A ROMANCE
Wilden
CHAPTER VIII. ( Continued. )
Shell flushes crimson ; the one wish
of her girlhood has been to possess a
volume of Tennyson all her own. Yet ,
now that she stands with the treasufe
In her hand , a strange perversity
makes her feel more than half inclined
to thrust it back upon the donor.
"It is very kind of you , Bob and
Meg , " she says , In a tone of angry im
patience' ; "but I cannot think of ac
cepting your present. Take It home
and keep It until you are grown up
then you will foe able to understand
ft ! "
' "Don't you like it , then ? " queries
Bob , looking anxious and distressed.
"Pa thought you would rather have a
book ; but I'll tell him to send you a
watch Instead. "
This threatened alternative sounds
so very alarming that Shell hastens-
explain to the children her detestation
of watches in general and her un
bounded admiration of poets.
"What are you making such a chat
ter and fuss about , Shell ? " interposes
Ruby , crossing to her sister's side and
taking up the volume in dispute. "Oh ,
only a c < ? py of Tennyson ! " with a con
temptuous curl of her lip at the plain
though handsome binding. "I wonder
what Induced Robert Champley to send
you that ? You have not been devot
ing yourself to his children. "
"No , I should hope not , " answers
Shell , with emphasis. "Neither do I
want any present I shall return it. "
- "Return it ? What conceited non
sense ! " scoffs Ruby. "I suppose he
thought some slight acknowledgment
was due to you for playing with the
children occasionally. If you want to
make yourself absurd and conspicuous ,
of cours'e you will return it. "
On the next morning the Champley
household take their departure for the
moor. Ruby chances to be near the
deserted lodge of the Wilderness when
the wagonette containing the tw.o
brothers , the children and the nurse
drives by.
She makes a dainty picture , standIng -
Ing in the shade of. the chestnut tree
in her pale-blue morning dress , and
waving her handkerchief in token of
adieu. The gentlemen raise their hats
and smile , the children shout , the
nurse gives a defiant snort , and the
next moment they are out of sight.
"Two months of freedom ! " thinks
Robert Champley to himself. "On my
return home I must make other ar
rangements. "
CHAPTER IX.
"Mamma , there is a most enticing
cottage tobe let at Oakford , " cries
Ruby , glancing up excitedly from the
paper in her hand. "Listen ! 'Oakford.
To be let , furnished , charming cottage
residence five rooms , large garden ,
every convenience , rent moderate , , air
bracing , close to moor. ' "
"Yes , my dear , " respondsMrs. Wil
den in mild surprise. "Well , what
about it ? Do you know of any one
wanting a cottage ? "
"I thought it might suit us , " replies
I if Ruby , a little crestfallen.
I ! ] "It certainly might if we wanted to
go there , " asserts Mrs. Wilden with a
good-tempered laugh ; "but , as you
know , Ruby , I have a great dislike to
leaving home. "
"But , mamma , I think you require
change of air , " persists- Ruby with un
wonted affection. "You have been suf
fering so frightfully from neuralgia all
spring. I am sure your nerves want
bracing. Why not take this cottage
for a month or so ? Change is good
for everybody. "
Mrs Wilden shakes her head , but
'not after a very determined fashion.
"What do you say , VI ? " she asks ,
turning to her niece.
"Well , I really don't think I care
two straws either way , " answers Miss
Flower lazily. "If somebody will pack
my things I am willing to go , but I
couldn't undertake to pack them my
self. "
"Now that just shows how much
you need change , " cries Ruby eagerly.
"Your whole system wants stirring up
before we had been a week on the
-moor you would be as brisk as a
bee. "
"Should I ? " says Violet , with a
dubious Jaugh. "I very much doubt
it ; but I am willing to try the experi
ment. "
Truth to tell , if Violet Flower con
sulted her own feelings , she would far
rather remain in her present comfort
able quarters ; but Ruby having con
fided to her a scheme for visiting the
moor if possible , she has promised
not to oppose the plan.
There is a fair amount o resistance
on Mrs. "Wilden's part , but her ener
getic daughter overrules each and
every obstacle aa it is presented to her.
Her eloquence is so great-in advocat
ing a change that one would wonder ,
to hear her talk , how they have man
aged to exist so many summers
through at the Wilderness without ac
quiring all the maladies to which flesh
is heir.
Shell Is not present when the dis-
cusslon takes place , but her Jndigna-
tion when the plan is unfolded to her
is unbounded.
"You don't mean to say , Ruby , that
you are actually thinking of following
Champleys to the moor ? " she says ,
\
in a voice of such infinite scorn that
Ruby flushes uneasily.
What nonsense you talk , Shell ! "
she returns angrily. "You seem to
have the Champleys on the brain. We
are going to the moor because mamma
is in need of bracing air. Is there any
thing so very extraordinary in that ? "
There is something extraordinary
In your having selected the same vil
lage , " answers Shell decidedly. "I
mamma wants bracing air "why not
take her to the North of Devon ?
"Because rooms there would be
frightfully expensive ; whereas the cot
tage on the moor is a mere trifle , " responds
spends Ruby loftily.
This argument IP unanswerable , for
no one knows better than Shell that
their income is not equal to any great
additional strain. Feeling that any
resistance she can offer will be futile ,
Shell shrugs her shoulders and leaves
the room. Nothing remains to her now
but to strike out a separate line of
action for herself. She is fully de
termined about one thing wild horses
shall not drag her to Oakford.
When everything is fully arranged
and packing is at its height , Shell
startles the household.
It .will be very awkard having only
three bed-rooms , " VI remarks in a
grumbling tone , for the more she con
templates six weeks spent away from
civilization the less she likes the pros
pect. "Of course the servants must
have one ; and then we must all cram
into the two others. "
Not at all , dear , " Ruby hastens to
explain. "Mamma and Shell can have
the big room , and you and I a little
one each ; as for Mary , she can do quite
well with a chair-bedstead in the
kitchen. " v
How delightful for Mary ! " laughs
Shell. "It is to be hoped she has a
strong liking for cockroaches and
crickets. "
"New , please. Shell , don't go setting
Mary against the arrangement , " says
Ruby imploringly. "Mamma , do ask
her not ? "
Don't be alarmed , " answers Shell ,
with a curious little laugh. "I have
not the slightest intention of interfer-
ring with any of the arrangements at
the cottage. They don't concern me
in the least , since I sha'n't be there. "
Not be there what do you mean ?
Of course you will be there ! " declares
Ruby , looking very much astonished.
'Not ' unless mamma insists upon it ;
and I am sure she won't , " laughs
Shell. "As you know , I have been set
against the idea from the commence
ment , so I mean to remain here
'monarch of all I survey' and have
a right down jolly time of it all to
myself. "
What rubbish ! " cries Ruby impa
tiently. "Susan is going to be put on
board-wages ; and she is to give the
house a thorough cleaning during our
absence. "
Well , I can be put on board-wages
too ; and I certainly won't prevent
Susan from cleaning the house. I shaS
foe- out all day long , " responds Shell.
"Mamma , please make her go. It
would seem so oddrher not going , "
urges Ruby.
But Mrs. Wilden is too easy-going
to oppose actively any of her children.
Truth to tell , she rather envies Shell
her coming solitude , and even ex
presses it as her opinion that it is a
pity that dreadful cottage was ever
taken. This rebellion on her indulgent
mother's part is quickly talked down
by Ruby , whose constant fear from
the beginning has been that her
scheme will ultimately fall through.
She knows that her mother would
rather stay at home ; she is fully aware
that Violet is groaning in spirit over
what she is pleased to term her "com
ing exile ; " so she thinks it wiser on
the whole to leave Shell to her own
devices , lest enlarging on the theme
should stir up revolt in other and
more important quarters.
Then there conies a triumphant
morning when , backed up by a vast
amount of unnecessary luggage , Ruby
carries off her three victims for Mary
can truthfully be reckoned in that cate
gory to enjoy the bracing air and
scant accommodation of Oakmoor.
Shell , as she stands on the doorstep
and waves them a smiling adieu , looks
the impersonation of mischievous con
tentment.
"Be sure to change the library books
the moment you get them , and don't
delay a single post in sending them
off , " entreats Violet earnestly.
"And any groceries we can't get
there you must send by Parcels Post , "
adds" Ruby.
"How the Oakmoor postman will
bless you ! " laughs Shell as she nods
assent ; and then , springing on to the
step of the cab , she imprints a dozen
hasty kisses on her mother's troubled
cheek.
Why does she heave a sigh , not
withstanding the brightness of the
morning , as she 'turns to re-enter the
house ?
CHAPTER X.
A week has passed. Shell has grown
tired of her self-imposed solitude ; the
big , bare , echoing rooms have be
come hateful to her. Even the grounds
seem changed and unfamiliar. The
certainty that there is.no . chance of
interruption to her lonely musings , at
il &
first so delightful , now seems to fill
her usually cheerful spirit with a sense
of depression. Until robbed of all com
panionship she never guessed "what a
sociable creature she was. Happy
would she be If even the most inane
and common-place caller would come
to break the monotony of her endless
days ! But it Is understood in the
neighborhood that the family at the
Wilderness are away ; so from morn
till night Shell wanders aimlessly
about , with only the gray cat to bear
her company.
It is evening. Shell is even more
desolate than her wont. Susan has
asked permission to go into Mudford to
make a few purchases , and already
she has been absent over three hours.
It Is now seven o'clock , and the empty
house seems to Shell's excited imagi
nation like a haunted place. She
fancies she hears hurrying through the
passages. A door slams , and her heart
stands still with fear. Shell however
is not one to' give way to morbid feel
ings , and , rousing herself from her
book , she starts on a tour of inspec
tion through the house , shutting all
windows and securely barring all
doors'on her way ; then , with a re
newed sense of security , she returns
to the drawing-room and determines
to while away the time with music.
Shell Is one of those sensitive folk
who never play so well as when alone
she cannot pour her whole heart into
her music when she has listeners.
Now , with the house to herselfi , she
soon becomes lost to her surroundings ,
and the room echoes to such heart-
stirring strains as it rarely falls to
one's lot to hear.
Suddenly however her music comes
to an end , and her heart throbs with
terror , for through the empty hall
echoes the sonorous thunder of the
big iron knocker.
Shell's first impulse is to take no
notice to hide herself or to make her
escape by some back window ; then
her natural good sense returns , and
she laughs in a nervous manner at her
fears and with fast-beating heart ad
vances into the hall.
"Is that you , Susan ? " she asks , but
without unfastening the heavy chain.
There comes no answer save a vig
orous ring at the bell.
"Who is there ? " demands Shell , this
time in a firmer tone and one more
likely to penetrate the thick oak
panels.
"A messenger from Mrs. Wilden , "
answers a voice which is somehow
familiar to Shell's ears.
With trembling hands she shoots
back the heavy bolts , and , talcing down
the chain , opens the door. There she
stands pale , big-eyed , and scared-
looking , before Robert Champley.
"Oh , what a fright you gave me ! " is
her first involuntary exclamation.
"A fright ! How so ? What have I
done ? " queries her visitor , looking
much surprised. <
"Oh , nothing ! " answers Shell , whilst
the ghost of a smile flickers round her
still colorless lips. "It was my own
foolishness ; but I was not expecting
any one excepting Susan , and your
knock frightened me. I suppose I
must be getting' nervous" with a self-
depreciating little laugh.
"Nervous ? I should think so ! " cries
Robert wonderingly. He has taken
her hand in greeting , and feels it cold
and trembling in his warm grasp. "But
surely you are not alone in the house ? "
"Only for a short time ; I am expect
ing Susan back every minute , " ex
plains Shell , who feels heartily
ashamed of her late weakness.
Her visitor looks grave.
"You ought not to be left alone in
a house like this , " he says very de
cidedly. "Why , you are trembling
still ! "
His words remind Shell that he still
has possession of her hand with a
little impatient movement she with
draws it.
( To be Continued. )
INDIANS AS RUNNERS.
Instances of Their Remarkable Powers
of .Endurance.
General Cook is quoted by Edward S.
Ellis as having seen an Apache lope
for 1,500 feet up the side of a mountain
without showing the first signs of fa
tigue , there being no perceptible sign
of increase of respiration Captain H.
L. Scott , of the Seventh Cavalry , has
related some astonishing feats per
formed by the Chiracahua Apaches
forming Troop L of hjs regiment. He
tells hotf nine of these Indians , after
a hard day's work , by way of recrea
tion pursued a coyote for two hours ,
captured the nimble brute and brought
it into camp ; how , on another occasion ,
the scouts gave chase to a deer , ran it
ilown some nine miles from camp and
Tetched it in alive. Hence I see no
; oed reason for doubting the word of
an old-timer I met in the Rocky moun
tains , who told me that , in the days
before the Atlantic and Pacific rail
road was built , the Pima Indians of
Arizona would recover settlers' stray
horses , along the overland trail , by
walking them down in the course of
two or three days. After this one may "
begin to believe that "Lying Jim"
Beckwourth , whose remarkable adven "
tures early in this century are pre
served in book form , was a much-ma
ligned man and that he spoke no more .
than the truth when he said he had
E
known instances of Indian runners ac
complishing upward of 110 miles in one
day. Lippincott's Magazine.
lie Know the
Wife ( with a determined _ air ) "l
want to see that letter. " Husband
'What letter ? " Wife "The one you
just opened. I know by the handwrit
ing it is from a woman , and you turn
ed pale when you read it. I will see
it ! Give it to me , sir ! " Husband
'Here it is. It's your milliner's bill. "
Tit-Bits.
l
THE POPULIST CALAMITY STATEMENT
An Abortive Attempt to Prove that the People
of Nebraska are Unable to Pay
*
Their Taxes.
ONLY PART OF THE STORY IS TOLD.
And the Matter of Truth is Not , Given Consideration at All
Figures Taken From the County Treasurer * '
Books Show the True Situation.
About a month ago the state officials
compiled and published a statement the
patriotic object of which was to show
that instead of taxes coming in faster
than ever , that the deliquent list in
the state was growing larger. Like
their bureau organized to prove that
"farming does not pay , " this compila
tion was for the purpose of proving
that the people of the state are unable
to pay their taxes.
This calamity statement was pub
lished in the "reform press" under the
caption : "Delinquent Taxes Grow In
crease in School Moneys , Not Due to
Payment of Taxes , but to Honest Gov
ernment The Facts from the State
Records. "
Then this popocratic compilation
went on to show that during the year
1897 the total state tax levied against
the counties was $1,181,919.76 and that
the total tax paid during the same
year was only $1,173,232.17 , making an
increase in the dellnauent list of $8-
G87.59. This fact was exulted over and
the "reform press" article closed its
dignified argument by shouting :
"Bring on the next campaign lie ! "
TELL ONLY PART.
In the table of figures prepared by
the state officers only a part of the
"facts from the records" were given ,
the intent of the statement being : to
deceive the people of the state. In the
column showing the "total tax paid in
1897" the payment of interest on de
linquent taxes was left out and the
showing of the amount of money paid
by the counties was just $31,759.76 less
than the records actually show.
The correct figures are taken from
the county treasurer's reports on file
in the office of the state auditor and
are shown below. The first column
shows the payments made according
to the calamity compilation. The second
end column shows the total payments
that were made as shown by the rec
ords. The third column shows the to
tal amount paid the state by the coun
ties during the year 1897 , including
tax , interest and funds derived from
the lease and sale of school lands :
TOTAL TAX PAYMENTS.
Populist Actual tax
and
Counties. figures. Amt. paid , sc'l lands
Adams ' ' . $ 19.847.38 $ 20.386.06 $ 37.750.50
.
Ant'l'p 10.140.54 10.470.11 22.917.02
Banner 1,233.48 1.305.0S 1,553.36
BInine 793.87 S37.91 11.003.74
Boone ' 11.S61.3S 12,197.19 23,113.-0
Bx B'tte 4,277.3. 4,510.73 5.24S.7S
Boyd . . . 1,790.47 , 1,958.09 3.1S9.37
Brown . 3.000.24 3.130.03 3.554.23
Burt . . . . 17,303.10 17,672.13 25.351.92
Buflo . . 22.177.32 23,099.82 38,130.63
Butler . . 1S.351.2S 18.8S0.36 28,602 y
Cass "S.lSb'.on 29,293.01 3S.22.J.:0 :
Cedar . . . 12,562.62 12.S2U.69
Chase . . . 2.828.21 2,998.39 3,705.54
Cherry ' . 7,955.15 8,448.37 11.289.0
Chy'ne . 7,837.03 8,273.77 11,206.39
CIny . . . . 17.674.20 18,040.42 30.391.SS
Colfax . 12.879.08 13,200.04 25.440.50
Cuming . 10.5S4.1S 25.251.52
Custer . . 11.327.61 11,779.22 25.314.56
Dakota . 11.510.23 11.779.22 15,132.94
Dawes . 9.852.71 10.442.43 11,623.62
Daws'n . 11.927.12 12.236.il 26.590.17
Deuel . . . 3.125.32 5,326.35 6,146.40
Dixon . . . 10,979.1 ! ) 11.1S9.61 22,460.98
Dodpe . . 23.278.71 23.576.95 28,185.32
D'glas . . 140,861.11 14J.465.S7 146.374.0 °
Dundy . . 3.416.71 3,554.34 3,687.75
Fillm'r . 19.187.59 19.556.91 30.243.32
Fr'kl'n . 7.649.77 7.SG5.53 19.407 Of
Fr'nt'r . 7,763.72 8,511.16 16.090.77
Furnas . 14.3S5.40 15.120.79 23,580.23
Gage . . . . 37,685.60 39,150.72 48,964.06
G'rflcl . . 1.243.36 1.309.36 1.932.9.4
Gosper . . 6,153.89 K.6S0.69 16,837.84
Grant . . . 1.:11.2S 1.537.11 1.741.39
Grceley . 6J7.43 7.033.0S 10.793.24
Hall . . . . 19,511.70 20.076.60 27.S1S.07
Hmiltoii 13,161.07 13.755.21 24,447.70
llarlan . 9,208.47 9. : oo. 5 23.552..VT
Hayes ] . . 3,081.75 3.242.93 5.030.74
H'chc'k . 4,980.39 5.257.GS 6,930.23
Holt . . . . 13,294.10 13.830.09 23.809.23
Hooker . 45.51 49.26 125.5S
How'rd . 10.143.72 10,730.31 21.302.S1
J'fs'n . . . 18,475.59 18,968.53 26.473.86
J'ns'n . . 14,975.64 15.762.41 19.185.47
K'rn'y . . S.95S.92 9,115.11 20.932.17
Keith . . . 5,738.78 5.846.49 7.96S.40
K'a P'a. 2.004.S7 3.111.02 S.IOO.O ?
Klmb'l . 3.783.01 3,84 l.CO 1.067.47
Knox . . . 10,892.24 11,323.53 4S.426.19
Li'ncst'r 09,659.98 71.S31.92 102.069.4'i
Liinc'n . . 14.833.92 13.622.60 25.143.16
J-.opan . . 7S0.9S1 861.34 1.626.31
Loup 1.017.50 1.150.94 2,640.01
Mads'n . 17,900.61 16,839.51 31.413.31
McPh'n 75S.60 783.33 975.V.
Mer'ck . . n.GSfi.oT 14.768.28 22.165.92
Nance . . 11,432.81 12.173.05 12.173.03
Noinaha 17,677.31 18,215.27 21.452.oS
N'kolls . 15,645.46 16.007.46 31,120.21
Otoe . . . . 31.053.95 32,904.37 42.S17.73
P'wnee . - 15.CSS.92 13 599.77 24.534.53
P'rkins . 3,697.7(5 ( 3.944.39 4,283.75
Phelps . . 10,198.87 10.77S.42 21.628.71
Pierce . . 9,539.16 9.S61.9H 39.095.5"
Plattc . . 17.63S.OS 18,195.74 27.830.21
Polk . . . . 10.931.3S 11,497.10 20,449.62
Red Ww 7.3S0.19 8,014.73 13.SS1.S-
Richs'n . 21,206.64 21,397.50 28.473.85
Rock 3,294.36 3,241.73 1.354.35
Saline . . . 18,514.34 19.900.33 29.283.97
Sarpy . - 13.SS6.S1 14,137.12 19.866.13
S'nd'rs . 23.735.82 24,392.27 34.S33.4.-
Sc's Bl'f. 1.SS4.S9 2.920.01 3.G52.S2
Sew'd . . 19,209.44 19,660.82 23,448.1 °
Shrd'n . ti.G3S.Of ; li.S5.V21 8.459.30
Shrm'n . 6.S24.3J 7.192.12 15.433.03
Sioux . . 3,209.35 3.112.19 4.127.57
Stanfn . 9,671.97 9,896.57 16.906. C3
Thayer . 16,237.96 16,907.32 23.545..T1
Th'm's . . 764.94 777.65 955.55
Thst'n . . 3,199.32 3.427.30 3,427.3'J
Valley . 6,516.92 fi.S15.CHl 14.105.68
"Wsh'tn . 18,334.99 18.S4I.37 26,310.67
Wayne . 11,679.71 11,995.01 34.60S.74
AVbst'r . 13.094.96 13,971.7. , 39.313.56
"NVh'ler . 1.793.16 2,026.27 3.43S.-C
Totals . $1,173,232.17 $1,201,991.93 $1,906,756.05
On an examination of these figures
it will be noted that the populist state
ment made a deduction from the ac
tual amount paid in every county and
that instead of paying less tax money
in 1897 than the total levy of that
same year , the counties actually paid
the state $23,072.17 more than the tax
levy called for and that in addition to
this the counties paid in $701,794.13.
being the money received on account
of the educational lands. The school
apportionment for the same year
amounted to $739,991.93 , so it will be
noted that the counties during 1897
turned into the state treasury $1,167-
194.15 more than they got back through
the medium of the school apportion
ment.
SENATOR ALLEN'S FRANK.
the Popocrats Circulate Campaign
Literature.
The Pop campaign document has
gone , out. Within the last lew days
into every home tn Nebraska has gone
a large heavy manllla envelope with
Senator Allen's frank on the outside
and the Pop circular on the inside.
There is no stamp on these envelopes
as the farmers will observe , but the
stamp of crookedness is on the whole
transaction from the preparing of this
circular under the dierction of the Gov-
ernor six months ago down to the
use of Senator Allen's frank. The
Governor's ) clerk prepared the circular
and sent it to Senator Allen at Wash
ington. In order that the Pop State
Committee might beat the general
Government out of the cost of distributing -
tributing the circular to the Pop voters
of Nebraska it was necessary for Senator -
ator Allen to invent some means by
which he could use his frank for this
distribution. The Senator , it seems ,
was equal to the emergency. He stood
up in the senate and made a few re
marks about economy , and then hold-
a paper in his hand which he said was
a part of his argument , asked leave
to have it printed as a part of his
speech. This pop circular was not a
part of his speech , but the senators
did not know that. They were not
suspecting a trick of this kind from the
reformed senator of Nebraska and the
circular was printed without objection.
It has gone out and is now distributed
at the government'e expense. The State
House politicians are congratulating
each other over the neatness and com
pleteness of this little piece of sharp
practice by which they have avoided
the payment of a $3,000 postage bill.
It was a crooked scheme from begin
ning to the end. It purports to come
from the governor but it is signed by
his clerk. The circular undertakes to
show that the large amount of school
money distributed in the last two
years isan evidence of unusual hon
esty and competency on the part of
this state administration and is a rea
son why the farmers of the state
should again endorse populism Be
cause people have prospered under the
McKinley administration and have
been able to pay up their back taxes
and the back interest on their school
land leases , therefore , populism and
Bryanism should be endorsed at this C
election. Because what McKinley
promised has come true , and what ! e
Bryan promised has failed , therefore ,
Bryan should be endorsed at this elec
tion. The tax payers of Custer county
because of hard times , during the first
six months of 189G , paid taxes to the
amount of only $40,000. During the j
first six months of 3898 they paid $73-
000 of taxes , and because the people of I
Custer county were able in 1898 to pay T
nearly twice as much taxes as they
paid in 1896 , paying not only for that
year , but delinquent taxes which had
accumulated in former years ; because
the McKinley administration had en
abled them to clear away this burden
of delinquent taxes as well as a large
proportion of their other debts , there
fore , they should endorse Bryanism at
this election. During the first six
c
months of 1898 the people cC
York county were able to pay twice as
much into the county treasury as they
had paid in 1895 , and to cancel a large S3
amount of their farm loan indebted lo
ness besides , anil therefore , York coun low
ty in this blessed year of 1898 should
whoop it up for populism and for the
pass grabbing gang at the State House. WJ
The governor was ashamed to make erE
this kind of an argument over his E
own signature. He seems to have real tii
ized that the name of a governor sub ar
scribed to such an argument would not is
look very well in print , and so he re is
quired his clerk to sign the document , sh
hoping that the populist farmers of _
Nebraska were so infatuated with populism - .
ulism that they would swallow the :
dose and once more vote the ticket. It all
must be admitted that Senator Allen so
in the use of his frank to send ou
oumi
out this inconsistent flapadoodle did mi
not defraud the government out of as of
many pounds of postage as he might ofTl
have done. Nor did the governor , in fe
requiring his obedient clerk to sign tic
this spurious argument abuse him as
CO
much as he might have done. He might
have required him to tabulate the farm pc
loan indebtedness which the Nebraska of
farmers have discharged since MeKin- ly
ley's good times have touched with is
isgl
magic wand the financial condition of gl
Nebraska people , and he might have be
shown that because a large proportion no
of the farm mortgage indebtedness has Ir
been paid , therefore these farmers who
have stridden off the shackles of debt a
should throw up their hats for Bryan and
do
and send forth the old calamity howl
of 1890. They might have filled these be
large , strong envelopes which the gov en
ernment furnished with a statement of to
QOW Mr. Porter had demonstrated his
honesty by accounting to the state for
more ofilce fees in eighteen months
than were turned into the state treasury - E
ury by all republican secretaries in se
twenty years. Under the lav- passed ni
by the last legislature requiring all ns
corporations to register and pay their jjr
fees into the secretary of state's of
fice instead of into the county offices as
heretofore , the secretary has actually as
collected more money in eighteen ye
months than did his predecessor in
pr
twenty years. In fact , the secretary sw
might truthfully say that he has col- cr (
lected more money in twenty minutes th
than all the secretaries of state had Ov
collected In twenty years'for under tha
new law $13,600 was paid by one cor
poration , the new "Union Pacific , ana
because the law has been changed en
abling the secretary to collect thesa
large fees , therefore , all the other sec
retaries were dishonest and the farm
ers ought to hold barbeques and cam
paign festivals in every school dis
trict to celebrate tne masterly genius
and unprecedented honesty of Secre
tary Porter. Each secretary In all the
years since the state was organized
had turned over all the fees which
had come into his office under the old
law , but that makes no difference to
Secretary Porter. He goes right on
with his campaign argument just tha
same. "More fees collected in twenty
minutes than all the other secretaries
collected in twenty years. Therefore
vote for Porter. " The argument of
Porter and of the campaign circular
oti2ht to arouse tremendous enthu
siasm.
Lieut Gov. Harris * Interview.
Lieutenant Governor Harris was in-
terviewed-September 21st and in speak
ing of Judge Hayward's speech he said
it seemed a pretty strong array of fig
ures , but the only thing that impressed
him was the censure of 'Holcomb.
"I never did think the Governor did
his full duty in the Treasury matter , "
said Mr. Harris , "but Holcomb isn't
running on the ticket now , so I guess
it doesn't matter. "
Speaking of the recent popocratic
State conventions Mr. Harris said : "I
could have been renominated if I had
wanted to stay in the fight , In spite of
the fact that Frank Ransom and the
entire stock yards influence were there
to down me. Frank Ransom was in
the convention as the paid agent of the
stock yards and he dictated the nomi - >
nation. He was also In the senate
as their paid attorney and dictated the
entire organization. When asked for
the privilege of naming the Committees
he told me I could have nothing to do
with . it and arranged the Committees
to suit the corporate interest. He has
never forgiven me toy referring the
stock yards bill to the Committee on
Agriculture. "
Mr. Harris further said that the
large number of unprincipled men who
have been climbing into the Populist
band wagon are ruining the party.
QUEEREST HOUSE IN ENGLAND
It Is Trlaucnlar in Shape and Typifies
the Trinity.
The most peculiar house In the Unit
ed Kingdom is a small triangular building
"
ing erected about 300 years ago at
Rushton , in Northamptonshire , by Sir
Thomas Tresham , a fervent Roman
Catholic , who is supposed to have
wished by his design to typify the
Trinity. The house is all -threes , , each
of its three sides being exactly 33 feet
4 inches that is , 33 1-3 feet in length.
There are three stories , each has three
windows on each of the three sides ,
and each of the windows in two of the
three stories is in the shape of a tre
foil the three-leaved shamrock. The
ftPi
panes of glass are all triangles , or
three-sided. In each of the other windows
tld
dews < there are twelve panes of glass ,
iioi three fours. There are three gables
on each side rising from the eaves , and
from the center , where the roofs meet ,
rises a three-sided chimney , surmount
ed by a three-sided pyramid , termin
ating in a large trefoil. The smoke
escapes from this chimney by three
round holes on each of the three sides.
On the top of each gable Is a three-
sided pyramid covered with a trefoil.
The building is also covered with in
scriptions and can-ings. Three Latin
_
inscriptions . , one on each of the three
sides , have thirty-t. ree letters In each.
,
Three angles on each side bear shields.
Over the door is a Latin inscription of
three words , meaning , "There are three
that bear record. " Inside the house
each corner Is cut off from each of the
three main rooms , so that on each
floor there are three three-sided apart
ments.
EDUCATION AND CRIME.
Cornwall , Encliinil , Proves a Fnzzla to
Sociologists.
Cornwall , England , is a puzzle to the
sage crimlnologists and sapient socio
logists. Cornwall is a mining country ,
where ! the population in many in
stances live under ground. It has al
ways been the Boetia of the British
empire. Intellectually it is as low as
Englishmen ; can get. No other sec
tion of the empire can show so small
attendance in the schools. ' Nowhere
the curriculum so limited. Nowhere
illiteracy so prevalent. Nowhere
should we expect to find crime so ram
pant , if we are to credit those , who
claim ' that education is an antidote for
moral ills , a cure for all crime. For
some reason the results do not bear
out these claims. Instead of being
more criminal than any other section
the empire , it is decidedly less.
There are fewer indictments found ,
fewer crimes committed , fewer convic
tions had , and there is less for the
courts to do in Cornwall , according to
population , than in any other corner
her majesty's domains. Frequent
the judge who comes to hold court
presented with a pair of white
gloves < as a token that no crimes have
been committed , and that there are
cases to try. Nowhere , except in
Ireland , and there very rarely , is such
thing heard of. The people are poor
industrious. They work hard and
not dissipate. Wise essays have
been written to explain the phenom \
enon , but the nearest anyone has come
explain it is to call it a coincidence.
Eat Sunfloirer Seed.
The sunflower is cultivated in many
European countries. In Russia the
seed.- are parched and eaten like pea-
nutfcin ] the United States. The oil ia
used for illuminating and often for cu
linary purposes.
A man in Java makes a good living :
a prophet. He has been paid SO a
year for the last fifteen years for no $
predicting a tidal wave which will
sweep clean over the island. " The
credulous natives believe that he has
power to attract the wave that will
overwhelm the country.
