has
a slight pungency , which it loses on
exposure.
Mrs. Snobberly , whoso husband
made a great deal of money very sud
denly by a rise in oil , puts on a great
deal ol style. At a recent banquet , at
her house on Fifth avenue , New York ,
she hired Ilcrr Bacnkclsaenger , a
celebrated violinist , for the evening.
His first piece was the Swedish Wed
ding March , which is very slow.
After listening for a few moments , old
Snobberly became very indignant , and
said in a very audible tone of voice :
"Them musicians are just like all
other loafers. When they are paid by
the job , you bet they take their time
to it. "
Cars in all stages of dismantled
wreck are constantly to be seen prop
ped un on a moveable platform on the
top llbor of the big New York Third
avenue surface road car stables.
Workmen arc busy all days with ham
mers and paiur-pots building the cars
up again and making them look new.
"Thuy will be just as good as new ,
too"the railway president said , "and
nobody out an expert could tell the
difference. With good treatment and
care , a street-car will last nearly a
quarter , of a century. If they're neg
lected they get all broken up in less
than a year. "
Some years since Rev. Dr. Benton
was rector of the parish church in
Eltham , Kent. One day he took for
his text , "U'ho art thou ? " After hav
ing read this he paused , as was his
custom , to give the audience time to
think upon the words. Just then a
military officer entered , and walking
down the aisle , supposed the question
was addressed to him. "I am , sir ,
Scrgt. McDufiic , of the 16th regiment
of foot , and recruiting officer'here. "
replied the man. giving the salute.
The congregation , of course , roared ,
and the clergyman had trouble in col
lecting his thoughts.
One of the tricks of a French pres-
tidigitateur is a surprising illusion.
A wedding-ring borrowed from a lady
is hammered into a bar by some vol
unteer assistant among the audience.
The conjuror borrows a programme ,
rolls it into a cornucopia-shaped re
ceptacle for the ring , and without the
'
use of the left hand' crumples the pa
per into a ball , whi jh the volunteer
holds tight , full in view of the audi
ence. When he is directed to open it
he finds that the crumpled ball of pa
per consists of five sealed envelopes ,
one within the other , and with the
perfect wedding-ring in _ the smallest
and innermost.
The following claims of superiority
over steam traction are m-ide for elec
tricity as a railway motor : Absence
of smoke and cinders ; it obviates all
danger from explosion ; it does away
with the necessity for heavy locomo
tives and for lenders , and allows of
lighter bridges aud tracks ; the rails
are not worn out so fast , as a perfect
rotary motion is communicated to tha
driving wheels , and there is no pound
ing or jumping of the motor ; no ob
struction can throw the train from the
track , as the current is neutralized by
the obstruction itself , and the train
comes to a stop before the obstruction
is reached. A broken rail or an open
drawbridge would break the current ,
so that the train could not reach the
point of danger ; by a proper arrange
ment of connections it would be im
possible for any train to proceed to a
section already occupied by another
train , and collisions would be impossi
ble.