Newspaper Page Text
VOL. XII.
ELLIJAY COURIER.
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
—BT—
COLEMAN ft KIRBY.
GEHERHOIRECTORT.
Superior Court meets 3d Monday in
May and 2nd Monday in October.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
J. C. Allen, Ordinary.
T. W. Craigo, Clerk Superior Court.
M. L. Cox, Sheriff.
J. R. Kinciad, Tax Collector.
Locke Langley, Tax Receiver.
Jas. M. West, Surveyor.
G. W. Rice, Coroner.
Court of Ordinary meets Ist Monday
in each month.
TOWN COUNCIL.
E. W. Coleman, Intendant.
L. B. Greer, V
J.' R Cobb? Jr. \ Commissioners.
T. J. Long, . J
W. H. Foster, Marshal.
• '
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
Methodist Episcopal Church South—
Every 8d Sunday and Saturday before.
G. W. Griner.
Baptist Church—Every 2nd and. 4th
Sunday, by Rev. E. B. Shope.
Methodist Episcopal Church—Every
Ist Saturday and Sunday, by Rev. T. G.
Chase.
FRATERNAL RECORD. .
Oak Bowery Lodge, No. 81, F. A. M.,
meets Ist Friday in each month.
L. B. Greer, W. M.
T. If. Tabor, S. W.
J. W. Hipp, J. W. •
ft. Z. Roberts, Treasurer.
D. Garren.S ecretary.
W. 8. Coleman, S. D.
W. 0. Allen, J. D.
S. GnmiJi, Tyler.
R. T. PICKENS,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
ELLIJAY, GEORGIA.
Will practice in all the conrts of Gil
mer and adjoining counties. Estates
and interest in land a specialty. Prompt
attention given to all collections.
_ ’ 10-21-85
DR. J. R. JOHNSON,
Physician and Surgeon
ELLIJAY, GEORGIA.
Tenders his’professional services to the
people of Gilmer and surrounding coun
ties and asks the support of his‘friends as
heretofore. All calls promptly filled. '
E. W. COLEMAN,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
ELLIJAY. GA.
tt ill practica lu B n.- ltc'go Circuit, Crnntv
I ,,nn vonrt it Miner Count?. Lukrl
Imßiucßtf coined, •Troipptuftg*” i* our motto.
DR. J. S. TJItKERSLEY.
Physician Surgeon,
Tend-rs his professional sorvioos to tha oi#i
Jens of Ellijay, Gilmer and surrounding carnn
lies. Ah calls promptly attend-d to. Offico
upstairs over the firm of Cobb & £jon.
M FI WALDO THORNTON, 0.0.8,
dentist,
Calhoun, G 4.
ill visit Ellijay and Morgan ton st
both the Spring' and Tall term of the
Superior Court—and oftener by special
contract, when sufficient work ie guar
anteed to justify me in aMdcins the visit.
Addrers aa above. Tmavil-lf
WHITE PATH SPRINGS!
-THE—
Favorite and Popular Resort oj
NORTH GEORGIA!
Is situated 6 miles north of Ellijay on
the Marietta tfe North Georgia Rgilroqd.
Accommodations complete, facilities for
ease and comfort- unexfcelled, and the
magnificent Minetal Springs is its chief
attiaction. For other particulars on
board, etc., address,
Mbs. W. F. Robertson,
$25,000.00
IN GOLD!
TULL life PAID FOR
iVSBMLES’ COFFEE TOPPERS,
V Premium; '• $1,000.00
2 Premiums, - BSOO.OO each
6 Premiums, - $250.00 “
25 Premiums, - SIOO.OO “
• 100 Premiums, • $50.00 u
200 Premiums, • $20.00 “
1,000 Premiums, SIO.OO
For full particulars and directions see Circu
Inr in every pound of Arbuckxjer' Corns.
FOR GOOD
JOB PRINTING
-oo to OC
ELLI JAY COUHIER.
THE ELLIJAY COURIER
BANO AWAY.
A*. be sure you're in the right,
In whate er you wish to do,
Evan though you have to fight
AH the world to push it throng
Then bang away.
Let no feeling of dismay
Overpower your single aim.
Lest the world may truly say
To success you have no claim;
So hang away.
Fate disdains a coward heart,
So do you, I dare to say;
Let that never be your part;
Whether work or whether play;
Being away.
—John D. Jlemstreet, in Chicago Iterald.
THE MERMAN.
Last summer I passed some weeks In
Malangen, Norway, laid up with a
sprained ankle. One evening my farmer
host, Bernt Olaffsen, told me the follow
ing Story. I believed It; So would you
if you had heard him tell it.
I was left an orphan wlith about ' ht
years old,’and vtettt to live with my
cousin Karen, who had been a servant in
the family of the minister at Alstadt,'but
who then lived at Kralholm, in Welge
land, having some months before married
Elias, a fisherman of that pitted, Krai
holm, for some reason, has ever been the
haunt of ghosla, mermen and ail Wicked
spirits of the sea. It took Karen and me
a long to become accustomed to the
strange sights and sounds of the lonely
beach where her cottage stood.
Her husband, a cheery, hearty man,
laughed at our fears, assuring us that the
sea spirits had no power over those who
led godly lives and who avoided all
dealings with them; so when six years
uuj, bringing with them
children and all other blessings, Kareh’s
fears had long since been forgotten. Then
auclucnly Elias reettted to change. He
became gloomy and silent. He was, as
ever, kind and good, but his jokes and
laughter were no longer heard. This
Was very strange, and, stranger still, he
Suddenly stopped all talk about the new
ten-oared boat he had meant to buy, to
take the place of of the old I 'six-oar,"
almost worn out with long service. That
nsw “ten-oar” had been the theme of
many a fireside talk, for it Was to be the
finest on Kralholm beach, but now for
two years we heard nothing about it.
Karen was, of course, very anxious, and
At last I, having grown to be a stout
lad of sixteen ventured to question him
plainly, Karen joined me, and at last
he spoke out.
One day, two years before, he Was
walking on an Unfrequented part of the
, beach, armed With his fish spear, and
came suddenly upon a huge seal, lying
Asleep upon a rock. It was the largest
he had evr seen, but, strange to say, he
feltafrftidof it, and wished to run away,
rwj' stmnge, for'nor one ever tears a
seal, and the larger it is the better the
prize.
Eitas mustered up his courage, crept
close to the sleeping monster, and drove
the spear deep into its back. With a
frightful yell of rage and pain, such as
ho true seal ever uttered, the brute raised
Itself, wrenching the staff out of the
fisherman’s hands. It stood erect, seem
ing to grow as tall as a boat’s mast.
Bcreaming and gnashing its teeth, it
glared at Elias with fierce, bloodshot
eyes, while he, half-dead with fear, could
not murmur a prayer. With one final
bellow it plunged into the sea, carrying
with it the harpoon, and discoloring the
. water with blood. Elias did not speak
of this incident to any one. He was, in
truth, ashamed. He had been frightened
by a seal; had missed his blow, and lost
not? only his prize, but his harpoon as
•well. He would bo laughed at. After
ward he found floating the staff of his
spear, the iron having been broken off. "
One night, shortly after this, he heard
a great noise in the boat house. He im
mediately rose and went to see if Rny
mischief were on foot. It was midnight,
stormy and very dafk. Entering the boat
house he heard no sound, and at first
. could sec nothing. Suddenly the light
of his lantern fell upon a huge black mass,
from which rose grinning, and snaVlirlg
the fierce head of a monster seal. He re
membered it well, and while he stood,
terror-stricken, the grew human,
the seal disappeared, and in its place was
a large man, entirely naked, who rushed
pastjjElias, striking the lantern from his
hand, but not so quickly that the poor
fellow could not see sticking fast between
his shoulders’the speir of his lost har
poon. He realized then what he had
done, what vengeance he had provoked,
with whom he had dealt ar.d had still to
deal. KareD found him lying in a swoon,
the broken lantern by his side. He
told her nothing, and from that day
was silent and gioomy, for he knew that
he had incurred the deadly bate of a mer
man, than which no greater evil can be
fall a seafaring man.
But he kept on with his fishing, and
one dark morning, as he was sailing out,
he heard a deep voice that seemed to call
from the sea itself:
Your boat sails welt, for the wind is free;
Wait till you’ve sailed a race with ms!
When the sky is black and the dead afloat,
ill the match of your teg-oared
His men thought it was some neighbor
wishing to play them a track. Elias knew
what it was.
From that day he lived in terror. He
gave up all idea of buying a ten-oared
boat, partly because he did not think it
worth while for the short time he be
lieved he had to live, partly because the
merman’s words seemed to warn him
against sailing in such a craft.
We said all we could to cheer him, at
first with little effect; but as months and
seasons passed and nothing evil happened
his gloom wore away, he became his old
•elf, and again all his talk was of anew
ten-oared boat.
Bpring came and a day was fixed when
we were to sail around to Ranen, sell the
old boat for what it would fetch and buy
the new one. Great were the prepara
tions, for we intended to make a pleas
ure party of it, and take Karen and all
the children. My wife insisted that she
should stay at home so that the industri
ous house mother should have at least one
day’s diversion—that is, she was not my
wife then; she was an orphan, like me,
who had been adopted by the kind fish
erman, Oh, if Elsa had only gone with
us we would have come back safe and
happy, for Eire is a Finn, and the Fiona
1 know all sea magic and can bring to
“A map or bust Lira-its rLOVTVATioxa ajtp in tabt OO.VcirK.VS.”
ELLIJAY. GA.. THURSDAY, JUNE 30. 1887.
nought all the enchantments of the mer
men. But it was fated.
The day fixed for our trip was perfect.
The sky was bright and clear; a light
breeze; fair for Ranen, just ruffled the
sea. We were a merry party; we tailed
away laughing and singing!. while Elsa
waved us good luck from the shore.
We soon reached Ranen, and while
Karen and the children went to the house
of a friend, Elias and I sought the boat
builder.
We managed to sell our old boat,
though we got but little for it. Then
began along and careful examination of
ten-oared boats. We wens hard to please,
but at last found bnß that sec iea to be
jttst ftnat we wanted. Her model below
the water-line was so perfect, so superior
to any that we had ever seen,that we de
termined to buy her,although she seemed
overmasted and rather clumsily rigged.
The boatbuilder acknowledged this
himself, s&ylng that he had finished her
hurriedly, beiug overrun with work.
“But,*’ said he, “ydu will find that there
no boat ifi these Waters that can sail
with her. She is a perfect model. Look
at feci' lines. The faults you mention are,
after all, but trifles. You can alter her
rigging to suit yourselves when you get
her to Kralholm: besides, I am a just
man, and will allow you something off
the price, so that you will really have a
bargain, ’’
So, alter some haggling, A price was
Agreed upBU;. which Elias paid down,and
th bßit was his. The boatbuilder,how
ever, made us promise faithfully not to
alter her in the least particular, not even
to touch her with a tar brush, until we
were at Kralholm, “For,” said he, ,“I
have boasted greatly Of thill boat, and 1
do not wish to be shamed before the
whole town by having you begin to alter
her rig the moment you own her.”
We gave the promise readily, and the
builder talked so much while she was be
ing launched that rieither of us noticed
that no cross was tarred on her stern.
My wifo will have it that the boat
builder was in league with the merman,
who had doubtless taught him how to
build so well below the watet linfe that
he migjlt lure us into sailing thus unpro
tected by the holy sign, which all fiends
fear, and which wo.uld have saved us’
from his vengeance. She may be right;
such things have been, and that man I
have heard ended miserably.
Early in the afternoon we all sailed for
home. W-e had about eight miles to go,
and soon found that the sea-going
qualities of our new purchase were likely
to be thoroughly tested. It blew very
hard and the waves ran high. She
behaved splendidly, skimming over the
billows like a Water-fowl, shipping
scarcely a Bpray. We were delighted
With heh
Suddenly Karen gave & erv of alarm,
and pointed over the stem; . .We looked
and saw a great blfick cloud, which
seemed to cover the whole horizon, roll
ing down upon us with a streak of boiling
white foam before it. I sprang to reef
the sail, and in an instant the squall was
upon us. At once all was dark as flight.
We- could not st< each others’ faces.
Tlte wind howled, and as the boat bent
to it, rushing on her course, it seemed
that she must capsize. The children
screamed with (fright. Then at a short
distance to windward the blackness
opened, as if a curtain had been drawn
up, and in a broad space of living green
ish light We saw another ten-oated boat.
She stood out black and distinct against
the half-circle of light which seemed to
travel with her. She was an exact copy
of our own boat; she was sailing the same
course, but, while we heeled terribly to
the wind and plunged madly to the
raging sea, she with full sail set, glided
along on an even keel, as steady as
though the sea were a mill-pond. The
wind and sea seemed to have no effect
on her.
I could but see one aboard her, a dark
figure at the helm. She frightened me.
But I could not think of her long, for
■the wind was now a hurricane, and
every wave dashed over her bows, half
filling the boat with water. I heard
Elias shout: “Look out! Hold fast, all
of you!”, and saw an enormous wave, as
high as our mast it seemed, toppling
over us. Tons of water dashed down
upon us, and I thought we were sinking;
but our. boat quipkly righted and seemed
to shake the water' front her. I looked
first for Elias. I could just make out his
figure at the helm. Then I heard a half
stilled shriek. “O, Elias, husband!
Martha and Nils! Save them!” It was
Karen’s voice. The two little ones were
tone. I heard Elias groan. We could
o nothing. Then I looked for the other
boat. The greenish light was brighter,
the strange craft more distinct. Two
had been added to her crew. They stood
motionless by her mast: their faces were
the faces of the dead, the faces
of the drowned children. It was a
ferfrfu! sight,'but before we could speak
a word another mountain of water was
hurled upon us, and when it had passed
Karen was gone, and Anton’s life line
dangled _1 oo.se and empty. I c6uld hear
Elias praying,' while the four older boys
clung half drowned to the mast and neither
moved nor spoke.
We heard a loud laugh, and a deep
voice called: “Ha! ha! Elias, I will have
a full crew soon.” There was the strange
boat scarce fifty feet from us. In her
were Karen add Anton, Nils and Martha,
dead and white, and there, huge, naked
and terrible, stood the steersman, with
sea-green hair and beard blowing wildly
about his frightful head.
With a menacing gesture he pointed to
the spike of a fish spear sticking between
his shoulders. I nearly fainted. Elias
ceased praying. By the ghastly light
now so near us I could see his face. It
was that of a wild beast at bay, despair
ing but ferocious.
Drawing his long knife, he muttered:
“I know you, I know you! If a spear
can pierce your back, this may reach
your heart.”
“Elias!” I shrieked, “that was on
land. What would you do?”
“End this, one way or other,” he
•houted. “To the sheet, fool!” and he
put up the helm. I trimmed the sail
close, as by instinct, and we flew to run
down our pursuer. I was now desperate,
too, and grasping the boathook, stood
ready to strike.
Just as we seemed aboard of the mer
man another wave swept over us; I felt
our boat sink from under me. Even
through the rush of the water I heard
wild shrieks and shouts of fiendish
laughter, and knew no more until I
found myself dinging with a death grip
to the unsubmerged rail of our wrecked
boat, whose heavy mast and spread anil
alone prevented bar from capaudpg com
pletely.
The black cloud was pone, the mer
man Wa* grlne; the foiir uCy* Were gone,
but I saw Elias caught between the booni
and the toppenlifi It #aa snowing;
the wind ana the tea were as fierce as
ever, but it was no longer so dark. I
managed to reach Elias and’drag him up
beside jpe; holding him with one arm.
while with the Other 1 chir.g to Ihe rail,
resting toy feet on the combing of th*
hatch. I thought him dead,'but soon he
moved and sighed.
“Courage,” I said; ‘*the merman is
gone. You will live.” ,
“No, Bernt,” he
“God is too good to let Kim fiend carry
his revenge so far as that: Lam dying;
you will be saved. You nift aot of my
blood. L shall soon be witttffluHa and
the children.’’
He was silent for awhileMgTlsb he
Whispered, brokenly:,
ber—all four you and RtaA-Jn.”
1 held him as strongly as I could, Sud
denly a look of joy lit up his ,vhite face.
Stretching out his arms, hi* cried: “Yes,
Karen, lam coming.” Ift wrenched
himself free from my weakened hold,
and feU backward into the sea.
I suppose I fainted then, for when I
was again conscious, two days after, l
was in my bed at Kralholm, With Elsa
bending Over nie. She had found me pn
that fatal evening, lying drowned, as she
then thought, on the beach, whither she
had gone to meet us all. As the weather
had been perfect all day, avery one sup
poaed that Elias and his family had for
some reason remained over at Ranen, and
that I, returning aloite in tum 6 small
boat in order to De with- Elsa—for our
courtship was secret—had through some
accident, fallen overboard.
When I told the dreadful truth they
did not believe'me, When on inquiry
they itearned that we had sailed from
Ranen, as I had said, when nothing more
was heard of Elias, when the wreck of
the new ten oared boast was cast ashore
on the rocks of Landspoint Island and all
could see that she had no cross tarred
upon her stern, ihbjr were Convinced,
and proper funeral services were held for
the drowned.
Elsa . and I were married. Elias’s
savings made us rich. We bought this
farmland neither of us has ever been in
a boat 6ince, nor ever will be.— From
“Mrs. Htphoeslus."
Beautiful Work in Ivory.
With improved methods of carving
came a more general demand for small
ivory figures which could be used as or
naments, and as a result the subjects be
came more varied and less conventional.
Wo now have beautiful toilet articles
witjl carvings of flowers and arabesque
caskets of ivory worthy to inclose gems;
little statues of genre designs; birds and
greyhounds and miniature figures of h
manitv. Striking groups and. ficenqs
from fife are carved-out of the white sub
stance, and the whole inlaid .with, djiffer
fchtiy colored ivory, which gives thfi pic
ture a realistic and beautiful appearance.
The more delicate of the carvings have
to be executed by a trained hand and an
artistic eye. Many women are employed
in this work, especially in the ivory man
ufactories of Europe, where they are
paid good wages for their labay. The
rougher Work, such as making billiard
balls, rings for harness mid ivory han
dles, is done entirely by machinery, but
since the demand for fine household
ornaments has grown so steadily, a large
number of gifted women have been giveD
employment in the manufactories to. do
the fine polishing and designing. The
ivory used is taken, not only from Africa
and Asia and the fos il mammoth of Si
beria, but also from the horns of the hip
popotamus, the tusks of the walrus and
the sword of the narwhale.
The grain of the several kinds differs
Very materially, and in proportion to the
delicateness of the lines is the price paid
for it. The elephant tusk represents the
finest specimens of ivory. When the
tusks are brought into the workshop they
are cut into shapes necessary for carving
by machinery. The objects are designed
beforehand and a suitable piece is cut. out
from the sheet at one turn .of the wheel.
These pieces are then taken by the art
ists, who design and polish them until
fashioned ready for the store. - The carv
ers sit at long desks facing windows of
light, and they use salt and water be
neath the touch of their fine tools. The
polishing is accomplished upon wheels or
“buffs” corercd with Canton flannel, and
there are vats of colored liquid for stain
ing tints. When the carving is finished
it represents exquisite work. —Mail and
Express.
The Army of Haytl.
The Haytian army must present to
European beholders a spectacle of gro
tesqueness, the equal of which it would
be difficult to find anywhere either in fact
or fiction. Imagine 'a battalion on
parade consisting of thirteen privates, ten
officers, and six drummers 1 The rest of
the men—as the author quaintly pnts it
—thinking it unnecessary to present
themselves except on pay day. • The staff
officers, are clad in the most gorgeous
uniforms procurable; while the men are
habited in a motley array of tatters.
Some have coats wanting'one arm, the
collar or the tail; the headgear may con
sist of a dilapidated shako, a straw hat,
wide-awake, or in many instances merely
a handkerchief tied around the head.
The officers hold their swords in either
hand as suits them; and the men march
past in admirable confusion, each one
carrying his musket in the position he
finds most convenient. The populace
look on with admiring looks, and gravely
ask if finer troops can anywhere be found.
The Haytian, however, thoroughly de
tests military service, and consequently
the sentries, lest they should be over
fatigued, are considerately provided with
chairs. Chamber a'a Journal.
Turkish Coin Bracelets.
The handsome bracelets and necklaces
which Turkish ladies wear, composed of
ancient coins of gold, form one of the
richest and most characteristic orna
ments. As these coins are scarce, and ns
the taste for thjs style of ornament is
ever increasing, certain adventurers have
had coins made in Europe of baser metal,
which, in Turkey, they sell as genuine.
In Anatolia and elsewhere they have
driven a prosperous trade in this way.
But the government has bow prohibited
the sale of these *!■ c coins and otdered
the seizure of sue' i iy lie now offered
for purchase
BUDGET OF FUN.
HUMOROUS SKETCHES FROM
VARIOUS SOURCES.
Hard On Featherly— A Rough Pelt
—The Doctor's Advice—A Ca
det's Assurance—\ Rare
Specimen, Etc!, Etc.
Ethel—“ Was there a donkey on our
steps when you came in, Mr. Featherly 1”
Mr. Featherly—-“Why, no, Ethel;
what would a donkey be doing there!’’
Ethel— “I don't know; hut Clark said,
just before you rang the bell: ‘There’s
that donkey coming in here again.’ ”
Boston Beacon.
The Doctor's Advice.
A true story is told of an old New
Hampshire doctor, who was one day con
sulted by a mau suffering from rheu
matism. The physician gave him eopioua
advice, find ehded with directions so cot*
ciselv put as to be easilt memorize.].
“Avoid dampness,” he said.
“Yes, sir.”
“Keep warm; keep your feet dry, and
remember what I’ve said about flannels.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Take the medicine with absolute regu
larity. Here is the prescription.”
, - The nian expressed his thanks, paid
His fee, and took his lefive, Aa he reached
the door the doctor called: “Oh, by the
way, if any of these things help you, iuSt
give me a call and tell me. I’ve had
rheumatism for over twenty years, and
nothing has ever helped me yet. Good
taorhing.”— Youth's Companion.
A Rough Deal.
A stranger .went into an Austig restau
rant and ordered a dinner. He made one
Of two attempts to eat It, but was badly
defeated. Then life called the proprietor
of the caravansary, asked how mufih the
funeral expenses aggregated, and was
told “fifty cents.” He handed over a
five-doilar bill, but when the proprietor
Jrfis about to return tha change he re
used to accept it.
“No, sir,” he said magnanimously,
“just you take that money and see if you
can hire a right hungry man with it to
eat that dinner. If he strikes for higher
wages just draw on me. If he dies I’ll
pay the funeral expenses.”
The proprietor of the caravansary now
says that he put up a job on him. —Texas
Siftings.
A Cadet’s Assurance,
Sometimes when the offenses of cadets
are very flagrant court martials are Called
to try them. Those are composed of
army officers, who sit in trial like judge
and jury whet the offender is in civil,
instead of military life. These courts
martial are often very funny. Once theth
there was a youngster who bad acted so
perfectly outrageously that he knew, he
would be dismissed at the approaching
examination, so he- determined to have a
good time before he left. On the grounds
was an old disused shed of some kind,
and in it young hopeful piled all the
shavings, rags and everything else com
bustible he could get, and one fine night
he set a match to it and had a mag
nificent bonfire of his own. Of course
suspicion pointed to hint, and a court of
inquiry was organized to investigate the
outrage. General Thayer was superin
tendent and Colonel Fry commandant of
cadcts. When the prisoner was called
up for examination before the court,
composed of officers of high rank, im
posing in the majesty of the law, he was
asked to state what he knew about the
fire.
“I—t don’t know any tiling myself but
what is hearsay testimony, and you
Won’t admit that,” he re plied.
“The court does not desire your views
on hearsay testimony,” severely remarked
the prosecutor. “You are directed to
state what. may have come to yout
knowledge regarding the affair.”
“Well, but,” objected the culprit, “t
don’t know anything about it, and what
I heard I don’t believe.”
“The court, sir,” thundered the officer,
“has not inquired into your belief. You
will immediately state what you heard.”
“But—but—you don’t believe me,
either.”
By that time the court was In a rage.
“Go on sir,” roared several officers to
gether.
“Well, they do say,” stammered the
cadet diffidently, “that General Thayer
got the shavings and old Fry set ’em
afire.— Philadelphia Times.
A Rare Specimen.
“1 see,” said Colonel Boland, aa he
reached into his vest pocket as If ;he
expected to find a cigar, “that the terri
torial School of Mines has secured a fossil
Skull of a brontotherium for its museum,
and that the specimen is very rare and
valuable.”
“Ya-as, I saw it,” replied Judge Ptr
simmon unconcernedly, as if be wanted
to turn the subject.
“Now 1 have been in the territory
twenty years,” continued the Colonel,
“but the brontotheriums were all gone
when I came. What I want to know,
Judge, is, if you met any of ’em in an
early day?”
“I s’pose I did,” said Judge Persim
mon as he glanced around at the crowd
as if to call on it to witness that he was
forced into it. HI struck Dakota in ’47
with a little party, and traveled all over
before any other white man dared to
venture across its boundary. At that
time the brontotherium was very plenty.
They used to come up within a hundred
yards of our camp and sit up on their
hind legs and whistle at us.”
“But I see, Judge, that in this speci
men the jaw-bone is twelve felt long.”
“I noticed it,” returned the Judge, as
if slightly hurt. “I was just going to say
that they have only got ayoungone after
aIL The jaw of a full grown brontothe
rium was fully twenty feet in length.
When they sat down and stuck their
noses up and howled they reached up in
the air like the steeple on an Episcopal
Church. It was a great sight to see a
row of them around the camp early in
the morning. I shot several. After one
or two fell over the rest would get up and
bark a little and trot off wagging their
tails. ' Their tracks measured six feet
wide by ten long. I tamed one in the
summer of ’4B, and it followed me about
like a dog.”
“Any other curious animals then that
are now extinct?”
“Yaa. severe species. There were the
botheration*, the tUiuguml-ob*, tbs
whatjurallems and the great howlinft
hurrahwhoopers. I notice the school
hasn’t Specimens of any of these yet, ami
I doubt if they can be procured nod
I’ll tell you about them alt some day hjfl
it rains and I haven’t anything else tft
do.” —Dakota Bell. I
Tha “Rescue Dodge.” |
Two rather scedy-looking individual
met at a down-down corner yestardlfl
and greeted each other with effusion. B
“What you doin’, cull?” asked one. fl
“Selling clothes wringers. Whafl
you doing!” I
“Ain’ doin’ nothin’ now, except
ing this,” indicating a black eye. MU
“ How d’yod get it?” aft
“Got it doin’ the rescue biz in ToledH;
“Rescue biz? What’s that?” M
“Welt, you arc green. Me an’ a paH|
mine made good money out of
Cleveland and afterwards in Toledo.
was a big feller an’ could eat fn
He’d dress kind o’ slouchy and I’d B|||
ifi- aigtlg fair shape. ||B|
sside oHH
street and I triWHJfand walk KgSl
until he saw a lady that looked aifslßß|
cash. If there wasn't any one aboutflvS!
go up and speak to hcf. Of courseHßl
would frighten her half to
he'd just stick and try to walk witHfl|
Then my turn would come. I’HHj
across the street, big as life, an’ sajS
“ ‘Madame, do you know this nM||S|
“ ‘No, sif,’ she’ll say.’ H
“ ‘ls he annoying you?’ H
“‘Yes, sir.’ mSB
“Then I’d tell Jack to go nbo®jH|
business, he’d give me some talk aiHHB
lei out a mighty savage lnokin;;Hl
that wouldn’t kill a fly. He’d go
•a if he was shot, and then get
run like a whitehead. I’d walk a
or two with the lady, giving her a
talk about bein’a stranger in townM'
of a job, an’ I almost always got a hB
tip. Once I got S2O an’ what I <IH
want —11 job. 1
“Where’d you get the eye.”
“Oh, that was last week. My pal gor
full, and when I let out at him says:
“ ‘You miserable littlo rooster, I’ll
teach you to make a crack at an adult.,’
an’ gave me a paste where you see it.
That broke up Ouf partnership. —Detroit
Free Press.
Birds and Beasts.
The OWitef of a cattle-ranche in New
Mexico has a pot antelope less than a
year old, which follows ltd master about
like a dog; and, wliat is more remarka
ble, like a dog eats greedily of raw meat
Whenever it can get it, evidently pre
ferring it to any other article of diet'.
The elk’s skin is extremely thick and
has been manufactured into clothing
that would repel an ordinary pistol ballT
Sometimes the flesh is dressed fresh, but
Is usually smoked like a ham. The large
lips are said to be, when boiled, like
green turtle {pt.
One of the several game Cocks that
were being riiippcdjtp Portland^Oregon,
escaped frorntho Coop uiid the baggage
car, and all the efforts of the train hands
to catch It were unavailing until a bright
brakeman released another cock. In a
moment the two had engaged in battle
and were easily picked up.
Deputy Sheriff Trumbo of Baltimore
mourns the death of his goat, which he
prized for his almost human intelligence.
He (the goat) would atcal peanuts from
the stands of the city even more success
fully than the small boy, and when his
appetite for peanuts was satisfied he
strolled through the ward, picking up
any considerable unconsideted trifle that
fell in his way. On one occasion ha
brought home a door mat, on another a
good bed spread; on still another he
walked into a house of mourning, pulled
the covering off the corpse, ana made
off with it.
An English lady, residing in the coun
try, has a pet blackbird. Last summer
the bird’s cage was placed in an open
Window and a wild blackbird flew down
to it, looking through for a minute or
two at the prisoner and then flying away.
A minute afterward the visitor returned
bearing a wonn in its beak. This act of
friendship was repeated again and again,
until the caged blackbird and his mis
tress had to leave. The two birds had
been separated for eight months, but re
cently the lady returned to the country
and had not hung the cage up half an
hour before the game wild blackbird was
seen flying down to his old friend.
Serpent ('harming.
Many tales have been told about the
power of snakes to “charm” small ani
mals, or even human beings. In those
cases the animal or person is supposed to
be almost incapable of voluntary motion,
and to be entirely within the power of
the snake. Naturalists do not doubt that
the snake possesses this power in some
degree, so far as regards the inferior ani
mals and birds, but they contend that
the stories about the exercise of it are
greatly exaggerated.
There is another sort of serpent charm
ing which can be written about more in
telligently than this. This is the art
which has been practised in the Oriental
countries from remote antiquity, whereby
men appear to exert an influence over ser
pents like that credited to serpents over
animals and men. Many illusions to this
power are found in the Old Teetament.
The charmers put snakes around their
necks, put their fingers in the reptiles’
mouths, and even permit themselve to be
bitten so that blood flows freely. No fatal
result, however, ensues. This immunity
the charmers ascribe to a constitutional
peculiarity which they possess, but de
clare they are as powerless to explain it
as they would be to transmit the power to
another. Experts, however, who have
investigated the charmers’ methods, de
clare tliat the serpents used, while being
venomous, have been deprived of their
poison fangs before beiug meddled with.
It ia conceded, though, by the critics that
the charmers have power above other men
of knowing where a serpent is concealed,
long practice having enabled them to de
tect tiie musky smell of the snake when
others could not realize it. J. G. Wood,
the eminent naturalist, does not attribute
any superhuman power* to the charmers,
but ia not prepared to deny that they may
possess some secret which renders the
bite of the snake harmless to them. It
has been noticed by persons who have
watched the channels catch venomous
•nakes wild that they pin the snake to
the ground before permitting the re pills
to take any liberties with them, and at
once extract the poison fang.— Olohe
Democrat.
oHi; doiMv
! l| 1111 i SlillSi liiiia
t" i*, •:*•’!'lSwE' : ,
In (liinn „ r ' , ;
r*iutig are
"an,: if,>r . >!■ 1 C , ‘‘■'V' 1 -,.., j
i.
!’■
\ ' ; I>i.
till- an ;f ■ Fit> IS
rat -i i I
: ,: i /
Mmi-t.-r it"
you -ay than Mr. SuUH
lie rarely at • (Ml
•'I know lie doesn’t
ei alien, but. /•Y.u?*f/vß;'\£A - y£,.- ^.j
1.” -Troy Prm. V
The nmn who can now
the damp ground and
the same one" who wae affected with
rheumatics last winter so that he could
not go down cellar tor a hod of coal.—-
Waterloo Obttrvtr.
Now the married man of sense
Bneaks over the back yard fenoe,
Instead of leaving home by the front way.
For well he ought to know,
If the women see him go.
They’ll make him wallop carpets half a day.
—Dansville Breeze :■
“Say, Maria!” exclaimed Mr. Blobson
the other day, “I move we suspend the
long-haul clause.’V‘What do you mean?”
demanded Mrs. Blobson. “I mean,”
said Mr. Blobson, “that instead of push
ing the baby carriage around four block*
we try one block for a while. Otherwise,
I shall be obliged to raise the rates of
transportation. —Burlington F'r** Breu.
Queer Things in Persia. J
A Mr. Neesan lectured in New York
not long ago on Persian life. The young
ladles of the audience laughed when Mr.
Neesan told how the Persian youth wa*
allowed to take one kiss from his future
wife on the eve before their marriage,
provided he could find her in a dark
room full of other ladies. They were
silent and sympathetic when he told
how, although he waa engaged for three
years, he never got one kiss in all that
time. Mr. Neesan was forced to confess
that the Persian newspapers are rather
slow. They are divided into two claasea
—those published every week and those
published every seventh day—and all
Persia has just one of each class. Some
time after Cleveland was elected Mr.
Neesan received a copy of some of these
papers. He looked anxiously to see If
the election returns had reached the
enterprising editor, but the only mention
he found of America wa# its discovery by
one Christopher Columbus. He doesn’t
expect to live long enough for the editor
to go through the subsequent history of
America and give his readers some com
paratively recent news concerning the
United States.
A Cloak of Gold Feathers.
At the coronation of King Kalakua in
1883, writes a correspondent from Hono
lulu, he wore the royal mantle of Kame
hameha L, one of the most superb em
blems of royality ever worn by king or
kaiser. As may be supposed, it is care
fully kept at the palace. It is a semi
circular cloak, about four feet in length,
covering an area of twenty-five square
feet when spread out, and it'is made of
the small golaen-hued feathers of the O-o.
These leathers, each about the size of ;
one’s little finger nail are fastened to •
a fine network of fibre, made from the
bark of the olona, overlaying each other.
There are at least 5,000 of these feathers
used in the cloak, there are but two
taken from each bird, which has to be
snared in the dense woods, the feather*
plucked and the bird released; it was a
crime ro kill them. The birds weby no
means abundant, necessarily the value of
the cloak is very great, and the keeping
of it an endless task. The mantle is
worn only by the reigning sovereign.
There are shorter capes and cloaks worn
by Alice or chiefs, their length being
reguiu . ’ by the rank of the wearer.
The books in the British Museum art
bound on a principle, historical works
being in red, theological in bluo, poetical
in yellow, natural history in green. Be
side this, each part of a volume is
stamped with a mark by which it can be
distinguished ae museum property, and
of different colors; thus, red indicates
that s book was purchased, blue that it
came by copyright, and yellow diet It
■vas presented.