Newspaper Page Text
"VOL. XIV.
Lots Of New Goods At
Thomas N. Lewis,
NO. 5, BRICK ROW, THOMSON, GEORGIA.
Keeps the best stock of GROCERIES in Thom
son. It has been tested and as declared
by first-class judges. His stock consists of
Flour, Meal, Corn, Meat, Su-gar, Coftee,
and all their goods in the Grocery Line.
Also Boots, Shoes, Hats Clothing, and Dry
Goods o all kinds.
Coins', Meat & Floor
A Specialty!
maw m. cvbtis.
Manufacturer and Dealer in all kinds ol
' Furniture and House Furnishing
Goods, Buggies, Carriages,
Wagons, &c., &c.
All Repairing promptly done and at rea
sonable rates. Blacksmitliing in all its
branches.
UNDERTAKING.
I have a large and elegant
hearse,
\ty Pp
Which will be sent to any part ot the town or country nt reasonable rates.
COFFINS ANI) METALLIC CASES.
BURIAL CASES,
ISCHIAL lIOKES,
Suitable for Males or 'Famales, old or young.
.I.M. CIIKTIS, Thomson. CSii..
J. F. SHIELDS
-AT
Old Stand On llailroad Street.
— ♦- ——- -
Genuine Cuba Molasses, Magnolia Hams, White and Yellow Com, Fresh Meal,
Flour of all Grades.
Don’t fail to try our Patent Flour, Finest grade known to the trade. Gives every
body satisfaction. Try it,
Hannan Sweeps,Grain Cradles, Fine Lines of Hardware, Saddles, Harness, Plows,
Bridles, Humes, etc.
Wagons, one and two-horse Buggies from $65 to Finest, Live-and-let-livo Prices.
TOYES.
Full Line—New Price*. Our Prices Drive out Competition. Have sold One
Hundred and Seventy-Nine Stoves from Nov. Ist to May Ist.
Thanking my friends and the public for a generous patronage, I respectfully ask a
continuance of the same, promising my best efforts to,deserve the same,
tf. B.— Hides, Rugs and Wax taken in exchange for goods.
.J. I \ SIIIIdLDJS,
Thomson, Ga., May ff, 1885.
THE ADKINS HOUSE,
TREET OPPOSITE ODD FELLOWS’ HALL.
AUGUSTA, (iA.
/v. j. A-Dicnsrs. jr, - - - pbop’k,
Newly FurmsM Centrally Located
CONVEX IK NT TO DEPOTS, POST OFFICE, AND
BUSINESS PORTION OF CITY.
Hot and Cold Baths attacliod to Rooms.
FIRST-CLASS TABLES, CLEAN ROOMS AND BEDDING.
feb7’B36m Terms Moderate.
WATCHES!
I am selling Waltham Stem Winding
Watches from SB.OO up. Full line of Dia
monds, Watches and Jewelry, &c. Watches
and Jewelry repaired and Warranted.
WM. SCHWSIGERT.
Under Central Hotel, Augusta, Ga.
€bmtiuil Hotel.
Augusta Georgia
MRS. W. M. THOMAS, Pophjetok
mHIS Hotel 80 well known to the citizens of McDuffie and adjoio*ng eoonties.is io- i
' catde lin the centre of hiuinesK portion of Augusta, convenient o Postoffiee Tele
graph Office and Depoi, and olfora inducements to the public un.Kindled by a. v othci
Hotel in the City,
THOMSON, GEORGIA., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1885.
The -Esthetes.
The wild yourur kitten aroused the cat.
As dozing- at ease In the oath she sat.
“Oh, mother!" he cried, “i have Just now
Re'n
A flower that smrpestod nn Orient quoou!
•T is yonder by the nnsturtion-vino—
llnrbaric and tropic and leonine—
(l am not quite clear what these terms may
mean.
But they’ve soinething: to do with the flower
I’ve seenW
And the aim in life of a hljrh-tonofl cut
Is to gaze forever ou flowers like that!”
To the wild you tiff kitten replied the eat.
As thinking her eyes In the sun she sat:
“I should hope I had known how. sunflowers
row,
I—could n’t—count—how—many years affo!
But they never caused in my well-poised mind
Ideas of a dubious, dnnjrcrous kind!
Ami your time henceforth—it’s your Mu’s ad
vice—
Will le spent in maturing your views on
Mice!”
The wild yountr puppy disturbed the pmr.
As she drowsctl in peneo on the Persian ruff.
“Oh, mother!” he cried, “l have just now
StH'll
A plume that stiffpested a rainbow’s sheen 1
With a fforffeous eye of u dye divine—
Blu<*-grce. iridescent, and heryline—
(lam not quito clear what these terms may
mean,
But they’ve somethin# to do with the thin#
I’ve seen!)
And the only joy of a cultured miff.
Is to ffnze on such in u (graceful ju#l”
To the wild young; puppy replied the pup,
Composing herself on the Persian nip:
“1 would blush with shame through my dusky
tan
If I raved at apiece of a peacock fan!
*T would never have raised In my sober mind
Ideas of u doubtful, delirious kind!
1 will see that henceforth your attention poos
To perfecting the snub of your small black
nose!"
—Helen Gray Cone, in St. Nicholas for June.
A LUCKY ACCIDENT.
“I say, Charley, you've dono for
voursolf this time! 1 ' said pretty Doris
Thornton to her adorer, Charley King
wood, of the Calkshiro regiment, as
they wero sitting together after dinner
in tins conservatory attached to the
pleasant riverside villa belonging to
Doris 1 father, Mr. Thomas Thornton,
of the stock exchange.
“Why—how, DorisP n asked the young
man.
“By speaking as you did at dinner
against steam launches, and saying that
the men who owned them and used
them were cads,” replied Doris. “Pa
pa’s just bought one, and, next to his
fishing, has made it his great hobby.”
“By Jove! that’s unlucky,” said
Charlie. “Now what’s to be done?
It’s uo use my going and telling him 1
was only chuffing, because i spoke so
straight.”
“1 don’t know, I am sure,” said
Doris, seriously. “You could hardly
have made a more unfortunate mis
take, for pupil considers the leal cads
to be those who growl because others
like to move fast w ithout any trouble
to themselves.”
“On a crowded river, washing away
banks and kicking up no end of dirt
and noise,” continued the young offi
cer. “Well, I'm awfully sorry, Doris,
for the old boy’s rather touchy, and it
miphl influence his ideas with regard
to you and me, eh?”
When the young people had return
ed to the drawing room it was very
evident that the “old boy” was dis
turbed. in vain Charley satig his best
songs; in vain he tried to inveigle the
old gentleman into pleasant conversa
tion; in vain he exerted every eil'ort to
show himself off’to the best possible
advantage. The blow' had been dealt,
and it rankled the capacious waistcoat
of the wealthy old stockbroker. lie
answered his guest in curt monosylla
bles; he made much rustling with the
newspaper, and coughed inordinately
during the performance of Charley’s
songs, and finally, when it was time
for the youug man to return townward,
instead of ottering him one of his fam
ous Antonio Curnnclios, shaking his
hand heartily, and expressing a hope
to see him again soon, the old gentle
man assumed a severe air, and said:
“Aheiir-Mr. liingwood, of course—
ahem a gentleman of your relined
taste could never- ahem —think of
marrying a daughter of a cad who
keeps a steam launch! Ahem—good
night, sir.”
(diaries was staggered and looked
pleadingly at Doris, who however, only
shook her head slowiy and signilicant-
Tberc were probably few more un
happy men that night within the met
ropolitan radius than Charlie King
wood as he turned slowly homewards
and pondered that, in the terse lan
guage of Doris, he had done for him
self.
The next morning brought him, in
stead of hope, a letter from his sweet
heart, which made him absolutely mis
erable. It was as follows:
My Dearest Chari ie: 1 have snatched a
moment to write these few lilies. Papa
was in an awful rage last night alter you
had gone; called you an insolent puppy,
aim all-sorts of things, which 1 should not
have minded had he not wound up by for
bidding me to have any further communi
cation with you, and sayiiig that a man
who would be ash lined of his father-in
law because he kenfc a steam launch was
not a lit husband tor his daughter. What
are we to do? Ever your affectionate
Don a Thohnton.
“Aye!” muttered Charlie, when he
had read the letter for the twentieth
time. “What are we to do? it’s no
use of arguing with this sort of old fel
low; once he gets a notion into his
head uo power on earth can drive it
out. I wish to goodness I’d never said
a word about steam launches.”
In the evening he went to his club,
where he met with an old schoolfellow,
Jack Haggles. Now, Jack Haggles,
although continually in difficulty him
self, was famous for his ingenuity in
getting others out of trouble. More
than once Charlie had been obliged to
have recourse to him for advice, and
he had never regretted it. This was
a far more serious case than any pro
ceding one, but Charlie was simply
desperate, anti would have clung to
the maddest device suggested, as a
drowning man clutches to a straw. So
he got Jack Haggles into a quiet cor
ner, and there, over a sherry-and-bit
ters, he laid the facts of the case be-/
fore him.
“Well,” said Jack when Charlie had
concluded, “it is certainly an awk
ward case, anti it would be deuced
hard lines for you to have to chuck up
all thoughts of marrying a nice and
pretty girl like Miss 'Thornton for such
a triffo. But I’ve got fellows out of
far worse holes before now, and i dare
say 1 shan’t fail this time.”
“You’re a good fellow, Jack, upon
my word you are,” said Charlie, en
thusiastically; “but, by Jove, if you
get me out of this you’ll boa genius.”
Jack was silent for a few moments
and puffed vigorously at his cigar. At
length he added: “1 sav, Charlie, isn’t
the old man a regular maniac lor fish
ing?”
“Kathcr!” replied Charlie. “He takes
a holiday about three times a week on
purpose to fish. lie starts off after
breakfast with a big hamper and a jar
oi oeer, nuu no mis m a [mu. uuwt
evening. Still, now he’s got this
wretched steam launch, I expect lie’ll
oil* with the old love and ou with the
new. But what has fishing to do with
the subject in hand?”'
“Never you mind just now,” an
swered his friend, “but you find out
from Miss Thornton when her father
next intends to go out in his punt, and
where lie's likely to be, and then send
me a telegram to Clarges street, and
i’ll toll you what to do.”
Charlie had such implicit faith in
Jack Haggle’s ingenuity that ho went
homo that evening in a comparatively
happy frame of mind.
lie wrote to Doris the first thingnoxt
morning, and the eveuing got a reply
to the effect that Mr. Thornton was
already making preparations fora long
day’s fishing upon Iho fol'Ywiug Wed
nesday. lie telegraphed immediately
to Jack Haggles, and received the fol
lowing reply:
“Keen close to him, hut out of sight,
at (1 o’clock iu the evening.”
Charlie wondered what on earth his
friend’s scheme could be, but he re
solved to obey instructions, lie knew
very well that Mr. 'Thornton’s happy
hunting ground was a secluded back
water, famous for touch and perch,
about a couple of huudrod yards above
the lawn of his house. Thither ho re
paired stealthily, like a man bent upon
un evil errand, at about 5 o’clock, and
took up a position upon the rough riv
erside path, well nigh hidden from
sight by bushes and foliage, whence lie
could observe the enthusiastic old fish
erman without being seen himself.
The old gentleman was sitting liko a
wax figure in his punt, with a large ci
gar iu his mouth and rod iu hand, when
Charlie arrived. So completely ab
sorbed was Mr. Thornton iu his sport
that a regiment could liavo defiled past
him without attracting his notice.
Charlie watched him until a distant
church clock chimed the quarter to 6.
lie then saw the old gentleman take
out his watch, look at it attentively,
and after a few moments’ hesitation
slowly and reluctantly begin to pick
up his rod and lino and put his para
phernalia together.
Charlie began to get anxious. What
ever plan Haggles had concocted would
have to ho carried into execution quick
ly or it would be too late.
At last Mr. Thornton had arranged
his tackle and united his punt poles
and was pushing off’ into the stream.
Charlie’s heart sank, but he crept
swiftly forward to a little promontory
to watch the old gentleman faithfully,
according to instructions, until 6
o’clock.
Mr. Thornton, being old and obese,
punted slowly and with difficulty, and
as the clock struck fi lie had not yet
got out of shallow water. So intent
was charlie, however, in looking at
him that he did not perceive the dark
outline of a steam launch coming di
rectly down upon the,puuL ami lie was
only made nwano-of the fiwa by seeing
the old gentleman wave one arm vig
orously and by hearing him shout lust
ily at the same time that ho endeavor
ed to get his unwieldy punt out of the
way. But it was 100 late; the bow of
the launch went gently against the
punt, though with sufficient foreo to
tilt it up, with which movement the
poor old stock-broker went llouudor
ing into the water, yelling madly as he
went.
Quick as thought Charlie dashed in.
The water was fortunately barely up
to his waist, so ho seized Mr. Thorn
ton under the arms, and, after much
splashing and shouting and fuss, goi
him first into the punt and then on
board the steam launch.
'The first person Charlie saw on board
was Jack H iggles, who, behind the
rescued stock-broker’s back, was im
pressing silence and non-recognition
by energetic gestures.
Directly Mr. Thornton felt himself
firmly on his foot he burst into a vio
lent passion, which was in no way ap
peased by the approach of Jack Hag
gles, whom he did not know, with llie
most admirable expression of contri
tion on his face, and the words “I’m
sure l’m awfully sorry, sir,” on his
lips.
“Sorry, sir!” roared the old gentle
man, “so you ought to be, sir! 1 con
sider it positively iniquitous and abom
inable that a man can't go out for a
day’s fishing without being run into
by a lot of cockneys who have no more
idea of handling a steam launch than
they have of handling a balloon! And
I shall lake the very earliest opportu
nity, sir, of laying the matter before
tiie authorities, in order that such un
warrantable interference with liberty
of the subject may be immediately put
a stop to. it is abominable, sir, abom
inable!”
“(Jan 1 put you ashore anywhere?”
asked Jack, deferentially.
“Yes, sir, you can, as soon as possi
ble, and before 1 catch my death of
cold,” replied the old gentleman.
“You see those steps ahead, sir?”
“I do,” replied Jack.
“Well, then, if you can see those
steps, how the devil was it that you
couldn’t see me?” said Mr. Thornton.
“But as you can see them, steer to
them, that is, if you know how to.
They belong to me, sir, Thomas Thorn
ton# Esq.”
And yet, the irritated stock-broker
had given no thought to his rescuer;
but as they were floating gently down
toward the house ho turned and said:
“And to whom am I indebted for
mv rescue from a watery grave?”
Charles stepped quietly forward ami
bowed. The old gentleman started
hack and exclaimed:
“Good gracious! Mr. Ringwood!
Sir, allow me to shake your hand most
heartily. You have performed an ac
tion to-night which shall not pass with
out recognition. You are a noble fel
low, sir —a noble fellow!”
“I did nothing, Mr. Thornton, but
what any other man would have done
under similar circumstances,” said
Charlie, feeling himself to be a dread
ful hypocrite in assuming the depreca
tory air of a hero; “but now that we are
here together, I should like to express
my extreme regret that 1 should have
given you offense the other night by
expressing my opiuiou about steam
launches a little more candidly than
perhaps I should have don; but believe
me ”
Mr. Thornton interrupted him:
“Believe me, sir, you did not say
enough. lam a complete convert to
the opinion you hold. Steam launches
are an abomination, sir, and mine is
for sale this very moment.”
“Which one of Longfellow’s poems
does this act remind you ol?” asked
an impecunious poet as he pawned his
gold lead-pencil. “Give it up,” was
the expected answer. “Why, ‘The
Hanging of the Crayon,’ of course.”—
uV. i. Journ'ik
A SMART REPORTER*
llow Ho Loarnod tlie Secrets of a Legisla
tive Caucus.
The Louisville Courier-Journal , in a
sketch of Joseph J. Eakins, a young re
porter who has been made clerk by the
new mayor, relates some illustrations
of Bakins’ journalistic enterprise while
he was serving at Frankfort as capital
correspondent of the Louisville Com
mercial:
“Ho was only 11) years old then, but
lie attracted the attention of Col. Kel
ley. When the session of the legisla
ture begun in October the colonel re
solved to send him to Frankfort as that
paper’s correspondent, lie instruct
ed him to go tl.'ro at once and make a
red-hot partisan tight for “the only re
publican daily” in Kentucky. There
was never a better show for an active
reporter. Col. Kelley told Joe that
previous correspondents had always
been afraid to attack the state govern
ment, and that ho wanted him to make
no such mistake. Joe was a Democrat,
and all his people wero before him, but
he knew what his duty to a Republican
paper was, and ho promised to carry
out the colonel’s instructions. If ho
made any mistake in his vigorous fight,
ho did so because he was obeying or
ders. lie went to Frankfort with the
determination to unearth sensations,
and ho succeeded.
Many wero the devices to which ho
had to resort to obtain the news in spite
of the hostility of the members. One
of tho cleverest and most amusing was
the way in which ho obtained the pro
ceedings of tho Democratic caucus.
For the purpose of excluding him, it
was resolved to admit no nowspaper
men. A reporter is not easily daunted,
however, and Eakins considered that
all tilings were fair in the enemy’s
camp. The first evening thereafter he
went into the upper gallery of tho house
and hid under a row of back seats.
When the caucus was assembled, how
ever, a search was ordered, and Joe’s
feet were discovered sticking out from
under the bench by a sergeant-at-arms.
Tho official, with a laugh, ordered him
to come out, and when he omorgod,
covered with dust and humiliation, he
was greeted withaq enthusiastic chorus
of derisive yells. He walked out, but
he did not give up tho light. A pipe
from the stove in the house passed back
into the cloak-room. Securing a step
ladder ho mounted and, placing his ear
to the pipe, heard every word that was
uttered. The voices of the members
were perfectly familiar to him by this
time, and his dispatch was unusually
full and complete.
There was groat wonder the next
day, and this was intensified when that
evening’s caucus proceedings wore also
reported in detail. It was at first
thought that ho was iu the confidence
of some member, but the next day tho
secret leaked out. The door in the
cloak-room was locked and the step
ladder removed. Still, this did no good.
Eakins found means to bo introduced
into the house early the next afternoon,
ami secreting himself behind a book
case, where, at tho cost of somo person
al discomfort, he remained during tho
caucus session, lie was able to do so
only that time, as tho person by whose
connivance he had effected it was
afraid to longer assist him. Another
resource was discovered, and for two
more nights the faithful reports of tho
proceedings were kept up.
Tho third evening, alter tho roll had
boon called, the Hon. Lillian 'l'. Moore
arose and stated that the secretary had
omitted the name of one who had al
ways taken a deep interest In their de
liberations. He desired to suggest that
the secretary call the name of Joseph
Eakins,member from tho state-at-large.
His words were greeted with cheers,
and when tho secretary called out tho
name a voice said “Here” from one of
lho windows. Looking out they found
the indefatigable correspondent seated
on the limb of a lingo tree which grew
ala distance of forty or fifty loot from
the window, lie had climbed tho tree
and crawled out on a huge branch,
whose extremity almost touched tho
shutters. It was not a comiortablo
position up there, blit the reporter had
a piece of soft paper and was writing
up the proceedings as they went on.
As fast as a sheet was finished lie dropped
it to tho ground, when it was picked
up by a messenger and taken to the
telegraph office. 'The spirit of opposi
tion had not quite died out the next
evening, and a guard was placed over
the free. The day following, however,
it was resolved to hold the session with
open doors, and when Eakins came in
a little after 8 o’clock he was greeted
with a perfect ovation of shouts, yells,
and cheers. His plucky fight had won
the hearts of all present, and ho had
much smoother sailing tho remainder
of the term.
BEING A WOMAN.
Some of tho Trial* ami Tribulation* of the
Fair Rex
It is a dreadful bother to be a wo
man and do tho business up in good
shape. In iho first place, you’ve got
to look well, or else you’re nobody. A
man mav be ever so homely and still
be popular. Whiskers cover up most
of his face, and if ho has a big mouth
nobody mistrusts it, and if he does
wrinkle bad on his forehead his friends
speak of his many cares and of his
thoughtful disposition, and tell each
other that his wrinkles are lines of
thought. Lines of thought, indeed,
when in all probability his forehead is
wrinkled by the bad habit ho has got
of scowling at his wife when the coffee
is not strong enough.
A woman must always bo in good
order. Her hair must always be
frizzed and banged, as fashion de
mands, and she must powder if she
has a shining skin, atid she must man
age to look sweet, no matter how sour
she may feel; her dress must hang just
so, and her boot buttons always in
place, and her linger nails always
clean; and then she mustn’t whistle,
nor climb fences, nor stone cats, nor
scold when she’s mad.
She can’t go out alone, because
ladles must be protected; she can’t go
anywhere when it rains, because iier
hair won’t stay frizzed and she’ll get
mud on her petticoats and things; she
can’t be a Free Mason, because she
would tell their secret and everybody
would know ali about the goat ami
gridiron; she can’t smoke, because
that would be unfeminine; she can’t
go courting, Ikscruso that would be un
womanly. But she must get married
before sue is 25, or everybody will feel
wronged. People will sigh over her,
and wonder why it is that men “don’t
seem to take,” and all the old maids
and widows smile and keep quiet. Oh,
these smiles and these significant
looks! They arc ten times more than
open slander - ■ j
At i* u> lerrioie tmng io oc an oid
maid, Everybody knows it is, and tho
women who arc married to drunken
husbands, and who matiago to quarrel
with them six days out of seven, will
live in an agonvof spirit over tho single
woman and call her the poor old maid.
A woman must marry rich, or else
she doesn’t marry “well.” And to
marry “well” is tho end and aini of a
woman’s existence, judging from tho
view which people in general take of
this matter. It is everybody’s busi
ness when a woman marries. The
whole neighborhood put their heads to
gether and talk over tho pros and cons,
and decide whether she is good enough
for him. There is nothing said about
his being good enough for her. And
they criticize the shapo of her nose,
ami relate anecdotes how lazy her
grandfather was, and how her Aunt
Sally used to sell beans aud butter
milk. A woman must wear No. 2
boots on No. 13 foot, and she must man
age to dross well on 75 cents a week,
and sho mustn’t be vain; and she must
bo kind to tho poor, and sho must go
regularly to the sewing society meet
ings, and be ready to dress dolls and
make tidies and aprous for church
fairs. She must boa good cook, and
must bo able to “do up” her husband’s
shirts so that the Chinese washerman
would groan with envy and gnash his
teeth with tho same holy passion at
the sight of them.
She must always have tho masculino
Duttons of tho family sewed on so they
will never coiuo oil* while iu use, and
sho must keep the family hosiery so
that nobody would ever mistrust there
wore holes in the stockings whilo they
were on. She must hold herself in
constant readiness to find everything
her husband has lost—aud a man never
knows where to find anything. He
will put his boots carefully away under
the parlor sofa, and when ho has hunt
ed for them half an hour he will sud
denly appear to his wife with a counte
nance like an avenging angel, and de
mand “what in thunder she has dono
with his boots.” She must shut all tho
doors after her lord and master, and
likewiso the bureau drawers, for a mar
ried man was never known to shut a
drawer. It would boas unnatural for
a lion to go in swimming for recrea
tion.
She must go to bod first in cold
weather so as to get the bed warm.
Her husband, if ho be a wise man,
never asks her to do this. Oh, uo! but
ho sits to “just finish this piece in the
paper,” aud waits until she has got tho
sheets to a comfortable temperature.
Ah, there aro a great many tricks in
the trade of living together. A woman
is expected to take care of the baby
oven after the first infantile wonder has
multiplied into a round half dozon.
And if it doubles lip with the colic or
trials of cutting teeth or the necessary
evils of mumps or measles aud whoop
ing-cough and scarlet fever and rash
and throat distemper and short sleeves
and bare legs and ping sticking into him
and 100 much candy and bad tom per,
why her husband tells her that ho
“does wish she would try and quiet
her baby,” and ho says it too as if he
thought she alone was responsible for
its being in existence, and as if sho
was considerably to blame for it too.
And when sho has the headache no
body thinks of minding it—a woman is
always having tho headache. And if
she is “nervous enough to fly” nobody
shuts tho door any quieter, aud nobody
tucks her on tho lounge with a shawl
over her or coddles her to death as a
man has to bo coddled under such cir
cumstances.
Wo might go on indefinitely with tho
troubles of being a woman, and if there
is a man who thinks a woman has an
easy time of it, why, just let him pin
on a pound of false hair and get inside
a pair of corsets, and put on a null
back overskirt, and be a woman him
self, and see how he likes it. —Devised
by a woman for the Lowell Times.
A “TIP” IGNORED.
How Luko Sharp Attempted to l*roure
Information about Burk*.
England is often referrod to by
Americans as a land of tips. This is as
unjust as if an Englishman wero to
refer to this country as the land of tho
tipsy. 1 know many instances where
tips have been refused, and one of
these I always have felt a little sore
about, and think still my English friend
took a mean advantage of tho inno
cence of a stranger in a strange land.
This is how it came about. Detroit, as
all tho world knows, bought an island
of about 800 acres with the intention of
making a park of it. Being in London
at tho time I thought I would gather
together a littlo information about the
excellent and extensive parks of the
metropolis and send it over to the
Secretary of tho Detroit Bark Com
mittee.
1 was walking through the beautiful
Temple Gardens of the Thames em
bankment with my friend, the English
man, when we naturally drifted to tho
subject of parks and I said to him:
“1 want to find out what I can about
parks to send to Detroit. How had 1
better set about it?”
“That defends on what you want to
know about them. First try and con
centrate what mind you have on the
particular class of information you
want, then perhaps I can help you.”
I want all the information there is
on the subject. I was thinking of going
up to the British Museum loading room
aud asking the attendant to bring mu
the books they have on parks.”
“ Thai's a good idea; a brilliant idea.
When tho assistants pile around you
the two or three tons of books they
have on that subject, 1 suppose you’ll
expect your friends to get up a relief
party ami dig you out.”
“What would you do?”
“Well, I wouldn’t begin witli all the
books tho British Museum has. Now
hero are the Temple Gardens, one of
the loveliest parks in tho world. I’ll
introduce you to the chief man, and
you can interview him.”
“There’s Hyde Park, for instance;
that’s a sort of typical London park.
How could 1 find out wliat 1 wanted to
know about that?”
“Write to the Hanger.”
“i’ll do that. Say, hadn’t I better
offer him a tip of so.uu sort? A half
crown or so? Would’t ho answer my
letter the more readily?”
'This seemed to striko my English
friend as a grand scheme. He looked
at me with admiration, and it was so
seldom that I advanced any ideas that
quite met his approval that 1 could not
help feeling gratified.
“You’ve got the plan at las!! That
would be just the tiling. Do it delicate
ly, you know. Use a little diplomacy.
Just intimate in an offhand whole
souled manner that you don’t mind a
half-crown or so, and if that don’t fetch 1
him uothinir will.” 4
ISTO. 35.
“I suppose a letter addressed ‘The
Hanger of Hyde Park, Loudon,’ would
roach him all right.”
“Yos, that would do it.”
When l got back to the office I Wrote!
“Hanger of llyUu Parks
“Dkak Mu-1 am de-irons of obtaining
wliat iiiLorniation 1 can about llydo Park,
its cost annually, cost of Construction, num
ber of people employed, etc,, ad 1 thought
perhaps you would Le good enough to mail
me any pamphlets that you have in ref
erence to the matter. 1 shall be glad to
pay postage and any other expenses, and ft
you would do me the favor to accept half a
crown for your own trouble 1 snail bo
obi ged to you.
“Your obedient servant
"LUKE SHARP.”
I waited day after day but received
no reply. Every time wo met my Eng
lish man expressed surprise that the
Ranger had not ju uped at my half
crown offer. 11c seemed to have told
all his friends aud mine about the mat*
ter, and when they met me Ihcysoemed
grieved that Lho Hanger had not writ
ten. They always inquired. 1 never
saw people so anxious to help a person
ou. At last the mau whom I consider
entirely to blame, said to me, as we
met ou Lho Strand:
“By the way. did it ever occur to you
to find out who the Hanger of Hydtf
Park is?”
“No,” I answerod. “Do you know
him?”
“Not personally. lie is the Duko of
Cambridge, head of tho British ay my
and uncle of the Queen. Detroit Free
Tress.
SECTION HANDS.
The Men Who Mend ami Keep Safe th#
Iron High way *.
Since the death of General Manager
S. S. Merrill, of tho Chicago, Milwau
kee and St. Paul railroad, and tho pul*-
lication of his history, a very hutpble
class of railroad employes has been
made tho subject of much inquiry.
They are those who attend to tho gene
ral track repairs of a railroad line. To
show their possibilities it is cited that
Mr. Merrill, in fifteen years’ timo, rose
from tho position of section hand to
general manager of one of the most
prosperous roads in this country. Oner
day ho asked for work nt a railroad
olliee, and, when questioned as to what
he could do, replied:
“I can use a shovel and pick.”
110 was given work with a gang of
railway graders, and in 1858 was mudo
foreman of the gang. By sheer hard
work ho earned promotion after pro
motion, in turn becoming conductor,
paymaster, assistant superintendent,
chief superintendent of a division, as
sistant general manager, and then gen
eral manager. 'This position was tend
ered him in 1865. lie was not a man
of liberal or even a common school
education, but one of practical idea.%
sound common senso and judgment.
Ho knew every round of the ladder*
and for that reason was an excellent
manager of men. No one was over
more admired and respected by those
under him. His is are mark able case*
but still it is only one out of many simi
lar instances.
The section hand belongs to tho low
est stratum of railroad employes! ami
yet he is, to a great extent, a skilled
laborer. Although his work is of a
routine nature, still ho must hare the
intelligence to moot any emergency m
his path of duty, and be able to over
come difficulties. This department of
a railroad is one of tho most important,
for tho condition of the road depends
upon tho work done by tho men in it,
from the assistant engineer of a divi
sion down to the humble spike-driver.
For information concerning these work
men Assistant Engineer Alex. T. Gest,
of tiie Pennsylvania railroad was inter
viewed yesterday afternoon:
“Wo have on this division about
eight hundred men who have imme
diate supervision over tho tracks,” said
lie. “There aro four divisions on the
road, but 1 could not say how many
such men aro employed. In this divi
sion there aro live supervisors, eae.h of
whom liavo under their charge from
twelve to fourteen subdivisions, and
each subdivision is in the care of a
foreman, who lias a gang of track
hands, varying in number from seven
to twelve.
“A foreman, when picking a gang,
takes tho best and most experienced
men. If I see ten men carrying a five
liundred-ponnd rail l get at tho opinion
that it is about time six of them were
discharged. I have known four string
men t 6 walk right off with a rail thirty
feet long. That is tho work the green
hands are put at until they get over
their awkwardness, learn how to be
spry, and quit falling over each other’s
hammers, shovels and otiicr tools.
“Fastening on the connecting bars
between the rails is very particular
work and requires care. The expan
sion and contraction of nails must bo
considered, and they are laid accord
ingly for winter and summer tempera
tures. Frogs and switches require
painstaking and must bo proporly ad
justed. Thun besides track-hanus we
have watchmen. There are sixty men
doing this sort of duty at night between
here and Altoona, and quito a number
by day, as at Horse-shoe and other spe
cial places. Tho watchman goes along
the track after every passenger train
and examines every bar, bolt, rail, and
switch. If there is anything wrong, lie
reports it the nearest telegrauh to tho
foreman of the subdivision, who always
lives along the track, and, if lie has not
time to notify anyone, he displays a
red light or 11 ag. Red always means
danger, and white, all right.
“The tunnels are all similarly watch
ed, a man going ahead of every train.
A good section hand has a chance of
being promoted to a gang boss or a
foreman at a salary of from SSO to S6O
a month. As those foremen generally
live in tho country, this is good pay
They have few expenses, and a great
many of them own their own house aud
four or live acres of ground to raise
vegetables. Then, an intelligent fore
man will be advanced. Many of the
best railroad men of this country have
started where they are.” —Filtsbury
Despatch.
W ♦ >1 —■ - "—*
“Music hath charms to soothe,” and
our latter day homes would indeed bo
incomplete without the piano, tho cul
ture of the Yoico and all that tcuds to
bring the soul on rapport with the har
mony of the great master. So it hap
pens that tlx* Shuttle family endure the
“hum-ti-trum” of practice hours that
they may enjoy the completed sonata
of the eveniug, when there are callers.”
“Job, my dear,” said Mrs, Shuttle,
“don’t go down town this evening.
Slay and listen to Selina’s new nocturne
in G minor. It’s perfectly lovely.”
“Which reminds mo,” said the prac
tical Job, “I’ve got to go down aud
pay Sig. do Potimlhercingero six sona
tas in X and a nocturne iu V. That’s
what takes the poetry out oi music, iuy
dear.” —Hartford Tost. %