WOMM OF SOCIETY.
"She Secret of Lady Blanche Dulcimer's
Success in the World.
Lady Blanche Dulcimer was one of
the best dressed women in the world.
Oddly enough her love of display and
tasteful extravagance did not manifest
themselves until she became a widow.
The late Colonel Dulcimer had lost a
fortune at cards, and the only provision
ho was able to make for her was by in
juring his life for a few thousand
pounds. And yet Lady Blanche had no
sooner cast off her widow's weeds than
she blossomed into a leader of fashion,
and excited the envy and admiration of
her friends by her costly toilettes. How
she did it nobody could imagine, for her
lather was a bankrupt peer and none of
her relatives were in a position to assist
her. Her gowns alone must have ab
sorbed the whole of her modest income,
-at the most moderate estimate, and
these were not only inexpensive items
of personal adornment which she in
dulged in. It is true that she lived
quietly, and did not attempt to enter
tain; but even a little pill-box of a
house in Park street cannot be kept up
on nothing, and she certainly went a
good deal into society. Lady Blancho
was not given to speaking of her private
affairs, but she had been known to say
to an inquisitive friend :
"My dear, it is Leboeuf who does it
all. It is astonishing how little a wom
an, residing alone, can live upon with
the exercise of judicious economy. I
am an excellent manager, though, per
haps, I ought not to say so. But I
-oonld not make both ends meet if it
were not for Leboeuf. She was my
maid years ago, you know, and she lets
me have, my dresses at half price. Of
course, it is a very good advertisement
for her, for, as I go about a good deal, I
have got her no end of customers. But
she is a good, grateful soul, and, strict
ly entre nous, I owe her more money at
this moment than I can ever hope to
pay. It is her way, my. dear, of return
ing my former kindness."
But this explanation was not consid
red satisfactory. Madame Leboeuf
was a fashionable dressmaker, who, dur
ing the last few years, had attained
some celebrity. Those who had deal
ings with her unanimously agreed that
she was the last person in the world to
show consideration to anybody. She
was shrewd and grasping, her prices
enormous, and she had too keen an eye
for business to be capable of magnani
mity in the direction indicated by Lady
Blanche. Her professional skill, how
ever, ensured her a numerous and en-'
creasing clientele, and as money lend
ing at usurious interest formed an im
portant branch of her business, she wa3
generally supposed to be making a fortune.
But. even assuming Lady Blanche had
got her gowns for nothing, together
with commissions on the purchases
made by customers she introduced, she
must have been a very good manager
indeed to keep up the appearance she
.did. Of course, people will talk, and
the income of one's neighbors is a fruit
ful topic for idle gossip. It was pretty
well known that she was not in debt
at least to trades people; and it was
easy to calculate that she must be spend
ing two thousand a year, if a penny.
"Where the deuce does she get it
from ?" inquired the old women of the
male sex, talking confidentially among
themselves at their clubs. "Perhaps
Leytonstone could tell something if he
liked."
It was certainly the fact that Lord
Leytonstone was paying the widow a
good deal of attention in a cautious way.
bat no one believed the implied scandal,
To begin with, Lady Blanche had an
unblemished reputation, and was by no
means addicted to flirtation. She con
fessed to forty a very damaging admis
sion and, though decidedly handsome,
she could hardly be called fascinating,
tier manner was much too brusque to
be agreeable, and she was generally
regarded as a clever woman whom it
was wise to keep on good terms with.
Xord Leytonstone, too, was not the sort
jf man to compromise himself with the
opposite sex. He was an elderly peer
who had been fast in his youth, but had
sobered down into a model of proprie
ty. It was generally supposed that ho
was on the lookout for a rich wife, his
.m fortune being in a very impover
ished state.
The real truth was that his lordship
was quite as much mystified as the rest
of the world. His matrimonial aspira
tions had induced him to make careful
inquiries regarding the circumstances of
Lady Blanche. He soon ascertained
the extent of the income she derived
from her late husband, and satisfied
himself that she had no other visible
means of subsistence. His experience
caused him to disbelieve utterly in the
alleged benevolence of Madame Le
boeuf. He was, therefore, even more
puzzled than other people to account
for Lady Blanche's affluence. When
he called at her house he noted with a
watchful eye the signs of comfort and
luxury by which she was surrounded.
A man who is nursing a heavily mort
gaged estate by practicing the most rig
id econc my can quickly perceive and
appreciate lavish expenditure. As he
sat sipping tea in the widow's cosy
drawing-room he came to the conclusion
that her prosperity was real and sub
stantial, and resolved that it might be
worth while to cultivate her acquaint
ance. In accordance with this determin
ation, Lord Leytonstone became a pret
ty frequent visitor at Park street, keep
ing liis eyes and ears open, but taking
good care not to commit himself. The
widow was evidently flattered by his at
tentions, but, on her part, she was hard
ly less cautious. Not a word or a hint
did she let drop which would give him
.a clue to the secret he wished to fathom,
and enable him to decide whether it
would be prudent to make her an offer
-of marriage.
One morning he called upon her un-
npeetedJy with the offer of a friend's
box at the opera. As ho entered he
met a small, plump, brisk little person,
at whom he cast an inquisitive glance
as she passed him in the hall. Her veil
is down, but Lord Leytonstone caught
a glimpse of a pair of very dark
which seemed familiar.
"May I ask who the lady was I met,
in the hall as I came in ?" inquired his
lordship, casually, of Lady .blanche,
when he had discharged his mission.
"Was she small and dark? It must
have been Madame Leboeuf," answered
the hostess.
"Oh, the Madame Leboeuf, I sup
pose," he remarked, pleasantly, as he
took up his hat.
"Yes; the great Madame Leboeuf
She come to consult me about my dress
for the drawing room. I am especially
favored, you see, for Leboeuf always
calls upon me, whereas other people
have to dance attendance upon her,
said Lady Blanche, with consciou
pride.
"Bemarkablv condescending of her "
observed Lord Leytonstone, looking the
widow straight in the face. ' 'I've heard
she generally gives herself the airs of a
wealthy dowager.
"Oh, but it's gratitude, you know,"
said Lady Blanche, rather quickly, as
she turned aside from his lordship's
scrutinizing gaze. "She used to be my
maid, and those foreigners are always
so devoted and warm-hearted."
"Yes, very. Particuarly middle-aged
rench women, said his lordship,
dryly.
Lady Blanche, who was quick-tempered,
seemed vexed at her visitor's
tone ; but before she could speak Lord
Leytonstone had suddenly seized her
hand, and was lifting it gravely to his
lips.
"I will not be behind the Leboeuf in
paying especial homage to Lady
Blanche Dulcimer," he said, jocosely,
as he bowed himself out of the room.
It was evident that Leytonstone was
in an unusually good humor. His
stiff and pompous manner relaxed
as he descended the stairs, and when he
reached the street he began to twirl his
moustache and to hum a fragment of a
lively French chansonette in an under
tone.
"Gad !" he muttered to himself, break
ing on in the midst of the retrain, it
makes one feel quite young again, and
yet it must be twenty vears at least.
She wears well, la petite Ernestine."
After another short burst of melody
his lordship again commenced uncon
sciously to shape his thoughts into
words.
"I will call and pay my respects to
Madame. I begin to suspect that Lady
Blanche is even a cleverer woman than
I imagined, and, by gad ! if my suspi
cions are correct, I will propose before
I'm a dav older."
Lord Leytonstone's reflections kept
him in good spirits for the rest of the
day, and it was observed at the club
that he was uncommonly sprightly and
lively. He did not take his customary
hand at whist, lest it should make him
late for dinner, as he had a particular
engagement in the evening. He said he
should probably look in at the opera la
ter on, but soon after 8 he started off in
a hansom to an address in Bond street,
and was set down at the door of Madame
Lehoef's atelier.
He was ushered into a handsomely
furnished apartment on the first floor,
where he amused himself by studying
with complacence the reflection of his
well-preserved face and figure in the
numerous mirrors, until the door
opened, and a swarthy little lady, with a
mustache and very dark eyes, bustled
into the room.
"Milor Leytonstone?" she said in
quisitively, glancing at the card she
held in her hand, and stumbhng over
each syllable in the name.
"Ernestine !" said his lordship, with
a transparent attempt at sentiment.
"Comment! C'est vous, Monsieur
Barringham ?" exclaimed Madame Leb
oeuf, quite calmly.
"Yes. We used to tu-toi one another
once upon a time, Madame, but that
was when we were both younger" re
mark d his lordship, pressing the
plump hand which was extended to him.
"Were you not at Lady Blanche Dul
cimer's to-day?"?" inquired Leboeuf,
glancing at him curiously.
"Yes. I passed you in the hall as I
entered," said his lordship. I knew
you again at once. That is more than
you can sav of me.:
"I did not recognize you, Milor; but
1 had forgotten that you were no longer
young even when I knew you," returned
Madaine Leboeuf, frankly.
"How's Leboeuf ?" inquired his lord
ship, with a grin, as he polished his eye
glass with his dainty silk handkerchief.
"He is dead," said Madame, pursing
her lips.
"O! Indeed. Left you a fortune. I
suppose ?" remarked his lordship, in an
offhand way, as he continued his occu
pation. "That is my affair. It is no concern
of yours," said Madame Leboeuf, with
startling directness.
"Of course not; but I may be per
mitted to congratulate you, Ernestine ?"
said his lordship, settling his glass in
his eye and flushing up. ' 'You seem to
be in clover here. Leboeuf 's luck must
have changed indeed, if he left you in a
position to start a business like this.
You are making a fortune, I hear ?"
"Pasmal," responded Madame with
an angry shrug.
" Well well. That is capital ! capital !"
said his lordship, in a more genial tone,
as he glanced approvingly round the
room. "I am delighted to hear so good
an account."
"You did not come here to pay com
pliments, Milor," said Madame Leboeuf,
evidently modified.
"No, Madame. Frankly, I didn't,"
said his lordship, leaning back in his
chair, and regarding her with an odd
smile. "On the other hand, I am the
very reverse of unfriendly. Nothing is
further from my intention, for instance,
than to make known to Lady Blanche,
or any one else, certain little incidents
in your career which are within my
knowledge."
"My customers have no concern with
my private affairs," said Madame Le
boeuf, while her dark eyes flashed.
"That is quite true. On the other
hand, for your sake I shouldn't like to
tell what I know. However, " aided
his lordship, pleasantly, "as I said be
fore, nothing is further from n y inten
tion. To tell the truth, I call; d to ask
a favor."
"What favor?" inquired Madame Le
boeuf, looking slightly relieved, though !
she feigned supreme indifference.
"A very trifling one. The fact is, I
am very much interested in Lady
Blanche Dulcimer," said his lordship. I
"Oh! Is that so?" observed Madame
Leboeuf, glancing at him sharply. i
"Yes, that is so," returned Lord Ley
tonstone, with a shade of embarrass
ment. "Her her husband was a
friend of mine. To come to the point, '
I want to know the meaning of the
mvstery." i
'"Quel mystere?"
"Come, you know what I mean, Er
nestine ! Where does the money come
from? She pretends you supply her
with fine dresses out of gratitude, but
that I flatly declined to bebeve, having
the honor of vour acquaintance," said
his lordship, becoming suddenly brisk
and matter-of-fact.
"That is my secret. There is noth
ing to tell," said Madame, rather enig
matically. "Well, there isn't much, because I'm
pretty sure I've guessed it ; but I want
to make quite certain," said his lordship.
"Why what does it matter to you,
Milor?" demanded Madame Leboeuf,
sinking her voice.
"You were always curious, Ernestine.
Supposing I were to whisper in confi
dence that I contemplate marriage?"
said his lordship, stroking his mous
tache. "With Lady Blanche Dulcimer?"
"That depends," returned his lord
ship, meaningly.
"In that case, everything explains it
self," said Madame Leboeuf. "How
much will you give me if I tell you ?"
"Pshaw! you see I have already
guessed."
"You may suspect, but that is noth
ing, lou want to know more, xou
want figures," said Madame Lebcef, with
conviction.
"Well yes. It comes to that after
all," said his lordship, after a thought
ful pause. "You are quite right, Ern
estine. I am in your hands. Name
your pi-ice."
"A thousand pounds."
"It is extravagant, but I won't hag
gle with you, Ernestine," said his lord
ship. "I will say a thousand payable
in six months after my marriage with
Lady Blanche, if it takes place. Will
that suit you ?"
"That will do."
"Very well then. It is a bargain.
"One moment, Milor. I will take
your note of hand," said Madame Leb
oeuf, unlocking a drawer in the table
and producing a stamped sbp of blue
paper in a very business-like manner.
Hullo ! Is this a sample of your stock
in tradj, Lrnestine i exclaimed his
lordship, laughing, r.s Madame placed
the stamped paper, with a pen and ink,
enticingly before him.
ah! lou are not so simple as to
believe that ladies only come to me for
drosses," said Madame Leboeuf. con
temptuously.
His lordship was tickled by She re
mark and Madame's manner of uttering
it, and he paused with his pen in his
hand to laugh good-humoredly. Then I
he squared his elbows, and wrote a few
lines on the slip of blue paper, to which
he affixed his lordly signature, while
Madame looked over his shoulder ap
provingly. "Well?" he said presently, after care
fully blotting the document and hand
ing it to Madame Leboef .
GRANT'S WORDS.
Quotation from III ipSMBM anil Con
verxatlon. ill Opinion of Uenernl
and tireat Kvent.
In his messages while President, and
his speechesalso during the eight years
heoeeupiedthe presidential chair, Gen.
Grant gave utterance to scores of ex
pressions now famil iar. The volumes in
which is recorded his journey around
the world, such a journey as no man in
this century can hope to parallel, are
full of quotable expressions. To search
for them all, or to select the best only,
wouldbea tedioustask. Here are afew
of those that are worth remembering:
Let us have peace. First inaugural
address.
I voted for Buchanan because I
knew Fremont. Interview.
I never had time. To an officer ask
ing if he had ever felt fear on the battle-field.
I propose to fight it out on this line
if it takes all summer. In the Wilder
ness, 1864.
When wars do come, they fall upon
the many, the producing class, who
are the sufferers. Newcastle speech.
All of it . I should like to live all my
life over again. There isn't any part
of it I should want to leave out. Con
versation, but before be met F. Ward.
Labor disgraces no man; unfortu
nately you occasionally find men dis
grace labor. To Midland Interna
tional Arbitration Uiiion',lirmiiigham,
Eng.
Although a soldier by profession, I
have never felt any sort of fondness
for war, and I have never advocated
it except as a means of peace. Speech
at London.
The battle of Lookout mountain is
one of the romances of the war
There was no such battle, nor any ac
tion there worthy to be called a bat
tie. It is all poetry. Conversation.
No terms other than unconditional
and immediate surrender can be ac
cepted. I propose to move immediate
iy on your works. 31essage to Gen
Buckner at Fort Donelson, 1863.
I appreciate the fact, and am proud
of it, that the attentions 1 am receiv
mg are intended more lor our coun
try than for me personally. Letter
from London to G. W. Childs, June
1877.
Leave the matter of religion to the
family altar, the church and the pri
vate school, supported entirely by pri
vate contributions. Keep the church
and state for ever separate. Des
Moines speech, 1875
I don't believe in strategy in the
popular understanding of the term
use it to get up just as close to the ene
my as possible. Then, upguards, and
at em. In conversation.
I am a soldier, and, as you know, a
soldier must die. I have been presi
dent, but we know that the term of the
presidency expires; and when it has
expired he is no more t han a dead sol
dier. To the mayor of Liverpool.
I regard Sheridan as not only one of
the great soldiers of the war, but one
of the great soldiers ot the world a
The same evening Lord Leytonstone
proposed to Lady Blanche Dulcimer,
and they were married three months la
ter. Every one was amazed a so pru
dent a man choosing a wife with no for
tune, and who must have been head
over ears in debt to Madame Leboeuf
into the bargain ; but, then, nobody sus
pected that Lady Blanche had invested
the money she received at her hus
band's death in starting a fashionable
millinery and dressmaking business. It
would, indeed, have caused a sensation
had it ever transpired that Madame Le
boeuf was simply Lady Blanche's agent.
The little Frenchwoman had the
reputation of being the hard
est woman of business and the most re
lentless creditor that could be imagined,
while her money lending transactions
were marked by rajaeity and unscru
pulousness. A nice scandal would have
arisen had it become known that Lady
Blanche personally directed and super
vised all Madame Leboeuf's operations
while acting as tout among her unsus
pecting friends. But, fortunately for
her, no one but her husband had any
idea of the truth, and as Madame Le
boeuf's business brought in 10,000 a
year, he was more than reconciled to
his wife's enterprise. London Truth.
Cheap at $30 a Tard.
From the New York Post
The present season is certainly re
markable for the splendor and elegance
of its fabrics and costumes. The rage
for new and intense effects and com
binations seems to have reached its
height and robes of this description ap
pear in greater contrast than ever be
side the many toilets of pure white, now
also in such vogue. The wealth of the
Orient and the vivid coloring of the
tropics are to be found in the tapestried,
brocaded and embossed silks, satins and
plushes- that glitter with a network of
beads, which closely simulate gems in
their brilliancy. This prodigality of
collor and combination, while it gives
great scope lor magnificence in dress,
also gives great chance for excessive
bad taste, thus necessitating the exercise
of the most delicate judgment and a
sure artistic eye for harmony, as well
as for appropriateness and good effect.
Among the many regal fabrics now
exhibited by a celebrated Broadway
house is a magnificent bridal satin of
ivory white, brocaded with white lilies i
and rosebuds, the stamens and pistils
formed of cut crystals and pearls. A
second pattern shows a ground of silver
satin brocaded with crimson carnations,
and another, of amber satin, is embossed
with scarlet roses and fobasre. Lastlv
is a pale almond satin brocaded with
white anemones, blush roses and forget-me-nots.
All the above-mentioned fab
rics are considered low in price at the
r ate of thirty dollars a yard.
Mary Anderson has invited members cf tht
dramatic profusion in London to a free per
formance Ly hat at the Lyy.-uni on '.he litk
man fit for the highest commands. No
better general ever lived than Sheri
dan. Talk with Bismarck, 1877.
1 long to see a period oi repose m
our politics; that would make it a mat
ter oi indinereiice to patriotic men
; which party is in power, I never re
moved men from office because thev
were democrats. I never thought of
such a thing. Conversation.
I yield to no one in my admiration
of Thomas. He was one of the finest
characters of the war. He was slow
and cautious. We differed about the
Nashville campaign, but the success of
his campaign will be his vindication
against my criticisms. A conversa
tion.
It has been my misfortune to be en
gaged in more battles than any other
general on the other side of the Atlan
tic; but there was never a time during
my command when I would not have
chosen some settlement by reason
rather than the sword. A conversa
tion.
Tne one tiling i never want to see
again is a military parade. When I
resigned from the army and went to a
farm I was happy. W hen the rebel
lion came I returned to the service be
cause it was a duty. I had no thought
of rank; all I did was to try and make
lnyselt uselul. In conversation with
the Duke of Cambridge.
l never held a council ot war in my
life. I heard what men had to say
the stream ot talk at headquarters
but I made up my own mind, and
from my written orders my staff got
their first knowledge of what was to be
done. No living man knew of plans
until they were matured and decided.
Conversation.
The most troublesome people in
public life are thofee over-righteous
people who see no motives in other
people's actions but vil motives; who
believe all public lty is corrupt and
nothing is well don unless they do it
themselves. Speaking of advocates of
reform.
There are many men who would
have done better than I did under the
circumstances in which I found my
self. If I had never held command, if
I had fallen, there were 10,000 behind
who would have followed the contest
to the end and never surrendered the
union . Conversation
I believe that my friend Sherman
could have taken my place as a, soldier
as well as I could, k nd the same will
apply to Sheridan, iiid I believe that
if our country eve conies into trial
again, young men xl spring up equal
to the occasion, an I if one falls there
will be another to .ake his place, just
as there was if I had. failed. Philadel
phia speech, 1877.
Speaking of the great men I have
met in Europe, I regard Bismarck and
Gambetta as the greatest. I saw a
good deal of Bismarck, and had long
talks with him. He impresses you as
a great man. Gambetta also greatly
impressed me. I was much pleased
with the republican leaders in France.
Conversation .
Lincoln was incom 3tably the great
est man I ever knew. What marked
him was his sincerity, his kindness,
his clear insight into affairs, his firm
will and clear policy. I always found
him preeminently a clear-uiuidod ir.au.
The darkest day of my life was that
of Lincoln's assassination. Conver
sation. I do not want to detract from other
civilizations, but I believe that we
f English-srj' aking people possess the
highest civilization. There is the
strongest bond of union between the
English-speaking people, and that
bond should and will serve to extend
t he greatest good to the greatest num
ber. That will always be my delight.
Speech at banquet at Newcastle,
Eng.
I always had an aversion to Napo
leon and the whole family. When I
was in Denmark, I declined seeing the
prince imperial. I did not wish to see
him. The first Emperor had great
genius, but was one of the most selfish
and cruel men in history. T see no re
deeming trait in his character. Tht
third Napoleon was even worse, the
especial enemy of America and of liber
ty. Conversation.
Why Hundreds of Boys are Kc
jected from the Navy.
From a Washington Letter.
The United States navy annually
takes into service a large number oi
apprentice boys, who are sent all over
the world and taught to be thorough
sailors. It has been the policy of the
Government since the war to educate
the "blue jacket" upon the principle
that the more intelligent a man is the I
better sailor he is likely to become.
There is no lack of candidates for
these positions. Hundreds of boys ap- j
ply, but many are rejected because I
they can not pass the physical exam-1
ination. Major Houston, of the Ma- j
rine Corps, who is in charge of the
Washington Navy Yard Barracks,
is the authority for the statement
that one-fifth of all the boys exam-.!
ined arc rejected on account of heart
disease. Bus first question to a boy
who desires to enlist is: "Do you
smoke?" The invariable response is,
"No, sir." but the tell-tale discolora
tion of the fingers at once shows the I
truth. The surgeons say that cigar-ette-smoking
by boys produces heart
disease, and that in ninety-nine ont of a i
hundred the rejection of would-be ap
prentices on account of this defect i
conies from the excessive use of the
milder form of the weed. This is a re
markable statement, coming as it does
from so high an authority and based
upon the results of actual examina j
tions going on day after day "month
after month. It should be
4 CHAT WITH A HIGHWAYMAN.
A Bold Stag-o-Bobber Who Found Beady
Victims in Every Coach.
Bono Letter to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"Talking about brave men," Stage
Bobber Marshall said one night in jafl,
"the idea that it takes a man of great
nerve and daring to rob a stage is a
great mistake. I can take the softest
tenderfoot you ever saw, and, after fix
ing him up in the right style, so the
stage will know his profession tho min
ute they set their eyes on him, I'll bet I
; can scare the life out of the best Con
j cord load you ever see. This notion
that we hurt peojile, or threaten to hurt
them, and that we are rough and all
that, is all nonsense. We just lay for
the stage in a lonely place, and when
the leaders heave in sight we level our
guns, and maybe fire a shot or
two in the air, to make the horses
jump and rattle the driver a
little. Then, when all hands are look
; ing out of the windows, with their eyes
popping out of their sockets, we yell,
! 'Hands up !' Nine times out of ten
that's all wo have to say or do. The
I fellows in the coach get ont of their own
accord, and we just stand them up in a
i row, and, while one of us holds a pistol,
s the others go through their pockets and
I take what little keepsakes they may
happen to have,
j "The trouble with the people of this
i country is, they rather like to be rob
bed, I guess. It's easier'n falling off a
log. Why, a year ago last winter my
pard and I was walking along the
mountain road, not thinking of anything
in particular, when along cime a couple
of tenderfeet in a carriage. Before we
could catch our breath, one of them
threw up both hands, knocking the oth
er's hat off, and hollered 'For God's
sake, don't shoot.
"Well, now, we hadn't any idea of
shooting at all, and didn't know those
fellers were in those parts, but when
they sort of reminded us of our business
by commencing to unbuckle their
watches and weasels, why, we just took
them in charge, of course, and told the
tenderfeet never to let us to catch them
on that road again, for it was our'n.
They thanked us so warmly for sparing
their lives that I felt a little uneasy
about it. In fact, I was half tempted
after we'd let them go to foller them up
and kill one or both of them, for some
how they gave me the impression that I
hadn't done my full duty."
He smiled grimly for a moment and
added : "Now, what on earth could I
do under such circumstances ? I didn't
rob those fellers. They made us pres
ents of what they had. Yet, when they
a rarmtiB
to parents that the deadly cigarette is I Sot Wadsworth, they told the people
. i , . , J , Pi I !,.,(- 1,.,,- 1,., .1 l,.l 11 ,1 i!l.i ..,:V.
sure to uring aooutincaicuiaoie injury
to the young. A law passed restrict
ing its use to the dudes, would not,
perhaps, bring popular disfavor, be
cause it might reduce the number of
these objects about our streets, but
boysindulgingin the cigarette oughtto
be treared to liberal doses of "rod in
pickle" until the habit is thoroughly
eradicated.
Killed by the Sting: of a Bee.
From the St. James Gazette.
Mr. W. H. Blanchard, iron monger,
of Poole, died July 0 from the effect of
the sting of a bee. While walking in his
garden a bee stung him in the neck,
which commenced swelling shortly
afterward; and, notwithstanding that
medical advice was called, and several
doctors subsequently attended him, he
continued to get worse, and died after
a great deal of suffering.
Serious disturbance of the system
frequently follows the sting of an insect,
and deaths from the same cause oc
casionally happen. The susceptibility
of some people to the stings of insects
is balanced by the entire immunity
from such evils enjoyed by others.
W hue one person dare not go near
a bee hive, anol her can handle the bees
with complete safety. Cases have even
been well known where the strongest
personal attraction was involuntarily
exercised over the bees. In 1766 a Mr.
Wildmanof Plymouth was famous for
his command over these insects. He
could by a word make them hive or
swarm in the air. On one occasion,
says a contemporary record, "he made
them go on the table, and took them j
up by handfulsand tossed them up and I
U.CMVII SU JI1U.UV UCtlfl. All J. I , , ., I.,'.,
Mr. Wright was walking in his garden TV?.
at Norwich, having some days betore
expressed a strong wish that a swarm I , , ', i
JW, U m on his premises. ! and with a wild whoop he dropped
His desire was gratified, for a passing
flght settled on his head, "till they
made an appearance like a Judge's
JN o record seems to exist ot a capacity
to be stungwithout feeling it;butmany
people suffer abnormally from such an
infliction. Probably inquiry would
show that in most cases of excessive in
jury from a bee or wasp sting the suf
ferer's blood was very much out of or
der.
Grant and the Wood "Thief.
When Grant lived in Missouri he
found some one was stealing wood
from his land. He watched one night
and saw a neighboring farmer cut a
tree, load it on Ins wagon and drive
off. Joining him farther along the
road, Grant sang out: "Hello, Bell!
Going to St. Louis with your wood?"
Ye-se . "What do vou ask lor it!"
About $4." "All right, I'll take it.
Draw it over to the house." "Can't.
This load is promised." "There's no
use holding off. You must haul this
to my house and pay me S20 for the
rest you have taken. That will be
onlv half price." "If I don't I suppose
you'll sue me before the square." "No;
we wont trouble the square or the
public. We'll settle this now," and
pringing torwaro Urant grabbed the
follow hy the collar. This was enough.
The fellow hauled the wood to Grant's
louse, but begged the captain to keen
still. That ended the thieving.
John G. Thompson, who haa cladlv ac
cepted an appointment as special land
aent to look up fraudulent entriea, will go
to Washington Territory.
that they had had an all-day fight with
road-agents ; that the woods was full of
them, and that they had surrendered
their valuables only at the last moment,
finding themselves overwhelmed. These
things are all believed, too, even by the
old-timers, men who ought to know bet
ter .1 and my pard have robbed the Si
erra valley stage three times now at the
same place. I'll tell you how it was
done. Pard had a Winchester and I
had a pair of Colts in my belt, but the
job was done every time with an old
powder and ball pistol that had no load
in it, and wouldn't have gone off if
there had been one, for I didn't have
any caps. Pard would fire his
Winchester as close to the ears
of the horses as he could with
out dropping them, and I would swing
the old blunderbus in the air and holler.
Every time it happened just thesame.
The chaps climbed out, begging that
there should be no bloodshed, and we
would say there wouldn't be any if the
yield was good, but that we would have
to kill somebody if we didn't get enough
to pay for our trouble. Every moth
er's son of them would give up things
that we'd never have thought of looking
for or demanding. There was only just
my pard and L but the passengers
would think they could see some of our
men behind every tree.
"One feller fainted dead away once.
We'd just got them in a row good
when this feller's knees commenced to
knock together, and he kept getting out
of line. 1 finally thougl t I'd scare him
and the rest of them a little, so I hol
lered, pretending to give orders to the
boys hidden behind rocks and trees.
'"Boys, bore a hole in this gentleman
with the light overcoat on if he moves
an inch, or any of the rest of them.'
"Just then a 1 12; feller, the second one
from the limber-legged chap, had a chill
came together with
such a noise that the other feller
thought somebodv was cocking a rifle,
in a
dead faint. The rest of them thoutrht
he had been shot dead. They were too
scared to notice that there had been no
report of a gun. Well, we came near
overdoing the thing that time. They all
got so faint and sick that it was hard to
find their valuables. It is a great con
venience to a stage robber to have the
passengers hand their stuff right out.
"Speaking about weapons, why, I
have robbed stages up in Cabfornia and
over in Utah without any weapons at
all. You don't need any. I'll bet a
tenner that I can take an old-fashioned
tin candlestick and hold up the best
stage-load that ever came over the
mountains. The driver is generally as
badly frightened as any of them. He
is always looking out for agents, and he
sees them behind every bush. I have
robbed stages all alone and made the
driver and passengers give up their
arms, their watches and money, and
then dance for me. They thought I
had any number of pards back in the
rocks, and they didn't dare say 'peep.'
Well, of course, that's the great
advantage we have in our business.
We scare them to begin with,
and then they see everything double.
One man is just as good as fifty in this
line. He don't need to be a hero, eith
er. He just wants a little nerve and an
imperious air. J I had alw ys worked
alone I'd have been a rich man to-day,
and I wouldn't be here either. I made
my great mistake when I commenced
working in partnership. It will ruin
any man in my profession. If I ever
get out of this scrape I'm going to jump
the country. The business isn't what
it used to be years ago. It's to easy.
There is nothing exciting about it any
more. It makes me sick sometimes
when I think of the tenderfeet I have
robbed. I ought to have gone into the.
train racEct losg bofoe thi3."