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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1887)
PF THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY. MARCH 20 , 1887.-TWELVE PAGES. GIN PALACES OF GOTHAM , Old-Time Places Per Liquid Encourage ment Vividly Called to Mind , DRINKING AT THE DELMONICOS The IIolTninii House nricl Ned Stokes An Art Gallery In n Couktnll Headquarters Brond- Avny Boozing. Nr.w YOIIK , March 17,1837. The open- Jng of a magnificently furnished cafe on the ground lloorofthoCasino _ _ _ _ , and the public ntteiitioirdrawn"thereto , suggests Iho oddity of there being a fasliion even in the eating and drinking of the metrop olis. 'No need to discuss the morale. That is fought both sides the line , and victory will ultimately perch on the proper banner during the millennial period , I doubt not. Wri tflUu things as wo find them , and WO'Hndthem ' in a period of ten years like the ilriuks dispensed , very much mixed. The gandincssand ostentatious display of to-day is in marked contrast to the all'ec- tation of simplicity a few years agowhen thu English chop-house and the English lap-room were models for metropolitan caterers. It would bo folly to imagine for an instant , and would insure derisive laughter if it were made the subject for serious argument , that the liquors sold in palatial cafes are necessarily of better quality than those sold in less preten tious bar-rooms. NBA It FULTON TEltKV , on South street , are several bar-rooms , with sanded tkfors , plain oak counters and massive spittoons , where plain glass bottles and thick tumblers are utilized by men between the hours of 13 at night and 2 in the morning , who know what good liquor is. These places am utilized by such men because they have found by ex perience that the whisky and the brandy and the gin are the best that can bo pro cured for money , while on a conspicuous corner of Broadway in a saloon that is ornamented and decorated at enormous cost , dudes and other idiots drink liquor that burns from the moment It passes the lips until it loses its virility by wrestling with thi ) stomachic coat. In the lower part of the city that is , along the river fronts arc innumerable places known , in the slung of the day , as gin-mills , whore longshoremen , sailors , stevedores and others who prefer their fluids , hot and biting , drink alleged whisky and brandy by the tumblerful at a gulp , and pay from throe to live cents therefor , and thcro are other places , worse than these , where liquors and beers of various make are intentionally drugged that their drinkers may be made stupid and fall easily a prey to the abandoned of both sexes who live there and there abouts. In some sections fashion has not changed for many years. The same dirt , the same squalor , the same uncanny look , the same dust , the same grade of infamous surroundings have been there as long as the memory of the present man can touch. TWENTY YKA1IS AGO everything was as plain as a pikestaff. 1 mean that twenty years ago the fashion able drinking saloons of Now York wore without tcs.silatcd pavements. No pic tures hung upon the walls ; the ceiling was a plain white ; thov wore lighted by ordinary chandeliers , One or two tables possibly stood about the place , a very few plain chairs , a file or so ol papers , but no fancy work , no gowgaws. Men walked in. stood at the counter , ordered , drank , paid , loft. Others sat at the little tables , read the paper , discussed with their friends , but there was nothing there to attract attention except the bottles behind - hind the bar and theappotito beneath the waistcoat. Dehnonico was the first to introduce anything like spaciousness down town. When Bowen & .Macnatuo , the cele brated anti-slavery house , moved from their store opposite Trinity church yard , on the ground of which now stands the now portions of the Equitablo's magnifi cent edifice , Delmonlco moved from the corner of Chambers street and Broadway to that location. Ho took the entire building , put his kitchen on the top floor , transformed the various lofts into dining- rooms , and utilized the lower floor as a cafe , lunch counter and barroom. But t even there there wasn't the faintest ap pearance of decoration nor the slight est pretence of elaborate show. It was , as all Dolinonlco's places are , largo , con venient , accessible , with au affectation of f simplicity indeed. HUT IT WAS A DEI'AUTUItK , n stop leading up to a very significant change in the Aitor house , whore the i vast space known as the rotunda , which , in olden times was used for various pur poses , was divided into a series of lunch counters , two in the , so to speak , center , two at the north , two at the south , with an enormous bar , stretching along the western side. One speaks of the Astor house as ho would of the sun , or the moon or the stars. Thcro is no such thing as advertising it. It exists , unique. It is the common center , between the hours of 11 and 11 whore all sorts and con ditions of humanity moot , where trans actions , running from the purchase of n doughnut , to the sale of a railroad are as common as peas in a pod. Its old I time managers adlnucd to the old-time form , but Allen & Dam changed all j that and introduced a superbly frescoed roiling , tinted walls , and n bar , the elaborate furnishing of which was long a theme for paragraphs in the news papers and conversation among Its patrons. The next great ston was taken by Uoed & Stokes in the Hoffman house. That doesn't bring us down to the present period by any manner of means , but it wan the first stop in a direction which seems to have turned TIIK WIIOt.K TOWN MAD. . , Without absolute knowledge on the ' subject , there is reason to believe that the 4 Hoffman house cafe , which is a combina tion of restaurant , bar-room , picture gallery - * lory and museum , cost , with its adorn ments , bewilderments and oddities , not 4 , far from f 100.000. Its pictures are known throughout the world of art. In fact , they constitute a gallery of itself worth * the study and careful , imticnt investiga tion of the most ardent lover of brush and pencil , of chisel and of mallet. Its table * , many of them I should say , quite forty or lifly , of solid mahogany. Its bar is n triumph of architectural beauty. The imngmca upon the wall , thu tapes tries , the collection of curious armors.tho models of bouts , the strange medley that confronts one on every hand , together constitute one of the sights of the city , where men take ladles on tours of inspec tion , as they would to the "Stntuo of Liberty , " to Trinity church , or to High bridge. The success of Dclmonico's down town found an em phasized parallel In that ot the Astor lioiiho , as it liints ti worthy combination in the success of the Hoffman. As in the Astor house , one can meet journalists , judccs , lawyers , ministers , priest ? , rabbis , teachers , brokers , bankerspoliticians , so , circling from the Broadway entrance , along the mnrbl * hull , around into the cafe and out upon Twenty-fourth btrcct. dnfiles from four In the afternoon until four In the following morning , in the Hoffman houio , R procession including TDK NOTKU MEN OK TIIK COUNTRY u well as ot the city. Men whoso clasics pcrhat > s arc somewhat more varied than those in the Astor house , inasmuch as the thO'Hoffman (5 ( utilized by theatrical people ple of various grades , of Bportfl of all sorts and name , in addition to the ordi nary ranges of humanity of whom I spoke above. The conveniences. In olden times , twenty years ago , if a guest in any restaurant , cafe , or barroom of the city wanted to send a telegram , it was necessary for him to carry it himself , or secure , haphazard , the services of an cmplove. How Is it to-day ? Why , In every hotel ot consequence , in every bar-room of any pretension what ever , you find messenger boxes by which you can summon scrvico-ut moderate rates , while in the Astor , Hoffman and other noted rendezvous the continuous click of the telegraph key nnd the fre quent hello ! hello ! of the telephone an swer for themselves this question. W hat are the conveniences ? You call your car riage , you send your letter , you wire your dispatch , you do a multitude of trilling acts which , crowded together , give co much more life , so much more achieve ment to ono's existence.than was enjoyed or could by any possibility have been en joyed by the generation preceding us. \ I'JI UNO TIIK IIAIf. Just for the fun of it 'jome with mo to the Hoffman house. At the left as you enter is the telegraph office , wliero pretty- faced girls nut intelligent heads and nim ble lingers at work "at your direction , where instant communication with cables that stretch from shore to shore can bo had , where messenger boys can bo sum moned at the instant. On the right a cigar stand , beyond it what is virtually n book store , for you can got there any periodical published on the face of the earth , with card writer , stenographer nnd typo writer at your hand. Passing the ollicc , turning to the left , you scent the sweet perfume from a displav unequaled - equaled of choice flowers Bootblacks in uniform await your order. A weigh ing machine stands ready to take your nickel and give your avoirdupois. A nickel-plated model of a Fall Hi vcr steam boat will puff its smoke and whirl its wheels in response to a nickel deposited. Oysters at the left , a free lunch at the right , amaze of bewilderments , produced by the happily combined efforts of art and science , confront you. Fictures that have cost from a thousand to twenty thousand hang upon the walls , and there , as t said , are this hundred thou sand dollars' worth of eye-attracting , soul-satisfying , 11ODY HUSTINO HEAUTIES. Y'ou wish to sco the governor. There ho sits. You want to meet the speaker. There no stands. Senators and assem blymen , judges and sheriffs , aldermen and boodlers , representatives of every newspapers in tno metropolis and ol every great newspaper the country round about are thoro. Maurice Bern- hardt , son of the famous Sarah , stands before me. Tall , slender , black-haired black-eyed , something like his mother in appearance , probably more like hi ; father. A group of managers Henry E Abbey , of ratti and Bernliardt fame , sits at a table , where are witli him John Stet son , the millionaire proprietor of the Globe theatre in Boston and the 1 iftl Avenue theatre in Now Yoik ; John McCaull , well known upon the circuit Maurice Grau , courtly nephew o his courtly uncle , Jacobi John B Schoeffcl , Abbey's partner in Iho manage mentof the Park theatre , Boston ; Nat Goodwin , who is as anxious to get away from the Bijou opera house managers are to hold him ; Al Hayman , manager fron San Francisco ; the white haired Nester from Chicago , Mr. MeVicker , and hi near neighbor , Uncle Dick Hooley. Nigh after night , from 10 until 2 , there can be found in that place men of affairs trom the country to the sea Buffalo Bill , will his long hair ; Stcol Mackayo , with hi grave face ; Tody Hamilton , Ham tun' fertile eulogizer ; correspondents rcpro sonting the great journals of the eas and west ; actors who have hurried from the theatres ; newspaper writers on their way homo ; politicians just in from Albany ; congressmen at homo or visitor from abroad ; every man of distinctioi who is stopping in the city for n day o bo. The whole metropolitan panoranin passes that way every day. And it in a typo. As it is the largest and most expensive pensive , it is the best known ; but thpr are others in the city which , following the lead set by NED STOKES and his partner , are in their ways quit as attractive and moro cosy , where th procession is not so lone , where the pan orama is less diversified , where there i not so much of the ongoing of the world' exterior. There is ono immediately opposite posito Wallace's theatre white outside white inside , with a curiously mosaicize floor , looking like a pudding stone an congregation of little pieces of marble ana so one , whore a now style of bullc bar is in vogue , and , by the way , tin may bo said to bo the latest wrinkle There is ono in A. T. Stewart's raarbl building , corner of Chambers street ant Broadway , and another in the Potto building , corner of Park Row anu Beek man street , where there is no opportu nity , whore there is no bar against whic to loan or over which to stand and argue One side of the room is occupied by bullet with a sort of bellied con tor. In front of this , not be hind it , stand the bar-keepers and the guests or customers give the ! orders , without opportunity toe conver sation or discussion , and where you are expected to order what yon want , take it , pay for it and leave ; but in addition to this of which I speak , opposite Wai- lack's there are half dozen , variously sit uated on Broadway and adjacent streets , where the elaborate ornamentation Intro- ducod in the Hoffman house is followed , to a greater or. loss degree. UUNNINQ Ul' IN COST _ _ _ to several thousand dollars each. And this at n time when the legislature of the state is in the very throes of dis putation as to a high license law , and when the temperance orators are burn ishing up their honors , and the prohlbl- tion phalanx is preparing to carry war into the very heart of their enemy. Is drinking on thu decline ? On the contrary there never was a lime in my experience when daily drinking was M > universally a habit as now. Old men and young men drink , and , worse ! , boys of tender years follow their exam I- ple. Brokers drink b < : cni ; o they are excited - cited ; dry goods dealers drink because trade is dull ; all manner of excuses are made by people who need make none , " and fortunes are coined by men whoso mental faculty is sharpened to the point of appreciation of the fact that appetite is stronger than principle , and some of ' Iho most palatial residences in this city are owned by individuals who , twenty years ago , were barkeepers in other pro- tile's saloons , but upon whom the tide of fortune flooded us soon as they opened places of their own. Our chief streets are lined with saloons of the gorgeous typo I have referred to , and certain localities i , which a few brief years ago were recog nized as our choicest streets for residen- donees , are now transformed into thor oughfares lined on either side by ullegod restaurants , which are in reality simply a style of private bar-room , with supper room attached. * Twenty-third street Is a conspicuous illustration of this. From Broadway over to Seventh avenue almost every house , formerly occupied by well- Known citizens , is transformed into n more or Jess respectable resort , whore drinking by both sexes is the order of the day and revelry the disorder of the night. London papers toll of a spaniel which saved the life of n cat Tim owner ot both clodded to drown the cat , nnil threw It Into a river. Tim dojc rescued tabby , and the man threw li r In unla. Thin tlniti the spaniel took the cut to the otbcr shoru , FARM TALKING IN FRANCE , American Agriculture Mftde a Prominent Subject of Debate , POLITICAL AND PERSONAL PARIS Ilcnrl Itochefort's Ten of Gull W r Humors and Speculation A Unll Without a "Fnliit * ItiK Spell , " PAUIS , March ! . tCorrcspondonco of the BKK. ] Free-thinking Henri Hochc- fort has not lot the Hivicra earthquake go by without finding in this disaster ma terials for an attack on his bete noire , the church. Ho entitles his Intransigeant editorial "Tho Finger of Providence , " and asks at the start how it happens that the clergv do not attribute this natural catastrophe to divine wrath. He , of course , answers his own question in the next paragraph. "Because the churches have suffered more than ether edifices The first person to receive a fatal blow in this cataclysm was a sister , who , like the unfortunate woman of the bible , was stoned to death. " In a post scriptum the merciless priest-hater calls attention to tl'c chapel at Bajardo , whoso roof foil in and buried beneath its ruins 800 worshippers - pers , and adds : "What a lugubrious corroboration - roboration of what I have iust written. " It is only in the midst of a bitter con test between church and state like that now waging In Franco that such arms are used. But it must bo said in fairness to the fiery editor of the Intransigeant that it is not ho who throws the first stone. Take for instancothis silly airainst modern science that appeared in a recent number of the Ultramontaino Univors , which holds the same position in the French religious press that the In transigeant does in the republican press , namely , at ono of the extremes , The ether day in the chamber of depu ties , M.Pcllotan showed conclusively that the crisis through which French agri culture is now passing is due , not to the competition of foreigners , but to the old- fashioned modes of cultivation and to the imperfect means of transportation that prevail in this country. "Look at what they are doing on the other side of the Atlantic , " exclaims M. Pelletan ; "I take ono of the old western states , Illinois How has its prodigious agricultural wealth boon acquired ? Not through emigration , since there are only 400,000 farmers for 275.000 farms in that state. Nor are the highways so line as ours.or the railroads so con tiguous. You will say that it is attributable to the fecundity of the soil. But tills is only a partial explanation of the phenomenon. No ; the real reason is that while wo cling to antiquated cus toms , antiquated laws and antiquated implements ; while our scientific agricul turists teach us that for a farm of about forty-live acres live hands arc necessary , and'extra ones besides during harvest- time , in America two men cultivate n much larger area of ground , steam and machinery have been bent to the work. Sowing and reaping have been revolu tionized , and mechanical contrivances that wo know nothing about have boon brought into play for the handling and transportation of grain. "And just think of the distances that American corn is carried. Although raised in the center of the continent , il is sold on the seaboard. What would say our farmers in the neighborhood of Dunkirk , if their market were at Barcelona lena , Spain ? And yet Chicago is about as far as that from the Atlantic. "Hero then are the advantages that the United States have over us in this matter of agriculture ; they enjoy genuine democratic institutions , they have per fected their mechanical methods anci they have forced the railroads to servo public interests , and not exclusively those of the stockholders. Why cannot wo imitate America in some of these re spects ? There will bo found the remedy for the present evil and not in & resort to protection. " M. Pelletan's speech reminds mo of discussion that I once listened to on the top of a stage coach in the south o : Frrnco. The driver was defending the reaping methods practised in his region against the attacks of a farmer from the neighborhood of Toulouse. It appeared that , in the first instance , the custom waste to seize the standing grain witli the left hand and cut it with a sickle , while the Touiouseno improvement thereon was the employment of the cradle ! What a revolution will M. Polletan's speech bo to these men , if they chance to read it , am how their conversation shows the cor rcctness of his views. Although the French may have some thing to learn from us in the depart mcnt of agricultural machinery , they are unquestionably our masters In the culinary art. The truth of this assortjoi must bo admitted after a moment's glance around the tables in the paviljon oftho , city of Paris where is now being'.held the fifth annual exhibition of the Society of French cooks. This exhibition evidences in many ways the high esteem in which gastro nomy is held in Franco. Its honorary president is no less a personage than the ministcry of commerce ami industry. Imagine a member of President Cleve land's cabinet patronizing such an enter prise ! Why , no would surely bo im peached , if not by the senate , at least by pubiic opinion. In the catalogue of the exhibition the cooks often give the name of their mas ter , especially if ho is known in public or is a member of the nobility. And thoy. of course , do this with the tacit consent of these same masters , for in Franco a good kitchen counts for more than a tine lion.-o. So wo find M. Sohcinbonbagon announcing that ho presides over the kettles aim saucepans of the Baron Tos- sirza , while M. Avalard fills the same of fice at the Count do Urammont's. M. Achillo O/.anno , the editor of the organ of the socioty.a bi-monthly entitled L'Art Cuiinaire , Is always ready to inform yon that ho was once the chef of his majesty the king of Greece. M. Ozanno is also famous , by the way , as the author of a receipt for American lobster salad , written - ton in verse , with a prologue. But I am told that the rhyme of the receipt is far inferior to the flavor of the salad. The society does its utmost to encourage - ago excellence. The catalogue of this exhibition civcs a long list ot "laureates" who have carried off grand prizes and medals of honor , second prizes and third prizes. The rules governing the admis sion of exposcrs tire as precise and strin gent as those of a world's fair. Some of Uiom may , however , provoke a smile. This one , for example : "Every inedited ish must bo accompanied by the receipt thereof. " The mat kcd attention paid to the ap prentices for in Franco cooking is even a nuirc serious study than medicine with us is very slgnilicant and goes far to explain - plain why the French chot is facile urin- cops the world over. Thus , these bud ding cordons bleus have a whole table to themselves , and if , turning from the mag nificent productions of their elders , you find a falling oft' in imagination and ex ecution in these maiden efforts , still yon are easily convinced that you ECO before you the handiwork of more than one future Vntol , At the Klysco ball the other night , the cooks were kept busy , for , although M. Urcvcy sent out only half as many invi- The attention of the people of Omaha and vicinity is qallocleo our select assortment of WALL PAPERS A line we are confident will bo found larger and better than any before offered in the city. On Monday , wo will offer for sale the following : 20,000 , Rolls at 10 Cents Rer Roll , 30,000 , Rolls at 12 1-2 Cents Per Roll 50,000 , Rolls at 15 Cents Per Roll , , , 1 . ' ' , This last lot comprises some beautiful patterns. Come and select first. 50,000 Rolls at 25 Cents a Roll. , This assortment is the finest put on exhibition ; all new and latest designs. ! 10,000 , Rolls at 30c Per Roll , 5,000 , Rolls at 50c Per Roll , Half of this lot are "Hand Prints , " which we propose to close out. They sold last year at 75oandl per roll. 4,000 , rolls at 65c per roll , 5,000 , rolls Ingrain at 40c per roll Ingrains are the Latest Novelty in Decorating. Sold Last Year at 500 and 6oc Per Roll. We have Reduced the Price on Lincrusta to almost that of Pressed Papers , Those Wishing to Dscorate their Residences with this Beautiful Article will find it to their Interest to Call Those who cannot afford the expense of a pat > er hanger , we ask to examine our stock and prices before buying. HENRY LEHMAN , - - - 1508 DOUGLAS STREET tations this year as last , the parlors were crowded , and especially the refreshment room , where scones are often witnessed that remind you of what occurred at a recent party at the Chinese minister's in Washington. Nobody tainted this season in the pres idential ball room , but it was impossible , as of yore , to dance "tho glide , " for lack of space , and the "hop waltz" was ren dered dillicult because the couples were glued to the floor by side pressure. " .1 never saw such squeezing,1' remarked an ancient maiden lady to her charge. "But it wasn't ray partner's fault , " answered the young girl naively. The venerable host seemed more satis fied with his entertainment than many of his crumpled and panting guests. Pres ident Grevy appeared strong and well , although his gait is beginning to show the advance of years. I venture to pre dict , however , that ho will live out his term. So Messrs Jules Ferry , do Frey- cinct , Henri Brisson , ct al. , must be phil osophically patient until 181I15 , or aban don the desire to succeed the present in cumbent. M. Grovy may oven survive them all , a pleasant prospect for M. Daniel Wilson , the president's shrewd son-in-law , who not only resides at the Elyseo Palace , but if wo believe the quidnuncs rules there , too. . 4 One of M. Grevy's ministers , M. Flour- ens , who presides over the foreign of fice , is just now the object of a good deal of political criticism , for the Blowitz- Flourens-Boulangor imbroglio is still the talk of the cafes and newspaper oiliccs. That Iho Times correspondent and min ister of war should be in hot water again is not surprising , , l for it is their normal condition. But that the minister of foreign affairs , whom nobody had over heard of until M. Goblet unearthed him a few weeks ago , and whom nobody will probably over hear of acain when this morbund cabinet finally expires , as it itiust very soon- that M. Flourens should have done anything worth talking about , astonishes oven his friends. And now that M do Blowitz has told the whole story , it appears in deed Unit not monsieur but madaine , not the minister but his wife , is the cause of the present tempest in a tea-pot. Here is the tale briefly told : Do Blowitz tele graphs the Times that Boulanger , with out consulting his colleagues , sent n lot- 'tor ' to the Russian minister of war. Thereupon the government and General Boulanger deny the allegation of the Times correspondent , and do Blowitz , driven into a corner , boldly declares , to consternation of'the Flourons the homo- circle , that the wife of the minister ot foreign affaire told the daughter of the German ambassador 'at Ilaris , the statement which appeared in I ho London Times. Cherchozla fcmmo , say the French. But who would have imagined to find in tfiis instance that the marplot was the wife of B'julangor's col league ! The Intransigeant is terribly severe on poor Mrrio. Flourens , calling her "a Catherine III. , " Catherine- . , it will be remembered , having conspired against her husband. There is some talk of making M. Flourons a senator. "Tho only danger is , " says Henri Kochefort , whoso piquant comments in current events 509111 to bo at the head as well as at tne tail ot this rambling letter , "that the voters may bo captivated by the cunning Mmo. Flourens and send the wito up to the Luxembourg instead of the husband. " But this would not bo so grave a blunder as might bo imaged , for what would bo tl'o husband's loss would bo the senate's gain. PI.AISANUE. BLOOD AND IRON. Wallace lIteed In the Atlanta Constitution. I. John Blair came to a sudden halt in the middle of the road. "Shall I go on to Bothcl church ? " ho asked , or loaf about in the sunshine ? " Althougluhcro wiis , no ono in sight , ho spoke aloud. "What do I care for old Parson Dry- man ? " ho continued. "Ho has frightened alt these timid fools so that they have turned hvpocritcs to escape the wrath to come. Well , I'll take my chances. " Sturdy , broad-shouldered , with a bullet head , a square face , massive jaws , a resolute - elute mouth and cold gray eyes , John Blair looked the very incarnation of strength and courage. Ho stood still a moment and glanced up and down the narrow country road as it meandered through the brown and barren fields and rocky woodlands until it lost itself in the roil hills. The dilapidated rail' fence by the wayside - side attracted his attention. "Just like neighbor Morris , " ho said with a grim smilo. "Dick is a fool , of course , and with such land as that ho couldn't do much , but ho could dobetter. Look at my place. It was almost as bad , but 1 have turned it into u garden spot. " John Blair loaned1 over the rotting fence and critically surveyed the land scape. The patches of half cleared land visible in the stunted forests on the rocky hillside did not pronnio much. "As I am not going to old Bethel , " said Blair , "I'll do u little exploring. " Ho cautiously climbed the fence and . * Uk . > - jrit j j * started with a swinging stride in the di rection of the hills. Two hours later John Blair struggled up out of a ravine with a brown lump in his hand. His face was white as a sheet , and his eyes blazed with excitement. Ho swung nis hat around his head. "Gold ! Gold ! Gold I" ho shouted. Then witli a seared look he crouched down in the grass , still holding the brown lump in hi * hand. "What a fool I am ! " he whispered. "But nobody hoard mo. It is Sunday , and mv good neighbor Morris is at church. " Ho pulled out his knife , and with the stout blade chipped off a few pieces from his mysterious lump. These he examined closely. "I was right , " ho almost gasped , with a sigli of relief. "This is iron and noth ing elwo. My mining days in Pennsyl vania taught mo something. I know good ore when 1 sec it. " Taking the specimens in both hands ho throw it with all his force against a rock and broke it. Ho scrutinized the frag ments. "It is iron , " ho repeated , "and that means gold. Yes , gold ! " he exclaimed , again giving away to his excitement. Blair sprang to his feet and looked about him. There was no ono to bo seen. Gathering un the pieces of his specimen ho walked rapidly down to a little creek at the foot of the hill and throw them into the water. II. Dick Morris thought that his luck had changed when John Blair made him an offer for his farm. There was very little haggling over terms. Morris was chid to get anything , and when ho carried homo a thousand lollars In twenty dollar gold pieces , Mrs. Morris and the throe tow-headed child- : en were so much agitated that their first rupulso was to sit up all night. They inally compromised by going to bed and remaining wide awake until daylight. The Morrises packed up their houso- tiold goods and lost no time in transfer ring themselves to the west. They were slad to leave the old red hills whore they liad known nothing but poverty and toil. Honest Dick Morris foit some compunc tions of conscience , although ho could not see whore ho was to bhiine , and be fore his departure ho hunted up John Blair. "Now , John , " said ho , apologetically , 'I hope von are satisfied with the trade ? " "Oh , it will do , " answered Blair , puff ing away at his cob pipe. ' 'You know 1 never bragged about the place , but then you know it us well ns 1 do or bettor. " "Just so , " assented Blair , shortly , "I know it as well as you do or bettor. " "Then I am satisfied , " said Morris. "Good-byo , old follow , and may the good Lord prosper you and yours. " The ether took his hand , and looking down nt the ground , said : "Good-byo , Morris. Take my advice , and stick to the west. There is iv chance tliero for you. Thcro is none hero , as you know. As for myself , 1 am a good worker , ami can make a living whore you would fail. " They parted good friends , and the Morrises started on their western trip. "I can't help fooling sorry for Blair , " said Dick to his wifo. "Ho was always so ollisli that I nnyer know what a good follow ho was until wo got to trading. When wo get settled and begin to pros per , I shall try to persuade him to como out and join us. " And Dick felt the weighty money bolt around his waist , and beamed all over with good nature and gratitude. III. The growth ot Ironboro w'as almost magical. In the region around it nothing like it had over been known. When Blair found that big brown lump ho had found a fortune. Blair was no ordinary farmer. Ho had a head for affairs. Ho organized a com pany and controlled it. Capital was ob tained , and ho controltod that too. He was so strong-willed and clear-headed that few men were his mutch. They recognized - cognized his gift of leadership , and yielded to him. So Ironboro was laid out. A railroad was built from it to ono of the main transportation linos. Furnaces , rolling mills , steel works and kindred industries were soon in full blast. Statefy struc tures of granite and brick were oreeted. In five years Ironboro was a flourishing little city. In ton years it was an impor tant industrial centor. In fifteen years it was generally spoken of as a me tropolis. So much prosperity had Its n atur effect upon John Blair. The Iron King , ns ho was called , had always been cold and unsympathetic , and his success did not change him for the better. "The proudest man that overstepped , " said ono of his acquaintances in speak ing of him , and his appearance justified If John Blair loved anybody it was his daughter , a beautiful girl just bloom ing into bollohood. Sim was motherless , and perhaps this had something to do with her father's tenderness. It was to dream of ills daughter and plan a birthday tmrpriso for her that the millionaire took a stroll on a quiet Sab bath morning in the suburbs of Ironboro. Ho answered the salutations of his fcl- low-townsmen with a curt neil and pro ceeded on ills way. He could not afford to shake hands with any human creature unless ho represented n cool million at the very least. Un anil still onward the rich man walked , until he was out of sight of tow ers and steeples and mansard roofs , lint the unusual exercise fatigued him and iinally ho throw himself upon a moss- covered rock in a shady covert and gave himself up to his thoughts. "Jennie would like this , " ho saiil , "I must bring her out hero. The very place for a summer resort. " Then ho thought of his daughter's birthday , and his hard face softened. What was that ? It soouicd like a stealthy Btop in the bushes. Blair glanced around him. His keen gray eyes had their old eagle like range , and they took in everything. ' It was something , " he said ns lie ro- clincil on his elbow , and proceeded to build more air-castles for Jennie and himself. Another rustle among the dead lea vo Was it somebody or was it an animal. The loneliness of the place put Blair on his guard. He was absolutely fearless , but as the Iron King , ho felt that it was his duty to take care of himself. His ap prehensions howover.iif .he had any , van- shed when ho saw a gray-haired , feeble- ooKing man , in tattyrod garments , emerge from the depths of the forest and stamrbcforc him. The newcomer paused and looked Blair steadily in the face. "Move onl" commanded tlto latter. The tramp aid not stir. His thin , yel- ow face bora the lines of care and suf fering , and his garb showed that h < ) had traveled far , and had boon exposed to all sorts of weather. "This is no place for tramps , " said Blair coldly , "vou must move on. " "John Blair ! " The millionaire started. "What do jou mean by addressing mo in that way ? ' " ho shouted , "heave at onco. " "John Blair , have you forgotten mo ? " The other looked steadily at the man a moment. "I do not know yon , " was his reply. "lam Dick.Morris. " Blair assumed a sitting posture and grasped his walking stick with u linn grin. Well , " ho remarked carelessly , "yon sucm to have had a rough tussle with the world. Such is life. Some go up and some go down , i have gone up. " Morris remained silent , and his im passive face expressed no emotion , "But you should have stuck to the west , Dick. Hal ha ! A great country is the west. Thcro was room for you out there. I am surprised to sco you hack here. " "John Blair " Morris "if , replied , my appearance turprises you , what do you think my surprise must bo ? 1 left this place a wilderness. 1 lind it a greatcity. " "Just so , Dick. It is a great city. And 1 have made it. I own most of it. I own most of the men and women in it. Why , Dick , those hirelings over there , whether they wear broadcloth or jeans , are mv slaves. Ihoy run at my beck and call. They bask in my smile , and are wretched when 1 frown' The Lord has been good to me , old follow , " "And wiiat lias made you so rich ? " nskud Morris , licrcoly. " "Brains , friend Morris ; brains and bard work. " "Why not say robbery V" "See hero , Dick Morris , you must take yourself oil' , growlcu the Iron King. "But it was robbery , " was the answer. " 1 know tlio whole story. Von too1' ad vantage of 1113' ignorance and stupidity. 1'ou prowled ubout on my land , and dis covered iron. Then you stull'ud mo with western fables , bought my property for a bong , and persuaded mo to try my luck beyond the Mississippi. 1 tooic your ad vice. I went. The land swindlers got most of my mom > j * . I toiled hopelessly with my wife and children year after year , but to no purpose. 'I he deadly swamp fever carried oil' my family one by one , and loft mo the wrcok of my former solf. 1 tramped it all the way here , and what have 1 found ? Happiness ami wealth that should have teen mine 1 lind centered in you. " ' Blair rose to his'feet. His face had re its every day hard look. "Well , what are you going to do about it ? " ho asked. "Tho law is on my Hide. " "Tho law ! " mienrod Morris. "What is the law worth when you have an utterly desperate man to deal with ? " Tiic millionaire turned palo. What was the law worth in Hiicli a cafe ? He grasped his stick inovo firmly. "Did you follow me here ? " ho asked. "I did ! " "Ami your object V" "To kill you I" Blair raised his stick. Morris ( "topped back and drew a pistol. "Hold , my friend , " Raid the threatened man , "you do not mean to su.y that be- caitso I not " thu best of you In a trade you arc going"to murder mo ? The Iron is mine. " iti "And your bloodM mini * , " cried Mor- nsl cooking his pistol. 1'or God sake , Morris , stop ! Wo can iimku some arrangement. Think of my daughter ! " "Your daughter , you robb"-1 * VL wui my daughter's futu * " . , i-jli. ! * , With the desperate fury of a bravo man at bay , Blair rushed forward with uplifted stick. A sparp report rang out , and the iron king fell heavily to the ground -with a bullet through his brain. * tt * Blair's fate had a mystery connected with it that the Ironboro detective could not unravel. A pistol was found by the dead man's side. Was it murder or sui cide ? The disappearance- an unknown tramp gave color to the murder theory , but the fact that the dead had not been robbed made it doubtful. The truth was not known till months later , when a dy ing tramp in a hospital in a distant city told the story of the crime. Ho ex pressed no regrets , and with his last breath exclaimed : "I had to take his life to get oven. It took his blood to pay tor my iron ! " SOMR ANIMAL HTOUlES' W , II. Dnlton , of Palatka , Fin. , 1ms a Mnl- a.trsn cat that Is twenty-two years old. The cat is too deaf to be a successful niouser , but sn't slow In getting around when a rat is near by. The Miles City Journal Rives currency to i rumor that a band of sheep recently snowed n survived two weeks ana grow fat feeding on ono another's fleece.r In a great storm of snow nd sleet recently n Knglnml the wlincs of r66l < 8 froze fast'to heir bodlrs , and hundreds of the birds were killed by falling : trees , being unable to lly. The janitor of the court house at Oultmore , a. , Ims a net In a big white rat. The other day a Inrco common rat was turned into the room with the white one. and they got Into despp.ruto light. The white one finally gained , ho victory. Deer are abundant In Calaveras county , al. A herd of twenty-six came down to settler's cabin the other day , and ho shot HVB of them without going twenty feet from hn ! lour. Two miners on snow shoes , going through the woods , came upon a line uoo ana ran her down in the deep snow. Jacob Smith , of Pcrrvsvlllo , Ky. , missed us horse ono day recently , and was highly Incensed against the animal , which Imd a propensity for straying. Mr. Smith was pro pitiated , however , when the horse returned mer an absence of twelve hours , carrying in his mouth a pockctbook containing $5. As Am on True , of Clark , was going through the woods the oilier day , accompan ied by his dog. which Is part collie , part New foundland , lie came suddenly upon n bltr sray wolt. The dog at once tackled the jcust and for half an hour tlio battle rated , but finally the do * cot a throat-hold and strangled the wolf. A year ngo Clmiles Johnson , of Oilftin.Gn , , bought a jtitbUicu kitten and gave It to Ida children tor a pot Ono day It disappeared , and wlinn Mr. Johnson found It , weeks afterwards. It had turned perfectly gray. Tno clmngo In the color of the cat's hair Is sup posed to have been caused by grief at its sep aration trom the children. C. P. Marshall , of Perry. Ga. , shut up tils cat In tno dining room ono afternoon last week and went Into the library to take a nnpj Half an hour alterward he was surprised to find Tom purring away on ihe sofa beside him. 'Ihe cat had climbed up the dinlntf- room chimney , walked across the roof and ' 3 do = ccnded tlnough the other chimney into V the library. The great tit , the enemy of the beekeeper , 4 not only picks up the dead bees In winter , but Invites live ones out by pecking at Hie mouths of the hives. Ho secures many by tills ruse , but In an Kia-llsji town a trap was , ' set for the gieat tit , and caught him by the letr , wlipn at once a number of IHTH rushed out and stune him round the beak and eyes , and In exactly lour minutes ho was dead , Mrs. William Ualloy. of lllpley , Pa. , went J the other morning to milk her cow , n very ' Vidualile tlioroiignhred , and was gone so long that her husband wont to see what was the , i matter , lie found the cow f-tandlng over the I dead body of his wife , whom slio had gored < to death , and when he undertook to lomovo i the hocly thn mnd niihual attacked him. and j but for the arrival of neighbors wo.i Id have fl killed him alsu. 4 Forty-nine years ago the falhnr of llarilson ; Gllburt. of Chill. HI. , bought a tuo-yer-od ! ( pony from Iho Indians. When thu war of i ( lie rebellion began the pony was twenty-five vcnrs old , hut Mr.Gllbert rode hlm'allIhrou.'h 5 the war , nnd neither was hurt Tno old follow - I low still lives , tenderly cared for. Ho hasn't ri a tooth In his head , llvo.s on corn-bread and > bran mash , and Is prolmblv the oldest horse 3 In America , if not in the \voild. ; 5 Mrs. Jennie ! Cluto , of lonln. Mich. , was at- Vi tacked last week by a largo Plymouth Hock ! loostcr , which flew at her , knocke'cl her < down , nnd followed up hi * unexpected attack - " tack with bill and claws. Her screams . alarmed the hired help , whn came to the res- cuu with a pall of writer and stove-hook , and , after thoronglilv soaking the bird with tha ' water and heallni : his head fo a Jelly with tlioMovfl lioolf. Mrs. ( Jliito was IC CIUM ! , but her Injuries will conllno her to the house for several weeks. t On a pedestal near the gat ot tlm Clnelij > } natl ynolo leal ( .MideiiK there recently stood ' . the stulIVil liuiiniot n donltev which , wlion , alive , withstood thn attacks of a lion and . ' ] beat Him off. The lion , it RCOIIIS , had broken out of his raire and escaped to a wood near bv. On a urnssy hillock mljolnnu a donkey j ; ily stretched In jilacld sliimlior-n sluuitxT , . that u'asnulelv dlstiiihcd by the linn , who , ] In a few bounds was upon lilin. When tha donkey fell tilt * L'roat rims' ! of llcsli de.scend ji upon him ns If from the nlniuls ho was stunned - nod and Indignant , but not frightened , prr < haps , b-'catisc Im had never mud tiny of the i wonderful Moilesal'out thelloii. He < ; iilcU > | recovcicd from Iliu Mow. and , r I sine. ho ] -I out Imth hind fed at thn same time , ana i can lit tin- lion squaielv In the forelictd. i lladly hurl , the lion skulked otf , and tutor tti - ' ifoukpy Uhd : of the \voucil received nt tn * oil set. ' "