The Sully County watchman., July 07, 1883, Image 6

About The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894

Image provided by: South Dakota State Historical Society – State Archives

                
AMKKttU* IX MHYMK.
I? you have a friend worth loving.
Lore him. ee. an'l lit hitn know
That yf'i l»ve hip, fro life .s i-woing
Tinge hi« brow with r-uuwt clow.
Why «boulJ *o'4 W(inl.« ne'er b* *aH
"f a friend till he i» dead
I! T"u hf»r n *njc that thrills j. 'i
I5un): by arv child of fine.
P»w i-e it. I)« n• '1 let tho Mnjrer
Vfai*. de.'orved lun^.
W)iy *h' -aid one whoi'nrilU your ln-urt
Lick the joy ymi iniiv impart
If \nu bear a grayer that mtve y« u
liy it humble pleading ton*.
''•in it. Do not l.t the wkcr
Huw hefore hi i»d alunt.
Why fhuui'' not your brother nharo
The -trength of "twoor three" ia |r:,y
If
TOU
fee the hot tears falling
from a brother's eye*,
8b i re thciu. And ly sharing
l*n
your k'n^hij" with the frki •-.
Why should any one be clad
When a broiher'e heart i# ?aii?
tf a silvery laugh is rippling
Through the pun«hine on hi*
tokare it. Ti« the wi«e man's saying—
Vor both g»iet and i a plnee.
Tkere hea'th nrul g» .dr.es.* in themirtl
In wh icli an h'i:~' -t laucit hi.* birth.
1 your work is made more easy
By a friendly, he ping bond.
UK
Speak out brave arnl truly
Kre the da-kticrs veil the lani.
8t. u!d a br iher wurkuian dear
Faster fi.r u word of eheer
^cattf thus your feeds of kindnens
All enriching as you go—
Leave them. Trust the Harvest Giver
He will make each seed to grow
So. until its happy end.
Your life shall n«v/r lack a fne:: 1.
THE Ilorit'S SiEl»"K.
It was midnight of the 13ihof Aligns
(commenced my gaandmother), bu*
though the river was in front of us, and
the forest streti bed for miles behind us,
and away to the right and left, I could
not catch even tliesight of a leaf or the
ripple of the water, so sultry aud heavy
brooded the darkness around us.
I hid not been in (he best of spirit*
that day for it was the lime when we
dreaded everv hour to hear the bom
bardment of New York and though
the house of Thomas Oakley, a brother
of my father, and such a terror and
dread of that day that I could not help
earing lest some evil had happened to
my parents, who were still in the city.
As usual with the sleepier, all sorts
of fancieji teased my brain. Mv room,
like all others was lar^e and furnished
in the style thai seems so qnaint lo per
tone of the preseni day.
The chimney piece was lilleci with
pore slain, curiously wrought with illus
trations of scriptuie. Th« bed and fur
niture that had been brought from
England, was tall, dark, etiff and-carv
ed, while the wai'j were hung with som
bre family portrait*. And an I lay and
wished for day the tiled figure seemed
to move and glowed at me in the uncer
tain light that came through a loop-Hole
in inv window, while I thought the eyes
of portrait were one and all fixed
on me nith & solemn, warning stare,
and so it happened that I heard th* old
clcck strike one, two, three, and was
just falling of! into a dc zs, when there
came a 1-ght step along the hall, and
coiii-in Grace in a strange, scared voice,
outside the door: "Heien, Helen
I wati up in a moment and out to
where she stood, leoki*g like a spirit,
with her ashy face, and fair hair falling
about her aud I remember the tbriil of
astonishment with which, spite of my
fright, I saw that eke waaalready Jre&4
ed, and be'd in be? hand a powder
flask.
"Put on your clothcs as quick as you
can, Nellie," she said in a voic* that
trembled a little, though she wa* doing
iier Heat to be calm, "Bract's men are
coming and father want's u« all down
stairs."
Brant's men! It iH difficult to make
you understand tne horror with which
that name was pronounced and heard
or to express the terror Mith which, an 1
hurried on my clothes, thought of Grace
and myself in tne handa of those merci
less savages. No wouder she trembled
Ir every limb, or that Thoroaa Oakley
a ian over six feet in height and oc a
noble prtMnc«, with a grai.d face that
looked a« ii it might have been chiseled
out of marble, at.d hair as white as #uow,
aa though he was scarcely past hi
prime. We have, no tuch meu now a
daj. I have his portrait in my little
cabinet yonder, and you m±y Hee that he
looks as be wae, a kind and noble gen
tleman.
Aa for his sons, they were like—tall,
strong limbed, ftarle-s, devoutly at
tarhedl'i the stately niotiier, who wax
preparing breakfast "while they fastened
the iron shutters of the heavy doore.
"It's a shame to route you out so
early Neilie," said Mr. Oakley, a* he
notictd my pale friphtened face "but
if we didn't eat our breakfast now
those rafccalls may not giv«? us a chance
at all, aud to my mind, hfter a good
cause, there's nothing iik« a good
breakfast befqpe ^oiDg into a fight."
"I vi-h & ant \faa here," said Grace
tinjidly.
•'No doisbt, Puaey, bat I've tent for
him. Yost, the half-fitted lad that
brought the Hewn\ m* gone after him
and the volunteer* who were to start
for camp to-day, and if we can but
keen the rarc&l-i at bay tiil they come
we may give them as good a peppering
aa they deserve.''
Ay, if! but, oh, that dreadful uncer
tainty. "J'he bou e was of jt»-ne and
so strongly buii: that it wan doubtful if
they could ciuier raza or tire it. How
many pf faat fair family would gather
round iiv9 board to-morrow morniwj
Abl it waa a dreadful Hay jut I think
the kour before tnef'Vi"* wa-i
worst of all. 11 !l: -1
It waa not to be e\.
,)•th
could eat mudh bjeak
as meal, it was
the
U w e
^'V'Vj:orOiYi*d
-•.»!"» iv nmc liTUiyi j.jlT
th» bojr% whom 'ie ibad
l^ik-out, ct»!/ei but tl»«*y
aic s and stealing along the
wooda toV^ie right as if Ibey hoped
surprue u«.—At once the meu hurried
with their to the window of the
second story: Mrs. Oakley, pals, but
Btill outwardly calm, motioned u to
follow and hand out the powdar.
Then oame a dead ei-ieuce.
''Iook out, rtioion," said the father,
in a low vo ce, "and t»ll us what the
rascala ar« about."
"Po^tjnfc themselves about the house,
but undercover. There's a man com
ing this way now—he—why, father, it's
Walter Van Coy lor."
We all started. The meaning of thin
dden attack was clear enough now.
Van Cuyler had been a professional
patriot and a warm admirer of Grace
and on his rejection by her had gone
away vowing to take a terrible ven
geance on the whole family.
"The traitoi?" muttered my uncle
"it is .\e, then, that haa brought down
this swarm of hornets. What is he
doing nojaj"
"He has been tryirg the windows to
see if they are fastened. Now he is at
the door.-'
Mr. Oaklev went tL Simon's window
and demanded: v
"Who is there?''
"Walter Van Cuyler."
"What do yo.--. want?"'
"Food, rest and shelter. Hrant'smen
are on my track. Let me in quickly.'
The skarp crack of a rifle ami the
words "liar and hypocrite!" were his
answer. A fierce yell arose from behind
the hay stacks and outbuildings as l'I)
durk forms rushed forward branching
their weapons and firing at random,
while as many more hovered on the
out«kirts of the wood.
Within the house was perfect silence,
broiceii only bjmhe low "now boys" of
Mr. Oakley anathc crack of six of the
best r.ll^s in the country.
"8 down! A man down for each
bullet. "Good!'' exuldng voice of my
uncle. "The powder, g'rK we'll
ge them another."
A shower of bullntf that rattW lite
i bai'-»t ncs about the windows, cut
hor* hu words. Mr. Oakley picked up
some that fell harmless on the tl or, and
remarked: "Tii serpentta are kinder
than anticipated. They are goin^' to
keep us in bullets as well as exircise.
8o much the better for we have none
to spare. Now Roys."
Another iltsh und ar, and Again
the voice of Mr. Oakley:
"Fire steady, boys, and take good
aim. Don't wa&te powder."
A dead silence ensued.
"They're cowed, father. They are
Bneaking off to cover." exclaimed Sim
on.
"Not they they are only trying some
new deviltry. John and Mathew,
round you to the bat k of the house.
Grace -my God' where did that shot
come from?'' as with a sharp cry, Reu
ben, the eldest, leaped three feet in the
air, and fell forward on his face, stone
dead.
Mrs. Oakley sprang forward, and
threw herself on hi« body. Another
shot came crnshirg in the window, and
imbedded itself in the opposite wall.
"Aim at yonder tree." shouted Mr.
Oakley. "I saw the gleam of a rifle
stock among the leaves. See! the oak
yonder."
A third shot whizzed so close t-ast us
as to make us start oack, and then our
unerrine rifles answered back and
down through the brush went a dark
body striking with a heavy *tbuQ"
against the trround.
"He is silent," excUimed Mr. Oak
ley, with a gleam tf stern satisfaction
fcbooting across his face.
Here there wai a silence of longer
duration than any which preceded it,
and we were at a loss to know whether
they had drawn of and given up the
atu-.ck. Thi* vny uncle doubted lor he
was accustomed to the tactics of those
wilv foes. At last he remarked:
"W here can they be hiding? I see
none of the rest."
"Father, father!" called Grace in an
agonized tone.
Mr. Oakley ran hastily into the back
room where the was. A stalwart man
in a ijunting frock so bror.zed as to al
most irmke it doubtful if he was white
or red swung himself from an adjoin
ing tio© on the balcony and was trying
to ft-tee himself through the little win
dow.
As Mr. Oakley rushed forward he
drew his hunting knife that ho won* in
his belt, but receiving the sharp edge
in his bare hand.s, the infuriated father
wrested i: from his grasp by main
strength and plunged it to the biit in
his hre*it.
A fierce yell and a ha*mles9 volley
from those in ambush, received this
new defeat and then anot er of those
ominous pauses.
"What can they be about uttered
Simeon who was again at the lookout.
"They are oulling up k*y and brush
wood. They surely do not dream of
hnn« the houst?"
"The door, the door! gasped Grace.
'Right!" txclaimea the father "The
girl has more wit than all of us. We
must barricade the hall."
"Never mind the shutter*," said Mrs
Oakley who had regained her marble
composure "We will bar them," and
she l»egan to draw the bolts.
Mr. Oakley hesitated for 'the task
was one of danger but there was no
time and chairs, table*, and so'as were
piled up at short distance from the
door, and wl^at waa really a formidable
barricade, guarded as it was by the un
erring rifles. The emel! of the burn
ing wood and the smoke that filled the
hall now grew almost Intolerable. Mr.
Oakley placed us on the stair case ami
exhorted i:in sons to statu! e.lose, and
take good aim. a portion of the door
fell iu. ,\Jr. Oakley raised his rifie, aud
Walter Van Cmyer, who was the first
to fprii in, »t»£gertd »r,d fell back
with a groan, the others swarmed in
like bee«t but a second and a third of
those deadly volleys brought tuem to a
stand. No man dared expose htmsvlf
to such certaia de*th.
Mr. Oakley turned impetuously to
hin snn8."
Give 'cm anether, boys, we'll brat
'em !1 sgaiu!" Rut a mute shake of
the hei}d was
f.^ie
only answer. The
powder wis. exhausted. For a mometit
a deadly pallor spread his face. Tue
next hia voice rang out clear and firm
aa ever.
"Close op! Draw your kniveft! We
will sell onr lives aa deaily aa possible."
"Come on! their powder is out!"
shouted a man who with half a d» zen
others had succeeded scrambling
over tae barricade and making his way
toward the little group.
"Tou had better be eareful. ir
w men have tneir knitting needles
ye.'.!"' retorted Mr. Oakley derisively.
"V,.V11 take oare of you an«l ihe
women both," returned the ruffian,
aiming a blow at Bimon that bronght
him to th« ground.
A spasm coatorted Mr. OakleyVjtern
features for a moment than a
strangled sob he threw himself •ead
ioni upon his aasai'auts.
"Kill him—cut him down—he's the
devil himself?" shouted a di z?n voices
but in a moment arose another and a
far dliferent cry.
"The rebels—the rebels are upon
us!" tnundering on. trampling the
cowardly wretches down under the
horses hoofs, cam«« Mark Warner vith
his light horse troop. In an instan' all
was confusion. No one thought of
anything but lightf and the enraged
Americans mowed the flying ttiries
down like ram.
Then burst forth all the emotions'po
long pent up. Father and sons threw
themselves into me anothrr's arms,
Grace fainted and Mrs. Oakiev'^ stony
composure melted into a fljod of
hysterical tears.
Ours was a joyful vet .» sad house
that nighl— for although we had been
delivered as it were from the very jaws
of death yet the bodies of our dead
were with us.
Ah! children? ihose were sad Un:p*,
trying times! There waa a weddine
between Mark and Grace, and I danced
as mi-rr'ly as any of them but poor
Mrs ikley wore mourning to the end
of her days and the last words on her
lips were the names of her murdered
suns. And greatly afJected my grand
mother took of
wiped her eyes.
her spectacle^ and
The Herpian Headsman.
Ber in Letter io Chi:afp New/.
You probably know that in Berlin/ e.
when they wieh to deprive a criminal
of his life, they cut him iu two at the
neck. Tue executiouer that wields the
sharp ax is called upon to exercise his
functions on an average about once a
month. His name is Krauts, a mild
faced old fellow, with a soft, gentle
voice, dandj' manner and white haud^,
and on these occasions be usually
smokes a cigarette. He has four a"-si*
tants, a quartet of cruel, hard-looking
men, whose duty ii is lo strip tho vic
tim. It, the eve under notice the cul
prit was sullering the extreme penalty
of the law for no less a crime than the
murder of his wife aud two children.
When he had been stripped to the
undershirt, the collar which was cut
down to the level of bis shoulders, his
feet pinioned and his hands tied be
hind him, he was led out and his head
placed upon the block.
In the meantime Krauts, the exe
cutioner, had stood among the few
spectators of the scene, auietly putting
his cigarette, and without anything in
Ins demeauor indicative of his office.
Wneu the platform was reached he
threw aside his ci garette, grasped the
ax in his white, sinewy hands, gave it a
swing upward, and struck with a force
Millicient to detach the head from the
fody incttntly. The remains were
covered with a black cloth, and the
witnesses, having signed their names,
were escorted out of the til. I have
seen many executions by u*nging, and
a number by ball and shot, and have
witnessed one or two victims being
keelhauled, but it seems tome that
decapitation must be the most brutal
—certainly it is the most hideous to
contein plate.
Origin of the tin- V*t
In tut) Museum at Berlin, in the
devoted to Northern antiquities, they
have tue representation from the wtoi's
from which the names of the dajt of
our week are derived.
From the ielol of the Sun comrs Sun
day. This idol is represented with his
face like the sun, holding a burning
wheel, with both hands on his breast,
signifying his courec around the world.
fhe idol -.r the Moan, from which
conies Monday, is habited in a snort
coat, like a man, but holding the mexn
iu his hands.
Tuisco, from which comes Tu .sday,
was one of the mo-it ancient and pop
ular gods of the Germans, and repres
ented iu h:s garment of *kins accord
ing to their peculiar manner of cle»th
ing the th rd day of the week was
dtniicated to his worship.
Woden, from which comes Wednes
day, was a valint Prince among th^kaTah
Hax ns. His image was prayed to for
victory.
Tbor, from which comes Thursday,
is seated in a bed, with twelve stars
aver his head, holding a scepter in his
hand.
Friya, from which we have Friday,
is represented witn a urawn sword in
his right lund ami a bow iu his left.
t*'e er, from which is hiturday, has
the appearance of perfect wretciicd
nets he is thin-visaged, long-haired,
with a long beard. He carries a water
pail iu his right ban
and flowers.
J, wherein are fruits
-It is well known that plants sleep
at night but their heairs of sleeping
are a matter of habit, and may be dis
turbed artificially, just as n cock may
br waked up to crow at uutimely hours
by the lighv of a lantern. A French
chemist'.ubjected a sensitive plant to
an exceedingly trying course'of difci
pline by completely chanuirg its hours
—exposing it to K bright lignt at night,
so aM to prevent sleep, and putiir.g it
into a dark roeim during the day. The
plant appeared to be much puzJed and
disturbed at first. Jt opened aud closed
its leaves irregularly, sometimes nod
ding, in spi*e of the artific.:il sun that
shed its beams at rflidriight, ai.d some
time« waiting up, (r .ra the force of
habit, to find the c'.|Voer dark in spite
of the tuiMt of day. Kueh are the tram
mels nf use and wo«t. But after an
obvious struggle the plant submitted to
the chango and turned day into night,
wtthout any apparent it! eflectt.
Fitt son the Reformer.
Hakri^iu hg, June 27.—Among bills
approved by the governor to-day, were
those making appropriations for the
Western peuitentiary aitU extending
the) time for closing the Silver's or
phan school to lhS9. In the seni.to
resolutions for the adjoarnmeat of the
extra se« ion of the legislature on
July 7th, oaasad. The providing w«*k
called for*wan then completed tn the
houne and the bill reported affirma
•iveiv. makitg an approprint on of
flvb V15 for expenses of th* eitra.se*
»iou which would brfcig the se#siou to
Julf.
BEAUTIFUL IILACK.MAILERS.
How the KuhIocns or t'rofeMMional
Blarkmll la ('•ndnt'lrd In New Yark.
Now York Star
One of the fungi of modern society
is the feminine blackmailer, who fat
tens on the follies and foibles of men
who have more time and money '.ban
the fortune that rules their destiny
should have allowed them. She is iu
every sense an adventuress, and relies
entirely upon the luck that the day
may bring forth.. Like the lily of the
field sin- toils not, neither does she spin
but she is arrayed far more gloriously
than Salomon, and is mast wonderous
fair to see. With a pretty babv face, a
magnificent form and a snperb carriage
she moves with a velvety tread until
her large innocent eyes Isave fastened
themselves upon some man of wealth
and lewure, and her net has been care
fully laid to ensnare his careless feet,
and when she realizes that her hour of
triumph hivs eeme she crcates havoc
and lets loose the deigs of war. The re
mit in the majority of ca-es is that the
startled victim willing at any cost to
stop their scandalous bay ing, and a
round cum passes from her plump and
rosy fingers into a delicately-worked
purse, when she gracefully rttiies to
gr. en fields and pastures new.
These ladies who invade society but
lo kill and destroy domestic felicity and
break up quiet homes are to be met
everywhere. In Pari*, London,
tile German watering
places and all along the route of the
married teuri.-t they blossom like a
rose, and arj more plentiful than the
dollars the infatuated victim lays at
their feet. In Washington, also, where
rtie wise Solons of America go annual
ly to make laws for the healing preser
vation of the nation, they thrive mirac
ulously, aud grow plumper and more
prosperous at every recurring schm.ui
of Coucress. Events likewise occur at
Albany each winter which make the
unhappy lawgiver gnash his teeth as
he reluctantly parts with his hard-earn
ed dollar to avoid a publicity which at
other time's he courts, and causes him
to curse the day that he left his quiet
home in a peaceful country village to
engage in the heated turmoil of a pc
litical life.
eVpr
w'!
l'
ctem'urg,
But it is in New York especially that
blackmailing has been retluced to a
fine: art by those brilliant fiends who
can smile so sweetiv and alluringlv
and yet be villains. Half the trouble's
of the wealthy in the leadirg city of the
Republic have not been told, and
never will be, because they are in most
cases hushed up by a silence that is
i^a
"itoitcu up ujr a MI
golden and dearly paid for.
er of 'I he t~TAK, conversin
A report-
ng last week
with an astute and observing detective
who had grown old in the service,
learned enough of the ways and meth
ods of these pretty blackmailers to chill
his b'ood lor the safety of men who
have money to spend ^nd are so heart
lessly agisted to spend it.
"Tnese adventures^," said the de
tective, whose years have given him
an experience from which to speak,
ct me to us from all parts of the work!,
and include all types of beauty for all
A woman to Biietvud must }c
RT'i.ly
beaut if u! btft fascinating.
must be more than ordinarily intelli
gent, and quick eee a point and
take advantage of it. She must needs
be as swe.et and attractive as the rose
and, like t!-« rose, she has numerous
thorns with which to puncture and
bleed tier victims. The occasions upon
wi ich my services have been desired
to free the laceratcd, but too confiding
young man from toils that he could
not break hi mself, would fill a book.
The last case of tho kind I was engag
ed iu occurred but two weekfc ago. Tne
victim waa the son of a gentleman of
wealthy in the interior of this State,
and he had come to New York to ob
tain a goveri
.mental appoin me nf. He
was stopping with relatives in Manhat
tanvilie, and strollinc one evening near
the river he met a pretty little maid,
whose winscme mouth tremulous ac
count led the young rustic to believe
e was ss pure a« the blush on
her cheek when lie addressed her. The
girl war. engaged in the service of a
family in the neighborhooel and art
fully learning the position and wer.lth
of her new flame, she led him on by
degrees, meeting him frequently by the
river bank, until sne hail him do faat in
her net that escape waa impossible.
She demanded money to prevent ex
posure, to which for a time the young
man acceeded: but when the girl ascer
tained that he was engageel to a weal
thy and very worthy young lady in a
Western town, she became so exorbit
ant that he refu-ed further tribute auel
defied h.r to elo her worst.
Th. n she engaged a lnwyr i and began
a suit against bii.i for breach of prom
ise and seduction, and wrote to his
father that she wa* an innocent coun
try girl whom his son had heartlessly
betrayed. In this !a»,t act she went too
far. Tho old gentleman shrewdly sus
pected that the letter waa too carefully
pathetic, ami read too much like blank
verse to fie written Uy a servant unlea-B
aided by her lawyer, and he came on
to '.his city to investigate. He found
his son worried nearly iot« a Aver and
moving heaven and earth to raise the
money that waa demakded to keep t1 e
suit out of the cemrU*, and prevent the
newspaper notoriety that must inovita
bly follow. He came to me for assist
ance, and, after a week of untiring
labor, I discovered that the wronged
servant with the blushing ebueksand
winning smiles had played the same
game on other suscptibln young men
in various pnrts of this city and in
Brooklyn. The ea*o with which they
had submitted to extortion had made
her too venturesome, and she lost her
victim by g« to eourt. I urged both
the father and the wn to cause her ar
rest, but they wanted the matter hut li
ed, and the girl escaped safely to New
Haveri. The old man took his son
home wilfc hi*u, and forced him to de
cline the governmental position wbioh
was efl red hiru a we« k later, consid
ering timt New York was no place for
beya.
There was another ease at the rame
time," continued the detective, "of
which I may as well tell vfcu. An o'wl
genileman, a man of family and rhe
noniitia' he«d of a prosperous firm in
this cit^ but who hua never been able
{'•sow?!! his wild 4»aU, name: to me
one day in great distress. He had
been at a matinee the day before and
pat near a yuung lady, who had cap
lured his aged but yet fluttering heart.
He was struck by Ivr delicate beauty,
the silks and laces, feathe»rs and jewels,
that blended in erne indescribable
whole. She encouraged him by timid
glances, and when the curtain fell he
followed her out into the foyer. A
heavy rainstorm had come on, and he
had no umbrella. As his inamoratA
steod poised at the door like a bird
preparing for flight, her lifted skirts
betraying a very pretty ankle anel a
faint glimpse of reel heise above it, a
brilliant idea occurred to the old roue.
Approaching her respectfully he of
fend his carriage to convmr her home
and protect her from the rain. She
hesitated a moment, consulted her
pink finger tips and accepted -lyly. It
ended by a drive to her hotel and a
bashful invitation te come upstairs un
til the rain abated, where the poor old
man found himself (confronted by a
fellow who represented himself as the
woman a husband, anil demanded a
generous check to keep the matter
from the ears e»f his family. This he
had given, and departed, fancying that
he had paid dearly for his lesson, and
had learneel it. But he had foolishly
bet ray
eel his own ideniity during the
ride iu the carriage, and the next
morning the innocent young lady her
self called upen him and shyly inti
mated that she loved him too much te
ieav» him without further monetarv
proofs of his generosity. He had
pleaded want of funds and had prom
ised to meet her that afternoon iu Cen
tral park. I accompanied him to the
rendt /,vouS| where we found both the
timid lady and her alleged young hus
band, and succeeded in convincing
them both that it would be better to
return the money they had already in
their possession, and expect no more
in the future. As I suspected, I recog
nized tiiem as two of the most euccess
ful blackmailers in this city, from
whose slimy coils I had already rescued
more than one victim. They showed
fight at first, but wcakened^hen I dis
closed their identity.
"Some years ago," said the detec
tive, lighting a fresh cigar and settling
himself back in his chair, "I was en
gaged in a very peculiar case. A well
known and very benevolect clergyman
was sent for to administer religous con
solation to a young lady who was sup
posed to be dying in great distress of
mind. He was md by the mother and
conducted ur.o the sick chamber, where
the door was closed upon him, and lie
was left alone by the bedside of the
sufferer. But little conversation had
pusscd between them when the girl
leaped from the bed into the clergy
man's lap, aud began to scream luud
enough to wnke the dead. Several per
sons ran in and found the good old
man in this compromising situation,
and so startled that he sat like one pet
rified, with the girl upon bis knee. She
asserted that upon thedeparture of her
mother lie had bent over and kissed
her and lifted her from the pillows.
Had I not succeeded in tracing the un
savory antecedents of the two women
durine former resident in Baltimore.
«#».. i'»WM«ieiph] 1, »t ta very pre mrie
that tiie old man would have been per
secuted into his grav», for he was very
sensitive, and fe lt his poHitiwn k( enly.
Another case which this last recalls to
aie is one upon which I worked- a
month before I cleared it up and sot
my client free. He was a man of pleas
ure, and had recently been left a large
fortune by his father. Some unprin
cipled woman learned this fact, ami
went to a ball which she knew he would
attend. The plans were probably laid
a month before. He saw a handsome
woman in a light costume that exposed
the contours of her form, ving him
a great deal of encouragement from
behind a coquettish mask, and it was
not long betore lie succumbed to her
wiles. A (jarriage was secured, and
they drove to a well-known restaurant
up town, where a private room wa.s
taken /or supper. In the midst of th-.
repast the door opened, and the young
woman, with a a startled scream ex
claimed
•My god! It ia my father and my
brothers."
"A seemingly virtuous and indignant
trio cemfronted the gay Lothario, and
nothing would appease their wounded
honor but a plentiful supply of green
backs Nothing was heard from the
blackmailers until a week later, when
the crushed father called upon the
younir man to say he was about to hue
for the seduction of his daughter un
less a very handsome cheek was forth
coming. He came to me in great
distress, but so cerefully had these peo
ple disguised their identity that it was
a very long time before I secured proof
sufficient to satisfy them that further
attempt at eXieirtion would result in
their expatriation to Sing Sing. 1 could
talk for a week on this subject, but I
see tnat my babble already baa nearly
put you to sleep.
i
Stone Popular Superstitions.
It is a matter of superstition that it
is unlucky to pare the nails Sunday
to see the new moon over the left
shoulder er through a tree. If one
dreams of false teeth or having a
tooth pulled it is unlucky. To dream
of a marriage ita considered by those
who are wise in these mat'ers to be a
sign of a funeral. T» break a looking
glahs indicates that some one of the
family will die, as does also the flying
of a wild bird through the house. The
ivdj eu ringing in the ears, sometimes
heard, caused by local irritation of the
auditory nerves, is called a death-bell
and the first pemon thought of is the
one who wiil die. The peculiarity
about this BigR is that it is never known
to be verified. If a dog howl under
the window of any one, that person
will die before the year is out. k
the custom years ago, and in some of
the more rural town* still obtains,that
tiie male relatives of the deceased
should wear their hats in the chuie
dwring the fuueral service!. The look
ing glasses were hung with towels and
tne clock slopped, and all pictures of
the deceased turned close to the wall.
The beea were sold by some one of
the family who waa the one who had
died.
Alderman Meagher has been electsd
Ljrd Mayor of Dfiblic.
HE AIDE HIM WILL.
Haw Mp»oner diMposed or All Hi*
Rarthly wabMaoee*.
Salt Lake e'itv Tribune.
It was in an Idaho mining camp and
we will ill his name Sooner. Spooner
waa a good miner when sober, an un
mitigated nuisance when drunk. He
had been on many sprees in the camp
—we will call it "Spooncrs Run"—and
his credit was exhausied. It is grievous
to state the fact, but Spooner was not
very conscientious about settling hie
whisky hi He so the gentlfmen who
dealt in tangle leg has learned to give
him the cold shoulder. One morning he
said to his emj.l »yer: "Joe," said he,
"I think there mtiBt be a letter for me
at the post-office I would like to 'lay
ofl' to-day and go down to camp for it."
"All right," was Joe'it response, "only I|
can see in your ^ye that you mean tof
get druuk. If you do anel come back
here I will have you thrown down the
Midas shaft." The Midas shaft was 200
feet deep in solid porphyry. Spooner
went away and made the round of-the
saloons. He bad no collateral, and he
knew his credit was under a cloud too
dense to be lifted by a legitimate lever.
A last he stroled into the store of the
principal trader—we will call his name
Ketchum—aud mildly said: "Ketchum,
when you can spare me a few minutes'
I want to see you.' "Ail right, what is
Ketchum, shortly. "I want to
w.i said Spooner solemnly, "that
though I look rugged, the doctors tell
me 1 have an incurable heart disease
that while I may live for several months,
I may at any time be seized i a fatal
spasm, especially if I become excited,
and I want you to write my will.
W'onderingly, Ketchum asked: 'What
in the world have you to dis
pose of?'* "I have a few things,"
said Spooner sadly: "won't you do
a little thine like that for an old friend?''
"Certainly," said Ketchum, and go ng
to his desk, he drew out a shte of
fool's cap and commenced to write as
follows: "I, Me-es Spooner, of so-and
so, being of infirm bejely but of sound
mind, do, etc." "Now about the pro*
perty," said Ketchum. Spooner wait
ed a moni' nt, until he could properly
control himself, thou said: "I desire
that ny one-half interest in the B'g
Fissure be eold and the proceeds, after
all debts and churges are paid, be sent
to my old mother, Patience Spooner,
iu Pike county, Missouri." Ketchum
put it down. Spooner continued: "My
undivided one-third interest in the
Lame Duck I wish to 'nave sold, and
after payi $l,()oo to your ad clerk,
Jones (he is a fnynd of mine), send the
rest to my nWdier with instructions
that it be paid to Missouri Price, aiao
of Tike." Then with increasing emo
tion be added, "Sou would before ihfe
have beep my wife, but 1 could not
think of making the dear girl my
nurse." Spooner continued to dispose
of his property and finally said: "That
is all except fS.OOo which I have in the
Bank at bait Lake City. Put
down foU(H) for your little daughter,
Nellie, Mr. Ketchum the other ,000
to yourself. Also add that I appoint
you and your^clerk, Jones, my execu-
OJ"H fiwi vv Ttcn h€
went off by himself, took a seat on a
barrel and for home moments buried
ins face his bauds. Ketchum call id
Joaes to the desk, had him copy
n
legal cap the will in a neat, clerky
hand, called up Spooner and two wit
nesses, bad the will signed, sealed and
witnessed, folded the paper, placed it
in a large envelope, had the envelone
pioperly superscribed and laid away
carefully in tbe safe. Then said Ketch
um, "Speoner, let i-« take a little dr-nk
for old friendship sake." "lean ne»t
said Spooner "you know mv w^aknew
The doctors say one drink might
kill me and a protracted spree would
be sure to. A light shone in Ketoh
um's eyes. "The doctors br Mowed
said he. "One drink wculd not hart
any man. You are low spirited this
morning, Spooner, come an br.ice up
Alter the neccssary resistance Spoouar
yielded and got outside of a router
"How ia that?" asked Ketchum'
Spooner admitted that he felt no bad
efleets, that, indeed, it made him hot
ter. He took another. H» kept tak
ir.g them. He drank all d»y «nd al,
night, at intervals, Ketchuaiand Jones
alternated supplying hini.i He kent
on for two weeks, but no sjmptom of
the fatal spasm manifested itself At
last one afternoon he lay pr«ne asleen
on some boot boxes, when a physician
came in. Ketchum asked the man of
science to examine him andsee if he
had symptoms heart troulle The
doctor complied. He felt his vri'st nnt
his ear to his breast felt his wiiat a^ain
and said: "He has a heart lib an om
it is be ting like a trip h-mmr and aa
regular as the stroke of a ifcam en
gine." Spooner was kicked inn and
Jones figured up his account' It
i
amount*! to N.xt momin
Spooner came in with his irves o-i
edge, and wanted a drink. Jfr.
WJA
kicked out again. The .•m xt davj^he
raving with delirium ilKj
the men about town cons: 1
\dC?toh
um to send lum with a nurse pj|y.
siciau down to the tprin^K, Twenty
mties away. That day Jue
owner of the mine, came down town
and Ketchum tremblingly inquired
how much was due to Spooner on th6
books of the mining company, "it's
the other way," said Joe "I bought
him suit of clothes, paid a back board
bill in Salt Lake and -^aid his way up
here, and he still owes me something
ike $-10." Spooner recovered, but he
gets no more accommodations of Ketch
um, anel when any man :isks Keicbum
now to write his will he drops all other
business, picks up a pick handle and
ills eyes take^ on a dangerous glare, it
may be a little obtcure but there jis A
moral in the above story.
livd
oljou
Sdence ai
don't believe
commoa practice "I
iia*.'i\ie*water
right t.-mperatur^ y
thermometer," s/jj
to the new of
dai?"' "It is an
you can tell if
too cold." "I
any instrument
blue den do w
bit turns red, A
aui too hot."
of ihe
ou muMt ge|
an Austin mether
nurse. "What am
insttr.mcnt by which
le waier ic too hot or
n tell 'Wi »r without
Ef de chile turns
afei too cold, and ef
i knows dat de water