McCook weekly tribune., August 07, 1884, Image 6

About McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886

Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE

                
dTBIKB NOW.f
/ it Nili2s. * 1 ' * ' * '
There's nothlngnioruthon canst coinmaaJ ,
Til a past linn gone beyond Uiy baud ,
With many a broken vow.
Tlio coming momupt Unot thine ;
llfo stands between , a narrow line ,
Btrllco wlillo tlio Irou'a hot strike now.
Now Istho tlmo to do tlio deed ,
Now thetlmc to uproot the weed ,
Act , not pause to enquire how ;
Koch passing moment chills the glow ,
Good forging twin : Ilia thought and blow.
Strike while tlio'lroa's hot strike uow.
Plan as wo will , strike as wo may ,
All oowcr , hope , growth from day to day ,
To the crushing now must bow.
tU-sultsof reason , feeling , tuct ,
All are sunrise , the now but fad.
Btrl&b-v&llo the Iron's hot strike now.
Greatness the now has always won ,
Well sowed , that this Is all the sum
Ofllfo , who can disavow r t
Work In the now from first to last ,
Xls always with you , never past.
atrJfcn wlille the iron's hot strike now. ,
CHRISTIE'S ' TELEGRAPHING.
I am very glad that telephones hav
been , invented ; and yet I , am glad : the ;
were not sooner invented' * shduli
like to tell you the"reason. . 'That wil
take some time , for it is quite a story
We live in the country at Oakbrook
my father is treasurer and superintend
ent of the Oakbrook mills. jOur hous <
a very pleasant court try house it is
is situated on a beautifully .woodct
slope close to the river , and isa.quar
ter of a mile from the river. That i ;
why a telegraph wire' was placed be
tween the two.
I promised father when it was pui
up that I would learn to send-message *
over it. There was no one else in tin
family who could have learned. Botl ;
my brothers were away to boarding
school and mother would as soon have
thought of studying the Chinese Ian
guagc as telegraphy.
Father declared that I never would
learn. Girls had but little patience
for such things , he said. Neverthe-
just :
the alphabet and technicalities of the
instrument so that I could use it read
ily and was able to read the messages
by ear.
It was Harry Randall who taught
me. He was one of the clerks at the
oflice , and he had learned to use the
instrument because it was necessary to
have somebody to send messages by
the wire that ran from the mills to the
adjacent city of Palmer.
Having explained so much I think I
have said all that was necessary to en
able you to understand what occurred
on a certain February night , about
which I am going to tell you.
We were through supper and were
sitting together , father , mother and I ,
around the table in the library , when
Joseph , our coachman , and man-of-all-
work about the place , brought in the
mail as usual.
i Father eagerly took a letter , which
seemed to have been expectedfrom the
other letters. I noticed a disturbed
expression upon his face as he read it ;
and. I was more anxious than surprised (
when he arose and went to the hall
do9r and called to the girl who was in
the dining room.
"Mary , " said he , "tell Joseph to
harness Prince at once. I must get to
the Junction in time for the 9 o"clock
express. He'll have to finish his sup
per when he gets back. "
Then he turned and said that the
letter contained intelligence that made
it necessary that he should go to New
York that night. Of course , as the
wife and daughter of a business man ,
we knew what he meant , and that
there was not a word of remonstrance
to be said. So mother went to make
for him what preparation was needful
and I should have followed her a mo
ment later , but father called me back.
"Christie , " he said rather soberly ,
"I am going to tell you something that
no one knows anything about save
Harry Randall. I have quite a large
.sum over $6,000 in my pocket. " He
touched his breast with his finger. "I
Bever keep large amounts of money by
3ne , but in this case it was unavoida
ble , and I thought I should feel less
anxious to have it with me than to al
low it rte remain in the safe at the
oflice. I cannot , of course , take it' to
New York , so I want you to take
charge of it till to-morrow morning ,
and then carry it to Randall for him to
deposit in the bank. Don't say any
thing to your mother about it. She is
so timid and nervous that she would
not sleep a wink all night if she knew
so large a sum was in the house. Do
you underst'and ? "
With no slight feeling of responsibil
ity I took the leathern pocketbook
which Jie handed me and placed it in
the pocket of my dress.
Father went on , "Perhaps you had
better put it under your pillow ; of
course it is fire that I am most anxious
about. There is no danger of the
money in any other way. Not a soul
knows' about it. "
Then he went into the hall and came
very unexpectedly on Joseph , for I
heard him speak somewhat sharply to
him because he had not gone to the
stable and declaring thathis business
was of more importance than his sup
per. I heard Joseph mutter some
thing about taking time to finish his
meal.
Ten minutes later , as father was go
ing down the steps to get into the car
riage , he turned back to me , and hold
ing his umbrella so mother could not
hear , he whispered :
"I've been thinking , Christie , that
young Randall had better come and
sleep at the house. I shall feel easier
about you. He is to be there at work
to-night until very late. "
Then he stepped Into the buggy , and
they drove away" in the darkness and
rain.
I did not send a message to Harry ,
however. Indeed , I laughed a little
as I thought of father's anxiety. He
was almost as timid as mother , af
ter all.
I was of a rather easy , careless dis
position , and really had not a particle
of fear of * having the money in my
keepin"- . And as we two sat there in
mother dozing in the
the library ,
bif chair , and I intent upon some
fancy work which I was anxious to
finish in time for a friend's birthday , I
forgot altogether the package of mono
that lay at the bottom of my dre
pocket.
Joseph did not get back until afte
10 o'clock , although it was only thre
miles to the junction , and he shouL
hvc been home long before tha
hour.
hour.We
We thought little of that , however
He had been with us several years , am
I learned that he had been recently lei
into bad company , and that father hai
several times had angry words wit !
him about his habits.
Joseph slept in the house , andfo
that reason it seemed to mo quite un
necessary that Harry Randall shouli
be there also.
When the clock struck 10 mothe
arose , declaring it was time to go t <
bed. She went into all the lowe
rooms to see that the windows an <
doors were fastened , and then cam <
back to the library for me.
But I did not feel sleepy , and wantci
very much to go on with my work , s
I begged her to go on without me
promising to come up in the course o
an hour.
The clock struck 11 almost before ' .
knew the time had passed. I lah
down my work and counted tin
strokes without looking at the clod-
itself.
I was sitting at a little center table
near the lamp. At my left , a littli
way off against the wall , was father's
desk , with books and papers scatteret
upon it , and the battery at one end.
Opposite me were two long windows
that opened upon the side piazza ,
Over these were thick curtains , closely
drawn , which did not shut out tin
sound of the pelting storm outside ,
Directly opposite me was the hall door ,
standing , as usual , wide open.
Just then I heard or fancied I heard ,
a low sigh or breath in the hall. ]
turned my head instantly , but did nol
see any person , and listening intently ,
heard no further sound. I felt a little
uneasy , and smiled to myself at my
nervousness and dread. It seemed as
if I had realized as I had not done be
fore that evening , the fact that I was
sitting all alone downstairs in the
house , at 11 o'clock at night , with u
large sum of monqy in my pocket.
I glanced at the desk. Possibly
Harry was still at work at the office.
If he was a single sentence over the
wire would calf him.
I was just getting up to go to the
desk to signal and see if he was at the
mill , when sometning occurred to me
that seemed to turn me cold and mo
tionless as stone in an instant.
Behind me , so close that it came
from the threshold of the hall door , a
low , hoarse voice , that I knew , without
seeing the speaker , must be that of a
lesperate and wicked man , broke the
stillness and bade "Good
, me even-
ng ! "
For a moment , as I say , I felt as
: hough I had been turned to stone.
Chen the voice , speaking again , seemed
it least to restore the life in me , and
o set my heart to beating violently.
The language that the man used was
jot even as good English as , in at-
empting to. reproduce , I find myself
vriting.
' , Don't be frightened , miss. I beg
> f ye not to be frightened. All ye've
jot to do is ter keep still , an' not a
lair of your pretty head shall be
larmed. "
Then I turned my head , half wheel-
ng my chair at the same time , and ,
aw standing in the doorway a tall-
irutal looking man , altogether as ill
: onditioned and fearful looking a per-
on as I ever have seen.
Naturally enough I opened my lips
o utter a little cry , but he stopped me
iy a sjngle threatening motion of a.
lub he' carried in his hand.
"S h , " he fiercely hissed. "If ye
aise a single s > creani I'll strike ye as
enseless as yer mother is upstairs. "
The last word changed for the rao-
uent the nature of my fear and gave
ae strength to speak.
"What have you done to ray
nether ? " I demanded excitedly. "Do
ou mean have you killed her ? "
He uttered a low laugh.
"No , my dear ; she was waking up ,
o we had ter use chloroform. An'
ou must keep still or you'll be used
he same way. You see , it's just
"
icre
He drew a. step- nearer and seemed
lisposed to explain matters.
"What we want is some money
vhidh your father brought down from
'aimer yesterday. Maybe yer don't
mow about it , but we do , and we know
IB left it in the house when he went off
o-night. My friend is upstairs looking-
or it this minute. All we want is
noney. We don't mean to harm nobody.
To shan't be touched if ye behave yer-
ielf an1 keep quiet. "
Somewhat assured by this , and hav-
ng had time while he was speaking to
jollect myself , I was now able to as-
itime an appearance at least of calm-
icss.
I took up my embroidery and went
m working , or pretending to work at
; he pattern I was embroidering ; I
liink the action helped me , too , for I
jresently found myself quite calm , and
ivith a coolness and resolution that I
jan hardly believe now , as I recall it ,
; urning over m my mind what 1 ought
, o do.
What would these two men do when
; hey found , as they would soon find ,
; hat the money was not upstairs ? They
would be disappointed and desperate
japable , perhaps , of deeds that they
had not at first intended.
Perhaps I had better give up the
money at once and so get rid of them.
A.nd yet , father had confided it to my
3are ; and it did not belong to him butte
to the company. I ought not to give it
to these men if I could help it. Oh ,
kvhy could I not give the alarm in some
way ? What if I could open my mouth
: ind cry out at any risk ? Could I make
Joseph hear away out in the wing of
the house as he was ? Alas ! I knew
that I could not , even had not this
man been sitting there by the door he
had taken a chair now eyeing me
fiercely as though to read my thoughts.
Ah. if'l had only done as father wished
mil telegraphed to Harry Randall tote
to come up ! And then , with this last
; hought another came to me. Why
xnild 1 not summon Harry even now ,
f perchance he was still at the office ?
1 arose from my chair , mechanically
jrasping my work in my hand. My
guard got up also , evidently suspicion
of my slightest movement.
' I'll have to ask you to < kepp quiel
miss , " said he with a harsh dqtermine
voice.
I tuned upon him indignantly. "
suppose I may change my scat if
like , " said I. l
And without waiting for his pernm
sion , I walked deliberately over to th
desk and sat down on. the revblvin
chair that .stood before it. At tl e sara
time I threw my work down on th
desk in such a way as to 'cover com
pletely the battery , which instrumen
my companion had 'probably not nt
ticed at at. Perhaps he would not hav
known what it was if he had.
I sat there a moment listlessly twist
ing the chair back , and forth , and try
in to make up my mind what to do.
Just then there w.as a slight noise o :
the hall stairs and the , man becam
uneasy , stood up' and looked at th
library door as if he was abput to g
toward it. Then he turned again t
me , and with a threatening gestur
said :
"You just set there while I step int
the hall a bit. And if you stir or mak
a noise it will be the worse for ye. D
you mind that ? "
He went softly into the hall.
Feeling that-now was my opportun
ity , I put my finger on the knob , am
as silently as possible sent my signi :
over the wire into the night , down I
the mills and Harry Randall.
"Harry , are you there ? "
In another instant I was leaninj
back in my chair and moving an ink
stand on the table to make a noise
How my heart was beating , and m ;
ear was strained to catcli the souu !
that if I might in God's goodnes
hope it might possibly conic back t <
ine !
Almost a minute it seemed an ag <
I listened ; and my heart sank as IK
answering signal was heard. Then-
click ! click ! click ! came the soum
sweeter to my ears than the swcetes
music , and I knew Harry was there
These sounds were to some exten
covered by the drumming of m
thimble , but to me , were as plain a ;
spoken words.
Instantly I sent back my answer-
two excited words , run altogether :
"Robbers ! Help ! "
The total silence that followed as
sured me , after a minute's anxious
waiting , that Harry had comprehended
my message , and that doubtless he
would come at once to the house. For
tune had favored me , for I had heart !
the man creeping up the hall stairs ,
and thus I had escaped the results oi
my suspicions he might have had had
lie heard the clicking of the instru
ment.
I did not look at the clock , and so
jannot say how long I sat there in
silence. It seemed to me that it was
: iours. " a
Then there was a sound of whisper-
ng in the hall. The next moment
-here appeared in the doorway a sec-
) nd stranger , rougher and more des
perate , if possible , in appearance than
; he first ; and close behind him to my
jreat surprise and indignation , w.as
> ur man Joseph. They both advanced
nto the room , the one looking arig y
md disappointed , and the other with a
sheepish air as he caught my eye.
"We have found the key of the safe,7'
growled the second stranger , "but all
or nothing. The money wasn't in it
md we have looked high and low and
san't find it. But Joe here sticks to it
hat it's somewhere in the house , and
ic thinks , " looking fiercelj at me ,
'you know where. It's no TQSC , Miss
; we haven't any time to spare and
ve won't have any n < msense. I see it
n your eye ; you Inow where the
noney is. And you've got to tell. "
He had advanced while he had been
.peaking and was now quite Bear. I
trose from my chair , fearing fihat he
neant to lay hands on me. And at
hat instant my ears painfully alert
o any noise I was certain I eaught
he sound of a footfall outside th * win-
low and I gained fresh courage.
"And why have I got to tell ? " I de-
nanded , purposely raising my voice so
t could be heard outside the house.
'What right have you Co break into
his house this way "
The man caught me by the wrist ,
ittering at the same tine a fearful
Kith.
"You make another sound above a
vhisper , " he cried in a voice- hoarse
rith rage , "and I'll 'T
He did not finish his sentence. Tnere
: anie a loud crash at both windows at
mce and the next instant Harry Kan-
tall with two watchmen from the mill
mrst into the room.
The rescue was complete , , so-far as
swing our lives was concerned. The
obbers attempted no resistance-
In an instant , before a word could
> e said or a blow struck , the man
aised his hand and dashed the lamp
rom the table. In the darkness and
: onfusion the burglars , Joseph among
hem , made their escape. And al-
hough every effort was made , both
hen and after , to secure their arrest ,
hey never were taken.
However , as I said , our lives and
he money that had been confided to
ny keeping were safe ; and we were
hankful for that.
And I may say again that I am very
flad that , at that time at least , the
elegraph had not been superseded by
he telephone.
Toombs Sues a Negro Porter.
Ltlanta constitution.
The habitues of the old Kimball
louse remember William Gaines , the
) elite and dudish porter with the mut-
on-chop whiskers , who always became
he factotum of Gen. Robert Toombs
vhen that distinguished gentleman
vas a guest of the hotel. It was the
special duty of William to sec that
svery wish and commission of the
jrand old Boanerges was faithfully ex-
icuted , and to say that William proved
limself a perfect , though off-color Mer-
: ury is not putting too fine a point
ipon his fidelity and agility. These
elations led to kindliness on the part
if the general and confidence on the
> art of William , so much so that the
alter , ambitious to raise his own vines
: nd fig trees , applied to the general to
iid him in getting hold of a piece of
and on Fortstreet. , The general
.greed , the land was bought with the
general's cash , and William execute
his deed to the general as security fc
the ultimate repayment of the pui
chase money. But the Kimball fell
prey to the flames , and William wn
thrown upon fickle resources of spe
radic jobs of work. His financi : ;
affairs became cramped , and he wa
forced to default in his payments to th
general. Now comes the general int
court and files a bill to eject Williar
from the premises , and to make hir
account for mesne profits at the rate c
S80 per annum. It now behoove
William to scrape up his resources ani
settle with the general , and it is inti
mated that if he succeeds in doing s
the general will abate any claim h
has for the enhanced value of th
property or the rents he now demands
.
i
Irish Bulls.
<
A correspondent of the London Spectator
tater gives some specimens of the llorii
turn of speech which seems to be in
grained in the Celt. The followinj
anecdote will serve as a specimen o
the power of repartee possessed by thi
tribe. A gentleman overhearing :
car-driver asking an exhorbitant far
of an unsuspecting foreigner , cxpostu
lated- with him on his audacious mis
statement of the tariff , concluding
with the words , "Iwonder you haven'
more regard for the truth. " "Och
indeed , thin , I've a great dale mor <
regard for the truth than to bo dthrag
ging her out on every paltry occasion , '
was the reply.
The Irish bull flourishes in Munstei
as freely as in the other provinces o
Ireland. By far the best exponent o
this form of speech was a country doc
tor , now , alas ! gathered to his fathers
Id mental habit he was a true linea
descendant of Sir Boyle Roche. Thougl
hardly calculated to satisfy a logical
mind , his expressions were often ex
ceedingly picturesque and ellective
Conversing with a friend abont the
high rate of mortality then prevailing
he remarked : "Bedad , there an
people dying this year that never diet
before ! " What an admiradle rcsull
was here obtained by merely substitut
ing the indicative for the conditional
mood to put it from the grammarian's
point of view. Malaprops are often
closely related to bulls , but these arc
not closely confined to Irish soil. How
ever , this same old doctor , alluding tc
a recent and mysterious eventdevoutly
exclaimed : "The waj's of providence
are unscrupulous ! " Perhaps for con
centrated inaccuracy of statement
nothing can surpass the following sent
ence , which occurred in an account ol
a burglary given in an Irish newspaper :
"After a fruitless search all the money
was recovered , except one pair of
boots. " Surely Mr. Matthew Arnold
will not quurrel with the lack of
lucidity which gave this and the fol
lowing to the world : "Our most
famous jig-dancer came to his death in
a faction fight at a village fair. An
inquest was held , at which a verdict
was brought in that he met his death
by the visitaiion of God , under suspici
ous circumstances. "
There is a great deal of unconscious
liumor in the descriptions given by
rustic patients of their sufferings. Wit
ness the following instances : One
'
applicant for relief sa'id that he had
a , great bilin' in his treat , and his heart
was if ye had it in yer hand , and were
squeezing it. Another , who declared
that , saving yovir presence , his
ihtomach had gone to the west of his
ribs , must have been an interesting
pathological study.
*
Free to All.
Baltimore American.
It was nothing bai a plain palm-leaf
can. It occupied a. whole bench by it
self in a grove not far from the en-
: rance of Druid H2J park. It had a
lonesome look , as if longing to be
swung through the hot summer air.
Presently a portly gentleman , with his
jest unbuttoned , Ms necktie disar
ranged ; his hat set backand his mouth
veil open , tripped up the path. He
stretched his arms , wiped off the per
spiration , and seeing : the bench made
for it and sat down. He grabbed the
'an and swooped it in the air. Right
iway he gave a tremendous sneeze ;
repeated it ; repeated St again ; repeal
ed it twice more , and thrice more
igain. Then lie gazed at the fan ,
Iropped it , scowled at his hands , and
bviih steady stride made for the pump ,
muttering curses with each breath ,
tfext came a richly dressed swell. He
vas fanning with his bat. He saw the
'an.
"Lucky , by JoveLTr he said , as he sat
lown on the bench.
He grabbed the palm leaf. He
iropped it. He sneezed. He looked
it his hand and straightway made for
: he pump.
The park was now becoming full of
aeople. A portly young lady in white ,
ittached to a slim youngmanin brown ,
neandered up the'path.
"Oh , ain't we fortunate ? " she said.
'Here's a shady bench and just look ,
; here's a big fan , too. "
They sat down. She picked up the
fan and shook it her face. A look of
sorrow came into her face and a sneeze
into her nose. The young Eian in
brown snatched it. He also dropped
it. Then the two showed each other
their hands. They took out their
liandkerchiefs and began wiping. Pres-
jntlj- they left the seat. Then two
small boys crept from behind a near
ilump of trees , they grinning porten
tously. They saw the fan. One of
; hem took it by the top and moved off.
"Billy , " said he to his companion ,
"we'll git some more lasses 'en red
pepper 'en try her again. "
THEY intend making traveling more
convenient on. the continent of Europe
by adopting our system of railw car
riages. _ Little Belgium is Tride awake
in matters of business , and is setting
the first example. The International
Company of Sleeping Cars has submit
ted a project to the Government of
Russia for organizing , a great express
train between Ostend , Cologne , Berlin ,
md the Russian frontier. The train
rill be exclusively composed of sleep
ing cars and saloon carriages.
Francklyn cottage , Elberon , where
5ariield died , rents for $500 per
iionth.
Old Barn.
Was ever perfume sweeter than tha
all-pervading fragrance of the sweel
scented hay ? and was ever an interio
so truly picturesque , so full of quie
harmony ?
The lofty haymows piled nearly t
thereof , the jagged ax-notched beam
overhung with cobwebs flecked wit ]
dust of hay-seed , with perhaps a down ;
feather here and there. The rude
quaint hen-boxes , with the lone nest
egg , in little nooks and corners. Ho\
vividly , how lovingly , I recall each one
In those snow-bound days , when tbi
white flakes shut in the earth dowi
deep beneath , and the drifts obstructec
the highways , and wo heard the nois ;
teamsters , with snap of whip and ex
citing shouts , urge their straining oxci
through the solid barricades ; when al
the fences and stone walls were almos
lost to sight in the universal avalanche
and , best of all , when the little distric
school-house upon the hill stood in ai
impassable sea of snow then we as
sembled in the old burn to play , sough
out every hidden corner in our game o
hide-and-seek and frolickec
- - , or jumped
in the hay , now stopping quietly t <
listen to the tiny squeak of semi
rustling mouse near by , or it may bi
creeping cautiously to the little hole ui
near the eaves in search of the big
eyed owl wo once caught napping there
In a hundred ways we passed the fleet
ing hours.
The general features of New Englant
barns are all alike. The barn that we
remember is a garner full of treosur <
sweet as new-mown hay. You remem
ber the great broad double doorswhicl
made their sweeping circuit in the
snow ; the ruddy pumpkins , piled up ir
the corner near the bins , and the wist
ful whinny of the old farm-horse at
with pricked-up ears and eager pull ol
chain ho urged your prompt attentioc
to your chores ; the cows , too , in the
manger stalls how sweet their per
fumed breath 1 Outside the corn-crit
stands , its golden stores gleaming
through the open laths , and the oxen ,
reaching with lapping , Tipturnecl
tongues , yearn .for the tempting f east ,
"so near and yet so far. " The parly-
colored hens group themselves in ricL
contrast against the sunny boards of the
weatheibeaten shed , and the ducke
and geese , with rattling croak and
husky hiss and quick vibrating tails
( that strange contagion ) , waddle across
the slushy snow , and sail out upon the
barn-yard pond. Here is the pile oi
husks from whose bleached and rust
ling sheaths you picked the little ravel-
ings cf brown for your corn-silk ciga
rettes. Did ever "pure Havann" taste
as sweet ? Harper's Magazine.
IIOTV asoney Is Altered.
It is notorious that the work of coun
terfeiting is carried on as a trade 01
perhaps profession. It is not we !
known that men make a business of al
tering notes and cutting off pieces oi
them , and patching them together tc
make more notes than the originals
The number of notes that have beer
dealt with in this manner shows that c
regular profession in this line exists
The old practice of cutting ten 01
twelve notes into ten strips and mak
ing therefrom one more than the origi
nal number has been discontinued. II
got to be too ancient a trick , and one
too readily detected. The work of the
latter-day artists in altering notes is
somewhat more elaborate. One way if
to raise the figures on the notes. The
bodies of nearly all the notes are iden
tical. The operator will take a $1 bil
and a $2 bill , cut the figures denoting
denominations of the two being care
ful to avoid cutting away too much ol
the note to render it redeemable at less
than its full value and carefully cui
out the figures of the one an-d substi
tute the figure two therefor. He thus
has a $2 bill for his $1 , and his origina
$2 bill probably , because not more than
one-tenth of it has been destroyed.
This is a very cunning ivay of doctoring
notes. As people generally count money
by picking up the right-hand corner oi
each note , detection of changed notes
is , in tne ordinary course of business ,
not very easy.
The figures used in raising the notes
of higher denominations are generally
taken from the old fractional currency ,
as they are identical , oi very nearly so.
Another way of changing notes is to
manipulate a $10 note and a $100 note
by splitting off the body of the former.
Then by pasting it on the $10 and
changing around there comes from the
$110 the stun of $210 in pretty good
shape. This plan of working things
has been recently developed. The
alteration of United States notes is car
ried on all over the country , but the
West is the section where it is
most extensive in practice. The
altered notes are disposed of , to a
certain extent , in the same way that
counterfeit notes are "shoved. " The
great field of operation for the altered-
note industry is , however , among banks
just started. The officers and clerks
of new banking institutions are some
what green and naturally anxious to
receive deposits. The man with the
altered notes goes in and makes a de
posit , and a day or two after draws it
out again. Of course , he does not get
the same money that he puts in , and
the bank has to forward the original de
posit , after discovery of its character ,
to Washington , to be redeemed as mu
tilated currency , for what it is worth
under the regulations. The same bank
seldom gets bitten twice.
JOHN IMoRAX was under engagement
to marry Lottie Church , at Sandy Lane ,
Ala. He deserted her and went to live
in the adjoining county. When told of
his perfidy , she prayed that he might
be punished by instant death. li
chanced that at exactly that hour he wa >
killed by the fall of a tree. Lottie believes
lieves that her prayer caused his death ,
and is crazed by remorse.
"I BEG your pardon"sir , " said one ol
the three men who entered Dovey's stor
at Mercer's Station , Ky. , "but will yot.
please hand me the § 500 out of you >
safe , " aud he politely leveled a revolver
"Sorry to disoblige , " Dovey replied
" but there isn't a cent there , " and hi
affably opened the safe for them to BCO
The robbers made a thorough searo1
aiul wthdrew.
Tlw Woman Who Wears tKe Breechef.
- "who always answers
The -woman
when her husband is spoken to , and J
considers hercell the "better tliree- \
quarters" of the household arrange- T- |
ment.
The woman who buys all the provi
sions and clothing , even her husband ti
clothes , and buys them always at a bar
gain.
She never thinks him of any consequence
quence in the family , but regards him as
a boarder who eate a great deal aud pays
nothing , while the family is supported
by her own shoulders and foresight , in
cluding the " bargains" she is constantly - ;
ly securing.
The woman who always pins on her
husband's collar and cravat , washes his
neck and ears , trims his hair and pulls
it , too , i ! he is at all refractory who
contradicts him before their children ,
not allowing him to express an opinion
without immediately volunteering onoin
an opposite direction.
The woman who always demands the
money on "pay days , " and , if her hus
bands ventures to ask what she wants it
for , says " there is no need for a man
to have money when his wife needs it all
to clothe and feed her family. "
As soon as there is a hundred dollars
ahead she takes it , and , depositing it in
the bank in her own name , announces to
her husband the gratifying intelligence
that she has saved $100 , but does not
consider it important to mention where
she has deposited the same.
the "breeches"
The woman who wears
is almost sure to lay by something for a +
"rainy day , " as she never allows her
husband a day of recreation , although
on holidays she usually takes him out
with the other children for a little en
joyment.
"Her husband always has a quiet , sub
dued air , and speaks in a very nervous ,
hasty manner , and looks around quickly *
from under his eyebrows , as if expecting
to hear some voice in contradiction.
He has the habit of smoothing the top
of his head gently and soothingly , as if
hair had been recently pulled.
The woman who wears the breeches
is usually called "smart" by the men ,
and a " tyrant" by the women. She
speaks of the homestead as "myplace , "
or " my farm , " and considers her hus
band of no account in the buying or
selling of cattle.
She knows just how much pigs will
weigh and the market value of every
thing the farm produces for sole. She *
is close at a bargain , and has been
known to go so far as to drive the team
and help to load the wood. She always
manages the children , and if one of them
should turn out poorly she says :
"That child is more like his father
than all the rest. "
Nobody has much love for her , and ,
as she has proved eminently able to take
care of herself by taking care of the
whole family , no one cares much for her.
The woman who wears the breeches
always puts her husband to bed first ,
that he may warm the front side , and
then rolls him over to the wall when she
gets in , and would make him get up and
kindle the fire of a morning , only that
she thin ! * * he does not know enough.
She understands politics , and her hus
band votes for the man she tells him to.
I'll tell you more about her some time.
Mispronounced Words. A
The following words are often mispro
nounced. It will be well for the young 4
reader to look them out in the diction
ary , and fix the right sound and accent :
Usually , zoology , yolk , virago , tur
bine , tour , trow , tiara , thyme , teleg
raphy , tassel , suit , strata , soot , sonnet ,
soiree , snlmon , romance , robust , repar
tee , raspberry , pristine , radish , rapine ,
prairie , polonaise , plateau , pianist ,
piano forte , orang-outang , orion , or
chestra , _ nausea , naivete , mogul , liber
tine , "leisure , jaguar , heinous , homeopathy >
opathy , height , giraffe , ghoul , finesse ,
European , equipage , encore , ducat , dis
habille , JEgean sea , Marmora , Mont
Cenis , Moscow , Potosi , Port Said , Pom
peii , Odessa , Nuecus , Edinburgh , Ecua
dor , Ivry , Messina , Bombay-
Cultivate the Taste.
There can be no doubt about the ability
jf any man to cultivate his senses. Hunt-
are learn to sec -vvitli accuracy great dis
tances , so do sailors ; musicians bring the
sense of hearing up to the finest degree of
perfection. Blind men often become co
proficient that they can tell the color of a
garment by simply feeling of itwhile ,
men employed in the business of buying
and selling great varieties of makes of but
ter learn not only to grade and tell the
name of the maker of each lot , but in some
instances they can tell almost to a day the
exact age of each lot. This is very simply
and efficiently done by cultivating ihc
sense of taste.Ve once heard of an in-
Ktance where a wine taster , a man who be
came very proficient in this art , being
called in to piss judgment on a hogshead
of wine , decided there was a slight , very
slight , taste of iron to the "wine. This was
aot believed by the owner of the wine until -
til the cask was empty , when lie found a
small iron key in the bottom of it. "We do-
not expect every butter-maker to reach
this height of perfection in the art of
tasting , but there is one thing he should
do. and that is study the subject. To do-
this , let him taste all the fine butter he
can get hold of , and not with the set no-
tiou in his head that his make is finer , lint
tvith an honest effort to find wherein this
lot differs from his own make. Has it a
stronger butter tast * } or lias it , as it prob
ably has to him , a more insipid taste1 a
little too fine perhaps for his tobacco
tongue. If so , he should get his wife to
Jo the tasting. When you hear of a man
taking a premium on his butter at n fcir
or dairy convention , ride over , if it is ten
miles away , and examine his butter. Taste
it over and over again until you catch its
peculiarities. Take some home if you can
get it for love or money , and talk it over
with members of your family , gome of
them -will he able to point out correctly
the essence of merit in it , and ten to one
you will ) > e able to catcli the hang of the
thing and he able to do it yourself.
In cultivating the taste for testing butter -
ter , one thing must be home in mind. Do
not choose as the best article that which
is most liked by your own family. They
may have their peculiar notions.Yliait
you want is to study the tastes of ycnr
customers and make your butter come up
to their requirements , no matier what
Dpinion you may have of their judgment
Dn the subject. It is far easier to adapt
yourself to them than to force customers
to take your butter against their will.
ITiey will not do it. American Dairyman ,
An academy to teach the Aztec Ian-
rua e has been started in the Citv of
\lexico.