Nebraska Newspapers

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VOLUME XXVIL-NtJMBBR 6.
COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA. WEDNESDAY. MAY 20, 1896.
WHOLE NUMBER 1,358.
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HIS FIRST OFFENSE,
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ILLY MEEKINS
never drank. He
didn't make a
j principle of it and
(in all other re-
y spects he was like
any other male
human being, but
for some reason or
other he simply
hadn't learned to
drink. His wife,
who was religious, put It on high moral
. grounds. She said Ehe didn't know
what she would do if Will came home
drunk which was true; she didn't, as
the following narrative will show.
The first winter they were married
company X arranged for a big military
ball and invited the governor. As an
extra inducement they got an appro
priation from somewhere or other and
bought a carload of champagne. The
evening of the dance the governor was
present with his entire suite and they
converted one of the ante-rooms into
a sort of champagne shower bath. But
after the governor, who was a very
tall and thin man of good old Puritan
stock, had led the grand marcn with
the wife of tho captain, who was a
very short, fat and red-faced woman
of middle-age and unmistakable Irish
descent, to the admiration of all, and
the fat prompter had barked all the
skin off the back o'f his throat and
nearly gone into apoplexy and every
body had gone home, it was discovered
that the company in its extreme gener
osity had overestimated the capacity of
the invited guests. So, as a last resort
and a sort of gentle bid for the golden
opinions of the press, the newspaper
men were invited in.
And after the first edition had gone
flown as many men as possible ad
journed to the city hall and sat down at
a long table in the ante-ioom, with the
governor at the head. Of course, the
governor could not under the circum
stances refrain from le'ting his full
bcart run over in a speech. In it he
said he never could adequately express
his great appreciation of the honor of
sitting at the table with the repre
sentatives of that glorious and power
ful instrument of civilization the
press. He himself had always had the
most profound confidence in newspaper
men and he was proud to say they had
almost unanimously shown confidence
In him. Hi- was also proud to say a
great many nice things about the press
and its influence for good. A few
minutes after these remarks the gov
ernor left for his hotel, having a press
ing appointment at 6:30 the next morn
ing and hax-ing felt during the evening
unmistakable symptoms cf the return
of the diphtheria or spinal meningitis
or fcomething of the sort he had con
tracted during the arduous labors of the
last campaign, so he left the adjutant
generar to represent him.
The adjutant general, who was a fat
and red-faced man. having represented
govnors at champagne nippers for a
great many jears. was a ery able
representative indeed, and when the
governor went awjv much of the cere
mony of the occasion went with him
and it became quite informal, every
inducement to informality being offered
by the management. Whenever you
began to talk to jour neighbor your
slag was filled up by the colored
waiter at your elbow with such natural
ness that not even the most accom
plished could get an approximate idea
of how- much he had drunk until he
retrained consciousness.
One of the chief diversions of the oc
casion was arranged to be furnished by
Billy Meekins. He had been induced
to attend under more or less false pre
tenses, and when once in the hall was
placed by special arrangement next to
the adjutant-general. The adjutant
general was to do the rest. Billy
wasn't inclined to drink at first, till the
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especially devised for gubernatorial
representation at state dinners.
Well; after ali the champagne had
gone bff the crowd followed suit and
Billy Meekins walked home through
the gray early morning and tumbled
Into bed Tery soon before Mb wife
who was a very conscientious house
keepergot up, and fell into a sound
Bleep,
About 9 o'clock he woke up with a
very strange, confused'fecling, such as
bad never fallen to his lot before, and
which alarmed him considerably, and
started out immediately to discover his
present approximate position In time
and space. In the course of his voyage
of exploration around the room he ran
aground on the washBtand and cap
sized, taking with him the water
pitcher. When his wife appeared she
found her husband in a truly alarming
condition. He was lying among the
ruins of the water pitcher breathing
heavily, deathly pale, and so far gone
that he could not even articulate. It
was something she had never seen be
fore. With great presence of mind she
hauled him on the bed, dispatched three
boys for the doctor and sent out a gen
eral alarm among the neighbors, who
turned out in great force. When the
first doctor arrived he found her on the
verge of collapse, but strenuous to be
told the truth. Unfortunately he was
an old-school practitioner, who prided
himself on his ability to do just that
thing. "Madam," he Bald, "your hus
band is drunk." When he came out of
the room the neighbors knew the
worst.
Of course Billy Meekins didn't know
the seriousness of the catastrophe at
the time, but it was promptly brought
to his attention when he once regained
consciousness. Under the circum
stances there would naturally be a
certain amount of tribute due to out
raged womanhood in any family, but
Billy's wife was actually vindictive.
She said it was bad enough to be a
newspaper man's wife anyway, with
out having married a drunkard, and
she started for home on the next train;
it was a full two months before Ehe was
coaxed back again.
When she finally relented she re
turned with preparations for a whole
sale reform. She instituted family
prayers at once and broke up half of
Billy's sleep to drag him to church. She
also proposed him for special attention
to her minister, which he received. She
slid it should not be her fault if he
did not have good companions in the
future, incidentally making remarks
about the other men in the office which
have forever precluded further rela
tions of friendship and amity between
her and the other man's wife, and she
filled the house with temperance en
thusiasts and missionary workers, who
come often to dinner and sing psalm
tunes a long time after in the evening.
All of which Billy takes cheerfully for
the sake of harmony and as the price
of his sin's having found him out. Of
course as time has gone on he has
gone into the good work himself as a
guaranty of good faith; he is really
quite an ardent temperance man; it is
fascinating to hear his little addresses
to the loyal children's league. But he
tells me privately he is afraid this sort
of thing is going to drive him to strong
drink.
LAND OF THE BLACKS.
NATIVE TRIBES OF AFRICA
DYING BY SWORb.
The Good Christian Nations of Europe
Haktag Qelck Work of Exterminating
Sod's Creatures A Disgrace to Century
Congress Still.
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FRICA HAS LONG
been picturesquely
named the "Dark
Continent," bat It
might now- be more
appropriately call
ed the "Bloody
Continent." A few
years ago it was
dark in the sense
that Euro peans
knew little about
it. Since they have shed their light
upon its remotest places it has been
turned Into a land of bloody strife and
turmoil from end to end.
A number of bloody outbreaks, of
such a character as to interest even
Americans unconcerned with European
policy, help to call attention at this
moment to the perpetual condition of
Africa. It is hardly to be doubted that
this condition will continue until all
the warlike races of Africa are exter
minated or reduced to the condition of
hopeless subjection.
There are three great regions of
Africa which are of supreme interest
at this moment. They arc the Egyp
tian Soudan, Abyssinia and South
Africa. To the first two places belong
the distinction that Europeans have
suffered there about as much as the
natives.
A strong Egyptian expedition, under
British officers, has started to attempt
to reclaim the Soudan from the Mahdi,
Heved. is prepared to resist by force
this advance of the British.
To the north of Portuguese East Af
rica is German East Afric-t: Dr. Peters,
the late administrator of that territory
i now being tried in Berlin for cruel
tics to the natives. He hanged men
and women for petty thefts.
In the Indian Ocean, off the east
coast of Africa Is the great is
land of Madagascar, which the French
have just conquered after a cam
paign very deadly to themselves.
Lately the natives revolted and burned
a religious mission house and killed
several of its occupants.
A punitive military expedition has
just done its work near Mombasa in
British East Africa.
The British are now occupying Ash
anti, in the interior of Africa, behind
the Gold Coast Colony, and hold King
Prempeh a prisoner.
The French have occupied Timbuctu,
the capital of Eastern. Soudan, a nrys
terious city hitherto known to us chief
ly on account cf its comic-opera name.
The Sultan of Morocco is slaughter
ing his subjects.
This is but a glimpse of the bloody
work that is going on in Africa.
it looks Behind
Aluminum Co flint.
Aluminum coffins are the latest and
the New- York. Pittsburg and St. Louis
undertakers carry them in stock. They
are made of uniform width, square ends
and vertical sides and ends, such being
the accepted shape of the modern bur
ial casket. They are finished with a
heavy molding around the bottom and
at the upper edge, and with pilasters at
the corners and with a round molded
top. They are provided with extension
bar handles. Aluminum caskets are
not covered, but finished with a metal
surface burnished. They are lined in
the same manner. Tho non-corrosive
qualities of aluminum as well as the
A Telescope Which la Sale! t tXMttt
the t'seralaesa of Oralaary Glass.
Mankind once had an extra eye in
th back at hig head, Scientists say
that they em Mill find traces Of tbii
eye in a certain irfegdlar formation
of the skull at the poirit where' tie an
cient eye-socket used to be, says the
New York World. These irregular
places are called rudimentary eyes, but
they are not to be found in all peopl&
In fact, a man who can boast of a
rudimentary eye is quite a superior
person. Of course, these rudimentary
eyes are of no real Use to anybody, not
even to the ownor of them, but they
serve to show us that at a. certain stage
in our career nature thought it wad
a wise thing to enable us to keep a
watch in the rear. A foreign firm of
opticians have very considerately en
deavored to supply, as far as may be
done-fey aechaaical ai"aos. the loss of
this rear-view eye. Thy have con
structed a telescope which enables the
user to look around a corner. By its
means you may see and remain unseen,
a circumstance which possesses obvious
advantages. They call tne intention
j the stereo-telescope. Stereo comes
from a Greek word meaning solid, and
in this connection it is Used as indi
cating that the image, as seen through
the stereo-telescope seems an exact
counterpart of the object and not a
mero picture of it. The two tubes that
extend horizontally carry an object
glass at either end. The eye pieces are
placed on an axis at right angles td that
of the objecting or oblong tubes. When
the observer looks through the small
peep-holes he sees a different field with
each eye. The rays 6f l.gHt from the
objects that lie in the field of vision ar
reflected by means of prisms, so that
they turn the corner of the right angle.
Thus you may leisurely study an ob-
WORSHIPERS OF FIR&
SOME PACTS COLLECTED ON A
QUEER SUBJECT.
They Adore the GeO of Fire A EisWH
at tha Katlooal Xaseaas Who Casl
Hah lfe by Kahhtas; Sticks To
gather:
rrtCACY OF TWO BtO TOES.
A Teraseatt ataa Cataa Sarataa la? aa
aJBLL aaw
I'Ss aave&saa
The Dancer of New York.
"We are thankful every day that we
live in the country. We have long
wanted to visit New York, but we are
afraid to. A man from Iowa, a har
nessmaker of good reputation, went to
New York lately to see th sights. la
buying a piece of plugtobacco he care
lessly showed a ?5 bill. A strange
woman who saw the money immediate
ly fell on his neck and said:
"Oh. 'William. William, why did you
desert me?"
The barnessmaker from Iowa had
never seen the woman before but she
had him arrested saying she was mar
ried to him in 1S69. He was finally
compelled to give her the 5 bill to get
rid of her. Atchison Globe.
LYING AMONG THE RUINS.
iajulant-gcncral soothed him. The
"great officer was very soothing, he as
sured him that champagne as a bever
age was as harmless as milk in fact,
just what he needed as a tonic that
time of night. Of course, Billy couldn't
be rude enough to refuse the courtesies
of so great an official.
After that things grew still more
informal. The adjutant told a story,
and the city editor told a story, and
the night editor told a story all of
which it is not necessary to reproduce
here, partly because they weren't really
so funny as taey wer considered at
the time. Then the telegraph editor,
who didn't have on a dress suit, tore off
the tails from the one the city editor
were, and one of the new reporters
jumped through the ground-glass door
of the ante-room like a hurdle. It eut
his face somewhat, but be said a man
who had to shave himself didn't mind
a little thing like that. He was con
cideraVe of a blood in college, they
s?.id. and he took to the Iiscomforts of
earning a living rather bard. Finally
they suggested, that the adjutant
general, who had made himself so com
panionable, really ought to be put in
the fruit basket and make a speech, for
the general reason that he would look
so cute there, but as the general
weighed 225 pounds and their center
of gravitj- was not very low at the time,
this part of the programme was not
carried ouL
In the meantime the light divertise
ment which Billy Meekins was sched
uled to furnish did not materialize, as
for some reason or othr Billy devel
oped remarkable staying powers. In
fact, he and the general were about the
only persons left in an apparently
normal condition, and to all appear
ances he was as normal as the general,
which is saying a good deal of a be
ginner, for the general had an inter
state reputation for his steady head.
His enemies, in fact, said he was a
walking jog a sort ot eflcial jag with
a silently inlassed alate U tie meek,
To Make Shoes Waterproof.
Most persons, says the Boston Ecn
j ing Transcript, are dependent upon -ub-
ber overshoes to keep their feet dry
in wet weather. But one who has prac
ticed it for a number of years knows
that leather boots can be made water
proof in the following way: Melt to
gether equal parts of castor oil, kero
sene and lard and while it is still warm
rub the mixture all over a pair of new
boots, both uppers and soles. As it -lries
in repeat the operation about five times
and you can then put the boots on and
walk in melting snow with impunity.
Give another dressing with this mix
ture about once in three or four months.
Leather is not only made waternjoof
in this way, but becomes very soft and
pliable.
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True. True.
"Apparently there is no use for
horses in these days of tlcctric cars, bi
cycles and horseless carriages," re
marked McSwilligen.
"Oh. that's not so." replied Squildig.
"Since they commenced to slaughter
horses and can them for food we can
still have them in our midst." Pitts
burg Chronicle-Telegraph.
HUMOROUS.
Teacher Now. George Washington
Hackensack, you may describe the bat
tle of Princeton. G. W. Hackensack
Twenty t' ten faver uv Yale. Judge.
"Don't you think, Harry you could in
duce one or two boys to come to Sun
day school?" "I could bring one," he
said, "De udder fellers ip. our alley kin
lick me." Life.
"Jones and Grymes are threatening
to kill Ukerdek. and then murder
each other." "What's all the trouble
about?" "Ukerdek met Grymes and
called him Jones." Truth.
"What are you crying for, child?"
"Lolo hurt me." How, pray?" "I was
going to hit him with my fist, when he
ducked his head and" my fist hit the
wall." Boston Transcript.
Bizmog Zibley, your face is a sight.
Did you cut yourself shaving? Zibley
Not exactly. Perhaps it woeJd be
better to say that I shaved myself while
cutting. Roxbury Gazette.
Hoax I stood on one foot all the
way home in a crowded car last night.
Joax What was the matter with your
other foot? JJoax Another man was
taMdlag en that Philadelphia Re-oori.
who rules in absolute despotism at
Khartoum. The dervishes and Ma
hometan Desert tribes who maintain
the Mahdi's power, believe that he is
the direct representative of Mahomet,
and in fighting for him lies their only
hope of heaven.
While a British expedition is going
to the Soudan, a Belgian expedition
from the Congro Free State, which
has an outlet on the West Coast of
Africa, has started for the same region.
This expedition has been rc-in forced
by Houssas. native troops, fronl the
British colony of Sagos, also on the
west coast. The Belgians are probably
now fighting in the heart of Africa.
The brutalizing occupation of the
Europeans in Africa does not tend to
make them humane and generous in
their treatment of one mother. The
whole world has lately been reading
about one illustration of this fact.
A body of Englishmen, supposed to
be the pick of the pioneers of their race
in Africa, being chiefly officers and
men of the military police of the Brit
ish South Africa company, has made a
murderous raid into ne Transvaal,
one of the few colonies in Africa that
have any claim to respectability. It is
said that the Boers are pretty high
handed with the natives, but the fact
that there are so many of the latter
left in the Transvaal arer so long a
period of colonization is in itself a
tribute to their masters.
These Englishmen started out cheer
fullv with machine guns and other
arms to enter the territory of a foreign
and friendly state and slaughter the
peaceful and unoffending people. Even
the severe defeat they received did
not make them realize that they had
done wrong. Their African experience
had destroyed their moral sense.
It must not be supposed that the de
feat of Jameson's raiders and their
shipment to England hi3 ended the
trouble in the more civilized parts of
South Africa. There is intense and
warlike hostility between the English
and the Dutch elements in Cape Col
only, the Orange Free State, and the
Transvaal. Cable reports say tlm
both sides are preparing to fight.
There is always an abundance of armed
men in those places. The reports also
say that German officers are helping
the Boers and that Germany has prom
ised them "material aid in a possible
struggle with the British.
Besides this possibility of a general
conflagation in South Africa, there is
some hard actual fighting there. The
Matabeles have risen again in the
British South Africa Company's terri
tory. They killed seven white men
near Buluwayo, and since then a much
larger number of the natives have been
killed.
The Matabeles are a brave, strong
and fierce race, allied to tae Zulus.
who fought so nard before the devasta
ting British influence swept over and
beyond their country. The Matabeles
were mowed down in thousands by
Dr. Jameson and his troopers and ma
chine guns before their land was finally
conquered for the British South Africa
Company. The remnant of them will
possibly make a hard fight now.
Another element of trouble lies in
the Delagoa Bay situation. Under a
treaty England has the first .right to
purchase this portion of Portuguese
East Africa, if it should be offered for
sale. It lies between the Transvaal
and the ocean, and its possession would
enable the British to surround the
J Boers. The German Kmoeror. it Is be-
MAP SHOWING THE DISTURBANCES IN AFRICA.
lightness of the caskets recommend
them. A six-foot aluminum coffin
weighs but 100 pounds, an oak casket
of the same size 150 pounds, a cloth cas
ket with metal lining about 175 pounds.
Other metallic caskets weigh from 430
to 500 pounds. Aluminum coffins are
not likely to become popular among the
poor, as their cost ranges from $400 to
$750. New York World.
Kxonerated by a Chimney.
A Liverpool chimney sweep recently
found a bag containing coins worth
$200 in a flue which he was cleaning
in a house. When the lady who had
employed him learned of the discov
ery she burst into tears. The money
had been saved by her hard work and
self-denial. Some time ago her son,
who was not a steady youth, left her
house, vowing never to return. Hav
ing forgotten where she had hidden
the Konoy she had accused him of
stealing it.
As time went by she had grown con
stantly more certain that the charge
she had made against her boy was well
founded. The sudden discovery" that
she had done him a horrible injustice
filled her with bitter remorse. She is
now living in the hope that he will
hear of his vindication ad return to
her. New York World.
ject While under cover, the head being
in such a position as not to admit of
its being seen. When the tubes are
thus extended, the observer may stand
behind a tree or a wall and reconnoiter
from his concealed position. There are
also open points in favor of the in
strument. The field of viion is enor
mously extended. Yoa may study Ob
jects at opposite points of the compass
with no more trouble than the winking
of your eye. The stereo-telescope may
be folded up, in which position, being
held with the tubes upward, it enables
the observer to look above an object ob
structing his view, such as a hedge,
wall or crowd of people.
Cop nml Cup-Hearer.
The cups of t!ic Assyrians closely re
semble our saucers. Every nobleman
and gentleman bad his own cup and
cup-bearer, the latter of whom always
accompanied him to a feast, carrying
before him the cup of gold, silver, crys
tal or marble, which his master used
only on state occasions. Saucers for
cups were introduced in the latter part
of the eighteenth century, and at first
greatly ridiculed, the person who em
ployed them being said not to be able
to drink without having two cups.
She Was Accomplished.
Mother I can't see how it happened
that the Kechem girl out of all your
Chafing-Dish club managed to get that
attractive Mr. Merriman. All the rest
of you girls are so much brighter and
prettier. Didn't you tell me she scarce
ly ever spoke a word?
Maud Yes, mother, but she did the
cookinr Harper's Bazar.
THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
"Papa, If we were living at the center
of the earth, wouldn't we be all funny?"
"What makes you think so, my son?"
"'Cause this geography says everything
there loses its gravity."
No Harm Intended. Pastor It would
surprise you to know how much coun
terfeit money we receive in the contri
bution box in the" course of a year.
Thoughtless Friend I suppose so.
How do you manage to get rid of it all?
The philosopher who says there is
nothing sweeter to look upon than a
rme bride, finds many who will agree
with him; but to the man who marries
in July, a July bride is aby no means
unpleasant spectacle, which the philos
opher will do wrll to remember.
A small boy had taken the prize for
an exceptionally well-drawn map.
After the examination the teacher, a
little doubtful, asked the lad: "Who
helped ou with this map, James?"
"Nobody, sir." "Come, now, tell the
truth. Didn't your laother help yoa?"
"No, sir; he did it all."
"Tommie, spell Popocatepetl," said
the teacher. "P-a-p-a," said Tommie.
"c-a-t-e-p-e-t-a-1." "You have got it
all wrong," cried the teacher impa
tiently. "Well, I'm sorry," said Tom
mie. "But I know that p-a-p-a spells
papa, and that c-a-t spells cat. I s'pose
it's petal that I've slipped up on. I
never cared much about flowers any
way."
Trilby may be used as a trade mark
in England. The court of appeals has
said so after the lower court had said
no. r
HE ffattoaal Mus
eum has just
cured a remarkable
collection illustrat
ing the p?atice of
fire worship on thia
continent. It ap
pears that most of
the America- ab
original tribes have
fcd mere of lew f
this sort f feligio
in the past, and to the present slay
they have ceremonials associated with
the making of new fire at stated inter
vals, For this purpose they always em
ploy the most primitive method that
is to say, the rubbing of two sticks to
gether. For example, the Zunl nse an
agave stick with sand to help the fric
tion. The sand is wet, because this
renders the fire-making more difficult,
and. therefore, more meritorious In the
sight of the gods. One of the objects In
the collection referred to Is a so-called
fire pump, utilized by the Onandagas at
the feast of the White Dog. ftt which a
white dog is sacrificed. This tool oil'
lizeft the mechanism of the pump drill
for making the point of a stick revolve
rapidly in another piece of wood, thus
finally dbtaining Ignition. The Hin
doos, by the way, hav a similar sacred
fire drill, by means of which they make
fire hin times each day for nine day
at a periodical feSt!pl.
The Hupa Indians, of California, are
rsmarkably expert fire makers. WitM
a couple of Simple aticks of soft mes-
quite wood, which the"? keep very dry.
they can produce fire In ten seconds.
This method of fire making requires
such" expert manipulation that few
civilized men have ever been able to
acquire the art. Mr. Waiter Hough,
one of the ethnologists of the National
museunl; knows how to do it. The
writer has seu him make fire in a
couple of minutes by revolving between
the palms of his hands a slick, the
point of which was inserted in a hole
in another piece of wood. Presently
srr.oke would begin to come from the
hole,- and soon a spark would catch
some tinder at which a pinch was sup
plied for the purpose. T6t such tinder
American savages use some very odd
things. The Eskimo of Point Barrow
empiby itft th? purpose willow catkins;
those of Cumberland gulf use the white
fibre of arctic cotton, while in some
parts of Alaska shredded cfdaf bark Is
made to sePve. The aborigines of E5-
from the nests of a certain species of
antSi while In Mexico a substitute is
found in a kind of fungus which is
soaked in saltpeter, dried, cut in sheets
and sold in small packet. In Japan
the flowers of a species of ariemmia are
dried for tinder.
The most remarkable ceremonial of
fire worship that survives in this coun
try is practiced by the Navajos. They
believe in purification by fire, and to
this end thy literally wash themselves
in it. the featfc they perform .with it
far exceed the most wonderful acts of
fire-eating and fire-handling accom
plished by civilized jugglers. In pre
paration for the festival a gigantic
heap of dry wood is gataCred from the
desert. At the appointed moment til
great pile of inflammable brush is light
ed and in a few moments the whole of
it is In on blazo. A storm of sparks
fly one hundred feet or fiicrC Into tb
air, and ashes fall about like a light
shower of snow. The ceremony always
takes place at night and the effect of
it is both weird and impressive.
Just when the" fire is raging at its
hottest a whistle is heard from the
outer darkness, and a dozen warriors.
lithe and lean, dressed in narrow white
breech-cloths and moccasins simply
and daubed with white earth so as to
look like so many living statues, come
bounding tbroHgh the entrance of the
corral that encloses th? flaming heap.
Yelping like wolves they move sl6w"ly
toward the fire, bearing aloft slender
wands tipped with balls of eagle down.
Running around the fire, always to the
left, they begin thrusting their wands
toward the fire, trying to burn off the
down from tho tips. Owing to the in
tensity of the heat this is difficult to
accomplish. One warrior dashe wildly
toward the fire and retreats; another
lies as close to the ground as a fright
ened lizard, endeavoring to wriggle
himself up to the fire; others seek to
catch on their wands the sparks that
fly in the air. At last one by one they
all succeed in burning the downy balls
from the wands.
The test of endurance is very severe,
the heat of the fire being so great.
Having burned off the balls of down
the warriors next et about re
storing them again. On the end
of each wand, one after another,
appears presently a fresh ball of eagle
down. It is supposed to be the one that
was burned, re-created, but in fact this
is only a juggling trick. Each man
holds in his hand a ring that is covered
with down. When the proper time
arrives he permits this ring to slide
along the wand to its extremity. The
performers in this ceremony sometimes
wear immense false moustaches and
huge spectacles, in imitation of the
white mn.
Sprataa
reawllarlr.
The little town of Jacksonville. Vt.,
Is receiving a great deal of attention
at present hecate of the wonderful
keallag powers which ae of its inhabi
tatfl to Mid to possess, bat if the testi
mony f well known and reliable people
is worth 2ytking at all, Jacksonville
will not be allowed to enjoy this fame
aajr longer without rival, says the
gprtagfeld Union. Wllllsmstown has
also a ssaa who claims to have been
given a gift ef healing, but he docs not
ask any one to take his word for it.
He refers to many people, whom he
say he has cured, for sabstantUtion
of what he claims be can do.' He dees
not pretend to accomplish so many dif
ferent, wonderful cares as the Jackson
ville Newell, but confines his powers to
healing sprains in human being3 and
hones. He dees assert, however, that
few stand unrivaled In curing these
things, and he is backed up by several
people in town whose testimonials can
not be disregarded.
The name of this man is Alfred Seney,
and he resides at Williamstown Sta
tion, that part of the village in which
the depot of the Fitchburg railroad
company is located. He uses no in
struments in effecting his cures, gives
no medicine add asks no questions,
farther than the pointing out of the
afflicted part. The secrets ot his suc
cess are his two big toes and three
words which he utters in prayer, and
which he refuses to make public, since
his power would be taken away if he
did so. He rUba these toes on the af
flicted spot, repeat? the short prayer
and the cure is accomplished. He uoes
not claim the power of making the
blind see. the deaf hear and everybedy
that is afflicted well but he does make
the assertion that he can affect within
a day or two a cure upon all sprains, no
matter in what part of the body thty
may be. His two wonderful big toes
appear to have strange powers. Should
he meet with a railroad accident and
lose both of his feet, or even one of
them, he would be compelled u with
draw his assertion, for without these
big toes he could do nothing.
This power, Mr. Seney says, has been
evident for a long time, but he did not
put it to use for several years after he
became aware that he was endowed
with It. He is a Frenchman by birth,
having been born in Canada, thirtj
six miles east of Montreal, fifty-nine
years ago. He lived there until twenty-seven
years ago. when he camo to
North Adams, where he lived nine
years. He then came to this town,
where he has resided ever since, liv
ing at present on Elm street, or in what
is better known as "French row." While
in North Adams he effected a cure up
on a prominent merchant there of the
name of Smith, who had sustained a
bad sprain by falling, while returning
I i rum nisBTOrr- nr cmr,r i.wv -
bis customers at the time and the mer
chant happened to hear of the great
powers which the toes of his cus
tomers' foot contained, so ne sent ror
him and asked him to manifest what
he could do. The merchant sat in a
bair at the time, with bis sprained
ankle on another chair, suffering great
pain, and though he had no faith in the
cure, he knew it could do no harm to
allow the Frenchman to go through
with the treatment. Great was his
surprise to find a decided relief when
the big toe of Seney touched his ankle.
The next day he put on his boots and
walked to the store, a distance of a
quarter of a mile.
(ldmlmi-SUti.Bik)
L.
finURt a flu Dfttm
l-SLaBabi&tft,
aaawaBWniaUlll
aakyiygWTwi
i
t
I
mif i affiAaTiiiff : noun.
BUYS GOOD NOTES
OVFKESS AKD Dr&ECTOKtt
Ls-KDes GEmaAKD, Prea't,
B. H. Hkkkt, Vice Prest,
M . BncGGE, Cashier.
Jonx Stauiter. Wm. Ruches.
COMMERCIAL BUNK
COLUMBUS, NEB.,
HAS AX
AitMzi. Capital iff - $500,080
PaM is Capital, 90,000
orricu.
O. H. SHjTLDOU. Pres't.
H. P. H. OEIILRIcn. Vice Prea.
DANIEL SCniJAM. Cashier.
FKAMv UOKEi:. Ass'tCasfercf.
DIRECTOBS.
r. II. SnrLDo.T, H. I II OcnLRtcn.
Jojcs Welch. W. a. McAllister.
Carl Kiexke, . c. Okat,
Frame Koher.
STOCKHOLDERS.
Gerhard Loseke. J. He.nrt Wcrdemak.
Clark Cb.it, IliLNnr Losrur,
Daxiel Schrax. Gto.W. Galley.
A. F. II. Oeiilrich J. I. Bkcker Estate,
Rebecca Becker, II. M. Wis slow.
roeaovt: Hate rest allowast em tlmm
iepaalts; bay and sell exchange on Ualte4
Btatea and fcurope. and buy and sell all
able securities. We shall bo pleased to re
eel re your business. We solicit your sat-raasfa.
A PATENT COAT.
Ctinntins; a Novel.
A writer lets out a secret regarding
the way in which younk women read
novels.
It was in the tram-car, that place in
which the experiences are varied
enough to make a man cosmopolitan if
he will study them. Two girls are
talking of what they read.
"Oh. I choose a novel easily enough,"
one said. "I go to the circulating li
brary and look at the last chapters. If
I find the rain softly and sadly droop
ing over one or two lonely graves, I
'don't take it, but if the morning sun
is glimmering over bridal robes of
white satin. I know it is all right, and
take it. and start to bny sweets to eat
while I read it." London Standard.
Boa to SecMi iaeletles Whs Haweit't
riaea tor a Real "Billy."
A patented "goat" is the latest pa
tea4 curiosity. The inventors are
Edward an4 Ulysses S. De Moalon of
Greenville. 111. The Invention will be
hailed by all secret society members,
who are sometimes at a loss as to how
to glva the candidate a sufficiently ex
citing equestrian experience on the
lodge "William G." The device is pa;
ented under the name of "initiatioa
apparatus for secret societies." In
general appearance it is a simple,
harmless littla carpet covered and
fringed platform about three feet
square. The possibilities that lurk in
that little box are but dimly set forth
in the description given by the in
ventors. The platform Is so arranged
that when the candidate steps upon it
he may be suddenly precipitated to the
bottom by the falling away of the
flooring. As he will be blindfolded, the
effect upon him will be sufficiently ter
rifying for the purpose. An alarm is
set off by the falling of the platform,
and this is intended further to add to
bis general unhappy condition. There
are other devices for ringing bells, dis
charging cartridges, and "tipping" or
"precipitating" the candidate. Ex.
Columbus Journal!
A weekly newspaper de
voted the beatintcreataof
lallilelltT.
Infidelity is not distinguished for its
modesty. Stone throwing is its pas
time. Its occupation is the undermin
ing and overthrowing of cherished be
liefs and institutions. Its stock in
trade is epithet and ridicule, it reveres
no sanctity; it blushes at no vice; it
follows virtue afar off; it engages itself
unhesitatingly to destroy what has re
quired years for construction. Rev. A.
Z. Conrad.
Bard to Please.
Some people are never satisfied. An
umbrella maker in Paris has been in
terviewed on the subject of a sudden
change in the weather. "Well." re
marked the interlocutor, "things are
looking well for you. I suppose you
are selling enormous numbers of um
brellas?" "Very likely." was the
trader'i surly reply; "but what about
my sunshades?"
COLUMBUS
mCOMOTOFPUTTE,
The State of Nebraska
THE UNITED STATES
AID THE REST OF MANKIND
Tkamaltaf i
as is
with
1.50 A YEAR.
IV PAID OT ADTi
Batawlla-Haf
la aot -raaarlbe by fellaxs
aad eeata. namy
it zraa to aay i
HENRY GASS,
JMh !, bL
iflCfclBMa'fl
UNDERTAKER !
Cb1m : -ai : Metallic : Cases !
tr&patoi9of all kinds of Uphol
gteijGoodM.
UX GOLTJMBTJeHKBsU8XA.
GoiumDus Journal
Patting a crown on the head, pats
aotkiag kingly la the heart.
Abeat na.
When a pen has beea used it appears
to be spoiled place it over a flame (a
gaslight, for instance) for a quarter of
a minute, then dip it into water, and
it will be again fit for use. A new pen
which is found too hard to write with
will become softer by being heated.
Gee re Ellet'a Xeaaarial.
George Eliot's memorial at Nun
eaton, her native place, is a steam fire
engine named after her. Her admirers,
who do not like the association with a
Ire extinguisher, wish to substitute a
free public library in her name.
a d to nnunsa aanaua
KEQ.CIBED Or A
PRINTING IFFICE.
COUNTRY.
V
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