Newspaper Page Text
T. A. HAVRON, Publisher.
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
As f6r Miss Kate Field, she is smiting
the Mormon monster hip and thigh.
, „. { -
The Arab eat played with the English
* most provokingly before swal
lowing it.
I/. ■ •
' Th-e yearly consumption of meats in
the" United States per capita is 120
poupas; in England, 104 pounds; France,
74 pounds; Germany, 69 pounds.
.-it..- _ m
The New York World is authority for
ihe rule in • etiquette that a gentleman
should always lift his hat to a lady
whom Tie knows, “even to his mother
in law.” YVe should say so.
Colonel Barn a by, Generals Gordon
and Earle, all tine men, are dead on
■ Egyptian soil. YY f ar is expensive, and
the question is whether the end hoped
foi is worth the costs involved.
•? : •
General YVolseley, in a private let*
ter received.in London a few days ago,
wrote: “I have personally known only
two heroes *in the course of my life.
One was General Lee; the other General
Gordon. ”■; •
The . minor children of Lieutenant
KislihglDury. bf Arctic fame, have each
-been granted a pension of .fit) by the
House <jf .Representatives. The widow
‘ of' Cohimodure Fillebroun has been
, voted S6O a-month.
During a five week’s session the
Pennsylvania Legislature has passed
one bill p'iid.that has failed to become
a law-.. *The- Legislature, however, can
■ -berfcgarYle'd with entire complacency
~wheu^is doing lfbthing.
The failure of the Grant retirement
bill to pass the House of Representa
tives, the other day, leaves no basis for
any expectation that the General will
receive relief in that quarter during the
present session of Congress.
> . —r i f- • .
Boiler explosions, in which two or
threenieh are killed and eight or ten
wounded,ape becoming almost every day
' oQL'urtfonces. ] In the majority of cases
'criminal negligence is involved. If a
number of damage suits were instituted
it might have a wholesome effect on
those who hold life so cheap.
•A
'■■ ■ •'. +7 — 1 : ♦
The acting Postmaster-General has
transmitted to Congress .a letter from
the Attorney-General, setting forth the
desirability of securing the postal
records of the Confederacy for use in the
settlement of claims presented by parties
who carried the mails in the South in
anti-war times, and whose accounts had
not feefen adjusted at the outbreak of
hostilities.
Texas is paying $90,000 a year in
pensions „to six hundred alleged sur
vivors of Sam Houston’s command in
the \var of 1'835-7. New applications
are coming in all the time; fourteen were
received in one day recently and the
■''Legislature is trying to repeal the law
,on the ground that one-half or two
thirds of the claims now being paid are
.• frauduleut
After all the fuss about the fertile
land -of Oklahoma it now turns out that
its chief value is for grazing purposes,
and that the whole furor about its occu
pation was - speculation. It is another
illustration of the tendency of human
.nature to prize very highly that which is
out of its reach, whether it is worth any
'tfijng or. not.
In view of the disastrous fires in pub
lic institutions recently, which entailed
enormous loss of life and damage to
property, the different Legislatures
’ should give serious consideration to
making insane and orphan asylums and
like buildings practically fire proof.
They at least should be well provided
with fire-escapes. Our asylums should
mot be crematories.
The latest evidence of the complete
ness with which England has won
Italy over to her side out of the recent
European diplomacy is found in the dis
patches from Home indicating that the
Italian Government is ready to send
35,000 troops .to the Soudan as allies to
the English forces operating there. Un
less they all turn Musselmans, the
Mahdi may expect a hot time of it be
fore another summer goes by.
A silver mine lately opened at Three
Forks, M. T.. has a very strange phe
nombnomconnected with it, in the shape
of a fissure which seems bottomless.
Stones thrown into it fall and keep fall
• Pg, without any eud, as was shown by
continuous sounds which returned. At
times a caseous'steam issues from this
cavity whiehdrives the workmen from the
mines. There is also a periodical rumb
ling which risembles distant thunder,
supposed to be caused somewhere in tho
‘‘internal regions.”
TRENTON, DADE COUNTY, GA.. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26. ISBS.
THE PEACE OF EUROPE.
More Complications Arise Over the
Eastern Question.
Turkey Desires to Ciatren in Egypt—En
cou.r»ijed by Russia ami France,
London. February 22. —The Post this
morning says Musprus Pasha, Turkish
Ambassador to London, with Fehmi Pasha,
Turkish Special Commissioner, called on
Earl Granville Saturday, and communi
cated to him an important Constantinople
dispatch he had just received regard
ing Turkish intervention in the Red
Sea. England and other powers
have asked the Porte to occupy the chief
ports of the Red Sea, but this request has
been refused, unless the British shall evac
uate Egypt, and the Porte be allowed to
garrison Alexandria. France and Russia,
the Post says, have been influencing the
Porte to pursue a policy which, if car
ried out, will be certain to disrupt
the friendly relations of Turkey aud Eng
land, and compromise the peaceof Europe.
If the course of Fehmi Pasha, as suggested
to Granville, should be carried out,it would
resuscitate the Eastern question, and the
result: be beneficial to the Porte. Granville
is disposed to again favor Turkish
intervention in Red Sea ques
tions upon condition that Turkey
is in accord with England and her allies,
and not as an instrument of hostile powers.
The Standard says the Porte has sent to
all the Powers a protest against Italy oc
cupying Massowah. There is great indig
nation in Constantinople, the Porte believ
ing Italy has a secret treaty with England.
INTO THE RIVER,
A Sleeper Thrown from the Track Into the
Museatatack River—Three Persons
Killed and Several Make Mi
raculous Escapes.
North Vernon, Ind., February 20.—An
accident occurred on the O. & M. Road
this morning, one and a half miles eastpf
this city. The train was No. 4, which left
St. Louis last night. It was an unusually
long train, there being five sleepers in ad
dition to the first and second class day
coaches and mail and baggage car. The
hindmost car was the “Loraine” sleeper,
which runs over the N. Y., P. & O. to
Jersey City. Shortly after leaving
the depot here, a broken rail
threw this car off the track, but i,
ran along on the cross ties for quite a dis
tance, but just before it left the high bridge
over the Museatatack River, over it went
into the water below. It was left standing
on end against the east bank of the cr eek
broken in two pieces and entirely demol -
ished. The rest of the train ran on for
nearly a mile, when the conductor was no
tified of the accident, and he then
backed down to the bridge. A passenger
named Eldridge was found crushed to death
between the wheels, his body
being horribly mangled. It was known that
another man was in the wreck, and it was
not until late this afternoon that his body
was found, and his name is believed to be
P. L. Plaut, of St. Louis. These two were
the only ones killed, but the sleeping car
conductor, YV. L. Taylor, in jumping
from the train as it went down, was
seriously injured, and his skull is
thought to be fractured. He fell a long dis
tance, and struck on his head on the hard
frozen ground. He lives in Jersey City.
The colored porter, W. Carroll, also of
Jersey City, was badly and fatally injured.
He died within an hour. There was only
five persons in the car, the four mentioned
above, and one other who was slightlv in
jured.
MORTON’S SCHEME
To Catch Burglars—lt Worked to Perfec
tion.
Cleveland, Ohio, February 20. —Milton
Morton, proprietor of a hardware store,
became alarmed recently lest his place
should be burglarized and devised a plan
that worked to perfection. Last evening
he arranged a loaded revolver in such a
manner that when a window was opened
the contents of the weapon would be
discharged into the breast of the intruder.
Two days later the window was found
partly raised and the weapon empty.
The police were notified and straght
way oegan to look for a man with a bullet
in his chest. To-night Michael Murray, of
No. 12 Hanover street, was arrested as the
guilty party. He was conducted to Central
Station and the officers had thessatisfaction
of finding an ugly bullet-hole on Murray’s
right chest. The youth then made a con
fession and stated that he visited Morton’s
store last Monday night and had raised the
window a few inches when*)here was a
flash and the report of a revolver. He fled
and running some distance became aware
of the fact that he had been shot.
Business Embarrassments.
New York, February 20. —Failures
throughout the country the last seven days
number for the United States 253, Canada
37, or a total of 290, as compared with 270
last week and 845 the week previous.
Nearly four-fifths of the business casual
ties of the week are furnished by the
Western, Southern and Pacific States.
Failures in the Eastern and Middle States
are comparatively light.
Accident to a Sleighing I’arty.
Philadelphia, February 20.--A special
from Muncy Valley says: “Joseph Hn
bercker, aged forty, his wife, aged thirty
eight, and three children, Mary, Henry
and Willie, aged respectively fifteen,
twelve and eight, went sleighing in
a large two-horse sleigh last even
ing. On the way home, about ten o’clock,
the horses took fright and ran away. The
sleigh was overturned and the occupants
dragged 500. feet, when the horses fell. The
father’s neck was broken, and the child
Henry had both legs cut off, and died
shortly. The wife and remaining children
are thought fatally injured.
A THRILLING SCENE.
.Tamping from the Fourth-Story Window of
a Burnlpg Dwelling.
Philadelphia, February 22.—A fire
broke out yesterday morning in 'the house
of John A. King, on Pine street. Three
dwellings were destroyed. The occupants
of King’s residence were asleep in the up
per stories, and were aroused by the heat
and smoke only to discover that the usual
means of egress was cut off. They
ran to windows, and most of them
jumped out. King appeared at the
fourth-story window, and was seen to
make an effort to jump, but was overcome
by the heat and fell back into the flames.
His chaired body was found after the fire
was extinguished. Mrs. King was discov
ered on the fourth-story window ledge
with her child in her arms. A mattress
was procured and held below the window.
Mrs King, telling her little boy to be brave,
put him in the window and told him to
jump. He was a brave little fellow and
did as his mother directed. The woman
was heard to say just as he leaped, “God
help me—save my children.” Tho
boy struck the mattress fairly, rose up,
and it was thought he was safe, but badly
shaken. Poor little fellow, he died in two
minutes. Then Mrs. King dropped her
little daughter, Nora, aged but three years,
and she landed in perfect safety, appar
ently, but was subsequently found to be
somewhat injured. Mrs. King turned a
moment to speak to her husband, and then
got upon the window-sill and deliberately
jumped off, with as much calmness as one
might jump into, the water for a bath.
She struck the mattress to all appear
ances safe, and was immediate
ly wrapped in blankets and carried
over to the drug store. She was stunned,
and when she recovered she groaned out:
‘Oh, my back.” Her husband after her
jump, prepared to follow her example, and
turned, as though urging some one back of
him to take the leap. Just then the flames
burst out and Mr. King fell back into the
fire. Miss Jennie Hamilton, sister of Mrs.
King, was burned to a crisp while hanging
from a fourth-story back window and then
fell into the basement below. A servant girl
in jumping from a fourth-story back win
dow was killed, as was also was a nurse,
aged twenty years. To-night Mrs. King,
her daughter Nora, and Mary Burns, a ser
vant, are all in a greatly improved condi
tion aud it is believed they will recover.
chicagcTsocialists.
Wholesale Destruction of Property Urged
by a Fiery Female Dynamiter.
Chicago, February 22.—The dynamite
section of Socialists held a meeting this
afternoon in a hall very near the heart of
a fashionable portion of the south division
of the city. A number of highly in
cendiary speeches in English and German
were delivered by A. R. Parsons,
his wife, George Mitzinger, August
Fehling and others. Mrs. Parsons, who is
a colored woman, made an unusually fiery
speech. She began by berating her hear
ers as cowards and unworthy of the name
of manhood because they allowed aggres
sions of capital to continue; and allowed
their daughters to barter their virtue for
bread. If they were men, as they claimed
to be, she said, they would blow up every
house on the adjoining avenues
before they would submit to it;
would demolish police stations, the
Court-house and jails and fling dynamite
in the faces of the army and navy. If
they were afraid to do this, however, they
need not lack for a Captain, for she would
fill her apron with dynamite, and lead them
along the avenues of the city where the rich
reside, destroying as they went. Her hus
band advised his hearers to study chemis
try and take lessons from those expert in
the manufacture of deadly explosives.
An Exploded Locomotive.
Poplar Bluff, Mo., February 20.—The
boiler of the locomotive which drew the
south-bound passenger train on the St.
Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Rail
road out of this city to-night, exploded
when two and a half miles south of town.
The train was running at the rate of
twenty miles per hour when the ex
plosion took place. The train consisted of
five passenger coaches, two baggage coach
es, one postal-car and locomotive. The lo
comotive was thrown from the track,
turned end for end, and is now lying on its
side in the ditch on the left side of the
track. John Kline, the engineer, sat
in the cab looking out the window
at the time the explosion took
place. He has just been taken
from under the cab. His head was crushed
to a jelly. Death was instantaneous.
Fred. Smith, the fireman, who sat on the
opposite side of the cab, was brought to
this city soon after the accident occurred,
He has not spoken since the explosion oc
curred. His right foot is injured, and he
has a severe gash in the head, but no ex
ternal injuries that seem serious enough to
cause his death.
Terrible Accident.
Cincinnati, February 21.—This morning
at Delhi, a few miles from this city, an ex
press train ran into the rear of an accom
modation train, filled with people. Fifteen
persons were injured, some, it is thought,
fatally. The accommodation train was
side-tracked to allow the express to pass,
but the switch was clogged with ice and
snow, and failed to work.
General Buller Attacked.
London, February 22.—General Lord
Wolseley telegraphs from Korti that the
Arabs attacked General Buller’s camp at
Abu Klea Wells yesterday, but confined
their demonstration to firing at long range.
A hot fire was opened upon them from
the British intrenchments, and they
finally retreated in the direction of
Metemneh. The precise inark
manshipof the Arabs whs very noticeable.
The British loss was three killed and twen
ty-one wounded. It is now believed that
General Buller will find little difficulty'in
reaching Gakdul, where he can procure
sufficient water and supplies to sustain his
command on its retreat tc Korti.
FRANK JAMES FREE.
Tbe Principal Witness Dies, and Other
Evidence Turns up Missing.
The Only Two Charges Pending Dismissed
—Doubt as to Whether a Requisi
tion from the Governor of
Minnesota Will bo
Recognized *
1
Booneville, Mo., February 23.—Late
Saturday afternoon the only two charges
pending against Frank James in the
Cooper County Circuit Court were dismiss
ed, and he is now a free man. The matter
was kept very quiet, and it is even now not
generally known. Interest is felt here as
to whether Governor Marmaduke will
recognize the requisition from the Gov
ernor of Minnesota for the removal
of James to the latter State for trial
there. The case against the famous outlaw
was docketed in the Circuit Court for to
day, but was quietly called up by Prose
cuting Attorney Shackleford Saturday
evening, just at the close of Court, when
nobody was present excepting the officers
of the Court, the prisoner and attorneys.
Shackleford stated to the Court that when
he procured the removal of James
from Alabama to Missouri he
was confident he had sufficient
evidence to convict him, but since then bis
chief witness, Mr. Stapp, of Kansas, had
died, and other evidence was missing. In
justice, therefore, to the State and the de
fendant he moved that the charges, one
for obstructing a railroad and the
other for robbery, both at Otterville,
be dismissed. The Court granted the
motion in a very few words. There
are no charges pending against James
in this State. He is therefore entirely
free. After prisoner was released he
went to his hotel, where he received the
congratulations of a few friends who knew
of the action of the Court, but he refused to
be interviewed. No requisition for James
has yet been made by the Governor of
Minnesota, and what action Governor Mar
maduke would take should one be received
is pure speculation, he having declined to
commithimself on the question.
A Bad Young Man.
Butler, Pa., February 23.—Edward
Vogely, book-keeper of the Butler Savings
Bank, has defaulted and is missing. His
shortage is not definitely known, but is re
ported to be anywhere from $40,000 to SOO,-
000. Speculation in oil did it. The funds
were obtained by deceiving the Cashier
with false entries. The defalcation was
discovered Friday, and Vogely confessed.
He was regarded as a model young man;
was a member of the Presbyterian Church
and a teacher in the Sunday-school. His
crime is a hard blow on his aged father,
who, being on his bond for SIO,OOO, will be
ruined financially.
Over an Embankment.
Des Moines, la., February 23.--A pas
senger train on the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy Railroad jumped the track and
went over an embankment. Six persona
were severely injured. 40
Held for Counterfeiting.• •
Sunbury, Pa., February 23.—James F.
Adams, John Drumhiller and Ed. Yordy
were arrested here to-day, and held to an
swer the charge of counterfeiting.
Death ofGeneral Capron.
YVashington, February 23.—General
Capron died of a cold contracted
while dedication of the
WashiiMton Monument.
Cwunty Treasurer Missing.
Milwaukee, February 23.—The Treas
urer of Chippewa County, YVis., is missing,
and short in his accounts SIO,OOO
XLVIII. (CONGRESS.
Second Session.
Washington, February IS.—Senate.— The
House anti-foreign contract bill passed by a
vote of 50 to 9.
House. —In committee of the whole debat
ed the river and harbor bill. The Senate bill
for the erection of a SIOO,OOO public building
at Chattanooga Massed.
Washington, February 19.—Senate.—Thf
Texas Pacific forfeiture bill was debated
and passed.
House.—The river and haror bill was de
bated in committee of the whole, and the first
section approved as reported.
Washington, February 30.— Senate. —The
Secretary of War submitted estimates on the
newlock for the Sault Sainte M arie Falls Canal
and necessary channel improvements. The
cost is figured at $1,609,085. The agricultural
bill passed. The Postofflce appropriation
bill debate was continued, and progressed to
the clause in regard to newspaper postage,
which is the onTy one yet to be acted upon.
House.—The consideration of the river and
harbor bill was continued. The appropria
tion for the public building at Louisville,
Ky., was increased to $1,000,000.
Washington, February 21.— Senate.— The
consideration of the Postoffice appropriation
bill was continued. The legislative provision
inserted by the House was retained, fixing
postage on newspapers sent from the office
of publication to regular subscribers and as
sample copies at one cent per pound.
House.—[No business session.]
Washington. February 2:l.—Senate. —'The
Des Moines settlers’ titles bill passed. The
clause in the Post-office appropriation bill to
require the Secretary of the Treasury to bid
in competition with private parties for
man ufacture of postage stamps, envelopes
and cards was stricken out.
To the same bill an amend
ment was adopted appropriating SBOO,OOO for
transportation of foreign mails, including
transit across the Isthmus ef Panama The
Senate also retained the Hous- provision
permitting newspaper articles to be marked
without increase of postage. The whole
amended bill was then passed, and goes to
the House for concurrence.
House.— The Senate amendments to the
House bill prohibiting importation of con
tract labor was concurred in. A bill was in
troduced to open Oklahoma lands to home
stead settlement. The Naval Appropria
tion bill was passed The Civil Ap
propriation bill was reported to
the House from the committee provides
an appropriation of $22,200,177, being $10,126,-
225 below the estimates, and authorizes ilie
Secretary of the Treasury, in hi* discretion,
to suspend in whole oi part, from July 1.
1895, to June 30, 1886. the execution of so
much of the law as requires the coinage of
not less than two million nor more than four
million standard silver dollars per month.
SOUTHERN NEWS GLENAINGS.
A handsome lady and gentleman, ac
companied by a girl aged about ten years,
arrived at Staunton, YV. Va., November 1,
and registered as J. R. Beebe, wife and
child, of New York. After staying two
weeks the couple departed suddenly with
out paying their board, and left the girl be
hind. Since that time she has been here,
Mr. Houremau, a well-to-do citizen, tak
ing care of her. She says that so far as
she knows she is the child of the couple,
who have left her in town this way before
aud sent for her afterward. A postal
signed “YValter,” and addressee to R. J.
Beebe, Portsmouth, was found in the va
cated room, and reads as follow*: “I have
found the negative of the card of the iwo
children that you left me. I have their
names, their mother’s name and address.
This I think will fully identify the gentle
man who disappeared mysteriously.” De
tectives have tried iu vain to clear np the
mystery. In the mean time the beauty
and brightness of the child is much com
mented upon.
Reports from Kentucky, Tenneni'WS and
Southern Missouri say no damage has been
done to winlw wheat iu those States.
At Y T ernon, Texas, Heck Garrison was
shot and killed by John Davidson, both
stock men Davidson shot in self-defense.
It is estimated that $200,000 in ctarency
was destroyed in the railway wreck on the
Virginia Midland Road, the other night.
One hundred thousand dollars wa* iu the
postal car and SIOO,OOO in the express safe.
Rev. Robert Raymand, Quitman, Ga.,
was fatally shot by one of his members.
Cause not known.
The Pensacola, Fla., City Government,
abolished by legislative action, refused to
give way and the Mayor and Marsh were
arrested. The provisional officers took
charge of the city without disturbance.
The Jui'y at Knoxville, Tenn.,
has just found Alfred and Am
brose Ilvaird and Robert Rite guilty of
murder in the first degree for the murder of
Mrs. Carrie Hunter, at Lick Creek, Green
County, last spring.
Dalla*, Texas, is all agog over the
question of the rights of negroes to sit on
juries. It is pro aud con.
The Petersburg, Va., City Council voted
$">00 for the relief of the distress caused by
the shutting down of the mills.
John Manning, a ranchman, shot and
killed Tom Green near Monheim Station,
Texas. On February 11, Green stole a
team from Manning and a wagon from Mr.
Cuney. That night Green caught Man
ning’s twelve-year-old daughter, gagged
her, tied her to the bottom of the wagon,
and fled to the hills, making for California.
Manning returned home on the J2th inst.,
and with three friends started in pursuit,
overtaking Green on the 20th. He found
his daughter still tied to the bottom of the
wagon. Green, when approached showed
fight and was shot by Manning.
A statement from John Chaffe & Sons,
New Orleans cotton factors, shows their
net assets to be $1,079,828. They offer to
pay their debts iu three installments, and
have asked the Court for respite from the
importunities of their creditors.
Emory Speer has been confirmed IT. S
eJudge for the Southern District of Georgia
He was opposed on account of his bold
prosecution of Ku-Klux and moonshiners.
The steamers Ida Darragh and City of
Helena, and the Anchor Line wharfboat, at
Memphis, were burned a few days ago,
together with considerable freight, entail
ing a loss of over SIOO,OOO. No lives lost.
The gold and silver excitement at Chat
tanooga has reached Cleveland, Tenn.,
twenty-eight miles from that city. Par
ties testing a recent silver find there nave
made the startling discovery that in the
same locality are large deposits of gojd.
Several large quartz nuggets were taken
out, one piece weighing nearly a pound.
This is perfectly reliable, and great ex
citement prevails among the l>est citizens,
who are astonished at the immense hidden
wealth in their midst.
A FEW days ago in Hawkins County,
Tenn., James Reynolds put kerosene oil on
the tops of the heads of his three little
children, aged two, four and six years, for
the purpose of killing vermin. Two of the
children died in two hours. A physician
saved the other.
In addition to the horrors already given
of convict life at Coal Creek by Tennessee
papers rutnor is current that convicts have
been eating rats for subsistence owing to
the non-supply of proper food.
A St. Louis paper prints a portrait ot
Patti at eight, in a plaid dress, pantalets
and smooth hair, and having the expression
of the country maid that she was, living
then at Columbia, Tenn. Patti is making
her farewell tour.
The Florid Legislature has adjourned.
Mississippi has been passed over by the
trustees of the Peabody fund for neglect
ing provision for liquidating or paying in
terest on the bonds held as a part of the
fund.
Capt. Samuel H. Buck has been elected
Director General of the New Orleans Ex
position prs tem.. in place of Gen. Burke.
Mobile is boasting of a water-melon that
has just ripened in the open air.
A Georgia paper regrets the change that
has made St. Valentine’s Day an anniver
sary of low libel and senseless caricature.
Sheehan’s cotton warehouse, Enfaula,
Ala., burned, with eighteen hundred bales
of cotton. Loss, SIOO,OOO.
Patrick BoYLES.peddler,fired a Houston
(Tex.) police station twiee in one night,
claiming to have accomplished it with
phosphorus carried in his mouth.
Bud Woods and Neal Boyette, despera
does, are in jail at sweetwrter, Texas,
charged wi'.h the assassination of Detective
Warren, on account of which much excite
ment has existed there.
Mrs. Shiners, aged seventy-five, v-as
burned to death at her home in Dallas,
Texas. Her clothes caught fire from a
stove.
The trustees of the defunct Planters’ and
Mechanics’ Bank, of Petersburg, Ya., have
paid depositors a dividend of 22 per cent.
V()L L—NO. 52.
PITH AND POINT.
•—To be a good lawyer a man must
have sufficient regard for the truth to
use it with discretion.— Boston Tran
script.
—When a man stays down at hi*
office until midnight trying to strike a
balance he generally loses it before he
gets home.
—Pug dog parties are now affected
by New York demoiselles. Once in a
while a dude gets in unnoticed, but if
found is immediately expelled.— N. Y.
Graphic.
—“Don’t be afraid!” said a snob to a
German laborer. “Sit down and make
yourself my equal.” “I would haff to
blow my brains out,” was the reply of
the Teuton.
It is said that a violin played
among a (lock of geese will start them
to dancing. Every one who has at
tended a dance is aware of this fact.—
Detroit Free Press.
—YY r e saw a diary yesterday that had
been kept for eighty years. In order
however that no mistake may occur we
would add that* it has been packed
away seventy-nine years eleven months
and thirty days.— Detroit Post.
“lt is easy to sffe that that man ha.t
never served on a jury before,” re
marked an old lawyer in court to a
friend. “Why?” his unprofessional
friend inquired. “Because he pay
such close attention to the evidence.”
— N. Y. Tribune.
—“Are you going to the party this
evening, Maud?” “No, I <niess not;
I‘m afraid that horrid Smith girl will
be there.” “Oh, no she won’t, she,
said she wasn’t going.” “YVhy not?”
“Because she was afraid you would be
there.” — Toledo Blade.
—“Ef I ken jes’ git ter heaben,”
said an old negro, “dat** all I axes. I
doan kere ter march up wider brass
ban’ an’ make er mighty stir. I doan
ax de angels to shout, nur de saints ter
rush an’ shake ban’s. No, sail, I doan
ax all dat, fur all I wants is ter gitdar.
Da needn’t put dase’fs ter de trouble o’
handin’ roun’ pies an’ sweet stuff.
Hoe-cake sorter greased wider bacon
rin’ is good enuff for me.”— Arkansan)
Traveler. _
—The clerks at Moses Rabbenstein’s •
were making up a box of old clothes to
give to a certain poor mission. “I’ll
put in a coat,” said one. “I’ll put in
a pair of shoes,” said another. “I'll
put in a pair of pants,” said a third.
Finally they reached Moses. “What
will you put in, Mr. liabbenstein?”
asked the bookkeeper. “Veil, poys,
dimes ish pooty hart vid me, unt eef
eat ish all der same to you, I’ll yoost
pud in der bill.”— Merchant Traveler.
—There is in one of the schools of
this city a mischievous young Ameri
can of African descent who got into
trouble yesterday. He had violated one
of the rules, and his teacher concluded
that his offense was grave enough to
merit discipline at the hands of tho
Principal. Taking a firm hold of tne
young gentleman, the teacher accord
ingly started for the room of the dread
administrator of punishment. Tho
young chap held back, began to cry,
and finally cried out in piteous tones:
“O, Miss , don’t take me up stairs:
p-l-e-a-s-e don’t. If you don’t take me
up there, I’ll pray for you to-night?”
She didn’t take him up.— Altoona Trib
une
WHY BIRDS SING.
The Erotic Character of the Melody of Our
Feathered Friends.
The majority of ornithologists agree
in ascribing an erotic character [to the
songs of birds; not only the melting
melodies, but also those of their tones
that are discordant to the human ear,
are regarded as love-notes. Darwin
finally, saving some reserves, came to
accept this view. To be able to speak
critically of the love-song, one should
pay especial regard to the love-life of
birds. It would be to throw water into
the sea to add to what ornithologi
cal writers have advanced concerning
the exceeding vital worth and cosmical
significance of love. Nevertheless, I
venture the opinion that the origin of
the song-habit is to be found in other
sources'll* well as in this important fac
tor, among which is the joy of life,
manifested in an irresistable determin
ation to announce itself in melody; and
that the song is more perfectly brought
out in proportion as this feeling is
more highly developed in theorganiza
t on. Birds in freedom begin to sing
long before pairing, and continue it,
subject to interruptions, long after
ward. though all passion has been ex
tinguished: and domesticated birds
sing through the whole year without
regard to breeding-time, though no fe
male or companion ever be in sight.
Such birds, born in captivity, never
feel the loss of freedom, and, if they
are well taken care of, are always
hearty and in good spirits. The bird
sine's, to a large extent, for his own
pleasure: for he frequently lets himself
out lustily when he knows he is all
alone. lii the spring-time of love,
when all life is invigorated, and the ef
fort to win a mate by ardent wooing is
crowned with the joy of triumph, the
song reaches its highest perfection. But
the male bird also sings to entertain
his mate during the arduous nest-build
in o- and hatching, to cheer the young,
anti, if he be a domesticated bird, to
give pleasure to his lord and the provi
dence that takes care of him, and in
doin (r jo to -please hitnself. Lastly,
the bird sings—bv habit, as we call it
because the tendency is innate in the
organ- of *ong to exercise themselves.
I _ i> r _ Plaezek ,• in Popular Science
j Monthly.