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FARMS AND FARMERS.
Short Talks With the Men Who
Guide the Plow.
QUESTIONS ONFARM TOPICS ANSWERED
Wheat Sowing, TJmlng Land. Etc.
Wheat should be seeded down now as quick
ly as possible, except towards the gulf and
Atlantic borders. In thesa more southerly
localities sowing may be deferred for a month
longer. Do hot forget that wheat calls for a
rather compact soil, except near the surface—
•ay for two inches deep. These two inches of
•urface soil cannot be made too fine for it. A
disc harrow run a number of times in different
directions does the work admirably. A' wheat
crop is often injured by turning under a large
quantity of weeds or vinos, which prevents the
undersoil from compacting. Indeed, it may
be regarded upon the whole as good practice
not to plow deep for wheat. After once
breaking, let the harrow complete the
preparation. Tho manure applied
should be also near the surface;
the harrow will cover it sufficiently deep.
Success hinges a good deal upon tho regular
distribution of the seed and tho uniformity of
tho depth to which they are covered. Both of
thesb ends are reached better by drilling ma
chines than by the ordinary hand sowing and
plowing or harrowing in. A good machine
will space tho seed properly. It can be ad
justed to sow a certain amount of seed to an
acre. It will also put the seed in the ground
at a perfectly uniform depth. This should be
from one to one and a half inches; never over
two inches. At greater depths the seed will
Come up, and ordinary observation would not
detect any difference, perhaps, in the crop, but
careful and repeated experiments have shown
that when planted deep tho yield is smaller.
The regular spacing of the seed is of equal im
portance. If possible each plant ought to have
exactly the same amount of soil, air and light.
How seldom, or never, is this
attained from ordinary hand sowing. If
one is partial to broadcasting, by all means
get a broadcast sower. With proper care and
adjustment these can be made to do very nice
work, and do it rapidly. We must make up
for the poverty of our exhausted land, for our
less manageable labor, and for the sharp com
petition of these latter days, by nicer and more
thorough work. The time has come when wo
must quit slipshod, helter-skelter ways.
Extremes are not often to be recommended,
but in the case of wheat they are in one re
spect. The crop is so uncertain and unreliable
In our climate that it is best to sow a good
breadth of ordinary land without manuring it,
or else sow a very few acres manured very
heavily—tho extensive or the intensive. Ob
jection to tho first *is the amount of seed and
Os labor required. Both may be economised.
Thin land does not call for heavy seeding—
three pecks per acre will answer. On corn or
cotton land cut up and beat down tho stalks
and cover seed with dis. harrow without pre
vious breaking. One hand and two horses can
put in six or more acres a day. The roller
following will go over the same ground in
a day. Land well cultivated through the
summer does not require additional
breaking for an ordinary {wheat crop. It lias
•bout the right compactness of which we
•poke above,and needs only the surface stirring
Which the harrow will give. Heavy yields per
acre are not to be expected under such
methods, but as the outlay is small and land
abundant , the profits may be as great and the
risk no greater than under tho opposite
method.
When one has high, well drained land
adapted to wheat, it may be more profitable
perhaps to break deep, manure heavily and
Prepare thoroughly and sow only a few acres.
’ho thorough preparation and high manuring
•re expected to give the crop such vigor as to
enable it tojlwthstand adverse circumstances
—and this they will do to a certain extent.
Under such treatment wheat will make a par
tial crop, when! under adverse seasons, that
which is unmanured would make a
total failure. The intensive method saves
•eod to some extent, labor also, but increases
expenditure on manure account.
If one contemplates liming his land,
tho present is a good time to make the
application. The effects of lime are not ap
preciable for some months after it is applied.
For summer crops it should be applied in au
tumn oi - early winter, for fall crops in spring
Or early summer. As limo tends of itself to
•Ink down in the soil, it should never bo
plowed in, but simply scattered on the surface,
in our hot, dry climate moderate doses only
•ro to be recommended. Five to ten bushels
per acre is ample. The best form in which to
nso it is a good marl. Twenty to forty bushels
per acre of a rich marl might be applied. The
next best form of lime is the air-slaked, of this
five to ten bushels per acre will be enough,
phosphates contain a good deal of lime, enough
perhaps for ordinary crops when they are lib
erally applied. Direct applications of lime are
generally made, not to supply plant-food, but
as an amendment to the soil, to develop its
hidden resources. Heavy clays and lighter soils
♦hat arc filled with vegetable matter are
most benefitted by it. As a rule also, regions
farthest north in the cotton belt are more
likely to receive benefit from liming than those
farther south. Try an application of lime on
a small scale, and note results next summer.
One had better go rather slow in this matter.
It is too late now to expect much from lime on
the present winter’s grain crop. But land
limed now ought to show its effect a little on
next summer’s crops, and still more on grain
Crops succeeding them. It is useless to apply
lime to wet, undrained land ; but wet lands
that have been recently drained are quite apt
to be improved by liming. There is usually an
excess of vegetable acids in the soil of such
lands, which limo will correct. If any of our
teaders have experience in liming land, will
theA not kindly give it to The Constitution.
W. L. J.
FAKAI QUESTION BOX.
J. F. B. Evinston Station, Fla: I have about a
ton each of cotton seed meal, acid phosphate and
•table manure, which I wish to use in eorme tion
With four tons of hard wood asiies on my Irish po
tatoes, cucumbers and cabbage next December and
January. Please say in your next when to mix, and
Whether the cabbage and potatoes need more ashes
than tho cucumbers ?
Mix phosphate and stable manure at once.
Dampen the manure and mix thoroughly with
phosphate, placing the mixture under shelter
in a pen and tramping |it firmly. When
ready to apply mix other substances with
manure and phosphate mixture. One object
in composting tho manure and tho phosphate
bow, is to get the manure thoroughly disinte
grated so that it may be evenly mixed with the
other substances, and be uniformly distributed
on the land. Ashes make an excellent manure
for vegetables—potatoes need them, however,
snore than other vegetables. Cabbages are
rank feeders and call fur full supplies of all
♦he valuable ingredients of manure, and are,
therefore, benefitted by ashes, but not to tho
fame extent as potatoes. Both po'atoes and
cabbages call for more ashes than cucumbers
do.
J. R. V., Kincheon, Ala.: 1. When Is the best
time w break stub 1 j laud? Have coat of weeds and
Crass on it. 2. Which is the best plan, stea l or
trg> : The land is on the swamp; landy, light oil,
with go xl clay foundation.
1. The time to turn under weeds, etc., varies
With nature of soil. In close clay soils decom
position goes on more slowly than in open
•andy soils. Hence, with the former vegeta
ble may be plowed in much longer in advance
of a growing crop which is to appropriate its
products, without danger of lose by leaching,
THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION. ATLANTA. GA.. TUESDAY. OCTOBER 25, 1887.
than would be advisable with a loose sandy
soil. Where clay soils abound, the old middle
Georgia rule of turning under stubble and
weeds the first thing after Christmas is about
as good as any. With lighter soils it may be
deferred till tho middle or last of February,
and instead of breaking broadcast, bed up and
let the beds remain. On light soils it is well
to have the beds settled by rain before plant
ing time. Hence the practice in some locali
ties of planting on old beds (last year’s) without
rebeddtng— only putting some fresh dirt on
top of tho old bed. Your land is not proba
bly light enough, however, to require this prac
tice. Still, bedding in advance and freshening
the surface of beds with a harrow at planting
time, would doubtless w ork well in your case.
2. A large plow by all means. A small
plow will choke up in heavy weeds and grass.
A heavy two-horse plow with high throat is
the implement needed. The sulky plow, the
best of all. Tho depth of furrow need not bo
great. A large plow can be made to run only
three or four inches deep, and that would bo
enough on the land described. It is probably
never good practice to bury vegetable matter
deep in tho soil. The surface soil is that in which
baking and crusting occurs. Keep it therefore
loose and friable by supplying it liberally
with vegetable mold. Moreover, the tendency
of plant food is to sink downwards in tho
soil. Start it, therefore, near the surface.
There is some pith in tho statement that the
soil is made right side up. It is only by slow
degrees that the subsoil can be safely brought
to the surface.
W. 11. .1. Milo, Ala.: You will find enclosed speci
mens of a clover, which grows in this county, one
of your subscribers desires to know botanical name,
will you please give it.
“Richardsonia Scabra” is the name of plant
sent. It is variously called Mexican, Spanish,
and Florida clover. It is not a true clover, but
is a valuable forage plant. It is said to boa
native of South America, and probably of
Mexico also.
Edinburg, Miss I notice several articles publish
ed in The Constitution telling how to prevent
wevils from injuring corn. I will give an 1 nfallible
plan: The egg is deposited in the corn be Ore it is
gathered ; therefore you should gather y. ur corn as
soon as it is dry. When early gathered it will create
a great heat, which destroys the egg. Try It.
J. M. Shvey.
J. W. N., Utica, Miss : Plense inform me whether
lespedezes will keep sound when stacked in field.
Some of my neighbors, who have tried it, say it will
not. 1 have about- fifteen tons, put up in stacks, well
tramped; stacks about twelve feet in diameter.
Will it stand the winter rains.
Have never seen it stacked, but presume it
is like clover about shedding rain. Has less
power to do this than grass or straw. But if
stack is built properly, swelling out from the
foundation for some distance upward before it
is drawn in, and the upper fourth of the stack
built up with straw or grass, we have no doubt
it would stand the weather very satisfactory.
Any kind of forage can be kept in stacks if the
“drawing in” is properly done and the stack
well capped with straw or fodder. But the
cap should not be only a couple of bundles just
at the top. It should extend outward so as to
overhang the stack, reaching to its side.
A. S. D.: I have a fine mare, badly diseased in her
front feet. I was told it was caused by wearing
shoes too long, when very young. She will be six
in the spring. Do you think her hoofs are con
tracted? I was told so. She walks on hard ground
like her feet was very sore. She docs very well
when the ground is soft. When standing, bears as
little weight as possible, on front hoof, Icontiuually
changing. Can you tell me what will cure her?
Symptoms rather indicate a case of chronic
founder. This is a slight inflammation of tho
layer between the horny part of the hoof and
the bone in center of foot. In such cases the
animal stands on his heels as much as possible,
drawing tho hind legs forward under the belly
and extending the forelegs forward to relieve
the toe. It is very difficult to cure. The horse
should be kept off hard roads as much as pos
sible and a leather shoe placed between the
iron shoe and hoof to serve as a pad and lessen
the jarring of tho inflamed part. Horses thus
affected may do good service on a farm as
plow animals, having to walk only on soft
ground. There may bo such a thing as contrac
tion of the foot, but it is not common. Tho
remedy is to have tho shoe nailed on, on one
side of the hoof only.
W. K. W., Winona, Mias: Please tell mo howto
treat a four-year-old horse that is lame from an en
largement just above the hoof and below the first
joint. I think it grows. At first he did not limp.
If the swelling is hard, it is probably "ring
bone,” a rather difficult disease to cure. But
as your horse is young, you might try the fol
lowing: Clip the hair over the swelling, and
rub in for eight or ten minutes an ointment of
ono drachm of brimodido of mercury to an
ounce of lard. Tie the horse’s head so he can
not reach the part with his mouth. The next
day wash off and grease with lard. After a
week, make another similar application. If
the swelling abates but docs not disappear en
tirely, a third application may be made.
Conyers, Ga.: I see inquires about the cultivation
of broom com. I have a new variety and will fur
nish the seed at one dollar p r peck and write full
particulars as to planting, cultivating, gathering,
cureing and preparing for market. I raised $23
worth of this corn on one-half acre of laud this
year and will have a sample on exhibition at tho
state fair. With the same work it will pay double
what cotton will. Truly yours,
J. M. Bentlev.
Orange I’reserves,
Denton county, Tex., October 16, 1887.
Someone asks for receipt for orange preserves.
Here is one copied from an old book. Do not know
how good it is, as I've never tiied it myself: Take
any number of oranges with rather more than their
weight in white sugar, slightly grate the oranges
and score tliem round with a knife, but not cut
deep; put them in cold water
for three days, change the water three
or four times a day, tie them
up in a cloth, boil until they are soft enough for the
head of a pin to penetrate Hit skin. While they are
boiling, place tiie sugar on the lire with rather more
than a lialf pint of water to each pound; let it boil
for a minute or two. Hum strain through muslin.
Put the oranges in the syrup till it Jellies, and is of a
yellow color. Try the syrup by cooling some: it
must not be too still. The syrup ue :d not cover the
oranges, but they must be turned so each ; art gets
thoroughly done. Was coeoanut cake recipe with
out layers ever given? I asked for it, but have miss
ed it.
Prince Yturbide and Carlotta's Bing.
Paris Letter to tlie Philadelphia Telegraph.
I see by the American papers that young Prince
Auguste Yturbide is now in the United States. I
remember me.'ting his cousin, prince Salvador
Yturbide, at Long Branch, I think, in the summer of
1873. He was then u very young man and exceeding
ly handsome, with splendid black eyes and
a thoroughly Spanish aspect. Though only just of
age, he was already married to a Viennese lady of
rank, the Austrian royal family extending its pro
tection to him as to ids cousin, Prince Auguste, the
latter being 'I e adopted son and promised heir to
Maximilian when the ill-fotjd archduke assumed
the Mexican crown.
Among Prince - ilvivlor’s treasures was a curiously
wrought nn I ma sive gold ring, the gilt of Hie un
fortunate Empress Carlotta. One of the belles of
the fast s< t of that period at Long Brunch ex pre - -.<■ 1
g: gu t admiration of tins the jo’lure
drawing it from ids finger, gallantly “placed it at
her disposal,” after the tisual formula of Spanish
politeness. The lively girl took him at his word,
thanked him enthusiastically, and wont offwlth the
ring. Tlie prince, in great tribulation,
so ight out tho gentleman who bad introduced
him to tho damsel, and begged him
to obtain for him the return of the ring, us be would
never dare to present himself before the Imperial
family of Austria will out it. Bit Hie young lady
on being approached on the subject, positively re
fused to give up the trinket in • uestlon. “If tho
prince did not mean to give it to me, why did he
say that he did?’’ was her very pertinent response.
I forget how the matter ended, but the prince was
probably, at all events, cured of a very silly and un
meaning formula of i-panleh poll tenet*
DURING THE WEEK.
The Week’s Synopsis of General
and Local News
CONDENSED FOR OUR WEEKLY FRIENDS
Tuesday, October 18.—The Princess Mand and
Princess Louise, daughters of the prince of Wales,
are sußering from tho measles The ginhc uc of
Mr. P. E. Wells, of Lee county, Ala., was destroyed
by fire, together with five bales of cotton, with no
insuiaticcV petition has bce.i presented to tho
oidinary of Lumpkin county, praying for the order
ing ot an election on ti e liquor question The
Kent and Lake View hotels, together with several
cottages, were destroyed by lire at Lake View, caus
ing a loss of $560,000.
In the City.—-Four men supposed to be pick
pockets, were given cells in the city prisonAn
unusually large number of drunks were booked at
police headquartersL. C. Bandman, the trunk
makers, made an assignment for the benefit of their
creditors.
Wednesday, October 19.—A disastrous fire oc
curred in Syracuse, N. ¥., entailing a loss of $350,000
The office of the Evening Democrat, a news
paper publislied iu Little Rock, Ark., was totally
destroyed by fire Mrs. Annie Lachs, the lady who
threw a pancake at Mrs. Cleveland while in S:.
Louis, was fined SSO and cost. She appealed her
cftse Great preparations are being made in Macon
for the reception of lion. Jeffers in Davis and wife,
who are to visit tlie state fairThe large cotton
and woollen mills of tho Park mount manufacturing
company at Lenni, la., were destroyed by fire,
causing a loss of $50,0 0.
In the City.—Seven pickpockets, under the
leadership of the notorious John Cannon, who has
a record from Maine to California, were arrested by
Detectives Buchanan and Simpson. Papers were
found on the person of Cannon that satisfied tl.e
officers that they had arrested the right parties,
Thursday, October 20.—A gas explosion oc
curred in the Bijou theater at Pittsburg, Pn., injur
ing a number of peopleWilliam'Walker, a heavy
importer of dress goods in New York, has failed for
slso,oooArgument before the court of appeals in
the Sharp case has been postponed until some t.nn
November The stockyaids and a fine hotel were
destroyed by fire in Wichita, Kan., causing a $150,-
000 loss.
In the City—ln tl e crush at the Kimball house
the sheriff of Elbert county was relieved of his
watch, but he detected the thief before he got out of
sight and secured his watchT. J. Edwards, a
merchant at Fido, Ga., was relieved of a purse con
taining sixty-four dollars Charles Cochran and
Joe Baldwin, two pickpockets, were given cells at
police headquarters,
Friday, October 21.—Two trains came together
on the Erie railroad, demolishing several carsand
fatally injuring the conductor of one and the fire
man and two train hands of the other. The con
ductor and fireman will die ... A negro named Mc-
Cutchen shot and killed a white man named Riles
in Columbia, 8. C., in a dispute over a contract.
The negro escaped, but the county is being scoured
for him Mr. Sube Lumly, a young man near
Maci n, had Ids arm caught in a gin anti horribly
mangled while cleaning the cotton seed from it.
Saturday, October 22.—Andrew Fletnming,
colored, was hanged at Tallulah, Louisiana, for the
murder of Demp Benyc n, another negroA disas
trous fire occurred in Marinette, Wis., destroying
two entire blocks, consisting of twenty fine stores,
entailing a loss of something over s2oo,oooßishop
Kopp, new prime bishop of Brestan, took the oath
of civil allegiance to the emperor, the first instance
of such an oath being taken since tho Cuttcrkampf,
The southern Forestry congress will meet in
Huntsville, Ala., on tlie 26th instant.
In the City.—A white man named J. L. McWil
liams, who lived a few miles from the city, was
killed at the Mitchell street railroad crossing, being
struck and run over by one truck of a flat car which
was being switched upon the tracks of the Central
railroad at that point The photographs of the
seven pickpockets arrested Thundty, were taken
by the chief of police to place in the rogue s gallery
at police headquarters.
MARRIED IN GEORGIA.
In Columbus—Mr. W. 11. West to Miss Ella An
drews.
In White Sulphur Springs—Mr. John W. Parks to
Miss Mattie McGehee.
In Atlanta—Mr. Henry W. Mathews to Miss Cora
Laws: Mr, J. E. Clowers to Miss Minnie Flynn; Mr.
John W. Hollingsworth to Miss Kate B. Ozborn.
In Columbus—Mr. Charles Browne to Miss’Grace
Jackson.
In Macon—Mr. George Lumpkin to Miss Daisy
White.
In Thomas ion—Mr. John T. Allen to Miss Moy nl6
A. King.
In Sparta, Mr. Robert Hairison to Miss Minnie
Brinkley.
In Atlanta, Mr. W. B. Penfield to Miss Virne
Richards.
DEATHS IN GEORGIA.
In Atlanta—Mrs. M. M. Trabert; Mrs. Dollio N.
Vignaux; Mr. E. F. Muy; Mr. D. M. Hanes; Mr.
M. L. Cody.
In Girard—Mr. Berry’ Layfield.
In Macon—Mr. William B. Johnson; Mr. A:-a
Thompson.
In Columbus—Mrs, R, H. Smith.
In Washington—Dr. 8. G. N. Ferguson
In Sparta—Major J. P. Gobert.
In Greenville—Mrs. Dr. R. F. Hall.
InColumLu-i Rev. William Amos.
In Atlanta—Mr. E. F. May; Mr. Joel P. R *ynobis.
OUR OWN COLUMN.
W. A. Greene, Butler, Ga.: I bought a Premium
High-Arm Machine of you several months ago, and
It is all you claim for it. It is a i good as the best.
R. W. White, Yellow’ Creek, Ga.: I received your
Premium Low-Arm Machine in due time that I
ordered a few days ago. My wife hi.s given your
machine a fair trial in every way, and we find it
to be perfect in every respect. It works weil through
thick and heavy goods, and is just as represented by
you. We are well pleased with it.
How It Panned Out.
The exposition cost very nearly $200,000. The to
tal income, including floor space, sale of privileges
and gate money, was $209,000, leaving a profit of
$9,060. On one day the gate receipts am u del to
SIB,OOO. During the week the Richmond and Dan
ville carried 90.000 people to the ex|>osltion, and the
streetcar line 60,0)0. As many of these were chil
dren, the gate receipts, of course, did not represent
that number of full tickets. Leaving out the cost
of the building and grounds, the real profits of the
exposition itself will so )t up $37,000.
—■ •
Ho Wore It as a Shoulder Protection While
Carrying Coal.
From the Norwich Bulletin.
Some. Norwich boys found a woman’s bustle
last week, and being inspired by some lower power,
put It in a coal-carrier’s basket in place of the can
vas shoulder pad he had teen accustomed to use.
When the coal-carrier went out tlie next morning
with his first load of al his eye fell upon the
strange tiling for which he had n ) name.
‘That is this, Moike?” he said to the driver; and
although both of thorn wore family n.e.i, they were
sorely puzzled. Mike replied:
“Sure, I dunno. I never seed the likes of It be
fore
Not finding hh shctilder protector the coal-carrier
saw In it a novel substitute for it, and he said:
“Begorra, Moike, 1 have it! This Is a patent
shoulder piece the bo«s has got me!” and he put the
old bustle on his shoulder, ami iimling that it v.k* a
fair fit, tied the string an.mid his nc k. He worked
with the new protector all day to the
amusement of ali who rec•> aiizcd the bustle in ;- i< h
high me. Pat noticed that the new protector made
Mm a so irce of con -iderablc curiosity, but he did
not learn the truth until he showed it to the bot-s in
the evening, when thanking Mm for the gM, he
“I he inventor of this meant well, but he never
they cut like a knife; but, begorra, the thort is a
good one, and I can make oneoz it that’ll wor
ruk!”
His employer informed him that he had boon s ib-
JecUMtoa practical Joke; that his •boulder pro
tector was a bustle that had seen its day and been
laid away.
Mike, the driver, smiled, and said; “Its never
seen a greater day than this. Twenty tons or
coal have Loen ento it. I’ll bet a Lett ;r man mver
wore one than Pat Donegan.”
ACCUSED OF MURDER BY A GHOST.
Important Discoveries in a Virginia Mystery
Made Through an Apparition.
From the Bt. Louis Globe Democrat.
The death of Lem Mercer, a farmer, who
for many years had been a resident of Pleasant
county, M est Virginia, his demise occurring
about ton days ago, has had tlie effect of reviv
ing, in a most decided manner, local interest in
a most horrible murder, which, some thirts
iive years ago,produced a tremendous sensation
all along the upper Ohio valley, from Wheel
ing to Parkersburg, a distance of nearly ono
hundred miles.
The crime in question was committed in
Wetzel county and the victim was John Gam
ble, a prosperous citizen, who resided with his
family n few miles from the town of New Mar
tinsville, then as now, the county seat. Gam
ble was of a speculative turn of mind and fre
quently visited New Martinsville to dispose of
livestock or whatever else he had to realize
upon. At such times, aftetftinding a customer,
Gamble would have several hundred dollars in
his possession, and there were frequent pre
dictions, fram the careless manner inwliich he
displayed his money when under tlie inlhience
of liquor, that some day there would be a
tragedy and that he would bo the victim.
One day late in tho summer of 1853 Gamble,
who lived on the river shore almost directly
opposite the little town of Sardis, came up to
New Martinsville with some portable property
of some sort or other, which he disposed of,
realizing therefrom about S2OO. Mercer was
in town that day, and tho two men, being
well known to each other, soon got. to drinking
together. Toward dark Gamble concluded
that ho would start for homo, and as
Mercer’s route also lay along tho river
for a mile or so before he turned off
to go through tho hills, ho told Gamble ho
would accompany him thus far on his journey.
The two men took one more drink together,
and then started off along the river road,
Gamble being more under the influence of
liquor than his companion. Gamble was never
seen alive afterward. Ho not arriving at his
home that night his family and friends* tho
next day caused an extended search to be
made, hut all to no purpose. No trace of the
missing man could be found. Mercer was
questioned, hut ho insisted that ho left his
companion at tho point their paths diverged,
and that he had no knowledge whatever of hi.s
fate.
Thus matters rested for a week or two, when
the body of the missing man was found lodged
against some rocks in the. channel of tho river,
twenty miles or more below tho point where
Mercer claimed to have left him. No one
could account for his death, and it was urged
by some that, being intoxicated, ho had simply
fallen over the precipitous bank of the stream,
and that death by drowning had resulted.
Others, however, insisted that a crime had
been committed, basing their claim mainly
upon tho fact that the remains wore partially
disrobed and had been stripped of everything
of value.
Thus matters went on for two or three
months, when events of a rather unusual ami
sensational nature transpired. A party of
young men in returning from a corn shelling
beo came to tho brow of the immose hill which
bounds tho town on tho east, where a halt was
called. The hillside was very steep, and as
there were two paths leading down to the
river bottom, one direct but difficult and dan
gerous, and the other, while a little longer
comparatively easy, a dispute arose as to which
should be taken. The dispute waxed warm
and finally the party separated into two rival
factions, each agreeing to take ono of the
routes, and a wager being made, conditioned
that the party last arriving on the court house
square should buy a gallon of whisky.
The party which took the longest hut less
precipitous route came out on the river bottom
about a mile below the town, and just south of
the location of a swampy piece of land. Tho
owner of this land had cut a deep ditch through
the high bank of tho river to drain the hollow
behind, and tho depression thus formed had
assumed the shape of a small ravine, full of
brush and small trees. A path ran along tho
river bank, parallel with the stream, and
thus crossed this ravine at right angles.
This path was tho one taken l)y Mercer
and (iambic on the night when the
latter met iris death, and tho spot about the
little ravine was an extremely lonely one at the
houx when the belated party of corn-hu.-kers
arrived upon the scene. The young men had
been traveling at their utmost speed to avoid
leaving to buy a jug of whisky, and by the
time they came to the ravine one of their num
ber, John Hineman, who was tho proprietor of
a tavern and saloon in town, was so badly
blown that he could no longer keep up. He
told his companions not to risk losing the wager
on his account, but to hurry on to the appoint
ed rendezvous and thus win tho bet, and he
would follow after he had become rested a bit
and help to drain the jug tho others would
have to fill.
Hineman sat down upon tho edge of tholit
tle ravine to rest, and tho remainder of the
party hurried on to town. They had barely
got beyond hearing when Hineman was star
tled by a slight noise behind him, and on look
ing around ho was horrified at. seeing a tall
figure, robed from neck to heels in white,
standing within a few feet of him. The
frightened man managed to call out, “Who’s
there?’’to which a muffled voice made an
swer that it was tho spirit of John Gamble
who had been murdered close by. Hineman
managed to screw up courage enough to ask
who committed the crime, when the “spirit”
replied: “Lein Mercer.” The white-clad
figure then stole slowly ami softly away, ami
Hineman lost no time in getting upon his legs
ami hurrying to town. He made his appear
ance on the public square more dead than
alive, but. after a pull or two at the jug man
aged to relate to his companions what, had oc
curred. The next morning a party visited the
ravine, and after a thorough search of tlie lo
cality, succeeded in discovering some articles
which were recognized as belonging to tho
murdered man.
A Mean Revenge.
From the Chlcago|Herald.
A drummer had a spite at a hotel in Pales
tine, Tex., and resolved on a terrible revenge. So
whenhowentto (• UvcFton he “bagged” a lot of
cockroaches, f ,r which the i.-laml efty is cc’e -nit d.
Bringing a lot of the largest specimens, comm »n!y
called by native Galve.-tonhms “deggerkxigurH,” the
drummer took them to the hotel and turned them
loose in the hulls and corridors. In about two weeks
the hotel jwas swarming with them, and they got
into the soups,prcscrve.iJams.uiobLss'sJn the milk
everywhere,and worked|hard all day an 1 sat up all
night to help that drammer get even. They have
filled the hotel and gone to work on the private
houses, and now Palestine is accursed with them.
An Exchange of Eyes.
From tho Chicago Tribune.
A German, ono of whose eyes was severely
affected, went to an oculist for treatment. An ope
ration was necessary, and the eye was removed.
While treating the socket previous to transplanting
one from a rabbit, one of the visual organs of the
latter being preparer] and laid uj on the table, a cat
stole in, and before anyone could prevent had
scizijl and eaten the rabbit’s eye. No other rabbit
being at hand to furnish the eye, the oculist waited
until his patient hud recovered from the statu of
una.sth( sia necessary to thj operation, and explain
ed the dilemma to him.
“Yah, yah, de katz ate mine eye up; so, so, veil
put an eye of dot katz in mine eye. Dot katz got
mine eye, I vili hafdotkatz’s eye.”
'1 he oculist did so for the sake of an exf*criment,
when,range to say, the o]>erat:on was successful
and the cat’s eye worked i orfecty. One day the
German met a friend who ai<l:
“Hans. I hear dat yon huf a katzeye In your head
in, how ish dot?” Hans explaim <1 the circmnstam.s
and his friend said: “Oh, 1 see, dot katz got your
eye and you got dot katz eye, yah, nnd how does
dotkatz eye work? Can you see shust 0/gootas
nilt de odcr?”
“Yah, shoost so goot, aber at night ven J wants to
s.Mc I-, d i V rdumter eye i.hubt Busavaku looking
for rots.”
Complications of Justice.
From thclMUwaukee Sun.;
“Jim Richards n, am yer guilty of feloniously an’
unceremoniously an’ premcditioiio ;.dy stealing
ham We.’sei’s chickens wid-?ut Hikin’Ms permis
sion? asked Judge Johnson. “N », n.h,” rej lie I the
prisoner; “I never took ’em.” “But dcr chickens
were found in yer i«osse.'sbm; spluin dat.” “Well,
J didn't take • in; another nigger stoical'cm
all, an’ hej.in me half of Wiethe got O' gwine
’long and foldin’ de lantern; but, jedge, you
couldn’t hire a respectable nigger Hie me ter steal
things.” “Release the prisoner,” cried the Judge;
“ue has been a doin’ nothin* worthy of c<>n<lemi.a
tion: it would be a check on de iilantiesob de world
es dis court should say dat It was unlawful fer a
man ter hire out to hold a 1 mtem for another man,
whe*+cr the other man grecs ter jsiy htm Id chick
ens, uie clothes or money.”
BETSY AT THE FAIR.
The Crowds Strolling About In
the Rain.
SCENES DURING THE GREAT CRUSH.
Atlanty, Ga., October 20,1887. —I might as
well try to toll you how many draps of rain
fell yistiddy or how many folks was hero in
Atlanty as to try to tell you what all I seed
and hearn at tho exposition.
The weather last week was so pretty, put mo
in a mind oflndian summer when the tarripins
all gits out on a log to sun theyselves, and
it was the occasion of a powerful sight of folks
a gwine out, but it tvas too pretty to last, nnd
on a Monday it sot into rainin'. We seed
more fine silk dresses and hats and things
drenched in that rain as a little; —looks strange
how smart folks will put on tho best they got
and git it ruint at sieh a place as that. Our
gang had on tho best we had, but we never said
nothin’ about it and no body never knowed it.
Thcfeathers in Cindy Roberson's bat made
her look like a frizzled chicken under tho
drip. They was sot up high in front on ac
count of the fashion, and the wind Mowed 'em
wrong-sidc-out’ards, and they dript in red
streaks all over her face. Y till'd a thought
she’d been in a fight; her own mammy
wouldn't er knowed her.
I wisht you could er saw ono of them high
falutin Talladogy gals, she had a red bird with
a green tail, she give live dollars for it, sot high
up on her Sunday hat, and holt her head high
as a bantiuu chicken, till about a hour alter
the rain sot in the bird’s head drapt off, and it
wasn’t long till tho green tail was gone, ami
ther wasn’t nothin left of that ilvo dollar bird
but a little red chicken feather. She lowed
her feathers had fell and she was agwino
homo, and off she put that very night, never
waited to see the president nor his wile nor
none of his kin’. All our gang was drabbled
in mud knee deep, kaso wo walked out thar
ami back. That night wo washed out our
coat-tails and hung ’em to tho fire, and wore
’em next day rough dried kaso wo didn’t
have no more clothes with us.
Mol [Froshour’s black cotton lace died
her coat black as ink. and Liz Hasher’s red
kaliker frock faded in streaks and run into
tlie white braid, mid wo was all plum sights.
But wo taken it jolly. Ono of the Thateh
orson gals lost her 'Cleveland badge. She
tuck on powerful and had all her crowd a
huntin’ for it.
Air. Turnipseed ho aimed to go home a
Tuesday night attcc lie seed tlie president, but
ho staid to have his pietur’ struck
for Cousin Pink long as tothor
ono got ruint witli tlie cologne,
lie left his overcoat at liis boardin' house a
Monday, and when lie wont back for it, lie
couldn't find the house and had to git Cap to
go alter it for him.
Pap he lost his hat in the crowd and lied to
tie his head up in his bandanny handkorchcr
tel lie got to town. But laws, nothin can’t set
pap back.
We seed a heap on a Monday in spite of tho
rain. Wo went through tho main bnildin’
whar they got a little of over tiling. Tito folks
was as big a as anything else a gazin’
around with ther necks strotclied. Some was
a dartin from one thing to tothor not a soein of
nothin good. Wo taken it sorter slow, nnd
went up stars fust and looked at tho pictur’s.
Folks most went wild over Geo. I.
Seinoy’s kaso they was tho finest
thar. You cant tell no body
how a pietur' looks you got to see it for
yourself. Hal Morrison's was mighty good.
Mrs. Gregory had some fine ones up thar, one
of Bill Arp looked like ho was a fixin’of his
mouth to tell a joke. Them nigger pictures of
W. A. Walker's was good—nnd Ijwtts powerful
proud to see all them lino pictures flint John
Maddox drawed—they say ho got tho pre
mium on some of ’em. 1 could or
stood and looked at pictur’s
ail day but Calodony sho was
a takin of a fit to see the. crazy quilts, and
they had enough of ’em than to run a body
distracted. Some of’em was tho prettiest f
ever seed. They had some kaliker < ties, to >,
ami Calodony lowed, “Betsy, our'n at homo
is a heap pri ttier’n air’ll liero. If 1 had my
‘Wheel of Fortune’ mid ‘Pride and Glory of
the South,' they would git the blue ribbin bend
ami shoulders over air quilt liero.”
It was hard to get. Cnledony away from them
knit lace and embroidery and crochet things -
she’d a been up thar tel yit if Cousin Pink
hadn’t told her to come on down stairs to wlmr
they give away coffee. Cal she’d drink one
cup —(it belt about two thimbles full) and go
oft and come brick and make tho man think
she was somebody else and git another cup.
Wyly & Green, they give away buck wheat
cakes. Cal done them the samo way and nover
had to buy no dinner—’lowed she
was like old Miss Slack, she
wasn’t a gwine to pay for nothin’ when sho
could git it free. They give away lots of
things; sody, face powdel - , cotton seed, all
sorter pretty plotur’sand fans, and wo'uns had
our arms chock full. Cousin Pink sho was a
boldin’ of all our fans one time and tuckn seat
by herso’f to wait for us, and sho lowed ever
body come along holt out they hand for a fan.
thought she was the gal that was a givin’ of
’em away. Cal says sho seen a 'Oman
go up and grab a whole hand
full of cards—thought sho was
a gittin’ of sonio pretty piefurs nnd they never
had no piotars on’em. Sho had a paper bag
full of sody and nicturs and things that was
giv to her, and tho bag busted and spilt’em
all n tho mud and rain. She had two balloons,
a ried’n and a blue ’n tied to her a sailin’ high
over her head.
Mol Freshotirs was plum greedy about gittin’
fans ami picturs and things and lowed: “I
bet if I come here agin I fetch along a pillar
slip or somo'n to tote all my things in.”
I know in reason her and Liz Hasher and
Becky Jane Rountree hn<l pody enough it ’twa.s
sold to pay they way into th<s exposition. We
got tired totin’ of our’n anti give it all to them.
It was hard to keep our crowd together; some
wanted to see one thing and some tothor.
We all went around anti seed Miss Annie Den
nis from Tolberton,Ga.,aml she showed us her
things, over three hundred varieties of fruits
and vegetables that she put up herself,canned,
crystalized and evaporated, ami her jellies and
pickles ami home-made crackers couldn’t be
beat. We tasted her crystalizod figs, tho host
things you ever seed, and she had fine embroi
deries and paintings, ami Cal she
axed her if sho worked nights and Bundays.
Putnam county, Georgia, had more different
kind of things as any we seed; over'thiii; that
grows from u acorn and a dishrag gourd up to
eighty-five kinds of trees, and ono linmjjcd and
sixty-live kinds of roots and barks for medi
cines, and Cal she lowed old Miss Green would
er took a jeminy fit over all them “yarbs.”
Floyd county laid lots of fine things, ami
they was all showed off pretty. Rome sent a
heap, and cver’body says it will git the pro
minin.
I tell you the fac’, wo seed so much and
went so fast from ono thing to tother to try
and see it all ami get tho worth of our money
that wo can’t hardly tell you what county nor
state nothin’ was in. Iky Roberson said he
felt at home when he seed that possum in tlie
’sitnnion tree in Suintor county.
Becky Jane Rountree ’lowed it, made her
feel homesick to see all them big fat gourds
and sweet ’taters and turnips and pump
kins —but she can't tell you right
now whar none of cm glowed.
We was a lookin at the things from Tiillapoo v
and Becky Jane she looked up ami axed,
‘‘what is that thing a hangin upthar.” It was
a great big round gourd painted with gobi, ami
Mr. Adair he most tiled a laugbin kaso she
< omc from Alabainy and didn't know wiuit a
“fat-gourd” was.
Tlie biggest part of our crown come to see
tho president, mid wasn't a thinkin about no
gourds nor nutliin’.
Well, I’ve done like Aunt Nancy, talked
ami w< it <>n hero ami hain’t fold yon nothin’
about die president. Caludony mid Cousin
Pink end them's a callin' of in" to come on,
and (up Dewberry lie's a waitin’ for inc, so
I'll have to wait till next time to tell you how
wo ’uns seed the president umb r difficulties.
Bicisv Hamilton.
♦'
Apothem*!* of I’aper.
From the Philadelphia record.
Wc know it would come. The annonccment
hna been miuie thut a pai»er coffin lium been Invent
ed and put upon the market. A man may now
build hiM holme of paper, eat hit dinner from P4»«*r
piute t wip* his face with a paper handkerchief,
buy Mb w ife a paper piano ami go to his grave in a
j aper coffin. The coffin may pul ! for with a
piece of paper death published on auother
piece. There are few things more imeiul Hid a
paper.
a terrible fight.
Eight Lions and their Trainer Battling-in m
Cage-One Lion Killed. »
London. October 18.—Early this morning;
there was a fearful and oxciting battle in tho
Jubilee Exhibition at Liverpool. DelmonicoJ
thoniost plucky tamer of beasts, has been !
exciting the nerves of the visitors for a
long time by trifling in a cage with three bigj
forest Bonn. Five more lions, of a different]
kind, but very big also, arrived from Africa!
yesterday, and were put at once into the big’
cage with tho three already at home
They had no training, but Helmonico went in*
among (hem ami thrilled the crowd that filled'
the menagerie by an’unuyually sensational per
formance.
When ho had done, Mlle, Kora, his j»artner,
went in with the lions and took a little dog.i
Tins was repeated four times during the day/
ami the live new lions were too much stunned'
by the huge, noisy crowd about them and the
repeated visits of tlie lady, gentleman, and:
dog. to think of unythingelse. Their astonish-'
immt had not worn off. ami they were still
quiet when left alone for the night by the at
tendants at 10 o’clock.
Shortly after midnight, however, themenag-.,
erie was tilled with a frightful roaring and’
snarling, and a servant sleeping on the premi
ses rmliin •. in to find the l>ig iron cage rocking,-,
and the. < ight ln>ns lighting furiously rolled up
into a huge dark ball from which the blood
stained fur was living in all directions. Tho
huge beasts rolled over and over, dashing mad
ly against the sides of the cage, and biting
pieces out of each with a ferocity that was
sickening. All the sights organized to gratify
man’s fondness fnr iighl ing would have seemed
tho tamest child’s play in comparison.
After a while it In camo evident thatthero
were two distinct sides in tho battle, and tho
new arrivals were pitted at unfair odds against
the lions who had been in possession. Tho
efforts of tho servant to separate them only in
creased their fury, and at lasi he rushed off
for Delmonieo, who was asleep near by in
Edge lane. 'The tamer arrived half clad and
found his lions bleeding fearfully but still
fighting.
'l’he battle was narrowing down to a duel lie
tween two of the biggest lions, which woro
rapidly biting each other to pieces mi the mid
dle of the cage. I tccasionally tho battle be
came general, and for a tew seconds there would
be a wild jumble of snarling lions with a sav--
ago crunching of let th to tell how the ilesh was
being tom. The appearance of Delmonieo with
a rod hot iron produced an effect, and all but
tho two chief combAtants stopped fighting and
crouched sullenly down, licking their bloody
wounds and snarling encouragement to the
two leaders.
On these in their rage hot iron was useless,
even when applied to raw Hesh. Tho lions re
sponded to the burning sensation only by tear
ing away at each of her nun e. fiercely.
At last Delmonieo, f< . :ing he would lose his ;
two greatest actors, took a resolution whichj
would probably not ha\ e occurred to any other
man if the existem e of I he entire animal crea
tion, had been threatened. He entered tho
cage half clad as ho. was and shut himself in.
lie next opee.’M a door csmimuidcating with a
second ami d < >vo into it liko so many sheep
the six lions that h;id been looking on.
Meanwhile tiio other lions were still
although much weakcr. 1 tehnonico’fiatlcmpts
to separate them weto useless. They paid not
the slightest. at( -ntion to him, and althoug in
their struggles (hey d i-hed against him, they
weic idently unconr.’ ions of his presence.
Before Uio tamer could form any plan to
separate, them the fight ended of itself. Tho
Big fore t Hon, who 1 id been defending his
home against, the live strangers, rolled over on'
his bad', grow b tl faintly, and died as the other,
siezt <1 him u ..tin by thr i.it. One of tho front
leg . was gnawed o f completely, a hind leg
was ebcw« d toa pulp, all of the manoaml most
of the nock Win; bitten away ami tho body was
covered with blood, was the entire cage.
There was n >t on the d ad lion any unbitten
whole piueo of \'m l,*i _v enough to have made
a glove. ID* had fougl-i lor his rights just as
long as he had becu a'do to work his teeth and
claws.
'i’he victor seeuv'd at first inclined to dash at
the tamer an I at tin* lions in the neighboring
cage, but he changed fi. jniud under Delmon
ico’s eye, and after a w< ak but triumphant roar
over tlie body of his victim he retired into a
corm r and moam d over his wounds. Although
conqueror, In- wa not to be envied. Hismauo
was gone ami bis body looked as though an
aspccially wi» !;i d burro'. 1 , had been repeatedly
dragged over it. Blood trickled from a hun
dred ugly wound , aim there is little hope that
’he'will live. Curiously i nuugh. not one of tho
lions had ils I til bitten oil in the fray, whichi
seems to iml'cate that .some code of honor ex
ists among lions wb » h prevents them from,
making each other ridiculous, even in the
deadliest combat.
'i’he otic i i x lions ill live, but they were so
bitten thatonly two • ..dd be patched upto
perform today, and ihcir m.mglci). appearance
terrified .Mlb*. Kora’ I itt'e dog out of all recol
lection ol his role. 'l’he loss if the second lion
dii’M will be shout l.ic >. hi any case he will
always remain a da uig d i < n.
G. FRAN 1S THM -’S I AIRY TALE.
A Now IlnliuchiaHoii to tho Effect that Lin*
coin’s Body Has Bern Stolen.
SpRINGKIEbn, HI . (>. toiler 18—GeorgO
Francis Train has made the startling discovery
that tho remains of Abraham Lincoln are nob
in the sarcopbagii al tlie tomb here, as tho
people of the nation ar L id, and believe, but*
that they are in the h; ids of some unprinci
pled shyloek, who is ho ding them for specu
lation, and that inside of ten years they will<
be. offered for sale to . -■in<; enterprising dlmo'
museum man to In. carted around the country,
as a curiosity. 'I hi.; afternoon Air. Train, in<
company with Mrs. Belva A. Ijockwood and a
number of radicaiin forim rs,who have been ut-1
tending the industrial reform convention, vis
ited the tomb of the martyr preddent.
At the monument there is an old man whoso
duty it is to relate to .i ilors the history ot
the sacred relics there, kept , and who never
fails to relate tlie *«!•>: yof the attempt made*
in 1878 to steal tiie body from the cusket. Mr.
Train listened to the stor through, and then)
informed tho narnilor that the stealing was a'
job, and that the body that rested in Htjcurityj
in tho grave of stone was not the remains of*
Abraham Lincoln, but a duplicate and a sham.)
The party was dumbfounded at the startlingl
assertion, even from tin . startling man, and it’
was the chief topic of conversation during the 1 .
remainder of the trip. A reporter called oui
Mr. Train shortly alter he returned from thqj
cemetery and asked what reasons there were*
for believing Ute body in the tomb was not’
that of Lincoln. Ho replied that ho
had every reason in the world, ex
cept positive evid< nee, to prove that-i
body-snatchers had removed the body of Un-’
coin, and replaced it with tho dummy which*
was identified .by the guard of honor last spring!
as being tho original. Mr. Train claims that
the entire schenic for robbing tho grave waa<
planned by detectives, Thu monument asso
ciation was informed <*f the plot by a sccreti
service man, who overheard the planing of tho
scheme in a Chicago saloon. Ho claims tho
detectives who wuio with tho members of thoj
association the night of the robbery were in
cah<»oiH with the robbers, and that the inem-.
b' rs of tho monument as ociatkm present were**
innocent, stool-pigeons.
It is Train’s theory that two men who worn
captured were paid for going to tho penitenti
ary, ami that tho detectives were aware whent
thed< ed was committed that they could nob
1,0 sent to prison for a longer time than ono
year. It was done for the reward, and that
would come by bartering the body.
A gentleman pros' nt at the moment when
Train made known his outl uulish theory, wan
in tho secret Horvirc under General Henry B.
Carrington during the. war, and says that tho
i<l‘ ais worth inve ligating, and that tho facta
sJi' ul<l be brought out.
George Fram i, Train received the following
tele ■,run tonight from Fulton Gardner, editoif
<d the Western Newsman, No. 158South Clark
street, Chicago; “Your paper No. 2 suppress
ed on the stieet. Newsboys arrested; uolico,
di tmying papers. What, will we do?’’ To
which'Frain replied: “Congratulations; free
sppocli Kui>pres-ed, and. of course, fire preHL'
kill'd. Sheol checkmated. Relinquishment
is possession.”
Frightful Waste.
Consumption carries of its thousands of vic*,
tims every year. Yes, thousands of humaw
lives arc being wasted that might be saved, for
the fact is now established that
in its early stages, is curable. Dr. Pierce’s,
“Golden Medical Discovery” will if used in
time, effect a [lennerneiit cure. It hosnoeoual
a . a remedy for bronchitis, coughs and colds..
IU eiiicacv has been proved in thousands oft
cases. All Druggists.
7