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<5 1 t I x r c L rani ✓s 1 * * ' VOL. V. THE AFTER TIME. 'O, let us be glad that only the earth O, let us be glnd that only tbo snow Beneath us lies frozen and cold; Lies white os a winding sheet; That still the days find beautiful birth, _ . That the heart of the earth Lias warmth Through orient gates of gold; find glow, Tiut still above us tbo fathomless And strongly her iifeqmisOs beat; . blue, light; That, soon shall her tires awiUceu and set O’erarehes the dazzling Each nerve of nature a-tbrill, 'That still the stars shino tender and And brimming with beauty the earth shall Through true, the infinite depths of night. That forget l long she lay silent and chill. —Dart Eairtliorne, in Vick’s Magaziqa, The Lost Louis. 13y WILLIAM SAGE. HE colonel, the pro¬ r fessor Jack Hawley and young were seated around the m :gp£gg|g table in a bay win¬ dow of the club dining-room, over their after-dinner < coffee. t x The dinner had been excellent, aud the old colonel, as the guest of the >. evening, was feel¬ i ing particularly genial, as he drew a handful of change from out bin trousers’ pocket in order to reward the attentions of the waiter. As he did so the quick eye of the professor took note of a silver piece •considerably '"That’s larger than a dollar. a curious coin, colonel,” he remarked, leaning forward over the table. "That’s a_.Louis,” said the colonel, jpickiug it out from the other coins iu iliis hand aud passing it over to the professor. “I always imagined that a ‘Louis’ was a gold piece,” remarked young Jaok Hawley. . c i They,are generally gold,” replied the colonel; "but evidently some sil v«r Louis were coined, for here is ’one.” "I have never seen nor heard of one before,” said the professor, looking with interest at the liirge, clumsy coin, with the heavy oquiittpiance of Louis XVI., aud under it the date 1776. "I suppose this must be both rare and valuable. ” . ’I T prize it .. Wjore , highly . . , because , of „ the wonderful coincidence, connected Uet s U hear 1 ’ leC it, T said U young 0ue ' , Hawley. T , Well, ’ when I was a lad ’ began the colonel, leaning‘back m his chair and lighting a cigar. ‘Such a long tune ago that your grandfather Jack, was at school at the time and the pro LilkL P ' pr ° bably Wearing ■ "Oh, hardly as long as that,” inter ’rupted the professor, laughing, "I’m over forty-six myself; you’ll make make yourself eighty at that rate.” "Well, that would not be so far out of the way; I was seventy-four last month.” And the old colonel stroked his white goatee complacently, for he Bid not look a day over mxly-hve “It was when I was a youth of eighteen, wonemg m a jeweler s shop m Boston, t,hat this com first came into my pos session At that time, as you know great many Spanish, Mexican and French corns were in circulatmn m this country, J, and I took this one in my wages. ri11 The face - of the ,, unforfcun- o , ate French monarch rather took my fancy, and I kept it fora pocket piece. But before I go any further I want to ask whether either of you gentlemen see any marked peculiarity about this coin?” And the colonel tossed it upon the table. The professor examined it closely, "I notice that it bears the date of American independence,” he said. • w Well, that’s hardly a peculiarity, in There were doubtless others minted the same year ” "I don’t colonef see- anything else.” The smiled. "Well, there is, and I’ll let you endeavor to find it out while I tell you the history. "In the year 1845 1 went to*Mex ico. Silver milling was what I went there for, but I did about everything before I left the country, and ended by going into Taylor’s army when the war broke out. “One day I was seated in a gaming house at Saltillo. Oh, I was wild enough in those days, Jack Hawley, and hardly a week passed that Dave Cranston and Pedro Blanco (they were my two partners), and I did not come into town for a little game of ’brisca ’ ’ "Well, on this day—ever to he remembered by me as the last time I sat down to a game of chance where the stakes were money”—here the colonel took a long pull at his cigar nnd expelled the smoke slowly—"I was having a particularly hard run of luck and lost so rapidly that iu less than an hour after first sitting down I was cleaned enough out. I had for not had | nearly excitement my money, and wanted badly to keep on playing. Searching all my pockets in the hope of finding a stray coin I drew out this Louis, which I had carried for over four years. The thought at ouce flashed through my mind that per haps on this piece my luck would change, and I might retrieve my shat tered fortunes. So I tossed it on the table and took another hand at the game.”, LINCOLN TON, GA.. THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1898 "And not only won back your los¬ ings, but such a large sum in addition that you wisely resolved never to tempt your luck again,” interrupted young Hawley. "Inside of five minutes,” said the colonel impressively, "I arose from that table, having lost this piece and everything of value that I possessed, down to the silver mounting on my horse’s bridle, and I would have staked the horse himself had not Dave Cranston and Pedro dragged me away from the table, and putting me on the animal’s back, rode off with me be¬ tween them to our camp. I’m not go¬ ing to read you a. lecture on the im¬ morality of gambling, young Hawley, nor lengthen out this story with an ac¬ count of my life in Mexico. Suffice it to say that I kept my resolution in re¬ gard to gaming, and whatever forttane I have made was not amassed in Mex¬ ican mines. ” "I suppose you got this piece back by purchasing it from the winner,” remarked the professor, dropping it on the table and putting down his ear to listen to the ring. “To my great chagrin lie left Sal¬ tillo that same afternoon, and I never set eyes on him again,” "Indeed! Tften how in the world did you regain possession of it?” “Forty years later,” said [the col¬ onel slowly. "Phew,” whistled young Hawley, under his breath. “I was sojourning for a few days in a small town in Southern Spain. Passing through a narrow street one afternoon on my wav back to the hote i. j chanced to stop, as anyone mi ht> to io ok into the window of a dealer in curios, and the first object ^ jf ht /know was tMs identical coin that this sounds ine , e(HbIe . I, myself, J at first thought it mcrely / a c oin 0 f the same de¬ nomillation ntl date , but imagine my ise w] n h iu and e x amining it closely I discovered that it was the very same Louis that I had i ost at pjayfii Saltillo so many years aga j gladly paid the shopkeeper s i s pesos for it, and I have carried it j n my poeket ever since.” Here the colonel stopped, “is that all?” inquired young Hawley ' „ Tlmt is all exoer)t that i wiU now to ahow yo u — _; J « Wm f you U permit me to take a look fc m co n? The speaker who iutei ^ d them ha(1 ri sen from a table in adjoiui professor’s alcove and now stood at l elbow. He looked mme ^ older tliau the colonel, his hair white and he leaned _ -i upon a , was , y caue > one , b uem j o decidedlv aeciaecuy , ‘ uue ’ • "I’m Major . Tracer; I overheard P ai T °i' your conversation as I sat at my table there, and I was so interested that I could not refrain from coming over all T a * : ' intruding, tak ing a part in it. ” “No intrusion at all, sir. One old soldier is always glad to make the acquaintance of another, and your major, is known to every yeter an of the Mexican War. Permit me to introduce my friends, Professor Lang ton and Mr. Hawley, "The colonel has just been enter - taming us with a remarkable account of the loss and subsequent recovery of ^lis piece of money, said the pro feasor, handing the coin to the major, “Seventeen seventy-sne tlm same date, said the major half to kiznseL. Then putting the com on the table he took up a fruit knife and, placing the ‘till! point exactly over Hie letter O * n the word Louis, a hair s breadth from the edge, he gave a sharp, quick pressure and the face ot the cpui. flew °P en as though on a spring, tv lth an exclamation of surprise the professor took it and inspected it closely, some skilled workman had cut it open all around the milled edge and fitted a spring inside; just under the letter "O.” bo nicely had tne woik been done that when closed it was not ap parent to the naked eye. When opened, it was seen that a groove had been hollowed through the inside about an inch and a half long and one eighth of an inch wide, "By all the powers, how comes it that you knew that secret?” cried tlie colonel, dumbfounded, as the major threw the fruit knife back on the table, Without answering the question di rectly, the major took the other old soldier by the hand and, looking into his eyes with a peculiar expression on his face, asked; “Were you the man who did that delicate piece of mechani cal work?” "I was.” "Tell me what on earth, induced you to do it?" "For the life of hie pH can’t say. What, induces people to make baskets but of cherry pits, lockets out of hair and the thousand and one tittle gira cracks that are always being made? I was a skillful workman, and in an idle hour I took up this ooia, cut it open and fitted it with a spring. There is just one way to open it, Tou must have had the piece in your possession at one time aud stumbled upon the secret, I put something iu that cavity in the centre—did you take it out?” "I did.”. The major drew up a chair and stretched liis stiff leg out under the table comfortably. "In 1847,” he began, looking fixedly at the colonel, “I was also in Mexico.” The colonel nodded and handed the major a cigar. ‘‘Thanks. I was with Scott at Vera Cruz.” "And I,” said the colonel, giving him a light, "was with Taylor iu the northern part of the country,” "Having lived in Mexico for p number of years previous to the wav, - continued the major, lighting his cigar, "and speaking the language of the country, I was more valuable in the secret service than is the field, so I was,” here he puffed on the cigar for a few seconds to get it well lighted “a scout.” “I understand,” and the colonel nodded again. "The American army took up quar¬ ters at Jalapa, where I left them aud made a detour towards the south, to discover a suitable route by which our forces could approach the City of Mexico, and avoid the fortifications and ambuscades which.General Santa A nna had provided for their reception. I had been most successful, and had reached Molino del lley, a small town almost in the shadow of the walls of Mexico City, when I was captured by the Mexicans and thrown into the jail to await trial as a spy. Imagine my despair. I had every inch of tlie ground from Jalajia carefully photo graphed in my brain. Could furnish Scott with information of the greatest importance, and here I was jugged in that little, miserable Mexican jail with every prospect of being condemned to death, and no possible way of getting any part of my valuable information to the ears, of the general. “You will, of course, surmise that the first thing I had done on being left alone in my cell was to examine; every avenue of possible escape. Sly room was ten by twelve. There was in it a table, one chair and a pallet of straw. One small iron barred win dow, looking out on the prison yard beneath, furnished what light there was. The bars were half an inch in diameter, and firmly set in the masonry. Using all my strength I could not budge them. I was not, however, kept long in suspense. On the afternoon of the second day I was taken out, triad, found guilty, aud condemned to he shot at sunrise on the day following—that is, within iif teen hours. ■ “On my return to the hot, badly aired cell with the stunning effect of my sentence benumbing my brain, 1 sat listlessly down by the table and allowed my head to rest in the hollow of my hands. My attitude of dejec¬ tion appealed to the sergeant who brought me in, for placing his hand on my shoulder he asked if there was nothing he could do for me. I shook my head. ‘There are some very nice grapes in the market place outside,’ ho said persuasively. The sound of the word ‘grapes’ recalled to my mind how parched the roof of my mouth was, so I thanked him, and said I should enjoy a few. I handed him a half eagle, which, my captors had overlooked when they took everything else of value from me. l'u less than five minutes lie was back with a basket of delicious-looking fruit, whicli he placed on the table at my elbow, and offered me the change. I motioned him to keep it, saying that he could spend it to better advantage than I. He pocketed it with an expression on his countenance intending to denote commiseration, but he was such a 'happy, smiling-faoed fellow that Hie effect was rather comical. As he was putting the change in liis poeket one of the larger coins slipped through liis fingers and striking the floor on its edge it circled about the room and ended by nestling on the straw at my feet. Actuated by a feeling of deli¬ cacy the sergeant withdrew without stooping to pick it up, and hardly noticing the occurrence I remained seated at the table. After a short time I pulled myself together enough to eat some grapes, and then com¬ menced to write a few Hues to my friends at home in the hopes that through the kindness of mj 1 - jailer, who had also furnished me with paper and pencil, they would some day reach tlie bauds for whom they were in¬ tended. As I finished writing my eye caught the glitter of the coin at my feet. I picked it up and tossed it onto the table before me. On looking at it closer I noticed that it was a French coin, with the head of Louis XVI. stamped upon it. This sent me off into another train of thought, and as I mused I tapped mechanically on the coin with the point of miy pencil, thus,” and the major illustrated the action with the fruit knife. “I must* have struck a sharp, quicklblow right over the letter 0,'for all <w \i a sudden the face of the coin flew iand out popped a little object that fell on the table with a tinkling Sound. I took it between my thumb arid finger; and going to the light could hardly believe my eyes when I saw that I held a tiny file about an inc 1 ^ and a half in length, with delicate sawteeth, which were al¬ most invisible to the naked eye. The next moment I was standing on my stool at the window, experimenting on the iron bar. The little instrument was made of the hardest steel, and its tiny teetli made some impression on the iron; For half an -hour I worked away persistently; and by that time I, had cut into the bar a little; Not much, to be sure, but still enough to raise my hopes. It was only a ques¬ tion of time and not being interrupted, and I should be through, that window. I worked away like a beaver. Twelve hours to saw through two half-inch bars, I had read of men who, with files made with watch-springs, had cut their way to liberty through iron bolts and bars, of with no other tool than the blade of of a penknife had dug through a dozen feet of stone and these mortar to the daylight beyond; and but meu had taken weeks months to complete their task, while Fluid just one short summer night. Nearly two hours passed thus when the faint twittering of a bird warned me of approaching day. I had not flushed the first bar. I seemed to be making no progress at all now. Onee Imgers t ie little file had slipped from my and fallen to the floor, where I had been obliged to grope for it, and the constant fear lest it should slip again and fall outside made me doubly cautious and slow. As the first streaks of reel tinged the eastern sky the roll of the drum in the guard room beneath tolu me that the sentries were about to be changed. Exerting all my strength I wrenched the bar free at the bottom and bent it inward and upward like a hook. The aperture thus made was small, but still I might squeeze itow, through. The remembrance as a boy, I used to crawl into our barn at home through a small window from which a pane of glass had been knocked, came to my mind encouragingly, Snatching up the pistol I pushed the table under tlie window, and, jumping upon it. began, feet first, to work myself through the hole. I was about tlie same size all the way up in those days”—here the major looked rather regretfully at the pres out generous proportions of his waist ->at—“but when I had gotten half (fay through I stuck fast, Just the at this moment I heard' voices at door and a key difficulty grat# in the look, They had some in unlocking it, fori had left the key in the lock on my side. Meanwhile I struggled valiantly, but the more I wriggled the tighter I seemed to get wedged in the window, and the blood surged up into my head with splitting violence, There I was, caught in my own trap, waving my legs about aud striking them against the wall on the outside, “The key on my side of the door fell to the floor, and the key on the other side turned in the lock. I called out as menacingly as my lack of breath would permit; ‘The first who enters will be shot dead.’ Here I gave a tremendous squirm. ‘I have overpowered the sentry (wriggle), and have his pistol.’ The click of my weapon carried conviction with it, for the men in the corridor paused. By a superhuman effort I drew myself a little touflird the inside of tlie room, and getting one arm outside, managed to slide out of the window. Here I hung by one arm from the bar, my shirt, having caught on the ragged stump of iron, prevented me for a moment from ns to the yard beneath, A CO on the prison wall sjiied me at this juncture and fired liis musket, It was his last shot, for as his ball struck the mortar from the wall near me I raised my pistol and picked him off his perch. I let go my hold. There was a soft burr of ripping flannel, and I fell to the ground. I was upon my feet and over the wall like a cat. As I leaped a volley of shot followed me, and the soldiers poured out of the jail in pur¬ suit. There were some horses tied in front of the postoflice opposite, and breaking the tether of one of them 1 was on his back and away up the street iu a flash. It was ouly an eighth of a mile long. You know how these Mexican towns are built. Pandemon¬ ium reigned there for about ten sec¬ onds, and then I was off towards the mountains. A dozen men were after m •■ in full chase, but they never came You within shooting distance again. see, I knew the country even better than they, having been scouting in it for weeks. I made my way back to our lines with all possible dispatch, avoid¬ ing any encounter with the natives. Once, however, urged by hunger, I stopped at a small habitation for pro¬ visions. The Mexican who lived there was not inclined to be curious, and gave me an abundance of food, so to pay him for his kindness I gave him this piece of money, which was all I had. “When I finally reached the Ameri COIL array I found that Scott had given up all idea of seeing me again, and was preparing to press forward to the at¬ tack. “On the 18th of August our forces were shelling the City of Mexico from the very town of Molino del Key, and on the 19th we took the city itself by assault. “I wanted to have a hand at whip¬ ping Santa Anna, so took part in the charge and received a wound in the leg which resulted in this.” The major stuck out his left leg from un¬ der the: table. "Cork, sir! "That,- gentlemen, is how I come to know how to Open this remarkable coin.” Then drawing a fat wallet from his inside vest pocket he fished out from its recesses something folded in what had once been white paper, now dark with age. Unwrapping it he disclosed a tiny tile, with delicate saw-teeth. Fitting the file into the cavity in the coin he handed it to the colonel, sav¬ ing, as he did so; "Allow me to re¬ store to you all your property.” But the latter refused it. "No, major, I think it should belong to yon. ‘‘Well, I should like to keep it as a memento, but in turn you must permit me to celebrate my first meeting with the man to whom I am so deeply indebted, by ordering a bottle of champagne, genial " With all my heart,” said the colonel, "And now,” continued the major, after Hie arrival of the wine, as lie filled the glasses around, "I want to ask you again; “What induced you to put a file, of all things, into the centre of that coin after cutting it open?” “And I.cau only say,” replied Hie eoiouel, “that it was because that lit¬ tle file happened to be lying on the my work table near at hand. It was merest chance. ” "It was a lucky elianee for me,” said the major, devoutly, as he raised his glass, "otherwise I should not have had the pleasure of drinking your very good health to-day.”—Short Stories. HUMOR OF THE DAY, “Your friend?” "No; merely an acquaintance from whom I borrow money. ’’—Judge. "Who is that military-looking chap?” “That, sir, is the hero of a rumored war.”—Puck. “Did you get your bike on the in¬ stallment plan?” "Yes, I pay the doctor ten dollars a month.”—Puck. .Tones—“Why, Bridget, this is a very small egg!” Bridget—“Sure, sir, it was just laid this morning.' — Detroit Free Press. Women don’t need to be told that the prick of conscience is about as productive of pin-money as anything you can mention.—Puck. The chief aim of some women’s lives seems to be to get things slicked up one day before it is time to slick ’em up for the next.—Puck. Van Braam—“Jaysinith says he is an expert in toxicology.” Shingles— “He must mean in toxicology.—Pitts¬ burg Commercial Telegraph. Miss Trill —“I love to hear the birds sing.” Jack Downright (warmly)— “So do I. They never attempt a piece beyond their ability.”—London Tit Bits. “There are things in this world more valuable than money, my son.” “I know it. That’s the reason I want money to buy them with.”—Detroit Free Press. Druggist—“See here! Why didn’t you tell that customer that we had something just as good?” New Clerk —‘‘Because he was after some postage stamps.”—Puck. Stranger (in Texas)—“How long do you fellows work at a stretch?” Cow¬ boy—“Well, it depends a good deal on how easy a feller dies. Dey re variable. ”—J udge. He—“Well, I must be going; I al¬ ways seem such a fool among a lot of females.” She—“You seem always the same to me.” (Now, what did she mean?)—Standard. Watts—“I’ve got au uncle eighty years old anil he is as frisky as a schoolboy.” Potts—“As a schoolboy going to school or coming out?”—In¬ dianapolis Journal. “More men,” remarked the ob¬ server of men and tilings, “would sell themselves to the devil, if the devil could he taken in with green goods. ”—Detroit- Journal. “So that burglar carried off all your I silver?” “Yes; but wJiat upset us the most was that he drank up all our cream and we had none for our coffee at breakfast.”—Detroit Free Press. Blobbs—“That, fellow to whom I nodded will probably cut me the next time he sees me.” Blobbs—“Why?” Blobbs—“He’s my barber; and he’s very careless.”—Philadelphia Record. Airs. Hoyle—“What was all that noise at your house this morning?” Mrs. Doyle—“The servant broke some of the china and then my husband broke one of the commandments.”— Standard. “I have a doctor’s certificate here that I cannot sing to-night,” said the prima donna. “What?” roared Hie manager; “I’ll give you a certificate that you never could sing. —Detroit Free Press. Her Mamma—“She says when she undertook to reprove* you your re¬ marks were, to say the least, out of place.” Her Husband — “Why, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. ”— Detroit Journal. Prisoner—“It’s hard to charge Anc with forgery, for you see 1 can’t even sign my own name.” Judge—“That point is immaterial; it’s another man’s name iCJ ou’re accused of its. NO. 49. SOME WEATHER SIGNS. Old Sayings that iu Many Place Are Still Believed In. Almost everyone has a theory about the weather, though frequently these stories are inaccurate. Here are n few popular signs. "Six weeks after you hear the first katy-did look for a frost.” "Notice your cat when it washes its S:" co. The paw it uses and the dlree X" in it faces will show the point of compass whence the wind is blowing." "Blow out a, candle, and if the wick continues long to smoulder, look for bad weather. If it goes out quickly, the weather will be fair.” "The last Friday of each month is the almanac index for the next month. If the weather is fair, the month will be likewise; if foul, so will the month be.” "If it. storms the first Sunday in the month It. will storm every Sunday in the month.” "If the sun sets In a cloud, it will rain on tlie morrow.” "If you see sun-dogs, expect rain soon.” "Three white frosts and then storm. ’ "When the smoke from a chimney does not rise, but falls to the ground, It is going to storm.” .! "Three foggy mornings and then a "A ringing in the ears is the sign a. change of weather. Others say it a sign that several people are talking about you.” - "When the rooster crows at 9 o'clock in the evening expect a change of won then.” "If the chickens come out. while it rains it is a sign that the storm is to lie a long one. If they stand around nn dor the shed, the storm will be short.” “If you see froth along the shores ci the streams, you may know it is going to rain.” m "When the farm animals are unusti | allv friskv it is a sign it is going to rain." "When a night passes and no falls. It Is ;i sign if is going to rain.” "When you hear an owl hoot ft safe to conclude ii is going to storm.’ "If the rooster crows on the fence it is n sign that the weather is going to change.” kettle. "If tin; water boils out of the it is a sign that ll' is going to storm.” "If the sun sets Hear on Friday it will storm before Monday night.” "■If \« 1 I see file eilt or dog 1 Bing grass you may look for it > "If it rains while the sun shines will rain on the day following.” "When the leaves of the poplarrf other trees turn up'their under sides. look for rain. Know. too. that it is going to rain when you see he hens ‘greasing' themselves." "A curdly sky is the sign of nun within three days.” "If tlie sun shines clear in the morning and then the sky soon up it will rain before nighl.” "When you see the .1 around in the meadow- v “ i great* •activity than common look for soon.” -Kill a beetle and it will be sure bring rain." "When you see the pigs carry winds.| g In their mouths look for high “It's a sign of rain when the bite.” "As long as the dogstar reigns thei» will be dry weather.” * “There is going to be a change nj • weather when you hear the telegra poles buzz. It is going to be rnlder or warmer.” nations sending ' While other are xvai ships to China, this country sends oq of her young men to be professor of lug engineering Tientsin. and geology Our interposition at the Pnja versify of in Chinese affairs is not dramatic, lit the interference of Germany and tt rest, but who will say that the tamnit of mightier, the geologist than the is mailed not. better, fisL if n< jjs 1 - The problem “How to be happ though too much married” is one those that can never be solved satisfa torily in this working-day world. GEORGIA RAILROA -»A IV I>— Connections. iV« V For Information as to Routes, Schi —ules and Rates, Both— I Passenger and Frei; Write to either of the undersigned* ] You will rece’ve prompt reply i reliable information. JOE. W. WHITE, A. G. JAC T. P. A. G. P. M Aug-usta, Ga. 8. W. WILKES, H. K. NICHO-I8 O. F. & P. A. G. A. Atlanta. Athene. W. W. HARDWICK, S. E, MA(f S. A. C. F. j Macon. Mai [ M. R. HUDSON, F. W. COW j S. F. A. S. F. & P. I Milledgeville. Augusta, -----------