v WAIT.
Canst thon lot wait for me , O harrying years ,
Till I go l-aclcand gather up the past ,
Though 'tis hut to sued upon its grave my
tears ,
That cvea now are falling thick and fast ?
Let me go hack and bind the ripened sheaves
That I left Arastlng In the harvest Held ,
My night of need has come ; these poor , dead
leaves
Are all I have my sustenance to yield.
Let me go back and Irom dimmed eyes the
tears
Let me them wipe till they arc clear and dry.
Why did I leave them there In other years I
Methinks I thought I ne'er should mourn or
cry.
Let me go hack , with sad , repentant hands
Gather the unkind words my lips have said ,
And hid me walk the years though on scorch-
Ing sands ,
But say to me their sting is lost and dead.
Let alLmy fair days die , hut those I marred
WithH. lilshnesstind sin-r-I hnmhly ask
To have them hack , unbounded and uuscarrcd ,
To live them hetter , this to he my task.
Canst thou not wait , hut now , 0 hurrying
3 ears ,
E'en while I lay at thy.swift-going feet
Atonement for tiie past , o praters and tears ,
That in my cup of. rue shall he some sweet ?
The shivering vines cling closer to the walls ,
Around the house the wind creeps with a
cry , .
And while the midnight snow weaves cruel
] tails ,
I and my soul are waiting theTeply.
S. Ji. Jlc-lfanut , in Chicago Current.
"
, DUNCAN'S GLASS.
"Then sometimes , sir , " said old Mat
thew Duncan , the coast guard at Tram-
bay , "I've thought I'd write a book.
I've got so far as to think what color the
cover should be , and that's half the bat
tle ; and I settled that it should be as
like the Union Jack as the book folk
can make it : but I never get any further.
I'll tell you some of the things"'ve seen
through this glass , andwhat I've
thought of them , too ; and if thedo any
folk I'll be all the better pleased.
"Now , first of all , yon point this glass
over at yonder old bit of. a ruin on the
cliffs. You can't see a large black stone
in it well , the focus ain't right for your
eye ; every man must shift il'for himself ;
but the stone is there " -
"Ay. I see it now. And I see a white
cross a rough dab of paint on it" '
"Right ; Avnen a man sees that , 'tis a
sign he has the focus right , and that he
can see us I could only I hope 'he'll
never get a chance to see what I saw.
When , a man can sec that white mark ,
'tis a sign that he could know one per
son from another if they were standing
at the same place : and that he could see
all they were doing , and so to speak , al
most bear what they were saying. We
ain't quite come to that yet , but if what
folk say who come to talk to me in the
summer time be true , we're on our way
to it and we ain't far away either. But
now you're sure that a man standing
here , can see what is going on over-
there.
' Well , fifteen years ago , come mid
summer-day , I was on guard here at
three o'clock in the morning. I gener
ally gave a look all round with that
glass ; and as there was nothing at all
m view out to sea , I kept watching a
rabbit that was skipping in and out
amongst the stones of the old ruin.
Presently I saw it was frightened and
ran away ; and I saidto myself , 'Now ,
what's that ? ' for you know "when a man
is long hours in the same place , and
them day after day , he's glad of any
thing that makes a stir.
" 1 hadn't long to wait before I saw
what made the rabbit jump away in
such a hurry ; a man and woman came
out of the ruins and sat on some of the
loose stones outside. The man was
dark , with a-sailor's dross , and sis far as
I could see and that , I think was pret
ty near was about thirty years of age.
He warn't the looking man tliat I'd
trust myself to if I were a young girl
but no Jiving man can tell what any liv
ing woman will do , or will not d"o , or
why she will do it or will not do it
and that's a , knowledge I've come to by
thinking , and by wa'tchiug my old
woman , and was one of the first things
I was going ( o put down m my book.
At lirst these two were friendly
enough even if the glass were wrong
in tke focus , I could have seen that they
were sweethearts ; but after * they had
been there about half an hour or so , I
saw" that the girl began to move away
from him ; and when he shifted his scat
i-'O as to get near her. she rnacle another
move.
"Said T'Here's the old story of all
Ilie world , of morning , noon and night ,
: , oing on here on the top of this cliff at
tour o'clock in the morning. '
"But I hadn't time for much thinking
as it took all ray attention watching.
There was a quarrel , and that was plain.
But , 'Pooh , ' says I to myself , 'they'll
kiss and be friends in ten minutes. '
Well , I waited , for the kissing , and then
'E thought I'd have another look around
the ocean ; but that poor girl never got
a kiss again. There was a something
in her hand that he wantedto get that
was plain though I couldn't exactly
make out what it was , but whatever it
was he snatched it from htr , and she
struck at him in her anger , and then
there was a pushing abour.7 but always
with her getting nearer and nearer the
edge of the cliff , until at last I saw the
man's two arms thrust straight out , and
over she went. Once or"twice she
hung on the face of the rock ; her dress
caught in the brambles then ; but it was
only for a moment , she was in the sea
in less time than it takes to tell you
this.
this."The tide was full np at that time ,
but just at the turn ; and once it turns ,
it runs there like the race of a mill ; and
the man was soon lost to view in the
ruins , and then I searched the ocean
all around of miles , I never got sight of
the body any more ,
"Now , sir , says t to myself , 'What
shall I do shall I report this ? " I
thought , and thought , and at last I
says , 'No , I won't report it , even to my
.old woman , for if I do , there's no tellin'
"to whom she'll report it again. And
the reason I had for not doing this was ,
I says to myself , 'If lherevs nobody
missing and if the body never turns up ,
as 1 don't believe it will , people will
say I was dreaming ; it may be they'll
say I was drunk ; for all I know , they
may say I'm mad. I'll jut wait and
sec whether the body is found or not.
Besides , ' says I to myself , 4I can't tell
that a murder has been committed.
'They fell outthei's no doubt of that ;
and there was a scuffling ; but perhaps
her going over was ant accident ; 1
couldn't > wcar Hint , wjienlie-'thrusfc out
his two hand.he had given her a push
that had sent her over. '
' Well , sir , the burden of my secret
lay heavy on my mind , and as I'vvalkeil
up and down on my lonely beat it began
to eat into me. Says I to myself , 'Mat
thew Duncan , you know .of a murder
and you've never told of it , ' and it end
ed iu my getting a fiivcr , and I was as
near dead as a man could be. When I
came a bit to myself , I had the parson
sent for and I told him that 1 had a
great load on my mind , and wanted to
ease it by telling it to him , and I told
him the whole story from beginning to
end , and our captain I had him intoo.
"But the gjntleman only smiled at
what I said. 'Poor fellow , ' says one ,
the fever's on him still. 'Ay , ' says the
other , 'you see 'tis the same thing he's
been raving on all along. '
"Well , 1 was very weak , and couldn't
talk much , and I was weary with my
earnestness in trying to make tliem be
lieve what I said , so I just laid back
with my eyes closed , anil they thought
I was asleep. But I heard them talk
ing , and the captain said , 'Tis a pity ,
too , for he's one of the Jjest and sharp
est-eyed men on the force , and I'm
afraid he'll never be fit for anything
again , ' 40h , 'twill work off , ' said the
minister ; 'you may be sure that when he
strengthens up he will forget all his fe
ver fancies. You mustn't think of his
leaving the service. He must get sick-
leave for a while. I've seen many cases
as strange as tliis , and they came round
all right at last.
"Well , I made two or three more at
tempts , and I tried the doctor , but he
says , Til send yon some strengthening
medicine , Duncan , and you'll bs all
right , ' and he tapped his forehead and
said , 'Fever makes sad work with our
brains. '
"I saw it was no use trying to per
suade any of the gentlemen ; I did my
best , and there , now , I must leave it
"But I warn't quite easy in my minO.
Looking at it now at this distance of
time , I think it was my duty to have re
ported it , and taken the consequences ,
whatever they might hav j been , but
this I did : I says to myself , 'There's no
knowing what may IIUM up by-and-by ,
if this is murder murder will out , as
tho saying is , but I may not remember
all that ought to be remembered by the
only man that saw the deed done ; ' so I
just took and wrote down on a paper
what I had seen , and hid it carefully
away lest it should come to any hand.
And if I died well , I took care that
the accountwhatever it might be worth ,
should not be lost , for I marked it out
side , 'When I am dead this paper is to
be given to the minister of this parish ,
and no one is to break one of the seals
upon it , but himself. ' And to make the
matter as sure as I could , I put six seals
upon it everyone of them different I
borrowed them far and near , wherever
I could. I put down the day , the
hour , and the color of the young lady's
dress , and the shape of her hat , and the
cut of the man's beard and whiskers ,
and the red handkerchief around his
neck of that I made especial note , for
seafaring men don't wear that color
often. 'Now , ' said I , 'I've done all I
can. ' Time will tell. But it's an aw
ful thing for that man , that there has
been an eye upon him that he knew and
knows'nothing about , ready to give evi
dence against him if the question of
murder ever turns up. Polk often think
they're not seen , and there'll be no
witness against them ; but I often think ,
'Ah , there's one Eye fl.t any rate that's
been upon you ; and there's one Eye
witness against you ; go where you will ,
and do what you will , the testimony of
an Eye-witness is there. Of course ,
sir , " said the coastguard , reverently ,
"I mean the great Eye above. "
"I used to think myself particular be
fore , " said the old coastguardsman , but
since this happened , I've been ever so
much more particular , for I says to my
self , 'There's Somoone looking , ay , and
there's Someone listening ! You don't
sec'Iiim , but lie's there , ' and in a way
it's made a difl'erent man of me ever
since.
"Five years passed , " said the old man ,
and the doctor , and the parson and the
captain forgot all about this matter ;
they didn't trouble themselves much
about the ravings of a man in a fever ,
as they thought , and 'twas midsummer
morning again , and it wis my turn to
be on guard. I don't know what it was
that made me keep looking continually
at the cliff , and at the part of the ruins
where you see the cross painted on the
stone. "But everymomcntl felt the lass
a'most turning of itself to where I had
seen the poor young thing go over ' the
cliff. 'Twas as though I most ex'pected
to see something ; and they say. if one
expects to see something , they'll do it
I suppose they think the lancy brings the
thing. Well , sir , I did see something.
'Twas the very hour and the very day
when that young woman was thrown
from the cliff for now we all know
about it and there coming out of the
ruins I saw the man I had seen five
years before. I knew him in a moment
he had the same beard , and the same
dress , and'the same kerchief , but this
time he was by himself. I was watch
ing him well , for I was determined that
there should be no mistake ; and I kept
the glass on him , as a rifleman would
keep his rifle aiming at a bull's eye. I
could see him as plainly as I can sec
you now. He was the same man but
ay , he looked twenty years older. But
he was the sa'me ; and I says to myself ,
'I know you , but I never saw a , man
age iPre you ; you're the same man , but
there's an awful change came over you ,
too. '
" "Well , sir , he looks about him here
and there , and then he takes out of his
pocket a small parcel and puts it in un
der a stone , and puts three or four more
over it , and walks over to the edge of
the clill. Up and down he goes , and
goes through all I saw him do five
years before , and at last and I never
could make this out struggling against
it as though some one was pushing him
from behind ; still staggering nearer and
nearer to the edge of the cliff , over he
leapcdand he was caught just the same
as that girl was here and there ; and
the tide did to him as It did to her
carried the body out to sea , and what
with congers and other greedy fish ,
there were plenty waiting for him out
there.
Th's time I determined uot to. hold
my tousrue , so I reported to the crptaiu.
who at first only .tapped his forehead ,
and said I must not go back to fever
again but the rights of it was gone in
to and found out.
"I said'Captain have the ruins search-
ad , and I'll take anyone you name to the
spot. "
"Well , Duncan , ' said he.'Td be sorry
for you to go off your head , for you are
my sharpest-eyed man. I'll go with
j'ou myself , and I'll ask the minister to
go , too. "
"And there , sir , under the very stone
which I pointed out , we found the par-
3el sure enough. It was an old leather
purse wrapped up in a piece of tarred
canvas , what looked like an old bit of a
sail , and in it was a ten-pound note and a
piece of paper , and on it was written , in
i hand such almost as a school boy
would write 'John Hinch threw his
sweetheart over this cliff five years ago ,
this very day and hour fj011 see su" no
had it all got rea'ly for the very time , ]
because she wouldn't give him the ten
pounds in this purse. He wrenched the
money from her , but never spent a
farthing of it. For five long years he's
roamed the earth , feeling that some
jyes saw him do the deed , and
he's come here in the selfsame clothes
that he had on that day ; he's always
hearing voices saying that there's some
one to meet him here. "
"It would look a'most as if there had
been somebody there , pushing him from
behind , from the way he went over , but
[ saw nobody the man was there alone.
"There was no one to make a row
about the matter , for no girl .had been
missed , which is easy enough to account
for , 'for we're within a walk of a large
town and no one new anything of the
man. No inquests had to be held , for
no bodies had been found. Folks don't
trouble themselves much about things
which happened five years ago , and a
very bad murder coming up quite fresh
then , people didn't take much note of
this.
this."But
"But , ch ! sir , I've often thought
what a terrible thing it is , that there's
an Eye on us when we're not thinking
of it , and how little good sin does us ,
and how in some way or other it is sure
to meet us. There isn't any better
preacher to me than my glass ; and
there ain't manbstter teachers than
the things we have to do with in our
common life , jf only we understood all
they say. The Quiver.
The Artless Japanese Way.
The following example of Japanese et
iquette reminds us of a somewhat anala-
gous case where two young Cuban gen
tlemen were the actors. They had
called on some _ young ladies in the town
of Concord , Mass. , where they were re
siding for educational purposes After
sitting till quite a late hour in the even
ing , they took their departure. As they
left , the"ladies went through the usual
formula of asking them to call again
soon. The gentlemen went out , walked
round the block , and returned in twenty
minutes. They thought they were com
plying with their friends' request to call
again soon. Now for the Japanese
story : A Japanese gentleman called
upon a Washington lady one day just
before luncheon. As it was a first and
presumedly ceremonious call , she natu
rally expected it would be brief. To
her surprise , he accepted her invitation
to lunch , and that domestic rite overhe
still stayed. The hours wore on and he
did not go. The ladwas wearied be
yond endurance. Dinner time came.
The lady's husband returned and still
the gentleman from Japan stayed on.
H" was , as a matter of necessity , invit
ed to dinner. Finally , the gentleman
of the house relieved his wife in enter
taining this apparently stationary vis
itor , but as the evening wore on he be
came so tired and sleepy that he retired
to his own apartment , and the hostess
again screwed her courage to the stick
ing point and resumed the entertain
ment of the guest. At last , about mid
night , the Japanese , with the most
elaborate and abject apologies to the
lady for leaving her , took his departure.
But the comedy readied its denouement
the next day , when a friend , in whom
the extraordinary guest had confided ,
told the hostess that he taid he never
had such an ordeal before in his life ;
that he was so tired , and he thought tho
lady would never let him go , and linal-
Iv he was obliged to leave her without
her permission. Then the hostess learn
ed that in Japanese etiquette the lady
receiving a gentleman gives him the
signal for his departure , and it is very
rude , in their code , to leave her till she
does this. _
How Texas BecameThe Loua Star"
State.
The use of sealing-wax : with an im
prcssion of some device or initial there
on having become fashionable for seal
ing letters , it is interesting to note in
connection with curious things which
have been used as seals when one made
for the purpose was lacking , that the
"lone star' ' in the banner of Texas
originated in that way. When she was
struggling ( many years before we an
nexed herfor / independence , on one oc
casion some of those earnestly interest
ed in her behalf were preparing a docu
ment to be sent to Gen. Jackson , while
he was President , and when it was con
cluded , one gentleman remarked : "This
needs a seal , and we have none. " To
which another instantly answered :
"We will use this for a seal. " And
pouring melted wax on the paper , he
stamped it with one of the military but
tons cut from his coat , which button
having a single star upon it , that be
came the emblem of the State. Harp
er's Bazaar.
Wiiy Not ?
A census-taker called at a house on
Commonwealth avenue one day when
all the members of the family were out
except an only .son , a boy of about 10 ,
who was required to answer the ques
tions put by this gatherer of facts.
This he did satisfactorily until he was
asked his mother's birthplace , which he
answered he did not know. "Not
know where your mother was born ? "
exclaimed the man. "Well , can't you
guess ? ' ' "Guess yourself ! " quietly an
swered the boy. "Boston Beacon.
Fully Conversant.
' Aro you familiar with the game
"draw poker ? asked a lady of a meek
looking gentleman at a party , the" other
evening.
"Yes , m.ifUm , I'm a married man. "
National Weekly.
A TEXAS PIONEER.
Dcatli of n Distinguished Citizen of
tlio Xiono Star State.
A special telegram announcing the
death , at his home in Karris county ,
Texas , on the 21st of January , of Hon.
Ashbel Smith , was received Friday
morning. With this death one of the
most distinguished of the ancient and
heroic band of Texan pioneers has
Eassed away and few > of them left be-
ind.
Ashbel Smith was born in Connecti
cut in 1806. He graduated at Yale col
lege and then studied medicine. After
obtaining his medical degree he re
moved to South Carolina and spent
some years there in the practice of his
profession , but subsequently visited
Paris , where he resided for a considera
ble period , devoting himself to the study
of languages and the civil law , and
perfecting himself in his profession by
practicing in the hospitals of the French
capital.
In 1830 the Texas struggle for inde
pendence began to attract attention
both in America and Europe , and Dr.
Smith resolved to espouse the cause of
the Tcxans , and sailed for America ,
but this was before tho days of railway
and steamship travel , and he did not
arrive in Texas until the great and de
cisive battle of San Jacinto was fought.
He at once tendered , his services to
President Sam Houston , and was early
in 1837 appointed surgeon general of
the Texas army.
From 1812 to 1845 , under Presidents
Houston and Anson Jones , Dr. Smith
served the Texas Republican as am
bassador to the court of France , and
subsequently performed special missions
for his country to the courts of Eng
land , Spain , and Sardinia. At Turin ,
the capital of the latter kingdom , in
1842 , the Texas ambassador attended
the wedding of Victor Emmanuel , then
wown prince , but subsequently king of
Italy , who was married to the Arch
duchess Adelaide of Austria , afterward
the mother of Humbert IV. , the pres
ent king of Italy.
In 1815 Dr. Smith was secretary of
state to President Anson Jones , who
took an active interest in the negotia
tions which brought about the annexa
tion of Texas to the United States , and
during the Mexican war he acted as
Texas commissioner with General Tay
lor's army. In 1849 he was appointed
by the president of the United States
chief of the board of examiners at the
military academy at West Point. He
served'many terms in the slate legisla
ture , both 'before and after the civil
war. At the breaking out of that strug
gle lie raised a company which was
incorporated into the 2d regiment of
Texas infantry , and marched to the
scene of war m Tennessee. It was en
gaged in the battle of Shiloh.losing many
officers and men , and there Capt. Smith
was promoted to be colonel of the regi
ment on the field , and served with great
gallantry to the close of the war. He
was a warm friend of Gen. Albert Sid
ney Johnston , with whom he had served
in the Texas national army , and after
the war , being a member of the Texas
legislature , ho offered a motion that the
body of Gen. Johnston bs interred on
Texas soil at the cost of the state. The
resolution was adopted , and Dr. Smith
was chairman of tho committee which
had charge of the matter , finally secur
ing the interment of the remains at
Austin , the Texas capital.
Dr. Smith was a man of profound
learning , and up to the time of his
death never neglected his duties. His
charity was provcibial , and for many
years his services in a large medical
practice were given away freely to all ,
while a great part of his income from
valuable estates A\as spent in private
benefactions. His courage , fortitude
and endurance were invincible , and , al
though advanced in life while in the
military service of the confederacy , few
men could equal him in undergoing the
hardships of a campaign. To the end
of his long and I'seSul life his energy
and acth ity never Jlapged , and at the
time of his rlcath he was serving his
state as president of the board of re
gents of tho Texas university. He died
at tiic ripe age of 80 years , and was
one of the most distinguished and usc-
fnl men which To.vas has over produced.
Orleans Picayune.
Oil the Hinges.
He never oiled the hinges , sir ,
Uut let them clog with ntst :
Ami that's the UMMMI breezes stir
lhe trrasscs o'er his ilubt.
Too full of bu iness for rest ,
No time for holiday ;
And now , his hands upon his hrcast
Aie cruiiihling to dcc.iv.
She danced the gayest of the crowd ,
Amidst the ball-room hirht ;
To-day her limbs encased in shroud
Were buried out of sight.
She didn't top the hh gj to oil ,
But , buoyed on the v.ave
Of social gayety's turmoil ,
She danced iuto her grave.
The pen is silent , and the song ,
Half-uttered , turned to ice ;
The cord is snapped , for overlong
He paid the mule's price.
Rest would have oiled the hinges when
His temples throbbed with pain ;
Thev broke as break the lives of rucn
"Who stem the tide in vain.
Then stop to oil lhe hinges , sir ,
"When traveling the road ;
For rest were better than to spur
The flagging brain with goad.
"Reprisal's death , the price of toil
Or pleasure unrestrained ;
-And death the end of all turmoil ,
"When life might have been gained.
IT. S. Keller.
A Domestic Paradox.
"Jennie , what is that thing you are
wearing on your head this evening ? " in
quired a newly-made Benedict of his
bride.
"It's an invisible net , George , dear. "
"O , I see. "
"Sec what ? "
"I see that it is invisible. In fact , I
never saw anything so plainly invisible
in my life. " Drake's Travelers1 Mag
azine.
Bored the Professor.
Miss Popular ( to Prof. Pfcffer , who is
showing her the paper he is to read be
Scientific ClubAin't
fore the ) you
have to read these long , long jiapers ,
and before an audience ! How I pitv
you ! "
Prof. Pfeffer "Oh zat is not zo much
ze pity as to haf to listen to zc ozzcrs ! "
Uarpcfs Magazine.
A Cnre for Blizzards.
"Yes , I am on my way to Washing
ton , replied a man with a buffalo over
coat and a beaver cap who was held up
for an interview at one of the hotels the
other day.
"It is hinted that you have made an
important discovery ? "
"So I have. I am Capt. John White ,
of Montana , the man who lirst discov
ered the birthplace of blizzards , and
who invented a cure for them. "
"Tell me about it ? "
"Well , I have nothing to conceal in
the matter. For five winters past I have
been 'in the Far West watching cold
waves or blizzards. Nineteen out ol
every twenty start on a line drawn from
Fort Union , in the northern part ol
Montana , to Fort Laramie in Southern
Wyoming. There are mountains , riv
ers , valleys and plains on that line , and
these bring about the conditions re
quired for a radical atmospheric
change. "
"Did you ever see a blizzard born ? "
"A hundred of them. "
"What is the operation ? "
"Well , for instance , one day last win
ter I was in camp on tho PowderRiver ,
in Wyoming and directly west of the
Black Hills ; * It was a pleasant , sun
shiny day , and during the forenoon the
wind blew smartly from the Hills. Just
about noon , while I was preparing my
dinner , a puff of wind from the Lara
mie Mountains to the south , hit me.
On the plains , a mile to the south ol
me , and just where two valleys brought
these two different winds to a focus
point , a cloud of snow was lifted high
in air , and the wind began to circle. In
ten minutes the cloud began moving
toward me , and the mercury soon went
down eleven degrees. The cloud bore
to the northeast , struck the north fork
of the Big Cheyenne lliver , and fol
lowed it cast to Fort Sully , spreading
its Hanks as it went. At Sully it ran
down the Missouri to the Iowa State
line. Here the wave was a hundred I
miles long. When it got down to Oma-1
ha it was 200 miles. It left the river
there and went east , and by the time
the center reached Des Moines one wing
was at Minneapolis , due north , and the
other at Sedalia , duo south. From wing
to wing wis o)0 ( ) miles. That wave
took in Wisconsin , Illinois and Indiana ,
and was kept from Michigan by lake 5n-
lluences , and later on all the Atlantic
coast , from Maine to Virginia as over
spread by it. TJiat was only one out ol
the many I have seen born. "
"Could it have been stopped ? ' '
"Certainly. It was no larger than a
barrel when it started. "
"What is your cure for these cold
waves ? "
"Well , I've been experimenting.
You must warm the air as the first stop.
In that case you kill tho germ and the
blizzard falls Hat. On tint , line of the
birthplace of bli/zards , a distance of 500
miles , base-burner coal stoves should be
set about six feet apart. Ten thousand
stoves might do it , but the government
might as well add 3,000 more and make
a sure thing of it. Each stove would
burn , say , nine tons of coal during the
winter. One man , as I figure it , could
attend to five stoves. As all the stoves
would be out of doors , onljone length
of pipe to a stove would be required , i
iijriire on saving 78,000 joints of stove
pipe. This item alone would pay for
most of the coal. Every blizzard costs
the country § 3,000,000. We have an
average of ten per season. I figure
that I can stop every one lor $100,000
each. This saves tho country $29,000-
000 per season. The government puts
$20,000.000 in its pocket and hands me
the other nine. " '
"And you have an idea that your
scheme will be adopted ? "
"Certainly. The only fear I have is
that the government may want to put
plain stoves off on me , while I shall
stick for the nickel-plated affairs.
There's no use going into this thing
with am " thing cheap/ shall return in
about a"wc k , and as I will then know
exactly how much I can save on stove
pipe 1 hope you will como and see me.
This afternoon T shall try and figure on
using one leg to a stove , thus saving
30,000 stove-log * . This would pay for
the coal for 3G7stoves. Don't forgot to
come and see me. Detroit Free 1'ress.
Toonibs and the Philanthropist.
After Toombs' famous Boston speech
a philanthropist came to him as he stood
in the center of a group at his hotel and
said : I
"Sir , I have come to ask you a qnes-1
tion , and you impress mo as a man who j
will toll 'the truth , oven if it bears
against him. "
"I will try , " said Mr. Toombs , with
great meekness.
"I am told sir , ' ' said the man , "that
down in Georgia you actual ! } ' work poor
negroes to the plow , instead of niules or
horses. Is that true sir ? " j
Mr. Toombs looked like a man hit
hard , but asked : i
"Do you know the cost of a negrc
man. sir ? "
"Oh , AX'S. " was the rcplv. "From
$1,000 lip to $ lr 00 , for human llesh ,
sir. Man's horrid trade in man ! * '
Said Mr. Toombs : "Will $900 do for
an average1 |
"Yes , sir , " said the man ; I think we
ma } ' say that. " |
"Do you know the cost of a common
mule or horse ? ' ' said Mr. Toombs. j
"Yes. sir : the average cost of unim
proved stock may be $100. You neglect
your brutes , sir. "
"Granted , " said Mr. Toombs. "Now
how many negro men do you think it
takes to pull : i two-horse plow in clay
soil like ours ? ' ' i
"I have not thought of that , sir ; but ;
ahem we will say ten. * ' '
"Then , " said Mr. Toombs , in that
tender , pathetic tone which would have
made him perfect as a revivalisL o\hor-
ter"thcn wo have a mule team at $200 ,
a negro team that cost $9,000 : and what
do you think of the economv of it vour-
sell1
The talk ended , and only one man
failed to smile Soul/tern liivonac.
When lie Gets Round.
Wife "John , dear , I notice that youi
brother James nev.r makes a friondl }
call upon u > unless he iintoxicated. . " '
Husband "No , my dear , he doesu't
James reminds me of the mocu. ' "
AVifc "Reminds you of the moon ? "
Husband "Yes. dear : he never got :
round till he's full. " ' Boston Courier. t
OTHERWISE AND PERSONAL
CHIEF JUSTICE . WAITS has in mini
a pleasure trip to Alaska. II
PAULH. HA.YNE , tho poet , has jus-
passed his fifty-sixth birthday anniver
sary.
SOME of Gen. Logan's admirers a-1
Knoxville , Tenn. , have shipped a large ,
live gray eagle to his address in Wash
ington.
EDGAR ALLAN POE is said to bo the
favorite American author in France.
Edition after edition of his works have
been published , some of them bein |
very sumptuous.
THE Bulgarian government has in
formed the Russian government that it
would bs ready to pay on tho 25th ol
April next , the sum of $223,000 , as an
installment of the amount duo for ex
penses incurred by Russia in occupying
Bulgaria with her troops during the
Avar of 1877 and 1878.
THE Bulgarian government has clos
ed a contract with a house in German ;
for the purchase of forty thousand uni
forms , Avhile the Sevvian government
has concluded an arrangement with the
Austrian Capt. Zubovitch for the do
livery of torpedoes enough to cost about
$120.000. These torpedoes are to be
used on the Danube south of Nisch.
KATE FIELD says that Mrs. Brown
ing's conversation was most interest
ing. It Avas frequently intermingled
with trenchant , quaint remarks , leaven
ed with a quiet , graceful humor of her
own , but it was eminently calculated foi
a tete-a-tete. All that she said was al
ways Avorlh hearing. Persons Averc
never her theme , unless public charac
ters were under discussions or friend ,
Avcre to be praised , " Avhich kind ofiicc
she frequently took upon herself.
IN southern Russia a severe agricul
tural crisis is prevailing , and the dis
tress is very great. The provincial
authorities have been empowerQd to
borrow $12,000 to be distributed in
small loans for the purchase of grain
seed. A request has been made for tho
state to build a railroad from Panza to
Lozow in order to furnish the destitute
people with work. On account of the
drought wheat has risen considerably
in price.
Miss AXXE WHITNEY is much talked
of in Boston now as a sculptor of mark
ed power. She used to fancy herself a
poet. One day , however , having over
turned a pot of sand in the greenhouse ,
Avhich , from its dampness , readily took
impressions , she began to model it ,
keeping at the Avork for hours , and re
turning to it next day with zest , till she
had Avrought out her idea. Her thought
had taken visible form , and it gave her
such satisfaction that she then anc !
there decided to make sculpture the pur
suit of her life , and began to Avork im
mediately and in earnest.
SOMK idea may be formed of the
magnitude of the higher institutes o'
learning in Germany Avhen compared
Avith those of the United States , by
reading tho ollioial reports of the mini
ber of students in any one of them. It
is reported that there are now 2,865
students in the University of Munich.
Of these 1OC7 arc devoting themselves
to the studies of medicine , 890 in judi
ciary branches , 890 law students , 52i to
the study of philosophy. ISO to theolo
gy , 102 to national econmy , and 152 to
pharmacy.
THE decorations of the "Order ol
Christ , ' ' Avhich Prince Bismarck hai
just received from Pope Loo XIH. , con
sist of a diamond star , Avith eight prin
cipal and seven smaller points. In the
center is a red enameled cross , tasteful
ly entwined Avith a golden garland o.
oak-leaves and acorns. The star is to be
Avorn upon the breast. The second in
signia is a large enameled cross of the
same stellated form as the other to be
Avorn upon a scarlet ribbon about the
neck. Surmounting the cross are the
military emblems of Bismarck's pro
fession in gold , such as cannon , swords ,
armors , and helmets. The whole dec
oration is about six inches in length
and cost $3,000.
THE board of education of Berlin , as
an experiment , will soon place in the
three school houses about to be erected
Avarm water baths for the accommoda
tion of the school children. The city of
Magdeburg will soon follow suit , but
tho merit of this innoA'ation belongs to
the mayor of J Gottingen , upon whoso
recommendation such baths were intro
duced into the school buildings of that
city , and have been for several years in
successful operation. The official re
port describes their constitution and
management as follows : The apartment
containing the baths is situated in the
basement of the building ; the Avails are
covered Avith cement and the floor with
asphalt , and when necessary overlaid
Avith boards and mats. The apparatus
consists of three tin bath-tubs 3 } feet
Avide each , supplied with douches. In
the beginning children seemed disin
clined to use them , but gradually grew
more courageous , and the baths have
now become so popular that they are
used by 75 per cent of the children.
Bathing is done during school hours ,
five or six children of the same size are
permitted to enter tho bath at a time ,
and by proper management a middle-
sized school-room can take a wash in
an hour.
