t——armriwiwrw—Maiamirrri ■■■u—m nnin.n^— 1CU CAPRICE AND LAW. The inconstaj t winds that rout the waves And shake the forest wide Seem shouting, “Foolish mortal, cast Thy tedious rules aside.*' The stars that calmly tread their course — The same that Moses saw— Trace on the skies a surer word, “Conform thy life to law.’* —James A. Tucker in Youth’s Companion. THE WOODS’ GHOST. Possibly General Fawncliffe was ec centric because he could not help it, but it is more probable that he did things in a manner entirely different from anybody else because he wanted to be odd and wanted to make a sensa tion. He was a wealthy man, and there fore he could do very nearly as he liked. He was haughty, overbearing and irritable. I always thought that if he had been the czar of Russia or the shah of Persia he would have played his role very well. He had built a fine honse on the banks of the Delaware, and at the verge ot the Block woods, of which he was the owner. He was not more than 45 years old and appear ed to he entirely alone in the world; at any rate, no one in Blockville ever heard that he had any relations. At the time of which I write I was a young fellow of 16, of no sort of conse quence whatever, and my name was, but is not now, Pardon Sashwood, though mother and everybody else call ed me Pardy. My mother was a dress maker in the town and did a big busi ness. She never said anything about my father, and I did not know anything about him, and I concluded that he had been hanged, or otherwise nipped in the bud, and I did not press my inquiries in regard to him. I was a regular resi dent in Block Hall, as General Fawn cliffe called his elegant mansion, and my first duty is to explain how I hap pened to he a dweller beneath its princely roof. I was very fond of fish ing, and my mother was very fond of eating fish, for I caught very nice ones in the river. One day I sat upon a rock that projected out into the stream just below the general’s mansion. Above me was a sandy beach, and while I sat there the general drove down upon it in his buggy, with a high spirited horse. I wondered what he was doing there with such a turnout. The horse was lull of spirit, and the choleric driver seemed to be well sup plied with spirits, though of the arti ficial sort. The animal pranced and oapered on the sand, and did not ap pear to have learned that his master was as impatient as he was ecceiitric. The horse had a way of his own, and so had the general, and as the two way9 did not run in the same direction it created an unpleasantness between them. At last the driver used his whip without the exercise of much discretion, and the brute manifested himself in a very decided manner. Then I decided that he was trying to drive the horse into the water, where he was unwilling to go. But the general got the best of it In the end and drove the obstinate creature straight into the river, as though he intended to cross to the other side. In a few moments the animal had to swim, but he struck out brave ly, the general applying the lash all the time; in fact, he seemed to be whip ping him for his own satisfaction, now that the brute had yielded the point. In another moment the buggy, which appeared to be floating, suddenly top pled over and spilled the occupant into the drink. He lost his hold upon it, and then I saw that he could not swim. The horse took a circle around the spot and swam leisurely to the shore, dragging the buggy after him. Just below the rock on which I was seated was a bateau, and I lost no time in rushing to it. I had some skill in the use of the paddle, and I soon reached the general, who was floundering about in the water like a grounded whale. He was a large man, and I saw that it would be impossible to get him into the boat. I asked him to take hold of the stern to support himself while I pad died to the beach. He used expletives and insisted upon getting into the boat. | I told him I would leave him to his fate ! if he did not do as I directed. The threat carried him, and he held on to the boat till his feet touched the bot tom. 'I will kill that horse!” he exclaim ed when he reached the beach and had recovered his breath. “He is the ug liest brnte I ever drove. ’ ’ “He is not so much of a brute as you are, general,” I replied. “You acted like a heathen when you whipped him, and I had half a mind to let you drown.” He looked at me in astonishment. Perhaps he thought I had earned the right to speak my mind, but whether I had or not I expressed myself as plainly as though I had been the gen eral and he had been Pardy Hash wood. Doubtless it was a new thing for any one to “speak up” to him. “Boy, I want you to come and live with me,” he said, and I was amazed then. “I won’t doit,” I replied. “I would not live under the same roof with such a porcupine as you are for all your money.” He actually teased me, and he ex pressed his obligations tome very hand somely, but I stuck to my text. I help ed him right his buggy, now tnat the horse had cooled off, and he insisted on driving me home, which I permitted him to do. My mother saw me when I got out of the buggy. The general told me to think of his offer and come to his house if 1 decided to accept it. My mother, after she had heard all about the affair in the river, insisted that I should accept the offer. I argued against it for a long time, but I finally yielded to her wishes. The next day I belonged to the general’s household, and Mrs. Cashley gave me a hearty wel come. i General Fawnclitfe treated me with Vjegree of consideration accorded to Y~ bis accounts and papers, though I was permitted to attend tbe academy. I really came to like him after awhile, and I know that I improved his man ners and morals to some extent. His narrow escape from drowning had strongly impressed him, I discovered. He was a victim to that malady of sed entary and lazy people, insomnia. He had been in tbe habit of drinking more whisky than was good for him as a remedy. He told me he could not sleep until he had drunk at least six glasses. I reasoned with him, talking flatly and plainly, as I always did. 1 asked him to stop it and walk one or two hours in the Block woods after 9 in the even ing. He tried it with good results, and after that called me doctor. After he had practiced this walking for a couple of weeks, he told me be had seen a ghost in the woods three successive nights. I laughed at him and asked him if he had been drinking whisky again, but he assured me he ban not. The next night 1 watched myself in the grove. Sure enough, 1 saw a figure in white, though 1 did not be lieve it was a spirit from the other world. I saw that the figure tried to approach the general, but from fear, or some other motive, he kept his distance from it. I had a revolver, and with this in my hand, though it was not loaded, 1 went with the general to the woods one bright moonlight night. The ghost came as usual, and the general was in clined to retreat. So was the figure when I showed myself. But I pursued it. I held up my revolver and threat ened to fire if the ghost did not halt. “No, Pardy! Don't fire! I am your mother, ’ ’ screamed the ghost, not know ing that the weapon was not loaded. She halted, and 1 went up to her, the general following me when assured that the figure was not a supernatural one. She was dressed in white, as she was usually in summer, and I wondered if she was troubled with insomnia. “Pardy, General Fawnclifie is your father and my husband!’- exclaimed my mother when the general had come up with us. “Emily!” he exclaimed, “I wonder ed where Pardy got all his impudence, for I thought he could have inherited it only from me. ’ ’ We had a long talk in the moonlight. 1 knew that my mother had come from California, but her former home was one of the things of which she seldom epoke. The general acknowledged her as his wife before me. They disagreed and had separated. For the sake of her son she had followed him, hoping that years had softened bis temper. She did not care to call upon him at his house, but when I became on such excellent terms with him she had decided to meet him in the woods, where 1 had told her that he walked every night. He had fled from her, but she persevered till I brought matters to a head. My mother is now the mistress of Block Hall, and I still have to do a great deal of plain speaking.—Oliver' Optic in Philadelphia Press. Packing a Trunk Well. Do you know bow to pack a trunk well? asks Rutli Ashuiore in The Lad ies’ Home Journal. And if you don’t how many people do you know who do? And wouldn’t you gladly give $1 for a large and 50 cents for a small trunk that is properly packed? The packer comes with dozens of sheets of tissue paper and several pieces of tape. You can sit where you belongings are. and as skirts and bodices are taken down say which you want. Then the bodices have their sleeves stuffed with paper to keep them in shape, the trimmings care fully covered with it; the skirts are properly folded; the bonnets and hats have tapes pinned to them, and these same tapes are tacked to the sides oi the hatbos, so that no matter how much the trunk may be shaken not a feather nor a rose moves out of its place. Then when everything is done there is laid on the toil of the last tray a list of the things that are in the trunk, so that you don't lose you temper searching for the pink bodice which isn’t there, or the tan colored shoes which you expressly requested should be left at home. First Person Cremated In America. The first white person lawfully cre mated within the present limits of the United States, according to wishes and desires expressed by himself, was Colo nel Henry Laurens, one of the Revolu tionary patriots. He was lwrn in Charleston, S. C., in the year 1724, and died on his plantation near that place on Dec. f. 1702. His will, which he had requested them to open and read the next day after his death, was sup plemented with the following: "I sol emnly enjoin it upon my son, as an in dispensable duty, that, as soon as he ' conveniently can after my decease, he cause my body to be wrapped in 12 yards of towcloth and burned until it be entirely consumed.” The request was carried out to the letter and was the beginning of cremation in Amer ica.—St. Louis Republic. Nature's Nobleman. One whose charity is as broad as the earth, who is generous to a fault, who is honest to a rival; who. becoming a friend, remains one through thick and , thin: who, loving, loves with all the ! ardor of a noble, consistent mind: who. ! being convinced of the right, is as im movable as a sphinx an yet is wise enough to hold his judgment in suspense and to change his attitude should su perior arguments be brought to bear— ; such a one is an ideal man and one of nature’s noblemen.—New York Ledger. A Sparking Watch. W. L. Boyer, jeweler, of Chambers burg, Pa., has in his employ a work man who has produced a watch that marks the hours backward. The figure I means XI, II means X, and carrying the figures out it is a great thing for a sparking party. The young gentle man, not ready to be kicked out. trium phantly shows bis watch and stays until 1 o’clock in the morning.—Jewelers’ Circular. A NAIL IN HER BRAIN. — Kansas Furnishes Wliat Is Said to Be the Most Remarkable Case on Record. For six weeks Mrs. Frank Roadson of Abilene lived with a sixpenny nail in her skull. Remarkable as this story may seem, it is nevertheless true, and Mrs. Roadson, who is in her fifty-ninth year, will recover from this terrible ordeal. About eight weeks ago a physician was called to see her, she being apparently suffering from paralysis or some kindred trouble. One side seemed deadened, and no amount of will power on her part could cause normal action. Electric bat teries were applied repeatedly, and ef forts were made to induce the paralyzed nerves to act once more, but with little avail, until the physician, thinking per haps better results might be attained, or dered her thick hair cut off. She objected, but it was done, and on examination a sore spot was discovered with the bead of a nail imbedded there in upon the very crown of her head. An operation was performed, and to the surprise of the physicians present a six penny nail 2 inches long was removed. It had penetrated straight into the brain its full length, and an abscess bad formed upon the brain because of its presence there. Two days later another operation was performed, the abscess was removed, and the patient is getting along well, apparently about to regain full control of her muscles. The most remarkable part of this strange story was the discovery of the, cause of its being there. At first she, stoutly denied any knowledge of it being there, but at last admitted that she had herself driven the nail into her skull, pounding it down with a stone, for the express purpose of ending her life. Phy sicians say this is the most remarkable case on record.—Topeka Special to St. Louis Republic. EXHIBITS HIS HEART. This I. What the Subject of a Peculiai Surgical Operation Does. Physicians of this city are receiving visits from an unfortunate citizen of Buf falo who has had a peculiar experience. Recently he called on a professor in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, who explained to a reporter yesterday the con dition of his visitor as follows: “The man had a disease of the chest some time ago and was operated upon by a physician in Buffalo, who found it nec essary to remove a part of the chest on the left side, exposing the heart. The I wound healed, but the opening remained, so that now there is a considerable hole in his chest. There is of course some covering of skin over the heart, otherwise the man could not have survived, but the action of the heart is observable, and one can put his hand through the opening in the chest and feel the heart at work.” The professor was unwilling to say much about the case, which he said was of special interest only to medical men. He said it was an extraordinary case and was worthy of being made the sub ject of a medical treatise. He under- j stood that the man was traveling about the country exhibiting himself to physi cians for a small consideration. “He came to me,” he added, “and 1 examined him and gave him a small sum. He then went away, and I do not know where he is now.” Another physician said that the hole was about 3 inches square and that three ribs had been cut in the operation. He said also that an opening similar to the one in the chest existed in the man's back, under the heart.—New York Sun. _ A Chinese Exodus. Prominent Chinamen on the Pacific coast are predicting a big exodus of their countrymen from this continent and all other lands to the Celestial empire within a year -or t wi i. They will go to be pres ent at the big fair which occurs there once iu 60 years and at which every sub ject of the great emperor tries to be pres-1 ent. “Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of Chinese from all parts of the empire and the world will be there,” says Interpreter Pon Se of San Francisco. “All nations will be invited and every-! body ought to go, for it will be the sight of a lifetime.” The fair, he says, was founded many centuries ago and has been ■ held regularly since. He is not sure of j the exact date, but it is within two years.; Great preparations are being made for it all over the empire, and announcement of it will soon be made to the world.— San Francisco Examiner. Wiiat Was It? A dispatch says a curious phenomenon was seen in the heavens by citizens of Wilmington, N. C., from 6:30 to 7 o'clock the other morning. It made a grand sight, but no one seems able to deter mine just what it was. Some describe it as a meteor and others as a comet. One eyewitness says it had the appear ance of a large star with a tail, which to the naked eye seemed about 100 yards long. The end of it finally- burst, leav ing a trail of fire of many beautiful colors. A colored astronomer says he saw the letters “W. W. W.” distinctly outlined, while another avers that the word “Pre pare” was there as plain as day. Business Depression In Berlin. The Berliner Zeitung enlarges upon | the present condition of starvation in German industries. Workshops which usually furnish employment to 20 men have been obliged to reduce their forces to two. The depression is felt most se verely in the building trades, including carpenters and cabinetmakers, but it also extends to others. The Christmas sales are reported by the shopkeepers to be small beyond parallel, only the cheapest goods finding buyers. Fall of tlie White City. Fifty carloads a day are now being moved from Jackson park by various lines, and at this rate three months more will be required to remove the World’s fair exhibits. The railroads derive no revenue from this traffic, having agreed that exhibits brought to Chicago at full rates should be returned free of charge. —Chicago Mail. r PORTUGUESE IN NEW YORK CITY. _ I Of the 16,000 In the United Staten the Me* tropolin Han but 76. The other day John Gubbins, a Portu guese, was held for trial by Justice Grady at the Yorkville police court un der charge of stabbing a policeman. There is nothing strange or peculiar about the arrest of a man charged with stabbing or attempting to stab a police man, but the oddity connected with Gubbins is the fact that he is a Portu guese. How many Portuguese do you think there are among the 2,000.000 inhabitants of New York city? Just 76. Thereare76 of them, and it is said in police circles to be a fact that Gubbins is the first Portu guese ever under arrest in this city. This would be a very creditable showing if there were more than 76 of them. As it is, the only wonder is that there are so few. In the whole United States there are 16,000 Portuguese. Nine thousand eight hun dred and fifty-nine of them are returned by the last census as residents of Cali fornia, 3,051 as residents of Massachu setts, 833 as residents of Rhode Island and 76 as residents of New York city. They are a maritime people, most nu merous in such seaport cities as San Francisco, Boston, Providence, New Or leans and New Bedford, but curiously enough almost unknown in New York, the greatest center of commerce in the western hemisphere. Emigrants from the lands of Camoens and the Braganzas are famous as sailors and navigators, and their descendants are scattered in many lands, notably in Hawaii, where the Portuguese popula tion is considerable, and the East Indies, where the Portuguese colonies are nu merous. New York is a cosmopolitan city. Men of every race and nationality are to be found here. The total immi gration to the United States through Ellis island from Jan. 1, 1893, to Dec. 15 was 233,597, and toward this total Por tugal contributed the almost infinitesimal total of 79 persons. The Portuguese are, generally speaking, thrifty, hardy, in dustrious and matter of fact. They have little of the sentiment of their Spanish neighbors. They are law abiding and undemonstrative, and Gubbins appears to be a backslider, stimulated perhaps to deeds of unruly violence by New Jersey whisky or Medford rum, both poor sub stitutes for the fine wines of the Oporto district shipped from Lisbon and famous the world over.—New York Sun. TERRIBLE DEATH OF A HORSE. The Costly Animal Goes Mad ami Tear?* Itself Almost to Pieces. J. E. Sechrist of this county lost his fine stallion Fleetwood in a peculiar and terrible manner. The animal was a very fine one, an inbred Hambletonian, both powerful and speedy. A few days ago it was taken with blind staggers, and its sufferings were terrible. The climax of the disease was reached on Tuesday morning, when the animal went crazy. He was tied in his stable, but in his agony he broke the strong rope hal ter as if it were a thread, and driving his head against the side of the barn cov ered everything with blood. Finally he made a desperate effort at the door, and tearing it from its hinges went at a run through the field. His speed was terrific, and he stopped not for paling, board or wire fences, but took everything in his mad run. He ran through a paling fence six times and through a four wire barbed fence 18 time3, tearing his legs and body in a hor rible manner. It was just before day. and Mr. Sechrist says that every time he struck the wire the fire flew, and the ring of the wire could be heard a long distance. Finally, from exhaustion and loss of blood, he fell and died. Mr. Se christ valued him at $2,000 and brought him from Kentucky.—Oklahoma Special. She Died Witli the Cat. Mrs. Allie Spencer of Stillwater was found dead in her house there recently. It was at first supposed to be a case of suicide, but later developments showed that it was the result of a strange acci dent. Mrs. Spencer had said she intend ed to chloroform an old house cat. The cat was found lying dead in a box, which also held a large sponge. The strong odor of chloroform in the room told the rest of the sad story. Mrs. Spencer, while chloroforming the cat, must have been overcome by the fumes of the vola tile drug, and having a chronic heart trouble had expired there alone.—Lewis ton Journal. Exposition Relics. A curious illustration of woman’s tendency to lose things is furnished by the collection in the lost and found bu reau of the Columbian exposition. There remain in it GOO women’s wraps, 520 gloves, 25 veils, a score of portmanteaux and handbags, to say nothing of 800 um brellas, a good share of which were left by women, and 200 pairs of spectacles, most of which no doubt belonged to wo men. They lose things when away from home because they are more likely than men to be carried away by new scenes and to forget everything except what in terests them for the moment.—Pittsburg Times. A Coincidence. One of tiiose coincidences that are as mysterious as they are interesting oc curred in connection with the death of John Nolan, an officer of the superior conrt of New York. One day recently he “took a notion" to make bis will, and as he was in excellent health was chaffed by friends whom he asked to witness it. It was signed and sealed that afternoon, and the next day he died of heart dis ease.—New Y'ork News. Grand Wolf Hunt. The farmers of Kossntli county, I».,; had a grand wolf hnnt on Chrisdpf|j day. They have lost hundreds of sheep this winter through the depredation* at, wolves and propose to exterminate. M«»* pests. The county was scoured bjrj ties of horsemen, who swept th*J Moines valley from one end of th