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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1895)
THE OMAHA DAILY 3JJ312 : . Hi * > DAT , JULY 21 , 1S05. 19 , ( C'upyrlKlit. 1S05. by S. n. Crockett. ) CHAPTER XXVII. So on the morrow , early In the morning , wo fared on Into the hills ; and when wo came to Tonskeen In the wildwo found my mother nnd Kate there. They were both well In health' and glad to greet us , though my mother was doleful because of the news of Sandy's taking , which had been brought to her. Yet , all of us did our best endeavors to bo cheerful , as was the custom In Galloway at that time , when there was hardly a family that had not eonio cause of mourning and Borrow , though I do think that there WON not one so deep In the mire as our unfortunate house of Earlstoun. At Tonskeen also we found Thomas Wilson , brother of our sweet little Margaret. He brought us sad news of her since she had been separated from Malsle and her father after the capture and taken toward Wlgton Instead of accompanying them toward Edln burgh. Thomas told us that his sister waa confined In the Thieves' IIolo at Wlgton. lie told us of her sham trial , and , splto of our sore hearts , he almost made us laugh with his ac count of the Indictment which Wlndram and Coltran In their cups , as I presume had laid against her. Along with our Margarel had been taken her little slsfer cf 13 , named Agnes , who happened to be walking by her sldo ns they came doun Wlglon streets. Both these young things had been most barbarously treated by the noble Judges of Wlgton Sheriff Davlo Graham , Lag , Strahan and Wlndram Worst of all wan David Graham , for he had both his hands upon the fines , and he dcslret above ell to amerce Gilbert Wilson , the lass' father , the tenant of Glonvernock In the par ish of Penlnghame , Gilbert was a man well- to-do , keeping a good stock , both of nolt and sheep upon n large ground , and so the more apt to bo fined. He was a quiet , ahowloss pleasantly conforming man , that was willing to let his heading of the curates keep his .y head , nut ho could not help his children , a : alas ! who can ? For years ho was harasse * with having to go to Wlgton every day. lie was near eaten out of house and homo will having soldiers quartered upon him ; and al because his children had chosen to endure hardship cheerfully for the good cause , am to serve under Christ's blue banner that ha the cross upon ft , at least so far as youni balrna may. So from a child Margaret hat companled with those who spoke and lovei the truth. .She had spent much of her time over since she was a lassie of 10 , when mos children think but of their plays , with my sober Malslo Lennox at the Ducbrao. Am afterward , when she grow to be of ago when lassos think of the lads , Margaret , for th sake of her faith and for naught else , lived on the wild mountains. In the bogs and caves o the hillsides. To mo Margaret Wilson over seemed the stillest of quiet maids ; but , as our Malsle usei lo say , terrible set In her opinions when once she had taken her stand. At 18 she was a tall maid , with a great blowing mass o ! lnt white hair that was like gold with th r.un on It. Well might she have been some man's delight had she not beeu ( as she sail when the lads speered her ) trysted to n hlghe bridegroom. The first party of soldiers t whom she was delivered let her go to he owu home from the crossing of the water a Cree. So she traveled on to the town o Wlfiton. where , with the little lass Agnes In her hand , she was resting In a friend's house when drunken Wlndram , ever keen of seen for an Ill-done deed , got track of her beln In the town. He sent soldiers to take he on the spot , together with her sister of i : years , and to thrust them Into the Thieves Hole that was In the Tolbooth of Wlgton where they put only the most notorious male factors. All this and more Thomas AVIlson told us how that his sisters and an aged woman were confined there and guarded by mos brutal toldlen yea , had been doomed to b S- e Cnwlns nnd dplartlng d rts , " he wild , shaking IU Hat at them. IrowneJ within the tide mark In a very short ipace of time though the day of their death la as yet knew not. Whereat our brave Malsle Lennox was eager to go down to Wlglon and try for a rescue if ne could raise those that would help u . Dut ire could not suffer her to go , though most eady to adventure ourselves. The good folk > f TonrktNsu were very willing to let my nether and the maids abide with them : for ilnce the taking of Anton Lennox no soldiers lad been seen In the district , and the slaying ) f wicked Mardrocbat , the Informer , hid feared the Ill-set Informing people greatly , BO that for a long season there was no more of that. . H seemed strange , yet so It was , that Ualsle Lennox , who had tefn ber father pass , is It were , to hU death without a tear , wept constantly for her friend and goaalp , Mar garet of Olenverucck , "They cannot * condemn Margaret. They will not condemn little Margaret ! " ulio said over nd over as women use. "Ay , but condemned her they have ! " Mid her brother Thomas , "for they libel It against her anS Axnfs that they were > guilty of re bellion at Ilothwcll llrlg and Alrsmoss " "TU plainly Impossible. " I said : "taa udges cannot mean aught to their hurt. Why , at Hothwell Margaret was but 12 , and Ittlo Agnes a paldllng bairn of 7 years. \nd as for Alrsmoss , the poor bairns were never within twenty miles of either place In heir lives. " Uut Thomas Wilson , a quiet , plain-faced ad , only mistrustfully shook his head. "It , Is even true , " lie said , "they mean to nske them suffer now they can ; but we will even hao a thraw ut It to see It we caiiua ircak through the Thieves' Hole and draw he lasses forth. " So It was set for the following night that we should make the attempt to break the Thieves' Hole. The morrow when It came iroved to bo n clear day and fine overtiead , .vhlch . augured not well for our attempt. We md rather had the blackest and wildest night for our venture. Hut we had but little time , and so we set off to travel by the road the weary miles to Wlgton. We hid all the after noon In a wood at Machermore , and laid our plans. It was about It of the clock that wb went down Into Wlgton with the breaking tools that Thomas liad gotten from his father's farm as wo passed down through I'enlnghame. At the door of the llttlo hostelry we heard a great rioting and crying , which was , as we understood , the soldiers of Wlndram , and some of Strahan's men drinking Late with the Wlgton lawyers , ns was their custom. A grmt. Important-looking man wimt by us swaying a little unsteadily. He made a great work with his elbows as lie went , working them back and forward at his sides as though he was oaring .A boat. This , Thomas Wilson whispered , was Provost Col tran , going home to his town house , after ho and David Oraliam had bad their night cap together. Very evidently the provost was carrying his full load , for in the midst of the Ill-kept square of Wlgton , where certain tall trees grow , he p.tused and looked upward among the leaves at the crows chattering late among their eggs and younglings. "Crawln1 and splartln' dells , " ho said , shaking one fist up at them , and holding to a tree with the other. "I'll hao ye brocht afore the teen coonsll and fined aye , an' a' your goods and gear ifliall be escheat to the crown. Illootl mo gin a dlnna , or my name Is no I'rovost Coltran ! David Graham wull be glad to hear o' this ! " So saying he staggered away homeward there to underlie- the Ill-scraped tongue of his wife for coming home In such a condition , albeit not much worse than was usual with him. him.About About Tolbooth It was very still , and al was still also In Lag's lodging , whose windows dews looked down upon It. We got close to the window of the Hole and crouched to wait for the deepest darkening behind some low , Ill-smelling sheds. In which pigs were grunting and snoring. But at the 10th of May It Is very i'glit ' at night , and especially In such a place as Wlg ton , which sits not among the hills , but as 11 were on n knowo under a wide arch of sky which makes It llttlo and lonely under al : that vastness. Thomas Wilson was to gather a few trusty lads ( for there were still such about the place ) , who should attempt to burn down tlie door of the Hole , while Wat nnd I with our crowbars or gellecks , our mallets and chisels , were to try our best with the window. What galled up was the light in the west , which remained lucid and clear as though the sky Itself were shining even In the midst of the night , a thing which I had never seen In my own hill lands , but often upon the flats of Wlgton. Our hearts were mealing , I warrant , when we stole out to make our attempt. This we did at 11 by the town knock , and there was no better or more kindly dark to be looVd for. It was silent as the square of Wlgton save for the crows that Provost Coltran bad shaken his fist at. As we- stole to the win dow , that was no moro tban a bole wlds enough , the bars being removed , to allow a man's body to pass through , we heard the praying of the prisoners within. U was the voice of Margaret Wilson. When last 1 heard that voice It was In swest and wi manly converse with Malsle Lennox concerning the light matters , which women love to speak of , but are Immediately silent about when a man comes by aye , even If that Man be their nearest. For this Is the : iaturo o" woman. Hut at the first rasp of the chlssl there was silence within , for the prisoners knew well that only friends would try to enter In that way. We could hear the lads piling fagots at the outer door , as had been done once b'fore with great success when the bars were burnt within half an hour , but since the fire would assuredly bring the soldiers , 1 was put off till we had made our attemp upon the window. Wat was stronger than I when it cams to the forcing aside of the bars , and be It was that set bis strength to mine und with the eng Iron Impelled out of the mortar the ; reat central bar. Then , after we htd broken : ho lesser one above and below with mucti ess stress , the window lay open. It ssemcd a practical enough breach. It came my time : o mount and enter If so be I could help the women out , an enterprise which needed great caution. Wat had scaled the roof to see If there was aught there that might be advan tageous. 1 was up and scrambling with a toes against the rough wall , with half of my body within , when I heard a great tcuflle and a sudden bitter cry of warning from the other side of the tower. I heard Wat leap down with a cry , and I would have fol lowed , but that I received a great push which sent me headlong through the prison hole Into the Thieves' Hole. Here I sat very astonished and dazed with my head taking the wall , till the door was opened anil a great figure , booted and spurred cloaked from head to heel , cam In ; and with a lantern bearer behliv him stood looking at us. The two lasses Margaret and Agnes , sat In the corner ! clasping one another's hands , and a very old woman sat near me with her bead clasped In her hands. She never looked up so long as I saw her , and seemed to ha\c quite lost both Interest and hope. I knew that the big man with the cloak was the laird of Lag , for once with my father I had seen him on the street at Kirk cudbright , when he spoke to us fairly enough the matter one of cattle and c ops belike. "Whom have we here , " ho said , "coming so late by the window to sec the lasses ? Young Whlggle , this Is not proper uark , but who may you beT" I sat nnd raid nothing. "Stell him up , " he said , "and let us roe what like tills breaker of maiden's chaum- crs Is. " Out I stood up of my own accord , with my hands on the chamber wal ( . Then ho appeared to recognize me , for he said sourly : "Ve'll be nn Earlstoun Gordon , nae doot ye favor the breed though there's malr of the lawyer Hope nor the fechtln' Cordon aboot you. I hadna , thocht yo had OB innckla spunk. " Then be ordered two soldiers to stand guard over the hole en the outside , and Get ting a double guard on the Tolbooth , be cried : "Have young Gordon forth to my quarters. " Which , when they did , bo entertained himself for several hours telling me how hd would send mo with the utmost care to Edinburgh , an ] of the newly Imported tortures that would be Inflicted on Sandy and myself. He said that Sandy was to be tortured at last , and thn he had seen the precept from London with tbo order. "So , yo'll juUt be In time to try on the new 'boot. ' Thero'i a fine bravr new-fangled pattern wl' iplke * . an * I bear that the. new thumblklns are rery pcrsuastvo. Faith , they hao widened a whlg'a thrapple already , and tnak' It braw and wield In the swallow I" Then , adding all the tlmo cup to cup , he fell to cursing me and all our home , not let ting oven my mother alone , till I said to him : "John Graham hail not treated a prisoner so. Nor you , Itobert Guerson , If you thought that my kinsman Kemnuro was at hand to strike his sword through your body , as once ho came near doing In the street of Kirk cudbright In the matter of Dell of White- side ! " Now , this ( as I know ) was a raying which angered him exceedingly , and he was for having out a file of soldiers and shooting me there and then. Hut luckily Wlndram came In to say that the other assailants of the Tolbooth had gotten cleanly off , and that a soldier was Invalided with a sword thrust through and through his shoulder , In which I recognized Wat's handicraft , as ho went through them like a levin bolt. The morning of the H h of May came ns clear and sweet as the night had been which had proved so disastrously good for us. I had slept little , as men may guess , thinking on the poor lasses , and sometimes also on the torture In the prison , and the death on the scaffold. For I knew that though there might bo delay , there could be no such thing as pardon for one that had carried the standard at Sanquhar , flashed through the storming fray at Alrsmoss , and solo of all In Cameron's charge had gotten clear away. From early morning I could hear on the street the gathering of the folk from the countryslilo far and near , and the soldiers clattering by to their stations , laughing as they went like people going to look upon a show. "There ore but two of them to be 'pltten doon , ' after all , " I heard one of the soldiers say. "Gilbert Wilson has paid 100 to met off his bit lassie Agnes. " And that was the first Intimation I had that only the elder woman , Margaret Lauchllson , whom I had seen In the Thieves' Hole with ber head on her hands , and our own sweet Margaret were to be drowned within the floodmark of the Beldnucli. Black , black day ! Would that I could blot It out of my memory. Yet that men In after times may see what weak maids and ailing women bore with constancy In the dark days , I set down that day's doings as T saw them but briefly , neither altering nor suppressing , because of this I cannot bear to write at large. It was but half an hour before the binding eye. HO was none so ball a man , only dated with drink and baif company , "She ban aald It ! " he cried , and from far and near the people took up the cry , "She has said It , the l.n'j said 111" And seme wore glad and some iV'iook ' their beads for the dishonor of theiaubmlsslon. Now Doldndch rands tinder Wlgton town were a sight to behold that day. They were black with folk , all In ecatterliifr , changing groups. There were many clouds of folk on the sands when the lassies were "pltten doon , " and In every Ijttlo company there was one praying. ( Through them patrolled the soldiers In fours , breaking * up each little band of worshippers , which dissolved but to como together a gulp as soon ns they bad passed. Then the town's officer'a ' cruel nnd Ill-liked man that never did well afterward all his days , took his long-hnfted balbcrt , and , standing ou the verge of the bank , he set the end of It to Margaret Lauchllson's neck. "Hide yo doon there and clcp wl' the par- tans , Margaret , my woman ! " he s.ild , hold ing her head under water till It hung loose and the life went from It. The elder woman having finished her course with Joy , they unrove the rope und drew our little Margaret up to the bank , calling her to cry aloud , "God save the king ! " nnd also to pray for him , that she might get her liberty. For they began to be In fear , knowing that this drowning of women would make a greater stir In the world than much shooting of men. "Lord , give him repentance , forgiveness nnd salvation ! " she said fervently and will ingly. Hut Lag cried out In his great , hoarse voice , "Out upon the wretch ! We want not such oaths or prayers. Wlndram , get the test through her teeth or ( Town with her ! again. " Uut she steadfastly refused the wicked test , the oath of sin , as. Indeed , we that loved Scotland and the good way of religion had all learned to do. "I cannot forswear my faith. I am one of Christ's children. Let me go to Him ! " she said , being willing to depart , which she held to be far better. "Back with her Into the water ! " cried Lag. "Tho sooner she will win to hell. 'Tls too good for a whig like her ! " Dut Coltran said : "Ye are fair to see , Margaret , lass. Think weel , hlnny ! Hae ye nane that yo love ? Ye might hao been some man's delight ! " Dut she answered him not a word , being -.Aw EV\-5 k - ' NOW BLEN'POCK SANDS UNDER WIOH TON TOWN WERE A SIGHT TO BEHOLD THAT DAY. of the woman that Lag sent for me. that I might see the thing that was done , and , as he said , carry the word to Sandy and the rest of the saints at Edinburgh. And this , as I told him with all constancy , I should be very fond to do. Now , the Ueldndch Is a slow stream , which ordinarily Itous In a deep ditch of a channel , wlmpllng and twining through the sands of , the bay of Wlgton. The banks are but steep * slopes of mud , nn which If one slips he goes [ to the bottom with a slide. Up this deep chan nel the sea conies twice every day , damming back the sluggish stream and brimming the banks at full tide. When Lag's men took me down to the water edge I saw the two women already tied to stakes sat In the oo e of the Heldnoch bank.My heart swelled \\llhln mo at once sick and hot. Margaret LauchlUon was deepest down , her stake set firm In the bottom and the post rising at high as her head. head.Nigh Nigh half way up the steep bank stood our little Margaret , locsely reeved to a sunken slob , her hands clasped before her. She still wore the gown that I remembered seeing her In wlien she dwelt with us among the hills. But Eho was cheerful , and lifting her eyes with a smile she bade mo do likewise , be cause that for her there was no fear and but a short pain. Also she called me very sweetly William , and asked me to commend her to Malsle Lennox , a thing which more than all went to my heart , for It told me by the way she said It that Malsle and iAie had talked together of loves and likings as Is all guod maidens' wont. The women were not tightly tied to the posts , 'but attached with a running rove of rope , by which they could be pulled c'ose to the stakes , cr else at the will of the murderers drawn up again to the bank , as one might draw a pitcher from a well. Already the salt water was beginning to flow upward along tlie Blednora channel , bearing swirls of foam upon Its breast. Margaret Lauchllson , being an aged woman of 80 years , said no word as the tide rose about her LreaU where In the river bed she stood waiting. Her head hung down , and It was not till the water reached luriu \ \ that she began to struggle In her extremities , and I saw her make a movement. Yet she was determined to die aa she lived , an honest , peaceable Christian woman of a good confes sion , not learned , save In tlie scholarship of God , but therein of high attainment and groit experience. And all honor be to her , for uvcn as she determined , so she died. Then , when some of the soldiers were for fleechlng with her to take the test , Lig cried out ( for he ever loved his dovll's broth served hot ) : " 'Bide yo there ! It's needless to speak to tlio old besom ! Let her go quick to belli" But I'rovost Coltrau , sober enough this morning , and with other things to think of than the crows , came to the bank edge , and , standing where his feet were nearly on a level with little Margaret's bead , ho said .to her. : "What see you down there , Margaret Wil son ? What think yet Can you with con stancy suffer the choking of the salt water when It comes to your turn ? " Though Coltran was a rude man , and pang full of oathi. he spoke not so unfeelingly ; but to him Margaret replied In a sweet voice that watted up from the sweltering pit of pain : "I see naught but Christ struggling tb e In the water In the person of one of ttts saints ! " Then the provost came nearer still , and bending down like an cider that gives coun sel , raid to her : "Margaret , ye are young and ken no better. We will give you your life gin ye pray for the king. Will ye say aloud , 'God save the king ? * " "I desire the salvation of all men , " Mar garet JJ. | "May God save him an * He will. " Coltran rose with a flush of triumph In bis like one other befcre her , led like a lamb to the slaughter. So they tied her again to the stake , where the water was deeper now , and lappered on her breast , swirling yellow and foul In oily bubbles. Her great head of hair which , had I been her lad , I should have Jel' ' . hteil to touch and stroke now broke from the maiden's 53:10:1 ! and fell Into the water. There U ffoa'cd , m k Ing a fair golden shining In the water , like the halo which is about the sun when he rises. Also her face was as the face of an angel , being turned upward to God. They began to drive the folk from the sands for fesr of what they might see the beauty cf the dying maid and go mad with anger at the sight. Then , being In extremity , she lifted her voice to sing , calm as though It had been an ordinary Sabbath morning and she leading the worship at Glenverncck , as Indeed she did very welt. It was the twenty-fifth Tsalm she sang , as followeth ; and when she that was a _ pure maid sang of her sins It went to my heart , thinking on my own greater need : My sins nnd faults of youth Io thou , O Lord , forget ; After thy mercies think on me , And for thy goodness great. It was a sweet voice and carried far. But lost it should move the hearts of the people. Lag garred beat the drum. And as the drums began to roll I saw the drst wave touch the bonny maiden lips that no man had UUsed In the way of love. Then the guards plucked me by the arm roughly and dragged me away. The drums grew louder , but as we went further away the voice of the maiden praising God out of the floods of great waters broke through them , rising clearer , boslpglng the throne of God and breaking down ( the hearts of men. I saw the tears hopping down many a rude soldier's cheek. Nevertheless , they swore Incessantly , curs ing Lag and Wlndram back and forth , threatening to shoot them for devils to kill young maids and weakly women. But once again In the pauses of the drums the words of Margaret's song came clear. Forget them shall I ne'ver , , till I , too , bo on my death bed , and fan remember noth ing but "The Lord's My Shepherd. " These were the words she feang : Turn unto mp thy face And to mo nterey show ; Decause that I am desolute. And am brought very low. O < lo not keen ray soul , Do thou ilellycr me ; And let me never be ashamed Uecauso I trust 'In ' thec. the last line the're was a break and a silence , and no more and no more ! But after the silence had endured a space there arose a walling that went from the hill of Wlgton to the furthest shore of the Cree the walling of a whole countryside for a young lass done to death In the flower of her youth , In the Intact purity of ber virginity. Hov- they carried me to Edlnburg I cannot stop to tell , though the manner of It was grievous enough. But In my heart there remained the thought that while I was laid up In Edinburgh Kobert Guerson , tue wild beaat of Galloway , might come and take my mother and Malsle , and do so with them even a * he had done with , Margaret Lauchllson and our little Margaret of Glen- vernock. And this vexetl me more than torments. ( To be Continued. ) No menu U complete without Cook's Extra Dry Imperial Cbampague ou It. If not on ask ( or It. THE MARCH OF PROSPERITY Statistical Proof of the Bivival of Business nnd Industrial Activity , FACTS THAT SLEKCE THE CROAKERS Striking Increase In tlio Number of Ilnnka , ' tlio Clrcul itliiR Mcilliini mill In KocolptCommprclnl and liulii'lrlul Notes. The signs multiply In reports to the various branches of the government ns well ns In business circles that the country has again entered upon an era of prosperity anil that every branch of Industry anil commerce Is resuming Its full activity. Among the most striking Indications of this Improvement fur nished by tlio returns which nro reaching the Treasury and other departments , writes a correspondent of the Globe-Democrat , arc the restoration of confidence In the treasury , the security of the gold reserve and the sus pension of gold exports ; the Increase In the circulation of the national banks anil In tlio demands for charters for new banks , nnd the growing demand for postage stamps nnd all other forms of postage. The success of the bond syndicate In protecting the gold reserve Is Indicated by the sudden cessation of demands upon the treasury for the re- demptlon of legal tender paper In gold. These demands , which were running nt the rate of $7,000,000 a day In the exciting days near the end of January , have declined to about $1,000,000 per month , or n trine of $12,000,000 per year. The bond contract was announced on February 8 , nnd thu bulk of he demands for the redemption of paper oney In gold during February was made efore this announcement. With this fact In Ind. the following table of the redemption f paper money In gold at the sub-treasuries ffords Illuminating evidence of the restora- on of confidence In the treasury : United States Sherman Month. NotM. Notrs. Total. inuary $13 41T..2S.1 Jl.702.iv ; fri.117.7SS obrn.iry 4,7M 907 77iOr ( B , : > G,9 2 nidi 809.41" 29.M ; ) l.OsD.OV. nrll 733rr , 2'4 i'4 1.017.571 .ny 734747 4J1 721 1.166472 un- 7CCW3 442,7z5 12W.2S7 MOVEMENT OP GOLD. Equally striking has been the effect of the otul contract upon the movement of gold etween the United States and Europe. \vty month of the first half of 1S91 showed iilpments from the United States , and these ilpments swelled In January , 1S95 , to ? 24- : > S.4S9. The efforts of the bond syndicate urned the tide In the other direction , and lis movement of gold for the past five onths has been steadily In the direction of Jie United States. The difference between 894 and 1S93 may be judged by the follow- : ig figures , showing the net exports , or jsses , of gold In the first year and the net imports , or gains , of gold In the second year : 1S5I. 1S % . Month. Net llxpirts. Net Import' . ihiuaiy J 1. BUM J 1.007/01 ' arch 2.9.-924I 4121.4)2 ) 'nrll 9,40210 2031.4)3 .lay M.12I 031 4 H4.170 un * 22,30812 S.OOJ.OCO Intimated. Tiia Increase In the circulation of the na- onal banks which has gone on steadily dur- the present year Is an Indication of the rowing demand for money and of the greater refit In taking out circulation. Banks which or years have discouraged the issue of notes nd retired their circulation have begun to end bonds to the treasury and request new S3.UB3 of notes. This Is due In a measure to he facilities afforded by the new bond Issue , nd $12,896,850 of the 5 per cent bond < Issued n 1894 and $10,403,500 of the new 4 per cent oan are already on deposit to secure bank * ote circulation. Only half of the last Issue f $62,000,000 4 per cents has been Issued In his country , so that more than a third of hese have been availed of to secure clrcula- lon. It Is a phenomenon which has been ob- erved repeatedly In the history of solvent overnmenU that bonds placed at ftr'jt In the ands of foreign brokers have gradually re- urneil to theu.v.vn country because of the , ! gher esteem placed upon them as Invest- nents by the citizens of the country where hey were Issued. The tendency of the bank- ote circulation to increase is best Illustrated y the column of clrculaMon secured by bonds n the following' table , showing both the ured and the aggregate circulation : Circulation A < ! RreRito Secured Circulation , by llonils r.inuary. ISO. $2il-,2ij.1 tl { 173.071,21 ! ) 'ebruarv. 1S ! 3 " 01 n-,2 " , ai 11 ; 41VMU latch. 1S95 207,453,141 17J,817,3 3 \prtl , U95 2/J.h2' .9Jl : 1SJ , 31,321 , lliy , 1SK 211 3'S.Oil 18lCCa/i7S une , S'J3 211,600693 18OOi.ODi ! Quo of the proofs cf the growing prosperity if the country Is the Increase In the appllca- lens for charters for national banks. These applications for the five months ending No- ember SO last were only thirteen In number and represented an aggregate capital of only $700,000. The history of the applications dur- ng the past seven months U indicated In the 'allowing table : Month. No. Total Capital. DecemlxT , 1WI 8 ll.OiiO.OOO Tanuary , l r. 4 4 0.0 'ehniary , 1SU5 4 3.V.OQj Match. 1833 II lr,000. . \prll. 1833 4 ZJOroo May. 1S > 5 8 2,330,000 "line , ISM 7 470.0W Totals 4J J0,070.00i POSTAL RECEIPTS. One of the most accurate barometers of mslness Is the demand for postage , and the figures under this head are In harmony with hose from other sources In proving the re- 'Ivlng prosperity of the country. The total ssues of stamped paper , which Includes postage stamps , stamped envelopes , postal : ards and all forms of postage , usually In- Teases with more rapid pace than popula- lon. This Is shown by the figures prior to he panic of 1893. The Issues of stampad paper for the fiscal year 1891 were $62,559- 75 ; for 1892. $67,3D8.9G9. and for 1893 , $72- 359,213. The fiscal year ends June 30 , so .hat the figures- for 1833 cover the period ust before the effects of the panic had ex- ended to wholesale and retail trade. The ear 1894 showed the full effect of the busi ness depression , and postal Issues dropped to $70,199,151. The fiscal year 1895 , which has ust closed , has felt the Impulse of reviving .ndustry , and postal Issues have reached $73,8899S. The Issues of stamps have been $50.883,418 ; of stamped envelopes , $12,036,019 , and of postal cards , $4,963,161. The gratlfy- ng feature of the change , however , Is the fact that nearly the whole of the Increase during the fiscal year 1895 has been during he past six months. This appears from he following tablet showing the Issues of stamped paper by quarters for the fiscal year 1S93 , before the.panic , for the year of depres sion , 1894 , and for the year which has just closed : Quarter endlnB 1S92. 1995. 1811 September M 10 433W ! jn.8'3.421 J15.WC 521 December 31 IS.SM.eiJ lS.lQ9.7a 19.313,972 18)3. 1511. 1S13. March SI 19131,134 H 8:3,702 11.789610 Juno SO 17.7S0.539 17SrjfC3J 19.0C9.484 Total r72.339.213 $70 199,151 $73S 9.5'W ' The postal receipts advanced more rapidly than population , and an actual falling off , such as occurred In 1894 , Is evidence of ex treme depression. The rate of Increase for the past six months would have carried the receipts for the year to about $76,500,000 , and the figures for the fiscal year which has just begun are likely to reach $78,000,000. The Increase In postal Issues during the two years from 1891 to 1893 were nearly $10,000- 000 , or at the rate of 8 per cent a year , while the yearly Increase In population , as shown by the census of 1S90 , Is only about 2 < 4 per cent a year. The rapid Increase of postaf business , to keep step with the Indus trial development of the country , has again begun , and seems likely to continue for sev eral years to come. INDUSTRIAL NOTES. New York City hai 11,000 factories. The Sharon ( Pa. ) Iron Works have re sumed operations In all departments. The 2.500 employes In the national printIng - Ing office will hereafter be subject to dvl service rules. Work has been resumed at the Lookout Rolling mills , Harrlman , Tenn. , after a long suspension. The Youngstown ( O. ) Steel company has made a shipment of 1,000 tons of wash meta to England , Six large : steamers are being built at Lo rain , O. , to carry the product of the Johnson plant to New Tork by way of the lake anil the Erie canal. The contract tor erecting A new shoe shop at West Rochester , N. It. , has been awarded and the work of laying the foundation begun. The TOO employes of the big worsted mills nt Oswego Kails , N. Y. , were agreeably sur prised } Ust week by the potting of a notice announcing i an Increase of wages In all de partments ' varying from 5 to 25 per cent. The Increase luil not been asked for. The employes of Fayelte 11. Plumb , Frankford - ford i , Philadelphia , Pa. , hnve been notified of nn i advance In their wages of 10 per cent , Mr. Plumb says the Increase Is duo to the Improved condition of business , nnd the pros pect ( for better times In the near future. Shoe shipments from Haverhlll tor the first six i months of this year e\cel all previous lists I but the record of last year , which was the I largest , by " 6,2(16 ( cases. The total six months' I record Is 231,181 cases , and with thi > average of forty pairs to n case , which Is regarded J as conservative , this means an out put of 9.239,210 pairs of shoes. Reports from the Comiollsvtllc , Pa. , coke region Indicate an extraordinary amount of activity In the coke trade. The returns of operation and output for last week show 14,697 active and 3.237 Idle ovens , with a total estimated production of 155.90S tons. The demand for coke Is stated to bo unusu ally heavy. In Colorado the average yearly earnings of nn employe of a manufacturing comp.iny are $720 5 ; In Montana , $722 ; In Nevada. $718 , and In Wyoming , $7CS. In the states where colored labor Is abundant the total average earnings are much less. In Alabama tlio average is $376 ; In Mississippi. $310 ; In North Carolina , $216 ; In Oeorgla , $307 , and In South Carolina , $267. In New York the average Is $550 ; In Pennsylvania , $492 ; In Ohio , $179 , and | In Massachusetts. $194. When It Is considered to what extent the female and child labor enters into the factory operations of New York the figures are surprisingly high. The total wages paid In New York manufacturing ' enterprises amount In ordi nary i years to $300.000,000. AM/.i : oi.uus roil Tin : SOUTH. The I.nml of I'lrnt ) I Ilirro to Klvo I'mnlllr- Now Is the time to organize your clubs for the Southern Land of Plenty. Three to live families can select twenty acres each and make n living easier and save more motley from what they raise nnd sell than they can on the best 160 acre farm In the west. Hero Is what n former resident of Kansas says about this section of Orchard Homes : "Wo are from central Kansas and came here about two years ago. Tlio climate Is healthy and agreeable. The winters being short , little feed Is needed for stock ; they can and do live through the winter on cane brakes and nothing else for food. Labor Is cheap ; there Is room hcra for all good citizens who nro looking for a place to batter their condition. " Organize In clubs of three to five families. Apply to Ceo , W. Ames , General Agent , 1617 Far- nain Street , Omaha , Nebraska. A SAMPLE CASi : . Striking I'vtilonro of thn Siitcfdi nf Munlcl- p.il OwiiurtOrp. It Is often kald that municipal ownership of street railways , however successful It may be In Great Ilrltaln and on the continent qf Europe , would not work In America. Those who say so forget , says the Chicago Record , that one of the most remarkable railways In this country Is a municipal undertaking. The Brooklyn bridge and the Urooklyn Bridge railway were built by the cities of New York and Brooklyn. The cost was about $16,500,000 , twc-tlilrds of which was contributed by Brooklyn and the rest by New York. The bridge and the railway are managed by trustees appointed by the mayors of the two cities. The railway Is a cable line and the fare Is 3 cents , or 2 % cents If tickets are bought. The number of passengers car ried annually Is more than 42,000,000. The profits are divided between the two cities In the proportion % ln which they contributed to the cost of construction. The service Is ex cellent and there has been no suspicion of mismanagement. The only thing which stands In the way of a more general municlpalizatlon of transit facilities In this country , besides the con servatism of the American public. Is the cor ruption In city government. This objection can be overcome by civil service reform , and by taking the management out of the hands of corrupt aldermen and placing It In the hands of trustees who will consider the trust as sacred as the management of a university or a great library. Municipal management , under the least fa vorable conditions , could scarcely be more de moralizing than the system of private owner ship , under which corporations make a rcgu lar practice of buying aldermen. The extension - sion of municipal functions to include trans portation would probably tend to purify mu nicipal government , for the people would feel that ( hero was more at stake , and make a greater effort to protect their Interests. It may be that rigid public control of prl vale companies will bo found sufficient In most cases without resorting to inunlclpallzatlon. But If private corporations are to continue cling In a public capacity they must be ready o reduce ther charges , to Improve their serv- ce , to pay what their franchises are worth and to submit to other conditions which will greatly diminish their enormous profits. It la loubtful If they will consent to servo the public as cheaply and as well as It could be ; erved by the municipality. The city coulr ] > orrow money at low rates of Interest , anil vould'be satisfied with little or no profit. The public would reap the benefit of lower charges and better service. In any event , whether transportation faclll- les and other municipal monopolies are to be owned by , the public or by private companies , hey should 1)e controlled by public boards ol commissioners or trustees appointed for that particular purpose and not by purchasable city councils. THE PRESIDENT'S BABBEB. V Colored Man Who Has Held the 1'lnce Since l.liirfiln'M i Imp. Presidents of the United States since Lin coln have been shaved dally during their oc- mpancy of the white house by the same barer - > er , a colored man , who at the present time , ocauso of this fact , enjoys a $1,400 a year clerkship In the Treasury department. Ho s a good clerk and writes a fine band. Not- vlthstanJIng all this , he still pursues his calling of presidential barber. Kvery morn- ng , writes a correspondent , while the presi dent Is In Washington this clerk goes to the white house carrying in a satchel razors , oap , cups , brushes , and strops. This duty Is always finished In time for him to bo at his desk promptly at 9 o'clock , and few of his 'ellpw clerks know why ho never appears vlthout that black leather satchel. Lincoln was the first president to employ him as n > arber at the executive mansion , and for some reason ho has always been able to get ho same privilege by every successive presi dent. When President Grant returned from ils Inauguration the door of the white house was opened for him by his barber , whom ho luestloned as to what position he held In the white house. Something In the fellow's speech or manner pleased Grant , and ho told ilm he was to consider himself installed dur ing his term. During- the early days of shav- ng the presidents the barber took Tils meals with the other servants In the white house kitchen. Whether or not , in addition to this , ho WHS paid a regular sum or tlppeJ each morning he has never been known to state. In all matters he Is close-mouthed and rarely ( peaks of any occurrence In the white house. SWEET SAVORY SATISFYING SWIFT'S ' PREMIUM Think of the thouBanda of hams and bacou that KO out from South Omaha dailyl Wo select but the boat ones for the braml"S\VIFT'S PREMIUM. " Smoked lightly A trimmed nicely extra mild not a ealty. No man could make thorn bottor. For Sale by all First-Class Dealers. SWIFT.AND COMPANY. 4 SOUTH OMAHA. NEB. f It's talked about , and any won der ! Fifty years past have not seen a like exhibit of fine woolens at such low and captivating- prices for made- to-ordei garments. We do not know of any other place where you see it but Nicoll the Tailor's. There you will see a marked result of the new tariff and Nicoll's enterprise. We love the tailoring business and back it with our money and reputation. If we can't do better for you than any other we cheerfully refund the money. Suits or Overcoats to order , $15 to $50. Pants to order , $4 to $14 , Samples mailed. Garments expressed. ' , 207 S , I5h * STREET. ALL OUU W01UC MADU IN THIS CITY Dt THIS 1IHST JOL'U TAII.011S. CHICAGO. 5r. t.outs. ST. PAUL. BOSTON. DENVER. DLSMOINES. PITTSUURU. WASHINGTON. NL\V YORK , INDIANAPOLIS. KANSAS CITY. SANl'RANCISCO. MINNEAPOLIS , llAtm-ouu. PORTLAND. Gnu. LOSANGLLES TfASTKfO DISEASES WEAKEN WONDER. ' fully because they wcalicn you slowly , crailu- ally. Do not allow this waste of body to nmko you npoor , flabby , Immature man.Health , strength nnil vigor li for you whether you bo ilcli or poor. The Great lludj-mi l to be liml only from tlio Itu J- non Mccllcalliistltute. Tlihonclcrful illvovcry wns mnilo by tlio ipcclalhls of tlio old famous Hud son Medical Institute. It H tlio strongest nnd most powerful vltnllzcr made. It li so powerful tlmt It Is simply wonderful liowtinrinlPinlt Is. You cnn Ret It from nowliTO hut from HIP Hudson Medical Institute. Write , for circulars anil testimonials. This extraordinary Jtujuven.itor h tlio most wonderful discovery of tuo nge. It 1ms been en dorsed by the leading sckmUlc incu of Uuropoaud America. HUDYAX13 purely vegetable. 1IUJT'VX etopi prcmaliircnps.1 of the ills , cliargo la twenty ilnys. Cures LOST 3fAX- HOUn , constipation , ( llzzlnrns , falling sonaallaus , nervous twitching of the eyrs and other parts. Strengthens , Invigorates and tones tlio entire system. It Is ns cheap ns nny other remedy. JIUOYASr cures debility , nervousness , emis sions , und develops nml restores weak orgnnn. 1'alnslntho Imck.lows by day or night stopped quickly. Over 2,000 private Indorsements. Prcruntureness means Impoteney In the first stage. It Isu symptom of nemlnal weakness nnd barrenness H con bo stopped In twenty days by the use of Hudynn. Iludyau costs no moru than any other remedy. Bend for circulars nnd testimonials. TAIXTED Br.OOn-Impuro blood duo to serious prlvato disorders carries myriads of sore- producing germs. Then romcs.soro throat , pimples , copper colored spots , ulcers In month , old sores anil fulling hair. You rnn nvo n trip to Hot Springs by writing for 'niood Ilouli1 to the old phyclclnns of the HUDSON 1UF.11ICAL INSTITUTE , Hlocktnn , Market nnil nu flh , BAN rUAHCISCO. CAU tmry Syphilispcrmanontir cured In IS to Sidnj-fl. You can be treated nt homo for the tame price undemauie RUiiniiity. li you prefer to como bcro wo nil ! contract to pax rallrnnrl furo nnd hotel bllls.nnd no cbarjto.lf we fall to euro. Jf you-havo taken mer cury , imlldo txitnnh , tnii Ktlll Imvo nelica und pains , M iiconn I'utclicH In icoutli' , Horn Thrcmt , I'lmplos , Copprr Coloroil NpntHi Ulcern on inrpartof the bmlr.ilulr orHynbrnWH fulling out. It la this Hyphlll tin HLOOUl'OIhON thai \ TOKuarautoutucure.Vocullcltlboiuo t ol ) ti- finto cusoa nnd cliallonco tlio wurlil fur U cnso vo cannot euro. M'nis nhense hiu dinars Imllleil tl. " skill of tlio niont iimlnuiit phy I- fliliiK. . $50OO < > O caplUI bohlnrt our uncondi tional fruaractr. A bgnluto nronfri rent ( ruled on application. Addrex COOK JIKMKDY CO. , & 07 BJuooaVo Ttiiunlo. ClilCo.UU. 1JU1 * FafoandHimiJ. Always reliable. Take noBUbstltute. ForiulnbyullilriiircUls. | iX ( ) . Hend 4o. for lltHnnn'ibafrouanl. Wll.CoX HPKCIFIU CO. , in SOUTH KIUUTJI rtT.l'UILAL > A..l > A. DR. LOBB'S BOOK FREE Jonl ! lurTerera of Krroriof l'oi/'A nnd Dluatn ofMcnand Womrn , KWpiiKiw.cloth bound. Treat , merit by mall itrlctly confidential , l.'uro nunran- teed. Callorwtlte. DMXJHH,3 ; N.Ullibt.l'blln. Bloomers and Sweaters and all sorts of cycle clothes will never start to shrink if you wash them with It makes flannels beautifully clean without shrinking. Then again it's the best and most refreshing In the bath tub. Nona other as good. AT YOUR GROCERS. RAWORTH & SCHODDE , CHICAGO ,