BY JUt-ia t. M'oollJIU.. j
nihl',e dnwul eoflliiislltwlowul '
A bnaib dli-peli thy Utility no.
The (! ' w1uJ blow,..
iur i airy w!W Itom (h roadside
Hieirtauisoi the IhlrtltMlown.,
O ibi'tle (lotii! Kilr tlilntle-down!
A U ' pi wiiikhI rml nrlnR
Into mv iIi-hr! i. and vrllh thein bring
l'DO-)ntrolliil memories nil
Of ilM'i u ' Ib'sUe-down
0 thli'.lt-down! White thUtle-down!
Iu o'Jtn, goldon Summer liuunt.
TnrouRb uittadowa awevl Willi woodland flower;
SI i Hutu tit ill bleat will) peaceful rut,
1 miked amidst the Uiiitle-duwn.
0 thlitle-dnwn! LlglU tli'.Mle-diwii!
Your birbi Iit iun my tarelew brent,
You HII mi wii'il wl'U wi'd ii'ireki:
Tearful (Kith-.'te Summer Uaya
Ou iliYdf of tint CbUtle-lowu.
0 IhlHtlo-flowti! Barbed ih'ntle-diwn!
Your beauty nwckt my wine of rain:
Mr faith, uiy trmt, your birji bava iltin:
Fur fritnd', who nieil ttue I dreamed.
Ara faUe end Itsbt u thuiie-djwn.
0 iblnle-duwri! Talte tblrtle-rlown!
Sculler tby Hike oVr till n1 lea,
Tiiy ban alone remain with ra.;
Lore, frleuiMilp. fuiih. j y. lifo and death,
An but batted tbistledonn.
A BRAVE 1V0.1I AX.
Twenty years ago, anil whilo tbe pres
ent populous city of Denver was known
as Cherry Creek, when Tike's Peak was
to the sivcuturous sonl what Leadvillo
and the camps of the Gunnison are to
day, there lived on the "Gold Trail,"
ruuning from the settlements at the foot
of the mountains, a rancher by the namo
of Ralph Lathrop. lie was a young man,
who, with his young wifo, had come to
this far away western country from Illi
nois, willing to work and determined to
win a home among the blue peaks of
Colorado.' He bud built n small log
cabin a little, off from the main trail, and
was engaged in raising cattle and sheop
for home consumption at the time of
which wo write. Ilia family consisted of
himself and wife and a single hired
man.
Indians were ne;ther plenty nor dan
gerous, the wild beasts of the country
had rotired to escape being shot, and the
travelers to and fro upon tho trail, al
though often rough, were seldom ugly,
so that when business demanded, Mr.
Lathrop did not hesita e to leave his wife
alone at the ranch for a day, and some
times for a day and c night at a time.
One evening at supper, a spring night,
with the odor of tho fresh grasses and the
buddiug leaves perfuming all the air, the
hired man, Johnson, delivered a most
startling piece of news.
"Did we hear o' the robbery at the
Peak? killin', too, I understand. Jim
Bartlett, from tho Creek, passed to day,
an' he was a tellin' me. Seems a gang o'
theso plains fellows, rough ridors, I
reckon, dropped iuto a camp last night
and took all tho boys' gold and shot two
o tho minors. They've made for the
mountains, it's s'posed, but the hull
Peak ia .after 'oar They'll swing the
crowd if they cutch 'em."
"Who wore the desperadoes?" asked
Lathrop.
"There were only three o' 'em, an'
Black Dan, hiui as as hung in New
Mexico, was one. I gtiots they don't
know the other," replied Johnson.
"Bliick Dan!" said tho master. I
thought he was on the Pacific coast. He's
one of the worst men ever in this slate.
I hopo they will catch tha party and
servo them with border justico, quick
and sure. I shall feel belter to know
that that rascal is under the sod."
"Why, Ralph!" said his wife, Nellie,
"you are surely not afraid of tho man.
Why should you wish him evil?"
"Ho's a terror to any community and
a danger to any state," returned her hus
band. "A murderer, and worse; hangod
iu Now Mexico for revolting crimes, but
rescued by his comrades; a man whose
heart is as black as his flowing beard,
and whose hands are red with human
blood. 1 wish him no evil only justice
and a short rope! And he'll got it if the
Peak boys catch him."
Quiet Mrs. Lathrop looked wondor
ingly at her husband. Surely this noted
desperado must be of the worst, that
Ralph should speak so of bim. And the
memory of her husbund's words came to
her afterward.
Night fell, the shadow of a departing
winter yet rendering chill all the world
behind him, and as the doors were closed
and barred for this ranch, was miles
from tho nearest neighbor fresh logs
were thrown upon the lire, while the lit
tle household still talked of the tragedy
at tho Peak and the fleeing pursued by
the vengeful miners.
"Well," said Johnson at last, as he
rose to go to the loft and his bed, "I
only hope with you, Mr. Lathrop, that
they may catch 'em."
Au hour later sloop ruled, and not un
til the early dawu, fresi and rosy, crept
over tho eastern hilltops did the little
household unbar its doors again. With
the return of day thoughts of the even
ing before were forgotten. What had
they to do with wolves? They must care
for the sheep.
Breakfast was over and the hired man
had departed with the herd for the hills,
distant some three miles, and where he
would be absent until night, when sud
denly Mr. Lathrop called to his wife
from" the long barn. Tho young woman
ran to the door.
"Nellie, dear," said her husband, "I
have just found, greatly to my surprise,
that we are all out of salt. The sheep
need it, and we mnst have a barrel to
day. I've got to go to the Creek for it,
and will not be back before night. John
eon will be up with the sheep early.
Good bye!"
A wave of Lis hand, a rattle of the
heavy wagon, the quick beat of horses'
hoofs, . and Frank Luthrop was gone,
leaving bisyoang wife alone in the road
side ranch. But the frontier's woman
turned back into the cabin after sue had
watched her husband out of sight, and
not a thought of danger and hardly one
of loneliness amid all the work which
her busv hands could find to do.
The Lours crert on. Without tho
road lay silent and undisturbed by the
passing hoof or wheel; far away on the
distant hillside the sheep wandered, in
distiuot as snowflakes; within the house
wife worked and sang and thought of
Ralph. Over all hung a sky as blue as
that of Italy, illuminated by an un
clouded sun.
Jt was high noon. For a little the
young mistress bad rested, while the
soft warmth of the springtime almost
loiled her to sleep. Then she Lad pre
pared and eatea a plain dinner, all alone,
and now she was engaged in washing
the few dishes used, hum mod a bw love
song as she wotked ami counting tho
flight of the moments that intervened
before her husband's return by the
creeping shadows upon tho distant
mountain side. As she worked ler
back was toward tho open door, and she
did not soo the darker shadows that sud
denly fell ul'iwart tho rough floor, nor
note tho crnuoh of heavy boots upon
tho fresh grass, until a resouuding foot
fall upon the stop startled her and sho
turnod quickly to meet tho first caller
who Lad appeared that day a tall,
fierce-looking, bearded man, who stood
before Ler.
"Missus, who lives here?"
The toue was harsh and threatening,
but the question was a common oue uu J
Nellie replied:
"My husband, Mr. Lathrop. and my-solf."
"Where's tho boss?"
"My husband? He's gono to tho Creek
for a barrel of salt."
"Whole's your hired he'p?"
"We only have ono man, r.nd he is not
here now. Can I do anything for you?"
Tho questions of tho intruder were be
comiuar impertinent.
"Yes," growled the Llack- bearded one.
"Yes, yer can. Yer can do this fer me.
Git a 'good dinner for three Lungry
cusses as hadn't Lad time to git their
own. Come in, boys, ho continued,
turninor toward the door, "it s all clear,
Tho cock's away, naught but the Lcn at
Lome, and we 11 Lave dinner.
For a moment poor Mrs. Lathrop fult
faint, and the world, sunlit oud warm,
danced before her eyes.then full strength
came again as she saw this burly stranger
fling himself into a chair and lay two
enormous pistols beside ins eibowon tue
table, while a pair of otiiors, each as wild
and tattered and norce looking as tue
leader, followed him; full strength, even
whilo sho realized who it was tuut sat
within her kitchen; tho man whose
"heart was as b'ack as his beard
Black Dan, the rulllan of New Mexico,
who onlv two days ago, with thoso very
companions, had committed robbery and
murder. Tins was tue man wuo ue
manded dinner, and Mrs. Lathrop knew
it.
"Don't waste yer time, missus," sud
denly spoke the leader, turning quickly
and fastening his fierce, bold eyes upon
the young hostess; "don't waste yer
time, nor yer words. Git dinner!"
There was no mistaking tho commanJ,
and the tone in which it was uttered
meant far moro than the words. Mrs.
Lathrop began at once to lay the table.
"We're busted minors, missus," began
Black Dau, with a wink to his comrades;
"completely busted, an Cin t pay.
What yo give us to eat must be for char
ity. We ain't even got no weopins, ex
cept these pistils o' miue, an' them we're
keepin' to help us out up at the Crock,
an' beccin' to git thar."
Poor Nellie heard all this, behoving
not ono word, but working Bteadily on,
frvincr pork aud eggs, making tea and
supplying tho table with bread and but
ter and cake, wiieuau was ready sue
placed chairs and told her enforced
guests tuat ainner was prepareu ior
them. Awaiting no second invitation,
they hastily seated themselves and bo
gan to eat.
Suddenly tho leador of tho trio
paused una turned sharply toward Mrs.
Lathrop.
"Missus, are ye scared at such wild
looking chaps as wo 'uns? Did ye ever
see our likes before;
It was a test question. Black Dan
wished to know if this little woman who
fed them so willingly knew aught of the
robbery at the Peak or suspected who
she entortuined. Even whilo her heart
leaned in fear. Nellie answered:
"Oh, indeed, no, I'm not scared! Why
should I bo? I ve seen busted miners be
fore. I'm glad to be able to help you."
"Yer a littlo brick!" ejaculated Black
Dan. "an' when I marry I'll look around
first and see if you're a widdyl Hero,"
he continued, lifting his pistol from tho
table and extending them t o lior, "1 11
ask one more favor o' ye. Tho charges
in them weepins is wet, an of ye can
draw 'em an' reload 'em it will bo a great
blessin'."
Mechanically Mrs. Lathrop took the
pistols and turned toward tho chest where
hor husband kept Lis arms and ammuni
tion. But even ai she did so a sudden idea,
an inspiration almost, flashed through
her brain. These aion were now un
armed; her husband's double barreled
shotgun, loaded, stood in tho corner;
why not captnro the murderers herself?
Instantly tho brave woman put the
thought into execution. Dropping the
pistols she quickly seized the gun,
wised both hammers to full cock, and
turning presented at it tho trio about her
table.
"Black Dan, you and your oomrados
are my prisoners?"
It may be lior voice trem Died ; it won id
htrdly have been strango if it did, but
her hand did not, aud the three desper
adoes looked witu paling cheeks into the
black muzzles that covered them ond
knew the little woman meant what Bhe
said.
For an instant silence reignod, then
slowly turniug toward the table again
Black Dan growled out half a dozen
oaths, supplanted by the statement that
he would finish his dinner anyway, and
beean to eat with much composure, His
companions imitated him.
Mrs. Lathrop stood motionless, tue
gun still at Ler shoulder. She dared
not lower it, yet she could not hold it
there much longer.
The ruffians ato steauily and silently
on.
Tim liitla woman becan to grow faint.
Not alone with fear but from excitement
and the weight of the gun. Her Lands
trembled.
Snrl.lenlv tnera ran c a wild shout
mingled with furious curses. Chairs and
tables were overturned, and in tne uasn
of an eye Mrs. Lathrop saw three men
spring toward her, each with a knife in
his hanp.
She saw, and then, with a wordless
nmvpr nressed the trigger.
A tremendons roar shook the air; two
outshooting flamss followed by two puffs
of blue smoke; two heavy falls, then a
dark figure drawing himself out of the
open doorway. That was all. And as
the brave woman leaned back against tbe
wall of her cabin she beard the songs of
the birds outside; she saw the mellow
sunlight fleck the rough floor, but she
did not see her enemies. Then she
fainted.
But close npon Ler, doubly fierce ia
dcith, lay the forms of two men, w hile
without, upon tho green gram, writhed
Black Dan, sightless and filled with
wounds.
Twenty minutes' later the hired roan,
Johnson, appeared, alarmed at the
sound of the shot, and saw what was
done. Thrco days later Mrs. Lathrop
received tho thanks of the Pike's Foak
camp and a golden reward. But sho
would no longer live alone, and her hus
band is now a merchant in Denver, whilo
she is known as the bravo woman who
caught Black Dan.
raid to be an Old Maid.
I sat down on the velvet cushion at
mamma's feet, rumpling her snowy
whito wrapper iq the attempt to put my
bead in her lup.
Mamma passed hor soft, small hand
over my disordered hair. "What's tho
matter, my child?" she asked.
I "I thiuk it is this picture. I can't
: look at it without envying Laura Dos
I mond."
"But why? You surely do not envy
Laura her appearance.
"But I do, mother. I don't liko to bo
called dark aud piqtiaut. 1 want to
be fair, and calm, and quiet.
"Why, Ada, I am amazed. D.m't you
know that a certain geutlemau admires
brunottes.'
"Don't qnoto Theo. Rounsavillo to
me?" I said shortly. Who cares for Lis
opinions?"
Now tho truth was I did caro for Lis
opinion, and cared for it a great deal too
muoh. At ono time ho had been very
attentive to mo, and ho was not only tho
handsomest and wealthiest, but tho most
accomplished baoholor in tho neighbor
hood. But I had affected to do indiffer
ent to him until ho transferred Lis atteu
tions elsewhere.
"But wo woro talking of Laura," I
said. "She has every luxury aud I am
so dependent.
'You know, my doar.said Ler mother,
in a grave voico, "that Uncle Adam's
bouse is yours as long as you chooso to
remain here. I do not wish to have you
marrv. my daughter, except for love.
"Fiddlesticks," said I, inelegantly. "1
toll you, nine wouion out of ten marry
for homes, or for fear of being old maids
I believe Uncle Adam is miserly. If ho
would die aud leave me a legacy, or
leave me a few thousands, I would live
single all the days of my life.
A door opened and Uncle Adam
walked into tho room. Undo Adam
was a rathor old gentleman, but always
good-natured. I jumped up thoroughly
ashamed ol myself. Ml he only said:
"Come, como, my little girl; this is
pretty Lard on your old uncle. I m
sorry you think me such a misor."
"Oh, uncle," I pleaded, "pleaso for
give me. I don't mean that at all. I'm
out of spirits, aud that makes me un
just.
"Well, nover mind," said Undo
Adam, bustling across tho room and
taking a seat. "Come here, Miss Ada.
Suppose I bribe you to be an old niuid,
eh? I will settlo $10,000 on you now, on
condition you live and dio Ada Lyon,
spinster. There!"
"If you will forgivo and forget all my
ugly speeches, uncle," said I, "I'll agree
to the condition with pleasure."
"Ada!" said mother, faintly.
"Let her uloue, At'ues; lot hor alone,"
said Uncle Adum. "She shall take the
mattor into duo consideration. See bore,
Ada, I'll give you till to-night to think
about it. Dou't be rash. In order to
escapo being a miser I'll bribe heavily."
And Uncle Adam marched out ol tue
room.
"Ada, come here," mother said almost
in a whisper. "Look out; isn't that Theo.
Rounsavillo?"
An open landau, drawn by two superb
horses in gold mounted harness, and jast
been driven up the avenue.
"Ho has come to ask you to drive with
bim," said my mother; "at least it looks
so!"
What adolightful day that was! We
drove down to tho beach. Then we went
round through tho piuo woods. Then
we camo homo with tho sunset. My ac
cepted lover bade mo gool-byo at tho
door and went down the avenue.
"Well, Ada?" was mamma's inquiry.
"All's well, mamma," I answered,
laughing and blushing.
"Yon will bo a portionless bride, re
member, my darling."
"Do you think Undo Adam meant all
that?"
I jumped up. "I am going now, I
said.
I laughed all the way down to tbe
study. Undo Adam was busily writing.
"Take a seat, take a seat," he said,
without looking np. "I'll have every
thing ready in a few minutes. What is
your conclusion?"
"l 11 sign it, uncie, uut l m otraiu it
will make me very unhappy."
"Why, Ada, I thought it was the very
thing to make yon happy."
"Yes. Uncle Adam." I said, having re
course to my handkerchief; "but thou I
don t want to live single.
"Oho!" said he. "You'vo changod
your mind. You don't want the money?"
"ies 1 do, l exciaimcu witu a Hys
terical little sob. "I love bim; but I
won't marry Lim without anything of
my own. 1 m ashamed.
"Ada, he said soveroly, "loll mo
straight np and down whom do you
love?"
"Mr. Rounsaville," said I, solemnly.
"You are a foolish child," said Uncle
Adam, gently patting my bead. "I
knew Rounsavillo was coming to-day.
If you marry Rounsaville I'll give you
$10,000.
"Will you, unole?'I cried in ecstasy.
"Dou't cry any more, then," ho said,
almost tenderly. "Kiss mo, my dear,
and go tell your mother."
And Uncle Adam gave mo, on my wed
ding day, the $10,000 check with which,
originally, ho Lad bribed me to be an old
maid.
Canestrini. the French scientist, has
cut tbe beads off flies, ants, grasshoppers
and butterflies, and observed that decap
itated insects retain their sensibility for
a very long time. Flies calmly rubbed
their bodies with their legs and behaved
as if nothing bad happened. Butterflies
continued to fly for 18 days, and grass
hoppers kicked thirteen days after being
decapitated. This shows the superior
intelligence of tho grasshopper. It knows
when it Las reason to kick. lios. rost.
Commend a fool for bis wit, or a knave
for Lis honesty, and tbey will receive
you into their bosom. Fielding.
Heating the lawjem.
The late Alexander H. Stephens tisod
to tell with groat gusto tho following
story, in which ho and Robert Toombs
floured.
A doctor named Roystoti Lad sued
Peter Bennett for his bill, long overdue,
for uttouding the wifo of tho latter.
Alexander U. Stephens was on tho lieu
nett side, and Robert Toombs, then in
the United States senate, wo for tho
doctor. Tho doctor proved tho number
of his visits, their value according to
local custom, and his own authority to
do medical practice. Mr. Stephens told
his client that tho doctor had made out
Lis case and there was nothing where
with to rebut or offset the claim, and
the ouly thing loft to do was to pay it.
"No," said Peter; "I hired 'you to
speuk iu my case, and now spoak."
Mr. Stephens told Lim thoro was noth
iug to say; he had looked on to seo that
a caso was made out, and it was. Peter
was obstinate, aud at last Mr. Stephens
told Peter to muko a speech himself, if
be thought ono could bo made.
"I will," said Peter, "if Bobby Toombs
won't bo ton hard on mo."
Senator Toombs promised ho would
not, aud Peter begun:
"Gentlemen of tho jury, you and I is
plain farmers, aud if wo dou't stick to
gether theso 'ere lawyers aud doctors
will get tho advantage of us. I ain't no
lawyer or doctor, and I ain't no ob
jections to them in their proper placo,
but tliev ain't farmers, gentlemen of the
jury. Now, this man Royston was no
doctor, and 1 wont .or him to come and
doctor my wife's sore leg, and bo como
and put some salvo truck onto it, and
some rags, but never dono it a bit of
good. Gentlemen of tho jury, I don't bo
liovo bo is a doctor, anywuy. There are
doctors as is doctors, sure enough, but
this man dou't eain Lis money, and if
you send for Lim, as Mrs. Sarah Aikiu
sou did for a negro boy as is worth
$ 1000, bo just kills bim and wants you
to pay for it."
"I don't!" thundered the doctor. .
"Dili you cure him?" asked Peter,
with the slow accents of a judgo with
the Muck cap on.
The doctor was silent, and Poter pro
ceeded :
"As I was saying, gentlemen of the
jury, we f .rmors, when we sell our cot
ton, bus got to give vally for tho money
we ask, and doctors ain't nono too good
to be put to the same rule. And I don't
boliovo this 'ere Sam Royston is a doc
tor, nohow."
"Look at my diploma, if you thiuk I
am no doctor! '
"His diploma!" exoluimed tho orator,
with groat contempt, "his diploma!
Gentlomeu, that is a big word for
printed sheepskin, and it don't make no
doctor of tho sheep ub first wore it; nor
docs it of the man as now carries it. A
good newspaper has moro in it, and I
p'int out to ye that ho ain't no dootor ut
all."
Tho doctor was now iu a fury, and
screamed out:
"Ask my pitionts if I am not a doc
tor!" "I asked my wife," retorted Peter.
"Sho said sho i hough t be was not."
"Ask my other pationts," said the doc
tor. .
This seemed to bo tho straw that broke
the camel's back, for Poter replied, with
a look and tone of unuttcrublo sadness
"That is a hard saying, gentleman of
the jury, and one that requires mo to
die, or to have powers as 1 have beam
tell ceuso to be exercised since tho apos
tles. Does be expoct mo to briug the
angel Gabriel down to toot his horn bo
fore his time and cry uloud: 'Awuko, ye
dead, aud tell this court aud jury your
opinion of Sam Roystou's practice!' Ara
I to go to the lonely churchyard and rap
on the silent tomb and say to 'um as is
a' last at rest from physio and doctor's
bills: 'Git np here, you, and state if you
diod a natural death, or was hurried up
by some of tho doctors!' Ho says ask
his patients, aud, gentlemen of tho jury
they are all (load ! Whero is Mrs. Beas
ley's man, Sam? Go ask tbo worms in
tho gravoyard, whero he lies. Mr.
Peak s woman, Sarah, was attended by
Lim, and her funeral was appointed, and
he, tho doctor, hud tho corpse ready.
Whore is tho likely Bill, as belonged to
Mr. Mitchell? Now in glory, expressing
his opinion of Royston's doctoring.
Where is that baby gal of Harry
Stephens'? She is where doctors cease to
trouble, and tho infants are at rest. Gen-
tlomen, he has eaten chickens enough at
my bouse to pay for bis salve. I found
tho rags, and I don't suppose bo charges
for making ber worso, and even Le dou't
pretend to charge for curing Lor, and I
um humbly thankful ho never gave ber
nothing for ber innards, as bo did bis
other patients, for something mado 'um
all die mit'hty suddon."
The applause was great. 1 he dootor
lost, and Peter won. Presbyterian Ob
server.
A Tnnllinjr Prairie incident.
What is that?
Look closor and yon will see that it is
a gaunt, grim wolf, creeping out of Ibe
little grove of cotton woods toward a
buffalo calf gambulins around its
mother.
ltauo your eyes a littlo more and you
will soo that tbe prairie beyond it is alive
with buffalo. Count theml Xou might
as well try to count the leaves of a groat
maple! They aie moving foot by foot as
they crop tbe juicy grass, and living
waves rise and fall as the herd slowly
sweep on. Afar out to the right and
left, mere specks on the plain, are the
fliukors brave old buffaloes, which
catch a bite of grass and then sniff the
air aud scan the horizon for intimation
of danger. They are the sentinels of the
held, and right well they can be
trusted.
The wolf creeps nearer.
All tbe afternoon the great herd Las
fed in peaoo, and as it slowly moves
toward the distant river it is all uncon
scious that danger is uear. Look you
oil and watch tbe wolf, for you are go
ing to see sucb a sight as not one man in
ten thousand bas ever beheld.
Cr-iep crawl skulk now behind a
knoll now drawing himself over tbe
grass now raising Ins bead above a
thistle to mark the locality of Lis victim.
It is a lone, shambling, skulking wolf,
lame and spiteful and treacherous.
Wounded or ailing, ho Las been left to
got along as best be may; and his green
eyes light np with fiercer blaze as Le
draws near to Lis unconscious prey.
Creep creep creep! Now Le ls(
twenty feet away now C.'teeu now ten.
He Lugs tho earth, guthurs his feet under
him, and bo bounds through the air as if
shot from a guu. He is rolling tho calf
over and over ou the grass in three seo
on ils after be springs.
Now watch!
A cry of pain from the calf a bellow
from tho mother us she wheels und
charges the wolf a startled movemeut
from a dozen of the nearest animals, rind
a rush begins. Tho one wolf is magni
fied into u bundm 1, tho hundred into a
thoimud. Sharp, short bellows notes
of larm and in fifty seconds uftor the
wolf has wet his fangs with blood, that
Hying mass is iu motion to get away
from un unknown terror.
The waves rise bighor aud higher as
tho confusion spreads. One instuut it
seems as if 10,000 solid acres of prairie
were moving bodily away; ugiin waves
riso and fall as tho cowards behind rush
upon those in front, who want to sniff
tho air and learn tbe danger. In oue
minuto tho alarm runs down the hord
to tho leaders, and further than tho eye
can see the entire hord is going off at a
mad gallop, heads down, eyes rolling,
and no thought, but that of escape. If
Lake Erie ware to dash itself against a
wall, the shock would bo no greater than
tho awful crash w ith w'li h this muss of
rattliug hoofs, sharp boms and hairy
bodies would meet it. Tho clatter of
hoofs and rattle of boms would drown
the noiso of a brigade of cavalry gallop
iug over a stono paved roud.
Ride out on their trail. Hero whore
the stampode began tho ground is torn
and furrowed as if a thousand cannons
bad been firing solid shot at targets.
Here and there uro calves which bad been
gored or crushed, here and there older
animals with broken legs and disabling
wounds. Here, where tho herd was
fairly off, you might as well bunt far a
gold dollar as a blado of grass. You look
for three miles as you look across it. It
is a trail of dirt and dust aud ruts und
furrows, whore half an hour ago was a
carpet of green grass und smiliug flowers.
The most dreadful oyelouokuowu to mau
could not have loft moro horrihlo sears
behind.
Miles away, on tho bank of a winding
aud growling river, are three white
topped omigrant wagons. A camp-flro
blazes up to boil the kettles. Mou,
women and children stand about, peer
iug over tho distant mountaius at tho
setting sun, and glad that their journey
is almost done. Butterflies come and go
on lazy wing, the crickets chirp choerily
in the grass, und tho eagles sailing iu
the blue evening air Lave no warning to
give.
Hark! Is that thunder?
Men aud womon turn in their traoks
as they look in vain for a cloud in tho
sky. That rumble comes again as they
look into each other's faces. It grows
louder os woraou turn palo aud men
reach for their trusty rifles. The ground
trembles, and afar off omes a din whiob
strikes terror to the beurt. "Indians!''
they whisper. No! A thousand time
b itter for them if savage Pawnees dared
ride down whero thoso barreled rifl 's
could Bpouk in defense of tbe poaoeful
camp.
"A stampede of buffaloos!" gasps one
of tbe men as ho catches sight of the ad
vance guard under tho awful cloud of
dust. Rifles are held ready for a shot,
and the children olimb up on tho heavy
wagon wheels to boo tho strango pro
oesiiiou gallop past.
Here they oome! Crack! orack! orackl
from three rifles, and a shout as each
bullet tells. Next iustant a shaggy bead,
followed by a dust-brown body, rushes
through the camp. Thou another and
anotbor. Tho men shout and wave their
arms, the women and children turn paler
yet.
The roar and din shut out every other
sound, aud the wagons jur and tremble
with the concussion. New another shag
gy head! another! half a dozen! a soorol
a hundred! a great living wave which
sweeps along with tho power of a tor
nado, followed by others more fierce and
strong, aud the camp is blotted off the
face of the earth moro completely than
by any power of hoavon. Nothing to be
seen, no shout to be heard. Wave fol
lowed wave across the spot, ovor the
batik, into the stream and across, and
when tho last of tho bord has passod the
keenest hunter can find nothing on that
spot of wood or iron, of cloth, or bono,
or flesh, to prove that a dozen men, wo
men and children were there wiped out
of existence and roduood to shreds and
dust.
Saved o i Account of Being Homely.
A Galveston man tolls how tin In
dians captured in 1838 a Mr. Chism, who
was then a blacksmith at San Felipe, and
regarded as the ugliest or homeliest man
iu Texas. The Indians kept Mr. Chism
a captive about threo days, and during
that time, as be related Limsolf to my
informant, as bo was able to understand
tboir language, Le was made the subject
of their ludicrous jests in regard to Lis
ugliness, and was compelled to run foot
and mule races for his life and constant
ly threatened with shooiing if bo got
beat in the race. He was finally, at the
close of tbe third day, told to ride awsy
on bis mt 1 1, as be and the a.-e t 9 i jly
to kill, unless it was done inself-dofouse,
Mr. Chism never claimed to be good
looking after that, and acccptod tho In
dian vordiet, and thought it extremely
fortunute that be was ugly, especially at
that importaut juncture, as it saved bis
life. This escape enabled bim to live to
a geod old age aud to die a natural
death. It paid that time to bo ugly.
New Orleans Times Democrat.
Pretty Surf Njuiptis.
A Long Branch letter says: Ths Phil
adelphia girl is the favorite in tbe snrf.
Sue is so protty and sensible, and then it
isnice to see a real modest little maiden
in bathing. She comes out of ber
dressing room clid in a neat, well fitting
costume, and walks as if not trying to
attract attention. As tbe first breaker
strikes hor she does not scream, but
takes the duck like a little lady, and dis
ports in the cool water as though she
enjoyed it immensely. And then the
Philadelphia girl is so bra vs. too. "un
der fire, and never alarms tbe bathing-
master with blood-enrdling screams for
bslp if a small crab gallsnt ly pays a little
attention to tho pretty foot. When she
comes out of the bath ber cheeks are
pinker than ever, Ler eyes sparkle more
brightly than before, and she is even
sweeter and more lovable than when she
entered the surf. I
ILL SORTS,
The oldest "opon loiter," according to
ancient almanacs, ia O.
A society for the prevention of blind
ness has beeu established in England.
Massachusetts ought to porsuade But
ler that he can swim tbo Niagara rapids.
Diamonds are still worn as much as
ever on state occasions by pawn
brokers' wives.
Tho London News talks vigorously
about "Slavery in Morooco." It is noth
ing ubout light shoes.
A Milwaukee woman bus kept a kettle
of hot water on the stove every night for
twenty-two years past in order to scald
burglars.
Assumed qualities may catch the
affectations of some, but oue must pos
sess qualities roully good to fix tho
heart. Do Moy.
Tho Pittsburg Telegraph doesn'tdonbt
that if Frank James hud been run for
governor of Missouri be would Lavo
beaten Crittonden.
"I am making a display of fall goods,"
remarked tho fruit vender, as be threw
down a lot of banana skins, orange-peel
and apple-parings.
'Fresh air, plain food, early hours,
aud plenty of exorcise," says Mrs. Rams
bothum, "aro worth all tho doctors' ros
trums iu the world."
"How bIiuII wo stop tho great ovil of
lying?" asks a religious weealy. Don't
know ; give it up. It's a habit you ought
never to have fallen into.
De man what tells lies for do 'muse
ment ob do crowd kon be put up vid,
but do man what lies ter muko uisse'f
'portaut is a mighty disgustin' bore.
A country boy drank a pint of whisky,
wont iu swimming, ate a lot of greon ap
ples, drank some ice water, went to bed,
aud was found dead iu tho morning. Too
muoh ioo water.
Au oxchango aptly remarks that next
your at this timo tbe fires will be lighted
under every political pot iu the land,
aud we religiously add, tho Lord Help
the poor parboiled candidates in the pot.
It is the sagacious romark of a keen
observer of tourists, aud be offers it to
tbo traveling public, that you can gen
erally toll a nowly-married couple at the
diunvr table by the indignation of the
husband wheu a fly alights ou the wife's
butter.
"I tell you," said Foots, "there's an
indisoribablo senso of luxury in lying in
bod and ringing one's boll for bis valet."
"You got a valot?" exolaimod Foots'
friend. "No," replied Foots, "but I've
got aboil."
Tbe differenco between a tooth and
watermolou is that one is improved by
plugging it, and the other isn't. Balti
more Every Saturday. Thero is also a
difference iu the achos of tho two. Ono
is tho toothacho and tbe other isn't.
Richmond Baton.
Tho most unkind cut of all. Mr.
Tralala (to barber after enjoying hair
cut and his first shave end reooiving his
"chock") "I think you'vo mado a mis
take. Isn't a shuvo 20 cents?" Barbor
(depreciatingly) : "Really, I couldn't
thiuk of charging for that, sir."
S. J. T., Greystono. 1. No, the
fo'ca'sl is not the apparatus by which a
ship is steered, nor is it advantageous to
a ship to bo ublo to "dew up the bilge
in ouso of a squall." 2. There is no need
nf our announcing that yon love athlotio
sports. Mr. Duua bas kindly acted as
your advauoo agent.
Dr. Swift of Rochester, N. Y., thinks
he has discovered the flrBt comet of 1843.
It is small affair, searcoly worth the
$200 whiob Dr. Swift will got for bis
discovory, and as an advertising modium
for patent modicines will not begin to
equal a space at top of column next to
reading matter.
The volocily at which a mau can movo
varies usder different circumstanoes.
Going to a dontist's, a quartorof a mile
can be easily traversed in threo and one
half minutes, whilo in chasing a train,
or hurrying to bank just about doting
time, a man who can run 800 yards in
twenty minutes boa to have wings to do it.
The govommont tea farm at Summer
villo, S. 0., has been restooked, and a
new effort to get funds to run it will be
made at tbe next session. By all means
lot thom keep at it. L tDuo succeeded in
raising an article that didn't look like
ten, and made the man who drank it feel
like Hades. Porbaps they may succeed
in producing an even greator curiosity.
"No, Clatinda, you can't rhyme "Wol
soy' and 'bulls eye.' No dear. Not
horo. Not in this journal of civilization.
But you may work us a neat little titlo
strip for our bat, with our initals in it all
mixed op with daisies and lilies of tho
valley and othor modest things, and tho
secret of your pootioal ambition shall go
with us to the grave."
A country editor undertook to ride on
a pass bolonging to one of Lis sub
scribers who bad an advertisement in bis
paper. After examining it tbe conductor
looked at it and tho editor, and said:
"This pass is crooked." "Guoss not,"
said tho editor, blandly. "But I say it
is," "That's just where yon are fooling
yourself; it's me that's crooked. The
pass is all right enough."
A Very Bad Temper.
One of Jonathan Edwards' daughters,
who bad some spirit of ber own Lad
also a proposal of marriage. The youth
was reforred to ber father. "No, said
tbe stern individual, "you can't Lave my
dxupLter.' "But I love ber, and she
loves me," pleaded the young man.
"Can't bavo herl" said the father. "I'm
well to do, and can support her," ex
claimsd ths applicant. "Can't have
herl" persisted tbe old man. "May I
ask," meekly inquired the suitor, "if you
have beard anything against my charac
ter?" "Not" tbuadered tbo obstinate
Earent, by this time aronsed; "I haven't
card anything against you; I think yon
are a promising young man, and that's
why you can't Lave Ler 1 She's got a
very bad temper, and you wouldn't bo
happy with Ler 1" Tbe lover, amazed,
said: "Why, Mr. Edwards, I thought
Emily was a Christian. She is a Chris
tian, isn't she?" "Certainly she is,"
growled tbe conscientious parent, "but,
young man, when you get older, you'll
be able to understand that there's some
folks that the graee of God caa live with
that yon can't 1'