Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About The Enterprise. (Carnesville, GA.) 1890-1??? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1890)
VOL. I The Narrow Way, Tell me, ye saints And kings of old, Where shall we find The land of gold ? The heavenly land, With joys untold ? Hear what the Spirit Hath to say ; "It lies beyond The gates of day— J ust at the end Of the narrow way. “They who shall choose To walk therein, Must bear the cross, And cast out sin; And life eternal * They then shall win.’* .. There are sharpest thorns In this narrow way; There are blackest clouds To hide the day; 15ut hear what the Spirit Hath to say; ‘‘Cheer up! cheer up! Oh, heart of gloom 1 For every thorn Shall roses bloom In.the garden of God; Where there is ro mi *‘A crown for him Who day by day, With patient feet That never stray, Baareth his cross In the narrow wav.” THE STRANSER. It was year3 ago, Bessie, when I wa3 but eighteen, aud just engaged to Frank Fenton. If you want to hear about it, sit down on the stool at my foot, and prepare to be bored, We had been sweethearts for a long time. Went to church and singing- school together; rode, walked, danced, aud took long rows on the river which ran past my father’s house. In fact, this had beau going on for so long a time that we finally decided that we might as well be always together, and so the preliminary arrangements were begun, aud our wedding-day drew near. Wc lived on the banks of a river— one of the loveliest streams in Lousiaua —a quiet spot some distance from any plantation; but as soon as our marriage took place we young folks were to re¬ move to a neighboring parish, and thither Frank wont, shortly before the wedding, to prepare our new home. He left me busy as a be* with the trousseau and arrangements for the affair, which was to be a grand one for the country, as my father was a well-to-do planter aud I the only child. He had been absent about a fortnight, and I was expecting him back daily, when one day father came, with a troubled face, into the room where I was sitting, surrounded by lace and muslin and dainty necessaries of toilet, which were ju-t as much the fashion then ns they are now, Bessie, popular cant to the contrary, notwithstanding. “Lottie,” said he, hurriedly, “I’ve got to go ever to Squire Bint’s to see about Seine titles. I came near forget¬ ting the appointment, an ! I’ll have to hurry right fast to get tHere on time. Can you do without mu?’’ I laughed and nodded; then suddenly an uneasy feeling took possession of mi. I re¬ membered the money—quite a large sum —with which F.auk aud I were to “be- gin the world,” and which lay securely hidden away in tho house, the nest egg of our future fortune. I knew that I was destined to a lonely night of it, for father could not pos¬ sibly return within twenty-four hours; the servants had all gone to a “break- dawn. ” on a neighboring plantation, except an aged crone, Aunt Dinah by - name; my mother was an hi void, weak and neiVoiis; 1 felt that, alone as I wa’, the cutlook was not very enlivening. Father observed my troubled expres- sion. “I don’t sec how I cun help it, daughter,’’ he said gravely. “Tuis is a very important matter, and admits of no delay. It is the fault of my treach- crous memory; had I only remembered the engagement with the fquire I would have kept some of the seivants at homo as protection for you.” But I was uo coward, aud so I kissed him and laughed away iiis anxiety, and saw him depart w.th assumed cheerful- ness ; but a3 he rode down the avenue which led to the outer gates, I saw him turn in the saddle and gaze after me anxiously once more. I returned to my houseliol l duties and my pleasantjtask am : d the billows of lace and muslin, and so sang and worked the long, bright day away. It was nearly sun-et. I had persuaded mother to lie upon a couch, which I had pushed out upon the vine-covered gifl’ery, and seating myself beside her, I began to read aloud some wild old tale of super- natural horrors, upon which I had stumbled. Before-I hal half finished I hal worked myself into a state oi nervousness, an 1 as 1 noticed the piling face of m; mother, I tossed the book upon the table, with a contemptuous expression, and arose to make her tea. THE ENTERPRISE. « At that moment the guto bitch clicked, and as I turned in its direction I could not repress a cry of alarm. My eyes fell upon a strange sight. Tho figuro of a woman—a very dwarf in size and stature—clad in a fade 1 black dress, with a battered bonuet upon her head, and a torn shawl about her tiny, stooping shoulders. Slowly and hesitatingly the creature moved up the walk, uutil she had reached the gallery. Hero she paused to gaze curiously upon us, with a pair of round, bead¬ like black eyes. Then she spoke, in a voice clear and well-modulated; “I hate lost my way, ladies,” she said, beseechingly, “may I crave a Dight’s shelter?'’ I glanced at my toother. She was pale and trembled violently. I had Conceived an unaccountable aversion to the small stranger; but who could have the heart to turn a woman away into the pathless forest, with night coming down, dark and threatening, for the sky was overcast, sad there were signs of an approaching thunder storm, and the wind moanel drearily in the boughs of the pine trees. So I told her that she might remain; but I resolved to know no slumber that night, but to watch the long hours through. My mother must not bo alarmed; so sending the stranger to tho kitchen with Aunt Dinah to get some refreshments, f coaxed mother to take her tea, and carried her off to bed in triumph. It was 10 o’clock before I loft her sound asleep and stole off to the kitchen to take an.observation. Oa the thresh- old I paused, my heart beat wildly, my brain seemed oa fire; I trembled so that I could scarcely stand; I pushed the door ajar and glanced in. What a sight met my astonished eye3l The dwarf was standing erect, and young, and lithe; the woman’s garments ha l been discarded, and I saw before me a maD, small, but muscular, and with a diabolical face. lie was stooping 1 ° over the form of Aunt Dinah, m one hand a vial, which he held to her nostrils. 1 comprehended the situation at a glance, Aunt Dinah was drugged; even the frail protection of her presence was gone and tho next step would be mb scry, perhaps nn.rder. The villain replaced the vial in his pocket, with a grin on his ugly face. •‘There!” he ejaculated, “thut will work. With the old woman out of the way, the rest is easy. Lucky tlyit I know where to look for the rnouey ; it’s in the old woman’s room, I saw the gal put it there. Let me see, right hand corner, top drawer iu dressiug table. ” It flashed over me then, my own carelessness, when father had givon the pocketbook into my keeping; the open window near us, and some gay words that I had uttered, all came back to mo. I was so frightened, it seemed as if I should die. Thea calmer thoughts succeeded; and I resolved to fight for j that money to tho death. Softly I stole away, and re-entered my mother’s apartment, Taking the pocketbook from the drawer, I hid it in my bosom; and then, piusing, to assure myself that she still slept, I turned to the hall where our small provision of fire-arms were stored. O'.i, heavens! They wero gone! A low, horrible chuckle fell upon my ears, The robber stood at my side, a look of triumph on his hate¬ ful face. “Well,’ he sneered boldly, “where is it?’ “What do you mean?” I gasped. “The money, of course. I’ve just been to the old woman’s room, but I find you’ve been too many for me. Now, girl ’ ho stepped closer to me and raised one hand threateningly; his awful eyes glared into mine; his lips, as they opened, resembled those of some huge wild animal. “I know-you have the money; hand it out!’ 1 With a low cry of fear I turned and fled. Back to tho large, old kitchen, my heart surging aud beating madly, I flew like the wind. Old Dinah still lay upon the floor in blest unconscious¬ ness. I shook her and called aloud and shrieked for kelp, but no other sountl broke the stillness save the low, dreadful laugh of the robber, who had followed me. ; “Stop that noise? he growled. “You’re wasting breath, you know. S-e’s drugged, aud won’t wake till I’m safe out o’ this. I want that money. Give it to me and I promise to leave you iu peace; refuse, aad-’’ I thought of Frank and our future. “I never will!” I oriel, a. bravely as I could. Again, that horrible, mock- ing laugh. He sprang forward and seized my arm; one hand passed a'round my waist aud held me tightly, the other prepare l to clo.e about my throat, Just at that moment my eyes fell upon I the huge brick oven; something [ known in these days, Bsssie; an itn- I menre structure occupying one si le of , kitchen. I nodes . t that the w.dc the door had been left open, and a tu lden CARNESVJLLE, GA., MON DAY, JANUARY 13.1890. thought—an inspiration—darted into my mind. It was worth risking at all events. The villian’g hand was pressing closet about my slender throat; I felt a dread¬ ful, choking sonsalion. I was sure that i should die. Now—or never—I thrust ono hand, quickly, into tho bosom of my dress, and snatching the pocket-book therefrom with a quick, sudden movement, I throw it into the oven—away in—I could hear it fall upon the bottom, with a heavy thud, for most of tho monoy will in gold. With a horrible imprecation the wretch released his hold, nud, darting forward, sprang into tho oven. I darted toward the hups door. L seized it in both hands; with superhuman efforts I pushed it shut and slid the heavy bolt into its place. I was saved! Then I sank upon the floor in blissful insensi¬ bility. I was aroused by the pressure of lips upon my own; and felt my head pillowed in somebody’s arms. Iopcned my eyes. Frank was holding mo close to his heart, his face pale and anxious. Ho had returned unexpectedly; and see¬ ing a light burning in tho house—an unusual occurrence at so late an hour, for it was midnight—and fearing that I was ill—he had ventured to stop, j told him the whole story; and, old as I am, I have never forgotten the look on his face as he clasped mo to his heart. It did not take him long to ride to the nearest town and summon the sheriff with a posse of men. The oven was opened and tho wretch within, insen¬ sible and half dead, was dragged forth and away to justice. He was proven to bo an old offender, and soon received g long sentence. I was quite the heroine of the country around, for a long time afterward; but heroics were not in my line, and I never wished for a repetition of that night’s experience. A Steamship Stoker’s Life. The stokers on one of the groit ocean steamers work four Iiouim at a stretch, . temperature , . from , 1 £j to , in a ranging 1(Jy a 3 Tlie qlIarters are close, ^ must uko cnve lhat whil(J fcediog onc furnace their arms arc not burncd on th(j onc Mlind thom . y eutilation u {urnhhed through a shaft reacMag down t0 the middle of their quarters. Each stoke- - tends four fur- naoe!) gp3ndmg p . rhap3 two or three at ca ch. then dashes to the air- pipe to tako his tura at C oo ing off, and waitg for anotller caU to his furnaces. When the watch, is over, the men go perspiring through long, cold passages to the forcastb, where they turn in for eight hours. Ono man, twenty-eight years old, who was interviewed by a reporter, had been employed at tlio furnaces since ho was fourteen years old. He weighed ISO pounds, and was ruddy and seem¬ ingly happy. II3 confessed that tho work was terribly hard, bit “it came hardest on those who did not follow it regularly. But if we got plenty toeat,” ho said, “and take care of ourselves wo are all right. Here's a mate of mine, nearly seventy years old, who has been a stoker all his life and cm do as good work as I can.” Stokers never have the consumption, and rarely catch cold. Their grog had bsen knocked off on the English and American lines because the men got drunk too often, and the grog did them much harm. “When I u ed to take my grog I'd work just like a lion while the effee! lasted I’d tnrow in my coal like a giant, aud not mind the heat a bit; but when it worked off, as it did in a very few minu os, I was that weak that a child could upset me. Take a man dead drunk before the fires, and tho heat would sober him off iu half an hour or give him a stroke of apoplexy. ” Effect of Great Altitudes on Dogs. A former Bostonian who is now in Colorado, many thousand feet above the sea level, is in grief over the loss of two handsome dogs which he took out there with him. They were, he writes, the pride of the mining camp where he was located, aud they seemed to be in excellent health until the week before their death. Everybody prophesied that the San Juan country would not hold them long, but I had begun to feel perfectly safe about them. At first the change in the altitude did not seem to affect them so badly a3 it did me. Of late, however, they felt unusually sleepy and languid, and began to ex¬ hibit symptoms of an alarming nature, and they startled the camp by rushing around and snapping at the air in a manner quite sugg-stive of the rabies. They ended by going into convulsions and were shot by a badly frightened miner. Cats and dogs, as a ru e, live but a short time when takcu to these h’gli altitudes, while men, on the other hand, often find them more healthy than the sea level. Why the man can live where the smaller animats cannot, ig a , n . ltlcr which has uevor yet been ex- • plaiue 1. — Boston Advertiser. PERSIAN PENALTIES. The Different Methods by Which They Are Carried Out. The Bastinado, Mutilation, Im¬ prisonment and Death. The commonest form of punishment in Persia, says Thomas Stevens in Youth's Compmion, is the bastinado, or healing on tho bare soles of the feet with willow sticks. 1 saw this punishment inflicted upon a peasant for soino small ofleasc. The culprit was laid or, hit back, his feet were lashed together and held solos uppermost by passing through a loop iu a horizontal pole. A kindle of sticks that had been rendered pliant by soak- i ig in water was brought agd placed clo-e at hand. All being ready, two farrashes seized each a stick and proceeded briskly to belabor tho upturned feet. Thcpeasant’s feet wero hard and calloused from habitually walking barefoot, and under theso conditions his punishment was probably less severe thnu it seemed. The flagollation wont merrily on un¬ til fifty sticks had boon broken over his feet. Now and ihea the man would squirm and give a sorrowful groau of “Al-l-ah!” but it was oasy to see that much of this was hypocritical, When at length released, he rose to his feet and limped slowly away, ono of tho farrashes fetching lum a smart cut across tho shou.dors to accelerate his pace. Fifty sticks is cons idered a very light punishment; sometimes several hundred are administered, in which caso tho punishment is, of couiso, severe. It is not regardod as a disgrace in Persia to have been bastinadoed. -Most, of thosi sj dealt with are simply men unable to pay their debts, No ono is exempt from tho bastinado except royal personages, Sometimes the Shah, displeased at one of his ministers or high stato of¬ ficials, orders him to he bastinadoed. The official, perhaps a dignified old geutleman, with a venerable, flowing beard, living in a luxurious palace,mas¬ ter of fifty servants of his own, meekly r cceivcs his punishmeht at tho hands of tho king's farrashes, aud deems it no disgrace. Nobody points tho finger of scorn at his neighbor who has been bas¬ tinadoed, for none know upon whom the displeasure of the “powers that be” may next descend in a like summary manner. Sneak thieves are punished by mutila¬ tion. For the first offence they arc de¬ prived of an car or tho joint of the fore¬ finger. This is usually a sufficient warning, hut if brought up a second time, off comes the light hand. The hand is laid on a block and chopped off with a sword; tho wrist is then plunged in a kettle of boiling tar to stop the bleeding. When the Indo-European telegraph lino was built through Persia, the natives us3il to cut and steal the wire for miking bracelets. This caused so much annoyance to the tolcgraph com¬ pany that the Shah ordered tho hands of all persons found wearing telegraph- wire bracelets to be chopped off. This terrible punishment soon put an end to the practice of stealing wife. In travelling through Persia I saw many people with the right hand miss¬ ing; they are generally found begging on the streets of the cities. The punishment of death is inflicted for murder, highway robbery, treason, and also for robbery from royal persons. Desperate criminals arc sometimes made examples of by the most ci uel punish¬ ments. No female prisoners were in tho jail we visited. Women are never incaresr- ated in a public prison in Persia. A few days' forcible detention in the hotlie of a priest is the usual punishment inflict¬ ed upon them for small offences. When their crimes arc such as to merit capi¬ tal punishmsnt, however, uo mercy is shown them because they are women. Near the city of Shiraz is a deep well into which women guilty of certain crimes are cast alive. The woman is conducted to the well, seated on a don¬ key, with her face turned toward its tail. She is followed by a hooting mob, who fling mud jit her and jeer at her misery. Arriving at the well, she is made to kneel down at its brink. A word or two is uttered by the priest, tho executioner gives tho wretched wo¬ man a shove with liis foot, and all is over. One Dark, Black Night. A long silence had fallen on the group around the little stove in the back of (ho Oklahoma dry goods store. Each of tho rough ® citizens had told his story . related , . which , . . or some experience 1 befell him,and , the , silence ., that .. , , fob , once lowed.aa incredible J yarn of tho lion. Jim Janks was intense. .... I ho stranger from f the List had ns- tened throughout in a list.ess, ing manner, and yawned exceedingly when the others laughed. Tho silence thickonod with tho smoke, and as they looked at ono another in tho growing darkness for oncouragemont to broak it, Mr. Alike Swipes with a alight hom, said: “Wall, now, wo’vo all lied our say. Lot tho strangev say suthin.” All oyes were turned toward tho stranger, who had come from tho East, He pleaded iguoranco of a good story, but they persisted. They weren’t par¬ ticular. After a moment’s deliberation, during which all snugly placed them¬ selves in their favorite nttitudos, tho strnugor conscutcd, and began iu a mo- notonous and sing-soug voice as fol¬ low? : “Ono dark, black night a band of robbers gathored around a camp tiro in the heart of the Harz Mountains, in Germany. They had just roturnod from a plundering expedition, and were resting themselves, The camp firo throw a’flickering light ,ou the weird scene. The captain of tho band was standing in the shadow, lcauiug against a tree, his hands resting on his gun. His oyes wero bent on tho groua-l, and his face boro a troubled expression. Suddenly he turne l, and walking to where his lieutenant stood, mid to him: “ ‘Scuddy, my boy, tell me a thril. ling story. ’ “Scuddy settled liimsslf ou a log seat, and told tho following thrilling tale: * ‘One dark, black night a band of robbers gathered around a camp fire iu tho heart of the Ilirz Mountains, in Germany. They had, just returned from a plundering expedition, and wero resting themselves. Tho camp firo threw a flickering light on tho weird scene. The captain of tho band was standing in the shadow, loaning against a tree, his hands resting on his gun. His eyes wore bent on tho ground, and Ids face bore a troubled expression. Suddenly he turned, and walking to where his lieutenant stood, said to him: “Scuddy, my boy, tell me a thrilling story.” Scuddy settled himself ou a log seat and told the following thrilling talc: “ ‘One dark, black night a band of robbers gathered around a camp tiro in the heart of tho Ilirz Mountains, in Germany. They had just--. 11> A sudden click was hoard in tho store, followed in quick succession by two more clicks. Silence again foil on the group. Tho little oil lamp which had hitherto lighted the scene want out, and all was dark. Somebody struck a light, and in tho glare it was found that the stranger had disappeared. “Huh,” muttered the Hon. Jim Jenks, as he pocketed his shooting- iron. “lie saved his skin this 'ere time .’’—Neio York Sun. Japanese Babies. In Japan you can toll a baby's ago by its hair. Tho fuzz is shaved from tho rcalp of the Japanese infant as soon as it is born; when it grows to the ago of a certain number of m mths a ring of hair is allowed to remain surrounding (he bald oasis of the crown. A few months later a little tuft is blocked out i n tho center of this oasis, and a palm- tree like wisp grows upm it. Then other little wisps are allowed to come down under the car, and, at last, tho hair is grown all over the head. This siiaving of the hand makes the hair very stiff, and the Japanese has his head covered with stiff, black wires. He looks as if his head were ono gigan¬ tic cowlick, and he has this crop to the length of about ono inch, The old fashion of shaving a strip from fore¬ head to crown, aud of wearing tho hair long, and doing it up on tho edge of this bald strip in the shape of an old- fashioned door-knocker, is being dons, away with in the cities, and you find it only in tho back oou itics,. and in those who pride thcinso.Ves < n belonging to the old regime. — (h urier- Jou na.1. Cleanliness a Modern Virtue. The E iglish upper classes are clean, but cleanliness of any high degree is a very modern virtue among them. It is an invention of the nineteenth century. Men and women born at the close of the eighteenth century did as French people do today; they took a warm bath occasionally for cleanliness, and they took shower baths when they were pro¬ scribed by the physician for hoalth, and they bathed in summer seas for pleasure, but they did not wash them¬ selves all over every morning, How- ever, the now custom took deop root in England because it became one of tho signs of class. It Was adopted as ono of the habits of a gentlemau .—Pall Mall Bu lget. _ He . l .. .. ® ' P ‘ Little Boy—“Did ., you ever see my , big . brother , , John? r , , Hcsadistantrela- TT , ... , , . „ unne . ,, ' Visitor—“A distant relativef" Little , Boy—“Yes, „ ..... indeed. Ho lives in ® an * ianCHC0 „ - SCIENTIFIC SCR A Pi. An English ti.li culturist has found that a six-pound eel contains about 11,000,000 eggs. Gen. Rosancratis, Register of the Treasury, lias decidod to introduce the use of cieclricity iu his oflico us a mo- tivo power to ru i tho punching ma¬ chines for cancelling the redeemod treasury no!os. Measurements of a quarter of a mil¬ lion if soldiers have shown that males do not reach adult ago until about 28, ami Professor Binder's observations at Harvard prove that full mental power is not reached before 25. Tho simple method of treating driiit- enness practiced in Norway and Bwcdon is reported to be very effective. The inebriate is placed in confinement and fed only with bread soaked in wine, which in eight or ten days creates a positive loathing for strong drink. A German authority affirms thut oaks are more frequently struck by lightning than beeches, because the leaves of the beech aro covered with a fine down, which is a bettor conductor than the smooth loavos of tho oak. Experiments with electrical machines confirm the theory. Dr. Dornil of Paris has discovered that ice is often a medium for transmit¬ ting infectious diseases, and particular¬ ly typhoid fever, lie cautious people to use artificial ice, made from boiled or spring water, and condemns ico ob¬ tained from ponds or rivers liable tv contamination. The magnetic needle points in the same direction as to tho magnetic poles in alt parts of the earth. The magnet"** poles do not correspond with the axis of the earth, which makes a variation of the needle at places not on a meri¬ dian which coincides with both poles. The needle is never inverted, but dips as it approaches the magnetic poles. A substitute for whiskey as a remedy for rattlesnake bites has been discov¬ ered. A man in Cljnton County, Mo., was bitten on the leg by a rattler while in tho woods two milds from home a few days ago, wiped tho blood off with a leof, and taking a big cud of tobacco from his mouth hound it on the wound witii a piece of bark. After reaching home ho bathed his leg with ammonia, and has suffered no ill offect other than a slight swelling of the bitten spot. A Horse’s Memory. “Say, friend, you're on my horse,” Bftid one gentleman to another as he refned his horse before the door. “Your horse! Oh, no; why 1 bought this horse two years ago!’’ “You did?” answered tho other; “well, I lost my horse—it was stolen—just two years rg took place under is conversation the far-spreading oaks of an old-time plantation home. A planter was sur¬ prised to see his horse return home after two years, and ridden by agentle- plan who evidently had bought the horse in g iod faith, After some con- versation the old owner of the -horse, with much earnestness, said: “Well, sir, if you will dismount, unsadd e tho horse, and lie don’t go to the fence, take the bars down, walk to the well, and if ho don’t fiul water in the backet Lt it down the well, and then walk off to his old stable, I will give up and that horse isn’t mine 1” “At your word; the horse is ycrurs if he does nil that,” c iod tho visitor, and leaping from the horse, unsaddled it. What was his astonishment whoa the horso went Straight to the fence, lot down tho bars, crossed over, went to tho woll, and find¬ ing do water let the bucket down and then, as though ho had left home but yesterday, walked to tho old stable 1 Tho animal remembered the trick and the owner recovered his horse. There are those living now who can attest to tho truth of this story, though it hap¬ pened years ago. The People of Siam. The Siamese are very jovial and light hearted, and greatly addicted to public jhows as well as tho gambling houses. They have their fill of spectacles when¬ ever a member of the royal family dies. It cost $500,000 to duly cremate one of the king’s children a while ago. A special temple for the cremation services is built for each defunct royal highness. The temple is a very gorgeous affair, hut it is pulled down as soon as the royal clay is reduced to ashes, The ceremonies include processions, music, the king on his golden chair, an im¬ mense display of royal banners and mourning, and all the pomp and cir¬ cumstance needed to impress the event deeply upon the people. Of course the nobles cannot afford funerals on suoh a lavish scale, but they spend all the money they can on them. Tho masses flock to see the show as our people do to a circus, while it will probably be the r own late to be burned at the cost of a few cents, or flung to the vulture? and doge .-—New York Sun. NO. 2 . In Happy Days. The harvest moon stands on the ses, Her shining' rim's a-drip; She gilds the sheaves on many a lea. The sails on many a ship; Glitter, sweet queen, upon the spray, And glimmer on the heather; Ilight fair thy rays to show the way Where lovers walk together. Tho red wheat rustles, and the vines Are purple to the root, And true love, waiting patient, wins Its blessed time of fruit; Damp of all lovers, lady moon, I.ight these glnd lips together. Which reap alone a harvest sown bong ere September weather. —Edwin AraoM. NUMEROUS. Of interest—A pawn ticket. Food for tho blind—Sea biscuit. Soothing-syrup manufacturers are paid considerable hush money. Tho average college oarsman is uo chicken; uo, not when ljo is in his shell. “I’ve bad a great many trials in my time,” remarked the veteran criminal sadly. Crusty—Bo careful, waiter, your thumb is iu the soup. Waiter—I don’t mind it, sir, I’m used to it. “Iwill toss coppers with you,” re¬ marked one stoer to nnothcr as they made for a couplo of policemen. Ho (fondling her hand)—Your little hand is never chapped, is it? She (coyly)—No; I wish it might be. And then he popped. The , burglar who was [caught in a shoe store after midnight asked to bo discharged by the judge on the ground that it was a fitting place for everybody. Tho Toronto Globs tells of a man who has cooked his own breakfast for fifteen years. Apparently hollas no regard for Shakespeare’s famous receipt; “If it were done when 'tis done, thea ’twere well it wore done quickly." Car crowded. Ail fat poople, very fat. Car stops, very thin man gets in. lias great difim ty iu squeezing himself into n bit of a seat. He gets angry and says, “People ought to pay fares ac¬ cording to weight.” Fut neighbor answers, “If they did, the car wouldn’t stop for you.” They beggsd him to play a little, lie seemed to feel bashful! at first, but after a while bogau to paw the ivo¬ ries vigorusly. “What power!” said * listener to the owner of the piano. “Yes," exclaimed the latter, in alarm; “ho seems to have considerable muscle; but ho ought to know that this isn’t • gymnasium. ” Sales of Cats. As to tho cat as an animal mechan¬ ism, it is perfect, and luilt especially for business. Considered in a useful sense only, tho cat really does more service to mankind than tho dog, and if there were not millions of cats there “would bo billions of vermin.” In judging cats, the total points being 101), the credits aro given for head, eyes, fur, color, form, tail, size, and condition, but nothing for be¬ havior. It really is too bad, not in keeping with the age in which we live iu, to reckon for nothing the morals of tho cat. Tails in cats aro of different standards. Somo should be thick, some thin, but tails ought always to be¬ gin in a massive way, like a well-bred lady’s finger, and taper clown to noth- iug. As to “markings,” only an ex¬ pert can determine the mysteries of them. If there is an American cat lover who can show a black and white cat with “white tip on a black tail” let him rejoice, for he has a cat of cats. Something we all know, or ought to know, is this, that the white cats with blue oyes are invariably deaf, and a deaf cat is a nuisance, because she or he does not know how to regulate her or hi3 - vocal powers. Theso unfortun¬ ates never aro conscious that tho music they make is fortissimo and Wagnerian all the time, There are occasional white Persians with blue eyes not deaf. A good Angora, with fine manners, jg worth $55. There are many nice Persians in the United States, and Cincinnati is head¬ quarters for this breed, We cannot say that Persian cats or Persian men have very reliable tempers. Wc have had personal acquaintance with some Persian cats of a most gentle and lova¬ ble disposition, while others have be¬ haved in a very vicious manner. Charles James Fox, who kept his eyes open, once made a wager with that scapegrace, tho Prince of Wales, that he (Fox) could see more cats on his side of the street than could his gracious prince. Fox counted thirteen cat 3 and the prince but one. The , roval personage asked for an explana¬ tion of this apparent miracle. Mr. Fox said: “Your royal highness took, of course, the shady side of the way, as most agreeable; I kuew tho sunuy side would be left me, and cats always prefer the sunshine. ”
