The morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, August 09, 1887, Page 2, Image 2

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2 INDIA’S STRANGLERS. AN AMERICAN’S VISIT TO THE THUG Or NORTHERN INDIA. A Man Who Kept No Count of the Lives He Took Above a Hundred, and Another Who confessed to Seven Hundred Murders. From the Philadelphia Pre.v. Jabai.pik. India, June, 1887.—-“ Well," M,ys the landlord of our hutel. the “iialf wav house" of the long journey from Bom bay to Calcutta, “now that you’ve seen the ruins of the Hitidu citadel, and been over the native cantonment, and visited the temple on the hill yonder, and gone round the marble rocks’ oi tin- Nerbuddha, there's nothing left for you to see hero except the Thugs." The grim name seems to strike upon me with n sudden chill, often though I heard it before; for it is one thing to hear or read about the terrible “stranglers" of the East, and quite another thing to find oneself unexpectedly face to face with them. Moreover, althpngli I have already seen ordinary murderers by the score, in Siberian chum gangs, West Indian penitentiaries, Brazilian prisons, Turkish anil Syrian for tresses, this is mv Hi'st experience of men who turn murder itself into a j-eligion, pray devoutly for its success, and offer up heart felt thanksgivings to heaven when it is done. Awav we all three go accordingly, along the broad, straight dusty highroad, which b fortunately shaded, to some extent Iran the burning sun by the vast banner-like leaves of the pa!in trees that stand rank like soldiers along either side of the way, alter nating with clumps of feathery bamboo, whose crested tip-, tapering like gigantic fishing jioles, sway languidly in the morn ing brreze. As we pause for a moment to admire tho beautiful little green paroquets that are Hit ting to and fro overhead with impish screeches, n shrill erv makes us spring aside just in time to avoid an enormous elephant that comes tramping round a liend of the road, with a perfect mountain of forage on its back, while the shin, sharp-featured mahout (driver), whose brown limbs and white rolie make him look like a cigar wrapped in paper, sits perched on its neck and urges it on with au occasional prod of liis short iron hook. HISTORY OK THE THUGS. “AYho arc those Thugs, anyhow f nsks the American, as we move on again. “I just know that they're always murdering peonla, and that's about al] I do know.” “Well," said 1. “most of what I know conies from Qol. Slieman and Col. Meadows Tavlor. who wore the chief agents in put ting them down. The original system, ages ago. was simply a continual human sacrifice to Kali, the goddess of murder, from whom Calcutta (Kali-Kuttah, or Kali’s Temple) took its name. The theory was that the earth was overpeopled, and that Kali's servants, the Times, had to clear off the superfluous population by a little iudieious murdering every now and t hen. So when ever they could waylav any man in a lonelv iiiace, they strangled him with a silk hand rarchief, and then buried him; and this they called ‘the good work.’” “I wonder what they’d call a bad work, then.'" muttered my companion. “Well, this went on for ages upon ages, without anyone having the least suspicion of it. Men kept disappearing here and there, and nobody knew how. At first the murders were simply a religious rite, with out any afterthought of plunder, but after ward they lx*gan to combine robbery with murder, and to pick out as victims those who were worth plundering. However, the English had been in India for years before anyone dreamed that ‘Thuggee’ existed. At last a Thug chief, being under sentence for some crime, be trayed his c unlades to save bis own life, and then the whole story eatne out and the Thugs were seized and im prisoned. At first the British commissioner of the district where the discovery was niieb* wouldn't believe that all these horrors oould have been going on so long without being found out, but when the old chief dug up thirteen skeletons on the very spit where the commissioner’s tent was pitched he began to < hange his mind. But here we are at the place." We halt suddenly liefore a tail, gray, gloomy building, at the door of which 1 an nounce myself as a newspaper correspond ent, and we are at once admitted, although the Hindoo janitor looks with no small won der at Mrs. Ker as she enters and asks whether tile tn'bi lotjt<e (lady) is u corre spondent too. On the other side of the road stands a high bamboo jialisade, above which peer tho gross thatches of a number of tiny native Luts. Tho one narrow entrance of this en closure is guarded by a magnificent Sikh soldier —tall, strong and shapely us u bronze statue of Hercules —whose bold, swarthy face and keen black eyes look very pic turesque beneath his crimson turban. Alter exchanging a word or two with our con ductor, n e steps back with a military salute to let us pass in, and the next moment we are standing amid the most formidable gang of murderers upon tho fuce of the earth. The theory that every man wears on his countenance the stamp .of his natiye is true only within certain limits. Many of the grenf criminals whom I have seen bore in their faces a terrible warning ol' what they were, but with the Thugs of Jabalpur it is not so. These human vampires who now gather round me. every one of whom hns taken more lives than any public execu tioner in Europe, are to the outward eye a set of quiet, slouching, meagre old men, who might be a gang of beggars, a group of harmless village folks, a party of superau nuated native workmen, or anything on earth but what they really are. THE strangler’s awful work. “That’s the chief.” whispers my guide, pointing to a small, lean gray hoard with a white turlwin, who is sitting before the near est hut, rocking u child on his knee, and stroking its thin little brown face with the hand that has shed the blood of his fellow men like water. “Ask him,” rejoin I, “how many murders he has committed.” A momentary gleam of running twinkles in the sunken eyes. The old tiger is evidently suspicious, and stands on his guard. “I cannot tell,” ho answers, with an in difference which, under such circumstances, has in it something indescribably ghastly; “I didn't keep count of them beyond a hun dred !” “Pretty well,” mutters the Ins|>eotor, “but Col. Taylor’s prisoner, Ameer Ali, owned to 700.’' “He must have been a nice young man, that Ameer All,” observed I. “ You remem ber his saying, ‘We finally decided to mur der the men directly after our evening payer*.”’ Just then I noticed that the line of hovel lms a gap in it every here and there, as if a hut had fallen or been pulled down, and the Inspector telis me, with a look of unwonted awe inion his liold bluff face, that whenever one of these wretches dies his house is in stantly ruzed to the ground, ns if to effaco his very memory from the earth. “Now, liefore we go,” says Ito our con ductor, "I mean to seo for myself how the strangling was done. Oblige me by telling tills man to put his noose around my v rist, for 1 don't care to trust him with my throat." The savage eagerness with which the withered old skclton obeys the call—as if filled wsth fresh life by even the make-bo 11cvo show of murder—is fearful to see. Knotting e smali coin in the comer of his handkerchief to give him a sure hold, ho slips the liooso round my arm, and then, bringing his knuckles together with a sud den twist,, gives my wrist a squeeze that al most makes the bone crack. Tho awful ohar.go t hat rosses over his fare at that moment bullies all description liis dull, filmy eves seem to blaze with liell-flre, his sharp teeth are laid bare in a wolfish grin, his shriveled corpse-llke features quivar with a ferocious iov so fiendish that an ac tnal demon starting up before me could ic iicelv lie more appalling. The thought Of that face bending over some helpless loan in the gloomy depths of the forest, just as the fatal noose tightened, is altogether too much fur my nerves, and it is with a long breath of relief that I find myself out.sido of the futal enclosure once more. David Ker. IT STRAINED RELATIONS. The Story of a Wedding Present Given by the Whitneys. From the Baltimore American. Washington. Aug. •>. —A good story ha3 just come to the surface involving Secre tary Whitney and the family of Congress man Handull. It seems that when Miss Randall was married last winter to Mr. C. C. Lancaster, the President of th Mary land Democratic Club, of Washington, and a gentleman well known throughout Mary land, Secretary and Mrs. Whitney received invitations to the wedding. Tho Secretary was unable to attend, and Mrs. Whitney was not visiting at that time. Tho Secretary, however, thought ho could best discharge his duty by send ing Miss Randall a handsome present. Her father and the Secretary had always been good friends, although the funner, as Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, hud blocked many schemes for the increase of our belittled and infantile navy. This opposition, however, was not sufficiently strung to break down the bar riers of friendship between tho two men, and Mr. Randall nacl received several good !•; 1 slices of government pie in the way of appointmei t of big friends or p lilical heueb ni' il to posit..oils In the civil establishments of the naval service. Matters went along swimmingly until the Lancaster-Randnil wedding, when an incident occurred which has greatly strained the relations of Mr. Whitiiev and Mr. Randall. Mr. YVhitnoy received his invitation to tho wedding, and, as is his usual custom in )>er sonal matters, called in his private secreta ry, Mr. Hanna, and asked him to attend to tii - matter of selecting a wedding present. He gave Hanna a good-sized check and left the selection in his hands. The latter visited every jewelry store in town, and although ho is a married man and has the reputation of being nu fait in matters of this kind, he was at his wits end to know what to select for the fair young bride. After cogitating over the matter for four days, he thought it would bo an excellent idea to call on Miss Randall, explain his predicament in which the Secretary had placed him, and offer her the check as a wed ding gift. He could not possibly have adopted a worse plan, and lie found himself thoroughly deceived. Miss Randall was not at home, mid he asked for her mother, who presently appeared, wondering who Mr. Hanna was. Stating hits errand before many moments had elapsed, lie found who Airs, ltandnll was. Hanna was torn in a thousand shreds. To think of his daring to thus insult a Randall! Anil Secretary Whitney, how could he dare to offer money to her daughter? "No, sir; if Secretary and Mrs. Whitney could not find time to select a present, tiiey could keep tbeir money," quoth Mrs. Randall. “The invitation was not sent, sir, with any expectation of re ceiving a present, and we do not want a present selected by filtration through his secretary. You can toll Mr. Whitney he lms got hold of the wrong family, s;r, and we spurn his chock.” AVitli this lie was about to leave, when Mr. Ran dall, hearing the conversation, came down stairs. Tho matter was cxpluiuvd by Hanna, who bogged Mrs. Rundall not to place the blame on Mr, Whitney, anil assuming it all himself. He further a-sked, as a matter of self-protection, that Mrs. Randall should not “give him away” to the Secretary, as it would go hard with him (Hanna), ar.d a great public sensation would ensue. After much tribulation, abject apologies and per trannivo coaxing, Mr. Randall finally con sented to accept u pre-sent for his duugbter selected by Mr. Hanna, and thus avoid the publicity of a political estrangement with the Secretary of tho Nuvy. liuuna was re joiged, selected an appropriate gift, and re turned to his duties a sadder and a wiser man. It was a close call all around, but the present over which there was so much con tention now adorns the parlor of a pretty house on Q street, where Mr. and Mrs. Lan caster reside. A GEORGIA ROMANCE. Arrest of a Runaway Wife and Her Paramour. From the Courier-Journal. Monroe, Aug. 5. —One of the strange in cidents of recent heavy rains in Georgia was the arrest of a runaway wife, with her paramour, in the house of her own husband. Five years ago, J. M. Coker, a farmer in Gwinnett county, married the buxom daughter of his adjoining neighbor. Tho youug bride was the belle of the carap meetmgs, and entertained the visiting cler gymen with a grace which won tor her'the admiration of the itinerants. With tho flight of lime the love of the lady for her lord grew less intense, and the neighbors hinted that the surplus was lavished on Bruce Burlier, a young man of fine appearance, and whose father owned one of the finest plantations in the county. The fond husband never dreamed of infidelity, and only realized tho fact, when, one evening his wife failed to return home, she had not beon at the resi dence' of her father that day. Then tho absence of Bruce Barber was noticed, and it became but too evident that the pair had eloped. This occurred about eighteen months ugii. After that Coker was a changed man. Everything reminded him of his ruined happiness!, lie resqlvod upon a ehunge of scene, and selling out his posses sions. ho removed to the Aleova river valley, in Walton county, where ho bought n farm, built a nice house and started life anew. It seemed ns if ho was about to forget the past, when, by a strange circumstance, be re|x'ntcd the whole mutter. When the terrible rains of this week liegan, (Joker was in this city, and, becoming wuter liouml, could not return home. At the same time n lady and gentleman riding in n buggy- stoppis! at the farmer’s house. They statist that they lived near Newton factory, in Newton county; that they were caught on the wrong side of the Aleova river, and the bridges being down, could not crows, and would have to wait uutil the waters subsided For two days they made their home in the house and were seat's! at din ner when the owner returned. There at his own board Coker saw his wife ami her para mour. Tho .vs>ne may readily lie imagined. Coker called in several ncigulioru, hud the couple arrested, and they ore now lieitig tried before Justice Lawrence. They deny their identity with the guilty couple, but Coker swears positively to them. A few (lavs ago a ease was on trial liefore a Justice of the Peace on Grand Island. The plaintiff presented his evidence and "rested.'’ Then the defendant’s attorney, Hugo Ki-'iie, made a motion for a nonsuit on the usual ground. The Justice was nonplussed. He consulted with a i riend, and finally said to the defendant’s attorney: “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to deny the motion liocniise it was not seconded.” I don’t know what Hugo did, but he declares that when lie tries a case at Grand Island again he'll take some one along to second liis motion. —buffalo Timex. A pedestrian on Fourth street the other day came across a couple of small boys who were fighting, anil he stopped and inquired; “Boys, is there a principle behind this?" “You hot!” said the smaller one, as he loosened his clutch for a minute. “I sold him one bite of my harvest appio. and he choked himself in trying to swallow the whole thing. The principle is that he has got to shell out three more marbles or I'll light him to the last ditch.” —Detroit Free Press. A Philadelphia doctor advises jieople who are bitten by dogs not to imagine tnat the canine was marl. Why not advise them Pi Imagine that tho dog is a sheep !—Detroit Flee Press. THE MORNING NEWS: TUESDAY, AUGUST fl, 1887. DEATHS ON THE STAGE. ACTORS IMPERSONATE LIFE’S LAST SCENE. Names of Men and Women Who Have Thrilled the Public by Thoir Realistic Death Scenes—Forrest, Salvini, Mac cready, Lucille Western and Others. From the Few York Star. The simulation of death upon the stage has always been ail interesting study for the players, and a subject of more or Jess learned comment on the part of writ el's. All theatre goers recall the effect which certain actors have produced upon them when they have pretended to “shuffle olf this mortal roil” upon the boards. Some have, indeed, boon so powerful in this tiiat the effect has been somewhat marred by too great a realism, because, although the act or’s art teaches him to hold, as it were, the mirror up to nature, we all prefer to experi ence a sense of unreality mingled with our admiration when death is depicted in a plav. Forrest, that great and vigorous actor, imbued with u direct and unmistakable pur pose in iiis acting, died with very much of the very same virile power that he lived. Who that ever saw him can forget his last fierce look which he cast upon the con spirators who “did to the death" tho noble “Coriolanus.” Its power was such that it was no uncommon tiling to see the actors around him in that scene draw l>aek in voluntarily from that dangerous, vengeful look. Macrendy, when he gave up life as “Leah," was marvelously effective, and his last words to “Cordelia'’ were masterly in their tender pathos. Gustavus Brooks, although seen here when much of his great jlower was somewhat weakened, knew how to die upon the illageso well that old theatre fre quenters speak of it with “bated breath,” and si lake their gray locks when his name is mentioned. Wo all know how Salvini affects us when, as “Othello,” he compasses his own death, and many will recall with wonder t he extra ordinary and electrical effect which Rossi produced when, as “Hamlet,” lie rushed up on “Claudius,” stabbed him, and in doing so fell, as it were, into the very throne of Den mark, dying to all apjiearance its rightful king. Tuose who are old enough will remember the death scene of the great Rachel when she playod “Adrienne Lecouvreur” at the Metropolitan Theatre more than a score of years ago. The low, unearthly cry with which she drew back her head after inhal ing the deadly fumes of the poisoned bou quet will once more linger in their ease, and they will again see the writhing torture of the poor creature ere she gave her final gasp. It was said at the time that she had studied all this by the bedsides of dying peoplo in tho Hotel Dieu, the Paris hospital. It is more natural to imagine that the same woman, who at that time showed us “Phedre’s” quiet death agonv, trusto.l to that intense nervous feeling she was so highly charged with, rather than to mere imitation, even of the dreadful re ality. Charlotte Cushman’s death, in “Meg Mer rilles,” will not easily lie forgotten, exhibit ing. as it did, gentleliuman kindness through heavy feebleness, and tho heavier clumsi ness of old age. Little Picolomini, who was here many years ago, used to die in La Traviuta with u rare power of tenderness, expressed more by a few simple gestures than by words. ISlie seemed at the last supreme moment to be lifted from the grossness of her life and to become etherealized in her last low-voiced breathing out, of lito. How Clara Morris can die as “Camille,” the prose original of La Traviata, we all know; and its effect up on u weeping audience never becomes weak ened. In Miss Multan, she perhaps excels her own “Camille,” joined as her deat h scene is to that rhythmic, excited iteration of her own sentences, which seem to haunt her brain as it becomes gradually stilled and finally lifeless. J Kute Batcniun died in Leah, when she was allowed to do so, with wonderful tenderness, which w as greatly enhanced by the memory ot that hard, cruel curse she had launched at her lover’s head in a previous act,. Her father, M. Bateman, never finally decided whether “Leah” should or should not die. Sometimes she gave up tho ghost at the end of the play, but more frequently she was left despondent yet alive. When Ristori played Deborah, the same play, she always died, and it, was a great expnssion of tragic power. But Riston's death scenes wore al ways great, always effective. Charles Kean and liwing as “Louis X 1.,” show us the same train of thought and pro duce the same results. The miserable King, with his cruelty, hypocrisy, religion and cowardice, seems always hovering between earth aud hell, and when ho dies the body which lies before us is so materially horrible that no thought of anything spiritual seems possible. When Irving goes out from this world as ’Matthias" in The Bells the pity and forgiveness of a whole audience follow him, and very much the same fooling, min gled w ith a good deal of rage in a strange spirit of contradiction, attacli to his death scenes in The Lyons Mail. Feehter could 'lie, as he ooukl act, with more romantic interest than any man on the stage lie jiosed so well in life that in death ho remained n picture. One of the most terrible deaths he indulged in was that of “Robert Maeaire” in the Roadside Inn, when he literally fell, iu bumping succes sion, down a w hole flight of stairs (after be ing shot), to tumble in the centre of tho stage. He had only a lino to say thereafter, and one to tho brigadier: “Your dutj is to take me up; you’ll find me—rather heavy.” He was a corpse. Boucicault has seldom died upon the stage; at least I do not recall any plays in which lie has been required to give up tho ghost, except in that hideous nightmare drama of his called The Vampire, and in the blood curdling Jo 4” Brown, wherein he played the Indian fiend, “Nana Sahib.” In these death had liven anticipated from the first act by the bloodless hue, the measured par ing ami the dull stillness of the acting, so that, beseemed more to make his exits at tho last than to die. When E. L. Daveuport, as “Sir (tiles Overreach,” was stricken with death in the Inst scene, although lie did not die within sight of the audience, the effect was just as powerful. He had the awful, deathlike look of one in a finaloonvulsive fit, and as his paralyzed limbs were drugged off the acetic the staring glazed eyes wore the last , and best remembered evidences of the act or's art. James Wallnck, Jr., always a ggivut actor, showed a death scene in Henry Jhml ar, that will not soon he equalled, and it was evident that this death would tie re markable from the moment lie entered the scene iu the first act, with liis pal > fa<v, his nervously twitching hands and the fright ened look of his eves. If he had died upon the stage as “Fagin.” he could not have in- tied the terrible awfulness of liis lit nig gle to live after he was conidcinned. How he beat tho prison iloon, shook the prison Imrx, whined, pleaded, coaxed, bullied ami tried to pray, will never Is l forgotten by those who saw him. A thousand deaths were compass's! in that one memorable scene. Dickens stole in nightly to witness it on his lust visit t<i New York. Edw-in Adams could die with almost as much grace as Feehter, Uu liis ]Withos was more in his voice than in his ac tion. His “Mercutio's" last speech wo* touch ing to a degree. Manly, sorrowful, partly cynical, and yet wholly affectionate to ward “Romeo,” and all around him. We shall not, either, soon forget liis scene where he went to death iu The Dead Heart or in Narcissr, where he died after cursing "Mme. de Pompadour.” They were master pieces. I-aw renee Barrett, when lie has to die, docs so with much dramatic power, but very often with too much elasieal precision. Home of his departures from this world, however, rise to a dignity not often attaiue J. It is so long siii's> Jefferson died uaon iho stage that nothing can be said about it. That he lias often done so we have little doubt. He could do it now with wonderful tender ness and with great artistic skill—just such tenderness and talent as are evidenced when he plays “Rip Van V."inkle.” But we are well coutent to have him show us how he lives, upon the boards. Fauny Davenport’s death scene in “Fe dora” is not excelled by the great Bernhardt, for it is magnificent, truthful and power fully affecting. Sarah Bernhardt’s dying scene in “Theodora," is more startling than agreeable, but yet it may be classed as “great.” Edwin Booth is always dramatic and vi vidly earnest in his death scenes. His quick, lithe movements are peculiarly tell ing where the action requires such expres sion. As “Hamlet” he dies with a kingly courtesy equal to the manner in which he has borne his griefs; and through what ever character he passes into the land of shadows, he does so with grace and preci ioti. One of tho most powerful exponents of the death agonies of the stage was Louoillie Western, in East Lynne, tier acting passed away and beyond the power of critical an alysis. It was full of faults, crude, untu tored and strange, but it contained so much nature, so much magnetic power, that thou sands were stirred and moved to admira tion on witnessing it. A whole theatre nightly gave her the tribute of tears for her performance of this rather commonplace character. Her “Nancy Svkes,” was an other remarkable characterization. When she was struck down by her brutal hus band, a thrill of horror and of pity passed over the audience at tho gentle forgiveness of tho poor degraded creature, whose last thought was for “Bill,” her mur derer. Matilda Heron, when she played in Cam ille for the first time in this city at Wal lack’s Broome Street Theatre, with E. A. Sothern ns “Armnud Duval,” gave an ad mirable reproduction of the death scene as played by tho original French actress, Mad ame Doe be, Mrs. General Lander (Jean Davenport) was always an admirable actress in scenes of pathos, yet her stage similitudes of death ofjen lacked softness and poetic fervor. They may be more properly called “power ful” than “touching.” Count Johannes could die over a larger superficial area of stage plank than any actor ever heard of. His final scene in Richard 111. demanded space and freedom, but he was not long in dying. Therein he differed from poor lludson-Kirby in the Six Degrees of Crime, who took so long in expiring that the memorable say ing, “Wake ine up when Kirby’s dead,” had its origin from the actor’s prolonged effort. One of the finest, deaths ever seen upon the New York stage, was that of Alatzetli's in Jocko, the Brazilian Ape, at Niblo's. He was a pantomiraist of the Ravel troupe, and a most talented man. As an ape he died, being shot in error while protecting the planter’s child. The mute, imploring agonv of gesture, coupled with the exhibi tion of bodily suffering, were truly elo quent, and unbidden tears flowed from the eyes of those who saw it. A veritable tri umph of acting! Tho deaths of James Browne and Rufus Blake, in the character of “Goffrey Dale,” in the Last Alan, will long be remembered. They were alike, yet different. Both were admirable. Mrs. D. P. Bowers, in her varied reper toire, shows us wonderful death scenes, all different from each other, all artistic. From the nature of the parts she plays, this makes her talent , in that particular, more marked. Amateurs, on the regular stage, a! ways die badly; almost as badly ns some of them act. There is nothing more difficult than to expire with genuine ability. It is much easier to live, theatrically, than to die dra matically. No school, save that of export ence, can teach on artist to yield up life with graceful effect. There is no Del sartean method by which it can be acquired, or, if there is, it seems difficult of explana tion. Mme. Celeste’s death as “Miami.” in the Green Bushes, will long be remembered by old plav-goers. It was in unison with every thing she did, artistic and finished. Tlie present school of dramatists now and then give good death scenes to the actors, but none of them equal the writers of the standard plays. The taste of the day runs more to sickly sentimentalism or morbid ghastliness, and when tho “King of Terrors” is called upon to conquer a character he dominates the scene, completely belittling the actor. A good "last dying speech," properly introduced, is not to be despised, and the modem horrors of the Zola school, as shown in Nana or L Assomoir, donotcom pensnte for the want of that powerful writ ing which distinguished the elder dramatists, any more than does the gymnastic, break neck style of playing compensate for the want of skilled acting. There were unfortunate deaths not long ago of the “Romeo” and “Juliet” of a pro vincial company. They both died below the curtain line, and had to be dragged back by tho heels to allow the biaze to descend. The “Juliet" was bitterly reproached, and the “Romeo'’ incontinently kicked out of the theatre. Such deaths are indeed sail, and go far to prove the great need of possessing a modicum of talent: sufficient, at any rate, to gauge distance and to avoid falling out of the picture. BRAINS ON FOUR LEGS. Some Animals that Have Learned Lots of Things. From the New York Tribune. Scranton, Pa., Aug. 6.—A Scranton gentleman has a cat that is very fond of some kinds of music, and very much exas perated whenever her master plays on las violin. She will lie on the sofa and purr approvingly whenever one of the young ladies performs a waltz or other livoly piece on the piano, and she will listen atten tively to the children’s songs, but as soon ax her owner liegius to tune up his. violin she liecvnes, very uneasy. The moin-nt he starts'to play a tunc the cot darts ut him as if she hud suddenly been seized with a fit, scratches viciously at the lower part of his trousers leg and squalls as though she was in great pain. If he continues to piny after this demonstration of tier disapproval of that kind of music, tho cat jumps up nnd tries to snatch the noisy instrument out of liis hands, and when she find* that she cannot do that, she run* around the room and mews piteously. As soon as the gentleman lays the violin down on the piano and speaks kindly to the cat, she seems pacified at once, trots over to where he is standing, rubs her head and back lovingly against his ankles and purrs contentedly, looking up to him and acting fti> if she wanted to tell him that she would always lx' a good eat if he would never make any more of tho>e hateful sounds. But, so sure as he under takes to resume playing, the cat licgins her tantrum* and relu.xcs to lie quiet until lie has put down the violin again. She is fond "i organ music, bat die can no! be taught to like the noise made by the violin strings. She will tolerate the guitar, but the violin, never. Tie gentleman, who is an excellent amateur violinist, prize* pussy very highly, and. whenever he wishes to entertain liis friends with a little music from liis favorite instrument, he liax the servant take the cut to her little house in the luck yard aud fasten her in. As soon as tho guests have departed, puss is allowed to come into tho house, when she scampers from one member of the family to the other, and purrfully expresses |i,. : gratitude ni being permitted t<> ik> w iii'is' they are once more. A Sixteenth ward resident tells the fol lowing story about his eat and himself. According to his own statement he is neon sionolh .it the habit of going home in a half intoxicated condition, and tho story he toils is that the cat knows, iho moment he ojiens the door of ifis residence, that lie has neon drinking. Then she looks at him a moment as much as to say; “All, ha. old follow, you've boon tippling again, haven't von:" aud dilates her nostrils and sticks up her nose as it the smell of liquor was offensive to her. The next thing she does is to rush from the room, and all the coaxing in the world wonkl not induce her to come back. She remains away and entirely out of sight until late in the afternoon of the following day, when she creeps stealthily into the hack kitchen, looking about to see if her owner is anywhere in sight. If ho is not she cau tiously trips into the sitting room in search of him. If he is there she can tell at a glance whether he is sober or riot, and, if he is sober, she walks slowly to her place in the corner and lies down without appearing to notice his presence. In case he is still “a little off," he says she will dart from the house and stay out of sight for another day. He Says ho never abuses her or speaks cross to her, and her peculiar conduct in terests’ him so much that ho takes pleasure iu telling about it to his friends. A wealthy gentleman in the upper jrnrt of Scranton has a watch dog that #SOO could not buy. He is a thoroughbred English mastiff, and the gentleman tolls this story alxiut liis watchful conduct: About 11 o'clock one night when the full moon was shining brightly, the gentleman happened to look out of the window just after lie had turned off the gas, preparatory to going to bed, and saw a man leap over the fence into the vard. He told his wife about it, re marking at the same time that he guessed Samson would take care of the intruder be fore he did any damage. He had no sooner said this than Sampson sprang out of his kennel at the man, and the man rushed into an outhouse and slammed the door behind him. The owner of the premises, knowing that there was nothing in the outhouse that the nocturnal visitor would care to carry away if he had a chance, and believing that the mastiff would properly attend to the intruder when he got ready to come out, went to lied instead of going out to see what the man wanted around there. In the morning the faithful dog was still watching the out house door, anil the gentleman raised tho window and spoke to the dog. As Samson turned to see what his master wanted of him a dirty tramp sprang out of the out house and made for the fence, a few feet away. The dog heard his step, and turned that, way as quick as a flash. The tramp hail just grasped the top of the fence when the dog got there, and he made a desperate effort to get away. He got over the fence before the mastiff had a chance to bite him, but he left, a good portion of one of his garments on tho other side with the dog, and then he ran like a frightened deer, the gentleman commanding the dog not to fol low him. The fellow was a sneak burglar, aud two nights later he was caught while attempting to steal clothing from a hallway on the same street, Two tamo gray squirrels are the favorite pets of an animal lover on Franklin avenue. The squirrels run about the house like two kittens, and are obedient to their master every time he tells them to go to their cage. He often takes them about town with him, to their apparent pleasure and satisfaction. Whenever he tells them that they can go along, they skip up his legs and cr'awl into the pockets ot his sack coat, where they nestle down until he enters a store or saloon. Then he orders them to come out, and they hurry from his pockets and caper about the room uutil he gets ready to leave. Their antics and their perfect obedience interest ami amuse everybody who sees them. Each squirrel has his own particular pocket to get into, atid they have been so well trained th.-it neither ever tries to get into the pocket that belongs to the other. When the gen tleman wears a heavy overcoat he some times permits both of them to cuddle down together, when they appear to be very happy indeed. Weather Indications. Special indications for Georgia: RAIN bight local showers, followed by |fair weather, east to south winds, warmer in northern portion, sta tionary temperature in southern pertion. Comparison of mean temperature at Savan nah. Aug. 8, 1887, and the mean of same day for fifteen years. i I>e] Nurture I Total Mean Temperature j from the Departure j Mean | Since for 15 years| Aug. 8, V. or | Jan. 1,1887. 83.0 76 7 | —53 | 439.3 Comparative rainfall statement: ~ _ Departure ! Total Mean Daily j Amount f rom the Departure Amount for tor M eau ! Since 10 A ears, j Aug. 8 87. j or _ j j an . j, 1337. ~30 I "20 OB | —2.085 Maximum temperature 80.0, minimum tem perature 73 0. The height of the river at Augusta at 1 :S3 o’clock p. m. yesterday (Augusta time) was :?4 3 feet—a fall of 0.0 during the past twenty-four hours. Cottou Region Bulletin for 24 hours end ing Op. in., Aug. b 1887. 7.5 th Meridian time. Districts. I Average. Max.| 3lin. Rain * l tons Temp Temp fall 1. Wilmington 11 78 68 .52 2. Charleston 8 8(1 72 .28 3. Augusta !2 89 70 .05 4. Savannah 13 93 72 .40 5. Atlanta 9 84 72 35 6. Montgomery 5 90 73 03 7. Mobile 9 93 10 .35 8. New Orleans 14 30 j 74 .79 9. Galveston 31 38 74 .01 10. Vicksburg : 4 90 , 70 j .33 11. Little ltoek |'4 92 I 60 j .06 12. Memphis I 19 92 88 03 Averages i— ! .... I ... Observations taken at the scjiu moment of time at all stations. Savannah, Aug. 8. 9::M r>. m.. city time. Temperature, j Direction, j V --J icity. j c Rainfall. I Name or Stations. Portland I 00 S Clear. Boston OS N V.' Clear. Block Island ! 62SAV ... Clear. New York city ...I 63 n E , ... Clear. Philadelphia I 08 S'E I Clear. Detroit I 70SE..| Fori Buford 00 N E Fair. St. Vincent 00 N .. . (‘toady. War hiugton city (. K . .Clear. Norfolk 74'N E .. . Clear. Charlotte Hattei us ' .. | .. |.... Titusville . Wilmington ; 70 E !..| 02 Cloudy, Charleston 7" N E 14 .01 Raining. Augusta , | 72 N E 8[ 92 Raining. Savannah 78, E 10 12 Fair Jacksonville so j 08 Cloudy. Cedar Keys j 84 E I Fair. Key West B'. E 10 Clear. Atlanta 70| E 12 ... Cloudy. Pensacola... I 81 8 E 12 Clear. Mobile.. j St al•> . Clear Montgomery ... 76 E 8 Cloudy. Vicksburg I ro 8 E . Clear." New Orleans 80S B- Clear. Shreveport I 80 8 E .. Clear. Fort Smith si 8 Clear. Galveston 82 E .. Clear. Corpus Christ! 84 S F. S'. , Clear. Palestine 84 8 13 Clear. Brownesville. 7'v K 0 Clear. KioGrando i 84 8 12 Clear. Knoxville 76 N E Fair. Memphis 8: N Clear. Nashville 8) N W . Clear. ldiana)>oliK 78 K clear. Cincinnati 82 K ... Clear. Pittsburg 7 4 E ( 'tour. Buffalo ) 61 K Clear. Cleveland 7<> E . Clear. Marquette 7(1 8 W Cloudy. Chicago ! 76 8 K .. Clear. Duluth I 7-a W . ... clear. St. Paul . w IV Cloudy. Davenport 80 8 E Clear. Cairo. 7*l N 1 ... Clear. St. Louis 84 8 E i . Clear. lan*veuworth .. 80S E .. ... Clear. Omaha 84 S Clear. Yankton 7s N . . Clear. Bismarck on X E Clear. Ilendwood 04 N E . Clear Cheyenne 70 E .... clear. North Platte , 76 X E Clear. 1 bulge City 84 s Clear. 8 its Fe 74 s Cloudy. g. N. Sausbory :n Ii nr,,,, r.s. Army, At the Harnett House, Snvnn.mli, Ga., you get all tho comforts of the high priced l)o els, and save from el to 02 per day. Try it and bo convinced. —Boston Ho,nr Jour nal FUNERAL INVITATIONS. SPRINGER—The friends and acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. I’. B. Springer are invited to at tend the funeral of their youngest son, at 9 o'clock THIS MORNING, from their residence, corner of Reynolds anil President streets. MEET I NGS. A\( IK\T LANDMARK LODGE HO. 231, F. A. M. The regular monthly meeting of this A Lodge will be held at Masonic Tern pie iMy* l THIS (Tuesday; EVENING at 8 o'clock. The E. A. degree will be conferred. Menders of sister Lodges and transient breth ren are invited to attend. V.. ri, ROCKWELL, W. M. John S. Haines. Secretary CHIPPEWA TRIBE NO. 4, I. O. OF B. M. A regular meeting of this Tribe will lie held THIS EVENING at 8 o'clock land hereafter), corner Bull and Bay streets. Visiting and transient brethren fraternally in vited. S. A. BORDERS. Sachem. C. F. M. Bernhardt, Chief of Records. SPECIAL NOTICES. NOTICE TO WATER TAKERS^ Office Watf.r Wores, 1 Savannah, Aug. 9. 1887. f The water will l>e shut off from tiie city at ten (10) o’clock (Tuesday 1 TO-NIGHT for tile pur pose o' putting in a branch connection for the Oil Mills, and will be off for four or five hours. A. N. MILLER, Superintendent. NOTICE Cextral Railroad Bank. (, Savannah, Ga., August 8, 1887. f I F.m instructed by the Board of Directors to notify tho public that this bank is prepared to do a general banking business aud solicits ac counts. T. SI. CUNNINGHAM, Cashier. BASE BALL. ORIENTALS —vs.— A 31 A T E U R S. THIS AFTERNOON at 4:00. Admission 35c. Boys 15c. Ladies free. HOT lUfc. Savannah, Angust 9. 1887. Ail bills against the British bark “Pohona" must be presented at this office by noon TO-DAY, or payment will be debarred. JAMES K. CLARKE & CO. SPECIAL NOTICE. I desire to inform my friends and the public that I have severed my connection with Mr. G. W. Allen and now associated with Thos. West & Cos. Will be glad to serve any one. Respectfully, GEO. P. WIGGINS. For nearly 10 years with G. W. Allen. SPECIAL NOTICE. City of Savannah, I Office Clerk of Corset!., Aug. 0, 1887. ( All persons are hereby cautioned against placing obstructions of any kind around or about the public hydrants or fire plugs in this city. Nothing that will obstruct or hinder the Fire Department from having free access to said hydrants or plugs should he placed within fifteen feet thereof in either direction. The ordinance regulating this matter will be rigidly enforced. By order of the Mayor. FRANK E. REBARER, Clerk of Council. Dll. HENRY e FOLDING, DENTIST, Office comer Jones and Drayton streets. ULMER’S LIVER CORRECTOR. This vegetable preparation is invaluable for the restoration of lone and strength to the sys tem. For Dyspepsia, Constipation and other ills, caused by a disordered liver, it cannot be excelled. Highest prries awarded, and in dorsed by eminent medical men. Ask for Ul mer's Liver Corrector and take no other. SIOO a bottle. Freight paid to any address. B. F. ULMER, M. D., Pharmacist, Savannah. Ga. THE MORNING NEWS STEAM PRINTING HOUSE, 3 Whitaker Street. The Department of the Morning News, embracing JOB AND BOOK PRINTING, LITHOGRAPHING AND ENGRAVING, BOOK BINDING AND ACCOUNT BOOK MANUFACTURING, is the most complete In the South. It is thorough ly equipped with the most improved machinery, employs a largo force of competent workmen, and carries a full stock of papers of all descriptions. These facilities enable the establishment to execute orders for anything in the above lines at the shortest notice and the lowest prices con sistent with good work. Corporations, mer chants, manufacturers, mechanics and business men generally, societies and committees, are requested to get estimates from the MORNING NEWS STEAM PRINTING HOUSE lief ore send ing their orders abroad. J. H. ESTILL. proposals wanted. Proposals for Paving. City or Savannah, Ga., ) Office or the City Scrvevos, \ July 2, nil. 1887. 1 T JROPOSALS will be received until WEPNLS- I !>A5'. August 3Hb, at ti, o'clock p. m., directed to Mr. K. E. Kebarer. (clerk of Council of the city of Savannah. Ga., for the paving of that jiortton of Congress street in sail city lying between the cast property line of West' Bnmd street and tho west property line of Drayton street: also, that txartnm of Bull street in said city lying between the south line of Congress street and the north line of State street, being a total area of about eight thousand square yards. The nronoaals tnav lie for granite, grawaeko or asphalt block* or for sheet asphalt, the spec! fications of which will ii ■ the suiir* a; given ov the Engineer Department ot the District of Co lumbia in their report for 1886. Any person desiring to l>id upon the above work, but 11 :s* * different sjieei float ions front tho> enumerated above, may do so provided that a copy of the specifications upon which they l.ifi is enclosed with their bid. All l ids for grawu.-ke, granite or asphalt hl'tcks must be a'-eoinpauie 1 by a specimen of the blocks in: end's 1 to be used. Separate bids will also tie received for the fur nishing and laying of about thirty-live hundred running feet of cur!.stone, of either blue stone or granite of the following dimeasl**ns: four inches brood, sixteen inches deep, un*l in length' t of not less than live tc*ei. The i urhlng to lie dressed on the top ten inches fr uit the top on the front face and four indies from the top on the rear face; to ho perfectly straight and square on the rials. The right t:> reject any or all bids is reserved. For further information address J. mOJKUVX HOPS, Jn„ C. E., Acting City Surveyor. State or Weather. CONTRACTORS. P. J. FALLON,” BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR, *S DRAYTON STREET, SAVANNAH. Ij'STIM VTES promptly furnished for building -J of any class. MEEDS. Huist’s Reliable Cabbage and Turnip SEEDS, .TUST RECEIVED ITtKSH AT <“>si.:. ; i<:o j, \ b ctti.kt:• , v ; SUMMER RESORTS. Ocean House TYBEE ISLAND, GEORGLA. SEA BATHING unsurpassed on the Atlantic coast. Comfortable rooms, neatly fur nished. Fare the lie.it the market affords. Bathing suits supplied. Terms moderate. GE(J. Lt. HODGES, Proprietor. S. G. HEALY & CO.; PROPRIETORS, SALT SPUING, NEAR AUSTELL, GEORGIA T YTATER almost a specific for Dyspepsia, Kid t 1 ney Trouble and Cutaneous Diseases. Orders for water and ail information addressed to the firm at Austell. Ga. the Columbian; SARATOGA SPRINGS. THE FAVORITE HOTEL OF SAVANNAHIAN3 Opens June Soth. JAMES M. CASE, Proprietor, CENTRAL HOTEL, ROME, GEORGIA. CAPTAIN J. 31. KINDRED, late of Calhoun. Georgia, and C. It. LEFTWICH, of Knox ville. Tenn., Proprietors. Both commercial travelers for years, ami fully posted as to the wants of the public. Come and see ns. 3ST2CW YORK BOARD. 1’- /* 5 AND 1,707 Broadway, corner 51th. . 1 !’) House kept by a Southern lady: I>■ca tion desirable. Refers by permission to Col. John Screven, Savannah. tTMIE WHITLOCK HOUSE, in Marietta, Ga., 1 combines privileges ami conveniences of a first-class hotel, and the comforts and pleasures of a home. Capacity, about one hundred and fifty guests. I-arge, haudsoine, well furnished rooms: best of beds: table good; large shaded grounds, covered with blue grass; Lawn Tennis, ( roquet. Billiards and Bowling Alley, all free for guests. Prices more moderate 'than any other house in Georgia for the accommodations. M G. Will'l l.' >CK. <>wner and Proprietor. 'T'HOUSAND ISLANDS.—Westminster Hotel, 1 Westminster Park. Alexandria Bay, N. Y “Unquestionably the finest location in the Thousand Islands.'— Harper'* Magazitie, Sept., 1881 Bend for descriptive pamphlet. 11. F. INGLEHART, Proprietor. EXCURSIONS. International Steamship Cos. Line OF “Palace Steamers” BETWEEN Boston, Portland, East port and St. John, N. 8., With Connections to all Parts of the Provinces. PORTLAND DAY LINE. Steamers leave Commercial Wharf, Boston, B:3d a. M.. every Monday. Wednesday and Fri day- for Portland, making the trip in 7 hours, affording excellent coast scenri-v. EASTPORT AND ST. JOHN LINE. Steamers leave Boston 8:30 a. m.. and Portland sp. M. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for Easlport and St. John. ST. JOHN DIRECT LINE. A steamer will leave Boston every Thursday at 8 a M. for St. John direct. ANNAPOLIS LINE. A steamer will leave Boston every Monday and Thursday at BA. M. for Annapolis, N. S., con necting for Yarmouth, Digbv, Halifax, etc. J. B. COYLE, Jr., t. A. WALDRON, Manager. Portland. 3le. Gen. Pass. Agt. HOTELS. NEW HOTEL TOGN£ (Formerly St- Mark's.) Newnan Street, near Bay. Jacksonville, Fla, WINTER AND SUMMER. f T , HE MOST central House in the city. Near JL Post OMce, Street Cars and all Ferries. New and Elegant Furniture. Electric BolU, Baths, Etc. §2 50 to $3 per day. JOHN !, rQGNI, Proprietor. DUB’S SCREVEN HOUSE~ 'TMIIS POPULAR Hotel is now provided with 1 a Passenger Elevator (the only one in tne city) and has been remodeled an ! newly fur nished. The proprietor, who by recent purchase is also the owner of tho establishment, spares neither trains nor expense in the entertainment of his guests. The patronage of Florida visit ors is earnestly invited. The table of the Screven House is supplied with every luxury that the markets at homo or abroad can afford THE MOhiUSON HOUSE."" One of the Largest Boarding Houses in the South. A FFORDS pleasant South rooms, good hoard ATX. with j) .re Artesian Water, at prices to suit those wishing table, regular or transient accom modations. Northeast corner Broughton aud Drayton streets, opposite Marshall House. WINES AND LIQUORS. Fo n sTle'; B Select Whisky £4 00 Baker Whisky 4 00 Imjjerlnl Whisky 3 00 Pineapple Whisky 2 00 North Carolina Corn Whisky 2 <W Old Rye Whisky 1 90 Rum—New England and Jamaica., ft 50 to 3 00 Rye and Holland Gin 1 50 to 3 00 Brandy—Domestic and Cognac 1 50 to 0 03 WINES. Catawba Wine $1 OOtoS! 50 Blackberry Wine 1 00 to 1 50 Madeira, Ports and Sherrys 1 50 to 300 PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL. A. H. CHAMPION, HARDWARE, ETC. Hardware Novelties and Specialties. T? VERY SIZE IN IRON JACK, SMOOTH, 1 KE and BLOCK PLANKS, and in RE; VhRSIBLE IRON HANDLED SCREW DRIVERS and SPOKE SHAVES. FOIL SALE BY— LOVELL & LATTiMORE. Dealers in Spear's Practical Philadelphia House Furnaces, Etc. _ VIRGINIA BLACK PEAS. NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT. FOR BAJ.E BY— -172 BAY STREET. MOLASSES. OLD TIME PORTO RICO MOLASSES —AT— A. 31. & C. W. WEST'S.