The Savannah tribune. [volume], February 11, 1888, Image 1

About The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960

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VOL. 111.
The Heart's Call.
He rides away in early light,
Amid the tingling frost,
And in the mist that sweeps her sight,
His form is quickly lost.
He crosses now the silent stream,
Now skirts the forest drear,
Whose thickets cast a silver gleam
From leafage thin and sere.
Long falls the shadow at his back
(The morning springs before);
His thoughts fly down the shadowed track,
And haunt his cottage door.
Miles gone, upon a hilltop bare
He draws a sudden rein:
His name, her voice, rings on the air,
Then all is still again!
She sits at home, she speaks no word,
e>* But deeply calls her heart;
And this it is that he has heard,
Though they are miles apart.
The Detective’s Prisoner,
Two men sat together in the rear scat
of a smoking car on one of our railroads
and chatted familiarly of the ups and
downs of a miner’s life, the topic being
suggested by a landscape dotted with
coal-breakers and furrowed with coal
roads.
The freedom and interest of their con
versation did not seem to be damped by
the fact that the younger of the two
carried a revolver, while his companion
wore a pair of those uncovetcd articles
of jewelry which are known in criminal
circles as “bracelets.”
The few passengers who had observed
them learned from the confidential
brakeman that they were a noted detec
tive and his prisoner on the way to trial.
As far as ages went, the pair might have
been taken for father and son, the fine
gray head of the one contrasting strong
ly with the crisp brown curls of his
captor.
What crime had been committed, the
brakeman did not know, but hazarded a
conjecture that it “must have been a
pretty bad one, or George Munsen
wouldn't have took the trouble to put
them things on his wrists.”
Presently the brakeman and the con
ductor satisfied the joint demands of
etiquette and curiosity by stopping to
exchange a few words with the detec
tive; the former then perched himself
upon the coal-box directly behind the
prisoner, and the latter dropped mag
nificently into the seat in front. The
train was sweeping around a curve and
past a ruined trestle on the hillside at
which both of the passengers looked
with some interest.
“I remember that place," said the
older man.
“So do I,” responded the younger;
“I was born there. Came near being
buried there, too,” he resumed after a
moment’s pause.
“How was that? ’
“It’s a pretty long story;” said the
detective, “but I guess we’ll have time
for it between this and the next station.
Way up there on the slope is the little
settlement where I made my debut, so to
speak; from it to the bottom of the hill
there used to be a gravity road---a long,
winding track reaching from the settle
ment down to the top of a blank wall of
earth where a slide occurred the year I
was born. On both sides of the track
grew saplings that had sprung up since
the disaster (what I am telling you hap
pened five years later), and they crowded
the road and hung over the old rusty
rails on which the coal cars used to run.
You must remember that the houses
were built near the mouth of the pit—-
that was one of the first mines worked
in this country, and one of the first to be
abandoned. Time I am telling about,
some men were walking up track, and a
lot of children playing near the top,
climbing in and out of an old car which
had lain there since it made its last trip,
with the broken spraggs still in its
wheels.
“The men were miners, all but one of
them, who questioned his companions
about their work and the country they
lived in. He was evidently a stranger.
“Presently as they talked, a shout
•from the top of the slope attracted their
attention, and they looked up just in
time to see the car begin to move slowly
down the grade.
SAVANNAH. GA.. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 11.1888.
“There was an impatient exclamation
from the oldest man in the party.
‘Them brats is always up to some mis
chief,’ he said. ‘They have started
that old thing off at last; I’ve been ex
pectin’ to see it go any time this five
year. They'll be breaking their necks
yet with their tomfooling.’ And another
of the group added: ‘We must dust
out of this lively, unless we want to
get our own necks broke; she’ll either
jump the rail or go to pieces at the bot
tom; lucky there ain’t no one aboard of
her.’
“The stranger was looking anxiously
up at the approaching runaway. His
quick eye had caught sight of some
thing round and golden above the black
rim.
“‘There’s a child in that car,’ he
said, quietly.
“It was a second or two before his
companions realized the awful meaning
of that statement. A child! That was,
as if he had said that in a few moments
some o.ne--perhaps one of themselves—
would be childless.
“With one impulse they turned to
look at the broken rails by the edge of
the fault. Shuddering, they fixed their
eyes again on the approaching mass,
then hopelessly on each other. They
could not dream of stopping the pro
gress of the car. But quick as thought,
almost, the stranger took hold of a sap
ling and bent it down till it nearly
touched the track. ‘Hold it,’ he said,
to one of the men; ‘it will help to check
her.’ A rod further down another and
then a third and fourth were held in
the same way. So four of the party
waited for a few breathless seconds,
while the two remaining ones hurried
further down; but one more effort and
the car was upon them. The first ob
stacle was whipped out of the hands of
the strong man who held it and the car
rushed on to the second with scarcely
lessened force. Again, the barrier was
brushed aside, but this time the speed
of the old wreck was perceptibly less.
By the time the fifth obstruction was
reached the new-comer was able to
clamber aboard and throw the child into
the arms of his companion, but before
he had time to save himself the old
truck had regained something of its
momentum and was plunging on to
wards the precipice.
“Well, the man jumped just as they
reached the edge, just before his vehicle
shot over into the air, but he had very
little time to choose his ground, and
so landed, as luck would have it, on the
only heap of stones in sight. Idle oth
ers picked him up for dead, and carried
him up to the settlement, where the
miners held a regular wake over him.
But he came to life in the middle of the
festiv —the obsequies, I mean—and
found that he was only crippled for
life.
“The miners, folksnot easily moved,
were enthusiastic about the affair, and
gave such testimonials as the could, to
show their gratitude and appreciation.
One of these expressions took the form
of a souvenir, signed by every man in
the place and stating in very grandilo
quent language what the poor fell >w
had done. His quick wit seemed to
them more wonderful than his courage
and devotion, in a community where
neither quality is unusual at all.
“The man who takes his own life in
his hand every day, and has frequently
to fight for the life of some companion,
values a ‘brainy’ action. In the box
with the testimonial was a purse of fifty
dollars and a curious old gold cross, that
had been treasured by the mother of the
lad who was saved, as her one piece of
finery. On it was rudely engraved these
words:
“ ‘Given by the miners at the Notch
to the man who risked his life for a
child:’
“That was all. The poor fellow went
away and would have been forgotten,
only that the old miners told the story
sometimes to their children.
The prisoner was looking out of the
window. The conductor rustled around
as though ashamed of the interest he
had shown in the story—a story which
he did not doubt was pure fiction. Only
the brakeman gave way to his sympathy,
and asked whether the man had ever
beed found.
“Not that I know of,” replied the de
tective.
“And was you the boy what he
saved?”
“I was the kid.”
“And you never heer'd tell what be
came of the man-—what would you do if
you sh’d come acrost him sometime? ’
Evidently the brakeman had an imagin
ation which was trying to assert itself.
“Oh! I’d try to even the thing up
somehow. I suppose common decency
would demand that. I’d treat him as
well as I knew how."
“Look here,” said the prisoner, turn
ing from the window with an apparent
effort to change a conversation which,
for some reason, had not seemed to
interest him—“look here, old man, I’ve
got a little keepsake that your story
just reminded me of, and if I could get
at it I’d ask you to take charge of it for
me till—till this thing is over. If you’ll
put your hand in there and pull out
that bit of ribbon: so ”
The conductor almost jumped out of
his seat. “Blamed if it ain’t the cross
that you’ve just been telling about!” he
shouted.
J: 4-
A month later the detective was un
dergoing a cross-examination by the
conductor and brakeman.
“Yes, he was a bad lot, oh, yes, he
didn’t have a leg to stand upon; the
facts were all as clear as day. All
true about the cross and the rest of it?
Just as true as gospel.. What had he
been doing? Throwing bombs the last
thing. Punished? Well, to tell you
the truth they won’t be apt to punish
him till they catch him again, I guess.
Fact is, he got away from me somehow
i that same night. Who, me? Oh, no.
! I’m not on the force any more; I’ve been
bounced.”—[Edgar Bacon in Epoch.
Woes of the Wealthy.
Bad health afflicts the millionaire as
iit docs the pauper. Many a modern
I Midas has the dyspepsia and he cannot
i eat the dainty things which his French
| cook brings him. A writer says in the
I Ohio State Journal:
Amos Lawrence of Boston, did not
dare to tempt his stomach by eating
with his family, and had to confine him
self to oatmeal gruel. Jay Gould lately
telegraphed to a London doctor for a
cure for neuralgia, and the pills which
he received in response did not help him
a bit. All the millions in the world
will not stop the jumping toothache.
Mrs. A. T. Stewart paid $32,000 a year
to three physicians during her latter
days and died at last. She was not
happy under the process, and all of
Mayor Hewitt’s wealth will not drive
away insomnia. Insomnia is the ghost
of many a rich man, and I doubt that
■ Hewitt would give many thousand
' dollars to know that it would never visit
'• him again. He had in Washington dur
i ing his congressional career a half dozen
j different houses and could not buy sleep
!at the highest rental rates. During part
\ of the time he lived at Wormley’s hotel
j and had the whole top floor reserved for
him. He would travel from one bed
room to another night after night seek
ing a soporific pillow, but his efforts
were often in vain, and the crowing of
the cocks, the yelling of the cats and
' the barking of the dogs drove sleep
' from his eyelids. A baker who was
probably happy when he made $5 a day,
lived near Hewitt’s Washington house.
This baker’s name was Kaiser, and this
: Kaiser had a dog. The do:* disturbed
I . .
I Hewitt night after night, and Hewitt
made such a fuss about it that his
trouble was published in the papers
I throughout the country. Kaiser, how-
I ever, would not sell the dog, and the
i rich man was forced to listen to it.
i
What He Learned.
j Little Stuart had spent his first day
! at school.
“What did you iearn!” was his aun
; tie’s question.
“Didn’t learn anything.”
“Well, what did you do?"
“Didn’t do anything. There was a wom
an wanting to know how to spell ‘cat”
, and I told her.”
Old-Fashioned Propriety.
Those “society balls” were conducted
I with great propriety and reserve. The
1 claim of every person of both sexes to
be admitted having been previously de
i termined by the responsible and trusty
committee, there was a sort of tempo
i rary and conventional equality on the
| terpsichorean floor; and therefore every
j gentleman had the privilege to invite a
lady, without the formality of an intro
duction, to figure in the dance as his
partner. After it was over, he escorted
her back respectfully to her seat, with
out presuming, if unknown and not
duly presented, to remain standing be
fore her, or to sit by her side, to con
tinue the conversation, or to prolong
the accidental acquaintance. During
the intervals of dancing, the gentlemen
I walked up and down between the rows
of ladies that densely lined the
hall, some merely bowing as they
passed to those whom they knew, and
others stopping to converse. No woman,
married or single, joined in this prome
i nading with a male companion as is the
! custom in these present days and the eye
of a lynx could not have detected the
slightest flirtation. The word itself is
not known, for the thing it means is for
Louisiana a modern invention, which
i had not then been patented and brought
out for public use. In fact, this pecul
' iar pastime would have been impossible
[ to attempt; it would have produced a
| social earthquake.—[American Maga
j zinc.
Rare American Coins.
I The only nickel three-ccnt piece
| worth a premium is that of 1877, which
i brings fifteen cents, but the little old
; three-cent silver pieces from 1863 to
1873, inclusive, all have premiums on
■ them ranging from fifteen to fifty cent’.
The only nickel five-cent piece that is
j worth a premium is the one of 1877,
! which is worth fifteen cents.
The quarter of 1853, similar in ap
pearance to the present issue, which his
j on its reverse side no lines back of the
eagle, is worth $2.50. Some of the
older twenty -five cent pieces bring
j much more, that of 1823 bring
ing sls and that of 1827
bringing S3O. Among the half
dollars there are several with premiums.
That of 1776 is worth S2O; that of 1797
$lB, and there are smaller premiums for
those of 1794, 1795, 1801, 1802, 1815,
1836 and 1852.
The silver dollars come next in order,
among the most valuable being those of
1794 (bust of Liberty with flowing
hair), worth $25; 1836 worth sls; ’3O
worth $10; ’sl and ’52 worth S2O each;
and ’SB worth $lO. Other dates with
premiums among the later issues are
1854, ’55, ’56, '57,’61,’63,’64,’65 and'67.
The last five must be sharp impressions
to be worth more than their face value.
The coin highest in denomination worth
a premium is the S2O, or double eagle of
1819, which brings SSO. —[Philadelphia
News.
A Good Word for Rattlesnakes.
As to the cussedness of the rattlesnake,
says J. W. Scptt in the Philadelphia
Press, I would like to correct a very
i common error. These otherwise danger
ous reptiles always give warning, and
never bite unless roughly trod upon or
incautiously caught with the hand. Cn
a cold, rainy or damp day, when partly
torpid, they give no alarm, and will not
bite under any circumstances. A man
may take them up and fold them around
his neck without harm. The same may
be done at other times, but the per
former must be extremely cautious. He
may touch any part of the snake’s body
except the tail or rattles. The rattler
has a well-known but unwritten law:
“Thou shalt not suffer any man to touch
thy tail or thy rattles, on pain of death
to the offender.” Observing this law,
an expert may handle one of these
reptile monsters almost any time with
absolute impunity. It is needless to
say, however, that I do not recommend
such performance as an everyday exer
( cisc. Even an unloaded gun will some
times go off unexpectedly.
He that lives alone, lives in danger;
I society avoids many dangers.
(11.25 Per Annum; 75 cents for Bix Months;
< 50 cents Three Months; Bingl# Copies
I 6 cents--In Advance.
Regulating Maladies by Diet.
By fasting from sugar, or from meats,
or other specific articles of food, it looks
is though the distinguished patient, the
crown prince of Germany, might at least
benefit the suff ring world by the value
found in the experiments he is said to
oe undergoing. The control of some
maladies by food is what every enlight
ened physician now aims at. Teething
babies are fed to suit their symptoms
rather than treated with drugs. As tho
Ledger pointed out some years ago, the
time will come when human beings
will have some share at least of the good
mpoi vision that blooded animal stock
has had for years in their food and
treatment in order to improve their
condition, health, muscle, endurance,
peed, symmetry of form, e,tc. The
lock -grower has given the healing sci
ence many points in those respects. One
■rent use in special hospitals, such as
the cancer ward established hero in tho
Home for Incurables, is that they give
good chances to observe, simultaneous
ly, the resu'ts of various foods. Side by
side are the patients who are deprived
of sugar and those who are not allowed
meats, those who have some electric
treatment, those who take hot water
plentifully or who live on cranberries.
Observations of these may add to scien
tific knowledge in return for the tender
care that shelters and provides for them.
[Philadelphia Ledger.
The Parisian Shops.
Business people in Paris have long
since formed a color speech by which
certain trades are easily recognized.
First of nil, the color shops are distin
guished by being painted outside in
squares and stripes of the brilliant colors,
Viennese leather, bronze and trinket
shops have begun to use the Austrian
colors; yellow and black; then tho
Spanish wine shops use yellow and red;
the Italian green, white and red. The
business places where furniture carts for
removal are kept are painted yellow, as
well as the wagons—why, not even the
proprietors know. Pastry shops are
light brown outside, and within white
and gold, so that one is reminded of tho
pastry itself.
Milk shops are white and blue, both
inside and out. Tho washerwomen now
begin to paint tho outside of their iron
ing shops a bright blue, while tho carts
that take the linen to the wash-houses in
the country are bright green. Wine
houses are all painted brown, or a dull
red, which is exactly tho color of the
vin ordinaric mixed with cranberry
juice and logwood. Still darker is the
color of the charcoal shops, which the
dust soon renders completely black.
Bakers are fond of light brown and
white, with much gilding and largo
mirrors.-- [Court Journal.
—
The French President's Perquisites
The president of Franco is allowed
firewood, candle and gaslight, men ser
vants, the wages and board of whom the
state pays, as well as the liveries of
whom it buys, two carriages, a carriage
for his secretaries, two military secre
taries, three civil secretaries, house linen
and the cost for washing it, vegetables
for his table from the ex-royal gardens,
flowers for his greenhouse and ball
rooms from tho city nursery gardens,
valuable preserves in the forest, of Mar
ly and Rambouillet, which not only sup
ply his table with all tho game it
can consume, but enables him to put
away about S9OOO a year. The presi
dent has a box at the opera and nt the
Francais paid for by tho state. His sit
ting-room is fitted up with
which enables him and hi, family to
hear operas without stirring from the
chimney corner. This, too, is paid for
by the nation.
A Misunderstanding
Father (who has just given hit, con
sent.) 1 hope, young man, that you
know the value of the prize you get in
my daughter?
Young Man—Well—cr—no, sir; I
don't know the exact value, but as near
as 1 can find out it's in tho neighbor
hood of fifty thousand dollars.— [New
York Suu.
NO. 17.