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WIF lu ImUT IllKw ?• kt wR A? IM 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