Knoxville journal. [volume], October 29, 1874, Image 3

About Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986

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FAREWELL.
TbeofaueB wnwt faded into gr*y:
Upon the marrauron* *e& the tmligat Mil,
"The iftftt warm breath of the delicioiw
,d»T
Panned with a mate farewell.
Above rov head in the «of? purple *ky
A wild'note sounded like a 'hrili-vuicea bell
Three gull* niet. wheeled, and partvd with a cry
41
That aeonied to riiy Farewell!"
I watched them one sailed east and one soared
west,
and one went floating sooth while like a
knell
That mourn fnl cry the empty oky pommmo,
Farewell, farewell, farewell!"
"Farewell!" I thought, it la the earth'* one
speech
All human voice# the sad chorai swell
'Though mighty love to heaven'* high gate may
reach.
Yet mast he nay Farewell!"
The rolling world Is girdled with the eMUMt,
PerpetnaHy breathed from all who dwell
Upon it# boHom. for no place in found
Where id not heard "Farewell!"
Farewell, farewell"—from wave to wave 'tis
toseed.
From wind to wind earth has one tale to tell
\nfl other aoiuMls ue dulled and drowned and
tan
la thU one cry, Farewell!"
—Atlantic Monthly.
A MARRIAGE ON SPECULATION.
The French entered Amsterdam the
20th of January, 1815. The soldiers
stacked their arms on the pavement, and
waited anxiously for their billets for
quarters.
Despite the severity of the weather,
the citizens turned out in large numbers
to welcome and admire the veterans in
flhcir rags. There was general rejoicing
throughout the city, which far the most
|art was illuminated. At the exremc
end of the town there was a single house,
whose dark, forbidding aspect was in
strong contrast to the brilliant, appear
ance of the neighboring buildings. It
was the residence of the rich merchant
Meister Woerden. He was completely
absorbed in his commercial operations
and neither knew nor cared to know what
was going on in the political world and
then he was too familiar with the rules of
economy to think of squandering candles
on an illumination.
At this moment, when all was joy and
enthusiasm throughout Amsterdam,
Meister Woerden sat quietly in his big
arm-chair beside tlie tire. On the table
®ie re was a little brass lamp, a mug of
fceer and a big clay pipe. On the other
side of the fire sat an old maid servant,
whose rotundity betrayed her Flemish
origin. She was occupied in shoving
back the coals that had fallen out on the
hearth, when there came a loud knock at
the street-door.
Who can that be? Go and see," said
the old merchant to the maid, who had
risen to her feet.
A few moments later a stalwart young
man entered the room. He threw off his
mantle and approached the fire.
Goou evening, father," said he.
"How? Is it you, William? I did not
expect you back so soon."
I left Brock this morning, but the
roads have been made so bad by the
army-trains that we have been the whole
day on the way."
"Well, did you see Van Elbcrg?"
"Yes," said the young man, seating
himself before the Are Meister van El
fcurg consents to the marriage, but he
(riheres to his determination to give his
daughter a dowry of only four thousand
ducats."
Well, then, he may keep his daugh
ter and his dowry," replied Woerden,
with a frown.
But, father
Not a word, my son! At your age
we have no more sense than to sacrifice
everything for love, and to despise
riches."
But Herr van El burg is the richest
merchant in Holland, and what he does
not give now will be ours at his death."
"Nonsense!" replied Meister Woer
den. Am 1, too, not sick? Listen, my
ion. You will soon follow me in my busi
ness. Never forget these two rules:
ttever give more than you receive, and
•ever further another man's interest to
the detriment of your own. Guided by
the
se principles, one will better his con
dition in marriage as well as in trade."
But, father
Not another word, my son—not
another word!"
William knew his father too well to
say anything more, but he could not
«void evincing his displeasure by his
Hianner. To this, however, the old man
Jjaid no attention he calmly tilled his
pipe, lighted it, and began to smoke.
Again there was a loud rap at the
street-door, while at the same time the
dogs began to bark.
Aha!" said Meister Woerden, it
must be a stranger, or the dogs wouldn't
bark so. Go and see who it is, William."
The young man went to the v/indow.
It is one of the militia horsemen,"
said William.
A militia horseman' What can he
want?"
At this moment the maid-servant en
tered and handed Woerden a letter. He
carefully examined the seal.
From the Provisional Government,"
said he.
His hand trembled as he hastily opened
tile letter and read it, but suddenly the
611 tradesman's face lighted up with a
Joyous expression as he cried:
••Good—good! I accept."
The letter contained an order for 400,
000 herrings for the army, to be delivered
within a month.
William," cried the old man," I have
A capital thought. You would mam
Van fclburg's daughter and have a hand
some dowry with her?"
Yes, father, I would but——"
"Well, leave the matter to me," inter
rupted the old man. But see that there
.are two horses ready for us to morrow
.morning, early."
The next morning, at sunrise, father
•fnd son were on the high-road from Am
sterdam to Broek, which they reached
about mid-day. They repaired imme
diately to the residence of Van Elburg,
who, when he saw them enter, cried out:
"Ah, good morning, Meister Woerden!
Have you fled from the Pn rlezvou* In
any case, you are welcome."
No, 1 flee from nobody. You know I
have nothing to do with politics. I come
to propose a good speculation to you."
Yes? What is it?"
I have an order from the Government
lor 400,000 herrings, to be delivered with
in a month. Can you furnish me with
Hhat number in, say, three weeks?"
At what price?"
Ten florins a thousand."
"Ten florins! Yes, I will furnish
(hem."
Very well, and now to dinner I am
half famished. Al table we will talk of
another matter
Woerden introduced the subject of the
tnarriage, but Van Elburg could not be
Jersnaded to increase the dowry he had
offered to give his daughter to the amount
of a single stiver. They nevertheless de
ciued tiiat the wedding should take place
that day week.
The following day Woerden and his
son returned home. Hardly had they
left Broek when the young man asked:
Then, father, you hare changed your
mind?"
How so?"
"Have you not decided to accept the
dowry ottered by Meister van Elburg?"
Let me manage the matter in my own
way, my son, and ask no questions."
When the wedding-day came, Woeruen
and his son returned to Broek. Van El
burg received them kindly, but he was
so nervous that William feared he had
some bad news for thern. His father,
however, had no such misgivings the
old fox knew too well the cause of his
colleague's disturbed manner.
What is the matter, Meister van El
burg?" he asked, with a sardonic smile.
"You seem to be worried about some
thing."
"Ah, my friend, 1 am greatly embar
rassed. I must sneak with you."
What is it? Have you changed your
mind with regard to the marriage?
Speak frankly it is not yet too late."
"No, no it is another matter en
tirely."
Well, then, let us first proceed with
the wedding ceremony. Afterward I
shall be quite at your service."
The company, therefore, repaired to a
neighboring church, and in a few min
utes the young people were husband and
wife. hen they returned to the house
Van Elburg asked Woerden to go with
him into his private room.
My friend," began Van Elburg, when
he had carefully closed the door, "in
accordance with our agreement I should
within two weeks from now deliver to
you 400,000 herrings. Thus far, how
ever, I have not been able to procure a
single one. There are none in the mar
ket they have been all bought up."
Certainly they have I bought them
up myself," replied Woerden, smiling.
"But—but—how about my contract?"
stammered Van Elburg.
You will fulfill it. Listen, friend
Van Elburg: you will some day leave
your daughter a handsome fortune: I
shall leave my son at least as much it is
therefore unnecessary to discuss their
future. This, however, is not true of the
present. I shall soon give my entire
business to my son, while you give your
daughter only four thousand ducats. I
could not oppose the wishes of he young
people but, when I consented to their
union, I determined to compel you to do
your duty toward them. With this
object in view I contracted with
you for 400,000 herrings at ten florins
a thousand, although I then had
all the herrings in the market. Now, in
order to comply with the terms of your
agreement, you mu-t buy from me, and
my price is fifty florins a thousand you
have, therefore, only to pay over to me
the sum of 16,000 florins, and we shall
be square."
Wink Meister Woerden was arriving
at this mercantile deduction Van Elburg
regained his wonted equanimity.
I see, I see," said he "you are a
clever tradesman. I am fairly caught,
and must bide the consequences."
Their conference ended, the two old
merchants rejoined the wedding compa
ny as though nothing unusual had oc
curred between them.
A week later. Van Elburg went to Am
sterdam, ostensibly to see his daughter.
Now the tables were turned.
Ah, Meister," cried Woerden, on see
ing his colleague from Broek, I am in a
terrible dilemma. The time is approach
ing when I must deliver the 400,000 her
rings, and not a cask can I find to put
them in!"
That does not surprise me," answered
Van Elburg, smiling "you bought up all
my herrings, and I bought up all your
casks!"—Translatedfor ApyletorC* Journal.
A Treasure Storjr.
Your correspondent was shown the
tree a few days ago from under which
was dug the sum of $40,000. The tree is
an oak and stands on the west side of
the road leading from Charlestown to
Shepherdstown and about ten miles from
the latter place. The story, as it go«s
here, and which is believed to be a true
one, is as follows: During the war an
officer of the Federal army, who had
charge of a large sum of money, a quar
termaster or paymaster, buried the $40,
000 beneath the tree, doing so either
from fear of its falling into the hands of
the Confederates or it may have been to
secure it for himself. If the latter, he
succeeded, if we credit what follows,
which is told by parties who saw the ev
idences of the facts and heard the story
from the party when he returned to take
away the buried treasure.
The party, whose name is not given,
or, if he gave one, was an assumed name,
was tried a year or two after the war for
the embezzlement of Government money
—the same money he had buried under
the oak in Jefferson County—was con
victed of the charge and sentenced to
serve a term of years in the Albany Pen
itentiary. This he did and the law was
satisfied, for he declined to give any
clew to the whereabouts of the money.
His sentence expired a few months ago,
and, as was expected, he lost no time in
hurrying to the spot where a fortune was
to be had for the digging. It seems
his knowledge of the locality had some
what failed, for he was seen in the
neighborhood for several days, but one
fine morning he had gone and with him
the money. The ground under this iree
presented the appearance of a newly
plowed field, having been dug up during
the night by the ex-convict for the space
of a rod or more. The pick and shovel
he had boriowed in the neighborhood he
returned.
Strange as this story may appear,
there is no donbt but that money of
some kind was buried there and dug up.
The amount is believed to have been the
sum stated.—Datfi&UU (W. $'**» (*'vr. Bal
timore Gaaette.
—A woman about thirty ytih of age,
named Bowers, who resided in the north
east corner of Westphalia, arose from
the bed the other night and was absent
so long that her husband became alarmed
and went in search of her. After
searching the premises for some time
without success be happened to look into
a large trough by the side of the house,
used for catching rain-water, when he
discovered something white, and on
further examination found his wife,
dead. It appears that she had been.sub
ject to spells of insanity. About two
years ago when thus afflicted she
strangled her only child to death.
—A Georgia planter drained hi* rice
swamp last year, and planted the ground
with corn last spring A hybrid crop is
his reward, the stalk, blades and cob
being those of corn, while the kernels on
the cob are rice.
CURRENT PARAGRAPH**.
Foreign Gossip.
—There are 12.000,000 acres fit for ag
riculture and 50,000,000 for pasturage in
New Zealand.
—An epitaph at Ramsgate, England,
concludes: He bore th' acute pains of ye
gout for forty yrs with thankfulness."
—In England it is proposed to do away
altogether with switches on railroads by
providing apparatus for lifting trains
from one track to another.
—The introduction of sewing machines
into China is creating a riot on the ground
that they cheapen labor. Ilong Kong
tailors have been mobbed for attempting
to use them.
—An English physician, during a lect
ure to a female audience, on the use of
alcoholic beverages, asserted that "the
babies of London are never sober from
their birth until they are weaned."
—Pere Hyacinthe seems to agree with
Mr. Disraeli as to the coming of a great
war. In a speech he delivered at Geneva
lately he said he "saw in the horizon war
raising its hideous head—international
war, civil war, religious war."
—The London Pont learns that the pen
sion granted to the father of Don Carlos
by the Emperor Nicholas, ot Russia, was
stopped by the Emperor Alexander di
rectly the present Don Carlos entered
Spain as a pretender.
—The death of Dr. Anstie, the London
physician, so widely known from his re
searches into the nature and causes of
neuralgia, was said to have been caused
by exposure to sewer gas, when examin
ing the detects of sewerage at a school
in Wandsworth. Two prominent phy
sicians, however, now say that his death
was primarily caused by a neodle punct
ure received while he was making a
post mortem examination, but that the
exposure to sewer gas was a predisposing
cause.
—A strange exhibition is about to be
given at Paris, in the person of a man
tattooed all over his body. He is a
Greek by birth. At present aged forty
seven, he was when young made a pris
oner by a horde of Manchoux Tartars,
who amused themselves by tattooing
every part of his body in various colors.
The torture he endured from the con
tinued puncture of so many needles w as
indescribable. He often prayed for
death, but he survived tin trial, and he
is now about to show the effect pro
duced.
—There is in the island of Syke a min
ister of one of the parish churches who
occupies the pulpit which his father,
grandfather and great-grandfather have
filled in succession, and who is training
up a son to be his successor. Besides
discharging the duties of the ministry of
his parish he is Chairman of the School
and Parochial Boards, road contractor
for the district, a noted breeder of set
ters, which he supplies to the Southern
markets, a knowing judge of cattle and
occupant of three large sheep farms in
addition to his glebe. He is verging on
three score, and yet he continues to dis
charge these multifarious duties and
preach two sermons every Sunday—one
in Gaelic and the other in English.
—The captain of the British stenm.
ship Victoria was recently murdered by
a Greek sailor while his vessel was lyin#
at Barcelona. The murderer had de
serted from the Victoria and his request
to be pei milted to rejoin the ship had
been refused. He entered the captain's
cabin about midnight, awoke him and
repeated his formei request. The cap
'tain informed him that he could not tol
erate such neglect of duty, whereupon
he drew a knile and, exclaiming: "Cap
tain, I will kill you!" stabbed him in four
places before he could resist. The mur
derer effected his escape and up to the
date of the latest advices had eluded the
vigilance of the authorities. The unfor
tunate victim, who only survived a short
time, was interred in llw J/ivUsntWit cem
etery at Barcelona.
Religions and THtacatfonal.
—The Friend estimates that.
Protestant Christians raise at ast five
millions of dollars annually for the evan
gelization ot India.
—The New York Journal says "there
are 221.000 school-teachers in this coun
try, and 14,000,000 children who are or
should be under their instruction. This
averages sixty-six pupils to one teacher."
—A movement is on foot in the Epis
copal Church in New York city for the
organization of a society which shall
have for its object the training and sup
port of a corps of evangelists.
—The Cleveland Board of Education
has started an inquiry in which most of
us are interested How to keep chil
dren at school without spending a small
fortune for high-priced school-books?
The evil is two fold—too many of them
and too expensive."
—As a very significant result of the
revival in Scotland, eighty-three young
men connected with the Free Church
have resolved to devote themselves to
the Lord's work, either as ministers or
missionaries. Arrangements have al
ready been made for the religious in
struction of these young men.
—It is proposed to organize a South
ern General Assembly for the colored
people, conducted according to the Pres
byterian form of government and disci
pline, modified somewhat in the matter
of ministerial education. The colored
people it is said desire it, and it is
thought to be the only method of promot
ing self-government among them.
—The Boston schools pay good salaries
for good services and make a gradual
increase according to length of service.
They have consequently no difficulty in
taking their pick from among the very
best teachers. For the three or four
vacancies that now exist in the Latin
School not less than 150 applicants,
graduates of colleges in all parts of the
country, have offered themselves.
The working of the compulsory
school law in New Hampshire, which
went into operation in the last half of
1871, is indicated to some extent by the
returns for that and the two succeeding
years. In 1S71 the number of children
between the ages of four and fourteen
years who diu not attend school was
4,602, in 1872 the number was 3,080, and
in 1873 it was 2,5l3—a decrease of ft22
non-attendants the first year and of 1,087
the second year. The. percentage of non
a'.tcndants to ti«e whole number of
scholars registered was .003 in 1871, .052 in
1872, and .037 in 1873.— N. Y. I ndepeitdmt.
—Special attention is paid to hytriene
in the Cbauucey Hall School, Boston.
When delicate health renders it difficult
for a pupil to conform strictly to the
regular course of work he is allowed the
privilege of taking little more than half
the work of his class for the year, and
the next year, instead of being promoted,
he remains in the same class, reviews
thoroughly his yi ar's work, and takes up
the studies omitted before. All mortifi
cation on the part of the pupil is removed
by the announcement made at the open
ing of school that certain members will
remain in the class for two years.
which
i
Personal and Literary.
—Dr E. II. Clarke, who raised such a
tempest by his "Sex in Education," is
writing a new volume on the education
of girls.
—Gen. Sickles has filed a formal
claim at the War Department for restora
tion to the rank and pay of a Major-Gen
eral on the retired list of the army.
—A son of F. E. Spinner, Treasurer
ot the United States, got broke" recently
at Texarkana, Ark., and went to work in
a hotel as a waiter. A check from the
old man relieved him.
—Among other things in her bridal
wardrobe Miss Sherman bad 100pairs of
stockings. This seems a prodigal waste
of money. Most any bride ought to be
able to get along with 9. or 98 pairs.
—Chiang Quan Wo, a Chinaman, liv
ing in San Francisco, has forwarded an
application to the Patent Office for a
patent for improved overalls. This is
the first instance of an application for
a patent from a subject of the Chinese
Empire.
—Capt. Tyson writes that he has made
twelve voyages to the Arctic regions, and
spent twenty-three years of his life con
tending with the Polar ice, adding: Let
those who have the means furnish a stout
steamer equipped and stored, anil they
will find me ready to start for the North
Pole at short notice."
—M iss Martha Hempstead recently
died in Waterford, Conn., aged nearly
ninety o#e. She was a daughter of Mary
Bill, of Groton, whom every schoolboy
knows as the Revolutionary heroine who
said to her husband on his way to war:
"John, do not get shot in the back!"
Among the antiquities belonging to Miss
Hempstead was the oldest watch iu New
London County,
members of the
Legislature usee, to borrow during the
sessions in a time when watches were
much less common than now.
—The recent death of Bishop Lee, of
Iowa, has culled forth some interesting,
if not curious, parallelisms between his
life and that of the late Bishop White
house, of Illinois. They were classmates
and fellow graduates in college Lee fol
lowed Whitehouse in the incumbency of
his New York parish Lee was conse
crated Bishop of the adjoining diocese
immediately after Whitehouse's election
to the Bishop!ic of Illinois and hardly
had Lee conducted the funeral services
of his life long friend and brother than
he himself died, and, like that friend and
brother, suddenly.
—A writer in the 8t. Paul Pr«*» tells a
new story of Horace Greeley. Horace
wrote a note to a brother editor in New
York, whose writing was eaually illegi
ble with his own. The recipient of the
note, not being able to read it, sent it
back by the same messenger to Mr.
Greeley for elucidation. Supposing it to
he the answer to his own note, Mr. Gree
ley looked over it, but likewise was una
ble to read it, and said to the boy: Go,
take it back. What does the confounded
fool mean?" Yes, sir," said the boy,
that is just whut Iu says."
Industrial.
—In parts of Connecticut fruit IsiO
prolific it don't pay to gather it.
—Ocean prices for emigrant fare have
dropped as low as $10, and vary between
that sum and $20.
—The rapid expansion of the suet
butter interest, the past summer, has ac
tually caused a scarcity of tallow in
Boston.
—The Pittsburgh Commercial sees in the
large number of recent marriages an in
dication that the general condition of
trade is improving.
—There are large numbers of articles
of utility made in this count ry that were
never seen ot heard of in European and
other foreign States, which if introduced
would find ready sale.
—Where does all the briar-wood come
from? From five to fifty tons of it are
received in Baltimore every week from
points on the Potomac, York. .lames and
Kap|
mhannock Rivers, and most of it is
shipped thence to Philadelphia and New
York. It is worth about $20 per ton.
—A Richmond tobacco house lately
had returned to tliein by their agents in
England two hogsheads of tobacco,
which was pronounced by the Govern
ment analyzers as being too sweet for
consumption under the law governing
the manufacture and sale of tobacco in
that country, it containing, according to
analysis, 12 per cent, of sugar.
—The tobacco crop of the Connecticut
Valley, which looked poor during the
early summer, has been harvested with
out accident and under most favorable
circumstances. The curing process be
gan early and has been very rapid, the
weather having been thus far all that
could be desired for a perfect cure. The
yield is large and generally sound.
—At Utica, N. Y., a lady's dressing
case is shown that contains drawers
large and small, numerous secret com
partments and boxes, all made from in
numerable pieces of native woods In the
natural color. All the ornamentation is
made by the arrangement of colored
woods, some portions containing 158
pieces within one square inch. This is a
work of infinite labor and is exceedingly
valuable on account of beauty and use
fulness. The box has over 720,000 pieces
ot' wood ia iu construction.
Miscellaneous.
—How to get rid of rats—Kill them.
—A happy home is Heaven in minia
ture.
—The mosquito's note is always pro
tested.
—There's no cement will mend a broken
promise.
—To cure the toothache—Stand on a
dentist's doorstep.
—Never try to leirn how much tempt
ation you can resist.
—1The sensation of hunger is not in the
stomach but in the brain.
—They are not burning any com for
fuel in the West tlfls year.
—A secret is too
little for one, enough
for two, and too much for three.
—Life is but a dream, but sometimes a
doae of medicine will prolong it.
—Cowards falter, but danger is often
overcome by those w ho nobly dare.
—All persons profess to know how to
take care of babies until they get them.
—A man at Cape May who received
fifty cent* from a gentleman he had saved
from drowning, handed back forty-nine
cents because he didn't want to take
more than the man's life was worth.
—We are willing to admit that, as the
New York Arcadian says, French women
arc more industrious than those of this
beloved country bu| we greatly doubt
if they know how to chew gum without
making their jaws ache.—Detroit Free
Prets.
—The Chinese in California buy their
wives. My Celestial, All-Sam, who dusts
out my office, has recently imported one,
Sam sent money to his mother, and in
due course of time the purchase arrived,
and Sam brought hee down for my in
spection. She was as ugly a Chinese
woman as I ever saw. 1 said, Sam, not
handsome, eh?" Sam says, "No. no
handsome much handsome gal cost heap
money, and all time kick up—bobbery."
Sam had the correct idea of it, and was
wisely content with a plain article that
was "most likely to stay by him. Sam
informed nie that the original cost, with
freight and charges, was $300—all it was
worth.—Cor. Francuco Paper.
—The woman suffrage meeting at
Providence, II. I., recently was an un
commonly interesting gathering, and the
impress that the Smith sisters of Glas
tonbury, Ct and the Fosters of Worces
ter, Mass., have made upon the cause
has been particularly noticeable. In
deed, the leading subject of the addresses
was taxation without representation.
Lucy Stone said: "History will garner
up laurels for Abby Kelly Foster, who
put her gay life, with all its hopes, upon
the altar of a great reform," and "the
cart in which the Smith sisters stood to
plead with their townsmen should be put
in Independence Hall as an object of
veneration."
Among the Monte-Me*.
We are gliding through the ranynn of
the Truckee River, at night, nine out of
ten of the passengers are dozing, when
suddenly the door opens, and in with
the cold night comes the queerest speci
men of humanity 1 ever saw. One side
of the slouched hat is pinned up, and by
the lamplight discloses a face that is
voung and not unhandsome, a pair of
Iionest blue eyes and a good forehead.
The beard is unshorn, however, the hair
unkempt, and every lineament of the
counteuance betrays unmistakable ver
dancy. It requires no particular knowl
edge of character to decide that the fel
low is a green Missourian, fresh from
the primitive precincts of Pike County.
One leg of the corduroy pants is stuffed
into the top of an old cowhide boot.
These, and the woolen shirt, and the di
lapidated vest and coat, render his cos
tume decidedly seedy. As if totally ob
livious of the situation and surroundings
he logins humming in a low, musical
voice—
Away down South In Uixle,
Away, away."
Keeping time to his weird song, he
waltzes with a light, shuffling step
the entire length of the car, and in
a twinkling has disappeared. He has
molested no one, noticed no one, anil
yet everybody is awake and talk
ing about this strange personage. He
had not awakened them by his humming
song or shuffling dance so much ashy
his strange, indescribable tone, manner
and conduct. The boy on the front seat
is convulsed with laughter, the young
miss across the aisle giggles with glee,
broad smiles overspread the faces of men
and matrons, and the more serious mut
ter, Poor fellow! he iu crazy." They
are unconscious of the person
age at whom they have been look
ing as of the scenery through which they
have been gliding. Ah! that good wife
would scarcely have awakened her
drowsy husband to look at that fellow,"
had she imagined for an instant that it
was the terrible Slim Jim," chief of the
monte sharps. In a little time he re
turns, and with the same abstracted air
proceeds to walk through the car. Im
pelled by curiosity, several of us fol
low him into the smoking-car. He is
surrounded by a group of laughing fel
lows who are listening to his story. At
Truckee, he said, a lady had stepped up
to the ticket office to buy her ticket and
found that her purse was missing. She
had asked him for forty dollars, and prom
ised to pay when she got aboard the
train. He let her have the money, and
now had gone "clean through" the cars
without finding her. lie told the story
in such a droll manner that everybody
laughed, even while they pitied the
poor fellow's loss. He seemed to can:
but little, however, for he drew fiom his
pocket a large leathern bag, fully eight
een inches in length, that was half full
of shining gold pieces. He iold how he
had been swindled out of some of his
money by the fellows called "monte
sharps," and proceeded to illustrate the
manner in which they fooled him. Be
lieving that he had thoroughly learned
the game from the rascals, he offered to
bet that no one could tell the ace of dia
monds, and in less than five minutes he
lo'jt $400 to well-dressed gentlemen who
stood around. His hands moved so awk
wardly that a child could pick out the
right card.
No man ever saw $18,000 placed con
veniently within his grasp who was not
tempted to covet the lucre. So it was
with the black visaged man who sprang
eagerly from his seat as soon as the
greenhorn began losing his money. Of
all the men in the car this man was the
most perfect villain if God's handwrit
ing in his countenance was not wholly
unintelligible. Carried away with the
one idea of stealing the Missourian's
money this fellow planked down his
cash, his watch, his gold chain and—lost!
All this occupied not over ten minutes,
including the waltz, the game and the
winning. Just as the fellow turned the
wrong card a luw whistle from the fur
ther end of the car announced the com
ing of the conductor.
Quicker than "scat" the cards disap
peared, the cappers and all bands
dropped into their seats. Slim Jim drew
his hat down over his eyes, and the vic
tim, after glaring fiercely around for a
moment, settled back into his seat in
moody silence. The conductor entered
and passed slowly through the car, but
not a single hint did he obtain of the
fact that a game had been going on.
Hardly had he left the car before the
villainous-looking victim demanded an
other chance to bet. From another
pocket lie had drawn twenty dollars, his
last cent, and eagerly asked for a
sight." Coolly disregarding his impor
tunities, Slim Jim said, "No, sir, I don't
want to break you." In another minute
he had disappeared through the door,
dancing and humming "Away, away."
A quarter of an hour later we found
Slim Jim and his best capper, Mr. Mc
Clellan, seated in the forward passenger
coach operating on an old Oregon farmer.
The man conscientiously believed that
Slim Jim was a half-witted fellow, who
had in some way.become possessed of
$18,000. He further believed the poor
fellow had been fleeced by the monte
sharps, and was bunglingly attempting
to imitate the game, lie saw the capper
win three or four hundred dollars, and
had even turned the card once or twice
that won a hundred dollars. At last
Slim Jim refused to let the capper bet
any more because he was too lucky, and
the latter slipped $150 into the old man's
hand, which he bet, won, and instantly
returned to the capper. After this he
w as too honest to bet. I know I could
w in your money, young man, but I will
not burden my conscience with such a
crime." Once he took out his pocket
book and showed a check for a thousand
dollars and several gold coins, yet he
would not bet a dollar. He was going
back to visit his old home after many
years of absence, and his family sat near
him. Perhaps the pure, upturned face
of his sleeping little girl, or perhaps the
trusting look of his dear old wife, helped
to restrain him but, at all events, hia
conscience would not let him rob a half
witted fool, and thereby, all unawares,
he saved a cool thousand. I believe the
man's sterling integrity touched the
monte men's hearts, for they made no
further effort to play until they reached
Reno.
Here we met the western-bound pas
senger, and I had an excellent opportuni
ty of watching the entire working-up"
process. Slim Jim and his three cappers
appeared to be total strangers. They
never met, spoke, or even looked at eacn
other. Strolling leisurely through the
train, each "spotted" his man that in his
opinion was most "gullible," and sat
down by him. The cappers are genial,
pleasant, whAle-souled fellows, who win
your confidence in five minutes' chat,
and by the time the conductor has gath
ered up the tickets Slim Jim comes along,
ami you are easily led to try your luckat
what appears to be a dead thing. The
most skeptical Californian will believe
his own eyes," and herein lies the beauty
of the game. At one time I sat with my
eves not twenty inches from Slim Jim's
hands, and 1 could not possibly detect
him in the act of cheating at cards.
Sometimes the corner of the winning card
would be crumpled up so that all could
see, and with a single movement, while
you were intensely watchinir, the corner
would be straightened and another card
would have the crumpled appearance. A
grease spot, a pencil mark or a drop of
ink marked the card no surer, for the
soft, delicate fingers would give a quiet
little shuffle, anil the spot, the mark or
the ink would be in the corner as before,
but upon the wrong card. Once Slim
Jim seemed to have discovered the spot,
ami in bis simple, foolish way tore off' the
corner, spot and all. I watched closer
than ever, and when the card lay on his
lap just as before, minus the corner, I'd
have staked my existence yet a fellow
from Idaho bet a $100 check, and lost.
The deft fingers of the monte chief had
concealed the mutilated portion of the
winning card and clipped the corner off
another.—Cor. Sorr/t»unh llerortl,
A Horrible Snake Story.
Messrs. D. S. Perkins, Joseph Straley
and John F. Stienrack, a party of Chi
cago tourists, returned yesterday from a
three months' trip through Park, Summit
and Grande Counties. They fitted out an
outfit at Simpson's corral last July, and
drove down southward and prospected
from Granite to Fort Steele, on the Union
Pacific.
These gentlemen relate a most horrible
snake story, which will bear repeating.
They were encamped iu Elk Head Moun
tains, in the North Park, on the 10th of
last September, when they met with a
misfortune which cost one of the party
his life. The party arrived in camp late
one night after a clay's hunt and ramble
over the hills. After a hearty supper the
party lay down in their blankets around
the fire, which had been built in the cleft
of some large quartz rocks, and all were
soon fast asleep. Mr. Straley was
awakened in the night by a heavyweight
upon his chest. At first" he supposed it
was his brother's hand, but as it did not
move, and becoming nervous and
alarmed, he raised his head, and was hor
rilied to find a large mountain rattle
snake coiled upon his chest, with its head
nestled down in the center of the coil,
it was nearly daylight, but Mr. Straley
was so paralyzed with fear that he could
not make a noise and dared not move.
He recovered his presence of mind SO
far as to be able to draw the blanket over
his face. This movement startled the
reptile monster, which glided from him
to his brother, who was sleeping with
him. The snake passed from his breast to
his brother's lace, when in a fatal momont
Henry Straley raised his hand to tear it
away. There was a fierce rattle and a
loud cry from the half-awakened bOT,
and the monster buried its fangs in his
right hand and a second time in his
cheek. There was a horrible scream
from Henry Straley as the poor boy
jumped to his feet, while the snake glided
from the blankets to a large fiat rock
near the embers of the fire. Mr. Jenkins
fired his revolver at the horrible creature,
and at the second shot brought it down.
Poor young Straley was soon suffering
the most intense agony. His brother, at
his request, cut out a large portion of
the cheek in hopes that the poison had
not penetrated very deep, and a tight
ligature was bound around the wrist of
the bitten hand, which was bathed in
cold water. But nothing the horrified
young men could do availed to save the
poor boy. He died in less than two
hours in the most terrible agony. Had
the party been supplied with a plentiful
supply of whisky his life might have
been saved, but they had none with
them. The body changed color within
three hours after the accident. The
young men conveyed the corpse to Fort
Steele, whence it was shipped home to
Chicago for interment. The snake meas
ured four feet in length and had nine
rattles, which were taken off", and which
were shown to our reporter at the corfit
last evening.—Denver (Col.) World.
Marriage In California*
Th# fcan Francisco Chronicle has point
ed out some curious features of the civil
code relative to marriages in California.
The law provides three distinct ways in
which a couple m»y marry: First, a con
tract followed by a consummation second
the old-fashioned method by solemniza
tion and third, by the declaration of in
tention, signed, acknowledged, and filed
like any other legal instrument. The
first marriage under the third of these
methods was recently made in Stockton,
and has already created a very favorable
impression as a convenient and inexpen
sive plan, as it requires no fuss or woiry,
no minister, no justice, no anything, but
two parties to make a contract and ac
knowledge it before a notary. The law
makes this marriage binding if it is fol
lowed by a mutual assumption of marital
rights, as the fifty-fifth section of the code
provides: "Marriage is a personal re*
lation arrisingout of a civil contract, to
which the consent of parties capable of
making it is necessary. Consent alone
will not constitute marriage it must be
followed by a solemnization or by a mu
tual assumptkiA ul maxitul rights," dutiei*
or obligation!,*