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THE JOURNAL.
WEDNESDAY, MAECH 31, 1886.
Safes! st ths PatsCes, Coltaraj. Iso., u iteoafi
cUm Bitter.
A SOftE CATASTROPHE.
With nnraUgb-floin . '
The ? did be pop;
IDs ! I ! ! t myriad
She tboogtit would never stop.
He reasoned like the scholars;
Her face was pretty, ft
Bbe bad a million t S $.
And so be wished her
Blows quick as cats from 1 1
Were ed into his face :
He's : out, be staggers.
And tries himself to .
It certainly was , cal;
Her father showed him Mars;
The end was astronomical.
And he
countless '
!-
Cot up, as with a -In
fragment did he blondj
His shape was like a siphon:
And this is now
THEK3D.
TUrBttM.
A TOTAL ECLIPSE.
Its Weird Effects Heightened by a
Smart Cleric
' A total eclipse of the sun is one of the
most interesting natural occurrences
that human eyes have ever beheld.
Savage and barborous peoples have al
ways looked on such eclipses with the
greatest alarm. Even among our own
people, many persons seem unable to
look upon an eclipse without feelings of
fear. As tho area of country over which
an eclipse of tho sun can be total is
very small, never being wider than
about one hundred and seventy-five
miles, and as tho phenomenon may not
be visiblo in the same tract of country
twice in a century, it follows that many
human beings may live to a good old
age, yet never see a total eclipse of the
sun.
On August 7, 1869, a total eclipse of
the sun occurred visible in parts of
Iowa, Illinois, Kentuckj- and North
Carolina. Tho writer lived at tho timo
just on the southern lino of totality. To
the people in the country town where
we resided tho eclipse was total, tho line
running from northwest to southeast,
at a distance of possibly half a mile
from town. We had occasion to go out
of 'town for an hour during the after
noon, and the moment of totality oc
curred while we wero on our way home,
and a mile distant, in a southwest direc
tion. At this point, which was just outside
tho line, a mere dot, or speck, of the
aim remained visible. Consequently wo
did not sec the eclipse as "total," but
we were so near the lino that all the
characteristic glories of the pheno
menon tho "corona," tho "red
flames," etc were distinctly seen.
Wo had one most interesting sight,
which those inside the line of totality
could not sec. Running up through tho
atmosphero to the very heavens, we
could sec the line of shade, tho "edgo"
of the moon's shadow, the line between
a total and a partial hiding of tho sun
from the earth's surface beneath. To
tho northeast all was ah-colorcd and
dark, such a shado as we havo seen at
no other time. It appeared as a great
wall of darkness, a solid tiling, reach
ing from the earth to tho skies. But to
the southwest the scene was very differ
ent. Hero there was a glimmer of light,
and the rays of light could be seen,
somewhat as when the sun breaks
through rifted clouds. Tho light shone
brighter and brighter as we looked off
to the horizon. The contrast with the
wall" the solid darkness in tho
other direction was very striking.
When the moon had passed over tho
disk of the sun, and the light burst
forth from tho othrside, thoro was
another vision that, once seen, can never
be forgotten. Just as we see the shadow
of a summer cloud fly over tho hills and
fields, so the wondrous shadow that had
been seen hanging over tho earth was
seen to fly away toward the southeast,
chased by the ever increasing brightness.
It did not rise from the earth, but sim
ply rolled away with a wonderful
velocity.
xui in ino village occurrea a special
event, that, more than even tho glorv
of tho eclipse itself, will make that
occasion over memorable to many ob
servers. Tho eclipse had been long
discussed in the town. As the sun's
light diminished, smoked glass was in
demand, and everybody was on the
watch, to see whatcould be seen. Of
course, all had been told of the strictly
natural" character of tho phenome
non, but among the observers, few, if
any, of whom had ever before seen
a total eclipse of the sun, there wero
some superstitious persons, and somo
weak-minded ones, who were expecting
to see something marvelous, and they
were not disappointed. The main street
of the village ran north and south. The
sidewalk on the east side of the street
was a particularly favorable place from
which to view tho sun, which was now
descending to the westward. The east
sido sidewalk was crowded with people,
and as the sun's light grew less and
less, they wore in a fever of excitement.
Somo thought that the end of the world
had come.
An Irishman, with his family, had
come into town in his farm wagon, dur
ing the day, and having finished his
business, and having no fear of the
eclipse, had started homeward. He
lived in the northeast part of the town,
and had gone possibly a quarter of a
mile, when, the moment of totality hav
ing arrived, he stopped his team, and
all, turning in their scats, gazed at the
wonderful sight. Chickens' were going
to roost, cattlo, and oven hogs, showed
their "appreciation" of the occasion.
The dogs sought safety with their mas
tors, and crowded up againrt thtm.
When the weird, wonderful shadow had
fully enveloped the earth, a chill, as of
midnight, fell upon every thing.
On the west side of tho street, and
near Jhe middle of the block, was a
moderate-sized two-story building. The
main floor was occupied'asadrug store.
The proprietor was absent, and the
establishment at this moment was in
charge of a young man, whom we will
call Jack Brown, a mischievous chap,
who never missed an opportunity for
having eome fun and who now resolved
to utilize the eclipse. Some teams were
fastened to tho posts on the west side of
the street. On the east side, with his
head from the sun, was a horse, a great,
big, awkward beast, fit only for the
plow, bat which some countrv boy had
saddled and ridden to town. The street
commissioner had not very well attend
ed to his duty, and the street at this
point was in very bad repair. In fact,
there was a big mud-hole just back of
whero the bis horse spoken of was
standing.
While -others were attentive studying
the eclipse. Jack was preparing for his
part of the programme. Having a
number of rockets left over from his
Fomth-of-July stock, he selected the
largest an immense one of several
pounds' weight ana prepared to senoit i
w ... ... f
.!'
oar from too rear oi me store, xne
darkness was now complete. Scarce a
sound broke the stillness of the moment
One could almost hear his pulses beat
The crowd stood gazing into the skv in
gpeeebkes wonder. Suddenly, with a
law and a scream that was all the more
aorrfbfe from the silence that had fallen
em 'the Tillage, that immense rocket
toward tee. ion, ajra
people, seemed like the noise of a score'
of thunders.
The ' effect was .indiscribable. The
addle-horse spoken of, hearing .the hiss
and seeing the reflection of the flash of
light, broke bis. halter, and stood upon
his hind feet; but not being in the habit
of standing in that manner, he lost his
balance, and went over on his back,
sprawling in the mud-hole, from which
he emerged later a sorry-looTdng beast
Some of the teams broke their fasten
ings, and if it had not been for the dark
ness, would doubtless havo run away.
But tho peoplel Women and children
screamed; men well, somo of the grave
ones, who knew there was nothing
alarming in an eclipse of the sun, cried
out; and some persons, who wero not
known to bo church-goers undertook to
pray, though I can't say that they
succeed very well. Others looked ort
in mute horror, wondering what would
happen next. To tho Irishman and
his family in their wagon outside tho
town, tho sight was wonderful in
deed. They saw tho rise of the rocket,
and the direction of its flight was such
that when it burst, it was, to their view,
directly under the disk of the sun; and
in the flash, it seemed for a moment as
if tho sun himself had burst, and his
fragments were flying through space in
tho most promiscuous manner.
Tho moment of totality passed; tho
sun began to shine again, the shadow
flow away, and Jack's agencv in the
"wonderful sccno" was detected. The
reaction was as indescribable as the first
effeot of tho trick. People langhed till
they cried, and if Jack failed to get a
good booting, it was not because he had
failed to earn it, but becauso tho crowd
rather enjoyed tho excitement that had
been caused by tho rocket That crowd
will never forget the total eclipse of tho
sun of August 7, 1869. Youth's Com
panion. THE NEW ELDORADO.
Kici Mineral Discoveries In the BcpobUe
of Honduras.
The report of the discoveries of gold
in Honduras may be news to the younger
generation, but to older people it will
be a twice-told talc. The country has
long been known as one of the richest
mineral districts in that narrow and ir-
regular strip of land which connects tho
Northern and Southern Americas. The
keen eye of tho Spaniards whofollowed
Cortcz when ho invaded Honduras in
1526 noted the rich placers, and some
of them remained to gather up the pro
duct of the auriferous sands. But the
aboriginal inhabitants wero of too indo
lent a nature to labor in the mines after
tho first spurt- of foreign energy had
been exhausted, and they soon gave up
tho search for the precious metals. The
neglected mines filled up with water and
debris, many of them were forgotten,
while others formed the basis for the
stories of fabulous wealth with which
the natives have tickled the ears of ven
turesome foreigners.
So it is probable that the stories of
rich gold bearings have a good basis of
fact The region in whieh they arc said
to be situated is in tho Eastern portion
of Honduras, and near the sources of
tho Gnayapc river. This would placq
them in the Sulaco group of mountains,
whence tributaries of the largest rivers
in the country flow. The Guayapc, in
all its windings and detours, threads a
course of nearly two hundred and fifty
miles, and tho abundance of its gold
washings has long been known. It
unites with the Patook river, or the Rio
Paiuca, as it is called in Spanish, which
empties into the Caribbean Sea near the
joint of the remarkable elbow of land
which Honduras with Nicaragua makes
towards the East The Patuca is navi
gable for small steamers, but not far
enough to savo long land carriages to
the mines. A more feasiblo way of
reaching the district probably is from
Port Cortex, on tho Bay of Honduras,
where a line of railway is under con
struction through Comayagua, the capi
tal of tho country, to Ainapalo, on the
Pacific coast
Liko all Eldorados, Honduras has its
drawbacks. Tho inhabitants number
ahout four hundred thousand of whom
only fivo thousand are whites, the rest
being composed nearly equally of In
dians and Meztizos. Civilization has
made littlo progress and the facilities
for transportation are of the crudest
sort There arc many rich agricultural
districts which, with a little effort, would
produce coflco, cochineal and sugar
cane, but tho soil is generally left to
bear its indigenous fruits. Mahogany
and rosewood, gums and medicinal
trees, the India rubber and dye woods
all grow hero, and yet out of all this
abundance tho exports do not exceed
$1,500,000 a year, including gold and
i silver. Tho general condition of tho
people can ho summed up briefly thus:
Thero are no manufactories. Most of
the rich valleys and dense forests are
inhabited only by jaguars, black tigers
and wild hogs, whilo the tarantula, the
scorpion and the myriads of destructive
locusts aid in keeping the population
small and enervated. Tho climate, how
ever, is mild and equable in the inter
ior, aid malaria is unknown,
General Brogan is the present Presi
dent of the Hondurcinean Republic, and
he is credited with much skill as a poli
tician and a financier. When the late
General Barrios, of Gautcmala, at
tempted to unite the small Central
American republics into ono strong
government he was opposed naturally
by General Brogan, and it was largely
due to the latter that tho scheme of tho
former was defeated. President Brogan
has directed much of his attention to
extricating the country from the finan
cial disorder into which it has fallen
through tho inisgovernment of past
presidents, and he is reported to havo
been remarkably successful. The Gov
ernment is economically administered,
the revenues collected with reasonable
regularity, and tho home debt has been
reduced. But the large foreign debt
amounting to nearly $30,000,000, still
burdens the country and threatens to
cause serious diplomatic complications
some day. President Brogan is well
disposed "towards Americans who de
sire to develop the resources of Hondu
ras, but the fact that he has a well
equipped army of six thousand men,
several batteries of Krupp guns and a
good supply of ammunition will proba-,
bly discourage any filibustering at
tempts to profit by tfto new gold dir
covenes. rhuadclphia Fress.
Tho French have looked with alarm
upon the steady export of Pcrcheron
horses to the United States; but the
most prominent breeders there now say
that the progeny of these horses raised.
in the United States are an improve
ment upon their sires, and that it is
profitable to reimport It is known
that Napoleon III. used to import
Pcrcheron horses from Vermont for the
post chaises which he used so much.
A servant girl at Buffalo has been
arrested for' attempting to burn her
master's house because she was not al
lowed to go to a party with the family.
She put the children to bed and soon
after a man servant discovered that the
lamn in the hpri.rrtntn Viir? hmi nvm.
turned and the house set on fir. He
ET - WW.- .vwu. ... VV w .
extinguished the flames, but not long
after discovered a similar attempt in the
pantry. Buffalo Express.
New Jersey stands at the head in
the free pass business. The' law makes
it obligatory upon the railroads to isane
passes to the members and officers of
the legislature, evendown to the pages.
Railway managers naturally comniaia
BULGARIA.
A Foreigner's Impressions Its Capital
aad People.
At the Hotel Concordia, in Sofia, in
lieu of plates, the meat id served on
ronnd, flat blocks of wood, about tho
circumference of a saucer,- and two re
spectable citizens seated opposite me
are supping off black bread and sliced
cucumber, both fishing slices of the
cucumber out of a wooden bowl with
their fingers. Life at the Bulgarian
capital evidently bears in a legitimate
relative comparison to the life of the
country it represents. One of Prince
Alexander's body guard, pointed out
to me in the bazar, looks quite the
semi-barbarian that ho is, arrayed in a
highly ornamented national costume,
with immense Oriental pistols in waist
band, gold braided turban cocked on
one side of his head and a fierce mous
tache. The soldiers here poor fel
lows even the comparatively rich
ones, standing guard at the entrance to
tho Prince's palace, look as though
they haven't had a new uniform for
years and had long since despaired of
ever getting one. A war, .and an
allianco with some wealthy nation
which would rig them out in respect
able uniforms, wonld probably not be
an unwelcome event to many of them.
Whilo wandering about the bazar, after
supper, I observed that the streets, the
palace grounds and in fact every place
that is- Tit up at all, savo tho minarets
of the mosque, which are always illu
minated with vegetable oil, are lighted
with American petroleum, gas and
coal being unknown in the
Bulgarian capital. There is an evi
dent want of system in everything the
j people do. From my own observations
I am inclined to think they pay no heed
whatever to generally accepted divi
sions of time, out govern their actions
entirely by light and darkness. There
is no eight hour nor ten honr system of
labor here; and I verily believe the in
dustrial classes work the whole time,
save when they pause to munch black
bread, and to take three or four hours'
sleep in the mfddlc of the night; for as
I trundle my way through the streets
at live o'clock next morning the same
people I observed at various occupa
tions in the bazars are there now, as
busily engaged as though they had
been keeping it up all night; as also
are workmen building a aouse; they
were pegging away at nine o'clock
f'estcrday evening, by the flickering
ight of small petroleum lamps, and at
fivo this morning they scarcely look
like men who arc just commencing for
the day. The Oriental, with his prim
itive methods and tenacious adherence
to the ways of his forefathers, probably
enough, has to work these extra long
hours in order to make any sort of
progress. However this may be, I have
throughout the Orient been struck by
the industriousness of the real working
classes, but in practicability and in
ventiveness the Oriental is sadly de
ficient On the way out I pause at the bazar
to drink hot milk and cat a roll of
white bread, the former being quite ac
ceptable; for the morning is rather
raw and chilly; the wind is still blow
ing a gale; and a company of cavalry
out for exercise, are encased in their
heavy gray overcoats, as though it
were midwinter instead of the twenty
third of June. Rudely clad peasants
are encountered on the road carrying
large cans of milk into Sofia from
neighboring ranches. I stop several of
them with a view of sampling the qual
ity of their milk, but invariably find if
unstrained, and the vessels looking as
though they had been strangers to
scalding for some time. Others are
carrying gunny sacks of smearkase on
their shoulders, the whey from which
is not unfrequently streaming down
their backs. Cleanliness is no doubt
next to godliness; but the Bulgarians
seem to" be several degrees removed
from either. They need tho civilizing
influence of soap quite as much as any
thing else, and if the missionaries can
not educate them up to Christianity or
civilization it might not be a bad
scheme to try the experiment of start
ing a native soap factory or two in the
country. Outing.
m i
LAPLAND CUSTOMS.
How New Tear's Eve Is Observed la the
Extreme North of Sweden.
About six p. m. a largo dish or
bucket is filled with cold water and
placed by the fire. Then the master of
the house takes a piece of lead or tin,
which is cut into pieces and placed in
a little iron pot to melt. Somo of the
men are then chosen to watch tho
metal, and when it is melted the mas
ter of the ceremony pours it suddenly
into .the water while he mentions tho
master's name. Tho metal is then
carefully takep out of the water and
placed on a table or bench. The forms
and marks of the metal are then sup
posed to foretell the fortune or misfor
tune that awaits the master in the new
year. Dark spots mean sorrow and
bright spots joy, Then the mistress'
fate is foretold, and so on through the
whole household, and, as is to be ex
pected, the last melts are the darkest;
and so tho last one has, to say the
least of it, a poor chance of much
food luck coming out of the pot
ometimes the last melting is for the
house as a whole, and the metal is, of
ten kept by the mistress until next
New Year's Eve, when it is mixed with
the new metal in the first melting.
This being over, supper, something the
same as that on Christmas Eve, is laid;
and that being over the old folks
retire, but the young ones have
plenty to do. .bvery girl now
wants to see what sort of a
lover she is to have, and in
order to do so sets off to a neighbor's
waod store, (or, if that is too far, it
will do to go to the wood stack near
the house, only it is not so good) and
when she gets there she must stand
with her back to the wood and take a
piece over her left shoulder, which she
must not look at till she gets into the
house. If the piece of wood is a
seemly log, why then her lover will bo
a handsome fellow, and vice versa.
Sometimes the lads try to read their
future in like manner. During these
solemn mysteries there must oc no
talking or laughing; nay, notHsven a
smile. There is another wav. but it-
does not appear to be much practiced,
as it is regarded as wicked. It is as
follows: In a vacant room, such as
the bath house, a table is placed in the
middle of the floor, and on it are
placed two glasses, one containing wa
ter and the other corn brandy. The
girl who wishes to know her fate takes
a broom and sweeps the room carefully
three times against the sun, and before
she has finished her third round her
lover's apparition will appear, and ac
cording to the glass he drinks out of,
so will he be a sober or drunken man.
Before going to bed some folks pull off
their shoes and throw them over the
left shoulder toward the door. If the
shoes point to the door then the
thrower will either die or remove du
ring the new year, and vice versa.
Notes and Queries.
m a
Mrs. Homespun is delighted with
her son's proficiency upon the piano
forte. "Why," she says, "Johnny can
play almost anything and he doesn't
have to take both hands to it, as some
of your great players are obliged to
do. Boston Transcript. ,
---
A cat named Buster, which has
traveled around the world in a United
States man-of-war, is now doakiMl at
PkiUipsbarg, V. T.
NATIONAL CORN-FIELD.- -Osselal
Chiropodist Who Has Chare
or Congressional Corns.
The gas is always burning dimly in
the bath-rooms of the House, and Rob
ert's eyes arc almost gone. Robert is
the colored man who has for a Ions
fame been in charge of tho baths. Wil-
"T " ."". "" juunger
man ncoert, ana tnc aimncss of the
light doesn't affect tho keenness of his
bright littlo black eyes, and he is well
suited for the duties he has to perform.
He trims the Congressmen's corns.
William is a rather bright mulatto, and
very spry. Robert is darker in color,
has chin whiskers, and looks rather
sedate with eye-glasses on. But tho
glasses don't help him much; he has to
take them off to rest his eyes, and be
can't seo much with them.
The House bath-rooms are in tho
basement of tho Capitol, in the south
east corner, under the elevator, where
the light of day never reaches. Tho
gas, hlco Robert's eyes, is very dim, and
can not reach very far.
"Is you the gentleman that wanted
his corns trimmed?" asked William, -as
the reporter passed down the dim,
vanltea corridor.
"Want a nice bathP" said Robert,
throwing a couple of towels over his
arm, and taking off his glasses, so as to
get a better look at tho reporter.
"Why, do you have a chiropodist
hero?" "asked the scribe, in surprise.
"That's me," said William. "That'
what I am."
"That's him," echoed Robert Then
he added: "He's a mighty clover hand
at it Tve seen him take a corn as big
as my thumb nail out ov a member's
foot and never draw tho red. Somo oy
the members have mighty big" corns.
He's mighty clover 'bout it if you've
got any corns you'd better let him got
ol' ov 'cm."
While his praises were being thus
sung William 'stood modestly by, whet
ting an odd-shaped knife on the palm
of his hand.
"I used to bo a littlo clever in that
lino myself," continued Robert 'Ta
cut the corns of lots of the members.
but my eyes got too bad now on ao
count of that gas, an' I can't seo to dr
it That gas is mighty bad on tho eyea.
and it takes bright ones like his to sen
to cut corns and not draw b'ood."
"Do many of the Congressmen havo
corns?" asked the reporter, conscious
that he had made a discovery. "This is
a new field of study."
"Yon mean tho corn-field? Yes, sir;
that is a big field of labor," replied
William, seriously, unconscious of his
very bad pun. "Most all of them has
corns. Some of 'em has pretty bad
ones. There's Mr.
then he
stopped himself suddenly and added, "1
disremember his name, out he's got aw
ful bad feet. I's got most of thoso who
has been in Congress a long time in
pretty good trim, borne of them, when
they first come in, aro mighty hard to
handle. The'ir feet's in bad condition.
With the ingrowing nails, and bunioni
they has a pretty hard time. It ain't
thoso city gentlemen with tight shoet
tJiat has the bad feet It's them thai
hasn't had no ono to 'tend to 'em. Why,
there's , but as I was saying, 1
mostly disremember their names! How
somevcr there ain't many that don'l
have corns, and most of em are bad.
That gentleman whose name I just
didn't know had the most curious corn
I ever saw. He couldn't scarcely walk
about It was a great big fellow jusl
under his great too nail, but
out"
I got him
"Are you paid by Congress especially
to take" care of the members feet?"
asked the scribe.
"Not cxactlj' for that Robert is in
charge of tho bath and I'm his assistant:
the rest Is thrown in by mo as a sort oi
extra, and if tho members want to give
me something for it they can. They
mostty do, thongh I never chargo any
thing. They're mighty glad to get riii
of a big corn, and they ain't slow about
giving me something." Washington
Star.
TELEPHONE FREAKS.
The Peculiar Disturbance Caused by Elee
trlcal Currents.
Superintendent Eckett, of tho Metro
politan Telephono Company, tells a
story of the effects of that peculiar dis
turbance which electrical currents exert
upon one another. This subject is of
interest now on account of tho approach
ing enforcement of the law packing
away all sorts of wires in one subterra
nean conduit The telephono pcoplo
say that this disturbance is so great that
no amount of insulation will cnablo
them to work their wires if they ire 'put
in the samo conduit with tho conduc
tors of the electric light companies.
"Before I camo to Now York," says
Mr. Eckert, "I was in charge of the
telephono system in Cincinnati. We
wore extending our lines out of the
city and had reached Hamilton, a dis
tance of about twenty miles. It was
Saturday and the construction gang
must be paid off. I had no timo to get
out myself, so I sent out a young clerk
in whom I had' great confidence with
the money, amounting to over four
thousand dollars. After he had gone I
realized the risk 1 had taken and began
to worry about it But it was too late,
and tho best I could do was to telegraph
instructions to Hamilton that the
clerk should send me an account of
the situation immediately on his
arrival. There was dissatisfaction
among the men there and tho possibil
ity of a strike, and the more I thought
about the matter tho more anxious I
became. When I went out to my homo,
about fivo miles out of the city, I left
instructions at the Western Union office
that they should immediately telephone
out any "dispatch that camo to me from
Hamilton.
"Still I grew more and more uneasy.
I worried so much over the matter that
I couldn't cat my dinner, and left it to
go to the telephone to ring up the West
ern Union and ask if any message had
come in as yet As I took the sounder
off the hook and stood a moment with
it at my car, thinking what I should
say, I heard 'W. II. Eckert Cincinnati,'
tic'ket off in Morse chShictcrs. You
may imagine that I becamo somewhat
interested. I listened and caught tho
whole message: 'Arrived safely. Paid
off men. Settled all bills. Have vouch
ers in my possession. Will return on
10:30 tram, and then camo the signa
ture of my clerk. I was at once de
lighted and astonished, because the
telegraph wires came in at one side of
the city and tho telephone wires at the
other, and tbcro seemed to be no possi
ble connection. I-at onco rang up the
telegraph office and told them of the
message they were about to receive.
They laughed at me, but in a few min
utes it came in just as I had dictated it
to them. Tho thing never happened
again and wo were never able to solve
tpc mystery or to find a place where tho
wires came within many yards of each
other." JT. F. Tribune.
The riattsbnrgh (Mass.) Republi
can says: There is a long-geared
young man on Isle La Motto who has
rigged np a pair of canvass wings, by
toe skillful use otjrnicn, in combination
with skates, he issaid to be able to out
strip and sail arour.d the fastest ice
boats.
Railway men complain of the
weight of tho passenger cars now built,
and show by figures that' an engine
hauls between five and six pounds dead
.weight for every pound of paying pas
senger weight, reckoned when all the
eatB are filled. Chkajf Tribune
TICKET BROKERS.
Sssnethla Ahowt the Way ta
"Dealers" Coadact This Baalnea.
Upon the door of a room in tho Mo
Knight building, Louisville, Ky., there
is the following inscription: The
t i3 tho headqnartera of org-anl.
aation with a membership of ono hun
' jj h
.fifty, operating m ninety-
three of the principal cities and railroad
centers of the United States. This asso
ciation has controlled the enormou3 sale
of 824,000,000 worth of railway tickets
in one year, and the gross sales of ono
broker alone footed up $1,200,000. The
actual working capital of the associa
tion is about $750,000. Its afiairs are
conducted by an executivo committed
of five, located in New York, Buffalo,
Chicago, Davenport and Kansas City.
All routine business, however, is con
ducted by the secretaryx and general
manager, who was yesterday found in
sido the room mentioned, up to his ears
in' a mass of correspondence which he
was disposing of as rapidly as possible,
with the aid of a stenographer and a
type-writer.
The brokers claim to occupy the posi
tion of middlemen who sell goods on
commission. They buy tickets from tho
companies as wanted by customers and
tho supply is unlimited. Thcv keep a
record of sales and report the samo
monthly to tho general officers of tho
companies, who in turn pay a regular
commission for such services. By di
viding this commission with their cus
tomers they aro thus enabled to sell
below tho established rates.
"It is claimed." saM a reporter, "that
your business is an oercsccnca. of tho
regular passenger biixluefes, caused "by
rate wars and a la ok of harmony among
tho different railroads, and has no legit--
imaio connection wiin me Dusmess
proper bo long as unanimity and peace
prevail. Is this true?"
"It is the reverse of true. Thcro
was a time when the railways would put
out largo blocks of tickets during rate
wars, which wero bought up by specu
lators to bo resold when rates were re
stored, but this is rarely done now. Tho
broker is tho product of a commercial
neccssit, and the system of broker
ago, rightly understood and managed,
should and docs havo a tendency to pre
vent rate wars. Railway passenger
transportation is a merchantable com
modity and is worth in an open market
just what it will bring. When two or
more competing lines between common
points offer to soil transportation be
tween these points thero are bound to
be inequalities which can not bo recon
ciled. To fix an equal and arbitrary
price for such transportation and oxpect
an equal equitable division of traffic is
to attempt an impossibility."
"What proportion of tho passenger
business of the country do tho ticket
brokers handle?"
"It is impossible to give tho figures.
Tho association last year handled up
ward of $'0,000,000 worth of business,
but this covered the entire country, and,
I believe, no estimate has been made of
tho amount handled by the railways."
" hat reason can a trunk-line havo
for paying you a commifsion as long as
the business is pooled, andf each will re
ceive its allotted proportion anyhow?"
asked the reporter.
"None whatever, if the pool is -righteously
lived up to. But as I have al
ready stated, tho lines earning an ex
cess of their allottment have novcr paid
any of it over to tho weaker lines, and
probably novcr will if they can cover it
up from the commission. Then, if tho
weaker lines do not earn their percen
tages, as, will inevitably happen, there
will be another adjustment to which
they will not submit. If tho weaker
lines find thev are not earning their
percentage they will inevitably secretly
ignore tho po'ol and work with tho
brokers." LorAsuillc Couricr-JournaL
TRICKS IN TRADE.
The ratteneo-Tryliijr Dickering- of tho
Alaska Indlaiiit.
Indian No. 1 puts in an appcaranco
with a miserable lot of furs, and a moro
miserable story of poverty tho badness of
the river for trapping, tho scarcity of
animals and the inferiority of the pelts,
his large family in need of support, his
iionesty with tho company in the past,
and a score of other pleas, the upshot
of which was a request that ho might bo
supplied with clothing and ammunition
for another year in return for the pelta
at his feet. Tho trader replies, setting
a definite price in trading material for
the amount of skins before him, and tho
"dickering" begins. After half an hour
or an hour's talk of tho most tiresome
description, the discussion ends in tho
Indian accepting tho exact amount the
trader originally offered, or about one
tenth of his own demands. Indian No.
2, who has heard every word of tho con
versation, then comes forward with tho
same quality of fnrs and exactly the
same story, tho trade lasting exactly the
same time, and with exactly the same
result; and so on with all the others in
turn. Even No. 12 of the dozen pres-nt
does not vary the stereotyped proceed
ings, any moro than an actor s inter
pretation of a nartrarics on the twelfth
night of a piece. Then InVlian No. 1
comes forward again with a package of
furs of a better quality than the first ho
displayed, and solemnly affirms that
these arc the only ones he has left, and
that if thi trader will not give hiui
enough clothing for himself and family,
and enough ammunition to last through
the winter, in return for them, they
must all go naked, and jrhaps starve
for the want of the means of procuring
food. This story, with its continuation,
lasts about half as long as the lirsU but
ends in the same wa as the Indian's
eloquence has about as much effect on
the trader as it would on the proverbial
row of stumps. The farce is repeated
by all the Indians in turn, and is yet
again repeated at lorfst once; lwforc tho
entire transaction is over, during nil of
which time the white trader dies com
posedly on his stool, and gives a "-patient
and unvarying answer to each in
his turn, under provocation that would
have put Job in a frenzy before the first
circle was completed. From Lieutenant
Schwalka,s "Along Alaska's (treat
Ahead of All Competition.
A Cleveland speculator sent his son
to Wisconsin to buy hops, telling him
to keep his eyes open for any other
speculation. After a few days a dis
patch came saying:
"A widow has got a corner on tho
hop market of this State. Shall I
marry her?"
"Certainly," was the reply sent over
the wires.
Twelve hours later the son an
nounced: "Got tho hops, tho widow and seven
step-children, and shall go to Chicago
to-morrow to see about a divorce-"
Wall Street News.
Two men called up the telegraph
operator at East Weymouth, Mass., and
got him to go to the depot at midnight in
order to send a telegram As he en
tered the station the men drew revol
vers and demanded the money in the
safe; knowing it temporarily contained
a large amount. Quiek as a flash th'o
operator whipped out a pistol 'and "got
the drop" upon the would-be robbers,
who flea in terror. N. Y. Sum.
Bronse figures always look larger
than thcv really are; the raverse is tho
case with marble, lerra-cotta and ala
fcaater. Chicago Times.
WIT AND WISDOM.
Smiles are not only the most be
coming of all adornments, but also tha
least expensive
All you can carry into the life here
after will be what you havo given, not
what you havo saved. Jthode bland
Press.
6ive an example of syllogism.
Local freshman Alpmcri,aro more or
less alike. I am a man, therefore, I am
more or less alike. C$Lc4go,MaiL
"In inyjphrion,' says a eithscn, if
f?ie Gcernmentrouldjitop jrunnlng up
them (hcredornwlcold-wrtvo flags, WP'5
soon have som respectable winters. "
N. T. Mail.
A bright littlo girl of our acquaint
ance asked us tho following conundrum:
"How many letters are thero in a post
man's bag?" We gavo it up, ana sho
said there were.threo b-a-g. N. K
Telegrd .
The most censorious aro generally
the least jndictous; who, having noth
ing to recommend thcmsolves, will be
finding fault with others. No man
envies tho merit of another who has
enough of his own. Rule of Life.
An Englishman in Madras has by a
lucky accident mado a photograph of a
tiger in the act of seizing its prey. It
was only a partial success, however, as
he didn't have timo to tell tho beast to
"look pleasant" BostonPost.
Fate of tho speller:
If an 8 and an i ami an o and a a, with an x at
tbo end opoll "Su,"
And an e and a y and an e 6pell V pray what
is a sDeller to do?
.Then if alio an s and an 1 find a g and an a e d
speii "ciuo,
Tbore's nothing- much left for i speller to do
but to go and commit Slooxoyesighed.
Chicago News.
Even editors aro sometimes on
reasonable. Tho oditor of a Georgia
paper said in a recent iwio of his paper:
"II the man who sold us hve dozen
rotten eggs doesn't corao in and make
them good we will teach him what tho
penalty is for cheating and swindling."
Just as if any one could make that kind
of eggs good. N. Y. Tribune.
Young Van Tromplandt dc Lafay
ette Smith Jones, a particularly jiivonilo
dude, is a music-maniac, but a tender
hearted and soft-voiced littlo fellow.
"Wagner!" he exclaims; "Divine Wag
ner! What gonitis! His music makes
mo weep!" "Bosh!" says a bystander.
"A kick well applied would have the
samo effect on you." Adapted from tts
French.
"Why don't you finish eating your
hash. Tommy?" asked a Brooklyn
mother of her boy, who suddenly laid
down his knife anil fork as he caught
sight of the servant dishing out ice
cream. "Impossible, ma," replied tho
lad. "Why?" "Cause it's orowded out
to mako room for more interesting mat
te rr," answered Tommy, who is work
ing in a newspaper office during his va
cation. BrooklynEaglc.
RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL.
Arizona's publio school has been
closed for lack of funds Chicago Mail.
Philadelphia has twenty-eight free
kindergartens, maintained at a publio
expense of $10,8.
The Interior says that a Christian
ought to bo honest lirst, and thon pious
if ho can; but the usual practice among
many is to be pious anyhow and honest
whenever it conies handy,
The total cost of the Garden City
Cathedral, L, I. as estimated by the
architect, is nearly $1,700,000. This
sum does not include tho organ, bells,
stained glass furnituro, etc N. Y.
Mail.
Dr. Talmago's Brooklyn Tabernacle
pows were sold tho other evening, and
brought premiums amounting to $5,000.
The pew rental for tho year amounts to
$17,240, and tho total receipts of tho
church will reach 30.000.
At a Yalo dinner Rev. Dr. Clapp
told a story of a student who asked his
father's consent to an engagement with
one of tho New Ilavcn beauties. Tho
father consented at once, saying he
himself hacLcourtcd tho same girl when
be was a student at tho college
Tho logacies from tho Vandcrbilt
estate to the Board of Missions of tho
Protestant Episcopal Church, $100,000
each for domestio and foreign missions,
are to be appropriated for special work,
as is tho rulo of this society with lega
cies. N. Y. Examiner. ,
On ono of tho Now Hebrides in the
South Pacific is the lonely grave of a
Presbyterian missionary, the Rev. John
Geddy. A marble glab bears the fol
lowing inscription:
When he came here
There wore no Christians;
When be went away
There were no heathen.
-Thoro is only one Protestant For
eign Missionary Society in France, in
which all evangelical Christians, Re
formed, Lutheran and Free, unite. Its
missionaries arc found among the Ba
sutos of South Africa, with 7,000 con
verts; on the Zambesi, East Africa; at
St Louis and other places In Senegal,
West Africa, and in Tahiti. For these
missions 300,000 francs were contributed
during tho past year.
Students are graded at Princeton
in six groups. The athletes stand well
down in the ranks, according to Presi
dent McCosh. Fifteen of, the twenty
seven are in the lowest two grades, all
but sovon are below the middle, and
only two get up into the second grade.
The doctor is in favor of athletics, but
believes that excessive bodily exercise
takes too much timo. Boston Bulletin.
The German traveler, Butler,
sneaks in complimentary terras of the
work of tho Basle Missions on the Gold
Coast They have ten chief stations,
the farthest" of whieh are five days'
journey from the coast. Nearly all of
the smiths, joiners and coopers on the
west coast arc from its industrial
schools. Tho missions also carry on a
number of factories or trading nouses,
which are distinguished from the other
concerns of tho Rind, not without some
reduction of their pecuniary power, by
not selling rum or powder, although
beer and wine may be bought at them.
m m
WHY IT STRUCK.
A TouBgT Straacer Proves the Fallacy of
an American yupemtltlon.
"Yes, sir," said tho stranger; "I havo
seen lightning strike twice in the same
place."
"You havjjP Toll us about it,"
chorused the crowd around the oflice
Etovc. "I was traveling through Chenango
County, and mot with an obstinate old
farmer who wouldn't have lightning-
rods on his barn. lie would have
nothing to do with any such 'nonsense
that's what he called it. One day a
thunder-storm came up and a bolt
struck his barn. It knocked tho build
ing into little pieces, burnt up three
houses, a patent reaper, a subsoil plow,
a harrow, four sets of harness, six horse
blankets, sixty' tons of, hay and the
iarmor's daughter's baby. Well, the
old man had another barn built, but
he didn't put any lightning-rods on.
He said that lightning never struck
twice in the same place. It did, though.
Knocked the new barn endwise and
burned up four horses, two reapers, two
plows, two harrows, eight sets of har
ness, a dozen horse-blankets, a hmv
.dred tons of hay and the farmer'a
daughter's brand-new twins."
There was a general silence for a few
snosnenta, and then ono of the crowd
aid:
"What's your trade, young lulleaf'
Tm hhtaiag-rod agent."
INDIGESTION
To strengthen the ttoauch, create aa
appetite, aad remove the horrible depres
Jtoh and despondency which result irom
Indigestion, there Is nothing so effective
as Avert Puis. These Pills contain no
cakanel or other poisonous drug, act
directly on the digestlre and assimilative
organs, and restore health and strength to
the entire system. T. P. Bonner, Chester,
Pn., writes: i have med Ayer's Pfllt
for the past m Tears, aad am satisaed
I Mid ast hem been aUra to-4af , ff It
had not bean far them. They
Cured
of Dyspepsia when all other resnedles
failed and tash. occasional qm has kept
bm ta a aialthy" condition ever since.
L. IT. 8mKh, TJtfca, IT. T., writes: "I
have used Ayer's Pills, for Llrer troables
and Indigestion, a good auay years, sad
have always found then prompt and
efldent In their aetIoa., KIchardlTorrb,
Lyan,3(aat., writes: "After mueasufler
lag, I have been eared of Dyspepsia and
Liver trouble
By Using
Ayer's Pitts. They hare done me more
good than any other medicine I have ctct
taken." John Bordett, Troy, Iowa,
writes': "For nearly two yean my life
was rendered miserable by tho horrors of
Dyspepsia. Medical treatment afforded
me only temporary relief, and I became
reduced la f osh, aad.very much debili
tated. A friend of mine, who tsu-iani
similarly atteted, adrbed m to try
Ayer's Pflls. I did se, and with the
happiest result. My foed soon ceased to
distress aw, my appetite returned, aad I
became as strong and well as ever."
Ayer's Pills,
FRBPAKaDBT
M. J. C. ATX U 00., IeweO,
For sale by all Druggists.
thi:
OMAHA & CHICAGO
OK THE
THE BEST ROUTE
'Press OnAlIA
XO THCK EAST,
Two Trains Daily Between Omaha
Chicago, anK Milwaukee,
St Paul, Minneapolis, Cedar Rapids,
Clinton, Dubuque, Davenport,
Rock Island.Freeport, Rockford,
Elgin, Madison, Janesville,
Beloit, Winona, La Crosse.
And all other Important Points Kast,
Northeast and Southeast.
For through tickets call on the Ticket
Agent at Columbus, Nebraska.
Pullman SLKxrxKd and the Fiir
Dining Cars in tiik World are run on
the main lino of tho Chicaqr, Mll
wamkee 4c Ml. laal K'y, and every
attcntion is paid to pansengcr.i by cour
teous employe of tho Company.
K. Miller, A. V. II. Cnrpealer,
General Man gor. Uon'l.l'ass. Ag't.
JT. F. Tacker, Ges. II. HeaaTerd
Asi't Gea'l Man. Ass't Pass. Ag't.
J. T. Clark, Gau'I Sup't.
Feb. 17-1
LOUIS SCHBEIBER,
All kinds of Repairing done en
Short Notice. Bnggies, Wag
ens, etc., made to order,
and all work (Jnar
anteed. Also sell tke world-famous Walter A.
Wood Mowers, Beapers, Combin
ed Kaebinef, Harvesters,
and Self-binders the
best nude.
t7Shop opposite the " Tatter sal I," on
Olive St.. COLUMBUS. 3rf.ni
Denver to Chicago,
Denver to Kansas City,
Denver to Omaha.
Omaha to Chicago,
Kansas City to Chicago,
Omaha to St. Louis,
BEST LINE
PROM
WEST TO EAST!
SURE CONNECTIONS
LOW RATES
BAGOAOE CHICKED THROUGH.
Through tlokots over tho Burling
ton Route or for jMle by tho Union
Paclfto Denver Jt Rio Orando and
II other principal railways, and
by all asente of the "Burlington
Route."
For further Information, apply te
any agent, or to
P. S. BUSTIS, Gen1Tkt At.
OMAIL&.XEB-
JjPPAH&S
book of 108
.The beat book for aa
advertiser to eoa
lault, be be experi
enced or otuerwaa.
May ! sa
IteoBtaina lists of newspapers and estimates
oftheeostofadTeztNsinr.TheadTertiserwho
wants to spead one dollar, finds in Ittheta
Jbrnsatioa be requires, while for him who will
tarest one hundred tioaeaad dollars la ad-
i a Using a scnaan is inaieaiea wura wui
meet his erery reqalremeat, or coisesssaaW
Is 4to sy aWjf assasaisssgy mriMmt
nmtntmnrm edftloas hare been tssned.
WS'&0?'g toWagy5S:
nwsFArsw Aurjosunujs susuu.
JWWISSB,
Ctaio
In
Railway
BfflsmranMw
UNION PACIFIC
LAND OFFICE,
SAMCL.C. SMITH, Ag't.
"ASD
Gensral Beal Estate Dealer.
i
13TI hare a largo number of improved
Farm for sale cheap. Also unimproved
farming and grazing lands, from t to $15
per acre.
ISTSpecial attention paid t'makinc
final proor on Homestead anil Timber
Claims.
t5T II haying lands to sell will tlnd it
to their advantage to learn thorn in my
hand fi.r le. Money to loan on farms.
F. II. Marty, Clt-rk, pcak. German.
30-tf
CoiunihuH, Nebraska.
FREE LAND!
FOR
FARMERS & STOCKMEN
Just lievond
tbi Ni'hra-k i
Platle Uiver.
lino ou tuo
Tho Country is Wonderfully
-i w...
-O
I'hrap Lands for sale ill the vicinity
of the Hrelr town f Sterling.
Grand Openings for all kinds of Basi-
neas. Present population of
Town 500.
JSTSend for rlrfitlari to n
PACKARD & KING,
-!- Sterling, Vld m rolorado.
ESTABLISHED IN I860.
tiii-:-
"WASHINGTON. I. C.
Dally, except Stind.iv. Pri' $.() per
year in adinbcc, pODt.-tn free.
TIIK
mm nmm imnui
Devoted to scnrral new and original
matt'-r oliUineil from the Dcptrtmetit o
Agriculture ud other Sep:u Um-uU Ot
the Government, relating to tho farming
and planting intercuts.
An Advocate of Republican principles,
reviewing fearlessly and fairly the acta
of Cnngreis anj tho National Adminis
tration. Price, ?1.00 per year in advance,
postage lree.
E. vr. FOX,
Presidentrand 31 anagcr.
Tho National Kkmiulican and the
Columbus Jouknal, 1 year, $2.r0. 3-x
Cures Guaranteed!
OR. WARITS SPECIFIC No. 1.
A Certain Curo for Nervous Debility,
Seminal Weaknoss, Involuntary Knils
sions, Spermatorrhea, and all diseases of
the genito-urinary organs caused by sclC
abuse or over indulgence.
Price, 1 00 per box, six boxes $5.00.
DR. WARITS SPECIFIC No. 2.
For Epileptic Fits, Mental Anxiety,
Loss of Memory, Softening of tho Brain,
and all those diseases of tho brain. PrWj
$1.00 per box, six boxes $5.00.
DR. WARNS SPECIFIC No. 3. '
For Impotence, Sterility in either ser
Loss of Power, premature old age, and all
those diseases requiring a thorough in
vigorating of the sexual organs. Priccj
i00 per box, six boxes $10.00.
DR. WARITS SPECIFIC No. 4.
For Ileadache, Nervous Neuralgia, anif
all acute diseases of the nervous system.
Price 80c per box, six boxes $2.50.
DR. 'WARITS SPECIFIC No. 5.
For all diseases caused by the over-u
of tobacco or liquor. This remedy is par
ticularly efficacious in averting palsy and
delirium tremens. Price $1.00 por 'ox.
six boxes $5.00.
We Guarantee a Cure, or agree to re
fund double the money paid. Certificate
in each box. This guarantee applies t.i
each of our five Specifics. Sent by mail
to any address, secure from observation,
on receipt of price. Be careful to mention
the number of Specific wanted. Our
Specifics are only recommended for sp?
cific diseases. Beware of remedies war
ranted to cure all these diseases with ornt
medicine. To avoid counterfeits and al
ways secure tne genuine, order only from
DOWTV 4c CHINK,
DRUGGISTS,
1!-1 Columbus, Neb.
Health is Wealth
Da fc. CWkst8 Nxste ad Dbaix Tbxm
nrr. a guaranteed apecifio for Hysteria. Dizzi
ness. ConTobions, Fits. Nerrous. Ncuralsiaw
Headaeha.Nerrooa'rrcmtnition canned dj mo
of alcohol or tobacco. Wakefulness. Mental Do-
presaion.Bof tailing-of the Drain Malting m in
sanity and leading to misery, decay and death
Praaatara Old Ac. Barrenness. Loss of powea
in either sex. InToltutaiy Losses andBpermat-.
orrhesn riiisml by oTer-oxertion of tho brain, self
arm in nrar-indnlsMnan. Ku-h box cont
one month's treatment. Xl.TOabox.or six bo i
lorSiOO. sent by mail prepaid on receipt of pries
VI 6UAKA2ITEE BIX BOXES ;
To sins sin raao With each order recoiTed byasi
for six boxes, accompanied with IACXX we wilt
end the purchaser oar written guarantee to re
fandthe money if the treatment does not sflsst
aoore. Onarsntaea issued only by ;
JOHN O. WEST fc CO.,
SC2 W. MADISON ST., CHICAGO, ILLS.,
Sola Prop's West's Liter Pills.
in presents given away
Send us H cents postage.
vw anu or man you win geu
frees, package of goods of large value,
that will start you in work thit will. aU
once bring you in money faster than any
thing else in America. All about thw
1200,000 in presents with each box.
Agents wanted everywhere, of either
sex, of all ages, for all the time, or sparw
time only, to work for us at their own.
homes. Fortunes for all workers ab
solutely assured. Don't delay. II. IlaL
lktt A CO., Portland, Maine.
SSOO REWARD!
E a H MH I tmrtttlnrt
pjniiaBi n.ii.iiiiiiii.cimM'iMG
! Mi wftVnirniUwrflu.wtMtaw.
Sotsre iWrtly wptlis wtU. TWywydy ji1ifli.a
MraltoittiMkMb. gsw Cwlii. -LMftfcmaw
MU. V.OTMTS W.M St MS W. WlSlllS Si.
fMSfWfMawi-liri.
TITTTVT more money than at anything
V I 1 el,e bv ukinS aa agency for
,T J--L the best selling book out. Be
f inner succeed grandly. Nona fil
eras free. Haixstt Book Co., PrU
land, Mala. 4-aVy
NATIONAL iPBBLICAN
AaBSal VCsa ' ' ..aaaV St
mod iron
r
.v
irt
that, a
of the extortion. T. Htrmld.
,-' "