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CLIPPINGS FOB THE CURIOUS.
Births exceed the deaths in the
world by three per minute.
Swearing is wholly unknown in
Japan. The worst word a Japanese
ever applies to a man he dislikes is
“beast.”
Carpet knights were so called be
cause they gained their positions by
mere fax or at court, and not on the
field of battle by their military ex
ploits.
A four-footed bird is found on the
Island of Marago, at the mouth of the
Amazon. In time one pair of legs
are changed into wings by as singular
a process as. that wbich makes tne
tadpole a frog.
The business of trick-making is
believed to have been a royal mono
poly in Egypt, and Wilkinson states
that more bricks are found in Egypt
with stamp of Thothmes 111. than of
any other monarch.
In Normandy the cruel practice of
singing contests arranged by the bird
dealers between the chaffinches are
still kept up, in which the birds are
frequently compelled to sing alterna
tively as many as 800 times. Fre
quently they are deprived of their
sight, as blind birds are often the best
songsters.
Miss Miranda Davis, of Stafford,
Conn., has been gradually starving to
death for the last fifteen years. Oc
casionally she takes a sip of water
and eats a few cracker crumbs, but
that is all. Sometimes she goes forty
seven days without food or drink. Al
though emaciated, her general health
is moderately good.
An English farmer reports a strange
friendship between his ferrets and
young rats—natural enemies of the i
fiercest sort. Twice when his ferrets |
has had a litter young rats have been
given her for food, and each time she
has saved and suckled two of them I
with her own young until they had '
matured.
Some facts regarding railroad
freight are curious, as for instance, it
costs four cents per ton to unload
tierces, and twenty-four cents to un
load light boxes. The chief reason is
that one can be rolled while the other
must be handled. Iron beams cost
$2.05 per car to unload with tackle,
and $5.61 without. It costs eighty
one cents per car to unload rolls of
leather, but $5.76 per car for loose
sides.
Their Last Thoughts.
The old belief that the ruling pas
sion is always strongest in death had
a singular corroboration in the last
hours of the noted Mark Pattison, who
died a few weeks ago in England. The
great scholar, we are told, always lov
ed his books as if they were human
beings. The “sight of them,” he de
clared, “was necessary to him while at
his work.” He always had dusted j
and taken entire charge of them him- I
self. When he was dying he asked
for one old favorite after another, un
til he was literally covered with them
as he lay.
"Ah'” he said, “I must leave them 1
They have been more to me than any
of my friends.”
A struggle of a different kind was
that of a miserly German who died
lately in Pennsylvania. As he found I
death approaching, he badehis attend- i
ants bring him a canvas bag, in which, ■
for years, he had stored away his sav
ings. When it was opened, he plung-1
ed his hands into the gold, clutched it, j
caressed it, and In the effort to gather :
it all closer to him, stiffened and died. '
Louis XI. ordered the crown to be !
put upon his head, and grasped the j
sceptre, as the last breath left his lips. !
A French poet demanded that his
own verses should be read to him as
he was expiring, and with his last mo- i
ment cried, “Surely they will make me j
immortal!” Only the story now re
mains as a ghastly jest; the verses, ;
even the name of their maker, have
long been forgotten.
When any unworthy pursuit or pas
sion of men is brought into contrast
with death, its littleness or folly ap ;
palls us. But when days and months
and years have been given to it, why j
need we shudder when it claims the
last moment? Is not life as impor
tant ana terrible as death ? Youth's \
Companion.
Tobacco and Eyesight.
Dr. W. F. Coleman reaS a paper be- I
fore the Chicago Medical Society re
cently in which he declared that he
knew of no more constant effect of
the use of tobacco than more or less
impairment of vision known as am- '
blyopia. The use *of tobacco was so
commonly associated with the use of
liquor that it was a question with
many whether or not alcohol was not
the chief or only causative. In Eng
land the belief among surgeons was
that tobacco was the more frei u?nt
cause of amblyopia, while in America
alcohol was considered the prim; tve
agent. The speaker declared that!
most of the text-books supported the
idea that the use of tobacco caused im
pairment of the sight. Smokers were
the more frequent sufferers, especially
the smokers of pipes and cigarettes.
In the course of his practice he had
come in contact with many persons
suffering from various defects of sight
who smokel ; but did not drink.
Smoking often caused color-blindness.
Such defects were cured by abandon
ing the use of tobacco an i. if need be,
ta Ung Sinai; 'I-., s <f strychnine.
(iMjettc.
VOL. XII. SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA. WEDNESDAY EVENING. NOVEMBER 11, 1885. NO. 43.
87 STREET, ROME, Q-Jk..,
Are Acknowledged Headquarters in North Georgia For
CLOTHING, FURNISHING GOODS, HATS AND MEN'S FINE SHOES.
ij-sr” t VT7 E have made extensive preparations for a rousing business during the coming season, and we have taken every precaution to fortify ourselves against disap- 1
' W pointmeut. Our new stock is all that could be de-ired in style, quality and price, and, if extra inducements are a consideration, our store will bo the most 1
j attractive place in this country for those who want the best for the least money. ) .-jeSS
FALL r TItAI)E2 IS WHAT AVE WANT! .
And no stone has been left Unturned, no opportunity has been Neglected, no pains and
expense has been Spared to Secure
Yhe SttActive Stodk of Clothing fibowq ip !
REMEMBER: We tell only goods worn by the MALE SEX - Clothing, Furnishing Goods, Hats, and Men’s Fine Shoes—we can fit you out from head to feet, and hope every reader of this paper will
give us a call. We are always glad to show goods, and think our attractive display cannot fail to please you.
EMMONS McKEE * CO., Men’s and Boys’ Outfitters,
ST UHOAD BTHEET, ROME, Ct A,
Force. (
Tlw stars know ft secret
They do not tell;
And morn brings a message
Hidden well.
There’s a blush on the apple,
A tint on the win 4,
And the bright wind whistles,
And the pulses sting.
Perish dark memories
There’s light ahead;
This world’s for the living
Not fur the dead.
In the shining city,
On the loud pave,
The Lie-tide is ebbing
Like a leaping wave.
How the stream quickens,
As noon drnwa»noar !
No room for loiterers,
No ttine for tear.
Out on the farm lands
Earth smiles as well:
Gold-crusted grain fields,
With sweet, warm smell;
Whirr of the ronper,
Like n giant bee;
j.ike a Titan C ticket,
Thrilling with glee.
On mart, and meadow,
Pavement, or plain;
On azure mountain,
Or azure main—
Heaven bends in blessing;
Lost is but won ;
Goes the good rain-cloud
Comes the good sun !
Only babes whimper,
And sick men wail
And faint-hearts, and feeble-hearts,
And weaklings fail.
Down the groat currents
Let the boat swing;
There was never winter
But brought the spring.
—E. R. Sill in Overland.
SERVED HIM RIGHT.
“Old Mr. Bogwood—died last month
—two thousand dollars to a niece liv
ing somewhere hereabouts. Must
look her up before long.”
Martin Satterthwaite pricked up his
ears, figuratively speaking, as the
above words reached him, Lawyer
Ilarkley having unconsciously raised
his voice a little as he pronouncel the
words.
Martin was busy tying up a pack
age of tea for old Mrs. Doolittle; but
in spite of the excitement caused by
the words, he did not forget to give
the old lady a little short weight in
her tea.
“A penny saved is a penny gained,”
was his motto; which he did not fail
to put into practice with such of his
customers as were not in a situation
to resent the Imposition.
Martin Satterthwaite had embarked
in the dry-goods and grocery business
a few months before on money grudg
ingly lent him by a rich uncle, with
the parting injunction:
“Don’t come to me fur another red
cent if you lose every dollar you’ve
got! If you’d a’ stuck to the farm, I’d
see you through; but this here store
keepin’ don’t suit my notions. I’d
rather see a stout young fellow like
you swingin’ an axe or a mowin’-
scythe, than stannin’ behind a counter
measurin’ tape an’ blue ribbon.”
But “swinging an axe or a mowing
scythe” did not suit Martin’s avari
cious nature. It was too slow away
of making money, and he was ambi
tious to be rich as soon as possible.
The words he had overheard that
morning had awakened a new scheme
in his fertile brain.
“Two thousand dollars!” he repeat
ed to himself, enviously. "I could
double my stock with that, and have
something to go on. And I know the
girl, too. It would be a good specula
tion to marry her before she knows
she’s an heiress. I believe I will. But
pretty Bessie Moore! I’ll have to give
her up,” he added, gloomily.
Pretty Bessie Moore had a hard time
of it living at Mr. Doubleday’s.
There were so many mouths to cook
for; so many floors to sweep and to ;
scrub; so many dishes to wash, and
pots and pans to scour, and so much
milk to skim and to churn.
EMMONS McKEE & CO.,
I There was bread to make, and the
i cows to milk, the chickens to feed and
the pigs to “slop,” and the berries to
pick and make up into “jell,” or jam,
or preserves.
And only one pair of hands to do it
all, for Mother Doubleday was crip
pled with the rheumatism, so she
could do nothing but sit in her easy
chair and knit; and Farmer Double
day and his two stalwart sons had
their hands full with the sheep, and
the teams, and the thrifty acres of
field and meadow to cultivate.
To-be-sure Tom, the youngest son,
did what he could to help Bessie.
He carried in the wood for her,
brought her a bucket of fresh water
from the old well in the back yard as
often as possible, and helped her drive
up the cows from the back pasture,
where they delighted to stray at milk
ing-time.
But with all his endeavors, Tom
could not do a great deal, and Bessie
was often tired enough when she crept
up stairs to her little room at night to
find the only rest she knew out of the
twenty-four hours.
She kept up a cheerful heart, how
ever, and even dared to think, secretly,
of the lime when she would have a
home of her own, with only two to “do
for.”
For Bessie and Martin Satterthwaite
were “keeping company,” and though
he had not actually proposed to her,
they were looked upon by the .Satterth
waite family and the village folks gen
erally as an engaged couple.
“An’ a good match it’ll be fur her,
too,” sighed Mother Doubleday, half
| regretfully; “but I dunno what we’ll
| do without her. Sich another gal ain’t
I to be had, fur love nor money.”
"She’s too good fur Mart Satterth
waite,” grumbled Tom. “It’s a-throw
ing herself away to marry a mullet
head like him.”
But nobody minded what Tom said,
and Bessie’s market was looked upon
as already made.
{ * * * * * * * * *
“Maria! Jfarfa!”
The click of the sewing-machine
suddenly stopped, and a sour-faced
girl looked up crossly from her w ork.
“What do you want?’ she demand-
■ ed. “I never get a chance—”
“Maria, Martin Satterth waite’s
down stairs askin’ fur yowl Hurry an’
go down!”
Maria Bogwood started up eagerly
at her sister-in-law’s announcement.
“Martin Satterthwaite ! What do
you reckon he wants?” she cried, turn
ing to a square-framed lookiug-glass
on the mantle-shelf.
“To see you, he said; an’ he’s all
spruced up, like he’d come a-courting.
Mebbe lie’s fell in love with you.”
“Mebbe he has.”
Maria smiled complacently as she
smoothed her straight, black locks and
carefully adjusted a staring red bow at
her throat, and went down to receive
the visitor.
Martin stayed some time, and when
he left he was engaged to Miss Maria
Bogwood, who triumphantly announc
ed the fact to her sister-in-law.
“I said so!” cried little Mrs. Thatch
er, delighted. “I said he looked like
he’d come a-courting, and so he did.
He’s mighty well-to-do, an’ you’re
lucky to git him, Maria.”
“Oh, of course you’re glad to be rid
of me!” retorted Maria, ill-naturedly.
“But I wouldn’t have him, anyway,
only to spite Bess Moore. She’s been
trying to ketch him all summer, an’
she hain’t got him, after all!”
*********
“Keeping company vi ith Maria Bog
wood ? Oh, Tom, it can’t be true!”
“I’m afraid it is,” returned Tom,
i gravely; “and—and, Bessie, they say
I he's engaged to her. Don’t cry, Bessie!”
I he added, gravely. “Martin Satterth
! waite ain't worth a tear from you.”
“I ain’t crying!” declared Bessie.
I though the tears were slow); dropping ;
from her downcast eyes. “But, Tom,
don’t—don’t tell anybody I felt bad
about it!” she urged, beseechingly.
"Tell anybody! What do you take
me for?” asked Tom, with an indig
nant Hush on his handsome face. “1
brought you the news myself on pur
pose to keep anybody from knowing
how you took it.”
And so pretty Bessie Moore, with
her hair as golden as the field butter
cups, and eyes as blue as wild forget
me-nots, was deserted, and Martin
Satterthwaite married the sour-faced
Maria Bogwood, much to the sur
prise of the village folks and the pub
lic generally.
"And now for the two thousand
dollars,” thought Martin, well pleased
with the success of his "speculation.”
And accordingly, one morning, he
called upon Lawyer Ilarkley, who
was stopping for a few weeks at
the village hotel.
"I have called upon you on behalf
of my wife, formerly Alias Maria
j Bogwood,” he announced, conse-
I quentially.
The lawyer looked puzzled.
•Tray explain,” he returned, grim
ly-
“Bogwood—l thought you would
understand. She is a niece of the
Mr. Bogwood, who died recently,” ex
plained Martin. “And I understand
I the old gentleman left a couple of
j thousand dollars to his niece.”
Lawyer Markley's grim face relax
ed.
“Ab, I understand!” he cried,
looking shrewdly at his visitor. “Mr.
Bogwood did leave his niece the
sum you name, which I am ready
to pay over to her at once. But
her name was not Bogwood; it was
Moore—Miss Bessie Moore! I have
just learned where she Is stopping,
and shall call on her to-day and pay
over the bequest at once. Good-day,
sir!”
And the lawyer’s sharp, gray eyes
i twinkled as the door slammed to be-
I hind his visitor.
I ♦*** * * * * 1
Six months later, Bessie Moore was
married to Tom Doubleday, and the
legacy helped to buy them a snug
farm, where Bessie was as happy as
the day was long, and Tom was
even happier, if possible, than she
was.— Helen Whitney Clark.
The Lightning Ticket Seller.
Barnum used to carry round with
him his famous “Lightning Changer,”
an individual whose mechanism was
a side-show in itself. The man sold
the fifty-cent admission tickets. He
would receive coin, make change and
deliver the tickets to half a dozen
persons at a time. The rapidity of
his hands was so great that their
movements could not be analyzed.
It seemed to the dazed observer as
if he did nothing but make a con
tinual "scooping” movement of the
i money into the wagon behind him;
but with all his swiftness he never
made an error in change. The strug
gling, fighting crowds would swarm
about him, thrusting in their halves
and fending off the press about them.
Men would cling so tightly to coin
that he would have to bring his fist
down “bang” upon the fingers tc
wrench it out.
There is a story related of him
that a man once shoved in a pile of
I pennies to him for a ticket-
“You don’t come that,” said the
j “Lightning Changer,” glancing at
the pile and showering out tickets t<
other hands.
“Take that away, will you?” shout
ed the changer, sending the pile in a
scattered shower among the crowd;
“there’s only forty-nine cents in that
pile!”— lngleside.
A horticultural authority says
“ there are 1,600 kind of pears.” It
is the green pear, though, that is the
: doctor’s favorite. This is one of the
1 things that science cannot alter.
How to Produce Sleep.
An excess of blood in the brain pre
vents sleep. How to remove the sur
plus is the problem for the unfortun
ates who wisli to sleep but cannot.
A pump is needed for that purpose,
and it may be easily provided, as fol
lows: Having assumed the usual pos
ture of repose, inhale and exhale slow
ly and steadily long breaths, devoting
the whole attention to making inhala
tions and exhalations of exactly the
same length. The length should be
much greater than that of ordinary
breathing, although not sufficient to
disturb the circulation by working the
lungs to their utmost capacity. Any
person who lias force of will enough
to concentrate his whole attention on
the maintenance of this style of breath
ing can compel sleep in very unfavor
able circumstances, and victims of in
somnia should know it. The value of
the method is not solely in its holding
the mind to one object of thought, but
the process of breathing here described
is really equivalent to the insertion of
a pump in the brain to draw off its
excess of blood. To convince your
self that this is so, fill your lungs with
all the air they will hold, and then ex
pel it, repeating the operation three or
four times as rapidly as possible. The
result will be a feeling of faintness,
unless you are other than an ordinary
mortal, and its cause will be a deficien
cy of blood in the brain, produced by
the pumping process. Such violent
breathing will not produce sleep, how
ever, as there is a reaction which sends
the life current rushing back to the
seat of the mind. Scientists say that
the reason why fear, surprise, or any
other sudden emotion often causes
faintness is because it rapidly drives
the blood from the brain, and the fact j
is significant for those who wish to un
derstand how to induce sleep, wheth
er on the railway train or in their
beds at home, by pumping the excess
of blood from their brains by a pecul
iar method of breathing.
Insanity in the United States.
The increase of insanity in the
United States during recent years is
quite amazing. One is inclined to
doubt whether the figures given can
possibly be correct; but they are offici
ally authenticated. Statistics show
that in 1865 the number of insane
people in the States wa ; 24,042, a ;
small percentage. In five years the I
number reached 37,432, ami in 1880 I
the figures had grown to the surpris
ing total of 91,959. In all probability |
the authorities have bad until lately a j
careless system of investigation, and ;
many lunatics have escaped enumera- ;
tion. Even allowing a liberal margin |
for this, however, there seems reason j
to believe that insanity has claimed ;
and is claiming an increasing number i
of victims. The race of life is run at ■
a greater pace than it was, and the i
pressure is greater in consequence, j
Many organizations give way under '
the strain. It is said that the increase
has been most rapid in the Western
States, but no reason is suggested, and
it would be deeply interesting to know ■
why, for the causes which are in force |
there are doubtless in force elsewhere. |
The increase in insanity during the ■
ten years from 1870 to lbßo was near- ■
ly 150 per cent., it is stated. From j
1865 it is still greater, and, though ;
this is far from a subject of jest, it |
may be wondered whether, if the pro
portion is maintained, it will not soon j
be necessary to calculate the small
percentage of inhabitants of the West- I
ern States who retain their sanity.—
London Standard.
A Phenomenon.
Small boy (reading paper): "P-h-e- !
n-o-m-e-n-o-n; what does that spell,
pa?”
Father; “Pheuomenon, my son.”
"What is a phepomenen, pa?”
“A phenomenon is a man who nev
er says, ‘la it hot enough for you ?’ ”
Novel Corn Planting.
The means used in planting corn in
the semi arid Kansas belt enables that
region to raise good crops of the great
fattening grain of the United States
It is by means of the listing plow,
which throws the soil into high ridges,
the middles being deeply pulverized in
addition. In the trenches the corn is
planted down in the permanently
moist soil of the trenches, these being
filled up in the process of cultivation.
This trench, as plowed, is V-shaped,
and sixteen inches deep. Until the
corn gets strong, an inverted trough
covers the rows as the cultivator pass
es, preventing the plows from rolling
the soil over the plants. When the
corn is ready for the second cultiva
tion the trough is laid aside. The
shovels are set to throw the earth to
the corn plants, now strong and two
feet tall, and they are also set to take
the ground deeply. This cultivation
throws almost all the earth into the
trench that the lister threw out. The
weeds are deeply buried. The surface
of the field is level. The main roots
of the corn-plants are at least ten
inches below the surface of the ground
and how much further they have sunk
into the rich,damp, underlying ground,
no one knows. But now no ordinary
drought affects the plants. The Hot
southwest winds can blow, the mercu
ry cm rise until the integrity of the
thermometer is threatened, the sun
can course across a cloudless sky for
weeks, but the corn leaves do not roll.
The plants thrive, and, if a soaking
rain falls between the middle of June
and the middle of July, the listed corn
will make a full crop.— New York Sun.
Utilizing Pine Shavings.
In Europe pine shavings are largely
used for stuffing purposes. At Pesth,
in Hungary, a large factory is exclu
sively devoted to the production of
such shavings; which latter, by the
aid of machinery, aro reduced to such
a degree of fineness that the resulting
product resembles tow. Pine-wood
shavings are claimed to be superior to
every other substitute for horse hair
in connection with upholstering pur
poses, whether as regards elasticity,
softness, or durability. For bedding
such shavings aro recommended by
reason of the resin contained in the
wood being an effective preventive of
vermin. The German Ministry of
| War has tried the material for bed
j stuffing purposes, and has expressed
i its high approbation of its merits, both
J for hospital and barrack use. As er
: having been in use as stuffing for
' five or six years, the shavings can be
I renovated by being exposed to the heat
1 of the sun or to a heightened teinpera
i ture. As regards wear, pine shavings
’ are said to compute favorably
I with horse-hair; while the cost is nat
| urally far smaller. — Popular Science
I News.
The Use of Mosquitoes.
There had been a discussion in the
parlor car on the uselessness of mosqui
toes. This particular parlor car was
running through the State of Michi
gan, where August mosquitoes are not
\ noted either for their modesty or their
; smallness. After everybody else had
j given ins opinion a young man accom
; panied by a young lady was invited to
j express his convictions on the momen
! tous question. This young man was
■ engaged in watching the face of the
young woman, who was so sweetly
! sleeping upon his shoulder, breathing
through her mouth instead of her nose,
i He was so vigilant in his guard
against mosquitoes lighting upon the
face of this fair one, evidently his own
’ittle tiredy bridey wifey, that his own
neck and face were exposed to the as
saults of the enemy.
“Do I think mosquitoes are of any
; use in this world ?” he said, with se
vere slaps and scratches. “Yes, I
1 think they are. It is their (slap) mis
sion to remind a feller that (slap and
scratch) this isn’t heaven, after all,
cuss ’em.”— Chicago Herald.
TIMELY TOPICS.
In France there is hardly any
growth of population; and the French,
so far from appreciating this condi
tion, are doing their best to alter it.
They in fact put a “bounty” on large
families by causing s venth children
to be supported by the State.
The remedy for corpulence, accord
ing to the Lancet, is in the method of
eating and drinking. If we only ate
more deliberately, it says, we should
find half of our accustomed quantity
of food sufficient to satisfy the most
eager cravings of hunger. Let men
of all classes who lead healthy lives
resolve to eat and drink slowly.
The present population of the city
of Buenos Ayres is estimated at 400,-
000. One of the local newspapers
predicts that in a few years it will be
the New York of the southern hemi
sphere. Emigrants are arriving in a
steady stream, and if the proportion
of the first six months of the year is
kept up, their number will be 150,000
before the Ist of January next. Hal ■
ians form the great majority of the
incomers.
Getting into debt in Mexico is a se
rious business. If a debtor is unable
to pay on the day his debt is due he is
arrested and chained to a post for five
days. Then an officer looks at him to
see if his punishment has enabled him
to pay his debt. Os course it hasn’t,
and so the debtor’s labor is sold to the
government for forty cents a day until
the obligation is discharged. The
government sends him with a gang of
felons to a silver mine, and be does
not see the light again until the debt
is discharged.
The Supreme courts in several of
the Northwestern States have recently
rendered opinions which are likely to
work an important change in the trial
of actions to recover damages for per
gonal injuries. By the general prac
tice heretofore followed the existence,
nature and extent of the injuries al
leged have been determined mainly by
the evidence of the complainant and
his own medical witnesses. But in
the opinions to whicli we have referred
the principle has been affirmed that
the plaintiff may be required to sub
mit to a personal examination by
physicians chosen by the defence or
designated by the Court. Decisions to
this effect have lately been rendered
in lowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska, fol
lowing a precedent established some
years ago in this State. The analo
gous question has also been laised in
criminal cases. But there it has been
held that a prisoner cannot be com
pelled to submit to an examination of
his person when such examination
may afford evidence against himself.
H may be interesting to our readers
to know where the bodies of our Pres
idents lie. Os the twenty-two that
have occupied the chair from 1789 to
date, but three are living, Rutherford
B. Hayes, Chester A. Arthur and
Grover Cleveland, the others are in
terred of follows: George Washing
ton, at Mount Vernon, Va.; John and
John Quincy Adams, at Quincy, Mass.;
Thomas Jefferson, at Monticello, Va.;
Janies Madison, at Montpelier, Va.;
Janies Monroe, at Richmond, Va.; An
drew Jackson, at his old “Hermitage”
home, eleven miles from Nashville,
Tenn.; Martin Van Buren, at Kinder
hook. N. Y.; William Henry Harrison,
at North Bend, Ohio; John Tyler, at
Richmond, Va.; James K. Polk, at
Nashville, Tenn.; Zachary Taylor, at
Frankfort, Ky., Millard Fillmore, at
Buffalo, N. Y.; Franklin Pierce, at
Concord, N. IL; James Buchanan, at
Lancaster, Pa.; Abraham Lincoln, at
i Springfield, Ill.; Andrew Johnson,
: Greenville, Tenn.; James A. Garfield,
at Cleveland, Ohio, and Ulysses S.
Grant in Riverside Park, New York
| City.
Serpent and Fiddler.
Uncle Billy Adams was furnishing
the music for a gathering at the resi
dence of a well-known planter in
Dooley county, given in honor of a
visiting young lady from Augusta.
The night was warm, and the win
dows were thrown open. Miss Alice,
weary of dancing, noticed the bird
cage hanging among ths vines which
grew over the veranda, the inmate of
which was aroused to its sweetest
strains of song by Uncle Billy’s fiddle.
Tapping her finger lightly upon the
cage, Miss Alice felt the vinebuds
playing about her hand. “My God !”
exclaimed one of the dancers, as he
looked toward the girl, “look there !”
A shriek from Miss Alice, and she fell
to the floor. As she fell a huge snake
was seen circling down her arm from
the cage across her shoulders, and as
•he lay prostrate gathered itself in a
huge coil upon her bosom. With its
mouth wide open, its fangs set, and
pressing its head closely by the girl's
i cheek, the moment was one of intense
excitement. The ominous rattle was
' heard when Uncle Billy’s fiddle gave
forth one of its liveliest airs, and the
; reptile quickly crawled off, wriggling
i its way toward the music and out of
I the bouse. "I dess knowed dat ’ud
fotch urn,” said Uncle Billy, as he
caressed liis instrument. “Doescreep
in’ creeturs is a might fond of music.”
The reptile was followed and killed,
when it was found to measure eight
feet. — Globe Democrat,