Middletown transcript. [volume], March 19, 1870, Image 1

About Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current

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MIDDLETOWN, NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 19, 1870.
VOL. 3.
NO. 12.
NEW STOVE, TIN,
AND
HOUSE-FURNISHING STORE.
THOMAS -II. ROTIIWCIA'S
NEW BUILDING,
North Side of Main Street, 4 Hulltllngs Went
Hall,
of Tow I
Middletown, Delaware.
Where he lias constantly
hand.
tnd is pre
pared to manufacture
ALL KINDS OF TIN WARE
At Short Notice.
Particular attention paid to
ROOFING AND SPOUTING.
Orders respectfully solicited
ded to.
id promptly atten
COOK STOVES
ST AH, COTTAGE, NATIONAL,
CIIAHM, PRIZE, & VICTOR COOK.
PARLOR STOVES.
BOQUET BASE, GAS, BURNING
BASE, DIAL, VIOLET, REFERE, UNION AIR
TIGHT.
Stoves suitable for stores, offices, hotels,
school houses.
Orders will be received and pri
any kind of Stove that may be oi
•1
omptlv filled for
rdei-cd.
GALVANIZED, RUSSIA, AND SHEET IRON,
ZINC,
COAL IIODfS, SKIVES,
POKERS, SHOVELS,
TEA KETTLES, BAKE PANS, WAFFLE IRONS
SAD IRONS, BRASS & ENAMELLED
PRESERVING K EITLES,
ENAMELLED SAUJJE DANS,
TEA HELLS, JAPANNED CHAMBER DUCKETS,
SPITTOONS, WAITERS, LANTERNS,
FLOUR AND PEPPER BOXES.
SAND OTTS, MATCH SAFES (Cast Iron,)
MOLASSES CUDS ,
I* i: A ( EH C A K S,
( Soldered and Self-Healing )
PATENT CLOTHES FRAMES, Ac. Ac. Ac.
Prompt attention to business, moderate prices,
a determination to
epochal by those who
competent workmen,
■
■ at all times I
him with thei
please,
may fav
THE VAPOR COOKING STOVE.
Stove Pipe, no
No Wood,
Jshts , »
. Coal, no
DijJ, no \Vu
Coal Scuttle, no Kindi in y Wood,
vo
But a Friction Match,
And the fire in full blast in half ;l minute, ovei
hot in two minutes, steak broiled in seven min
utes, Dread baked in thirty minutes, the tire eu
tinguished in a moment.
Please call and examine it in operation nt
Thomas H. Rotkwell's Stove Store
MIDDLETOWN, DEL.
of the stove for the State.
Sole own
Pcb. ID— y
ANTICIPATING
THE
FALL TRADE.
T HE undersigned has made the most elal-or
ate preparations and already offers to those
who may wish to he early iu making their Fall
aud Winter purchases, a
FULL STOCK OF GOODS,
»Suitable for Fall and Winter
My stock of DRY GOUDS will
eat
»hit i
part
of
BLACK and COLORED ALPACAS,
Wool Delaines, Wool Poplins,
IVEolinirs,
A good assortment of Prints, Cotton and Wa
Flannels, 1, 1.}, 'll Brown and Bleached Muslin
Heavy Domestics, Bal. Skirts, Shawls. Ac. Ac.
NOTIONS.
Hosiery, Gloves, Ladies Corsets, Ladies Vests,
Ribbons,' Edgings, Gents Underskirts, Ladies
Collars and Cutis, Combs, Hair finishes, Velvets,
and in fact everything you could well expect to
find in n first Class Notion House may hero be
had.
I ask the particular attention of tiie gentlemen
to mv assortment of t'liKN(lit t
CLOTHS, and Fancy Cassimcrs.
constantly receiving and disposing
d AMERICAN
New Styles of
(which I
af at reasonable prices.
Also to the Community in general to my Slock
.of Mens Heavy Hoots, and of Mens, Womens
and Misses Heavy Shoes, which I have made to
.Ohdeb of the Hebt material, and on any of which
willing to guarantee satisfaction. I havo
also a good assortment of Mens sowed and peg
god. sipgle api doubla upper and sole Calf
Jtoots, aud Ladies Dress Shoes in Various
Styles.
l
Hats and Caps.
Druggets, Oil Cloths, Oil Cloth Win
Shades, Door Mats, Hardware,
Ccdurware, Quccnsware, Earthen
ware, »Stoneware, Groceries,
Ac. Ac. Ac.
/Jarpets,
dow
iGlass, Oil, Paints, Mackerel, Shad, and Her
ring always op hand.
Will ;}how goods with pleasure, and
pmkc a liberal ^count for Cash.
G. W* W. NAUDA1N.
No. 3. Middletown Hall.
Oct. 16—tf
OHONER11
y'o the Democratic Voter/ oj Mew Castle Co.
Feleow Citizens:— At the earnest solicitation
y friends I ngain offer myself as a candidate
he nomination of Coroner of New Castle Co.
thankful to my friends for the support
gave me at the last nomination election, und
pledge mvsclf to abide the decision of the party.
" ■ RICHARD GROVES,
Citv. Fch. Ç—!r
c
ol
for t
and
Dclawf
(Original jJorfry.
CONTRASTS.
AT
Alone ! fur a time I must be »till ;
My brain's a whirl, 1 slmll rest me, till
The .Madame'»
aid, with hor Frunehy nir,
Announces ** My Lady awaits v
"My lady !" Puli ! did I marry a doll,
oodt n lay figure from dry goods hall ?
I believe 1 did. I warned a queeu
in my palace with regal mien,
isked—has n
Nor thought if of *7 1
And what if it had ; I had none to give;
I suppose it would want some love to live—
A thing I heard of in years gone by
When girls were pretty,
-] They
i
i
v my doll
had a part.
heart,
sliy ;
re paint and powder now,
ana have learned to know
ght in this world of ours
d 1 w
Ah well !
And 1
That such tlii
Where money and fashion
All! ? tis time to dre
Mad;
are
re ruling powers.
is, 1 must have a fight ;
at home'' "lo-uight."
d 1
'"At home' to night !
To use that su
This home of
•hat Litter mockery
d to designate
nine ! Arouud it cluster thoughts
, of gentle, tender words,
nows shared, of hearts a. 1
1 of these ?
111' lovinu c
Of joy
These
iall(
Lome ; but what h
I L;
palace ; in
Are statues, paintin_
Tlie.v shallow forth ; the sil
larble halls
•orthy of the «ods
very foiiutains
ts
akc
sic 'mid the How
Sweet
itil lavish hand
Wealth has bestowed its ti
lit as lint chalf to Iced the hungry heart
That cries lor love? Can sweetest music Like
is; but are these
The place of loving
\\
t 1 too
niche?
nought hut to till an I
Shame that it cuuhl he
ailing
einpt
Tr
babyhood
1 heard that wealth gave liappi
and ere
Mv
edded here,
A money-bag !—A man
ght else but his wealth, und
\\
ded—to
To shs
■ it best ;
a wornout debauchee,
it Midas ; and 1 am
hood ! •
And vet
:
Th
have done Felice,
Now tell Mousciguor th.it lii.s Ladv
vaits."
MISENT.
the ci tv : Id like
" Alone ii
peep
y lar-oti home before I sleep ;
are they safe a
ife tell
At
I G like to know.
d well.
I'd like to I"
OI' baby's mis.
Low this love
•hit
1)
a man's heart sticks,
both, and gm
(i
1 In
K
I» watch and ward for thy
it still."
The time's Lee
.Sj lonely
short
ur baby pi
terril \ : an
i.
I have not Lee
Idle
• 1
.1 q
. . 'd oft
\\ lure father?' But lJu* little heavy head
Drooped to in
That puttered to and fro the livelong day
d out; and while her rosy lips
Murmured the half said prayer, the veil of sleep
Fell on hor. Ho I'm sitting here alone
breast at last ;
he tiny feet
Nor listenin'; fur his <•
ho hit
nul c.
Our h
e indeed
Me will
•ome
■ his heart is h
Aud
r he sleeps
*11
his home, his wife, his chiul.
Father watch and bl
For hlcsoings
i 1
; guard hi
cl I,
And on the
To glad our hearts, to lie ouci
The light ol Thy sweet gift,—
Port Petal, March 3rd, 1870.
safely back
>ur happy home."
Faith
deleft jèioijf
The Blue River Bank Robbery,
I.
'•It is nut tin) least uso to argue the
Till me plainly, yes or
ne, aud 1 will bother you uo more about
it."
"I cannot indulge you iu this, Harry,
Indeed, you should believe me when 1 say
we cannot afford it."
question, fallier.
Mi*. Houghton loaned his head heavily
on his hands as he spoke, and seemed to
deprecate tho displeasure of his handsome,
patient son.
"Very well, sir," said the youth of 19,
his hand
as he rose with tho an
qutvi
get* he seemed striving to keep out of his
words at d tones. "1 hope you will never
be sorry for the trifle you have refused me
to-night. I shall make the trip to Lake
George next week, nevertheless, if 1 have
to sell my grandfather's watch aud ehaiu
to get the money."
A half groan oamn from the hidden face
of Foster Houghton, and a reproachful
"O Harry!" from his mother, whose eyes
had been filling with tears as she sat silent
through the stormy interview. But the
boy was angry, and in earnest, and he
twisted the chain in his waistcoat to give
emphasis to the threat. Then as he took
his cloak and cap from the closet ho con-,
tinuod :—
"You need not sit up for me, or leave
the door unlocked ; I am going to Tinbor
ough with the fellows to the strawberry
party, and as there will be a dance, and
the nights areshort, I shall wait for day
light to conic homo, if I do not stop and
catch a nap at the Valley House before
start imr."
"Who is going from Elmfield ?" inquir
ed the father, more from a desire to show
an interest and win the boy from his mood
iness than any real curiosity.
" Nearly everybody of my set," said
Harry, with something of studied coldness;
"Arthur Brooks and Tom Boxhnin and
Frank Pettcngill,—and Harrison Fry, if
you want the whole list."
IIis father turned sharply away, but the
mother spoke appealingly :
"If you would cut off your intimacy
with Harrison Fyy, now and forever, I
think there are very few things your fath
er would refuse you. I have scon his evil
influence over you ever since he came back
from the city. Ho was a bad boy, and
will be a bad man."
"Like myself and other wicked people,"
said tho boy, looking at his watch, "Har
ry FlJ is not. half so black as he is paint
ed. But I am not as intimate with him
as you fancy ; and as to father, I don't
thiuk his treatment of mo to-night gives
him a claim to ipterfcrc with my friend
ships."
Henry Houghton shot his shaft delibe
rately, for he knew his father's sensitive
nature, in which it would rankle cruelly ;
ami in a moment he was off, bounding
through the low, open window, and running
with fleet steps dowu the gravel sidewalk
toward the common.
The family circle thus divided was that
of the cashier of the Blue Hiver National
Bank of Klmfield. Foster Houghton
a man past middle age, and older than his
years in appearance and in heart,
had petted his only son in his childhood
enough to spoil most boys, and now made
the balance even by repressing the exuber
ance of his youth with a sharpness
times no more than just, sometimes queru
lous and unreasonable. The boy's grand
father, old Beleg Houghton, who died a
year beforo at ninety and over, had almost
worshipped Harry, and, on his death-bed,
had presented his own superb Frodsham
watch to the lad ; and both father and
mother knew he must be deeply moved to
speak so lightly at parting with it.
"I fear Henry is getting in a very bad
way," said Mr. Houghton, gloomily, after
a pause in which the sharper click of his
wife's needles told that her thoughts were
busy, "lie goes to the other church too
often to begin with. He smokes, after I
have repeatedly told him how the habit
hurt me in my boyhood, and what a fight
l had to break it off. He is altogether too
much in Harrison Fry's company,
has b( cn twico beforo to Tinborough, driv*
ing home across country iu the gray of
the morning. And this project of going
alone to Luke George on a week's trip is
positively ridiculous."
"Very likely you arc the best judge,
my dear," said Mrs. Houghtou. She al
ways began in that way whim she meant
to prove him
with you about that reckless young Fry.
But as to Harry's going to the brown
church, and his visits to Tinborough, I
think the same cause is at the bottom of
both. Grace Chamberlain has been sing
ing in the choir over there this spring,
and now she is visiting her aunt at Tin
borough. And as to that, she is going
with her aunt's family to Lake George to
spend July, and I suppose they have ex
pressed a wish to meet him there. Grace
Chamberlain is a very pretty girl; and
Harry is like what you were at his age."
"Bless my soul, Mary," said the cash
ier, "then why didn't the boy tell me what
he was driving at? Chasing across the
country after a pretty face is foolish enough
at his age, but it is not so bad as goiug to
a watering-place merely for the fashion of
it like some rich old nabob or professional
dandy. Tf Harry had told me he wanted to
dangle after Grace Chuiubcrluiu, instead
of talking in that desperate way about the
watch, I might have received it different
ly. There is a « harm on the chain with
mv mother's hair, that l wouldn't have go
out of the family for a fortune."
Just hero the door-bell rang,«as if a
powerful, nervous band were at the knob.
Mr.
their one domestic had been culled away
by a message from a sick sister, and the
mistress of the bouse was "getting along
alone" for n day. So when Iter quick ear
told her the visitor was one to see her hus
band on business, she quitted the room to
set away the milk and lock up the rear
doors of the house for the night.
The caller was Mr. Silas Bixby.
would have been a sharp man in Klmfield
estimation who could predict the object of
one of Silas Bixby's calls, though there
were few doors iu the village at which his
face was not frequently seen. He was the
constable, but be was also superintendent
of the Sunday School, and the assessor of
internal revenue in the district, to say
nothing of his being the agent of # two or
three sewing-uiaehinc firms, and one life
insurance company, and the correspondent
of the Tinborough "Trumpet." He own
ed a farm, and managed it at odd hours.
Ho gave some of his winter evenings to
keeping a writing school, with which he
somi times profitably combined a singiog
sehool, with lucrative concerts at the end
of the term. He was the clerk of the fire
company, and never bad been absent from
a fire, though some of bis manifold duties
was
lie
Borue
He
t her w iso.
"I fully agree
Houghton answered the ring, for
He
kept him riding through the neighboring
towns in his light gig a great deal of the
time. He had raised a company and com
manded it, in the nine months' army of
Ho kept a littlo bookstore in one
man
' 02 .
corner of the village quadrangle, and
aged a very small circulating library, with
the aid of the oldest of his ten children ;
and lie was equal partner in the new fac
tory enterprise at the Falls.
Houghton did not venture to guess on
what errand Mr. Bixby came to see him,
and showed him to a chair in the twilight
ed sitting-room, with a face composed to
decline a request to discount a note, or to
join with interest in a conversation on the
»Sunday School, or to listen to a report on
the new fire-engiuo fund, with equal ease
and alacrity.
Mr. Bixby looked about him to seo that
in hearing. "You'll excuse
me, I know. 'Squire, if I shut the win
dows, hot ns it is ;" and before his host
could rise to anticipate hitn ho had suited
the action to the word. " It's detective
business. It's a big thing. It's a migh
ty big thing. Do you know I told you,
Mr. Houghton, the first of tho week, that
there was dangerous characters about town
and asked you to keep your eyes open at
tho bank. Will you bear witness of that?"
»'I remember it very well, Mr. Bixby,
and also that there has not been a single
person in tho bank eince that day, other
than our own townspeople and friends."
"That is just it," said Silas Bixby,
twisting his whiskers reflectively; "they
So Mr.
nobody
have got some accomplice who knows the
neighborhood, and whom we don't suspect,
llut we shall catch him with the rest. The
fact is, Mr. Houghtou, the Uluc Hiver Na
tional Bank is to be robbed to-night. The
plot is laid, and I have got every thread
af it in my hand."
Foster Houghton was one of a class in
the village who were habitually incredu
lous as to Silas Bixby's achievements, as
announced by himself ; but there was a
positiveness and assurance about tbo con
stable's manner which carried couviction
with it, and be did not couceal the shock
which the news gave him.
" Just you keep very cool, sir, and I'll
tell you the whole story in very few words,
for 1 have got one or two things to do be
fore I catch the burglars, and 1 have pro
mised to look into Parson PottengiU's barn
and doctor his siok horse. There Is two meu
iu the job, beside somebody in the village
here that is working with them secretly.
You needn't ask me howl managed to over
hear their plans, for I sha'n't tell ; you
will read it all in the Tinborough "Trum
pet" of the day after to-morrow. They
are regular New York cracksmen, and
they have been stopping at the hotel at
the Falls, pretending to be looking'at the
water-power. They come here on purpose
to clean out the Blue Hiver Hank."
"Do they mean to blow opeu the safe V"
inquired Mr. Houghton, who was pacing
the room.
" Just have patience, 'Squire," said Si
las Bixby. "1 thought it best to prepare
you, and so led you up kind o' gradual.
They have got false keys to your house
door and your bedroom door. They are
going to come in at midnight or an hour
after, and gag you and your wife, and
force you at the mouth of the revolver to
go over to the bank and open the combi
nation lock. Your help, they say, has
gone off ; and they seemed not to be afraid
of Henry."
"Henry has gone to Tinborough," said
Mr. Houghton, mechanically.
"I presume they knew that too, then,"
said tho constable. "They calculate on
forty thousand dollars in tho safe, govern
ment bonds and all. Their team is to be
ready on the Tiuborough road, and they
mean to catch the owl train. You they
calculate to leave, tied hand and foot, on
the bank tioor, till you are found there in
the morning."
Foster Houghton stopped in his rapid
walk up and down the little room, and
took his boots from the closet.
"Fair play, 'Squiro," said Bixby, lay
ing a hand on the cashier's arm ns he sat
down and kicked off' his slippers. " I've
told you the whole story, when I might
have carried out my plan without tolling
a word. Now what are you going to do?"
stout bolt put ou my
front door at once, and to deposit the bank
keys iu the safe at Felton's store."
"Going to order a stout bolt put on my
front door at once, and to dtiposit the bauk
keys in the safe at Felton's store."
"You will think better of it if you will
just sit still and hear me through.'' re
plied the visitor. "Don't you see that
will just show our hand to the gang who
are oil the watch, and they will only leave
Elmfield and rob some other bank and
make
" Going to order
sensation at all iu print. No,
Mr. Houghton, you are cashier of the
bank, and it is your business to protect
the property. I am constable at Kliufield,
and it is my duty to capture the burglars.
I propose to do it iu suuh a way that the
whole State shall ring with my brilliant
management of the matter, and yours, too,
The
of course, so far as your part goes,
programme is all complete, and you have
only to fall in."
"Well, Mr. Bixby," said the elder gen
tleman, again surrendering to his compan
ion's superior force and determination of
character; "aud what is the programme?"
"As far as you arc concerned, simply
to remain passive," said the rural consta
ble. "You.are to show no knowledge of
expecting a visit, and after a proper dis
play of reluctanoe you are to go with the
burglars, with your keys in your hand.
If l were to arrest the rascals now, I'd
have nothing to charge them with, and
could only frighten them out of town.
When the bank iu entered, tho'orime is
complete. I shall be on the watch, with
two strong fellows to help me—men who
served in my company, stout, afraid of
nothing, and not smart enough to claim
the whole credit when the job is done.
When you are fairly inside the bank we
shall pop out from behind the bow*ing
alley, guard tho door, flash our lanterns
in their faces, and overpower them at once.
It sounds very short now, but it will easily
fill a column in the city papers."
" Mr. Bixby," said Foster Houghton,
with a good deal of deliberate emphasis,
" I have always thought you
sense. I think so now. Do you suppose
I am going to stand quietly by and see a
couple of ruffians tie a gag in the mouth
of my wife, at her age, when I know and
can prevent it beforehand !"
" No sir, I expect no such thing," said
Bixby, not at all embarrassed. "I expec
ted like as not you would bring up some
such objection, so I have provided for it
in advance. John Fletcher's little girl is
very» sick ; they have gone tho rounds of
all tho folks on our street, Uking turns
watching there; to-pight they came to me
and said, "Bixby, cunt you find us some
body to watch ?" and I said I knew just
the one that would be glad to help a neigh
bor. So I will deliver the passage to Mrs.
Houghton, and you needn't have a mite
of anxiety about her, up there as safe and
comfortable as if she were twenty miles
away."
While her buc»band vet hesitatod Mrs.
man of
Houghton re-entered the room ; and Bix
by, quick to secure an advantage, was
ready at tho moment with his petition.
"Good evening, Mrs. Houghton. Been
waiting very patient for you to come in. I
called to seo if you felt able and willing to
set up to-night along with John Fletcher's
little girl. The child don't get any bet
tor, and Mrs. Fletcher, she's about sick
abed herself, with care and worry."
" You know I am always ready to help
a neighbor in such trouble," said the lady,
graciously, with the prompt acquiescence
which people in the country give to such
calls. "And now I think of it. Mr. Bix
by, I bave another call to make on your
street. I think I will walk up with you,
and so get around to Fletcher's at nine o'
clock. My husband bas several letters to
write, so ho will not miss me."
Foster Houghton sat in a sort of maze,
while fate thus arranged affairs for him,
though they tended to a consummation
which was far from welcome to his mind.
Hie wife went out for smelling-salts, her
spectacles, and her heavy shawl ; and Bix
by snatched tbo brief opportunity.
"I havo told you everything, 'Squire,
that you need to know. Keep your mind
easy and your bead cool, and the whole
thing may be done as easy as turning your
band over. Remember it is the only way
to save the bank, and catch the men that
may have robbed a dozen banks. I)o not
stir out of the bouse again this evening,
or you will excite suspicion and ruin the
game. Between twelve and two you may
expect your company ; and rely upon me
in biding close to the bank. Mum is the
word." For Mrs. Houghton was descend
ing the stairs.
' Come in again when yon come back,
Bixby ; can't you?" said the cashier,
still loatbo to close so hasty and so singu
lar a bargain.
" Not for tho world," replied the cou
stable. " It would expose our band at
once, and spoil tbo trick. Now, Mrs.
Houghton, I'm proud to bo beau to such
a sprightly young belle,"
And with a word of farewell, they wore
off, and Foster Houghton sat alone iu the
house with his secret.
Ho was not a coward, but a man of
peace by temperament and training, and
the enterprise iu which he had been en
listed was both foreign and distasteful to
him. How many incidents might occur,
not set down in Bixby's programme, to
make the night's work kith dangerous and
disagreeable ! His vor f loneliness made
tho prospect seem douu y unpleasant. A
, as he sat'.nusing over it, he
put forth his hand for his boots with in
tent to go out and frustrate the robbery
in his own way, regardless of Bixby's
schemes of capture and glory. As many
times he fell back in his casy-chair, thiuk
ing now that ho was bound in honor by
his tacit agreement with tho constable,
and again that the whole story was noth
ing hut tho fruit of the oflieer's fertile
imagination, and that only the inventor
should make himself ridiculous by his
credulity. Now ho wished his wife were
at home to make the waiting moments pass
more quickly ; then that Hurry were there
to give the aid of his daring ad tho stimu
lous of his boyish enthusiasm in the strauge
And sometimes the old man's
dozen ti
emergency,
thoughts wandered, in spite of the excite
ment of the hour, to his boy, dancing away
the night at Tinborough. He recalled his
anxieties over his son's dissipations, his
associates, his growing recklessness of
manner, his extravagant tastes, tho look
of hard defiance iu his face but an hour or
two before. His heart yearned over the
lad in spite of his wild ways, like David's
over Absalom, and he resolved to try the
mother's method and imagine excuses,
and replace harshness with indulgence,
hereafter. The village hell clanged out
from the steeplo closo by, and Foster
Houghton dropped the thread of his reve
rie with a start, and went back to the rob
bery again. Clearly he was getting too
He must do something to shake
nervous.
it off.
"I'll get Harry's revolver," lie thought,
with little purpose what lie should do with
it ; and he took the lamp and went up
stairs to tho boy's empty room,
drawers wero thrown open in a confusion
which offended the cashier's neat prejudi
ces acquired in the profession. Ho knew
where the pistol was kept, but its box was
empty ; and he exclaimed under his
breath,—
"That is a boy all over. He goes to
Tinborough to dunce and eat strawberries,
and carries a pistol, loaded I dare say to
tho muzzle. It is ten to one he will shoot
himself or his sweetheart before the even
ing is over."
As Mr. Houghton fumbled over the bu
his hand encountered a covered flask
The
reau
Even his unaccustomed nose was able to
recognize its contents as whiskey ; and
his regret nt such a disoovery in his son's
room was lost in the joy with which he
hailed a stimulant so greatly needed to put
his uerves in condition for the events to
Perhaps ho forgot hew long it was
since he had called in such a reinforce
ment ; perhaps his hand shook ; perhaps
ho thought the occasion required a large
dose. He took a. hearty one ; and when
he was down stairs again the difficulties iu
the burglars vanished
He was a young man
once more, nnd enthusiastically as Harry
would havo done, ho pacod the room
with an elastic stride very different from
the nervous, watering step with which he
had heard the news. Bixby and himsolf,
he thought, would be enough to overpower
any three burglars. Then his head was
heavy, and ho felt drowsy. To be in pro
per condition fer (he emergency, he r fleet
come.
the way of bagging
from his miud. II
ed, he needed all the sleep he could get.
The resolve was one to be executed ns
promptly as formed ; and a few minutes
later the cashier had locked the door, fas
tened the lower windows, aud was snugly
iu bed.
A gentle tinkle of the door-bell aroused
him again before, as it seemed to him, he
had fairly closed his eyes. " The robbers
at last," he thought ; and then he rebuked
himself for the absurdity of supposing
that a burglar would announce his coming
by tho door-hell. " It is Bixby, of
course," he said to himself, " come to owu
he was a fool, tho story all nonsense."
But he paused before he turned the key,
and said iu his fiercest tone, " Who is
there ? "
" It is only me; Foster," said the sweet,
familiar voice of his wife, without ; and
when ho had'admitted her she told him,
in her quick way, that after she had
watched the child an hour or two, a pro
fessional nurse who had been sent for a
week beforo had arrived unexpectedly, and
that she had been glad to give up her vigil
and come home.
Fester Houghton rarely did anything
without'thinkiug twico about it, if not
more ; so it came about that while he bal
anced in his mind the pros aud cons ns to
revealing to bis wife the secret which
Bixby had confided to him, aud thus giv
ing her a fright in advance for what might
prove to be a false alarm after all, the
tired lady went sound asleep ; and thus
the scale was turned iu favor of reticence.
Perhaps the husbaud's continued drowsi
ness contributed to the resolve nlso ; for
his eyelids still drooped with strange ob
stinacy, and an influence more powerful
than even the apprehensions of danger
transformed his terrors into dreams again.
TO BE CONTINUED.
The New Pretaea of The London Tim««.
The London Times has recently put in
operation iu its office the new " Walter
printing press," and it is now printed on
four of these improved printing machines,
which were designed and manufactured iu
its own establishment, and have been pa
tented both iu Eugland and iu this country.
The " Walter press," so named in liouor
of the proprietor of the Times, is a ma
chine that prints from a roll of paper in
stead of from sheets as is done by the Hoe
printing press, ft prints upon both sides
of the paper by the satuo process ; after
wards cutting the paper into sheets and
delivering them in piles. In the forego
ing respects it is similar to the Bullock
priuting machiuo, excepting that in the
latter the cutting is the first process, whilst
iu the " Walter press" the cutting being
the last, the use of a great deal of intricate
machinery necessary to move the sheets
through and deliver them from the ma
chine is dispensed with, lessoning the lia
bility to uooideut. The 4 'Walter press"
also dampens its own paper ; and receiv
ing a roll as it comes from the mill, it
wets, prints and cuts it, manufacturing by
one process a complete newspaper,
new machine runs at a speed of 12,000
copies, printed on both sides, per hour,
and including stoppages, it prints from
10,000 to 11,000 copies per hour. Oue
hand and two boys run it, the lutter in
specting and counting the sheets as they
are delivered. The waste of paper is sta
ted at one-quarter of one per cent, whilst
the register is said to be practically per
fect. The chief merits of the machine,
however, are announced to be its # saving
of time and of expense of working, items
of great moment in a largo newspaper
office. The daily edition of the London
Times is from (»0,000 to 05,000 newspa
pers, of sixteen and occasionally of twenty
pages each. This edition is now printed
ou four of these presses run by four men
and eight boys, with two pressmen to su
perintend them, fourteen persons in all,
and printing over 40,000 sheets an hour.
They priut the edition in half the time
aud with one-flfth the number of hands
required by the machines previously in
use. In making the change from the old
to the new system, the Times reduced its
press-room expenses just one-half, the pay
roll being $500 in gold a week, $25,000
a year less for 1870 than for 1809, whilst
its saving in the waste of paper is $200 in
gold per week, or $10,000 per year, an
aggregato saving at the rate of $35,000
per year. Although the Times is printed
upon thick strong paper, it is said that the
new press does its work as rapidly and
completely with the thin paper in use for
priutiug American newspapers.
This
SmauLAit Coincidences. —It is a sing
ular, but not less true remark in a late
work, that Jefferson was burn just eight
years after his predecessor Adams ; Madi
son eight years aftor Jefferson ; Monroe
eight years after Madison ; and John
Quincy Adams eight years after Monroe.
Another curious fact to he observed is,
that Adams was just sixty-six years old
when he retired : Jefferson was sixty-six ;
Madison was sixty-six ; Monroe was sixty
six ; and John Quincy Adams, had he been
elected a socond term, would have been
sixty-six. Adams, Jefferson and Monroe
all died on the 4th of July.
' little
In Indianapolis, recently, a
stranger" was added to a household dur
ing tho husband's absence, aud just before
his return tho women folks of the vicinity
borrowed two other babies and placed
them in bed with tho new comer. When
the father asked to see his child tho cov,
erlet was turned down, and although he
must havo been immensely surprised, he
eooly turned to his wife and asked, -'Pid
any get sway,"
Correspondence of ihr Middletown Trantrript.
Editor or Middletown Transcript.—
In a recent number of your paper I no
ticed an article from the pen of that dis
tinguished peach grower, S. TowDscnd.
Some of his ideas are very good, but there
arc oue or two points he mentions that
think he knows but little about, and has
mixed them up considerably. One point
I object to is, the bad taste exhibited by
him in calling names. In speaking of the
amount paid for cartage, he says, that
" we are robbed of that amount.
the fact iu the case is just this, if tbo
growers are robbed it must have been
done by thieves, and those thieves must
have been the N. Y. Commission Mer
chants, and these were the men that ho
aimed his epithet at. A stranger to tho
business, on looking over bis article,
would at once conclude that a stupendous
fraud had been perpetrated on the peach
growers. There is not the least intima
tion given on his part that there was n
mutual understanding between any of the
growers and the dealers on this subject,
but one broad sweeping assertion that all
these dealers are thieves, Now let us
look at this item of-cartage about whieh
there has been so much hard talk. It is on
Now
ly a difference of opinion existing between
the growers and Commission Merchants,
and the larger part of the growen* possess
enough good sense to know that the dealt
era are placed in a position which enables
them to become better judges than the
farmers, and accept the advice of those
dealers about chargiug the cartage ta
them, believing they secure more money
by so doing, yet some men are always
harping about the dealers just as if theiv
only object was to rob a farmer, and put
the money in the hands of the purchasing
customer. There is not the least intima
tion given by him, that these men arc sin
cere iu their opinions, or have the least
desire to work in the favour of those that
employ them. Is this just or fair in a
man who knows all about the business? .
This whole thing can be Easily man
aged without so much fuss or hard talk.
Let the farmers at one station send to one
dealer, instruct him to sell their fruit in
Jersey City, let it bring what it will, aud
that they will accept the result, and it is
done. It is of uo interest or profit, save
the slight difference on tho commission to
the dealers, and there is not one but would
do it, if he was told to Now I think
there are at least two or three men in Del
aware who know' as much about this bu
siness as friend Townsend, and are as ca
pable of judging wliat is for their interest
as he is, and if they are willing that their
fruit should be sold and delivered in New
York I cannot see that it is his business,
But the worst feature that I see iu his de^
nunciation is this. It may not generally
be kuown in Delaware that ho sends his
son to New York every peach season in
order to got a good location, and get back
part of the commission by going in part
nership with some dealer who has but few
or no other peaches to sell, so that his
fruit can secure the full beuefit of tho
trade of the firm. In regard to how the
business of this firm was conducted I can
not say, but if he was robbed, it would
have looked better for him to have said,
nothing about it, as long as his son was so
closely connected with the operation; of
does it justify him to judge all others by
him.
The question now arises, why did ho
let these persons rob him? If he gave
them orders to sell his fruit in Jersey City
and that they did not obey, why did he
submit to it ? lie had the privilege of
sending his fruit elsewhere, why did he
not do it ? The remedy was very simple.
Kvon admitting that he was robbed, does
that justify him iu calling all other deal-,
ers thieves They did not rob him, and
he does not kuow that they robbed any
one. It is a very easy thing to cull a man
a thief, but at the same time it is not a
very polite or geutlcmanly mode of ex
pression, and sometimes it hurts the feel
ings of those that have the epithet qpplied
to them, because it is not the truth, und I
think that the less bad feeling that is ere*
ated between both parties by calling names
that the better it will be. I thiuk fricud
T. would feel hurt to bo called a thief by
anyone. In regard to the firn* alluded to,
I am pleased to state that their name ia
above reproach, and that his son's cburffc*.
ter stood high amoDg bis associates, and
knowing both parties so well, I must con
clude that he was mistaken about his he-:
ing robbed, and would advise bim to. be
more choice in his language fur the future,
A N. Y. Commission Dea^r,
Computing Interest. —A new method
of computing interest on any number of
dollars at six per cent, which appears sitxj-r
pie: Multiply any given number of dol
lars by the number of days interest desir
ed ; separate the right hand figure, aud di
vide bv six; the result is the true Interest
of such sum for suuli number of days at
six per cent, this rule is so simple and eo
true aceortliug to all bqsiuess usages, that
every banker, broker, merchant or c|erlf
should post it up for reference. There
being po such thing as a fraction -in it,
there is scaroejy any liability |to error or
mistake. By nn other arithmetical pro.
ccss can the desired information be obtain
ed by so fow figures. By this method it
is assumed that thero arc only 360 days
in the year.
And old toper addresses bis bottle thus;
44 'Tis very strange that you aud I
Together cunuot pull :
For you are full when ! am dry,
vkeu T am fyll,"