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About The Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 1897)
m i VJOLETS BLUE He sent her dainty violets 0 Tied Tip with ribbon white And in between the silver steins He hid a note from sight With these ho wrote in manly phrase I send my heart to you And if you care to keep it love Then wear the violets blue s Before the gilded cheval glass She donned her satin gown Prom shoulders white and slender waist Its richness rippled down In fohs of flame along the floor She trailed its crimson hue I cannot wear his flowers to night Alas that they are blue Behind the little withered stems With silken ribbon tied Too well the velvet blossoms kept Their secret till they died Two colors more the spinster Fate Into her shuttle threw The crimson of a satin gown The violets tender blue Truth THEMIMIGHTWATCfl It was during the time of my connec tion with the Blankborough police force that the incident related in the follow ing lines occurred Although there is nothing startling in the details and the unraveling pfthe mystery with which they deal required no great amount of sagacity oh my part still I am inclined to think that there is sufficient interest about the affair to warrant making it I was engaged with the superintendent one morning on some routine business when a note Was handed in from Mr Bridgnorth a well known solicitor practicing in the town The superin v tendeht read tlie missive and then turned to me lit is a case of pilfering Sampson he said and the thief of course can not Jediscovered There is nothing re quiring your services this morning go and see what you can do in the matter I put on my hat and went as directed Mr Bridgnorths place was well known to me and I was soon the occupant of a seat in the private room at his office I have been a good deal concerned of late said the solicitor turning to the business at once about the abstraction of certain sums of money from my cash box in my desk and as I fear that I am being robbed by someone in the office and cannot put my hand on the actual offender I am compelled to seek the aid of the police Quite se sir said I and it will be both the duty and the pleasure of the force and of myself to give you every possible assistance in the matter How long have the pilferings been going on I asked About a week or ten days was the reply and the robberies always take place at night after the office is closed How do you know that Because I count the cash in my desk every evening before locking up when everybody has left and again the next morning before anyone arrives said Mr Bridgnorth What are the sums you have missed They have varied One night 5 was taken another 7 and a third 3 and so on Altogether I have been robbed of 55 sovereigns and I dont know where it is going to end Have you any suspicion as to whom the thief may Le None whatever unless Mr Bridgnorth hesitated Go on sir I said Give expression to your thoughts they may furnish a clew I was going to say continued the solicitor with some apparent reluc tance unless it be Hartley but I can not believe him guilty of such a thing he added Who is Hartley I asked My confidential clerk replied Mr Bridgnorth He has been with me ever since he was a boy and his charac ter has always been above suspicion Then why should his name occxir to you in connection with these thefts I queried Well it is like this said the solic itor Hartley and 1 are the only per sons who sleep on the premises and as there are no signs of burglarious entry and the thefts always take place in the night I am in spite of myself driven to a certain conclusion The natural one in the circum stances I ventured But tell me you keep several clerks in addition to Hart ley Yes four others At what time do they leave Six oclock When do you lock up About G30 or seven You lock your desk and the office door Yes Does anyone besides yourself pos sess keys of either Hartley does of both And you say he sleeps on the prem ises Yes No one else Myself But you do not live here Mr Bridg north - Quite so My residence is on the outskirts of the town but for several inights I have been sleeping at the office In order to catch the thief I queried Indeed that was not my motive at all said the lawyer quickly And as a matter of fact the robberies have only occurred since my sojourn in the place they never once happened before Very likely But assuming that Hartley is the thief can you suggest a motive for his pilferings I asked None whatever was the reply What kind of a life does he lead Steady Nobody more so Doesnt bet nor gamble Neither to my knowlfegfe SEs is engaged to a very respectable girl and I know as a fact that he shortly con templates hcusekeeping Ah there is a motive for pilfering I said with a shrug of the shoulders How so asked the solicitor Why a house requires furniture and furniture costs money I said VTIwn 3ou think that Hartley is help ing himself to my cash in order to fit up his house said Mr Bridgnorth sadly It looks remarkably like it I re plied But we shall probably see Of course you have not charged him with the thefts No for I cannot persuade myself of his guilt And he has no knowledge of the ob ject of my visit None so far as I am aware Very well let him keep in the dark for the present Meanwhile can you tell me your object in sleeping on these premises the last few nights Well said Mr Bridgnorth slowly it is this For some little time I have found myself out of sorts There is nothing really the matter with me that I know of but I have been spending a lot of restless nights either getting no sleep at all or only sufficient to do me little good Under the impression that a change of apartments is sometimes a remedy for insomnia I decided as I am a bachelor and have only myself to please that for a night or two I would sleep here where there is plenty of room and ample accommodation I see Well went on the solicitor the change answered admirably From the very first night I slept souudly save for some persistent dreaming which night ly haunts me and leaves me somewhat unrefreshed in the morning The old woman who comes in to do for Hartley finds it little extra work to prepare a dormitory for me so I have remained for the present This is the explana tion Thank you sir We will now tiy and run this thief to earth WThat I propose Is very simple Find me a hiding place here to night a screen or a cupboard will do for I am used to cramped quarters and I will see what is to be seen Lock your desk and door as usual but provide me with a key of the latter for use if needful Mr Bridgnorth agreed and shortly after I took my departure As I passed through the outer room I got a look at the clerks and in particular at Hartley which I was enabled to do without ex citing suspicion Judging from appear ances the fellow looked like anything but a thief having a frank open coun tenance and lacking altogether that shiftiness of vision characteristic of al most every rogue Aware however that there is nothing more deceptive than externals I went away little doubting that Hartley was my man Late that evening I presented myself at Mr Bridgnorths door and was re ceived by that gentleman in person The office was closed the clerks had all gone home and Hartley was out pre sumably love making Mr Bridgnorth fqund little difficulty in securing me a retreat behind a cabinet which stood in one corner of the office and here I en sconced myself with as much comfort as the circumstances permitted At 1030 the solicitor retired locking both his desk and the office door before going upstairs and providing me with a duplicate key of the latter as I had desired Hartley would be home he in formed me about 11 oclock and would doubtless go straight to his room The lawyers estimate proved correct for almost on the stroke of the hour a key turned in the lock of the outer door and the confidential clerk entered He had no occasion to come into the office in order to reach his apartment but on his way past he paused a moment and tried the handle of the door and finding it fastened went on his way A minute later 1 heard the closing of his chamber door and my watch began The time passed slowly away Twelve oclock struck then 1 and 2 and I had begun to think that my vigil would be in vain Avhcn in the stillness of the night I heard a door softly open ed above and a cautious footstep slowly descend the stairs It paused at the foot of them close to the door of the room in which I lay hid and I next heard the jingling of a bunch of keys as if the possessor of them were select ing the right one to fit the lock A mo ment later the portal opened and the pilferer entered The place was in darkness and I had to strain my eyes to watch his move ments The lantern I had with me I did not desire to use until the right mo ment for it was my hope to capture the thief in the very act of his larceny I had not very long to wait Wrapped in a long gown and without shoes on his feet the pilferer glided stealthily to the desk and fitting a key into the lock lifted the lid He then open the cash box and took out some of the coins Now Vas my time Slipping from my hiding place I turned on my lantern and confronted the culprit As I did so I gave a stare of surprise for the man I encountered was Mr Bridgnorth him self and I could tell by his closed eyes that he was fast asleep and of course quite unaware of what he was doing Seeing that the light from my lantern bothered him somewhat for le passed his hand several times dreamily across his face I replaced the shade and the somnambulist at one- closed and fast ened the desk and then walked out of the office locking the door behind him Noiselessly I reopened it and followed him He retraced his steps up the stairs and going to a cupboard on the landing stooped down rummaging a second or two among some old rubbish at the bot tom and seeming to deposit his coins there He entered a chamber adjoin ing Peering cautiously into this I saw the sleeper divest himself of his gown and get unconsciously into the bed he had a few minutes before left Well Sampson said Mr Bridg north when he came down the next mornixig what is the result or yonr watching Have you discovered the thief V I think I have sir was the reply And it is is it Hartley inquired the solicitor anxiously No sir it is not Hartley I said Thank God for that ejaculated the lawyer fervently as if the statement of the fact relieved him But then he asked with some surprise who is the culprit Before I tell you that I replied kindly see how much you have been robbed of during the night He went to his desk counted over the coins and said Four pounds That makes in all I queried Fifty nine Come with me Mr Bridgnorth I said I should not be surprised if I can put you in possession of your monejT With a puzzled air the lawyer fol lowed me up the stairs to the cupboard I have mentioned the door of which I opened A pained expression came over the mans face as he watched me How strange he murmured half to himself half to me I have been dreaming every night of this recess In connection with these pilferings and the things inside it all seem familiar to me though I have never once seen them before Stoop down sir and feel in that cor ner I said He did as I bade and drew out sov ereign after sovereign Count them I said when he had got all that he could find Fifty nine he exclaimed going over the pieces one by one The exact amount of my losses Just so I said and now if you will come back to the office I will tell you who is the thief before Hartley comes down We returned to his room and there 1 informed him to his Intense astonish ment of what I had witnessed fit you will pardon the liberty sir I said at the conclusion of the narration 1 should advise you to see a doctor You are evidently suffering from some mental affection which If neglected may develop into a disease the effect of which you cannot foresee The lawyer acted upon my sugges tion and called in a specialist who or dered him a prolonged rest A trying and complicated case in which he haa been recently engaged had apparently proved too much for him and brought on this peculiar form of brain trouble When last I heard of him he had ref turned seemingly quite restored and Hartley his confidential clerk mar ried to a charming wife was about to be taken into partnership with hiin Tit Bits The Kings Dog A curious advertisement appeared m a London paper in the year 1G60 Some body had stolen one of the kings dogs and on the 28th of June a request was made for the animals return stating that he was a smooth black dog less than a greyhound and was to be re turned to John Elles on his majestys back stairs The dog was not forthcoming and a second appeal was issued It is sup posed to have been written by King Charles himself as no one else would have adopted such a familiar style in using the monarchs name The Kings sense of humor and appreciation of the state of affairs at court are well shown in the little advertisement We must call upon you again for a black dog between a greyhound and a spaniel no white about him only a streak on his breast and a tail a little bobbed It is his majestys own log and doubtless was stolen for the dog was not born nor bred in England and would never forsake his master Who ever finds him may acquaint any at Whitehall for the dog was better known at court than those who stole him Will they never leave robbing his majesty Must he not keep a dog This dogs place though better than some imagine is the only place which nobody offers to beg A Street Crowd The easiest thing on the face of tne earth to entertain is a street crowd Everything but curiosity in such a mot ley jam is forgotten Rich and poor ignorant and learned stand elbow to elbow with craned necks and open mouths Just such a crowd as this blocked the way on Tremont street yesterday at frequently recurring in tervals Every time a very solemn looking man appeared in the show win dow there was a scramble to see whose nose would be flattened on the plate glass first All the solemn looking man did was to open a couch and proceed to make it into a bed by turning the plush cover mattress side up and put ting on a pair of pillows When the pillows were squared up the crowd was so great that a policeman had to compel the outer layer of spectators to move on They did so grumbling Then the bed was- unmade and a parlor couch greeted the people who smiled and departed In a few min utes this scene was again enacted The bed making man never once re laxed his countenance or hastened hi laborious movements Boston Advei tiser Burning Meteors It is supposed that meteors begin to burn when they are within about 125 miles of the earth and that combustion is completed and they disappear at from thirty five to fifty miles above the earth When we see a falling star therefore we may consider that we have watched it through a flight of about 100 miles before it finally burns ouf and disappears from view He Dont you think people are very silly in the honeymoon She O this is sudden but I can tell you better after our honeymoon Detroit Free Press EOE LITTLE POLES A COLUMN OF PARTICULAR IN TEREST TO THEM Something that Will Interest the Ju venile Members of Every Household Quaint Actions and Bright Sayings of Many Cute and Cunning Children Babys Logic To day I ask my mamma if I could whittle-Yes I dul Oh no my girl said she youre too little So she did But Tom stepped so hard right on my toe I cried I did She said Oh youre too big a girl to cry out so Thats what she did Why cant I cry if I am little Or if Im big why cant I whittle St Louis Republic Just So A teacher was taking a class in the infant Sunday school room and was having her scholars finish each sen tence to show that they understood her The idol had eyes the leaehe said but it couldnt See cried the children It had ears but It couldnt Hear was the answer It had lips she said but it couldnt Speak once more replied the chil dren It had a nose but it couldut Wipe it shouted the children And then the lesson had to stop a mo ment for the teacher to recover her com posureScottish Leader A Small Boys Devotions There is a small boy in Kenwood who is very fond of tag and I spy He is also a religious youngsterand never goes to sleep without a plea that his dear little soul may be kept throughout the long watches of the night The other even ing however he became a little mixed about bed time He is only 4 years old and of course the hope and pride of his fond mamlna After a day devoted to play when being put to bed he was so tired he could hardly wait until his clothes were off before falling asleep When in his snowy night gown he made a move toward his little cot but was reminded by his mother that he had forgotten to say his prayer He quick ly knelt at her side and laying his small head upon his folded hands began Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep But here his drowsiness became too much for him His curly head went down with a bump against his moth ers knee and she hoping to help him out softly suggested If she said as she smoothed his golden head He made another effort yawned and as his mother prompted him the second time he brightened up and finished If he hollers let him go je mem mine mo - uifXzG Two of our boys who live far up in the northern part of North Dakota have written a letter telling about a thrilling adventure which they had last month They were out with their father about ten miles from home watching a herd of cattle which was grazing on the prairie In the daytime they rode their mustang ponies and helped to keep the herd from separating and at night they slept in a little tent sheltered by the edge of a shallow ravine They greatly enjoyed the first two days of their stay the weather being clear and cool with very little wind but late in the afternoon a dark cloud grew out of the western horizon and little gusts of wind bent the long brown grass of the prairie The boys father said he thought a r -it rjTj - r 5 mtJtimr j r i vjj jf zt 7i r ci hy T jaik ttj viiU1 - J T J4V COVERING UP THE TEXT t34r storm was coming up and so every thing was made safe and snug around the tent before the party went to bed Sometime in the night both the boys woke up quite suddenly Neither of us kuew just what the matter was said the letter but we were certain that something had gone -wrong We heard a curious swishing noise outside and we knew it must be very dark because the top and sides of the tent were black The wind was roaring too and the boys grew so alarmed that they awak ened their father The three went to the doorway and opened the canvas flap As they did so a huge prickly mass of something rolled inside follow ed by a gust of wind Both of the boys jumped back much frightened and their father hurriedly lighted the lantern There on the round just inside- the tent lay sev huge tumble weeds which had rolled in when the flap was opened Father tried to go out continues the letter but he found that the tum ble weeds were heaped clear to the top of the tent covering It all over like a snow drift They were not closely packed but they were so rough and prickly that it was hard to get through them In the morning the two boys and their father succeeded in forcing their way out On reaching the edge of the prai rie they found the whole ravine in which their tent was pitched level full of the tumble weeds and the tent en tirely covered up so that the cowboys who were helping with the herd could not find it The wind was still blowing and the tumble weeds kept rolling across the prairie looking like great herds of buf falo on the run On reaching the ra vine they would drift into it and stay for a time and then with the next hard gust they leaped out and continued their mad chase across the country This was certainly a remarkable ad venture Probably It never happened to any one before For only within the last few years has the terrible tumble weed grown in great quantities on the prairies The plant grows about the shape of a bushel basket and sometimes reaches a height of four feet It dies in Sep tember after all its seeds are ripe and then the stem shrivels down and the first hard wind that comes along breaks it off Once free it goes bounding light ly off over the prairie scattering its seeds for the next years growth It is the way that nature has provided for its wide distribution and the farmers of the Northwest are beginning to be fearful lest it cover all the land For a- single plant will sometimes bear 12 500 seed pods containing more than 1 500000 seeds and thats enough to -plant a good many acres of ground He Forgot the Diamond The earliest authentic mention or the matchless Kohinoor the mountain of light is by an Eastern monarch who refers to a jewel valued at one half of the daily expenses of the whole world A century or two later the Persian conqueror of India seeing the diamond glitter in the turban of the un fortunate Rajah exclaimed with rough and somewhat costly humor Come let us change our turbans in nledse of friendship and the exchange was promptly made The Kohinoor fell into the hands of the English and pending its delivery to the crown Sir John Lawrence after ward Lord Lawrence was made its guardian His biographer Mr Bos worth Smith relates a curious incident of this custody Half unconsciously Sir John thrust it wrapped up in numerous folds of cloth into his waistcoat pocket the whole being contained in an insignifi cant little box He went on working hard as usual and thought no more of his precious treasure He changed his clothes for dinner and threw his waist coat asideStill forgetting all about the box contained in it About six weeks afterward a mes sage came from the viceroy saying that the queen had ordered the jewel to be immediately transmitted to her The subject was mentioned by Sir Henry Lawrence at the board when Sir John said quietly Send for it at once Why youve got it said Sir Henry In a moment the fact of his careless ness flashed across Sir John He was horror stricken but with no external sign of trepidation he said Oh yes of course I forgot about it and went on with the business of the meeting He soon made an opportunity of slipping away to his private room and with his heart in his mouth sent for his old bearer and said Have you a small box which was in my waistcoat pocket some time ago Yes sahib the man repliedI found it and put it in one of your boxes Bring it here said the sahib Open it he ordered when the little box had been produced and see what is in side He watched the man with intense anxiety as fold after fold of the rags was taken off There is nothing here sahib said the old man at last in a disappointed tone but a bit of glass A Missing Dish The story is told that a certain spec ulator exceedingly unlearned took a fancy to the entertainment of literary people when he had made his fortune and set up a house and of course he wished to have and do all the fine things that other rich men had and did After dinner one day one of his liter ary guests chanced to remark I dined at Xs the poets the other night and he gave us a capital epigram at dessert The speculator was humiliated He had no epigrams After his guests were gone he called his cook Didnt I give you carty blancny for this dinner he demanded Yes sir you did sir said the cook And didnt I tell you to have every thing that anybody had Yes sir you did sir Yes Well now it seems that at Xs they have epigrams for dessert and good ones too and folks miss em when they come here Now I want to know if you dont know how to cook epigrams The unfortunate cook was compelled to acknowledge that he could not cook epigrams and was discharged on the spot A Pert Miss Grandfather awaking after a nap I do believe that my right arm is stilL asleep Little Esther -Yes grandpa but your nose has not slept a wink it was mak ing aL awful noise all the time Dags snyheter g5sMs e4s55m3S35SJSSnt wr i3 The English language must be tough At least thats what Ive reckoned For it is still alive to day Though murdered every second New York Truth Modern slang He I am doing to kiss you She Well I like that Town Topics He Well your sister is married Now its your turn She Oh George ask papa New York Journal Tourist Are we near the falls Guide Yes sir As soon as the ladles stop talking you can hear the roar Town Topics I dont see your mistletoe said he -glancing up at the chandelier Is It really necessary replied she archly It wasnt Judge Is your picture in the academy a suc cess Thats what I am wondering Some one said it was worth the price of admission Punch He Jones is all right I suppose but he and I do not like each other a bit She Well that is much to the credit of both of you Cincinnati Enquirer Amateur Humorist Thats a pretty good joke of mine dont you think so Experienced Editor Well it is just as funny now as it ever was Somerville Journal JinksWhat tender care your wif takes of you Always worrying about your health Blinks Yes I have my life insured in favor of my sister New York Weekly Brown I wonder who originated the idea that it is unlucky to begin anything on Friday Robinson Probably it was some lazy Individual who preferred to wait until Saturday Puck You dont mean to say you became engaged to him after but five hours ac quaintance Certainly How much time would you have me devote to one engagement Brooklyn Life Bobby Is oxygen what the oxen breathe all day Papa Of course and what everything else breathes Bobby And is nitrogen what every one breathes at night New York World This world is but a fleeting show And few are they alas Who can rake up a pull thats strong Enough for a free pass Indianapolis Journal Those Eskimos up in Alaska have good sound common sense How so Why when they fall In love with a girl they announce It by sending her a sealskin sacque Chicago Record She I presume the country editors pathway is not strewn with flowers He pleasantly No not exactly but we stumble on a bushel of potatoes oc casionally or a cord of wood Detroit Tribune Sister There you have candy all over your new suit What will mamma say Little BrotherWell mamma wont let me have any fun in these clothes till I got em spoiled BostocVT Traveler Ragged Reuben Its dis yere import ed pauper labor dats ruinin all our prospects Tattered Timmy Sure nuff Dese European noblemen are comin over here and snatchin the pick of our Merican girls Bazar First Horse Well they took poor old Dobbin to the slaughter house to day Second Horse Thats too bad First Horse It is bad but worse remains They mean to make his hide into bicycle-saddles Indianapolis Journal Any snakes in this neighborhood asked the Northern visitor Its cord in to what you want replied the moonlight manipulator a pint might fetch em but we give a guarantee with every quart Atlanta Constitu tion What I want said the lawyer i3 to prove that my client is mentally de ificient Certainly replied the ex pert There wont be the least trouble in showing that so long as he has em ployed you as his lawyer Washing- ton Star Toughmug Chimmie wot has be- came of Dippy Pete lately Chimmie de Sport Well you see he got to doln everybody he could and now Tough mUgWell Chimmie de Sport Hes doin time Cincinnati Commercial Tribune Timmlns This talk about the type writer being a drawback to genius Is all rot I do all of my poems with a type writer Simmons You do I had aji idea that you made them with a set of rubber stamps Indianapolis Jour nal I shall have to learn how to play the flute said Maud as she watched the flutist in the hotel orchestra see how gracefully he hold Is it If I could hold an ear of corn as gracefully as he holds rthat flute I should not be afraid to eat it off the cob Bazar Prof lecturing Oxygen gentlemen Is essential to all animal existence -there could be no life without It strange to say it was not discovered until a century ago when Student What did they do before it was dis covered prof essor Household Words May I write you a poem on the beautiful snow asked the poet tim idly Yes thundered the editor go out squat down in the snow and write In the meantime Ill sit here and pray that as fast as you write the sun will thaw it out Philadelphia North American I suppose said the visitor that the Congressmen will observe the usu al rules in their assemblages from time to time Yes replied Col StillwelL Thuhs no use o changin around f um one to anothuh You cant get anything mo reliable than Hoyle Weehington Star in 4
