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| " a ’ ' t WEEK iIL. .JS voy.«. JASON JAGGERS’ EXSiSn.™ “TALES OF TEN TRAVELERS"’* SERIES. I By EDCAR L. WAKEMAN. / (Copyright, 1894, by Edgar L. Wakenftin. AU rights reserved.) ' Mr. Jaggers rose up. It was an unusual thing for Mr. Jaggers to do this, save for bis nurried lunch at noon, between his arrival at his great wholesale establishment in the morning and his final departure for his pleasant city home at night. So when Mr. Jaggers rose up, rose up almost violently, with his broad back planted very stiffly against the partition wall of his box-like private office and with something like a slam of his revolv ing chair against his desk, the various heads of departments and the clerks in side, within, and Just outside the door way, who, in the line of their various duties, were in turn awaiting his atten tion. knew that nis temper was up as well. This they conveyed io one another as plainly as, men could say it, in subdued and solemn “Aherns!” sly winks, grave wrinklings of commercially placid fore heads and in a gentle buzzing of crisp comment which boded ill for the three persons seated beside Mr. Jaggers’ desk, v 10 had precipitated this unusual crisis by their exasperating importunities for charity subscriptions. “Catch his nibbs’ great tragedy pose!” whispered a department head behind the fluttering manifold of an agency’s report on a doubtful country customer. “Cold morning for foundlings!” mur . roared the assistant bookkeeper, gazing I ata statement of an overdue • "■'account. “ We’ll all git a wacatlon an’ a raise,” was the hoarse comment of the postoffice messenger-boy, “if th’ governor shakes off them rank octopuses!” “Ten to one, Jaggers out-nerves ’em this time!” was one of the commercial travelers’ quiet observations, and com mercial travelers are judges of men. “Their an ounts are closed!” propheti cally sighed the credit-clerk to the chief ,Atpck-clerk.who rejoined admiringly with, “JS'ggers must be loaded this moraine. Never saw him in such mettle and form I” •‘Not another penny !” almost roared Mr. Jaggers, as if desperate enough to back through the partition, and conscious of the congestion of bis business affairs and the observance and criticism of his employes. “How can you possibly permit our an nual report to go to press without your honored name not only your honored name, Mr. Jaggers, but, I may say., the reputation of your great business house having representation among O|»ir list of-benefactors.'” pleaded one of w®>he ladies. “Jiot another penny, madam.” ( ' “\V.>v. Mr. the lv Moth-| ■Ts “Must sterilize and stew .and-.st-■inn ! m right along without Jason Jaggers 1 chock I ■ this year!” retorted the obdurate trade F magnate. “I am going right into the needy mother charity act myself.” “But ” “No use now. It’s settled. Done my share already. Tackle some other fel low. Sorry. But me and my family are going to do our own little good our own little way for a while. Just count Jason Jaggers out of organized charities this year.” The lady treasurer of the Needy Moth ers’ Sterilized Milk Fund passed out through the row of bowing employes dis f.- consolatcly. “Now our charity,” began the remain ing lady wheedlingly, “appeals more di rectly to the practically benevolent.” Oh Lord, yes. Os course!” groaned the merchant. “But not another -’’ “Our society for the moral disinfection of the home atmosphere--” “Not a penny!” concluded Mr. Jaggers defiantly. “Os course,” freedngly added the lady president rising, “if a gentleman of your prominence insists upon placing himself in antagonism to all the great charitable movements of modern society, his isola rtion may be marked and painful ; but I MfapppWß these extraordinary exceptions are to be met with in all metropolitan communities. Good morning, Mr. Jag gers !” “Good morning, rnadurn.” “1 really cannot blame you,” commis -1 eratinsrly remarked, the remaining organ s ized charity beggar, the financial agent I of the Bettor Way Wood-yard and the | Stranded Strollers’ Rest. “These ladies I no doubt presented excellent, fairly ex- I cellent, causes; but they art so exeeed- I ingly persistent.” c “Humph!” grunted the merchant with out relaxing In the slightest degress his stiffness or his furtiveness. sK- “It is pretty hard to say ‘no’, whatever |K the character of their schemes,” eontin ued the sympathetic financial agent. “In fact, we found that femkle agents for our grand charity, I may add our charity Uli which amounts to the actual salvation of Ssj u large, increasing and deserving mass, HH were.at times positively offensive in their importunities, aud would not do. Our gB patrons are exclusively of tho better M class, Mr. Jaggers; men, like yourself, of ability, decision, character; men to time has specific value; and the executive board—confidentially, Mr. Jag gers, many have suggested that you bo B invited to serve with them!-has for w gome time insisted that I call personally, and, I might add, privately, upon our most prominent citizens ” “Do. Capital idea!” insisted Mr. Jag gers with decision. “And leave tho question of their sub scriptions entirely to their own gener osity.” “Mighty good of the board, wasn’t it now?” The veins were gradually swelling in Mr. Jaggers’ fon-heiid and neck, as he gave Ins waiting group of employes an almost pitiful look of appeal. “But you aroexceedingly busy now, Mr. Jaggers. I’ll just leave a few leaflets, comprising extraordinary instances of our work. ‘Brands from the Burning,’ ‘Sawdust Sal ration,’ and a ‘Bundle of Splinters' are peculiarly illustrative of the miraculous transformation in charac ter we have wrought. jpf course, as you have been exceedingly generous m the past, wo shall not expect* an increase in your “Not another penny I” thundered Mr. Jaggers furiously. “In heaven’s name, can’t you people understand tae English language’ ' • r.h? Certainly, Thanks! Take your . own litre, Mr. Jaggers. Any time before | our annual meeting. Never mind muil »’ jng a check. I’lljustdrop in, a day or B two before hand. The 'Bundle of Splin- B ter»,’Mr. Jaggers, wdi no doubt interest B your family. Full of realistic pathos, you M. know. The board will promptly acknow 1- edge any favors. Mr. Jaggers. We never ( THE MORNING NEWS. 1 -< Established 1850. Incorporated 1888. V I J. H. ESTILL, President. ) _____ SAVANNAH WEEKLY NEWS, MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS. forget our patrons. Good morning, Mr. Jaggers.” The financial agent bowed himself out with the grace of a cavalier,' leaving the Impression that Mr. Jaggers was down for a good round sum, and passed the two hastily opened ranks of withering smiles unscathed, as Jasen Jaggers mopped his forehead with his handker chief and sank panting and bewildered in his chair at the desk, while the hoarse messenger boy whispered to his tempo rary audience: “If a 14-story building’d fall on that air bloke, he’d hold it up till th’ hook-an’-lad ders reskid everbody in it!” Business matters went by fits and starts with Jason Jaggers nearly all that day. “Sunth’n heavy on the governor’s mind!” was the universal verdict of his hundreds of employes. Along in the afternoon he brightened up. He wrote and disnatched a little note to his residence. It read as follows: Dear Daughter Edifh: Drive down for me at 5. I want your co-operation in a little ex periment in direct charity. Mother and the girls wouldn't be interested. They areal ready absorbed in their seaside plans for the summer. You're a regular little sister of charity and you 11 have your hands full now. So nium’s the word! We can do heaps of good’together this summer; and have a jolly time besides. Your loving father, Jason Jaggers. Meantime Mr. Jaggers had summoned his confidential clerk, old Joe Hardfax, with a request for his charity list of the previous year. “This is astounding!” he muttered, as he ran over the items separately and finally glanced at the footing. “Nearly a fifth of your total profits;” retorted old Hardfax in an aggrieved tone. “I've tried to keep these leeches * out of the place, but no one would bleed me, sir.” “Never mind that, Joe. There’s going to be a change now.” “A—a saving, or merely a change, sir?” “A change anyhow, Joe. I don’t mind letting you into the secret. I’m done with organized charities. From this on, I pro pose disbursing everything I can afford to give with ray own hands. lam going to knovy the recipients are worthy, or at least, in need, and then I shall see to it myself that they are generally benefited. Why, what’s the matter, Hardfax?” he asked with some asperity. He had noticed the looks of protest, of wonder, and finally of alarm and discour agement, gradually displace each other in old Joo’s face, and it nettled him for a moment. “Oh, nothing, nothing. I was just won dering where we would move to, aud who | would take your place at the desk here, I j Mt. TUarLMI." . | , “Wheri we would move, and who I would take my place !” “When all the slim-slams and growler rushers and tramps and individual hum bugs of the city pass the word, sir.” “Pass the word!” > “Yes, that Jason Jaggers was their oyster to be opened, merely for their call ing here.” A cloud stole over Mr. Jaggers’ kindly face. His plans for direct charity were not running smoothly at the start and he also resented the hampering and circum spection to which all men of wealth are subjected by their employes. But by and by his eyes lighted up pleasantly. •‘Perhaps you are right, Hardfax. But here’s a charity that you can begin at home. How many employes have we?” “Nearly 200, sir.” “Do you know the condition, the little, every-day, personal home surroundings of all of them, Joe!” “Every one, sir. Blinker ton. the detec tive, keeps me posted.” “Posted about those who are living a little fast and going a little wild, Joe; but hardly about those who are griev ously burdened, wretched and silent. What about those, Hardfax?” “Well, I know them all, sir.” “Good! We’ll revise our wage%scale, then, a little, Joe.” Aud they did. They worked at it to gether until this one lived a little leas scrimped; that one, who was carrying other people’s loads with as grim a hero ism as ever flamed through the rift of bat tle, should find sudden relict and succor; another could dp a little more for some one loved but unfortunate; and still scores of others could exist in the grinding city life more like men than like hopeless humans in the attire of gentlemen and the en vironment and condition of beasts; worked until more than one-half of the last year’s charity list had been reached and they had closed the blessed task of a direct charity which ever results in loyal service, happy homes and good citizen ship, with a gleam of satisfaction in the face of even grim old Joe Hardfax, and a rousing exclamation of “There’s the best hour's work of my life, Joe!” from the now happy Jason Jaggers, as his daughter bounded into tho little private office, her handsome face aglow with the affection ate curiosity and interest her father’s note had evoked. Then these two sat there radiantly to gether; sat there away past their dinner hour at home; sat there until the lights flared out upon the great city, as myriads of human bats and vultures crept from their hiding places to the streets of the town, while its great arteries, alive by i day with the tremendous activities of the ' world's exchanges, were slimed and clog- ! ged with the hideous night spirits of the desperate and the lost: still radiant as I two children in happy play, as they ma tured their joyous plans for a vocation i time of experiments in direct charity to I gether; until the stumping and muttering ’ of Uncle Jimmy Stubbs, tfle night watch- ■ man, warned them of the lateness of the I hour and brought the expression of a bril- ' liant idea to the lips of Miss Edith. “Oh, Popa Jaggers!” she exclaimed, ’ clapping her hands joyously together; ' “have Uncle Jimmy come here. lie’ll be sure to know some one we can begin on ' right away.” “Capita! idea; capital; here, Uncle Jimmy ’ Just a moment, please.” Uncle Jimmy stunq>ed up to the half door, lantern in his belt and night stick in ; his hand, leaned his elbows upon the j wicket top, touched his hat and respect fully waited for orders. A quarter century’s night work had left curious marks upon Uncle Jimmy ! Stubbs. His hair was not gray, but , rather faded to a yellowish sort of mold. His face was a paler mold of the same color. His eyes, from long squinting, peering and straining, had contracted to the smallness of a cat's; and his features undoubtedly Delied his natures, for they were screwed into a sort of wrinkled lump of cunning, of wariness, of defiance and of aggressive defensive scorn; as though the imps who harried him about the doors and through the great windows, in the long nights ’of vigil, had trans mitted to his face the uncanny lines of their own. “Wb wish to consult with you, Uncle Jimmy;” said Mr. Jaggers kindly. “Eh!” returned the old man cautiously. “About a little matter of charity. That’s all, Jimmy.” “Oh?” This as though he had little ex perience with but was not to be caught unawares in the dark. “Did you raise his wages, Papa Jag gers?” whispered Miss Edith. “By Jupiter! Never thought of it. My, my! That's too bad. Here—” referring to the wage list—“it is. Why that’s in famous. How can a half dozen peple live ou $8 a week. Let's make it twelve, Edith?” “No, no, no! Fifteen, while you’re at it. Papa Jaggers!” “All right, daughter. Strange how one’ll find place for direct charity right under one’s nose, when they're looked for! Uncle Jimmy, your wages will be sls a week hereafter.” “Lord! You don’t mean it?” gasped the old man, dropping bis night-stick and clutching the door-frame for support. “Sure, sure, Uncle Jimmy!” exclaimed Edith patting his hard old hand with her own warm, white little one. It seemed that his hair and face had grown moldier and yellower for the in stant he stood trembling before them. “Fur twenty year, mother —she’s my wife. Miss Edith—has been sayin’ ’Jimmy, ’t’ll come sometime.’ I kep sayin’ ’twouldn't. She wuz right. Mother’s alius right. Now there’ll be a mite left fur ’em when I’m gone. Lord! Mr. Jag gers, that’s worth gittin’ outen a grave t’ work fur. How can I thank ye rightly?” Uncle Jimmy was bewildered for a lit tle, but the subject of charity already seemed mere comprehensible to him. He bustled about and brought two chairs to the great plate gffiss windows. Then he asked Jason Jaggers and his daughter to sit therein the darkness for a little. “Taint, no pictur fur Miss Edith’s eyes,” he explained deprecatingly; “but as long as yer huntin’ trouble t’ mend, ye can’t git a better selec’shun fur miles ’round.” A few moments sufficed. The brazen forms of vice, the trembling forms of penury, the gaunt forms of hunger, the staggering forms of the besotted, the skulking forms of those haunted by their crimes and hunted by the law, all those accursed forms whose only shelter, whose only day, is the shadows and the night, like a warp and woof of passion and fear, were woven there before their eyes by the swift, dark shuttles of greed and dread into hideous texture; until they turned from it all shuddering and sick ened ; almost half-hearted at the insig nificance of what had until now seemed but a pleasant summer-month task before them. “Oh, that is dreadful, Uncle Jimmy! But we are determined. Y’ou must know somebody, some poor waif or another, whom Papa Jaggers and I can take charge of and just lift, body and soul, right out of these horrible slums?” “ Yes, even two or three, Uncle Jimmv, in a»job lot. Just about as cheap as one, you iee:” cqntinned Mr. Jaggers blandly a*i ior it’ was getv/ng late. 1 “We want somebody really awfully down. Uncle Jimmy.” pleaded Edith en thusiastically. “Might as well have ’em awfully bad, too; eh, Edith, while we’re about it? We’re just going to test this matter of charity and reform in a regular business like way. Uncle Jimmy.” “Eh! Oh, yes;—certainlj-;” responded the old watchman confusedly. “If reg’lar tough uns is wanted, I might part with a pair o’ ol’ cats, back o’ th’ store.” “Old cats!” exclaimed Edith. “Back of the store?” chimed, in her father. “Yes’ ol’ cat ; bull dogs, I might say, Mr. Jaggers. Been thar reg’lar fur nigh a genera'shun. Wouldn't mind if they wuz wimmen, an’ rum goners at that, would ye?” “What, real sure enough women. Uncle Jimmy ! All the better. More tractable, aren’t they, Papa Jaggers?” “Y-e-es, I presume so, Edith. Are they old ones, Jimmy?” “Wall, as to that I can’t rightly jedge. They aint no older, as fur as looks goes, nor tougher as fur as tough goes, nor they wuz twenty-five or thirty year ago, when 1 first seed ’em ’round this quarter. I figured they wuz'bout sixty or seventy apiece, them days.’’ “Do you know the poor things, Uncle Jimmy?” inquired Edith sympathetically. The old man drew himself up and let a sort of subdued aspirated “Whoo!” escape his lips, as though knowing them had been accompanied by divers weary hours which were even burdensome to contemplate. He then slowly nodded his head. “Tho first time I know’d ’em,” he con tinued feelingly, “I come right near thrown’ up my job. They had a awful jag on. Miss Edith.” r - Jag, Uncle Jimmy? Why, what sort of a garment is that?” “Wall, its mostly wore inside Miss Edith,” returned the old watchman, stealing a glance as of inquiry and per mission from her father, who was en deavoring to repress a smile behind his twinkling eyes; “mostly wore inside, an’ ’straordinary heatin’, too.” “Gracious me!” exclaimed the mer chant’s daughter wonderingly. “Yes.” continued Uncle Jimmy, “an’ they said they'd <ome to stay.” ’ ■ “Where did this happen?” inquired Mr. Jaggers. “Right out back thar, under th’ arch way;” returned the old watchman, point ing to the rear of the building with his night stick, “whar goods is received and shipped. Lots o' empty boxes thar, ye see. Wall, when Mugsy Mary an' Slim Liz—them's their names—first arrived, they wax clawin’ an’ hammerin’ one an other fur keeps. Th' crowd follerm’ ’em sort o’ slid oil when I come out; an’ th’ wimmin got mixed up among the empty boxes, an' lost like.” Oh that's dreadful!” inter rupted Edith. ■•Wall, rather. I went over in among ’em an’ began separatin' ’em. an’ orderin’ ’em off, when Liz says, ‘ljet's do ’im, pard” Mary, who wuz on top, says, ‘Do it is, Liz!’ With that—l hates to own it, Mr. Jaggers!—they hanged the boxes up with me on tidy enough, sir; an’finally hove me in th’ elevator hatch, whar I re member bearin’ of 'em say, dim like, ‘This place is pie fur reg'iar londgiu.’ When th' glimmer comes to, we'll men tion of it.”” “And have they held possession of the archway ever since, Uncle Jimmy?” laughingly inquired the merchant. •Mr. Jaggers, they have,'' responded 1 ne’e Jimmy solemnly, “iu th' o’ th' house!” “Well, well, well! This is getting ro mantic-,” exclaimed Mr. Jaggers. '.They’re just the ones we want!’' urged his daughter. “What would be nobler than to place two such creatures beyond the captious formalities! and grinding discipline of organized! charity?” fl “Nothing; positively nothing!” eagerlß SAVANNAH, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1894. responded Mr. Jaggers, while the old watchman, under pretense of adjusting his lantern, stole a sympathetic glance at the pair of generous hearted enthusiasts. “I mention th’ interests o’ th’ house, Mr. Jaggers,” he continued byway of ex planation, “as Mugsy Mary an’ Slim Liz, an’me alius got’long agree'ble after th’ first interduck’shun, an’ th’ pair alius kep’ tother tough uns outen the arch way.” “Remarkable!” insisted Mr. Jaggers. “Good as bull-dogs,” continued the watchman,” an’ I’d almost hate t’ lose ern! Mightn’t ye like a peep- at ’em, now, afore ye take ’em on yer—yer—?” “Direct charity experiment,” inter posed Mr. Jaggers with decision. “Cer tainly: certainly. Excellent idea.” “Just grand!” gleefully echoed Miss Edith, “for I can see just what garments they will need an’ what colors will match their dear old faces. Oh, this is just splendid. Papa Jaggers!” “ ’Cause,” explained Uncle Jimmy dryly, “they’ve jess a leetlo extry oii, t’night, an’ they turned in early.” Uncle Jimmy, lantern in band, led the way into the debris-strewn depths of the archway. The old man paused and they all listened. Snortlngs and snorings like the gurglings of half-smothered calliopes, were heard from the base of one of the huge pillars. Tho three moved forward cautiously. “Zactly. Here they be. I call ’em th’ Siamese when they get tumbled up this way;” remarked the old watchman in the indifferent tone of a showman. He lowered his lantern beside a huge empty box, His companions at first saw only what appeared to be a large 'bundle of dusty rags. The old outcasts’ grimy, gray garments, their grimy gray hair arid their gray and grimy faces were so blen ded in the grime and gray of a common age and filth, that limbs, faces, heads and rags were indistinguishable. “Shall I poke’em bp a lectle?” asxed the old man, preparing to prod the mass with his night-stick. “Dear, no!” begged Mr. Jaggers, touched by the pitiful spectacle. “On, do let the poor things sleep, Uncle Jimmy!” insisted Edith compassionately. “But they’re just what we want,” said Mr. Jaggers as they turned away. “Couldn’t be better!” enthusiastically murmured his daughter. “Oh, you’re skeptical Uncle Jimmy, but you just wait until we’ve had old Mary and Elizabeth out to Glen Corrie”—this was the Jaggers’ country house, but a few miles beyond the city limits among the pleasant north ern hills—” a month or so!” ' The old watchman gave the two a startled, appealing look. “With all those peaceful country sur roundings;” added Mr. Jaggers. “The sunshine, the breezes, the stately hills, the smiling valley aud the little lake, the flowers and the flowers and the endless melody of the birds!” chirped on Edith radiantly. “Yes, and the .good honest food, the early hours, the hush and quiet of the old place and unvarying considerate treatment” continued Mr. Jaggers warmly. “To be sure,” returned Edith in gener ous anticipation, “and above ail, gopd books pur own ccmgtant ejhcour:ige that, Uncle Jiniiuy!” \ ' M He merely opened his little eyes to an alarming extent, and. at Mr. Jaggers’ bidding, called a carriage in which the happy philanthropists were whirled away to their waiting home; while the old man, returning to his duties, stumped and trundled about the great establishment as if in a dream, muttering and fussing by turns and finally exploding over the to him astounding project, with, “Jerushitywhiz' Which'll both’ worser done fur—th’ Jaggerses, or Mugsy Mary and Slim Liz?” But a week had intervened, when all tlffi Jaggers family, save Mr. Jaggers and Miss Edith, were snugly ensconced in their villa at the seaside, leaving the lat ter two lull opportunity for carrying out their cherished plans for the reception and reformation at Glen Corrie, by means of directly applied charity, of the ancient outcasts of the archway. These plans, however, did not proceed so smoothly as had been hoped. Mugsy Mary and Slim Liz absolutely refused tri leave their accustomed haunts. It had not been taken into account that the outcast heart twines about his fami liar scenes, its hideousness of association, its hopelessness of environment, its very soddenness, hunger, besotment and wal lowing, precisely as those of the better conditioned cling to the heart-warming and blessed things of life. This was the first disappointment and cause of astonishment to the good mer chant and hife daughter. Their entire kindly project seemed certain of failure at the outset, until a happy thought oc curred to Uncle Jimmy Stubbs. “Ye’ve got a ol’ black carry all, sort o’ picnic wagonette, up t’ th’ stables, Mr. Jaggers!” “Yes, indeed. Its there yet Uncle Jimmy.” “If ye don’t mind Joe, th' coachman, hiebtin’ it up an’ bringin’ it here, late at night—an’ bein’ partic'lar ’bout Joe havin’ all his brass buttons on, we can fetch 'em, Mr. Jaggers.” “Bless me! I’ll have it done to-night, Jimmy.” “Wail, git another man on in my place an’ I’ll gqrn’tee havin’ ’em out V Glen Uorrie in th' mornin’: if you an’ Miss Edith ’ll be on hand, an' garn'tee t’ keep 'em. when ye git ’em!” « “Well, well, well! That is a great re lief. No trouble about keeping the poor old wrecks, once there, Jimmy.” Mr. Jaggers and his daughter accord ingly took the evening train for the coun try house in high spirits, and along to ward midnight the old wagonette, for all the world like a prison-van, with its long body, covered top, black sides, rear and front doors and pendant steps, with coachman Joe gleaming with grins arid buttons, were in waiting beneath the dark archway, Then Mugsy Mary and Slim Liz, more than usually stupid from drink, were rudely awakened. ‘ Thej' fought for a little, but a few well directed and familiar tappings of night sticks upon their shoe-soles, with the gruff voices and the glint of brass but tons, soon silenced them. They were carried bodily and flung into the. to them, prison-van upon a pile of loose straw. As the door was slammed and apparently locked against them, after a great jingling of keys, they recognized a friendly voice at the supposititious key hole. “Sh-h-h-h! Ye’re up for it now, gals! Be ladies, an’ ye’ll not git more than thirty days’” “Oh. we'll make ’em dizzv with our gentle ways!” and “Keep th’ archway i clear o’ beggarly tramps till we're out, Jimmy dear!’’were shouted back with greateful emphasis; when Uncle Jimmy, after a cherry “Good luck, Mary an’ Liz!” sprang up beside Joe. and alter the old j wooden doors in front were secured,« the and its strange freight rattled at out over the hard old streets Siocean nts similar journeyings scores of times before, ! when the real hand of authority had ; its firm grasp upon them. They favored passers and their confused drivers with , gibes and taunts innumerable, and now ■ and again broke forth into hoarse song, the refrain of which ran: For thirty days or more, ’ • For thirty days or more. Without a jug. We’re in for “jag,” For thirty days or more! > But all this at last subsided, and finally : the gentler movement of the van over the i quiet country road brought the snoring : familiar to the old watchman’s ears ' within the somber conveyance. , When Uncle Jimmy triumphahtly de-, j livered the abducted subjects 1 of direct ; I charity at Glen Corrie house the next ; i morning, they were still asleep. ■ Both Mr. Jaggers and Edith thought a , ' good long sleep would do them good, and accordingly the wagonette was pushed into the stables and its doors softly opened opposite the entrance, so that their eyes, when they awoke, should , first fall upon the really sweet and sooth ing scene of the mossy old mansion, with i its red. ivy-covered chimneys, its quaint ' old gables, the bright reach of lawn between and the restful hills beyond. Impatient as were the generous hearst to begin the softening influence of per sonal reformation, it was not until nearly evening that the two figures upon the straw began to stir. Their day time was now approaching. Mr. Jaggers and his daughter had finally concluded to go to the stables to welcome Ahem. The first words which greeted their startled ears were from the lips of Slim Liz as she hammered her companion with her heels. * “They cud make it ninety days, fur five fingers o’ th' right stuff, Mary!” “Lord! A year, fur half as much!” groaned her companion. “By Jupiter, you shall have it!” burst from the sympathetic Jaggers, as he called the stable-boy and gave him a whispered order. The two women sat bolt upright at the unexpected answer to their form of prayer, rubbed their bleary eyes, and beu.-n piti ful lamentations mingled with crooning beggings to know what strange fortune had befallen them. “You’re where you’re going to have comfort and peace,” stoutly asserted Jason Jaggers. “And where your old lives will slip from x>ur shoulders like Pilgrim’s bur den ;” added Edith tenderly, as she took the women by their hands and assisted them to the stable floor. “Come, come now, Mary and Elizabeth ; don’t be afraid. Here now!” They gulped the proffered liquor down fiercely. “My daughter here'll show you where to clean up a bit.get on some different cloth ing, take a little look at your new sur roundings. and then we’ll all have a bite to eat together;” concluded Mr. Jaggers in a fatherly tone that did him honor. It was a pretty but still a pathetic sight to see the fair Edith leading the two old and now almost voiceless outcasts across the lawn and through the servants’ hall Tor their bath, where she playfully pushed them into the room with bundles upon bundles es new clothing arM„ hjjppy h€*Artod. cheery* eu<ouiagitgs,^ '"M bird-like gurglings of delight; to see her, a little later, conduct the strangely-- changed old women to a sweet and roomy apartment not far from her own, where she showed them countless little objects • her own hands had thoughtfully pro vided; and then, while Jason Jaggers beamed with happines and paced the lawn impatiently, as he looked again and again at his watch, to see her sit there and straighten out with her own dainty fingers their frayed and ragged locks, setting pretty caps upon their heads, making sure of this fasten ing, adjusting that bow or ribbon and patting and twisting and jerking this and that fold into place upon their scraggy forms, and finally, to see this '• brave, good girl bringing the two Lj.’ht ened souls to the dinner table, where Mr. Jaggers lustily welcomed them with: “Sit right down, now, Mary and Eliza beth. No formalities here. We’re old fashioned folks with old-fashioned ways: and nobody cares a rap if you eat up everything in the house! Eh, Edith?” “Not a soul. Papa Jaggers; not a soul!” And thus, with hearty sallies and sim ple pleasantries, the dinner was eaten; good Mr. Jaggers adapting his commer cial line of experiences and chatter to the lowly minds of the old women with little avail, but with a positive grandeur of magnanimity and good intent: when the two scared things were taken for a walk about the beautiful grounds. While Edith fluttered prettily around them, Jason Jaggers, out of the boundless goodness of his heart, explained to the dim and wondering souls all his projected improvements for Glen Corrie house and grounds, the different varieties of fruits and vegetables in his gardens, and the rare species of exotics in his conserv atory, until oid Mary ana Elizabeth had attained a maudlin imbecility' of submis siveness. when Edith entertained them at the piano; after which came a quiet hour of reading,, by Edith, of selections from the«humorous authors; while Jason Jag gers. with moist eyes and joyous face, thanked all that is good lor his happy in sj.iration of direct chanty; and after ‘ Edith herself had conducted the now tot- t teilng women to their room for the night, and bad exchanged glowing congratula tions with her father as they, too, passed to their respective apartments, Mugsy Mary and Slim Liz sank in a hysterical heap of ill-befiitting attire and abject misery upon the floor and wept bitter tears for the first time in all their lives together. “Thirty days o’ this, Mary, an’ I'm done fur!” sobbed Slim Liz as.tbough her heart were breaking. ••Half that time’ll ‘db’ Mugsy Mary!”- wailed her utterly disconsolate compan ion; whereupon they dragged their skirts over their poor old heads and wliimi>ered themselves Msleep where they lay. It. was well for the peace of mind of Jason Jaggers and his daughter Edith that the progress of their experiment was interpreted by the sunny, hopeful and ; thoroughly tender quality of their own ' ! loving natures. . I r l’he tremendous ageing of the outcasts i ! in ihe brief period of a few days; the ! ' gradual paling of the fires of their keen old eyes; the dropping and retreating of \ their wolf-like jaws; the constant lag- ; : ging of their tottering steps: the s udden j and certain shrinking, bending and di minishing of their ungainly aud grotesque forms, were ail attributed to the almost miraculous changes brought by tho soft ening influences brought to bear upon them. { Indeed, this was Jas»n Jaggers’ mental ! ' theme for congratulatory reflection when, i one morning a week subsequent to the i arrival of the outcasts, he was awaiting ! ihem and his daughter at the flower laden table in the pleasant breakfast j room. Suddenly Edith burst into his : presence, her face bathed in tears, and, ; sinning into a chair beside her father, she uttered these startling words: “Papa Jaggers, they’re gone!” Then, while she had a good cry, Jason Jaggers bustled about her, essaying to comfort her with, “Tut, tut, tut! Impossible, impossible! Nonsense, nonsense! Why, they’ve just wandered off about the grounds for a lit tle. Como, cheer up, daughter. We’ll have Mary and Elizabeth back here in a few minutes. Dear, dear, dear!” i Being a man of action, Jq,son Jaggers I did more than bustle about and exclaim. Servants were sent to hunt over every portion of the grounds. Others were dis patched to all the near byways, lanes and hills. Still others were sent along the : highways country ward, and far upon the i thoroughfare leading back to the city. ■ Mr. Jaggers himself' mounted his favorite ! horse and galloped hither and thither, returning from time to time to Glen Cor rie, hoping to find Edith and the old women smilingly awaiting his coming. But night returned, and still no word from the poor old outcasts. “I have an idea!” then exclaimed Jason Jaggers. “Come, daughter, we’ll take a little run into town. I would like to see Uncle Jimmy a moment.” “Ah, sure eriough she returned joy ously as they set out together. “We ought to have thought of Uncle Jimmy j before!” I All that day residents of the northern outskirts of tne city had been interested in glimpses of two strange old women, oddly dressed and with curious caps upon their heads, who had been gradu ally nearing the denser quarter of the town. Hand in hand they glided from place to place like runaway though happy children, radiant as long-time travelers at glad home coming; halting now to chatter and laugh over some old-loved ob ject or scene; straggling in and out of by street and ‘alley as’ if following sudden impulses of rediscovery; and again push ing forward in greedy, tireless quest, un til lost in the great ebb and flow of the night throbs of the city’s turgid heart. Here at a certain corner, where a fes tering quarter pushes up against high palaces of trade, a nrnht policemansmiled grimly as be heard one of them gleefully exclaim: “Lord! Liz, this is life?” And then the other as ecstatically answer: ' “Life, Mary!—it’s life an’ grub an’ drink!” Then with a shrill chorus of delight, still hand in hand, they plunged into an alley glittering with signs of the three golden balls and ablaze with the beacon flames which beckon to vice and drink, A few hours later Uncle Jimmy Stubbs was startled by an imperative knocking at the front doors of the great Jaggers estab lishment. He answered the summons and found Jason Jaggers and his daughter Edith requiring admittance. “Uncle Jimmy,” sa’d Mr. Jaggers quietly, “we’ve another favor to ask of you to-night. We wish to see if there aren’t two more -reg’lar tough uns’ under the archway for possible experiment upon in direct charity.” The old watch man shook his head, but. lantern in hand, led them out as ho had done before. Theyhad proceeded but a little distance when they suddenly halted, and they all listened. Snoring was heard in tho direction of a huge pillar base. Pushing along, they came to a large empty box. When the litrht focused fairly upon its contents, the,)’ saw among an alxnost indjstinguishable massiof rags tilt: irices ui the’two old' outcastsJ peace- ' ful in sleep. • .... “Jerushitywhiz!” exclaimed Uncle Jimmy Stubbs, “if it aint Mugsy Mary an’ her pard, Slim Liz!” A few minutes later, Mr. Jaggers was writting rapidly at his desk. He filled in a number of checks, inclosed them in separate envelopes, which he carefully directed from his private address book, stamped the letters and carried them in bis hand, as he and his daughter returned to their carriage. “Papa Jaggers,” inquired Edith archly, “may I ask who those are for ?” “My daughter, they are a few trifling annual suoscriptions to various deserving charities, which I fear have been over looked. How would you like to go down with me and join mother and the girls at the seaside to-morrow?” “Well. Papa Jaggers, I certainly think that would be lovelier than—” “Further experiments for the present in direct charity!” added Jason Jaggers with emphasis and decision, as he drew his daughter affectionately to his side, and the two now somewhat experienced philanthropists sought their city home, instead of Glen Corrie, reflectively to gether. SENATORS AT OUTS. Senator Abrams and Senator Marks Having a Few Words. Orlando, Fla., June 13.—There is blood on the moon between State Senator M. R. Marks, who represents Orange and Osceola counties, and Senator Alex. St. Clair Abrams, of Tavares, who represents Lake county. Abrams is one of tho con spicuous figures in the reform movement inaugurated in Jacksonville by thirteen of Florida’s politicians a few weeks ago. The reform campaign was to have opened with a flourish of trumpets at Ocala last week. A galaxy of reform orators were to have been present, and It was ex pected that the political field would be subsoiled as it had never been before. But aside from Gen. Bul lock, who resides in Ocala, Maj. Abrams was the only spellbinder present. He gave considerable attention to himself, and some to other men who were with him in the last legislature. Among others Senator Mark’s came in for a share. The newspaper report sent out fiom Ocala state that Maj. Abrams intimated that Senator Mark’s vote on the railroad com mission bill was influenced by lobbyists. Os course Senator Marks got hot under the collar over such an imputation, and yesterday evening’s Orlando Reporter contains a scathing letter from the pen of Orange and Osceola counties’ senator. He dips his pen in Mexican pepper sauce, and wherevey he writes he leaves a red line on the article of the Lake county If Maj. Abrams is to be left to carry on the reform movement of Florida, and if he succeeds in drawing the fire of col leagues in each case as effectually as he did in his Ocala speech, his will he no bed of roses for the next few months. A watermelon weighing fifty-one pounds and a tomato weizhirie twenty-one ounces were s.n exhibition at once" the stores yesterday. This section has pro da- ed a large crop of vegetables this sea son, and some of the specimens have been immense in size. Campbell Oounty’B Vote. Fairburn. Ga., June 11.-j~The managers of the primary election held here on Sat urday last met at the court house and' consolidated the vote. Atkinson rec eived 251 votes, Gen. Evans l!ll, Candler 347, Clifton 22. Wright and Hardeman received each ;>!A. R. I.’. Nesbitt ; J. D. Waddell 6 and Calvin 2, J. M. Terrell 354. J he dernoeratic executive committee ele.-ted tne following delegates to cast the vote of Campbell county : George F. Lon gino, C. B. Moseley, G. L. Tanner, M. H. Uollins. T. 1:1. Penningtot, W. C. Kiser, C. F. Brooks. Rush Irwin, E. B. Chap man, C. S. Reid. One district failed to bring an 5- returns. It is thought it went for Evans by a small majority. I WEEKLY, (2 TIMES-A-WEEK) fl A YEAR. ) < 5 CENTS A COPY. }M (> 9K ( DAILY, 810 A YEAR. V» AV. , fey via f O times] l week] ’ A NEW BOOM FOR THE SOUTH ■ i ;, Business Men to Hold a Big Meeting At New York. Many of ths Most Prominent Finan cial and Commercial Houses of the ' Metropolis Give the Meeting- Their Indorsement A General Inter i change of Views From a Purely Busi ness Standpoint to Be Indulged In. Washington, June 13.—A meeting fraught with the utmost significance to the interests of the whole south will be held at the Fifth Avenue hotel, New York, Thursday, June 21. It is a direct outgrowth of the many public conven ' tions held of recent years in the south to induce capital, industrial plants and de- ■ sirable immigration to this section. The general invitation to this New York meet ing will be published in the Balti more Manufacturers’ Record to-morrow and is made at the request of Senator Patrick Walsh, Col. B. Dyer, of Au •gusta, Ga., R. H. Edmonds, editor of the Manufactures Record and others, and fifty New Yorkers who have investments in the south, trade with the south and southerners who now live in New York, but whose interests are south. The gen tlemen named directly own or represent not less than $1,000,900,000 of capital. THE PAI’EK. The paper signed by this splendid and most complimentary list of names of famous mercantile concerns of New’ York is as follows: New York. June 13.—We have considered the communications of Col. D. B. Dyer, lion. Patrick Walsh and Mr. R. H. Edmonds, sug gesting an early meeting in this city of New York southerners and prominent New York business men Interested in the south or southern trade, to confer with representa tives of .leading interests from that section. Recognizing the vital importance of the sub ject not only to the south, but to the whole country, we will be glad to meet southern business men for conference at the Fifth Avenue hotel on June 21. The names are R. T. Wilson & Co., Hon. R. M. Trenholm, J. H. Parker, In man, Swan Co., Cofilng, Etmus & Co., Hubbard, Price&Co., Hopkins. Dwight Ao Co., E. M. Lehman, of Lehman Bros., H. B. Claflin Co., C. P. Huntington, G. M- Sorrell, C. H. Mallory <& Co., E. H. Allen, Coates Thread Company, Henry B. Plant, Willis J. Best,. William Guilleaudeu, Samuel M. Jarvis, Roland R. Conklin, Hugh R. Garden, C. C, Baldwin, George Gordon Battle, E. K, Martin, Charles A. Desbou, John Allen Wyeth. John C. Calhoun, Woodward, Baldwin & Co., W. L. String & Co., Teift, Weller A Co., Francis H. Leggett & Co., E. (L. Sampson, Col. William P. Thompson, Mills &. Gibbs, William Steinway, Waiter Stanton. Wheelwright, Eldridge A Co.. E. B. Fielding, T. M. Ives, Nautnberg. Kraus & Co., Berheim, Bauer & Co., Ijornthal, Weissman & Co., Bierman, Hieflelbejc in—Lky. Hammers-. ' F, LassUt Co.TiialflF Ruckott. WW Mallet. IMfOHTANCB OF THE MEETING. Judged by the financial prominence of the men who have signed this invitation, this promises to he the most important meeting ever held in behalf of southern advancement. Men representing not sim ply millions, but hundreds of millions, who recognize the fact that the advant ages and resources of the south only need to be fully known to the world to bring about a great increase in population and' wealth, have united in asking others interested in the south, and its future to meet them in New York, in order to have a general interchange of views from a purely business standpoint as to the best means of advancing the prosperity of the south. This invitation is general. It is ex tended to all business men, whether they be farmers, transportation officials, bankers, merchants and manufacturers, or property owners, interested in the south. As the notice of this meeting is neces sarily brief, all business men who desire to attend can receive all particulars by addressing, by mail or telegraph, R. H. Edmonds, editor Manufactures’) Record, Bal tiinore, Md. It is expected that the outcome of this meeting will be of momentous con sequence to the entire south. WAYNE’S VOTE. Atkinson and Clifton Far in the Lead of th 3 Rival Candidates. Jesup, Ga., June 13.—After consolidat ing the returns of the primary election held Saturday, the followiug is the re sult: Atkinson 301 I Evans TO Clifton SM Candler 36 Nesbitt SCO The remainder of the state house of ficers were nominated. Henry G. Turner receives the unani mous vote for Congress. Politics in Decatur. Bainbridge. Ga., June 13Candidates : for the legislature are bobbing up all over the county. The democrats of this comity favor the re-election of the Hon. Ben E. Russell to congress almost to a man. On last night there was formed an or ganization to be known as the Young Men’s Central Democratic Club. Its ob ject is to encourage and advance the in terest of democracy in this county, to ar range for political gatherings and to furnish speakers whenever necessary for the coming campaign. Seventy-five mem , bers were enrolled. The officers elected were: .President, A. L. Hawes; vice president, E. T. Hines; secretary, B. Nussbaum: treasurer. Sig. Nussbaum. Res') ut.iom- indorsing Hon. Ben. E. Rus sell and common ling him to the people of theSeeomi district for a re-election were passed. The chxb also, by a vote of 1< to 2, indorsed the {capdiuac.v of W. M. Har rell, Esq., for the legislature. FLORIDA'S LAW OK FIGHTS. A Motion to Advance the Broward Case in the Supreme Court. Tallahassee, Fla., June IB.v- In the su preme court, Attorney General Lamar has had a motion entered on the docket for the advancement of the case of N. B. Broward vs. the Duval Athletic "Club?"’ After ten days' notice io the appellees (the club;, on motion of Mr. Lamar the court will take the case under ad vise men t. This is a suit to test the validity of Judge Call’s decision? granting an in junction restraining Sheriff Broward from interfering with the Corbett-Mitch ell fight at Jacksonville last January. It is understood that the club will not be represented when the case is called ten days from now, so the state i* likely to have a walkover.