BLAKE WIDOW.
Jem Blake had been slot dead in bia
n doorwav bv Antonio Gueldo. and
the trial was to come off directly.
Tie extraordinary intercut in the affair
wai lou due to the murder and it pocu
liar circumstances, than to the fact that
this was the first case triod at San Haba in
any more formal conrt than the time-
honored Institution of Judge Lynch
Jem Lad boen a quiet man and a good
neighbor, with a hand always ready to
help any one who was out of luck, no
public sentiment ran pretty high against
Antonio. If the general inclination had
boen followed as, up to that time it al
ways bad the lout named gontieinan
would have found very scant opportu
nity to make any romarks in his own
behalf.
However, things wore advancing at
Ban Saba as well as elsewhore, and it
wouldn't do to hang Antonio without a
regular trial, no mutter bow disagree
able it might be to the pooplo at large
Bo ran the opinion expressed o
Judire Fitblodo. whose ideas on sucli
subjects were usually accepted without
comment.
Nevertheless, there was more than
one dissenter in the present instance.
to whom it was by no means clear that
there could lie any sense or profit in thus
beating about tho bush.
"Kf Antonio's going to be hung, why
in don't we hang him?"
This was the pcrtinont quory of Jake
Smith, the leader of tho opposing fac
tion, and his view of the question put
it in so clear a light that tho judgo
had great difficulty in impressing poo
rile with the conviction. Ho said that
things had gono on in an irregular
way long enough, and here was a
chance to start tho law in properly
and give it a fuir show, Besides it
didn't make any kind of difference; An
tonio had shot Jem, hadn't he? Well,
then, what was tho nso of talking? All
the jury would have to do now, is to
bring in a verdict of guilty in tho first
degree, and thoro you were all com
fortublo. It was just tho sumo thing in the
end oxactly.
"I toll ver." said the judgo, who felt
the weight of his title, albeit tho same wus
one of courtesy: "I tell yer, ther's
nothin' like doiu a thing reg'lar, partik
erlally when you know jnst how it s com
ing ont."
Ho the judge's argumont, supported by
his influence, and increasing bias at Han
Buba in favor of moro civilized viows,
settled tho matter, and it wasdecidod
that Antonio Gneldo should be tried bo
fere he was hanged.
As there was no place stiocially arrang
ed for the ceremonies, Judge I'itblado
hoNiiiUbly offured tlieuso of his shed.
Here a rough table ami chair were
fi
Wiul fur tlin nidim. thn other necoHHiirv
urnitare, intended to represent the doclc
tho stuud, etc., boing eked out with
boxes from Kiliis llaggott' grocery store.
Jako Kmith looked on at those prepar
ation for a tiiuu with fniwuing discon
tent, and then strolled down the road
and turned into tho hum that led to
Blake's.
When he reached the door of the shan
ty, he loaned against the jamb and pok
ed his naked head inside, fanning him
self in an embarrassed way with his
greasy fragment of a hat. lie had come
noma thoro with the intention of saying
something, but tho sight within uiodo
him fortret it.
Blake a widow sat thoro, as she hod sat
pretty much all tho time since tho mur
dor, staring straight before her, with her
chin in her palm. Tho sunlight struck
through the foliago of the rod oak trees
that grew before tho door, and elieekorod
with dickering brightness tho floor and
theeradlo whero Joins baby wus sleep
ing.
There it wus, jiiHt as it hod boon three
days ago: could it bo only three days)
just as it had boon w hen she went out
that morning to look alter the drying
elothos, and left him standing iu tho
door by the cradle, (how fond ho was of
tlie uaUv!) lust as it was when she heard
tho crack of tho pistol, and ran in with
an awful sense of suffocating fright; just
tho same as she had found him lying
upon tho cradle, dabbling its white linen
with his blood, and the buby playing
with bis hair. She screamed once, the
first and lust complaint anyono had
heard her make; then she was quiet and
helpful through it all; when tho men
came and lifted him up; when tliey laid
him ont upon the rough bed in tho other
room; when they curried him to his
grave, she following with tho buby in her
arms.
Jake Smith wus trying to And tho link
missing in his thoughts; ho sniffed with
jMirpleiity or something and Blake's
widow looked up without speaking. Jake
noddod plea.uuitly four or live times.
'Tooty chipper?" asked h.
Kisses widow smiled sadly, bent over
the sleeping child and smoothed tho
clothes with a tender touch.
"They're agoin tor try him in a
court," Jake went on, "an I don't be
lieve "
"Try who Antonio ?" She turned to
ward the burly figure in tho door with a
flash of interest iu her black ryes.
"Yes. The judgo is inakin' A conrt
out of his shed. I liopo it'll turn out all
right, but it seems like giviu' that Mexi
can devil a rhonco ho oughtn't ter have."
"He can't get clear, eau he?" sho
ankod, rocking tho cradle geutly and pat
ting the coverlet.
"I don't see how, but he's got so mo
kind cf a law cuss to speak for him a
feller that stopjied here a day or two ago
on his way to Galveston, and it makes
me kind o' nervous."
Blake's widow did not appear to notice
the last remark, for Uie child, disturbed
by the talking, had awakened and sat np
in his cradle with a wondering look.
"I'ooty, ain't he?" said Jake, regard
ing the small figure with interest.
"Looks jut like ahem! yon. Poor
little I a " he stammered aud treated
his hat like a mortal eueuiy. "Ofconrae
he'a had you've got ther ain't nothin
I could do fur yer, maybe ?"
Bhe answered with a grateful look, but
it waa accompanied by a shake of the
bead.
Jake bent down, and, with his big
forefinger, softly rumpled the hair of
the baby's bead; then he went out and
left them, Blaks's widow sitting as he
had found I cr, and the baby staring
down the path after him.
H walked en until be reached the top
of the little hill, where be could look
down upon the roof which covered the
niteona scene he had just left. Here be
Mimed to have half a mind to turn back,
far Iia hesitated and stopped, but he
ohnncnd his partial intention after lin
annua a moment, and walked medita
tively onward, with tho exclamation
"Wall, somo women do beat h !
araaziu'."
Of course everybody came to the trial.
The arrangements were soon found to be
altogether too meagre. Pitblado's shed
was filled to overflowing, and Baggett
mode a clean sweep of every empty box
in his store.
Antonio's lawyer, a sharp-eyed, sharp
featured fellow from Galveston, had
bustled about with surprising agility on
the day previous, holding mysterious
conference with ill-conditioned fellows
of Guoldo's kidney.
Jake Smith was highly aissausueu.ana
even the judge was beard to utter some
misgivings,- howover, by tho time the
proceedings had really commenced he
gained confidence.
The conrt was assembled, tho jury bad
been chosen, and the witnesses were all
prosont save one Bioko's widow.
Prettv soon there was a stir at tho door;
then a murmur of surpriso ran through
the crowded room.
"May I bed d, said Jake Smith,
... .... 1 I. 1 1 A Al-
audibly, "it sue nosn i orougiu mo
buby!"
What reason she may have had for not
leaving tho little thing in chargo of some
sympathizing woman and there were
plenty who would nave been gia oi uie
trust wus not apparent; however, that
might lie, there it was clasped firmly in
her arms, it briirht rod cheek contrast
ing with her whiteness, and its father's
sunny hair mingling with her dark
locks.
With some difficulty she moved through
the throng to her scat, which had boen
placed on one sido of the judge, directly
opposite the candlo-box on the other,
where Antonio sat. Biie toon nor piace
and nover moved during the wholo of
tho trial, excepting as she was required
to testify, and once whon the baby
tugged at some glistening thing that lay
hidden in the folds of her dress, at
which sho took pains to attract its at
tention with a chip from the floor.
As for the baby it sat there witu us
big, blue eyes open to their f ullost ex
tent, entirely absorbed in tho novel
scene, save at tho momont when that
irresistiblo glitter caught its eye.
Every ono being now prosent, me trial
weut on in good earnest. A number of
witnesses were exnminod, whose tosti
monv allowed thut Guoldo hod hud
t rou bio with Blake, and more than once
threatened his life; that Gueldo's pistol
was one churgo short ou the evoning of
the day of tho murder, whoreas in tho
morning it had been full; that he was
seen that morning around Blake's lionso,
and mora than all that Bloke's widow hud
heard Gueldo's voioe just before the fatal
shot, and had seon his retreating form as
sho rail in.
At this last point tho Galveston lawyer
sked the witness a lew ouostions ro
Kurdinir how sho knew it was Gneldo,
uiid how she hud recognized the voice for
his. She didn t know how exactly, but
was iiiiiio tho less Hiiro for that.
Thoro had boen a rumor about that
some one hud heard Atitonio muKo a
boast of having "dune for Uluke this
line, but if thoro wcro a witness for
this ho could not bo found now.
And so the prosecution closed.
The Galveston luwyor beguu by in
volving iu a whirlpool of hojieloss con
tradiction, tho witness who hud sworn to
having seen Guoldo neur liluke s house.
Thou lie expiated on tho easo with which
one person may be misbikeu for another,
and broueht a witnoss to show how
Gneldo hud already boon said toreseniblo
some ono in tho village. Finally, he
produced threo of tho ill-conditioned
fellows before referred to, who swore
that Antonio was with them ou a hunt
ing expedition during tho wholo of tho
day ou which the murder was com
nutted.
It was a clear case of alibi. Jake
Smith's astonishment at tho easo with
which tho thing had been accomplished
was unbounded. Ho threw a disgusted
look toward I'itblado, but the judgo was
nonplussed, and didn t seem to Iio inter
ested with things iu Juko's vicinity.
Thoro wus a pause before Pitblado gavo
his charge, uud when ho roso his faco
wus rather blank.
"Gentlemen of the jury," said he,
"things has took a turn 1 didn't alto
gether expec'. I don't know us there's
much to bo said. I s'poso you've got to
go by the evidence, and that don't need
any explanatin'. F.f you kin muko out
accordm' to thut, thut Antonio Gneldo
killod Join lduko, why, just recollect,
that s what yer here fur.
Tho jury filed out, and the expectant
audience occupied itself with tobacco
and whispered comment.
Jake Smith fidgeted About on his box,
and cast anxious glances through the
open door, towards the clump of nopals
whero the jury were deiiiierating.
Antonio talked and laughed in an un
dertone with his counsel, aud lUuke's
widow sat staring at them with com
pressed lips, aud a strong expression of
determination coming into her face.
It wasn't long before tho jury tiled in
again, all seating themselves except tho
spokesman, and Judge 1 itouldo rose,
wiping his forehead with his shirt
sleeve.
"Straightened it out, have yer?" he
asked, nodding to the spokesman.
The man nodded slowly in return.
"Wal, lo's have it then."
"ler see. said the siiokesman, with a
hesitating and disappointed air, "of yer
hud n't a corralled us with stickiu' ter the
videnoo we might a doue better, but ao-
enrditi ter that. Antonio wasu t thar
when the murder was done, and ef he
warn't thar, ho couldn't a done it, an' ef
he didn't do it, why then of course
he's not guilty."
Pitblado didn't dare to look at any
body; he stared up at the rafters down
at the table nowhere in particular; and
then turned half-wav towards Antonio.
"You kin go," said he, speaking with
great deliberation, "but I wouldn't stay
round here too long."
There was a dead pause for a minute,
and nobody moved.
Jake Smith exploded a sinttlo expres
sive word, which he had held iu for some
time wtt, and Blake's widow stood up.
"Have you got through, ju.igo? she
a.ked.
Wal-I s'pose so."
"And there's nothing more to be
done? '
"I'm afraid ther aint."
"And he's free to go?"
Antonio Gneldo rose with an insolent
grin, and picked up Ins hat.
The baby crowed, for it saw the glitter-
tnff fMnor AtTAin.
There was a sharp report Antonio
pitched forward in a heap upon the noor.
and Blake's widow stood with the pistol
pressed to her breast.
A lino of thin bine smoko curled up
from the muzzle of the weapon, and
formed a hulo around tho child's flaxen
poA. Thn clitterintr thins was naite
near tho little hands now, and they took
. . . . . .... . it
it ironi the yielding grusp oi me inoumr.
Blake's widow looked steadily at the
figure on the floor it was quite motion
lessthen she turned, and went through
the wide passage opened for her by the
silent crowd; holding the baby very ten
derly, and the baby carrying the pistol.
The child laughed with delight; it hud
got ita shining plaything at last.
An Eccentric Nobleman.
John, tho late Duko of Montagu, on a
certain occasion, as was the fashion of
tho nobles and fops of his time, observed
a middle-aged gentleman in a half-military
garb, decidedly the worse for wear,
but exceedingly neat and preciso. withal
in the cut and arrangement of his dress.
And it so happened that two or threo
duys running ho noticed the poor gentle
man walking at the sume honr of the day,
in the samo placo, with a grave and sol
emn step, a face evidently full of care.
Becoming interested in the gentleman's
appearance, the Duke caused inquiries to
be made about him, and with difficulty,
through one of his gentlemen, found out
some little portion of his private history,
lie was a gentloman from one of the
northern ountios, who in early lifo hud
sold his ostute in order to purchase a
commission, and hud served with dis
tinction, or at all events with credit, in
more than one foreign country, but was
now placed of necessity on half-pay, by
reason of the conclusion of peace. He
learned further that the poor officer had
a wifo and a family down in Yorkshire
then nearly a week distant from tho me
tropolis to whom he sent regularly half
of his pay, while ho supported himself in
jKxir lodgings near Charing Cross upon
tho rest, living from day to day in the
hope that ho might Bomehowor other ob
tain an office under the Government or
fro the Horse Guards, which would add
a littlo to his income. Tho Duke, having
assured himself that tho veteran was
worthy of relief, determined to make him
quite happy in a way of his own; so ho
sent his servant wiiii a pouio mviimion
for him to come and dine with His
GrUce at Montagu House in Whitehall.
Tho unfortunate officer started in amaze
ment, us well he might, at first thinking
it a ioko until ho saw the ducal crest on
the top of tho seal of the note. He soon,
however, sufficiently recovered bis self
possession to reply that he thanked the
Duko for his kindness, und would obey
his summons at tho day und hour named
by him. Not the less, however, was he
lost in wonder how the Duke had found
him out, and still more why ho had cho
sen thus to honor him. When the duy
fixed for tho dinner arrived tho officer
appeared at Montagu House, where tho
Duke received him with every sign of
courtesy and oven respect. And when ho
expressed his surprise ut being so honor
ed, the Duke took him quietly uside and
told him, with an air of greut gravity and
secrecy, that ho hod a particular reason
for his conduct iu the matter. "To tell
you tho plain truth," said His Grace,
there is in my house a lady, who has
often soon yon, and who has becorao so
much interested in you and your for
tunes thut sho very much wishos for a
personal interview with you, and 1 am
anxious, for reasons of my own, to
fall iu with her wishes. Upon my soul
sho is a most worthy and excellent lady,
and I think, between you and me, that
she looks upon you with no slight re
gard." Tho poor officer on this began to
feel a littlo alarmed, for ho did not liko
the idea of being handed over to the ten
dor mercies of a strange lady a married
man, too, as he wus, and with children
to boot. In his perplexity mid distress,
therefore, he began to mutter his fours
that "really there must be some mis
take;" and udded, "some one or other
has been trying to impose on Your
Grace, or else on mo. Tho fact is that I
have a wifo down in Yorkshire, and sho
is Uio only person for whom I cure or
ever did cure, and I know of no lady bo
side her who has a right to find any keeu
interest in uie."
"Never mind," "replied the good
natured Duke, "no harm shall happen to
you; only just follow me into the next
ujiartmcut, my good friend." And with
these words he led his guest into a
sumptuous dining-room, into which he
no sooner entered than ho suw his own
wifo and his threo rosy, countrified chil
dren, for whom tho Duke hud sent down
into Yorkshire, and whom ho had
brought up to the great metropolis to
meet him. At first he felt not only per
plexed, but alarmed; for were they his
wife and children, or only their gliosts
and wraiths? A closer inspection, how
ever, soon ro-ussured him that the ob
jects of his love aud affection were pres
ent before him in the flesh; aud before
the third course of tho dinner was over
the party was as happy and merry as
oould be. The officer was invited and
pressed to stay the night at Montagu
House, instead of returning to his dingy
and uncomfortable lodgings, and to
spend a day or two with his wife and
childreu there before going back home.
He did so, and expressed his deep sense
of gratitude for the hospitality so kindly
and unexpectedly shown to bun. A few
mornings afterward, when he was pack
ing np his traps preparatory to his de
parture, tho Duke called the poor officer
into his study aud presented hi iu with a
legal document which secured to him a
comfortable annuity for life, remarking
at the samo timo that ho need really feel
no hesitation in accepting it. "You
must know," said His Grace, with a
smile, "I am trying, though rather lute
in life, perhaps, to do the U-st I can
with my money, of which I have far
more than I know what to do with; and
I assure you that I should not have done
what I have done in respect of yourself
if I had known how else, or where else, I
could have found more pleasure and
satisfaction from my outlay."
In winter the mercury becomes low by
degrees and beautifully leu. J
How They Were raptured.
The recent arrest of a gang of coun
terfeiters in Oswego county, which was
recorded in our associated press dis
patches recently, was one of the most
important that bos been made in a long
time. The story, if told in full, would
read almost like one of Pinkerton s de
tective romances, and the Oswego papers
are full of the affair. Tho names of the
arrested parties and the property taken
have already been published; but the
manner in which the case was "worked
up" remains to be told. A large amount
of the counterfeit coin has boen in cir
culation in that vicinity for some time,
butacluowas finally let fall by a con
vict who was on hiH way to Auburn pris
on, which was followed up. The "queer"
was traced to David Bonnell, a former
well-to-do citizen of Oswego county,
who has been out of State prison a year
and a half, and whoso reputation lately
has boen none of tho best. For a time
he was closely watched, and consequent
ly, when the case grow sufficiently strong,
an amateur detective, whose name is con
cealed, was sworn in as a United States
detective. In an unsought interview with
Bonnell. the now special dotective com
plained of poverty, and stated he wanted
: i " i. j.m'i i..
lo Diane some uioney uo uiuu i ui u uv .
Bonnell was very shy at first, but finally
sold him some of tho counterfeit coin at
50 cents on the dollar. This tho detec
tive cot rid of. and then be went to Bon
noil for more. By this moans he got
completely into Bonuclls confidence.
Then tho United States autuonues won
a hand, and M. D. Van Horn of the
secret service went to Bonnell, rcpre
sentincr himself to be a patent right inan
from Canada, who wanted to buy a patent
"jack," territory for which Bonnell was
advertising. Van Horn finally told Bon
nell that the jack alluir w as a blind, and
that he was operating in the "queer,"
and that by profession he was a "crocks
man," relating many of his exploits.
Between them a plan was matured to
blow the safo of a prominent business
house, and the deed was actually accom
plished, though it had been arranged
they were to be frightened off before it
could toko place, an arrangement which
foiled, however, for some reason. This
completely allayed any suspicions Bon
nell may have had, aiid the result was
that he disclosed to Van Horn that
"queer' was being mado at the honse of
Lafayette Ingorsoll, in the vicinity of
Oswego. Van Horn was introduced into
that house, and a few purchases of the
counterfeit coin gave him the run of the
place, where he witnessed tho operations
of the family, all of whom were engaged
iu the work in some capacity or another.
Van Horn then introduced Gilbert B.
Perkins, chief operator of the United
States Secret Service, as a pal, and both
made purchases and were introduced to
a man named Reynolds, who was one of
tho gang with tho lngersolls, but who
was also "shoving" counterfeit green
backs. Finally, last Monday night it was
directed by the United States officials
that the case wus ripe, and the trap was
accordingly sprung on Tuesday evening,
with the result already told, the whole
gang being taken in the act, w hile Bon
nell was wrested in Oswego w hile nego
tiating a sale of counterfeit coin which
he had in his possession with his sup
posed "pal," Von Horn. In all fourteen
arrests were made, and about $500 worth
of property seized. Vau Horn seems to
have played his part of counterfeiter and
burglar so well that even the police of
that city had been "shadowing him, be
lioving'him to bo really what he seemed,
--Rochester Union.
Some Results of Tidal Friction.
G. II. Darwin has just contributed to
Nature tho last of a series of papers giv
ing the results of a mathematical investi
gation into the action of tidal friction on
the configuration of a planet and satel
lite, and especially on the earth and
moon. Among other results he finds
that the earth and moon were initially in
contact, tho moon always opposite the
same faco of tho earth, or moving very
slowly relatively to the earth's axis, the
whole system rotating in from two to
four hours about an axis inclined to the
normal of the ecliptic at an angle of 11
dcg. 15 min., or somewhat less, and the
moon moving in a circular orbit, the
plane of which is nearly coincident with
tho earth's equator. This initial con
figuration, says Mr. Darwin, suggests
that the moon was produced by the rup
ture, in consequence of rapid rotation or
other causes, of a primeval planet whose
mass was mudo up of tho present earth
aud moon. The two bodies have been
brought into their present configuration
by the action of tidal friction.
The process by which tho tidal action
brings about changes of the configuration
of planet and satellite is the destruction
of energy (or rather its partial con versicn
into heat within the planet and partial
re-distribution) and tho trunsferreuco of
angular momentum from that of piano
tary rotation to that of orbital revolution
of tho two bodies about their common
center of inertia. This change takes
place moro rapidly in small bodies than
in lurge ones. Mars is the smallest of
the planets, with moons, and it is here
alone that a satellite is found revolving
faster than the planet rotates. This will
lie tho ultimate fata of our moon. Be
fore, however, this takes placo, the moon
must recede to an enormous distance
from thu earth, and tho earth must rotate
in forty or fifty days, instead of twenty
four hours. But the satellites of Mars
are so small that they only recede a short
way from tho planet before the solar
tidal friction reduces tho planet's
rotation below the satellite's revolution
a revolution which mar in a sense be
considered as a memorial of tho primi
tive revolution of Mars itself around ita
own axis.
A new species ui plant is called the
"baby plant." Inside ita calyx is a tiny
figure that looks like a baby, but there is
no further resemblance." It cannot
squall, kick and yell like a baby, neither
can it croon and crow like one of these
little pink darlings; but we should rather
have it in the house as far as a good
night's sleep is concerned.
A Chicagoan has announced that he
has discovered a process by which
illuminating gas can be made from
water. The Chicago people are reocy to
believe in it, as they have an idea that
water must have been made for some
thing or other.
Stories of Epicure.
Grimod de la Bejm ere, the noted
French epicure, was a lawyer by profes
sion, butabandoned this calling tospite
bis parents for prevent,, bisniarriag
wit! the woman of bis choice. At ; his
earliest receptions, on Uie arrival of the
gnosta, their swords, canes and hats were
delivered to tho custody of an attendant
who then removed a huge iron bar
ponded across the entrance to tho dining-
room, until all were fu' V0?
was carefully replaced, as a hint that no
one would l alfowed to depart w ithout
tho permission of the host. In the cen
ter of the Mlla a monger was a circular
mahogany table, surrounded by chairs
of equal size, with the exception of one
slightly higher for the president of the
day. On the walls were inscribed m
golden letters certain regulations im
posed by tho aniphitryon, to which those
present were expected to conform. Ex
actly at a quarter past 12, Grimod de la
Reyniere mado his oppoarance, followed
by two servants, one bearing a pile of
bread and butter in slices, and tho other
jugs of coffee and milk, of which nutri
tious beverage, according to the rnles,
each person was bound to drink at least
eighteen or ut most twenty-two enps;
whoever first attained tho latter numbor
being elected President. Wrhen the sup
ply was exhausted, an enormous sirloin
was brought in, and, after having been
corried thrice round tho table with great
inimnitv wiw uluced before th o Presi
dent, and by hiin portioned out to the
company. At me uouciusiun i nn
primitive repast ine conversation uec-iu
..onnr.,1 lit.irni-v matters V.PT6 llisCUSSed.
and new books criticised, until, at a sig
nal given by the host, tho iron oar was
onoo more removed, swords and canes
were restored to thoir owners, and tho
party separated.
Thin far t in "i uiosonnic oreaaiani
were, to say tho least, eccentric, and the
reverse of epicurean; but little by littlo
they undorwent a refining process, the
coffee ordeid was abolished, and delica
cies of overv kind wore substituted for
tho ponderous surloin.
I Iiia rpiifiHt, eon sis ten oi no less mnu
nine courses, each proceeded by two
nnto-piavers. nna serveu uy u urocuasiuu
of white-robod attendants. The guests,
twenty-two in number, were either advo
nfoa or mnn nf letters: and when the do
Mrt wan tilacfld on tho table, the public
were admitted to a gallery commanding
a view oi tho entire scene, ine success
of this essay induced Grimold to repeat
it. On nnntlipr occasion the Count
d'Artois was present incognito, and at
last so enormous were ino expenses ut
tending these festivities, that the la Rey
niovA familv liAAomA i1iiimnr1 nrtil ilpniil
ed on checking the prodigalities of tho
entertainer by tho summary process of
Ktomiin? the allowance hitherto made to
him. Thus deprived of the sinews of
war, Grimold conceived the ingenious
irojoct of bringing his father to reason
lir nnetilr ilecliiriotr his insolvent nosi-
'ion nnd liv unlieitinir from bin friends
and aequuintennnces tno loan oi smaii
sums to relievo wliot ho termed his press
ini? nedpssitin. I'rotitinir bv thn urivil
iiirn he Ktill enioved nf nsino' thn eon ill
O J o i 1
f i t . it, : , t, 1 .i
ages oi uie icriut-r general, lie uue uuy
Timfa and in tlin onnrsa nf ennvnrHAtinn
offored him a seat in his carriage, volun
teering to tune mm wherever no wisned
after piloting his companion through va
rious parts oi tne city, ne nnaiiy depos
ited him at the Palais do Justice, and on
biddinff him farewell, reminded him that
ho owed him a crown.
"What for?" was the othor's natural
inquiry.
"For throe hours' drive," cooly replied
Grimod. "This is my fiacre, and it is
no more than just that I should receive
my fare."
His friend treated the matter as an ex
cellent joke; paid tho crown, and repeat
ed the joke to every one he met; so that
it soon reached M. do la Reyniero's ears,
and the embargo on the ollowonco was
withdrawn.
The Ways of London Beggars.
I'aralysis is often mutated, and se
closely that there is no detecting tho im
position. A fellow is directed how to
hang the elbow, twist tho wrist, and
drop the fingers of one urm, and drag
the corresponding leg limply after hira,
counterfeiting a paralytic stroko to the
life. I have seen one drilled up to (hi
proper business mark by marching him
round and round a beggar's kitchen for
hours at a stretch, and night after night.
This is continued until the patient can
bear a sharp and unexpected prick with
a needle, or even the touch of a hot iron,
without relapsing into his normal atti
tude. Not many years ago one of these
mock paralytics, who wss accustomed to
throw off his seeming infirmity and play
the burglar by way of change, was
caught in the very act of breaking into a
house, and committed for trial. Here
he got up such a semblanco of hopeless
paralysis as deceived everybody. When
his trial came he was carried to the court
on a stretcher, and laid at full length iu
the dock. Everybody, including the
judge and jury, commiserated his case,
and he escaped with one year's impris
onment instead of a long" term of penal
servitude.
Tho doctor of tho prison to which the
convict was next transferred felt sure
that the wholo thing was a sham, and
tried all the ordinary methods of detec
tion, including liberal use of the galvanic
battery, but without effect. At length
a great heap of damp straw was collected
in the jail yard, and the scoundrel, still
stretched on his pallet, which he never
quitted, was placed thereon. The straw
was fired on all sides, throwing ont a
little flame and dense column of choking
smoke. This did the business, and
quickly too. In less than a minute the
paralyzed man astonished everybody but
the doctor by bounding out among them
with the agility of a deer. "The game
is up he exclaimed with a laugh, when
he bod done coughing adding, in a tone
of triumph. "Anyhow, I have diddled
the law out of six years." The torture
such peoplo inflict on themselves for
weeks and months at a time, and volun-
Daniel 3. Helton, a Baptist preacher
of Roane County, Tenn., 88 years old!
bad sixteen sons in the Union army and
two in the Confederate, and aay- "fy
sympathies were with the Unioi bT four
teen majority." ' -
lie Wanted to be an Actor.
A citizen whose host weight never n
ceeds 120 pounds was the other day bn
ing a couple of hens of a farmer on rt
market, and before the bargain was con
eluded the two became quite friendlr
and the farmer said he bad somcthin& L
his mind to communicate. One of hi!
boys had a passion for theatricals and
was desirous of becoming an actor. 'Wl
idea was so strong on him that be had be.
como worthless around the farm, and ths
father was in a peck of trouble to know
how to tuin the boy's thoughts from ths
footlights to the plow.
" 'Spose I send him to you, and 'snog,
you make fnn and ridicule him and let
him see how foolish it is?" suggested tL
father, and the citizen agreed.
As a resnlt of their planning, the boy
walked into the citizen's place of bnaf.
ness, on Congress street East, next morn
ing. The father had called him a boy
but he weighed about ICO pounds, stood
nearly six feet high, and he had a pair of
hands as largo as the chronio of the Yo
soniite Valley. His arrival was expected
and after a few words about the weather
the citizen queried:
"So you think you would make an ac
tor, eh?"
"Yes, I kinder think so?" was the re
ply. "What lino would you take?"
"Well, I kinder like tragedy."
"Tragedy! Why, you couldn't succeed
in tragedy! Look at your hands! Look
nt those feet! Remember your voicel
You'd bo hissed off the stage. Don't
nover think of tragedy."
"How would I do in drama?" asked
the boy.
"Not at all. In the first place your
ears are too large. Then yonr heeli
stick out too far. Then your hand,
would hide half the other actors. Don't
try the drama, for you will be a dead
fadure." ;
"Could I do anything in comedy?"
"Not a thing. The jright of you in
comedy would bo the same as the sight
of a hearse on the stage. All tho facial
expression that you have is behind yonr
ears."
"I've thought some of being a nigger
minstrel," observed tho boy, after i
long silence.
"That's tho worst of all. I tell yon,
boy, you'd bolter stick to tho farm. Yon
are not cut out for an actor, and you
want to drop tho idea."
"Couldn't I act as usher?"
"No, sir; you are too stiff in ths
knees."
"Couldn't I take tickets?"
"Never!" l'our hands are too big for
that work."
"Couldn't I shift scenes?"
"No; you are too big and unwieldy."
There was a long and painful silence.
Then the boy rose up and said:
"Well, I'm bound to go into theatri
cals. If I can't be anything else, I'll be
the feller that stands at the door to raise
a row, and I'll begin on you ! Come over
here!"
He hauled tho adviser over the table,
clutched him by the small of the back
and spun him around, slammed him
around, and dropped him to get a better
hold. When the curtain rose on the
next act there was a strictly private con
versation going on between "Hamlet"
and the ghost, and the ghost's coat was
ripped up the back and his collar torn
open. Then "Hamlet" suddenly de
inanded, in a loud voice:
"Catiff! do you declare that I cannot
act?"
Then the ghost dodged around the
table and replied:
"No, I don't! You arc all right yun
are a splendid actor you can't help but
win!"
"And you'll tell my father so?"
"I will; you bet, I will!"
"If you don't"
Here ."Hamlet" took three stcas for
ward, two back; scowled his fiercest, and
the ghost jumped behind the stove, and
howled that he'd evon pay $50 for a pri
vate box on the night of the debut.
" Tis well," said "Hamlet;" and he
wont over to the market to see if he
could sell throe pecks of onion sets for
cash down. Detroit tree Vrm.
Bin TisuE Fossil. Two large fossil
trees are now on their way to Washington
from.the western part of New Mexico, de
signed for the new National Museum.
General Sherman, while on his tour of jn
spection to the military posts of New
Mexico, examined some of the large
petrifications which abound in the vicin
ity of Fort Winpute, and he was so much
impressed with the value of these speci
mens that he decided to have them
brought to Washington and placed in
front of the National Museum. The two
specimens referred to wtll each weigh
several tons; they will serve as conspic
uous representations of the ancient nors
of the region from whence they came.
The entire country surrounding the spot
where tht fossil 'trees are so abundant is
at the present dav utterly destitute of
vegetation, save a few pinions and oiner
stunted trees, which are of little or no
uee. Una was not the ease in times long
past, for the two immense specimens now
en route to Washington, according "
General Sherman's account, were not
alone. The country is literally covered
with the remains of nn ancient forest,
representing a great quontity of vege
tation, and establishing the fact beyond
doubt thut this entire country, which is
now only inhabited by a few tribes of
Pueblo Indians and covered all over with
evidences of extinct tribes, and which 1
destitute of vegetation, and so arid that
there is no inducement to the settler, a
once a tropical country, abundantly
supplied with tropical fruits and vegeta
tion. Ueneral hherman is much interest
in the preservation of such specimens,
and encourages every one connected with
the army to make collections in alt
branches of science. Washington Cor.
Baltimore Sun.
"Ma." said a thouirhtfnl boy, "I
don't think Solomon was so rich as they
say he was. "Why. my dear, what
could have put that into yonr head?
"Why, the Bible says he slept with his
fathers; and I think if he had been w
rich, he would have bad ft bed of his
own."
T.iea minv ntliAp nntdiA fnn Calcraft
bad a strong antipathy to reporters. He
need to hunger for a chance to string one
of them np.
1879 will be remembered in Eng'sB
as a wet and almost sunless season. They
have to look back many years to recall
one as bad.