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GREENSBORO, - GEORGIA.
GINEBAU NEWS.
Tboacco will l>e cultivated in the cot
ton belt of Florida.
The orange crops of Florida are now
worth over one and one half millions of
dollars,
Rai.i.f.igh, North Carolina, has thir
teen factories and mills.
The Richmond Va., Grain elevator,
which h. Ids 300,000 bushels is now full.
A shout sugar crop is predicted in
X/ouieiana, owing ,to an insufficiency of
rain.
1 11 17 l;s(l('Dibits. vi 1 i j 2.
48 hands, with a uipitsl iLVistt dof sl,-
697,030.
The shores along Mobile bay, on both
sides are becoming lined with orange
groves.
St. Acocstine, Fla., pays 12$ cents a
barrel for oyster shells to improve her
roads.
Tan number of homesteads entered in
Mississippi since the passage of the law
in 1802, is 13,886.
Tub banana trees about Madison Fla.
are nearly all bearing large, fine buneh
esof fruit this year.
The cigar business is greatly extend
ing in Key West, Fla. It is carried on
mostly by Cubans.
.7. C. Wood, who keeps a hotel at Rris
to] is said to be the fattest man in Vir
ia. He weighs 600 pounds.
A wobm similar to the army worm is
making terrible havoc with the pea crop
in portions of West Tennessee.
Many portions of West Teunesre are
suffering with a dry-spell. Nearly all the
grass destroyed and water for stoek get
ting scarce.
■ a vakiety of cotton known as the Sen
ega m bis is attracting considerable atten
tion in somo quarters of Alabama. Tt is
Said to turn out a pound to fifty bolls.
SoiTnEitN farmers have been experi
menting with tomatoes as f< aid for c<>ws
with very satisfactory results, and they
consider it an [absolute preventative of
cholera.
The peanut crop in Virginia, according
to the latest reports, is a great failure.
It is believed that owing to drouth not
much more than one fourth of a crop
will be made.
In Texas colored and white 'people nre
to ride in separate coaches, but they are
to be equal in quality. That is how the
Lone Star state manages tin* social prob
lem.
Two twenty-ftvo-year-old orange trees
near Tampa, Fla., one measures ten
inches above the root, fifty-three inches
Ai circumference, amt the other fifty-one-
If lltß ‘
LThe New Orleans Times-Democrat ex
presses the opinion that the cotton crop
of 1883-84 is owned by the producers,
and will leave more surplus money in the
country than any cotton crop of recent
years.
An uncommon stalk of cotton was ex
hibited in Natchez recently. It was sev
en feet high, with long close branches
all of which were filled with bolls.
These numbered over 250. It was raised
l,v Allen Carpenter.
_ Another item has been added to Ala
bama's rich and boundless resources.
Prof. Smith, state geologist, while pros
pecting in southwest Alabama last week
fouud'a fine flow of petroleum on the Tom
bigbee.
The Marksville Bulletin, Louisiana,
tells of a stalk of cotton from Buckland
plantations, lied river, the property of
the clerk of court, which contained 330
bolls and forms, the majority of the bolls
having five “locks’”
On the farm of Mr. It. C. Madden,
near Williamsville, in Pike County,
Georgia, is probably the largest grape
ine in the countly. It is eighteen
years old, thirty four inches in circum
ference at the base and is a quarter of a
mile long.
Gene ha i. Withers, the Kentucky
horse raiser, says that the best stock
follows the limestone rather than toe
clay and sandstone formations. It forms
a perpetual fertilizer for the laud nul
gites out a pasturage upon which is
knit the bone and firm muscular tissue.
A Wedding Fee.
There is no end to tho laughable sto
ries that tho clergy tell about the queer
marriages that they solemnize, amt the
queer fees which they receive, or some
times don't receive. * One of the latest
©f these is told by the Rev. Dr. Samuel
E. Appleton, of Philadelphia, Pa., ami is
to the following effect:
A young couple-called on him not long
ago and asked him to marry them, which
he did. The happy groom then walked
leluetantly to him and asked:
“Doctor, how much is your fee ?”
“1 have no fixed price, but generally
reoeive §10,” was the answer.
The bright smile of the Jersey groom
seemed to leave him then; but bracing
himself, he said:
“Yon see, doctor, I am a little short
at present, but would like to pay you.
I am a bird fancier and am importing a
lot of educated parrots from London.
Now, instead of paying you in cash,
suppose I present you with one of these
birds on their arrival ?”
“I should be glad to have a parrot,”
admitted the doctor.
“Well, it’s agreed then. I will send
you one in a few days; but have you a
cage to put the bird in?”
“No, I have not. How much does a
cage cost ?”
“Oh, you can get a good one for
f2 .50,” was the reply.
Dr. Appleton handed the young man
the amount required to buy the cage,
and that was the last he ever saw of the
groom, bride, parrot, cage, or the §2.50.
It is only the man with a pocketful
of rocks who can afford to throw stones.
WI&DOM.
Id the clear strawberry weather,
When the eon in splendor shone.
Hand and I went ont together,
Roaming through a woodland zone.
Bhe was fair, and I waa spoony—
She was wise, and I was not—
For a fellow's always looney
When soft hair with gold is shot.
Ab, her hands were white and slender,
And her voice was like the song
Of a bird, whose sleepy, tender
Carol thrills the air along.
And I thought her like the lily,
Swaying with the restless tide;
If the simile seem silly,
Think that she waa by your side—
That the air was cool and fragrant,
And your face was softly fanned
By a tress, that breezes vagrant
Loosed from out its azure hand.
Think the path was lone and narrow,
And quite w illing to eclipse
All the world, save some pert sparrow,
When she turned to you her lips.
Think of this and then remember
That May's supple, winsome grace
Mikes short work of wise December,
When hacked by a pretty face;
And then vow that I’m a softy,
Just because the papers say
That your servan* and Maud Lofty
Boon will travel Hymen’s way.
Do I like my mess of pottage?
Maud is handsome as pea^i;
And the owner of a cottage M
At Xantasket on the beach,—
Is well-read, and shrewd and witty,
And has all the points to match;
Bo I doubt if in the city
I could find a better catch.
Don't be heavy on a fellow—
Wait till Love shall play his hand;
Borne line day when skies arc meiiow,
You will bow to his command—
Yes, and think, oh, soorniug mortal,
That the acme of all bliss
Is to wait beside the portal
That you open with a kiss.
Tuomab 8. Conn zb in Life.
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
t REMARKABLE ADVENTURE OP A FAMOUS
PRIMA DONNA.
On the 18th of August, in the year
1870, a number of the inhabitants of
Berlin were seen rushing wildly toward
the pillars outside Litfasz’s, in order to
get the first glimpse of tho victorious
bulletins that had just been put up
there.
A stout old gentleman, with spectacles
on nose, now begged for quiet, and when
this was established he read out in a
clear voice the dispatch from Pout-a-
Mousson, announcing that the enemy
had made a sortie from Metz on the
16th, but hod been driven back again
into tho fortress, after twelve hours’
hard fighting. Heavy loss on both sides
was, however, a sad ending to the glori
ous news.
The crowd was just beginning to dis
perse when an open carriage drovo up,
and the tastefully dressed oacupant, or
dering her coachman to stop close to the
pillars, told the footman, who hastily
pimped down, to tell her at once the
contents of the telegram.
“I con spore your servant the trouble,
Madame," said our gray-haired old
friend stepping toward the carriage and
lifting his lint, politely.
“Ah, good morning, dear Doctor,”
cried the lady, very pleased. “I have
not seen you for an age; nleaso tell me
quickly, have we gained another vic
tory ?’ f
“General von Doriug ana von Wendel
are killed, and von Rauch and von Gruter
•re wounded,” replied the Doctor.
“And is there nothing about Lieuten
ant von Rbaden ?’’ questioned the lady
hi an anxious tone.
“No, Madam, your husband is not
mentioned,” smiling good-naturedly at
her naive question.
“Then I must telegraph at once.”
“Wto* was that interesting-looking
lady ?” asked a bystander of the District
Inspector.
“That little lady is the prima donna
of our opera, Mme. Pauline Lucca, the
wife of Baron von Rbaden, who is now
•way with the army.”
Mme. Lucca had scarcely entered her
door when the porter placed a telegram
In her hands.
Hastily tearing it open, she read:
“Lieutenant von Rliadsn is wounded,
but not dangerously.”
“Ah, it is as Ifeored !”slie concluded.
“It was not for nothing that I dreamed
three nights running about snakes ! It
is truo the telegram says lie is not dan
gerously wounded, but I am sure he
must want nursing; and here I am—
hundreds of miles away from him 1”
Then speaking to herself, she con
tinued : “No, no—l know my duty and
will fulfill it ! John must not take the
horses out, I must drive off at once.
Where is my maid?—Ediths, you have
just come in time. Get everything
ready, we start at once. Pack" some
chnuges of linen in my small trunk
dresses we shall not require, as we shall
certainly not be asked to Court. Here
is some money, go at once and buy
everything that will strengthen my sick
husband; pigeons, chickens, meat ex
traot, preserves; if there is any caviare,
yon can get a small barrel from the old
Russian in Charlotte street, and don’t
forget the very bast cigars, and take one
dozen bottles of the oldest wine in the
cellar. But I must have a pass from
Count Eulenberg, the Minister of the
Interior. Quick, quick, Editha, pack
everything into one box and send it off
to the station. As soon as you are ready
we start.”
“ Ton are really giving yourself un
necessary expense and trouble,” insisted
the Doctor. “If yon want to take
something with you, let it be com
pressed vegetables,condensed milk, Lie
big’s extract, coffee, tea, sugar; all these
he can enjoy, and if you like, I will go
and make the necessary purchases.”
Having settled her commissariat de
partment, Mme. Lucca got into her car
riage, and drove to Count Eulenberg,
whom she entreated to grant herself and
maid a pass to the seat of war. She got
it.
Early on the morning of the 21st of
August, we find Mme. Lucca and her
maid at the railway station and soon
they and their baggage, including the
mucli-diseussed commissariat hamper,
were en route for the seat of war. After
numerous interruptions aud stoppages
her journey was concluded. It was late
iu the evening when the train reached
Saarbrucken, where Lucca and her maid
got out; the officers bade a friendly fare
well to their “Comrade Frau von Rha
den,” and with many good wishes for a
speedy meeting with her husband, tbey
hastened away in search of their respec
tive quarters. Turning to a porter,
Lucca asked him where she could get a
night's lodging.
• A night’s lodging!” repeated he,
looking at her in surprise: “there is no
chance of a lodging anywhere in Baar
brucken. The whole place is crammed
with soldiers.”
“And I’m so tired 1” exclaimed Mme.
Lucca. “Don’t you know of any place
where I could rest for the night ? No
matter how small or poor, I would re
ward you well.”
Ths porter shoved his cap on one side,
scratched his head, thought for a mo
ment and then said:
“The engine house—there I could ar
range you a good bed of clean straw or
hay, if you think it is respectable
enough.”
“Respectable enough 1 and why not?”
“Because, madam, in peace time we
often shut tramps up there. "
“My good man, that won’t trouble me
in the least—but could you not get us
some blankets ?”
“Oh, yes,” answered the porter. “I
can get plenty of blankets from the offi
cers, if I say they are required for la
dies.”
Feeling secure by the knowledge that
they were guarded, mistress and maid
lay down and thoroughly tired out, did
not awake till four in the morning; when
suddenly drums began to beat, bugles
to sound, words of command were
shouted out—warlike noises were heard
all round; something extraordinary must
be going on in Saarbrucken.
The barricade was quickly removed
and Mme. Lucca stepped out, just as
Lieutenant von L came spurring up
uu Ui chestnut, reporting hurriedly:
"There is an tfi,.;m, Madame, the French
won’t wait any longer. Everything has
gone on, and I have been left behind to
report to you. Au revoir ! but stop-
I had very nearly forgotten to tell you
that your husband is in the hospital at
Font-a-Mousson. ”
“And how far is that from hern?”
“About forty miles; but, pardon me,
lam called away. Adeiu!” and off lie
galloped like a bullet out of a ohassepot.
The aspect of Saarbrucken was in
deed desolate when the troopß had left.
Seeing an old man coming along, Mme.
Lucca asked: “My good man, is any o’
your army still hero!”
“Only the Grand Duke of Oldenburg;
there he comes up the street with his
staff,” and off he went.
“Goal morning, your Highness,
said the prima donna, in a loud voice.
The Grand Duke, surprised, pulled up
his home, and looking down at liertaiil:
‘ ‘Can I be mistaken ? no, surely it is
Frau Lucca, our prima donna ! Many a
time have I had the great pleasure of
hearing you at the opera.”
“Your Highness, lam delighted that
you graciously remember my insignifi
cance. In Berlin I am introduced to
dukes at court; here, however, I must
doit myself in the open street.” I have
como to fetch my husband, who lies
wounded at Pont-a-Mousson. I entreat
of your Highness to help me.”
“That, dear lady, is, I fear, impossi
ble, with the best will in the world,”
answered he pityingly; “for at this mo
ment there is nothing at hand but the
baggage-wagon which follows us with
the servants.”
“Serene Highness,” exclaimed Mme.
Lucca, “bad driving is better than good
walking. If that is your only objection
to tlie bftggago-wagon, please order
down three men, so that 1, my maid and
baggage may mount.”
The Grand Duke laughingly complied,
shook her heartily by the hand, ex
cused himself that he could not do more
for. her and rode off. Mme. Lucca and
her maid got up, and the wagon slowly
rumbled off to Pont-n-Mousson. It was
late the following day when they at last
reached the towu. The whole of Pont
a-Mousson was converted into a huge
hospital, nnd nearly every house had tlie
Geneva flag. Frau Lucca went indefat
igahly from one to the other, till at last,
she got the information; “Lieutenant
von Rhaden severely wounded. First
floor—Room No. 9.” This confirmation
of her fears seemed to take away her
courage.
“We hope to pull him through yet,”
said the doctor reassuringly: “pray,
Madame, do not lose heart; all will go
well I hope. Follow me up the stairs,
but only after I have prepared him con
I allow you to go into his room.”
She stepped in, her looks anxiously
searching for her beloved husband; but
what a picture met her eyes! In n
small close room stood a bed, to judge
by its length only intended for a child,
on which lay a tall manly figure of at
least six feet, the legs hanging over the
end, the head and face bandaged, leav
ing nothing visible but a nose and
mouth, fearfully swelled, and the color
of lead.
“Is that my husband?” Frau Lucca
asked in a broken voice.
1 ‘Yes, that is Lieutenant von Rhaden. ”
Sho sank down on a chair, covering
her fnec with both her hands.
“Pauline?” murmured the patient al
most inarticulately.
“Pray, Madame, go behind the head
of the bed,” said tlie doctor. “Youi
husband is about to awake and your un
expected appearance here might do him
harm.”
The patient moved again, and the doc
tor came and felt his pulse.
“Yon have had a good sleep, Baron;
do you feel any easier?”
“A little,” he whispered, “I had such
a pleasant dream.”
“Of yonr wife ?—you called out her
name.”
‘ ‘Yes, of my wife—of Pauline! It was
like reality —I saw her stand at my bed
side, bending over me with tears in her
eyes, as she whispered, ‘Adolph.’”
“And what if the dream were a reali
ty ?” questioned the doctor.
“Ah, impossible,” murmured the sick
mau; “I would as soon fancy an angel
from Heaven coming here to me."
Mme. Lucca could contain herself no
longer.
“Adolph, I am here 1” she cried in a
voice choked with tears, falling on her
knees beside him.
We will not further describe this
scene; suffice it, that the doctor, by
means of persuasions and threats,
brought Mme. Lucca to her former
composure, telling her of what real use
she could be. The patient, as Mme.
Lncea afterward related with great satis
faction, had no less than five cups of this
coffee, she herself feeding him. For
ten days Mme. Lucca nursed her hus
band iaefatigably, and notwithstanding
ail the disagreeables attendant on
wounds, never left his bedside. Her
maid every day cooked and prepared a
portion of the compressed vegetables
and soups, which the patient could only
take in spoonfuls at a time; but, thanks
to good nursing, his health improved
rapidly.
On 'the tenth day the doctor called
again. “There has been another cav
alry skirmish,” he said, “only a mile
from here. Now, our outposts are only
about 800 paces from the French, so
that with a good field-glass one can
plainly distinguish their kepis.
“I have brought my glass with me,
quickly said Mme. Lucca. “Could i
not go and see this French outpo-f ?
Can yon tell me where I could get pe
mission to go?”
“The only person who caa give yon
leave to visit the outposts is the Etap
pen Commandant, Captain H , of the
Uhlans.”
The Captain was just reading the pa
trol’s report, according to which a battle
was expected near Sedan. An aide-Je
camp had brought him orders to
strengthen the outposts on the heights
of Pont-a-Mousson, and to do his ut
most to prevent the French troops,
scattered round there, from re-form
ing.
An orderly came in and announced:
“A lady from Berlin wishes to speak to
you.”
“A *ladyT’ exclaimed the- Captain,
surprised. “Did she give you any
name ?”
“Frau von Rhaden, she says.”
“Die Lucca 1” cried the Captain,
jumping up and himself going to open
the door. “Madame,” he said, “I am
lioth surprised and delighted to welcorn*-
you to my quarters.”
“I just want to visit the outposts and
have a look at the French. ”
The Captain thought he could not
have heard rightly. “You wish to visit
the outposts? The theatre of war is
very different to that of the opera !”
“Oh, I know that!—on the battle
field the chassepot bullets take the
soW-suo, the mitrailleuses the baritone,
ai‘ t the shells the bass parts. But I
shotihjLiike, just for once, to hear such
a concert.” f
“iud what if a bullet hit you ?”
“Oh, no fear! French ballets are
much too polite to do that. Please,
please Herr Kittmeister, give me a pass
and a couple of Uhlans. ”
“Really, Madam, I am very sorry,
but I cannot grant your request.”
“If you only hesitate on that account,
I will absolve you in writing from all re
sponsibility,” saying which she took a
piece of paper from the table, wrote a
few words and banded it back to tin
Rittmeister. “Here is your warrant. '
she said.
“Of course, if you thus insist, I must
givetn.” And without further delay he
handed, her a pass, told off a Sergeant
and tenUhlans as escort, and the whole
party were quickly en route to the
heights.
It was the 30th of August, the sun
was streaming down hot and fiercely,
and Frau Luoca, her sunshade in her
right hand and glasses in her left,
walked bravely on, humming an ab
out of “Figaro,” and the Uhlans follow
ing behind.
After half an hour’s rough walking,
through hedges and across ditches, they
reached the first line of outposts, where
the sentries, like moles, had thrown up
the earth, to protect them from the en
emy’s fire.
Even on their way thither, single bul
lets had come across from “over the
way,” but fortunately had passed harm
lessly over their heads. Now, however,
when the party halted, thus giving the
French a mark, the bullets began to
fall thick and close, one of the penants
was shot from a lance and the horses be
gan to get restive. The Sergeant rode
up, saluted and said:
"Fran Baronin, if I remain here a
quarter of an hour longer with my
Uhlans, I shall not bring back a single
man up wounded; for the sight of i>
Uhlan always makes the French spend
a amount of ammunition.’
hormr
“For Heaven’s sake,” cried Lucca,
startled, “don’t let any one’s life tie en
dangered on my account. Pray, gentle
men, turn and ride back as fast as you
can, and take my very best thanks to
your Captain.”
There was no need to repeat her com
mand. The Uhlans, having received in
structions to oliey the lady in every
thing, dashed away with lightning
speed, and were soon out of sight.
Shortly after their departure the ene
my’s tire also ceased.
Mme. Lucca was now able to 100 l
around, and taking advantage of tlie
quiet, went on till she reached ODe oi
the formost sentries. Here she found
an old, shot-riddled stump, on which,
being rather tired, she seated herself,
and taking out her glasses was plainly
able to see the glistening of the French
bayonets at no great distance. The
ground between the French and Ger
man outposts was literally plowed up
with shot and shell. Hero she waited
for a quarter of an hour, but no further
shot came. On her return to Pont-a-
Moussop she heard a soldier remark
“She is bullet-proof; she must be
witch 1”
A few days after the battle of Sedan.
Lieut. Von Rhaden, carefully bandaged
and well wrapped up, started for Berlin,
accompanied by his wife and her maid.
At Neuendorf; near Mannheim, a Berlin
banker asked Mme. Lucca what luul
brought her here in this time of danger,
to which she replied: “I have just been
to fetch my old man from the seat of
war, for I think I shall nurse him better
at home than the Sisters of Mercy could
do in the hospital.”
Four months after these events Mme.
Lucca became the happy mother of a
charming daughter.
A Curious Claim.
“You don’t know how many curious
claims against the Government are re
ceived,”: said the chief clerk of one ol
the department offices at Washington.
“Here,” he continued, holding up a good
sized paokage, “are all these papers just
about one man’s body.”
“How’s that?” asked the reporter.
“Well, in 1862 an undertaker in Alton,
111., buried an army officer in his vault
in the cemetery there. In 1876 he
wrote the department stating that fact
and saying that we could have the re
mains upon the payment of vanltage at
the rate of §5 per month for the time the
officer had been buried. That amounted
to §840.”
“Did he get the money ?”
“Not much. We wrote him that we
were not buying, and the body might
remain where it was. He then i.greed
to take half the amount, but we declined
to pay anything. Now we have been
informed that the undertaker has died
and that the vault has come into the
possession of the cemetery company,
who desire to remove it to make some
improvements, and they wish to know if
the Government will remove the body to
the military cemetery. This we will do. ”
“Does the company say anything
about vanltage ?”
“No, not at all; andthey will probably
make no claim. It would not be allowed
if they should.”
Poots's wife remarked to him, as they
started out the other night to take sup
per with the Browns, that she expected
Mrs. B. would have a stunning coiffure.
“Well, I’m sure I hope so,” grumbled
Poots, “I haven't had anything good to
eat since the last time* we were at
mother’4.” —Lowell Conner.
AX AWFUL RESPONSIBILITY
A Train Dispatcher Tells Something About
Him Duties.
People who climb on a passenger train
when she is two or three hours late,
little imagine what endless planning and
management it take-s to get her thlough
safely. Let a freight get behind time,
and we can handle her by running on
another train’s time, but a passi-nger
breaks up everything on the road. A
train dispatcher must lie familiar with
every circumstance and every possible
combination of circumstances. He must
know just on what portions of the road
fast time can be made, and give orders
accordingly. He must never give an
order for certain time to be made unless
he is positively certain that the grade
and condition of the weather will permit
of such time being made. To-day I may
order a train to run from Station A to
Station B, and another for a train to run
from B to A, when the same order to
morrow would precipitate a collision.
You have got to know all the men on
the line. Why, on the road that I
worked on there would be engineers and
conductors that could never get a train
throguh on time. Then there were others
that would never be late except in case of
accident. Why, sometimes during my
eight months of duty I would give 250
train orders. Just think of that a mo
ment. Here is a passenger train four
hours late, and a freight train side-tracked
at almost every station. Of course that
put. ovorj train behind time. First I
have to order the operator to put-ant his
flag and hold the train for orders, and
theD I have to send the order and wait
for it to be repeated back.
At the same time a train may be pass
ing a station five miles away, when I
want to hold and side-track her. All
this time I must not only keep a clear
track for the passenger train, but must
not unnecessarily detain the freights.
Sometimes, right in the middle of a rush
of business like this, the wire would
break, or some operator would leave his
key open. Then everything is to pay.
Fortunately, the train dispatcher's order
is the law. Every employee is bound to
obey it. So we do not have to worry
about that.
Once I left the office, by permission,
in care of my assistant, and when I re
turned I found that he had two trains
running toward each other on a single
track, and only a station between them.
Fortunately I got a message to the sta
tion in time to flag the first train that got
there, bnt if one of them had happened
to pass there would have been a fearful
accident. It was a very natural error.
On another occasion I 'ost a train. It
was a little late. It left F. twenty min
utes behind time, when it was ordered
to a side track for No. 3, a fast express.
F. and M. were eleven miles apart, and
No. 3 could not leave F. until the local
was reported side-tracked at M. Well,
I waited an hour, and then called M.,
who had the message for the locals, and
asked him where the freight was. Ho
didn’t know. In the meantime the ex
press was at F., and the passengers were
getting mnd. Thirty minutes more and
still no train. Then I ordered No. 3 to
run cautiously to M. She did so, bnt
found no local. To say that we were
paralyzed is putting it mildly. . Ten
minutes later W., a little station n£*r
the city, reported tb6 local there. She
hail gone by M. in some way without
disturbing the operator.
Too Much For Them.
The keepea. of bathing bq&ses along
the beach that bathers are much
afraid of sharks; but each is eager to
aver that, while there may be somo dan
ger at other places, there is not any at
his.
An Irishman, who had a beach wagon
and did hauling for houses along the
beach, entered a bathing house one
morning, saying:
“Oh, Misther , oive got the foin
est curiassitay of a fish for you that you
iver saw. Oi was cornin’ doown this
mornin’ bevant, and found it dhmv up
on the sand bv the laslit night’s storm,
I suppose. You can have it for six dol
lars, an’ it ’ll draw thousands here from
New York to see it if you advertise it.”
The bathing house keeper went out
and saw, to his horror, an enormous
shark that the Irishman had, with great
diffculty, got upon his beach-cart. It
looked to him, he says, as long as a
circus tent centre pole, when lie first
saw it.
“Take it away ! Take it away quick,
before the crowd gets down from New
York 1” lie screamed. “Take it away,
or 171 drown you, kill your horse, and
burn yonr wagon! I’ll tell yon wliat
to do. There's a couple of Dutch
men who have just started a bathing
place about a mile up the beach. They’re
new in the business. Take it up and
sell it to them.”
The Irishman adopted the sugges
tion, and the Germans actually paid him
tea dollars for liis prize and put it con
spicuously upon free exhibition. It was
a fortnight before they could under
stand liy it was that of all the crowds
that came to see their new placo there
were so few persons who cared to go
into the water. When they realized
that their great curiosity was a man
eater shark, one look at whose jaws
would make a man want to hug dry
land for the rest of his life, they very
quickly buried the awe-inspiring “cur
iassitay.”
The Sew Road Overseer.
A letter from Virginia says:—Among
the families which have always had a
share in the conduct of affairs in the
State are the Tylers. President Tyler’s
old neighbors in Charles City county
deal oftener that they liked; nor would
he accept any excuse, or allow the cus
tomary commutation in money from the
rich planters. Every one of them he
mustered out on the roads at daylight
whenever he wanted them, he mean
while riding around and exasperating
them by his presence, while he saw that
no man shirked his work. Soon every
road in the county was like a turnpike.
Then he began improving the private
roads. His rule by this time had be
come so trying that various plans for
getting rid of him before his term of of
fice expired were canvassed. But the
ex-President had been too wary for them.
He could only be turned out for malfea
sance in office, and nobody could accuse
him of that. So for two years they
never knew when the whole population
would be called upon to turn out on the
roads for a hard day’s work under the
ex-President's own eye. When his term
expired the laugh was on the other side.
A little fellow, some four or five
years old and who nad never seen a ne
gro, was greatly perplexed one day when
one came by where he and his father
were. The youngster eyed the stranger
suspiciously till he had passed, and then
asked his father: “Pa, who painted
that man all so black ?” “God did, my
30n,” replied the father. “Well,” said
the little one, still looking after the ne
gro, “I shouldn’t have thought he
would have held still.”
TOWED BY A SHARK.
THE ADVENTURES OP A BOAT’** CREW
OFF THE COAST OF MAINE.
The Blit Bone Shark, the Largest Fish
Known—Shark Fliiblng n a BnainrM
and Shark Kldins—Something About a
Seventy Footer.
“Hard starb’d,” yelled the man in the
crosstrees of a mackerelman off Monhegan
Island. “Daown with her,”he hoarsely
shouted again at the man at the wheel,
who was winding away at it as if for life
or death. The schooner shot into the
wind, her canvas quivering to the chorus
of the clanking blocks and dashing
waters.
“What’s the matter with ye?” shout
ed the mate, staring about, and seeing
nothing. “We’re off soundings, ain’t
we?”
The man aloft pointed to tlie eastward
and yelled back, “Wrack!” Sure enough,
about a thousand yards off the beam,
and dead ahead on the former course,
was a wreck, or something that ap
peared like a fair-sized coaster, bot
tom up, about thirty feet of her hull
showring.
“Looks to me like a big center-board
sloop,” said the mate, who bad climbed
into the rigging. “If we’da-struck her,
we’d a been swimmin’ now. ”
It certainly looked like a center-board,
it was about four feet high, separate and
distinct from the rest of the craft, and
rising above it. Above this object a
cloud of birds were hovering, while many
were roosting upon it. The sclioonei
fell away on hej course, anil now rapidly
approached the strange object.
“Holy Moses !” exclaimed the skipper,
who had been examining the wreck with
his glass, “it’s a shark as long as the
schooner. Amos get aout that lily. I'm
a-goin’ to have that liver or give up. ”
The true proportions of the monster
were now visible. It was of a dull,
brown hue, and what had been . taken
for a centre board was its enormous dor
sal fin, upon which perched several
large gulls, while others walked about
upon its broad back, ou which the waves
were beating as upon an island. All
was confusion aboard the schooner.
She was now lying to, and Amos, who
could not find the lily iron, was bewil
dered by flying invectives. But finally
the big seine boat was manned by a
crew of six rowers, a steersman, and a
harpooner, anil slowly they pulled to
ward the floating mass of flesh, which,
after all, might be dead. The oars were
lifted gently, and gradually the boat
drew near the great creature. It looked
more like a whale than a shark, and
seemed to be about fifty feet in length.
The birds rose with plaintive cries as
the boat came on. Then, at a word
from the harpooner, the men backed
water, the steel harpoon flashed in the
air, and with a slosh sank into the great
fish.
“Stam all!” shouted the mate, as the
huge fin swayed to one side. All hands
made a rush. A seething whirlpool for
a moment opened beside the boat, and
the next they were rushing off behind
the shark, which carried a wave ahead
that fairly rose above the little craft.
The men were crowded in the stern,
yet the bow was nearly submerged, and
finally the order was given to stand by
and take in the line. Two men took it
in hand, and slowly the boat was hauled
toward the unseen steed whom every
hanl seemed to spur on to fresh endeavor.
Suddenly, after a terrific spurt of speed,
the line slackened.
“Look out, my lads!” yelled the
steersman, grasping an oar and ready
to turn the boat in any direction. But
the fish was not coming up under them,
and a moment later a great black mass
rose up into the air so that the water
line was seen beneath it. It was a
shark of gigantic proportions, that fell
back to the water with a crash that
could have been heard a mile away.
“I never see a shark do that afore,”
said the harpooner, who now had a
lance in hand.
“Give way, lads 1” shouted the mate
as the fish was seenrushingalong at the
surface in a direction nearly toward
them. On it came, the immense dorsal
cutting water like the cut-water of a
yacht. In a second they were alongside,
and the lance was sent whizzing. The
blow caused the fish to turn, and with a
desperate lift of its tail it fairly hoisted
the boat from the water, throwing the
crew, oars, and various implements pell
mell to one side.
“Stand clear the line!” yelled the
mate as everybody scrambled to wind
ward.
The warning was none too soon, as
almost before the boat had righted she
was rushing away, bow under, in anew
direction, throwing the spray and tak
ing everything as it came. The pace,
however, soon slackened, showing that
the last dose of steel was taking effect.
The line was manned again, and slowly
they drew near the great fish. Slosh
went the lance again, the man fairly
leaning on it. The men backed water,
and then laid by to watch the flurry.
The shark nearly doubled itself in two,
and then seemed to straighten ont like a
spring, hurling the water into the air,
and beating it with its powerful tail. A
few such gyrations and desperate ai
tempts to rid itself of the harpoon, and
the game was up. The great shark
floated on the surface, dead. The
schooner, that had been following the
movements of the crew, was soon along
side; a rope was thrown around the tail,
another around the fore fins, and the
shark was shortly hauled alongside by
the windlass.
“Wall,” said the skipper, surveying
the fish, “I’ve caught a master sight o’
sharks, but this ’ere beats the hull lot;
nothing less nor a whale.”
The fish by actual measurement was
thirty**?feet long. It belonged to the
variety known aS sunfisli, basking or
bone sharks. They are voracious,
living upon small sea animals, ~’?vbich
they strain through a series of rays 0!
fringes of an elastic, hard substance, ar
ranged along the large gill openings.
Its scientific name is Selaehus maximus.
It is the largest fish, so far as is known,
that swims. One of the earliest indus
tries known in the United States was the
pursuit of these monsters, which were
followed so closely that they were well
nigh driven off the coast, Rnd are now
only occasionally seen. One was cap
tured off Long Island several years ago
that measured twenty-eight feet ii
length, an paws sixteen feet in circum
ference. De Kay saw one thirty-two
feet long, and Sir Charles Lyell ob
i served one that measured fifty-five feet
m length, It came ashore in a gale of
wind at Rathesholm Head. Stronsa.
Parts of this monster are now in the
British Museum. The largest specimen
f ve J, 7 rec< ? r^ however, was described
to J/ieSun reporter by a gentleman at
xork, Me. This fish, according to the
narrator, was about seventy feet long,
and as all fish stories require substantial
backing, the reporter wrote to his in
formant and received the following re
ply, which is given as the biggest true
fish story on record :
“Your remembrance of the shark
story was mainly correct, The facts are
these: The schooner Virgin, of Glou
cester, Captain Charles Merchant, of
which one of my neighbors, now de
ceased was one of the crew, caught a
shark oflf Block Island from which
twenty-eight barrels of liver were taken.
They lashed its tail to the windlass bits,
and its tail extended past the stem, so
that he was longer than the vessel, which
was of sixty-eight tons burden. They
also struck another shark the same day,
which they reported as larger, but he
took their harpoon and line * * * *
Several well-authenticated stories of
sharks of nearly equal size are reported.
My great-grandfather emptied a pan of
coals on the back of a shark which was
lying alongside of his vessel on the
Grand Banks and which he said was
higher than the vessel.”
Captain Atwood, a careful observer of
the Cape Cod region, refers to three
specimens seen by him that came ashore
at the Cape. One was visited by fisher
men to obtain blubber. They thought
from a distance that the fish was a whale.
The liver of this specimen yielded six
! artels of oil, valued at one hundred
and six dollars.
In 1818 large numbers of these sharks
were caught off Cape Elizabeth, Me.,
and there is a tradition there that in
early times a regular fishery was car
ried on to great profit. To-day, how
ever, about the only profitable shark
fishery on this continent is atNaorkamk,
Greenland, four or five hundred of the
great fish lxdug captured off the place
every summer. About 2 500 barrels of
oil are got in this way. It is preferred
by many dealers to seal oil, and in Eu
ropean markets brings a higher price.
At Proven, Greenland, there is an im
portant shark fishery, and similar fislier
its are found in various parts of Ice
land, where the Hoowcalder, as it is
there called, is caught, and its blubber
used as a medium of exchange.
“I’ve seen one that’ll beat this,” said
the mate, who stood on the body over
seeing the excavation of the liver.
“Two seasons ago I was master of the
mackereler Mary Blake, of Duxbnry,
and I reckon I had about 8800 in the
seines. One mornin’ we sighted a shoal
o’ sharks so big yo’d thought thev’d
a- floated ns aout of water, and I, like a
darned fool, ordered them seines
joined, and wo run the two of ’em
uraound ’em, and was closin’ in when
of the boys says, ‘What’s that a-bilin’?’
And, sure enough, there was a reg’lar
whirlpool right among the fish, and the
next minute one of the boys yelled aout,
‘We're a-movinT and I’m blamed if we
wasn’t; bots (boats), seine, the hull
mackerel haul, and everything else.
First I thought of whales, and sings
aout to line aout the seine, bnt afore we
had a chance a shark rose up that I’ll
swan was syxty feet long, .and daown he
went, takin’ eight hundred dollars’
o’ the nets and a hundred worth o’
mackerel. Anil we never see hide nor
hair of him since. He was a gormer,
and no mistake.”
“Talkin’ about sharks,” said an old
salt, who was watching proceedings from
the rail. “I see the curiostest sight in
Barbadoes once, tit to make yer bust a
laughin’. We had for a second mate a
sort of a smart Aiick, who was always
tellin’ what he’d been a doin’ in whalin’,
and liaow he come up on a whale and
struck it, tossing the iron over the other
boats, an’ sich, and if I do say it, when
he shook aout all reefs and got on the
wind, he could lie as close as they make
’em. Wadi, when we struck Barbadoes
the port watch got liberty and • started
aout over the reefs skylarkin’ and sech.
One o' the lads took along the harpoon
to take a fgTt'craVfish, fresjh meat bein’
kind o’ scArce. About half a mile from
the ship we struck a white sandy shoal,
where we see a heap of big black crit
ters movin’ araound—nurse sherks they
call ’em—big hookers abaout fifteen feet
long, with small champers (teeth). Bigs
by, this ere chap with the grumpuswind,
sings aout for the iron, and says he, ‘jest
put me in twenty feet of water, that’s
my measure. ’ So we pulled up to one
that was aoomin’ daown, and I reckon it
was abaout five feet when he let drive.
“Hit ?” exclaimed the old sailor taking
ont his pipe to contort his face into a
noiseless laugh. “Sort o’ hit. Ye see
the jinker had forgotten to hitch on the
line, and, the fish bein’ so near, he jist
jammed the iron into him, and the next
minute we see him a kind o’ flyin’ off in
the air with a yell that raised the very
craw-fish acut o’ the coral. Ye see he
jammed in the iron, socked it home, and
the fish give a jump and yanked him
right clear aout o’ the bot, and in a jiffy
he was astride o’ the sherk a bangin’ on
to the iron for a bridle, goin’ like a
steam engine, and yellin’ like mad. The
poor cuss didn’t know enough to cast off,
and there we sot a chokin’ and laughin’
fit to kill. Danger? No, not a bit.
The water was only about six feet deep,
and every time the fish went daown he’d
have to come up. After a while we
pulled after him, and somehaow he got
washed off) and the fish got off into the
channel, iron and all. We picked
Bigsby up after he’d been standin’
amongst the crawfish, but he didn’t
have nothin’ to say; broke him up com
plete. Ridin’ shark knocked more boss
sense into him than thirty years o’
livin’.” ,
The liver had been taken from the
shark. The lines were cast off, and the
great fish was left to feed others and the
more voracious of its kind.
The Centre of Population.
The centre of population, as defined
in the Statistical Atlas of 1574, “is the
point at which equilibrium would be
reached were the country taken as a
plane surface itself without weight but
capable of sustaining weight and loaded,
with its inhabitants in number and po
sition as they are found at the period
under consideration, each individual
being assumed to be of the same gravity
ag gvery other, and consequently to ex
ert pr<3S?ure on the pivotal point directly
proportioned to his distance therefrom.”
In brief, then, It is the centre of gravity
of the population (J? the country, and for
the United States is located
eight miles west by south nTipa the heart
of the city of Cincinnati, whicn^ aces “
in Kentucky one mile from
bank of the Ohio river and one and a ESIL*
miles southeast of the village of Taylors
ville.
A Denial.
A person who describes himself as a
“descendant of Leofric and Qodiva” has
written to a London newspaper protest
ing against the Godiva festivity at Coven
try. He is indignant that the memory
of his fair ancestress and excellent an
cestor should be kept alive only by a
fable—a fable, too, which, as he says, is
“a disgrace to English history.” This
“descendant” tries to show that Godivs
never did ride naked through the market,
place, and that Leofric, Earl of th
Mercians, who is spoken of by Mr. Ten
nyson as the “Grim Earl,” was a wis
statesman, a loyal subject, and a devoted
husband.