A HORRIBLE STORY.
A -L ittle Girl's Account of the
Suffering She Endured While
Among the Gypsies.
Taken from an Infirmary and for Tiyo
Tears Subjected to Terrible ,
Treatment ,
Her Escape.
A little less than three months ago
the citizens of the little town of Gettys
burg , Dnrkc county , O. , were horrified
by a story told them by a waif calling
herself Cora Dobbins , writes a Shelby-
ville correspondent of The Cincinnati
Commercial Gazelle. The child's story
\vas so horrible as to create the wild
est indignation , and but for the fact
that she would tell some her name was
.Cora Dobbins and others Cora Green ,
this letter would have been written in
Ohio , with a detailed account of the
manner in which the girl's tormentor
was mobbod.
An exceedingly pleasant drive of
some seven miles , going east on the
Michigan road from this place ,
you to the elegant , not to say
farm residence of Mr. Leonard Powell.
This gentleman's home is surrounded
with all the wealth and luxury that a
successful life brings to the industrious
farmer. It is just such a home as all
wish for , but few ever secure. The
beautiful dwelling , the elegant lawn ,
the walks , which are bordered with the
sweetest flowers , the spacious outbuild
ings , the herds of fine , sleek kine , with
great fields of sweet-scented clover in
full bloom , the fields of waving wheat ,
the songs of the birds make the scene
one worthy of the artist's best endeav
ors. To this elegant home your corre
spondent , this morning , wended his
way. and there heard one of the sad
dest , most shocking , and heartrending
tales that ever fell from the lips of a
mortal.
In this beautiful homo , taken there
through the act of pure philanthropy ,
is now Cora Doolittlc , a child only 14
years old , who has suffered all the tor
tures ever inflicted on the bravest hero
of the da's of the inquisition. As she
stood before me this morning it was
hard to believe that her story could
possibly be true , and were it not for the
scars that cover her body , from her
very toes to the crown of her head ,
any person would bo justified in disbe
lieving her. The child is bright in the
ways of the world , but thoroughly ig
norant as to books. She is not hand
some. neither is she homely , her bright ,
sparkling gray eyes being so quick to
see everything that she is rendered at
tractive. Her hair is blonde , complex
ion fair and ruddy , and her build is
strong and elastic. In conversation
she is adroit , and shows the cunning
s of the people she has lived with so long.
Dressed in a neat , light lawn dress ,
with a pale blue ribbon at the throat ,
the child was neat , and were it not for
a horrible scar across the left cheek and
a bullet wound in the forehead she
would be considered by some as hand
some. This child's mother was Susan
Doolittle , a poor , unbefriended woman ,
who found her way to the county
asylum , four miles south of here , be
fore the child was born.
When the little unfortunate babe was it
nsliered into the world , Mr. Hugh Dob
bins was then superintendent of the in fr
stitution , and he christened the babe th
Cora , and : is she grew up the inmatos br
generally called her Cora Dobbins. Ifc th
was this fact that made her give the in
name of Cora Dobbins at Gettysburg. inty
One evening iu 1881 , when Henry tyO
Spellman was acting as superintendent ca
of the asylum , a man and woman caw
walked up to the front door of the lo
place , and , inquiring for Spellman , di
asked him if they had a little girl they he
could get to raise. The stranger gave of
his real name , that of John Mobarly , hi
and claimed that the woman was his tii
wife.Cora hi
Cora was brought down stair.i , and , Pi
her mother now being dead , she was he
turned over to Moberlyaud the woman. he
They walked but a short distance when Vi
they arrived at a place where they had Oil
left a covered wagon , and into this they to
put the child and made off. Prom that iei
date to this the girl has been wander fo
ing over the country with this man in
bands of gypsies , her travels including lit
all of Indiana , Illinois , and Ohio. The at
leader of the gypsies was "Sugar" he
Stanley , a brother of the gypsy queen , for
who was buried at Dayton , O. , a few jc
years ago with such great pomp and ki
eclat. kipe
As soon as the pair who had Cora in sh
charge were out of harm's way , then atw
gave her to understand that the man w
should be called John McVey and the alGi
woman Mary O'Connel. In order to Gi
make her more fully appreciate this
command , McVey took a small club a--
and beat her over the head and arms aa
till she was covered with welts and her us
clothing soaked with blood. This mode or
of punishment was inflicted so often orwi
that the child's back is now so covered av
with ugly scars that it is impossible to avwl
lay the hand down without covering all
one or more of them. At the least th
thw
provocation , and without any cause , w
McVey would beat her , and as the re
child was forced to beg along the road ing
the more horrible they could make her an
appear the greater her success , so this la'
torture was often inflicted for this to
purpose alone. ne
On one occasion McVey kicked Cora to
[ n the side , the blow being so heavy ce
that three ribs were broken and the ago
flesh badly bruised. This developed Cc
into a running sore , and , as she said. ing
"It was so big I could put two fingers thM
in it , and three or four pieces of bone Mr.
came out. " No attention was given ch
her , and during all the terrible suffer she
ing of this awful wound the child was iy
forced to beg and do camp work. for
While up in Grant county , this slate , the
they were in camp near a farm that CO
i \s well stocked with chickens. When COD <
cixht came on MoVey made > Cora go to tuS
thn hen roost alone to supply them *
tvSh fresh meat Forced to obey , she El
started , and on arriving at the place of
captured four hens. As she started he
away one of the hens sqnalled so lust and
ily that McVey heard it , and the child , fir
fully terrorized , dropped one hen and ch
1 with the other three in her arms maele
a break for the camp. For permittiii"
the hen to cry out. McVay bound
the child hand and foot bucked
anel gagged her , Ihen doiiberalely
thrust his into the
pocket-knife quiver
ing flesh six times. "This , " said the
child , placing her finger on the scar on
her face , "is one of the gashes. " Then ,
pushing back both sleeves , a number of
scars were revealed that made the
writer's blood fairly turn cold. Wounds
were then disclosed on the lower limbs
that were full } ' four inches long , and
so man3r were they that the flesh had
the appearance of being welted and
seamed. Mrs. Powell says the body is
in the same condition all over.
"See this knot on 1113 * elbow ? " point
ing to a swelling on the right arm ;
"this is where he hit me with a club
and broke my arm. He had to get r
doctor then , " continued the victim
"but that was the only time he ever did
anything to help me. Pointing then to
the left elbow , she exhibited anothe
knot that was made by a club , the blow
dislocating the elbow , which was
"pulled" back by McVe3 * . "Oh , that is
nothing just look here ! " conlinuef
the child , as exclamations of horro
were made by the scribe. Parting he
hair 1 , a healcel wound was disclosed tha
extended two inches across the head
Here Mr. Powell explained that when
the child was recently examined by a
pli3rsician twent3-eight scars were fount'
on the head alone , all of which were
made : by clubs. To show how Ihici ;
these wounds arc , the hair was parted
ti in i a half dozen places , each spot show
ing i where the scalp had been broken
As well as the child can remember ,
two years ago she determined to make
her 1 ] escape , and one day , when she was
threatened with a whipping , an oppor-
tf Iunit3r was waited for and a dash made
for liberty.
The camp at that time was five
miles from Portland , Jay county , Ind. ,
and that town Cora tried to reach. She
succeeded , and just as she was begin
ning to think she was free she was re
captured by an old gypsy woman , who
was in town telling fortunes. Being
returned to camp she was beaten un
mercifully , and , to add horror to hor
ror , McVey again tied her , stripped the
feet , of shoes and stockings , and stand
ing the then almost dead child up in
the : wagon , nailed one foot to the wagon-
bed , the nail being driven through the
left ( foot The incarnate fiend , still not
being content , struck her a blow across
the instep with the blade of the hatchet ,
laying : the llcsh open to the bone , and
then left her in this condition for more
than an hour. If the scars did not
tln * out this assertion Iho people would
not be asked to be believe it. One day
when MoYe3 * and the woman O'Conuel
had separated from the band , they
went inlo camp alone , near Richmond ,
this state. As usual. Cora was turned
out to beg. McVey was sharpening
scissors ( , mending umbrellas , and doing
such jobs of tinkering as he could se
cure. "The woman was "doing the
Cltc
town , " and it so chanced that Cora saw
llw enter a lively stable in company
with two men. Not knowing it would
incur the wrath of either , the child told
McVey what she had seen , and McVey
irw turn raised merry war with the
woman. At Ihis moment Ihe Ihree
were in the wagon , and the woman be
came so incensed that she drew a small
crre
revolver from her dress-pocket and
fired at Cora. The ball struck her
fiiPi
plump iu the forehead , between the
C3'es , but b3 * some happy circumstance
itoi did not penetrate the skull , glancing
off and lodging under the skin an inch
from where it entered. "See , here is
the place , " said Cora , a ? she turned
back her bangs ; and , suVe enough ,
there was the bullet-hole , the powder
the skin and the scar that was made
ty the surgeon's knife a short time ago.
On one occasion McVey stripped his
captive , and after bringing a pan of
water to a boil dashed it against her
lower limbs , scalding them till the flesh
dropped off in places. At another time
tied her to a stake with the intention
burning her to death , but changed
his mind , and amused himself b } ' cut
ting off one of her finger-nails. Her
hands all over shows where he bit out
pieces simply for the sake of making
her appear wretched iwhen she woulel
hold them out for alms. The atrocities
visited : on this helpless child are with
out parallel in the annals of crime , and
hear her recite her awful exper
iences makes an impression never to be
forgotten.
Eleven weeks ago to-day , this poor
litlle helpless child was doomed to die *
the hands of McVey. How horrible
her death might be she could not toll ,
her sufferings and tortures for five
years had been such as would have
killed or dethroned the minds of most
people. In a moment of desperation
she determined to escape or die in the
attempt McVey had discarded his
woman , and he and the child were
alone near Gettysburg , not far from
Greenville , O.
Tho moment arrived. McVey was
away a short distance , and Cora , like
frightened < deer , sprang away. Super
natural power was given the helpless
orphan , and she sped away on the
wings of the wind. A mile and a half
away was the home of Manuel Miller , *
which the girl reached more dead than
alive. She was given protection by
these good people , and the next day
was : taken to a Mr. Julick's. where she
remained about one week. McVey. dur
this lime , was skulking around ,
and in order to mislead hm , Cora was B
taken ' to Alexander Brown's , and then of
Caroline Brown's , in Getlysburg ,
next lo Frank Choale's , anel finally
Clay Choale's , where she was re
ceived by Mr. Powell. Eighleen years
, Araham Frissler , grandfather of
Cora on her mother's side , died , leav tv
a small amount of money , which cc
child is heir to. Four 3'cars ago ccg
. Powell was made guardian of the i
child , though it was not known whether l
was dead or alive. He immediate-
commenced looking and seurching al
her , but could gain no clew. When
child first told her story in Darke ' pi
count3 * , she gave her name as Cora her
Dobbins , and to others as Cora Green , fe
she vas certain she was carried Ti
way from Shelby county. Prosecutor >
Elliott and Sheriff Thomas Lickladder , I m
Greenville , followed this clew , came
here , and on examining the records 1tli
following one clew after another , tliaf
finally established the fact that the afF
child was Mr. Powell's ward. On last F
Tuesday evening Mr. Powell returnee
from Ohio with the child , and to chu
there is not a happier person in thi ,
wide , wide world than Cora Doolittte
She will be put in school this fall , anc
everything possible done to erase fron
her mind the tortures and sufferings o
the past five yeans.
Since her escape she has seen McVcv
once , and that was when she was livin <
at Alexander Brown's The family wai
going to a funeral , and McVey ap
preached the wagon in which thei.
were at which Cora was made to lit
clown. He demanded of Mr. Brown t <
know where the child was , and threat
ened to whip him if he did not tell
Here Cora . . . and .
- -
.A..LW.L O 'WW.Ltli brightened UJS IVL4VI. ex-
claimed , "Yes , but he couldn't whij
Alexander Brown. " In regard b
McVey's real name , the girl tninks i ;
is John Moberly. Among the gypsie
he is known as "Three-Fingered Jack , '
from the fact that the first two finger
of his right hand are off. Sho describe
him as being about five feet ten inchc
high ( she judged this by a gentlemai
in the room ) , gray eyes , sandy hair
and beard of the same color , which hi
always cuts off in the summer. Oi
one of his forearms is n scar , made bi
a knife. It seems that he is an Indians
product. Years ago ho was livinj
with a woman named Green , and , a
was his habit , he spent about twi
months of the winter on a farm bo
tween Itidgeville and Farmland in Ru
dolph county. One day he and hi :
mistress had a quarrel , resulting ii
McVey knocking her on the head an <
throwing her body into the fireplace
She did not die , and McVey being ar
rested he was taken to Winchester
where he escaped from jail. He wa ;
recaptured and sent to Grant count ]
for trial , and was given four years ii
the state prison , where he cut his fin
gers off. to keep from working. He ii
thought to be about 35 years oh
where he is not known , but in case hi
ever comes prowling around this sec
tion of the country he would be mob
bed instantly. The entire story is oni
of real life , and so shocking in all it1
details as to make it seem impossible. .
The people in Darke county who bo
friended the child can rest assured tha
she is now happy beyond measure.
Chinese Havauas.
She had left her beloved husband a !
home to add up his long columns o :
figures by day and watch the house b *
night , while in company with Mamms
and dear cousin Clarence she was do
ing California with all the vim of t
young married woman who has lef
home for the first time since giving he ;
hand in marriage to gentle , confiding
Georgie.
At this particular moment they were
in that part of San Francisco , so deai
to all tourists , commonly known as I
Chinatown , where the gentle heathen
with a face the color of an alligatoi |
skin grip-sack , his shirt outside of hi :
pants , and a voice that sounds as 5
some one were filing a saw , is won't t <
sell his curious wares , and gambol am
frolic up and down the pavement in al
his Eastern innocence. Nearly every
thing is Chinese ; in fact , the display o'
Chinese goods is so great that Maudie
becomes bewildered , but finally he :
eyes fall upon something so natura
and homelike that she is led to take
closer look. Yes , indeed , they are , t <
all appearances , regular cigars o
American make , with a sign in the bo-
reading : "Sovcutv-five cents per hun
dred. "
Now , the last thing that dear Georgii |
said after kissing his Maudie good-byi
was to go light on the "mun , " or ii
other words to be careful with the mon
ey , as there wasn't more than $50.00 ii
the house , and it would be hard to bor
row , should she need more. Here wai
a chance that she had been looking for I C
She wanted to make dear Georgie
present , and 301 , she mustn't spend tor
much money.
"Oh ! Cousin Clarence , " said she
"just see what I have found for dear ,
patient Georgie. Here are some lovely
large cigars , and you can get a whoh
hundred for seventy-five cents. Do yoi 1
think it would please him to receive
such a present ? "
"Well , wcally , Maudie. dontche :
know , I cawn't sa } * as to that , for I ncv
ah smoked anything stwonger than ! a
cigarwette. and coudn't possibl } * tell :
gooil cigar , but the3' snrcl3 * look nice
and I haven't a doubt that ho would bi 0
pleased with them. " w
* * * * * '
li
Six weeks are supposed to have
elapsed.
Maudie has returned , and she anr
Georgie are seated in their room tail if
ing it over.
"Oh , by the by , Georgie dear ,
have something for you. " said Maudie
and she brings out tho Chinese Ua
van as.
Then follows an intermission of twc
minutes in which they take turns ir It
kissing each other , after which Georgit to
says : "How kinel of you , Maudie , tc
think of me. I was just wishing for j Cf
cigar , and presto ! I have a box. Ah CfDi
hand me tho jjox , darling , and I wil Dih
try one. Puff , Puff w
* * * * * * r :
Another lapse , somewhat longer that ed
tho last a little over fourteen years. inw
During this time dear Georgie has beet w
paralyzed and unable to leave his bed tli
but thanks to a friend who had beer tl
there he was induced to try a bottle o : tl
's faith cure , and now with tho help wi
one crutch and a cane , he is able tc ! i
attend to business. Peck's Sun. f
fV
Afraid of Xotliiiig- . | [
How wonderful and th
adaptive arc ( si
twists and kinks of our varied anc sial
comprehensive language ! A 301111' alP
gentleman , extolling the bravery of : stm
friend attached to Gen. Crook's com m
mand , finished with : "That fellow iI : °
absolutely afraid of nothing. "
"My case cxactl } ' " said a young lad-
present one by the way , noted amour
friends for more than the usua
feminine allowance of cowardice its
There was a general shout of derision.
"You ! why * you'd be scared at : of
mouse ! "
in
"Well , " was her calm reply , "didn' ino !
sa3r so ? A mouse is. at least , some ed
thing ; and I acknowledged to beini as
afraid of absolutely nothing. " Sat asLi
Franciscan. Libi
CAPT. BOYCOTT.
The Story of His Troubles TVitli Ills
Tenants by One "Who Know Him.
Tp a conversation with a reporter of
Tiie Louisville Courier-Journal an Irish
man said :
"Boycott ? Ah } * cs , I knew Mr. Boy
.
I cott , from whom the word had its birth
nine or ten 3cars ago. It has been in-
j . grafted on many a language , in many
.1 laud. In many countries it has been
crystalizcd on the face of the statutes.
"Capt. Bo3'cott , in respect to whom
the worel originated , is now about 59
years of age. He is five feet nine
inches in height , wears a flowing iron-
grey beard , has long , aristocratic
features , and the carriage and bearing
of a retired British army officer. He
.3 browned and hardened by weather
exposure , exercise , and b3 * field sports ,
and looks what he is 'evciy inch an
English country gentleman. '
' 'Some twenty-five 3'cars ago , Mr. W.
H. Boycott who is a member of a good
family in England , purchased an en-
signey in a "crack" line regiment ; he
subsequently became a lieutenant , mar
ried , and left the service. He settled
down to stock-raising in the west of
Ireland. Ho owned no fee-simple estate ,
but rented several tracts of Ian J. For a
while he resided on the island of Achill ,
j where he fitted up an iron house on the
iiountain side overhanging the coast ,
lie was popular with squire and peasant
alike. He kept a string of horses , ho
was a good man up himself in a welter
race , was a crack shot , rode to hounds
like a Galway man , and was in the field
as poor Whytc Mcllville wrote :
"A good one to follow * ,
A ruin'tin to be.it.
"Later he left Achill islanel and rent
ed near the town of Ballinrobe. There
he had but few tenanls. He raisetl
green crops , artificial grasses and
roots , anel employed maii3' laborers.
With these he was strict and exacting
as lo their observance of the rules ho
laid down for them. Fines were im
posed on them by him for leaving
spades , shovels , or other agricultural
implements in places other than those
designated. For disturbing stock or
injuring fences by taking short cuts or
for leaving gates open fines were as
sessed on tho laborers and stopped out
of their wages by the captain.
"At this period tho people's minds
were in a stale of excessive tension by
electioneering excitement and by con
tinuous evictions ( not of Boycott ) , and
tiie wrath , long pent up , hurst from
every man , woman , ami ch 3 1 in Mayo
down on Lough Mask hous % . His ser
vants , their relatives , their iriends , his
laborers , and small tenants all combin
ed. Swift as lightning the feeling
against the captain , as he was cluboed ,
spread around. His emplo } es left him ;
no one would plow , harrow , reap , or
sow for him. Domestic servants fled
the house. Any one who approached
the place was warned , and if warning
did not prevent approach stronger
jicasures procured obedience.
"In Ballinrobe , a town of two thou
sand inhabitants , in the open day , a
man was severely beaten because it was
reported that he had been seen saluting
a coachman who had not obeyed the
order to quit the obnoxious service.
'Capt. ( ' Boycott and his wife were on
the Aergo of starvation ; their flocks and
crops : were useless to them. Fifty of
the ] Royal Irish constabulary had been
set ( as a guard on the house to keep t .e
family safe.
"Later on one hundred policemen ,
fully armed , were settletl on the spot ,
fifty dragoons and a company of infan
try camped around. No enem3 * ap
peared ; no good resulted. Once they
siicceeeled in saving 'Capt' Boycott's
life. He drove into Ballinrobe on a
court ( day. Thousands knew he was to
allenti , anel thousands ssirguet into Ihe
narrow street and ende-ivored to crush
in on < him and squeeze him to death.
From this difficulty the gallant forces
of the crown barely succycd.'d in extri
cating themselves anel the object of
their protection. Beyond this success
the career of the forces was only dis
tinguished 1) } * the fact that the men
stole and ate up all the hens , chickens ,
ducks , geese , and turkeys iu the coun
try , and Ihe officers gave at Ballinrobe
Boycott ball , and the 'captain1 was
now cursed as being the cause of
scarcity of eggs in the country. The
ostracism was awful. Its organization
was perfect. The pious Il-nuan Catho
lic , who disobeyed a warning found him
self iu his church standing on a four-
foot square desert islanel. surrounded
by a seething sea. A funeral stopped
he went to it If ho die I he would
have lo carry himself lo tiio grave.
"The matter was brought before
Mr. Gladstone. He gave : tn oracular
reply. Tho Carlton club endeavored
by a testimonial raised for Capt. Boy
cott to prop up his falling fortunes.
was said by the local paper he was
leave Ireland.
"Four years since it was proposed to
construct a railroad between the town
Tliam and Ballinrobe. It would
have been useful. The . 'overmneul
would have lent the money at a low
rate of interest Great distress prevail
, anel the expenduturc of the 11101103 *
employment was much desired. It
was conditioned if the line did not pay
the low interest lo the government that
the ; country districts should bear the
deficit High evicting landlords sat tli
where it was to be debated 'whether the tliD
line ; should be made or not' Some D
good men sat on the investigation. ofw
Votes were taken. Tho majority of w
the voters were apprehensive that some of
small taxation might follow the con br
struction of the line. 'Capt. ' Bo\'cott , si
although he would have been liable to ca
possible < taxation , voted for the con the
struction of the railroad for the com pr
mon good , and the line was thrown Vi
out. the
"Great was the rage of ever3 * class ,
anel hatred ran high against those who tor
sacrificed the public interest to their
private ends. That morning saw the
social reputation of 'Capt' Boycott at
nadir ; midday it was in its zenith. go.
"From that da } * Boycott has been one
) the most popular men as a sports
man and country gentleman in the west I cle
Ireland. Six weeks since he obtain
a valuable appoinlmcnt in England
agent to Sir lloyle Aelair. He loft as
Lough Mask demesne regretted by all. ju
it was hopefully expressed in the Cl
public papers that ho would still be
seen occasionally in the Green isle , as
he intended to keep some racers at the
Currah of Kildare. "
A Kow Money Scheme.
The proposition of the Knights ol
Labor , to congress , to have government
loan ofiices established , where all the
people can borrow money , is a good
thing and should be adopted. They
want national and private banks abol
ished , and the government loan offices ,
presided over by an official appointed
by the president , do all the business
now done by the banks , loaning money
at a regular rate of interest. This plan
seems one Ihat would fill a want long
felt. As it is now , a man who goes to
the bank to borrow money * has lo con
vince Ihe banker Ihat he is all right ,
has property , and will pay. If he has
no property"except his word , he has to
get some one who has property to sign
a note with him , and who has got to
pay , if the borrower does not. If a man
hasnorealestate.and has personal prop
erty , he can raise money on it b } * giv
ing a cut-throat chattel mortgage on the
same , at a high rate of interest , with a '
chance that he will lose the property
mortgaged , if he does not watch out
pretty close. The other method is lo
take something to a pawnbroker and
raise money on it , and apend the money
anil lose the article pawned. The new
scheme will make the government the
banker , the chattel mortgage shark and
Ihe pawnbroker , all combined. Then
the millcnium will have come , because
it has got to be understood that all the
people are to be given money when
they ask for it , whether the } * have ain *
collateral to put up or not , for if they
have to give security , the government
cannot be a more generous banker or
pawnbroker than private individuals.
Certainly the government does not
want to lose , loaning money , and
it has got to have the same
safeguard as the private individuals.
It is hardly expecled that the govern
ment is going to give out money to a
man who simply admits that he is hon
est , and will pay some da } ' . The man
may think he will , but when the time
comes he may find it impossible. In
such case who would lose ? It may be
said the government should lose , "and
make it up by taxing the people , and
divide Ih'j money pro nttu ? If Ihe new
scheme works , only the poor will be
borrowers , and when Iho government
loses , and tho loss is made up by taxa
tion , the poor who have nothing , of
course , can't pay any tax , and so the
rich will haveto pay it. Then why
not , instead of beat ng around tiie bush.
by borrowing of the government , and
failing to pa7 , and having it made up
by * taxation , just as-ess those who
have money , on the slart , and divide it
up. Then you will get right down to
Communism the first jump , instead of
getting to it in a roundabout way ? It
ma be said Ihat Ihe overnment can
the money , and loan it to the peo
ple. Yes , but'that money has got to
have some foundation of value. It
must be based on gold or silver in pos
session of the government , or the pow
er of taxation. Bat condemn Ihe finan
cial question , anyway. The Knights of
Labor think they know what they want ,
but the ablest men in the world have
studied Iho question of finance until
they are gray , and bald , and blind and
deaf , and they have not learned the ru
diments yet. Nobody can lend money
successfully without getting a fair inter
est , and the principal bade , and a gov
ernment can't certainly. The best I
way is lo patronize the regular old-fash
ioned bank , or pawnbroker , until you
make enough to run a bank or pawn
shop yourself , and then you can sock il
to souicbod3 * else. I'cc&s Sun.
A Struggle for Principle. | n
A raim * day had housed us up in the C
cabin of a Tennescean , and about 9
o'clock in the morning a man who was le
addressed 03 * our host as Uncle Billy
came riding up through the steady pour
on a mule. The animal was placed in
the slable and as the two mun enterc d
the hou < c our host observed :
"Well , Uncle Bilh * , how'll you trade
mules ? " ' | a
L-I
was Iho answer. cc
They returned to the stables and ?
talked until noon. Thou we hail din-
nor , anel they talked until 4 o'clock. of
The rain let up a bit then anel wo wont ai
out to see a cave , leaving them talking I1
mule. We returned at G and they !
were still at it Wo had supper , and '
the interrupted conversation was reI,1'
sumed anel kept up until i ) o'clock. We
went off to bed with Uncle Billy saving :
"Tell ye what I'll dew. Til trade ed
"
fur three" dollars tew boot. " lh
It thundered about midnight , and I in
woke up and heard Ihat mnio talk still '
going. At G o'clock 1 got up. Uncle fn
Hi
Bilhr was just riding away.
"Well , how did you come out ? " I at
asked of our host ed
"Beat him clown to two dollars and
three bits , ' ' he replied.
"So you saved two shillings ? "
"Exactly , though I wasn't working thw
for that It was the principle of the w
which I looked " lo
thing at" Detroit Free "
The Ruling Passion. ter
Dr. Swan relates a very sad case of
the ruling passion strong iu death.
Doctors ( , of course , see a vast variety
human nature , and especially its Wl
weak sides. This is a touching storv ties
a young and fair girl leaving the
bright world while the dew of life was in
still ; laying on its morning glories. You
can imagine the sadness of the scene
growing certainty of the end , the cl
passing beauty of th. ; world , the bright
vision ; of all the happiness and the joy ,
heavy shadow hanging over all. w :
"It is hopeless , " said tl e gentle doc th
" live. "
; "you cannot
"And must I die ? " she asked. po
"You cannot live. "
"Tell me , doctor , one thing before 1
. " on
"What is it ? " onm <
"Does the hair change color after str
death ? " Lhc
"No. " ah
"Then I die happy ; I'll look as well
those Smith girls on the da } * of
judgment , anyway. " San Francisco in
Chronicle. sc :
T
THE TWO REPORTERS ,
The Header Must Decide Whlclx On
Got at Permanent Engiurement.
Once upon a lime , says The Washing-
Ion Critic , two reporters , seeking a
position on a great morning newspa
per , with the largest circulation in tho
world , as the affidavits of the busiucsa
manager and office boy would testify ,
were sent by the managing editor to a
distant and lonesome resort where the
president was enjoying his honeymoon ,
in order that they might send bacls
competitive reports , whereby their re
spective merits might be determined up
on and tho place given to tho more
worthy. They arrived at the place a1
2 o'clock in the afternoon , and at 3
they saw the president emerge from hia
cottage , walk down to a little bridge ,
and return. After that nothing mora
was seen of him or his bride , nor could
any information be obtained. At mid
night they handed their respective re-
po'i-ts lo the telegraph operator , and
this is what the managing editor re
ceived from the first man :
"The president took a short walk to
the little bridge near the cottage and
returned. lie has not been out of tho
house since. All serene. "
This is what the other man sent :
"As the god of clay sank beiiind tho
impending summits of the Alleglmnies
this afternoon , the newly created Ben
edict emerged from tho beautiful cot
tage in which lie and his bride are pass
ing their blissful honeymoon for a short
stroll. He pulled the door of the cot
tage shut with his right iiand. while in
his left he carried a slick. This stick
was Ihree feet long and of rustic pat
tern. It had been cut in the moun
tains near the 'executive mansion , ' and
was still in its rough state , although
slightly whittled round at the hand end.
It was cut at 2oO this afternoon. Tho
president took three steps and a half
across the piazza , and the half step ofl
the edge to tho steps leading to tho
ground. He wore a 1'rince Albert coat ,
dark pants , low-cut shoes , and a silk ;
hat As he reached tho walk in front
of the house , it was noticed that there
was a wrinkle in the president's pants
at each knee , and asm-ill piece of string
clung delusively to his left trouscr leg.
There were also five now and inexpe
rienced wrinkles in the narrative of his
Prince Albert , and the conclusion in-
stantly forced itself upon your corre
spondent's mind that the president , in
the excitement of the moment , had sat ;
clown on his coat-tailg. One button al
so gave indications of being loose , and
there were four well-defined specks ol
dust on the collar a lillle northwest of
the seam running across from the
shoulder. How these specks accumulat
ed your correspondent was unable to dis
cover , but he has good reisons to be
lieve the president shook them clown
from the coiling as he slammed tho
door in coming out of the cottage. He
walked slowly downtho path in a di
rection leading to the point which he de
sired to reach , and a faint smile was
seen playing over his features. This
smile was encored five times during the
president's walk. His right shoestring
hung down a half inch lower than his
left < shoestring , but he did not slop to
change his toilet His shoes were made-
iit. Now York and shipped to Washing
ton by express four week before tho
wedding clay , and they did not hurt h s
feet. ( When ho reached the bridge ho
stopped an instant , then , setting his
right foot back of his loft ho slowly
turned around and retraced his steps.
Ho ] look up into the clear sky on four
distinct occasions , but did not sec any
thing there , because a careful examina
tion by your correspondent developed
tlIJ fact that there was nothing to see.
IJhi wore a white shirt and a white col
lar , and his necktie was black and tied
in a simple , plain bow-knot , with the
ends resting on the lapels of his
coat in si confiding manner , Ho
noticed the while thread on his
left trouscr leg just as he reach the cot
tage steps , and. bending down carefully ,
ho removed it and throw it into tho
grass near the path. Your correspon
dent afterward picked it up , and it was
found to bo a cotton raveling oil'of a ,
towel , or napkin , and was an inch and
half long , with a small knot in one
end of it. The
president gave : i short
cough as ho went up the steps into the
cottage. . His hair as it showed under
his hat was smooth , with Iho exception
" one hair , which straggled somewhat ,
and there was one loo.-e"whiskcr in his
mustache. ! His color was good , and
his ' step was as steady as a soldier's. 'it '
As ho reached the uiaxza a fly lit on his
nose. ' It was only an ordinary house
fly , and the president , after one or two
ineffectual muscular contractions , rais
his right hand and brushed tho
thoughtless intruder away. It How off
a northeasterly direction , and lit on
Ihe railing of tho piazza , where it care
fully brushed its wings with its rear
limbs , as fiies arc wont to do. At ex
actly o:04. ] o'clock the president open
the door of the cottage with his loft
hand , stepped over lhe"thrcshold. and
disappeared v/ithin the cottage. ' "
Tho managing editor carehillv read
those two reports , and taking out his
writing materials indicted two letters
lhe reporters. One of these said :
"Your services are not wanted. " We
leave Ihe reader to decide which repor
received this letter.
A Point of Kxcellniice.
Two citizens of Northern Dakota
were discussing the merits of the coun
in which they resided. One said :
"We have always raised more wheat
mv countv. "
"Yes. "
"We have larger towns and a better
class : of business men. "
"Yes , that's so. "
"In fact I think my county has al-
wavs been ahead of vours in
every-
" "
thing.
"No sir , we once beat you in an im
portant point. " 'f
"What was it ? "
"When our County Treasurers left
the usual excursion ours took i'o.OOO
more than yours , and though they both
started at the
same timo oura struck
Canadian line over two hours
ahead. Eslellitic JJell.
The nation shows its
progress uioro
its honor to tho pen than in forts.
seaport ? , or tloai-n ; ; bomb proofs.