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REENESBORO, ; GEORGIA
An Animal’s Intelligence.
In the summer of 1879 a three-year
old heifer of my shorthorn herd sudden
ly disappeared. Diligent search failed
to find her anywhere on the premises.
Late in the day my herdsman, to my ut
ter amazement, informed me that “De
heifer is up in de barn chamber.” Sure
enough, there she was. She had climbed
s steep flight of stairs of fifteen steps,
turned a sharp corner and landed safo
and sound.
She did not jnmp out of the window,
as at the time 1 was wishing she would.
What induced her to attempt the peril
ous feat 1 know not, for nothing was
there to attract her. Very probably in
escaping from the horns of one of the
others she had started up’ a few steps,
and being unable to turn had been
forced to continue on.
I was compelled to have her thrown
down, her heels tied, and to slip her
down stairs on a smooth plank. Bc{
this is not all. The next fall, attracted
by the com stowed there, this same
heifer went up a second timesed toP
two oows with her. You can imagine
my disgust when I found them there
quietly munching the com just as if
they hod been accustomed all their lives
to walk up stairs to dinner. On this oc
casion Iwas possessed of engineering ex
perience. To throw them down, being
as tamo as dogs, to tie their feet and
slip them down os before, unharmed,
was only a qnostion of hands and rope.
''A Laughable Mistake.
The Boston Advertiser says that a
laughable incident occurred during the
rcoent visit of the American Society of
Civil Engineers to Lowell, where they
were the guests of Mr. J. B. Francis,
whose residence is in close proximity to
that of Governor Butler. Mr. Francis
had provided carriages for the convey
ance of his guests (about seventy in num
ber) from tho railway station to his
dwelling, and os they moved slowly in
the direction of Governor Butler’s place
many rumors woro set afloat regarding
the nature of tho delegation they con
tained.
When within a short distance of the
Governor’s house a lady, who also re
sides in the neighborhood, relieved the
curiosity of tho inquiring crowd hy ven
turing tho observation that tho visitors
must be the convicts from Concord
Pison on their way to pay their respects
lo Governor Butler for his kindness imd
leniency toward them.
This “news” spread like wildfire and
a stampede was instantly modo in tho
direction of the Governor’s house to sec
them alight and enter in. Tho disap
pointment of tho would-be sightseers
when they discovered that instead of the
Concord convicts the carriages contained
only a lot of civil engineers paying a
visit to tho ex-President of their society
can easily be imagined.
lie Thought He We* at Koine,
Those persons who enjoy seeing •
haughty spirit suffer a full should have
Jieen on board oue of the sleeping curs
attached to a through train from Chicago
to Boston, a short time ago. Among
the passengers wore a mi< Idle-aged man
and woman from the remote West, who
had evidently come upon sudden riches,
and were devoting all their energies to
advertising the fact. They were gor
geously dressed; the woman sported an"
quantity of diamouds, and no occasion
for informing the other passengers of the
wealth nud position of their familv waa
suffered to pass unimproved. They had
with them n plug of a l>oy, about four
teen years old, whoso restlessness and
general bad manners made ail the In
mates of the car except his fond parents
wish him dead.
One morning after the parents had
dressed themselves, they discovered
that their hopeful son wna stiU slumber
ing, and the mother set to work to arose
him. Repeated calls failing to have any
effect, she finally hnd recourse to thumps
and digs in the ribs, whereupon the
boy, evidently dreaming that he was at
home and being stirred up to perform
some accustomed duty, bawled out:
“You let me alone and go feed the bogs
yourself!” A joyous smile enlivened
the features of the rest of the travelers
at this unexpected and eompletc ‘•'give
away.”—Boston Journal.
Supposing a C**e.
Let n* suppose a hungry man goe*
into a restaurant, and orders dinner.
He finds it excellent, and devours if
with a relish, Worcester sauce, proba
bly. If he encores that dinner by
thumping on the floor with hfe cane,
and shouting “bravo!” until he is hoarse,
the proprietor of that hashery does not
furnish the enthusiastic a second dinner,
except on the express understanding
that he is to pay for two meals, instead
of one. A man goes into a cigar store,
invests a nickel in cigar, and, upon
lighting it, discovers that it is very fine.
That man may stamp the heels off hie
boots, but under no circumstances does
the tobacconist come forward, with a
gracious bow and beaming smile, and
hand out a complimentary cigar; at
least, we have never noticed anything of
the kind.
These things being so, how does it
happen that an intelligent audience that
has paid a dollar a head admission will
go on as if they were going to tear the
opera-house down if the performers do
not duplicate the programme and give
them two dollars, worth instead of one.
If the performance is so much better
than the audience expected, it seems to
ns that it would be more reasonable for
them to hand over another dollar apiece
at the ticket office as they passed out
after the performance was over. We
have never observed any Austin audience
do that thus far, and we have watched
them closely as they passed out.
THE SEVEN STAGES.
Onljsbaby.
Kissed and caressed.
Gently held to a mother’s breast.
Only a child,
Toddling alone,
Brightening now its happy home.
Only a boy,
Trudging to school,
Governed now by sterner rule.
Only s youth,
laving in dreams,
Fall of promise life now seems.
Only s father,
Burdened with care,
Silver threads in dark-brown hair
Only a graybeard,
Toddling again,
Orowing old and full of pain.
Only a mound,
O’ergrown with grass,
Breams unrealized—rest st last.
AN OLD WOMAN’S STORY.
Many years ago a girl and her great
grandmother sat together—the girl in
tears. Said Great-grandmamma Hudson,
sitting very straight, not lolling, at her
eighty-eight years, as did her great
grandchildren of eighteen:
foVMthink old folks are fools,
but old folks know that young folks
“ That is because you’re old, grandma, ”
sobbed Linda.
“No; it is because I was once yonng,"
said the old lady.
“ But he is the only one I shall ever
love,” said Linda. “Papa is cruel to
me. Why does he think ill of Lewis V
He knows nothing about him. I shall
die if we are separated.”
“I was going to die, too,” said great
grandmother, “but I didn’t.”
“ Oh, tell me, please,” cried Linda,
“had you a lover; did they separate
you? I never knew you had a love
story—that is, that kind of one.”
“Yes,” said the old lady. “I had a
lover. You can have many lovers, lint
never more than ono father and mother.
Folks think of that when it’s too late.
When father said that Cecil was Lord
knows who, and ho should not come to
see me, I remember I almost hated him
for it. When mother said she didn’t
like him either, I almost hated her.
Cruel creatures that stood between me
and my young lover—that was what my
parents seemed to mo then; and I was
worse than you, my dear, ever so much
worse, for it seemed to me wicked that
any one should take it for granted a man
was not worthy of love because he was
a stranger, and I mado preparations to
run away with Cecil and marry him at
Gretna Green. Everything was ready;
I had my jewolry in my bosom and my
little Imudle on my arm, nnd was creep
ing out of a side door that led into the
garden when a bond came down on my
shoulder and a voice cried out:
“’ My girl, is this the way you use
us!’ and there was my father.
“ My father’s face was white as a ghost
and liis hand shook os he held mine.
“ 'X)h, father, father I’ I cried, “if you
would only let mo hove my will in this
ono thing. You can’t mako a ginl love
ofr hate hy saying so.’
! “ Ho stood, holding me firm and fast.
“ ‘lt is Emeliue who has betrayed
me,’ I said; and though they would
never admit it I knew the maid proved
false.
“ Well, they locked me up in my room.
How often f orieJ out, ‘ I shall (fie if J
am separated from Cecil.’
“I am very old, but when-I think
of it tho old pain oomes bock again.
His eyes were like black diamonds,
nnd he had an olive cheek and
full red lips, nnd yonr men with
podded shoulders nml tliin arms and
legs and hollow chests wouldn’t look
like men, standing beside him.
“ It was a dreary time and nay health
broke down under it, I hnd a fever, nud
when I was well again the doctor said I
must have a change; so mother decided
to take me to the seaside ; but first we
were to go by stage-coach to Loudon and
visit an aunt there.
'• It was the day of stage-coaches and
the day of highwaymen.
'<ioing over a certain common on oue
way coaches hnd more than ouce been
stopped. The men were aimed always
and the women trcmUed when they saw
horsemen riding toward them.
“ ‘Your money or your life,’ was their
word, and they kept it,
“ ‘lf we should moot the highway
men !’ said my mother; hut I was not
afraid. I didn’t care whom we suet or
what happened to me.
“We rode away from our home iu the
bright daylight, and stopped for dinner
and to change horses at an inn; then we
rode on again. It would be night long
before we reached Loudon. E sat in the
coach with my head on my mother's
shoulder, thinking of just one thing—
Cecil. Should I never see him again—
never, never, never ? Would he not
follow me and curry me off by force?
Could I not somehow let him know and
escape from my aunt's house in London
and he married, m that no one could
part ns ? Oh, I was so miserable—mis
erable. Nothing like making plans that
can come to nothing and burst like hub
bies when we hare thought them, for
wretchedness.
1 'TU aftantnnu faded flat and J w
s.-.t The moms roan
“ ‘See what a lovely moon !’ said my
mother. But I had not cored to look at
the moon since I saw her over the gar
den wall that night I had tried to run
away. Bumble went the coach, crack
went the whip.
“Suddenly there was a tumult.
“ ‘Gentlemen,’ cried the guard—'gen
tlemen, I’m afraid we are to have some
trouble here. See to your weapons, gen
tlemen !’
“Then the coach come to a stand.
“The shrieking women clung together.
Four masked men rode to the door. The
coachman and guards lay in a ditch.
One of the gentlemen was bound; the
other was old and lame. They were
rifling his pockets while he was scream
ing. They took out a gold watch,
purse, and his snuff-box with diamonds
on it They had already the other’s
money.
“Then one—the largest, the hand
somest figure—bent over us.
“ ‘Don’t fear, ladies,’ he said in a soft
voice. ‘Ail we want is whatever valu
ables you may have about von.’
“Mamma began to scream.
“The lady who sat next to her fainted.
"We could not see the man's face, for
he was masked, and we were in the
shadow of the coach.
“ ‘ Something shines on yonr finger,’
be said; ‘let me see it.’
“He caught at a chain on which I
wore a locket with a carl of Cecil’s
hair.
“ * Don’t take that!’ I cried. • Don’t
take that 1’
“ I clutched it. Our heads were close
together. I saw his chin and mouth
under his mask. At the same moment
my face was thrust into the moonlight.
“ ‘ Amy 1’ I heard him whisper to
himself, and I knew Cecil.
“ Meanwhile something had happened.
Two gentlemen had ridden up—the one
who had been bound was free. Foj
“ Many had good birth, education and
manners. Yes, a bad man I But hop
could I hate him all at once? I
stood that my father had been rigJjSst
parting us ; bat those lips had-raWl
me—those hands held mine,
once the tables had been turned
the robbers.
" Then one had ridden away; two
were bound and one lay bleeding. This
last one was Cecil.
“ I knew now that my father had not
been wrong. Cecil was even worse than
he thought him. He was a highway
man, a bad man and the companion of
bad men—a creature who cut purses on
the public road.
“ They were not all ignorant men,
these highwaymen, by any means.
“ ‘The ladies need fear no longer,’
said one of the gentlemen. ‘ Those fel
lows ore not in a condition to molest
them.’
“ Then he said (men didn’t say such
high-flown things then): ‘How merciful
is the gentler sex I It is compassionate
to the erring as well os tho virtuous.’
“ For I had torn my hand from my
mother’s, and knelt beside Cecil.
“They thought I pitied a wounded
robber—that was all; hut this is what
we whispered in the darkness:
“'Amy, you know what I am now;
hut I love you.’
“And I answered: ‘Cecil, I hate your
deeds without hating you.’
“Those were the last words we ever
spoke to each other—the very last.”
"Did yon ever see him again?” asked
the girl. “Oh, grandmamma 1 never
again ?”
The old woman looked into her eyes.
“He was a very bad man, my dear,”
she said, “very had; and I never saw
him agniu. I believe he died a shameful
death one day at the hands of the execu
tioner. But, you see, it was because I
have been young, not because I am old,
that I said you young folks were fools.
“It was a good while—yes, a ‘good
while—after that night in the stage
conah before I came to my senses suffi
ciently to thank dear papa for his watch
fulness over me, aud lie really glad that
I had never been Cecil’s wife; but I did
nt Inst, my doar—l did at last; and I
married my good husband, your great
grandfntlier—whom yon never saw; und
we were always happy. The heart
of woman is a mystery and has been
since Eve, my little girl.”
Tlie Ashland Murder.
The jury in the case of Ellis Craft,
ouo of the Ashland murderers on trial nt
Grayson, Ky., after a brief deliberation,
found the prisoner guilty.
Two nighta before Christmas, 1881,
Mr. and Mrs. ,T. W. Gibbons, living iu
Ashland, Ky., went visiting, leaving nt
home their son Robert, n da lighter Fanny,
aged fourteen, and Miss Emma Thomas,
aged seventeen. In the night the house
was entered by men, whe assaulted the
girls aud then murdered them. Robert
Giblions was also killed. The heads of
all three were split with a hatchet. The
men then saturated the -girls’ clothing
with oil and set lire to the house, which
was burned t the ground. William
Neal and George Ellis, married men, and
Ellis Craft, a single man, were arrested
on January 2, 1882, on suspicion, and
George Ellis made a confession to Con
stable Heflin. On November 1, 1882,
while the troops guarding the prisoners
were on their way to the steamer Granite
State they were attacked by a mob. At
Ashland the steamer was overtaken and
another attack was made. The soldiers
returned the five, and five or six persons
were killed aud about twenty-five
wounded.
A Personal Favor.
Here is a characteristic story of an
old man. A short time ago, when about
to enter his carriage, an acquaintance
was passing his house in Fifth avenue.
It was a prominent Hebrew financier,
weighing about two hundred and fifty
pounds.
• “1 will drive you down town," said
the old man.
“Many thanks, Governor," mas the
answer, "the doctors order me to walk
down town every day to reduce mv
flesh.”
“Never mind the doctors; you just
get in sc a personal favor to me. ”
The two hundred and fifty pounds got
into the carriage and down town they
went at a rattling pace. When they ar
rived at Exchange place, the old man
began carefully to examine his vehicle,
and said to his two hundred an I fifty
pound companion;
“I asked you to drive down w ;tb me
because this is anew carriage, and I
wanted to give it a trial.”—jV. K Hour.
GambiAKg Victims.-v The last suicide
at Monte Carlo, the great gambling hell,
by a distinguished officer whose name is
withheld out of consideration for his
family, makes, it is said, the twelfth
since October. The management has
provided an exquisite cemetery for these
victims. Fortunes ore lost every year
at Monte Carlo.
JAY GOULD’S PLAN.
la Extensive Tear in the East rroposed-
Ilinlnterest la Certain Stork* end
Opinion ol the Market.
An interview with Mr. Jay Gould is
printed in the New York Timex, in which
he is reported as saying if his yacht is
finished by next June he will probably
sail a month after. The yacht will ac
commodate a party of twenty besides the
crew. Mr. Gould does not yet know who
will accompany him. He will winter
next year in the Mediterranean. His ob
ject is to visit the East and India, and
nis second winter will be passed in the
latter country. He does not know how
long he will be away, but has arranged
his affairs so that everything will go on
smoothly. Being asked if he thought
his absence would have any effect on the
stock.market he said:
“Not the slightest effect. I have not
been an active operator in stocks for two
years. lam interested in certain cor
porations, and am contented with those.”
“Shall you take any active interest in
the market or business affairs while on
your trip?”
“I do not propose to think of business
while lam away. I have put things in
fc *:isig shape so that they will run along
“ sixthly until my return.”
fra was asked if he proposed to “get
(if of Western Union, and said:
“““My interest in Wes'tem Union is sim
ply as an investment. I never had an
important voice in its control. Ex-Gov
ernor E. D. Morgan, Augustus Schell,
Dr. Norvin Green aad Harruion Durkee
have long been the controling spirits of
Weetern Union. Ex-Governor Morgan,
-who died lately, was the second stock
holder in it. He told me Saturday, the
last day that he was down town, that it
was the soundest investment he could
think of. I was much saddened by the
news of his death.”
“ There is another story that you con
template taking control of Union I’ncifio
again.”
“ I am a director of the Union Pacific
and I have a moderate interest in it,
which Ido not expect to part with. The
gentlemen who are managing Union Pa
cific, Messrs. Dillon, Ames, and Atkins,
are among the soundest practical busi
ness men we have, and I can suggest no
improvement ”
“ How do you regard the market ?”
“The outlook is good so far ns the
business of the country is concerned.
The exports are larger than the imports,
and the balance of trade is running
largely in our favor, and likely to in
crease during the coming summer. The
changes iu the tariff and the effect on the
romrncrciu] nnd manufacturing interests
nre unsettling. The action of the State
Legislature adds something to this feel
ing, but it is only a ripple. The coun
try will go on and keep growing.”
““Do you fear disaster?”
“No, I do' not. The country is too
rich. I do not think there will to enough
securities mode in the next twelve months
to supply the regular home demand.
nefc-less of ths, dividend-pay
ing in Wall fttreet than I have
<rvet Ifoiwn before. The securities are
held for investment. The Government
has been calling in its bonds and that
■money has gone into dividend-paying
stocks and bonds.”
"How do you took upon American
securities ?"
“ I regard them as the tost we have. ”
“ And American railroads ? ”
“ The American railroads are equal to
■the tost roads in Europe, both in respect
to equipment and superstructure, and are
built at less cost.”
“Do you think there is m excess of
railroads? ”
“ I think a percentage of the new roods
are useless. Competing parallel roods
nre a waste of capital. The majority of
■the roads, however, are pretty well situa
ted and wilt pay."
The Emmet ParnHy.
Miss Margaret Emmet, daughter of
Thomas Addis Emmet and niece of
Robert Emmet, the Irish patriot, died at
the age of ninety years, in New York City,
on Thursday. She was the last of the Em
mets who were bom in Ireland. Her
father, Thomas Addis Emmet, was kept
in prison in Scotland for three years
after the execution of his brother Robert,
and at tills time his daughter Margaret,
the deceased, was in prison with him.
On liis release he went te Paris, and
waited for Napoleon to go to Ireland and
take possession of the country. Finding
the French Emperor insincere he came
to this eouutry with his family, and was
at the head of the New York Bar for
many years. He died suddenly in court.
Temple Emmet, the fifth sou, served in
the war of 1812, and was in the navy
with Decatur. Every member c I the
family was more or less distinguished,
and all the daughters, except Margaret,
married well, and became wives of noted
men. She never married. Her life was
spent with friends in the city, ana her
amiable and bright ways made her a
general favorite. Old age was the causs
of her death,
’When she was in prison with her
father at Fort George, Scotland, she was
courageous, and did all she could in her
childish days to encourage her father.
Eighteenotlier persons were also confined
with them. Daniel Webster married a
sifter of Mrs. Lo Boy, who lived in New
Rochelle. All the 'family live in this
country except Mrs. Bache McEver. who
resides in Loudon with her grandson.
Sir Edward Canard, a relative of the
Cunard steamship builders.
Wasted. —A Pittsburgh expert de
clares that $4,000,000 worth of coal is
wasted each year in the mining opera
tions of that district. His explanation
is that beneath the main vein of coal,
which averages four feet thick, is a seam
of eighteen inches called bottom coal.
This is softer than the regular bed, and
after a room is worked it cannot be taken
out with safety. The pillars which sup
port the roof, the smallest containing
three tons of coal, and the largest twen
ty, are also abandoned.
Worth begets in base minds envy; in
great souls, emulation.
A WESTERN RANKER.
SHOUT SKETCH OF A WISCONSIN
CONGRESSMAN.
The Railroad Prlnre-Alrxander Mitchell
of Milwaukee.
Among the pedestrians on the avenue
recently was a short, stout man in the
neighborhood of sixty years of age. His
face was full, broad and massive. Eyes
gray, sharp, keen, under beetling gray
eyebrows. Nose aquiline, mouth large
and firm in outline. The face was clean
shaven to the lower line of the heavy
jawbone. A shining silk hat was well
down upoß the head. The rotund figure
was plainly dressed in dark clothes. A
dark green cravat, upon which gleamed
a ruby pin, made the only patches of
color in the dark attire of the pedestrian.
He carried his fat yellow-gloved bands
down in the pockets of his overcoat as
he walked stolidly along. This man was
Alexander Mitchell of Milwaukee, the
President of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and St. Paul road, and the head of one
of the richest banks in Milwaukee.
Mr. Mitchell was a member of Con
gress from 1874 to 1875. Ho used to
have rooms at Wormley’s Hotel. Al
though he was worth at least 815,000,-
000 he used to walk from his rooms to
the Capitol and return. He is very
quiet and unobtrusive. During his first
winter few people in Congress knew
much more about him than the fact of
his being a successful Milwaukee banker.
During the great financial debate of his
term Mr. Mitchell prepared a speech
upon the subject of the wisdom of the
resumption of specie payment. Mr.
Mitchell was a very modest man, and as
no one paid mnek attention to him in the
House he did not expect to have many
listeners for liis speech. One of his
friends who heard he was going to make
a speech thought he would prepare a
surprise for him. The friend went to the
office of the Washington Chronicle and
had a paragraph printed merely giving
the amount of Mr. Mitchell’s wealth.
Then he went up in the reporter’s gallery
and ]>ointed out Mr. Mitchell as ODe of
the great financiers of tho West.
Nothing attracts so much attention as
a reputation for enormous wealth. In a
few days Mitchell became one of the
celebrities of the House. When the
millionaire finally arose to tuik, if every
word was coinable into a gold dollar he
could not have had iflore profound at
tention. Mr. Mitchell arrived here last
week from Florida, where his wife lias n
great orange plantation. He ramo here
in a private palace car. He was ac
companied by his son and heir, John
Mitchell,a swarthy-bearded man of forty
five, Mr. Mitchell came to this country
a jioor Scotch lad and made a great for
tune. One may think he owes his
wealth to the great opportunities he
found here. It is doubtful.
A school friend of his who remained
at Glasgow is worth forty millions, and
he, too, started poor. Bucli men as
Mitchell cannot help getting rich. Sev
eral year* ago Mitchell went to Europe.
In France he met his old school friend,
tho Glasgow banket. Tb* two went about
together all day. The Glasgow man paid
all the hills. At the close of the day,
when the two sat down to dinner, the
Glasgow banker pulled out a card, and
turning to Mitchell said :
“ Sandy, you owe me 81.65.”
This was Sandy’s share of the expense
•of the day, and he promptly paid his
share to the exact penny, ns a matter of
course. This rigid exactness in the
smallest of expenditures is one of the
common elements in tha character of
those two very rich men. Yet* with all
this exactness and care, no one has ever
dreamedf of calling Mitchell stingy or
close.— Washington Sunday Herald.
Tee Honest to be Trusted.
A gentleman stopped his liorse at a
tollgate, and not seeing the gatekeeper
went into the house. Finding no one he
began to searcli, and finally discovered
the gatekeeper -out in the field at work.
Although the old man was quite a dis
tance away, the gentleman went into the
field, approached the old man and said;
‘ Toil are the tollgate keeper, I be
lieve?”
“Yes, sir,” theold man replied, turn,
ing and leaning upon his hoe handle.
“Well, I want to go through the
gate."
“Ain't the gate open?”
“Yes.”
“Well, why don’t yon go through? It’s
my business to be there.”
“Because I want to pay you.”
“And you came all the way out here
to pay me five cents?”
“Yes, sir,” said the gentleman, proud
by looking the old man in the eye.
“Couldn’t you have left the money on
the table?’
“Yes, but I wanted you to know that
I paid you.”
“You are an honest man "
“Yes, sir,” replied the gentleman,
while a pleased expression spread over
his face.
“Yon would have walked three time*
as far to have paid me that five cents,
wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, sir, I would.”
“Here, John,” the old man called to
a boy that lay in the shade, “call th
dog and go along and watch ibis feller
till he gets away. Bet a hundred dollars
he steals something ’fore he leaves tht
place.” —Arkansas Traveller.
The Atwttmaut.b—A man having pub
licly announced himself as the individual
who exploded the torpedo which sank
the Confederate ram Albemarle, the
Navy Department, at the request of Pay
master Swan, gives to the public the
official report of the late Commander
Cushing of the destruction, and also an
extract from sworn testimony of his giver
in Washington several years later, show
ing that Cushing was the man who sank
the ram.
Hnrr to a lazy man—Endow a free
bed in a hospital and occupy h yourself.
—Xlfe
STANLEY AND HIS RIYAI.
Frenchmen Anxious about >[. de Brazza**
Reception on the Congo.
A letter from Paris says : In spite o.
the absorbing nature of political affaire
in Paris at this moment the journals find
time and space occasionally for the con
sideration of the doings of Mr. Stanley
and the conflict that it is presumed must
eventually take place in Central Africa
between him and De Brazza, the repre
sentative (when he gets there) of the
French flag on the Congo. Mr. Stanley
is doubtless by this time on his favorite
work ground again. He left Europe
hurriedly. “He was already in view of
the African coast,” says the Figaro,
“while we were dreaming that he was
still in Madrid. It was necessary to get
there ahead of De Brazza at all cost and
to prepare for him there a reception
which he doubtless does not expect. ”
To show you that Frenchmen believe
that a conflict is probable or even inevi
vitable between the two explorers, I may
quote the substance of a letter published
by the Figaro recently from a cor
respondent in Brussels. This gentle'
man says that:—“Persons whose author
ity and sincerity can not be questioned,
assure me that an insurrection prevails
at this moment among the natives of the
higher Congo, and that Stanley will have
a very bad reception when he gets there.
All their sympathies are for De Brazza,
who won their confidence in a manner
very different than by the rifle bullet In
order to counteract this state of things
the International African Association is
sending at this very moment a ‘veritable
small army to tho Congo.’ The army
has been recruited to a great extent
among the officers of the Austro-Hun
garian army, to whom the superior posi
tions have been given, and many have
recently passed through Brussels on
their way to the Congo. It is to be a
military occupation of the Congo.
“ Two days ago I mot a Hungarian
officer who has been engaged in the as
sociation for an imjiortaut position. His
name is Carl d'Obner, and he brought an
autograph letter from Crown Priuce Ru
dolph to His Majesty the King of the
Belgians. King Leopold was prevented
by sickness from receiving the officer,
but the latter had an audience with the
Queen and with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, M. Frere-Orban. The Officer
left Antwerp on the 7th, on one of the
steamers of the association. Communi
cative as are all Hungarians, he made no
attempt to couceal the fact that the ob
ject of his mission was to assist in
thwarting M. de Brazza's projects and
even to capture the French explorer.
‘ Ich werdc ihm haUl fangen ’ (‘ I will
soon catch him ’) were the words he used.
These words, spoken by an officer in tho
servioe of the African International As
sociation, scarcely harmonize with the
alleged pacific and civilization mission of
the latter. Belgium is seeking to estab
lish herself firmly on the Congo, ami the
Belgian authorities evidently think that
tin* treaty made by De Brazza with King
Makoko nml recently ratified hy the
French Chamliers is of no value what
ever. M. de Brazza will have to be on
ilia sniard.”
Because of liis Dogs.
A gentleman of Plymouth, N. 0., says
that there is in jail at that place a col
ored man who lias been confined there
for 18 months for having been engaged
in a threatened riot some time ago, to
suppress which, it will be rememliered,
the State troops were called out. The
particulars of the affair have gone out of
public mind. The colored prisoner re
ferred to, previous to his incarceration,
devoted much of his time to coon hunt
ing, and owned two coon-dogs, which
were so strongly devoted to their master
that they never left him even duriug the
trial, except when driven away. This
attachment became so evident in these
creatures’ persistent efforts to cling to
their master that it became a matter of
general remark and admiration in the
place, and the faithful dogs were finally
looked upon with kindness by all. They
are of the mongrel species. When the
prisoner was finally locked up in his cell
for his term, life t\v> dogs took their
position on the outside of the prison
building, and have remained day after
day for over 18 months unmolested.
This faithful devotion of the dogs has
attracted such admiration from the peo
ple of Plymouth that a kennel has been
built for them At night they wander
away for something to eat, but the com
ing day finds them at their post An
effort is making to induce the Governor
of the State to pardon the man, and it
will probably be successful, as it is said
the Governor’s wife on a recent visit to
the place was so stmek with this evi
dence of canine affection for the pris
oner that she actually shed tears.
How to Hake Potato Straws.
y
Wash a pint of potatoes, peel them
very tliiu, sliee them about quarter of an
inch thick, put them into plenty of salted
boiling water, and boil them until they
are tender, which -will be in about ten
minutes; when the potatoes are teDdci
pour them iuto a colander with large
holes and let the water drain off; when
the potatoes are quite dry, sprinkle over
them a tea-spoonful of salt and quarter
of salt-spoonful of white pepper; hold
the colander over one end of a large
platter, and press upon the potatoes with
a potato masher, moving the colander
toward the other end of the dish as the
potatoes are pressed through it, so that
they will fall upon the dish in long rows;
continue to move the colander from one
end of the platter to the other until all
the potatoes are pressed through and
laid in even rows upon the dish; then
wipe the edges of the dish with a clean
towel, set it in the oven for two or three
minutes to heat the potatoes, and then
serve them
A Good Thixg to Do.—Rhode Island
savings banks, especially in the country,
make it a rule to help every person who
has money enough to buy the land to
build a house. This practice has en
couraged hundreds of families in
moderate circumstances to acquire homes
of their own.
GRANDMA'S KNIT STOCKING 1
THE OLD CUSTOM OF WINDING Tfflf
YARN.
A Few •! the Memories; that Clisff Aronnf
The stocking grandma knit: ho*
much love went into every stitchMtf
many prayers were wrought into wPfl
round. Somewhere I once read about*
nun, who bent over her needle-work and
as oft as a tear fell from her eyes upon
the snowy fabric she wrought about it
and worked it with her deft needle, until
at last the strange design wrought out
touching story of her loneliness and
sorrow. And if we could read all the I
dreams, and thoughts and prayers that,
grandma wrought with those patient
needles, we would wear the stockings
she knit on our hearts, rather than on
our feet
For here is a dream of John, and thers
is a tear for Chris’s Bobbie, and here
a plan for Will, and here comes creep
ing in a quivering strain from some ofa,
old hymn that is hallowed to us now to
cause her lips blessed it so often; see
how a prayer quivered all along"this ■
round ; here the stocking was laid down
while the old hands turned over the
leaves of the Bible that seemed never to
be out of her lap; here the old eyes
looked out across the pasture and the
mowing lot down to the wooded hills
where the birds are answering winds;.
here the old eyes slept for a few mine"
utes, and here is a knot.
Ah, yes, Philie and Annie are home
this week, and the house is full of their
children. There will be many more
knots ir. the yarn before the stocking is
finished. Who is the toy wlioee fate. it
is to hold on his extended hands the
skein of yam while grandma winds it off
after the romping youngsters who taunt
him with shrieks of laughter as they de
sert him. But never mind, grandma,
comforts him with splendid stories of
Uncle Doc’s pranks when he was a toy
and went to school at Cannichaelton, until!
the toy wishes the skein was five miles
long. And then he is rewarded hy a
great big cooky, sweeter than honey, be
cause he was such a good boy.
The only thing that took the edge off:
this reward was that all the other chil
dren got just as big cookies as lie did,
because some how grandma's rewards
for the good toy and girl managed to
include all the other toys and girls. To
grandma, all children were good ; some
children were better thßn others, bnt
there were no had children. A thousand
blessings, a thousand times told, on the
dear old face and the silver hair that
crowned the placid brow; on the wrinkled
j hands and the work they wrought; on
the dear lips nnd blessed old byinns they
snug; on the dear old book that lay in.
her lap, and the life that drew so much
of love and faith and help from its pages,
Iu every household and every nook afl
the land, ill the city tenement ;und,iuJ*B
roomy old farm house : fu the
on the avenue and in the cottage
the lone, God bless grandma andcNl
beautiful memories her figure always,
invokes. Burdette.
She Raised Them AH.
A past city official, says a Boston
paper, was entertaining a number oi
members of the city government at his
hospitable residence. The day was Sat
urday. Supper had lieen partaken of,
aud at its conclusion "a little game of
draw ” was proposed, and before many
minutes the entire party were deeply en
gaged in the mysterious and fluctuating
fortunes of “poker,” as laid down in
Gen. Schenk’s rules for the government
of that alluring but fickle game. The
time flew rapidly and merrily, the Mind
goddess favoring now one and now an
other. At length it. was noticed that the
hands of the clock passed the hour oi
midnight, and the players were encroach
ing on the first hours of the Sabbath.
But what cared they for that ’ There
were large sums of money on the table,
and the “pot” was one of formidable
proportions.
“I'll raise yon go,” exclaimed one of
the players. “I ll see that and raise you
810,” shouted another in his excitement.
“I'll raise the whole of you out of this,”
was the cry of a newcomer, as a female
was seen enveloped in her night clothes
and with a horsewhip in her hand.
There was an immediate break made for
the door, aud some even found exit by
the window, abandoning the “pot” and
whatever other money there was on the
table; and ’tfe said that some of those
city officials are running from that little
gam* up to the present time. The lady
of the house admonished her liege lord,
not over gently, it is to be presumed, on
his desecration of the Sabbath, quietly
swept up the money and betook herseif
ouce more to her bed. There is good
reason to believe that the money was
finallj disposed of in charity.
An Exception.
“No,” said the teacher of the third
division in the intermediate school, “job
cannot add together nDits which are not
of the same class or degree. For in
stance, you cannot add together four
apples and six peaches, for the result
would be neither ten apples nor ten
peaches. Nor can you add together
three horses and two men, for the result
would still be the same number of each,
and not five horses or five men.”
“Well,” said the smart boy of the
class, who, somehow, in spite of his
shrewdness, generally got nothing but
low marks, “you can add together one
hundred horses and one hundred men,
anyhow. ”
“Ah, can you, indeed?” responded tha
tear,tier, sarcastically. “Will you, then,
tell us the result of such an effort?”
“ft will be one company of cavalry,”
responded the smart boy, and the
teacher had for once to admit that there
might be an exception to the rule.
The Oil City Blizzard supposes that
Macduff was a hen, because be was told
to lay on.