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VOL. XIX.
HIS LAST DOLLAR.
BY WALLACE P. REED.
Tor The Constitution.
It was a cold winter night, and it was very !
uncomfortable in the little attic room.
The city clock was striking seven when
a thin, pale-faced woman arose from her bed, j
Where she had been vainly trying to keep warm
under her scanty covering. She was dressed,
on her every-day costume, and it was evident
from her appearance that she had not been ■
asleep. She had simply been trying for a few
moments to escapoAgm the bitter cold.
Mrs. Duval about the poorly fur-
nished rooms.
“Why does not come?” she said in
an anxious tone. “I knclw,” she added softly,
“that he will fail, but pcrh’aps he will be more
fortunate tomorrow.”
Just then the door opened and Francis
Duval entered.
The moment the woman saw her husKtad's
face she knew that ho had been unsuccessfffl.
Without a word she. threw her arms around
his neck and kissed him.
“Oh, Francis!” she exclaimed, “I am so ,
glad that you have come!”
Duval looked down at his frail young wife, |
and shuddered.
•“You are a rare woman to receive me with
such a welcome,” he said; “but you do not
know all.”
“I can guess,” was the quiet answer.
“Yes,” responded Duval; “it is the same old
story. I found that it was useless to apply for
employment. Old Bidwell was as hard as a
flint. He said that my passion for gambling
made me so absolutely untrustworthy that he
would not have anything to do with mo.”
“Was that all, Francis?”
“No,” said the young man moodily; “ho
handed me a fivc-dollar bill, and said that on .
looking over his books he had found that it was
’flue me and had been overlooked.”
- A flush camcover Mrs. Duval’s white face,
and she almost danced about the room in a
joyfid way.
“Five dollars!” she cried. “Why, Francis,
that is a little fortune. It will buy coal and
something to cat. Wc can make ourselves so
comfortable tonight, and tomorrow you will
feel like a new man. and I feci sure that you
Will get something to do.”
The man bowed his head and groaned.
■ “Is anything the matter? Are you ill?”
his wife asked.
“I did nob tell you all,” he said. “You
know my failing, 1 had the bill changed and
walked along the streets thinking of what I
4 could buy. and bring to you, Almost before I
\nevr it f was in front of the Palace.' You know
-Whal I mean?”
“That horrid gambling den!”
“Yes. Ido not wonder that you speak of it
in that way. It has stripped me of everything
I had. It has lost me my situation, and
reduced us to starvation. Yes, it is a den of j
devils!”
“Francis”—and the little woman again .
threw her arms around his neck—“ Francis, I .
have something to tell yon.”
“What can it be?” he asked with a faint
smile.
“I have got a dollar,” she whispered.
“A dollar!” he gasped.
“Yes, a whole dollar; I found it in my trunk
while you were out. So, you see, there is no
danger of our starving or freezing tonight. I
hate to have you go out again in this terrible
weather, but in five minutes you will return
■with a little coal and a hot lunch, and there
Will be something left for breakfast,”
■ “And tomorrow ?” suggested Francis.
“It will be all right tomorrow,” said his
wife, speaking rapidly. “I think you realize
how near death yonr fatal habit has brought
us. Think of it, my husband! You will never
gamble again?”
Duval's eye flashed fire.
“Never. I swear it!” he shouted. "Any
thing but that. I will go at any kind of honest
work if you will stand by mo and be patient.”
“Then,” broke out the little woman, “our
fortune is made. I will talk to Mr. Bidwell
myself tomorrow, and I am sure that he will
listen to me. Here is the money. You will
not be gone long, will you?”
“You may expect me back in almost no
time,” replied Duval, as he buttoned his over
coat to his chin.
lie lost no time in talking about it, but
bolted through the door, and rushed off.
He did not knowhow it happened, but before
he could compose his thoughts he found him
self in front of the Palace.
The blaze of light attracted him, and almost
unconsciously he walked in and joined a little
group playing roulette.
Duval did not know what he was doing.
When he found two dollars in his hand and
saw that he had won it on the red, he tried the
Same color again and doubled his money.
Then an outcry startled him. He had staked
his money on the eagle, and had been again
successful.
Almost blinded, with a strange light gleam
ing in his eyes, he continued to play, and at
the end of two hours his pockets were well
Stuffed with bills and coin.
It was no longer the half-starved, penniless
clerk standing in that admiring circle of game
sters. It was Duval, the favorite of fortune!
He yielded to the importunities of several
new acquaintances and went to a private room
for a quiet game of poker.
It was midnight, and the lucky gamester
had cleaned out the entire crowd.
He hastily counted his money, and found
that he had sixteen thousand dollars I
Without saying a word to explain his sudden
departure, ho stowed his winnings safely away
in the inside nockets of his coat, and hurried
out into the street.
« * * • e *
The steps leading to the little attic room
creaked under the eager steps of the man who
was ascending them with a basket and several
bundles in his arms.
“My God!” lie said to himself. “It is
nearly morning, and I forgot all about her.
But Dow it will be all right, and when she sees
What a fortune my last dollar has brought us
She will bo as merry as a lark.”
He paused just outside the door, but could
hear nothing.
“Os course she is asleep,” he said. “Well,
it i.s all the better. It was too cold for the
poor, hungry little thing to sit up and wait."
With a smile on his face he gently opened
the door and stepped in.
“My dear!” he whispered.
The face on the pillow was very white, and
the fragile figure under the covering wsu mo
tionless.
“Darling,” said Duval, “open your eyes and
look!”
He placed his bundles on the floor,and drew
out a package of bank notes.
Still the figure on the bed showed no signs
of life.
A horrible thought entered the watcher’s
mind. He dropped the money and rushed to
i his wife’s bedside.
He kissed her cold lips, and chafed her icy
hands, and cried aloud in his despair.
It was too late.
His last dollar must have carried a curse
with it.
When the people of the house looked into
the room early the next morning and saw the
■ dead woman on the bed, the piles of money
! scattered about on the floor, and the gibbering
maniac who was crouched in one corner, they
could not understand the mystery.
Happily Duval did not live many days. He
was buried by the side of his wife, and his
money went into the hands of strangers who
did not know and did not care how it had been
obtained.
THEY DON'T KISS IN CHICAGO.
And it May be that the Big-Foot Gilds Out,
There are Kicking.
From the Chicago Tribune.
Kissing is out of style. Nobody does it now
but sweethearts, young children and teachers.
The first blow was struck by the medical pro
i session about the time of the decease of I’rin
j cess Alice. Ever since the practice has been
I denounced, and in families where proper
I respect is paid to hygiene, children are strongly
cautioned against promiscuous kissing.
In society a woman is not kissed twice in a
season. When an old friend is greeted and
she advances with her lips the victim turns her
face and the caress falls askance. I’osstbly the
very woman who is opposed to the practice
takes the initiative,but her lips never meet lips.
She may kiss within a fraction of your mouth
—kiss your chin. your cheek, or your forehead;
kiss your “eyelid into repose,” or kiss your
hair, but if she lias had any training socially
she will never kiss your mouth.
The repugnance to kissing is due largely to
academic training. In nearly all the famous
colleges for ivomen there is a special teacher or
■ doctress in physiology, and in the so-called
oral recitations the pernicious effects of oscu
lation are considered at great length. Byway
of tolerating what seems to be a necessary evil
various theories are advanced and various pro
visions advocated. The girl who comes from
Smith college, Northampton, kisses on the
obliqe lines that fall from the left corner of
your mouth, but when kissed is so adroit in the
way she jerks her head that the point of salu
tation may bo found on a radius from the right
of her denpure little mouth. The Vassar grad
uate kisses more than her Smith college friend,
but the chin is her choice, as you will observe
in an attempt to salute her. The seniors from
Wellesley press their kisses high up on the
face, almost under the sweep of the eyelash,
and the Lake Forest and Harvard Annex
maidens kiss at a point equally distant from
the nose and ear.
Nothing is more dainty than tiro kiss of a
wellbred chaperon, who, mindful of the time
and trouble spent over the powder bo?, gently
pres: sc her lips on your hair just north of your
ear. The minister’:-: wife i.s another sweet soul,’
who knows where a kiss will do the least harm,
and her favorite method is an air kiss, with
the gentle pressure of her check to your check.
The woman of fashion, who patronizes and.
lets you visit her while she is at her siesta,
i kisses you anywhere about the triangle between
: the eye, oar and hair line. She learned long
■ ago about the incompatability of haste and
| grace, and as she advances you see her lips
turn in, and simultaneously with the kiss is a
thick, vicious noise that sounds like the tear
ing of a middle aged marshmallow drop.
The Oldest Church in Virginia.
From the Washington Star, November 15.
The movement to restore the Old B-ick
church at Smithfield, Va., which is supposed to be
the oldest church in Virginia, has been successful,
and the restoration is nearly complete. This
church was built in 163.’, and was occupied contin
ually for two centuries. Among other contributions
to the restoration were 2,000 bricks which had
formed the wails of the Bay church, which, though
of Inter date, was associated i with the Old Brick
church. These bricks have passed through several
hands since they were torn from the Bay church,
having served mcst of their time in the walls of a
farmer's kitehen, while part of them stood for a
while as the waits of a burying ground. Now they
strengthen the walls of the restored Old Brick
church. The roofs just put ou the restored edifice
are the fourth set. The first, put on in 1C32, re
mained till 1737—105 years; in 1737 the second set
was put on and remained until about 1821 (81 years),
when new ones were substituted for them. These
remained until the present summer, when they
were removed, the church roof having fallen in.
There will be 21 stained glass memorial windows in
the church. Os the side windows in the church one
will be a memorial of the Indian Princess Pocahon
tas, the first fruits of the gospel in Virginia. The
window immediately opposite this one, on the north
side, will be a memorial of the Rev. Robert Hunt,
the apostle from Christian England to heathen Vir
ginia, and the one immediately west of his will be
in memory of Colonel: Josiah Parker, one of the
Earl of Macclesfield I’arkei*, a meinl.er of Wash
ington's staff, the first member of congress from that
district.
Some Famous Kisses.
Two kisses that bid fair to be famous in
their results are the talk of the newspapers. One
of them helped the democrats lose Ohio.
The Chicago Tribune says of it: “General Gor
don’s osculatory exploit iu Ohio was as pathetic as
an Ella Wheeler poem. It was an unkissed kiss.”
The unkissed kiss is not, however, half as sad as
the kiss kissed in the wrong place. Os this, the
second famous kiss, the Boston Globe says; “Mis.
Langtry threatens to discharge her leading man be
caused he kissed her shoe. The Lily should not be
so particular. He couldn't hurt the shoe that
vjuy.”
It seems, indeed, that no man can be too particu
lar what and how he kisses.
The conscientious kisser knows that
“There's many a slip
’Twixt the cup and the lip,”
And many a kiss
Has ixien printed amiss.
The Judas kiss is famous, but it is a chestnut.
Becaus: men don't kiss each other nowadays. And
it would 100 impracticable in New York to attempt
to introduce the practice.
The Duchess of Devonshire gave kisses for votes.
Miss Nelly Cook, of Wayne county, has given her
band to the man who worked hard, if unsuccess
fully, to elect her to office. And a kiss, too, no
doubt, to seal the nuptial bargain.
.
A Demand for Nerve Tonic.
Chicago News.
In prohibition Atlanta you call for “nerve
tonic” when you want whisky.
i A gentleman who recently returned from that city
I tells us of a conversation he bad with one of the
j leading physicians of th.it city a few days ago.
j “Doctor," said he, “wnat seems to you to be the
I noticeable result of the enforcement of the prolil-
I bition law here.”’
"Well, from what I have been able to observe,”
! replied the doctor, “I should say it bad a terrible
1 effect ou the rev sos the people.”
Ordered IDs JTiyeician Beheaded,
From a I.on lon pape r.
The ameer of Afghanistan is not a desirable
I patient. If the story of an In iiau journal may be
I true'. :d. Lately he was very ill with a bill at the
i bocic of his neck, and his doctor prescribed some
' lotion to bring tl.e Mil to a Leu 1. Naturally, the
: join was v.mporarily increased, and Atxlur Rahman
wa» so enraged with his doctor that he sent for the
unlucky medico the first thing iu the morning and
: had film beheaded on the spot.
ATLANTA,GA., TUESDAY, NOV"EMB EJI 29, 1887
LITILE JIM.
BY MONTGOMERY M. FOLSOM.
For The Constitution.
“ Among the bills of Annandale
Tlie gentle Johnstoncs ride:
A thousand year they h ive been here,
A thousand they’ll' abide.”
Ho was but a more lad, Little—well, his real
name was not “Jim,” but he gave that name
to the recruiting officer.
He had crept out of the back window of the
old country home after the last cricket had
sung itself to sleep, and the dew had fallen on
the long grass and glistened on the over-ripe
pods of the jimson weeds; and ho had made
his way to the noarest’eamp, and—best luck of
all—he struck the gallant company, Fifth Ken
tucky regiment.
This was the celebrated “Lewis” regiment,
which had seen the dun and dreadful pallor of
■ .wur shroud many a fair field.
Little Jim did not care a jot. He was a sol
dier, and that was all he desired on earth. Ho
left a good home, ran away from a doting
mother, the little rapscallion. and with all his
gentle blood and breeding, he threw himself
into line with one of those veteran regiments
that bad helped to make the thunder roll from
the banks of the Potomac to the bloody field
of Chickamauga.
I wish I had time to tell you how he was
drilled into service. I know him well, for he
i.s a retired veteran now and has no more long
ing to
“ Seek the bubble renutation
1' tiic cannon's mouth.”
“Hello, inelish, what’s yer name?” asked
George Elbridge, as the gawky youth present
ed himself.
“Jimmy B—,” replied the boy. And as he
uttered the first falsehood of his life his black
eyes grew misty and a great choking lump
arose hi his throat, but he clenched his teeth
and set those thin, aristocratic lips firmly
together, and Sherman’s whole army could not
have forced him then to disclose his identity.
“ Well, pardnor, you’re a little chicken, but
I s’pose you’re like these Georgy pateridges—
soon as you’re hatched you go to scratchin’,
’thout even waiting for yonr feathers to dry.”
And so Little Jim became a soldier. The
proud mother wept a few bitter tears when she
awoke next morning and found that the one
being on earth whom she loved best had thrown
himself into the wide whirlpool of war.
But Mrs. B— was a southern woman. She
boasted as long and honorable a descent a% an
English duchess. So she closed her lips, like
Little Jim, and forced back her tears and
uttered an inward prayer for the safety of her
child. ■*
Oil, those glorious southern women 1 Theirs
is the grandest hutauco of patriotic devotion
and self-denying sacrifice that ihe world over
saw. Let flic carpers and critics and those
whose malicious venom can never be counter
acted by a drop of the milk of human kind
ness; let then: and such as they say what they
please about the political aspects of the con
flict; let them villify the cause and place the
men who supported* that cause in whatever
light they will —the vilest dastard that history
can produce will never impugn the motives of
our glorious southern women!
Well, Little Jim soon got on the ragged
edge. He got out at the elbows, worn and tat
tered, but he boro it all like a veteran. El
dridge used to say: “I’m durned sorry that ’ere
little feller Jim wa’n’t horned in Kentucky.
I tell you what, he's a bruiser!”
By and by the army began to retreat. The
brave Kentucky regiment, that had been live
times decimated lint never daunted, had to
give way. Sherman was coining.
in Macon there were a few hospital rats and
invalids and broken-down soldiers, and all such
cracked and disfigured bric-a-brac of war.
They had the souls of heroes though, and- the
eartli is still scarred where their handiwork
was made apparent.
* * fr. If « 4
“Forward, march!”
Like the blue norther that sometimes be
clouds the Texan horizon they came.
“Tramp! tramp! tramp!”
Sherman had started to the sea.
But grey clouds, often “no bigger than a
man’s hand,” fluttered along on either side of
that blasting cyclone of soldiery. They met
the schooled veteran, the raw recruit, old men,
young men, boys and —women!
Georgia rose in her imperial majesty and
with enfeebled and bleeding hands defiantly
flung back the gauntlet of defipnee in the face
of her powerful foe.
It was on a pale December evening when the
Fifth Kentucky rode down the street and filed
across the pontoon bridge that had been swung
across the river. This was needful, for the old
Ocmulgee was enangered at the bold intrusion
and sympathized with the fair city for which
she had stood god-mother. So the bridge was
swept away, and Sherman must swim the river
with his legions ere he could capture Macon.
Little Jim was awful hungry. Ife sat astride
a woe-begone. plantation mule,so old that he had
begun to “stem his fodder,” and Jim had an
old grey overcoat and it had been patched with
a piece of kersey cloth, the only means at hand
to close the rent in his armor. 11 is toes were
out and they were blue with cold. To add to
his discomfiture, a whole gang of town boys
followed after him, shrieking with laughter,
ami crying:
“Oli, what sort of a soldier is that?”
At another lime J im would have dismounted
and taught them a lesson in good manners, but
he had not gone bug hunting with his long
Enfield rifle slung at his back. He was after
nobler game. Ho was going, aa young David
went, across the stream to meet the dreaded
Goliah of the union army. His eye flashed
with resentment, but Eldridge rode up and
said:
“Jest watch them there dinged little rats. I
bet you if Sherman were to throw a shell over
here they’d disap[>ear from the face o’ the
earth.”
Jim felt comforted.
He was the “child of the regiment” and
the tail of the column. Just as he reined up
I his dilapidated war charger on the bank of the
stream a little negro boy ran up to him and
said;
“JTeah’s some bread Miss Nellie gont you;
she say you look hoiigry.”
I For the first time those firmly pressed lips
twitched with feeling. He accepted the piece
l r,f broad and ate it with a roll h a : ho urged his
niuleonto the, shaky briffzo. Down through
I the arch under the Central railroad embank
j merit the confederates deployed, and formed in
( line along the eastern bank, on the ground
where DeSoto pitched his camp hundreds of
I year* before. The men bad not more than got
i in position when a shriek rent the evening air,
passed over their heads, and struck tho earth,
I aloud explosion followed, and Little Jim saw
a cloud of dust thrown up.
“Bet yon don’t know what that is, melish ?”
I said Eldridge in a quizzical manner. “That
thing was a shell from a yankee gun, and
they’re a placin’ their sights so’s to git our
range. So you’d better lay low, melish.”
Darkness quickly fell, arid tho landscape was
rendered as dark as it generally is under the
pall of a December night. Suddenly, far away
across the river, and for miles along tho en
trenchments thousands of watch fires glowed
forth. One unacquainted with tho state of
affair* would not Lave dreamed that a few
ragged, maimed and disabled patriots guarded
those watch fires and kept them burning
through the live-long night, while the union
army looked upon them as hood’s army ready
to defend with cannon, musket and saber the
fail city that lay so temptingly before them.
But tho ruso # was a grand triumph and tho
federal troops‘passed by and continued their
march to the sea. On the next night Eldridge
and a small party, including Little Jim, went
on a foraging tour.
They were creeping along toward a light
that gleamed from a house that stood away
out in the suburb. They smelt bacon frying,
and it caused them to stop and sniff the air,
although they' were shivering with cold.
Up to the door they crept, and Eldridge,
peeping through a chink in the door, dis
covered a stalwart man fully armed, and
dressed in federal blue, seated in tho corner,
chatting in a low tone with a girl who was
busy preparing tho meal. Thu parly surround
ed the house.
“Open the door!” came in a stern voice from
Eldridge.
There was a little shuffling inside, and to a
second summons there was an answer of, “Who
are yon?”
With a crash, tho door was burst in, and in
an instant the grey-coated scouts had posses
sion. The soldier had disappeared, hut stoop
ing down and peeping under the bed, Little
tfim gazed right down into the month of a
cavalryman's pistol. But they had him out in
a trice, and Eldridge cried :
“Boys, he’s our meat. Make ’im shell out."
And straightway the luckless cavalier was
delivered of his money and valuables.
“By all that’s holy,” sai(TEldridge. “Little
Jim shall swap boots with this yank. Turn
an’ turn ’bout’t fair play.”
The supper intended for two guests only
served a ration apiece for a parly of eight.
Baek to camps the hoys carried their prisoner,
together with numerous bundles of rations of a
miscellaneous character,picked upon the way,
and the boys all feasted on the result of the
hunt.
* * ♦ ♦ «h *
The war was soon over. The troops surren
dered or disbanded, and Little Jim shook
hands with his Kentucky friends and parted
to meet them no more.
After everything had quieted down lie re
sumed tho studies necessary to fit him for his
professional life, lie soon won fame and
money by pursuing that profession. Then it
was he came to Macon, where tho smiles of
blessed peace outshone the watch tires that
blazed on the old hills when Sherman passed
through.
lie attended a social entertainment and
became fascinated with the channsof a beauti
ful young lady. To her ho laughingly re
counted his war experience in Macon, ami she
seemed curiously struck with the narrative.
“Could I but meet‘Miss Nellie,’who sent
me that piece of corn bread,” said he, “I be
lie vol should undertake to persuade her to
allow mo to furnish bread for her as long as I
lived.”
Later in tho evening as they promenaded up
and down the old piazza, ho inquired why she
was so much interested in his story.
She hung her head, and a cloud that just
then obscured the bright May moon concealed
tun blushes on her fair young face as she mur
niuikul: ■
“1 was Nellie!”
Carter Harrison’s Bath in JO, pan.
Erom’thc Chicago Mail.
Then one of tho girls Itells us the bath is
ready. We undress and put on a robe. A girl shows
us to the bath room. It is down {stairs, mid has
only an open Japanese screen to shut off the gaze
of tho habitues of tho house. The tub is a round
wooden vat about four feet deep. You put your foot
in to try the temperature. Tbe foot at once takes
the hue of a boiled lobster. You nearly shriek.
The girl laughs and empties a pail of cold water in.
You then wait for her to go out. She doesnot budge.
You can’t, save you, think of Japanese enough to
tell her to git. Finally, Iy ft lot of awkwark signs
you get her beyond the screen. But not an inch
farther. There she stands arid waits, as innocently
as did good old Eve when Adam poured into Lor
willing cars liis ilrst, declaration of undying affec
tion.
There are things that try men’s souls and call for
heroic courage. One can scale the bristling wall,
can march into the mouth of a hot-throated cannon,
can mount the scaffold with the shining ax’ glisten
ing in the sun, can tell the girl he loves how he would
win and wed her, can make a maiden speech in the
house of representatives. But these arc easy tasks
compared to that of getting into a hot bath with a
pretty Japanese girl looking at you through a rattan
sereeu—lo iking at you, too, with as much sang
froid as if she was seeing a three months old baby
stripped of its little flannel shirt.
Finally patience gives out, you drop your robe and
jump iu. Good heavens, the pail of cold water did
cool the thing, but the furnace is still adding caloric.
You feel much as did tbe poor Japanese mirtyrs
when, a few hundred years ago, the heathen witches
boiled them into grease. You forget tbe girl and
everything else and Jump out tl.o oughly clothed;
I. e., clothed in scarlet skin. Ah, these are things
which try men’s souls.
Drifting Toward High License.
From the Montgomery Advertiser.
The fact stands out as big as a mountain that the
effect on prohibition is in the nature of a double
somersault the wrong way. Following close on the
defeat of the anti-whisky forces in Texas and Ten
nessee, and the result in Atlanta, may well bo taken
to mark the high tide of prohibition in the south.
For awhile it 141 fair to sweep the south. It docs
not look that way now. Viewing the whole field,
it seems rather that a reaction has set in, and that
prohibition, as a force in southern civilization, will
never be as strong as it was a year or a'week ago, or
even yesterday. Tills may not be a palatable con
clusion to a great many good people, yet we think
it is true. We believe It would be perfectly safe
now, so far as prohibition is concerned, to build a
brewery in Montgomery. A year ago no business
man would have rlatted his money on the chances.
We shall not regret It if we are mistaken in our
conclusions as to tho present outlook of the probf
j bition cause, but we cannot dodge the cumulative
evidence furnished by Atlanta that prohibition,
like other waves, has a “just so far and no farther.”
It is likely that the great conservative temperance
sentiment that proceeds practically to practical
; ends, will leave prohibition to the country and
drift toward high license as the bust that can be
done with mixed populations of cities and towns.
He Wanted to Make Sure.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
A Wild West cowboy lounged Into the Hol born
restaurant, tn I London, for a lunch, one day last
summer. He ordered a steak very rare, almost
raw, in fact. The cowboy contemplated it for a
moment, and then drew a revolver from ins bolt
' and began firing shot after shot Into tho dish of
I meat. There was a panic in the room; the guests
' rushed pell niell for the door, and the police'bounced
in from the street Tbe cowboy had emptied his
I revolver tiefore tho proprietor of tho restaurant,
backed up by a F/p]ft<l of p /liccm m, dared to ap
! proach.
• What on earth do you mean by this conduct?”
■ demanded the rcstanrnti ur.
j “What do I mean, pa rd? Why,” pointing to the
■ steak, “I wanted to kill the thing.”
Am Straight, hm u Church Etcpplo.
' From the St. Albans, Vt., Messenger.
I An 8 year-old youngster, father is con
nerted with the M» thodfrt church in this place, was
ovot hi*ur<l early tbe other morning wishing that he
* had flOj/X). “What would you do with it.” Hiked
j hfs older brother. After planning tome some of ft
in getting gifts for his mamma and papa, and having
' in mind some earnest efforts made Uj get rid of tbe
I church debt, this young lad said: “I dgo down and
t' ll the r that I'd pay the debt, for I'm ju.-.t
sick of bearing this church debt bualne -s talked
: about!”
IRE GRAZV £GOUI.
By IV. L. Hawley.
For Tin: CoNSTrrvjtox.
Bragg’s army was at Stovoiison, Alabama,
for several days before falling back to Chatta
nooga and Lookout nioutitain. Tho army of
tho Tennessee was pressing tho confederates
closely, and it was necessary to presorvo strong
picket lines at all times, and keep the scouts
constantly on the lookout to avoid surprises.
The picket lines of Bragg's army extended
several miles, in order to watch tlie different
roads leading to Chattanooga.
North of Stevenson was a range of mountains
known as Walden’s ridge, which was
covered with a dense growth of oak
and hickory. Tlie country was sparsely
settled, there were few roads, or even path
ways, and the heavily wooded ravines and
hillsides wore wild and rugged in the extreme.
There wore caves, waterfalls, wild game in
abundance, and everything pertaining to a
country remote from civilization.
To stand all night on picket duty in some
lonely ravine, whore there was no sound save
the babbling of mountain rivulets, or the
weird sighing of tlie winds among tho trees,
was anything but pleasant.
My company was among those detailed for
this duty, and the first night we were sta
tioned in a dark, gloomy ravine at tho foot of
Walden’s ridge. One of tho picket posts was
under a largo oak tree at the very dark
est, most uninteresting spot on tho entire line.
Wo went <>n duty at H o'clock at night
and there would be no relief until s lx o'clock
tho next morning. A young man, brave and
watchful and a genosal favorite in tho compa
ny, was assigned to the post under the giant
oak. Tho night passed without incident, but
when wo were relieved next morning Private
Thompson, the young inau stationed under
the tree was missing. His gun was broken
and lying near tho tree and there were indica
tions that a brief struggle had taken place, but
nothing more to tell his fate. There were no
blood stainsand his disappearance was a mys
tery. Nothing else was talked of during tho
day, by the members of tho company and
there wa» great anxiety to learn the Into of the
brave young soldier.
Tlie second night Private Baugh was assigned
to tho post under the tree. Ho laughed at tho
niystory when left alone, but his voice trembled
slightly, and it was apparent that ho would
have preferred some other place in tho lino.
Again the night passed without any demonstra
tion in our front, but when we were relieved,
the face of every man in tlie company turned
a shade paler when it was known that Baugh
had also disappeared, leaving ids gnu behind.
Here was a genuine mystery, and it attracted
tho attention ot tlie officers of the regi
ment. A squad was detailed to ex
amine the locality, by daylight, but
’ a careful search revealed nothing. The offi
cers doeldod that the mystery would not occur
again, and the picket lino was formed for the
third night. When the relief camo on tho
third morning tho mart under the oak was
again missing, and bis gun lying broken on
tho ground. What was to be done? The
mystery must lie solved in some way.
“Sergeant Brown volunteered to take tho
dreaded post, ou tho fourth night
and promised to solvo tho mys
tery. He was n fall well formed man. a giant
in strength and a stranger to fear. Promptly
at 8 o'clock that night lie took his posi
tion under tho o'd oak whoso
branches seemed to hang lower, as though they
would envelop the spot ie. still deeper mystery.
Tlie men and officers of tho company felt con
fident of Sergeant Brown’s ability to penetrate
tlie mystery which had cost us us three good
men, and were eager for morning to dawn.
At last tho relief came and every man's face
blanched wli“ii it was learned that Sergeant
Brown had disappeared. His gun was there
bent and broken, and there were signs of a
desperate struggle between two or more men,
but nothing to tell the story of his fate.
Bushwhackers,federal scouts, wild animals,
everything wan suggested which was believed
possible to account lor the disappearance of the
four men. The matter soon became the one
topic of conversation in the entire army and by
the officers of our regiment it was reported to
General Bragg. Ho ordered that flvo or inortx
men be stationed at this post with instructioiiT
to remain perfectly quiet, keep a careful look
out anil discover, if possible, tho fate of the
absent men.
1 was one of the five detailed by our captain
for the duty. Wo stationed ourselves
in a small circle within the
shadow of the oak, and stood like so many
statues during tlie long night. Once we heard
a noise like some man or beast creeping
through tho dense undergrowth towards us.
The noise stopped suddenly, a moment later it
was heard receding, and that was al). When
wo were relieved the next morning tho mys
tcry was as great us ever. Tlie captain or
dered us on duty again the following night,
and we then agi'eed upon a different plan. < >no
man was stationed on tho post, three of us
climbed up among the lower branches
of tho big oak tree, while
the fifth man was stationed behind ajclump
of bushes twenty yards away. It was a bright
starlight night and moving objects could be
dH erned ala distance of several paces.
Not a sound broke the stillness until near
midnight when myself and companions in tho
tree distinctly heard tho sound of something
moving stealthily towards tlie man standing
beneath us. Once we caught a glimpse of a
giant form moving slowly forward with almost
noiseless tread.
The decoy picket evidently had not heard
the noise as he remained motion
less. 'When within ten feet of
tho man under the tree, the mysterious being
suddenly sprang forward with tho agility of a
cat and our comrade was borne to tho ground
in an instant. Our first thought was to leap to
the ground and rescue him, but we determined
to await developments in the hope of learning
tho fate of the three missing men.
The mysterious being was a man, or rather,
a giant, roughly rlad and wearing long, un
kempt beard riii'l hair. He seemed to bo nn
armed, save bls enormous strength, but with a
cord our comrade was bound and gagged
I before ho could make nn out
cry, Tho giant who had uttered no
word, then gave a grunt of satisfaction ami
lifting tlie belplris soldier to hfs shoulder
started away at a rap'd pace. Dropping to tho
ground, wc were joined by tho other member
of our squad, ami the four of us started in pur
suit of the invsteriou* stranger. Half a mile
up the side <>l the mountain the giant stopped,
pushed aside a small clump of bushes and en
tered a cave. We soon followed cautiously,
for as yet he, had not discovered that wo wore
following him. Along a narrow pass
age® way a distance ot 0110 hundred
feet wo walked in complete darkness
when, turning suddenly to the left we found
oarsr-ves at the door of a largo rock chamber
lighted by a single tallow candle. On tho
floor, bound hand and foot end gagged, layout
mis ting companions while their captor stood
near tho light rubbing his hands, his faro dis
torted witli a horrible grin of satisfaction. He
discovered us at the same instant that wo
covered him with our muskets ami for several
moments wo stood without uttering a word,
Ono 1 ook at tho wild bloodshot
eyes ot our captive told ns
that he wax a maniac and wo determined not
to harm him. He made no move, aad while
three of us kept him covered with our guns,
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
tho other cut tho cords which bound our com«
panions. Thon wo approached the wild-eyed
being, and, after a long and desperate struM
glc, live of us were able to bind him securely.'
Our late captive comrades had all been caps
tnred in the same niaithcr, by this mountain;
giant, and bad been lying boiuid iul
his cavo without food or drink.
We reached eamp with our prisoner shortly*
before daylight, and the mystery which had
awed the entire army was solved.
Next day some of tho people living iu the
neighborhood came to camp and identified out
captive. His name was John Hope,
and ho was born and reared in
tiro monnains of East Tennessee.
When tlie war broke out he
had a family and lived in a rude log cabin
near the summit of Walden’s ridge. Being
loyal to the union ho left homo to become a
scout in the federal army. After one year’s
absence ho returned to fine that several mem
bers of his finnily had been murdered, the
others driven from home and his cabin burned
to tho ground by bushwhackers. Ho became
a raving maniac and took up his abode
in tlie cave on the mountain.
Wo fell buck towards Chattanooga next day
and left onr captive behind in charge of some
of his former friends. A month later we,
learned that he soon returned to his cave and.
was shortly afterwards killed in a fight witfiJ
his old enemy, tho bushwhackers.
—«
MEN ANI> WOMEN.
M, Ound Tells What Two Men Did and
What Two Women Didn’t.
From tho Detroit Free Press.
Tho four of us were put off at Wayne junc
tion the Other day to wait for tlie train ou the Flint
and Pero Marquette road—two women anil men.
None of us were acquainted, and wo had an hour
and a half to wait at, a railroad crossing. There wa»
a dreary-looking waiting room, 12x1.', and there 1
was a platform sixty feet long by eight broad. Th#:
scenery consisted of—
One water tank.
Ten freight car*.
Two fields.
Five telegraph poles.
One idle of lumber.
As tlie train left m I saw the two women clorety
surveying each other from hut to shoes. Each seem-'
e l to regard tlie other with bUipielon and distrust.'
They entered tho waiting room and sat down, get
ting as fur from each other as possible. The one
dread'd in brown seemed to be saying to herself:
"Good lands! But what bad taste that woinaM
hns. Who ever saw any one mix such colors to
gether before? if slie Is going to tbe lunatic asyhun
she should have uu attendant along. Such persona
are dangerous.”
And tlie one dressed In blue seemed to be saying
to herself:
"Have I got to wait here an hour and a half It*'
the company of that thing? Such a hat! Buch a
eloiikl What big feetl She must be some one going
out to workin acrenmcry, and Idoubt if she know*
wliatio inty she is In.”
My friend, the man, wus a fat; mlldx'yel SpcA
meu of the human race. Wo sbxid lor a moment
and looked at each other. 1 rniglit have sidd la
mysdW
“Well, if I haven’t Jiist rnn'RenNß «
end highway rotlher, theli I don’t know a grind
stone when I see it! Wonder when he got out of
prison? Seems to have nn Innocent look, but that
Is nil put on. No doubt he got off the train think
ing to rob me of my S*nnd return ticket to Detroit,
but I've allotted this little game and'will be pre
pared for any move.''
And lie might have mused:
“Oh ho! fto here Is Hilly the kid—the chap who
is supposed to have had u hand In'iilxlucling Char
lie Rors. Pro! a'llyout on another child stealing
expedition, but I’m on to his giune and will spoil it.
My! but hasn't begot a hardened look! That fel
low would tear un ftlnoceut bubo, from a dying
mother's arms and dash its brains but mgainst ill#'
family churn without one ray ot fifty.”
But neither of us thought any such thing. Even
before tho women got seated we threw our grip*
down together, and ho said:
“Old Ixiy, do you smoke?”
“Yes—thanks.”
“Well, here's something I can recommend. Which
way are you going!”
“To Toledo.”
"Good! I'm going there myself. Live in De
troit?”
"Yes. Do you?”
"Yes. Your pliiz looks familiar to me."
"Amt I know I've often seen you, Let's walk up
and down."
And while those women sat twelve feet apart,
cut)! one with her veil down and her body huddle!
up iu an exclusive soil of way, we walked arm ia'
arm up and down and Joked and told stories, and
said wo were glad we met each other. Forty minute*
had passed away when one of the women became,
restive. It struck her that the train had come and
departed while she wus in a reverie. It was art
awful thing to do. Hhe might be addressing a murJ
dcrexs for all she knew, and she was quite certain
Hint tli* other woman had ran away from two hus
bands, but slie finally got up courage enough to ask:
■'Have you the time? ’
Tho other gave a start of surprise. Did slie hear
aright? It might be that she was being addressed
by the cook of the scow Mary Ann, but, after taking
.five minutes to think It all over, she replied:
"No. Have you?”
•And then both shrank away from each other
again and turned up their noses under their vellt
and were sorry that they let down on their
Meanwhile the stranger called me "old boy,” and
borrowed some fine cut, and poked me In tho ribs;
and I called him “old fellow,” and slapped him oil
tlie back, and borrowed every match he hud, Whea
the train came along wo got iqto the sumd car and
tho same scat. The women came out to give encl*
other a look of disdain and enter separate coache*
and us each one found a seat she no doubt said k»
herself:
“Well, Just catch me In suoh.4 scrape again If yort
can. I never piused si/6h an hour and a half In my
whole life. ThpTallroad company ought to be sued
lor letting steerage pUMCUger* into the flrstdlass la
dies’ waiting room.”
JUST A FEW.
Lincoln Democrat: The man who moves down
life’s patli Mid finds It strewn with sweet surprise*
Is ho who knows Just how it’s done, who keep* a
store and advertises.
IMnohamton Republican: A Cincinnati deacon I*
under arrest for stealing #3 10 from the contribution
box. It ia unneecMury to state, perhaps, that hi*
speculate ns dated over a series of years.
Chartcniown Enkrpriot: "I'm a scion of returning
prosperity,” said the bunk cashier's son, when ha
lioabl that his father was coming back from Canada
and the directors wouldn't prosecute him.
Chicano JlcraU: It is h pod that Messrs, Angell,
Putnam, Tupper and Chamberlain will not adjourn
without passing upon the lopg mooted question,
“Docs the cod fish salt the ocean or tho ocean suit
the cod fish?”
Exchange: "Aw, go soak your head,” said Jone*
to a fellow who wus bothering him for a small loan.
"Well, show me a pawnbroker that will put up
anything on it, and I wiU.”
Ho got a quarter.
ChicagoJTrifaine: With such a Big Four as Jay
GoulijJjtnn L. Bulllvaii, Juke Klirain and Buffalo
Bill ie Europe, ft m y l.e taken for granted that,
such portions of the c .itntry tl'at may nut be worth]
bringing over to America will be pounded into su>7
mission.
I/iwetl Citicen: Pawkin*—Bo Bklnner A Grfndef
have gone under? Jawkirts—Bo I've heard. I’avf- 1
kino—What caused their fall? Jawkin*-They lost
their balance—in the bunk. F
Ecw Orhans Picayune: Two heads are better than'
one If a person Is desirous of entering tbe (teak bUM*|
ness; but as a rule one little head will carry all th*;
brains given to ordinary