f . a r iwx i r I u r. ill
THE T1VERT0N2
T'VE come, Judge, to nsk If you'll let
me tell you wlmt no ontfon eatt!i
tlon't know but me, 'lmut that bunk
mystery.
Yes, tliank you, I will sit down. A
tire feels good ou a uight like tills.
Tain't often such ns I have u ehnuce
at tills kind of comfort and luxury.
Wlmt do I know about the bank mys
tery? Iand sakes, judge, time they
opened the bank that day ten years ago
and found the bank vault broke Into
jiikI the wife blowed up and not a dol
lar gone. I could have told It all. The
Iieople or Tiverton ain't done talking
Jiud wondering 'bout It yet. and there
ain't never been no one llvln' as could
tell what It all nivuut but me.
I brought some papers here ' they
a iv, Judge where It's all written down
and 1 can swear to It If you like. 1
don't want them never used, though,
unless I die and something comes up
us would make It lieot for my family to
know, though there's this In It I'd ruth
er die than have 'em know. If It's all
the same to you, Judge, I'd like to tell It
to you. Seems like I'd get rid of a load
and would lie happier and die easier
feelin' I'd spoken It ull out to one llvln'
human.
You'll be glad to listen V That's good
of you. I knowed you was a kind man
nd a Just one; that's why I come to
you. No, thank you, I don't smoke; 1
put all that money away for my wife
nd children.
Do you hear that storm? Outside
seems like all the evil powers was let
loose. You can't Judge 'bout It here, it
comes kind of muttled like through
those thick curtains and It don't shake
this great house like It does some.
It's this kind of night that makes
men huddle together, Judge, and plan
how to get rich and have tine things
ouch as the likes of you. I've been
through It all; I know. I've felt ha If I
bad as good a right to 'em ns anyone
and I .s bound to have 'em. too. I
wnm't brought up to no trade nor noth
in' and fair means seem In' to fail, I
took to tlie other.
Yes, Judge, I started out In life a thief
and n robber. I prospered fairly In a
small way and no one didn't catch up
with me for some time. .Then I Joined
a gang In for everything. Lord, but It
was fascinating! It Vns like drink; I
couldn't give 1t up and I couldn't get
enough of it. I was In prison and out
then, the old story, till I married and
begun to have little ones.
Then. Lord know, what helped mo
something didand for the sake of my
wife ami children, I broke loose from
ever.vtl.ing and came here, where no
one didn't know me, to start over again.
I had some money and opened the res
tanraut Just opposite the bank.
Long ns I didn't rend the papers I
got on well; but let me see them and
I'd hunt through 'em for the robberies,
and I'd be crazy, plumb crazy for a
while, aching to be In It all again. See
In' 'Unit my old pals gettln' In trouble
didn't make no difference.
Time come, though, when I begun, to
enjoy life differently, and to feel my
self more respectable. The love for
the old Hfo begun ter go till I could
read about It without gettln' all Bred
up. I thought then I was all right.
Then they eotue here, part of the gang
I'd belonged to. First I kuowed of It
was Boeln' 'em In the restaurant. I
'spleloued they warn't here for no good
and It most took my breath away. They
kuowed me quick enough, too. and
nothln' wouldu't do but I must join 'em.
I was the very man they wanted. I
could help 'em and I was bound to 'cm
'Twaa the biggest thing they'd under
taken yet; the bank. They'd come on
to examine the situation, knowing
that Mr. Durkee, the uew mill owner,
would make a big payment noon and
the money for It would lie In the bank
here. If there weren't anything else,
that would be a big haul, worth havln'
and me belli' here decided 'em,
I do think the devil brought all hi
friends and relations with him that
night to tempt me. 1 forgot how to
sleep aud Just couldn't stay In bed. I
wouder I warn't In tattera by mornln',
with the devil tuggln' at me u he did
BANK MYSTERY. 3
and tryln' to keep me out of the room
where my Hlomtli' children la v.
I-iord, It makes me creep and perspire
all over now to think of It.
Yer see them bank people come over
to my place for lunch best part of the
time, and they all knowed my little
people, and the mill people kuowed 'em,
too. My oldest boy worked in the mill
and they'd been as kind as could be
when he's sick. Christmas time they's
good to Iiini. too. and there warn't a
bank officer but what had remembered
my little people, even to the watchman.'
Seemed like robbing my own people,
somehow, l's bound not to inform on
the gang, and they's bound ter rob I her
bank, but I cursed 'em in my heart for
conilii' Jiwt when I was gettln" rid or
the old life for good and all. "fwas
awful!
Well, judge, you know how them
rooms over the bank was rented to start
a new dally paper. I made 'em swear
solemn ns my name warn't to appear
nowhere. I'd plan It all out and give
'em points and be on hand at the last,
but I had to be cautious.
They found out when the money was
to be paid mid 'greed on the night be
fore for the robbery. I had all mapped
out for 'em where and how they were
to loosen up the boards of the Hoof In
their room above, so we could break
through and lower ourselves Into the
vault when the time came. Then you
see we'd only have the safe to get Into
and the great iron door between us and
the watchman.
Everything was ready, and we was
pretty sure the money wns paid.
Do you hear that storm now, Judge?
"fwas like that ten yearn aim tn.nliriit
dark as Egypt, with the rain nml wlmt
a perfect hurricane; a terrible night;
the kind of night for any sort of crime.
The men chuckled to themselves 'Twin.
a fortune sure this time, and they'd all
lie on the way to comfort nml safety be
fore day. I ain't never seen 'em an .
cited, Xothin' hadn't gone wrong and
not mn couiiln t now.
We had sentinels stationed mim.i tn
give the alarm, but there wasn't much
danger on a night like that.
We had planned so as to linvo the
door of the safe ready to blow open
when the watchman went down cellar
to see to his tires. I knowed time of
night he did go, seeln' him orteu from
my house across the way through the
window of the bank, but to make sure
we stationed a man where he
the ignnl at the proper time. With
the watchman downstairs and we shut
In that vault, with solid
ns. 'twnrn't In the range of possibilities
tor no milium to hear us.
"fwas planned that when V0 limbn
through the celling me and one of the
others was to go down tlrst with the
lanterns and tools and get the door
ready for Jim Uroogan, the leader of
the gang, to come down nml u i,o
dynamite and be ou hand to take out
tue money..
Lord, but It wnn lust the niiri.i- r..i
such a piece of work, and after I had
examined to see If all wns safe, know
lug tlie dangers better than the others,
we broke through the floor and lowered
the ladder, and there we wns right In
the vault. 'Twaa well for me I'd hit ti
right, for my life warn't worth much
ir any o my planum' railed to work.
Torn Doolau In a hurry went down
first and when I was half way down
he started back, saying In a hoarse kind
of whisper:
"Who called me?"
"No one, you fool," said Jim.
"Then." he said, and he mn nnot ma
on the ledder, "someone Is down there.
Twlct I heard someone say; 'Go back,
go back.' "
"We'll gag him," said Jim, and me
and him went down tnd turnA.1 nui,
lanterns round lookln' everywhere, but
there warn t no one there.
"What's the matter with the fool?"
growled Jim, and went back and tried
to send him down again, but he Just
wouldn't go, so Jim cursed him and
come himself, and be and me begun
to get the safe door ready to blow up.
That's, a thing that takes Unit and
care. Judge, but we went at it with a.
will, and never a word. It was so still
you could almost hear your heart beat,
when all of a sudden came a smothered
cry, loud and clear, like a woman's.
We stopped work and looked at each
other, Jim's race white and scared.
"Lord, what was that?" he said.
"I often hears 'em ou the street like
that. ' I said.
"That warn't un the street; It sounded
close by," said Jim. "We couldn't hear
nothln' outside in this place."
"Xonsense," I eald, "don't you make
a rool or yourself, too, aud spoil it," aud
I went to work again.
1 could see his hand trembled for a
while aud then got steady again.
'That must have come through the
room upstairs," he said presently.
"Queer, though, It sounded so close."
Then we worked on and there warn't
nothing more to be heard. Rest of the
gang might all have been dead men,
for all the sound they made and we
didn't say nothin', and so the night
weut on. - "
At last we had It all ready and were
only waiting for the signal to blow It up
aud then money enough to make us all
rich. 'Tain't such as you cuu realize
the excitement and the strain of bucIi
ft moment. To know It's all there.
ready,, aud then to have to wait! It's
easier walkin' over red hot coals. It's
all right to go on aud work, but to stay
st'U aud only breathe and listen gives
a man the shivers.
Presently Jim caught my arm. .
"Say. I thought I heard voices, did
you?" he whispered.
"The men upstairs." I said.
"Sounded down here. Have your
pistol ready." :
I took my lantern and went round the
vault again carefully, and then held It
up to examine the walls. Then I shook
my head. There warn't no way we
could hear no one.
"It's the queerest place I ever was
in," said Jim, "and by Jove I'll be glad
when we are out of it. Why don't that
signal come? Suppose there's any
hitch? I swear I hear voices again."
Just then came the signal and Jim
begun to apply the dynamite, but his
hands trembled so nml his eyes looked
so wild aud excited, his own wife
wouldu't know him.
"The money, the money," he whis
pered, "we must have It now."
We got out of the way Just in time
and then out came the door.
"The Inside door, quick," sold Jim.
but the explosion had mnde that rail
liwlde and we Just could lift It out.
"Have the bag ready," said Jim, as he
leaned forward to haul out the great
piles of bank notes aud silver we could
see by the light or the lanterns.
"Hands off, or you are a dead man."
It was a voice that would most have
waked the dead. I dropped my bag
and Jim drew back his hand and caught
hold of me with a grip like iron, and
we began to go slowly back to the lad
der. "The combination is all right; we
have them now; they can't escape us."
We were half way up the ladder when
we heard the click, click of the lock,
and as we drew the ladder after us we
could hear the rasplug or the hinges or
the Iron door.
"'"'y. fly for your lives; we are dis
covered," said Jim, as he went around
to warn the men; and In the darkness
uud the wind and the rain they went
away and 1 ain't never seen none of 'em
since. I heard, though, as when they
found there warn't no one there and
the bauk people didn't know nothln'
'bout It till the next morning, they Just
believed the bauk was haunted, sure.
Do I know what It wns. Judge? There
ain't no one else ns does know, that's
sure. 'Talu't much, after ull.
Yer see, playin' 'round with my little
ones, I found as I could make 'em hear
all kinds of noises anywhere I wanted,
and people crylu' and lnughln'. It was
run fur them and I often done It: ven-i
trlloqulzln', I believe you call It; but
that night's the last time. Yer see, none
of the gang didn't know 'bout that, and
I don't keer ever to have 'em know It
nowi-. It saved the bank without my In
rorniln', aud that's all I care for. .'
Oh, no, Judge, the bank don't owe
me nothln'. You'll take care of the pa
pers? Thank you. I'm obliged to you
for listening, too. It kind of makes me
feel easier.
No, no, thank you, I won't stay and
take no more of your time. Don't get
up; I can And my way out.
What's that you say, Judge? You
honor and respect me me ? And the
bauk land, Judge, 'twarn't me; 'twas
my wife and children saved the bank
and I'm proud of 'em-proud of 'era'
Judge. Good nlght.-Phlladelphla
Times.
Eyes.
Artificial eyes were first made In
Egypt. They were of gold and silver
and subsequently of copper and Ivory!
Hundreds of years later, in the six!
teenth century, when they were made
In Europe, porcelain was the substance
used, and the maker usually stamped
his address on the white of the eye.
A lobster's skin when shedding sputa
down the back and comes oft In two
equal parts. The tall slips out of the
shell like a finger out of a glove.
Swedes believe that the devil baa
power over a child until It U baptlied.
f
1 f designed "nTwisri
. . especially for the use .7er M
Prairi Pimple.
Southwestern Louisiana is bordered
along the coast with broad sandy and
gravelly plains to which the name of
"pimpled prairies" has been given. This
curious title comes from the circular
mounds, arranged iu zones and ulong
Intersecting Hues, with which large
areas of the plains are covered, l'or
merly these mounds, which average
fifty feet iu diameter and attain occa
sionally a height of ten feet, were sup
posed to have beeu made by ants, with
whose nests they abound. But recent
ly Professor Clendenln, or the Louis
iana State University, has round rea
son for thinking that the mounds wore
formed liiiotigii the biowiug up of mud
by gas escaping from vents in tlio
ground. The arrangement of the
mounds in zones and Hues Is accounted
for by supposing that the gas vents
existed along the fractures radiating
from an earthquake center. "
Ancient Insects.
Recent discoveries In the coal mines
of Central France have furnished by
fur the greatest advance that has ever
been made in our knowledge of the In
sects which Inhabited tlie world mill
Ions of years, as geologists believe, be
fore the time when man made his ap
pearance upon the earth. In that won
derful age when the carboniferous
plants, whose remains constitute the
coal beds or to-dny, were alive and
flourishing, the air aud the soil were
animated by the presence or flies, grass
hoppers, cockroaches, dragon-tiles, spi
ders, locusts aud scores or other spe
cies which exist but slightly changed
at the present day. But the Insects or
those remote times attalned.a gigantic
size, some or the dragon-flies measur
ing more than two Teet from tip to tip
or their expanded wings! .The remains
or these insects have been marvelously
preserved in the strata or coal and rock.
A Kite a Mile High, -
Since an account was glvei in this
column or the high kite-flying experi
ments at the Blue Hill Observatory,
near Boston, all previous records havo
been eclipsed there. In 189") tile great
est elevation reached by a kite was 2,
500 feet above sea-level, or 1,000 feet
above the summit of the hill. During
the past summer half a dozen times a
kite was sent up more than a mile
above sea-level, and on ouo occasion
the height attained was 7,8.13 feet
above the sea, being 1.500 reet more
than a mile above the hilltop. The
experiments are made with the so
called "tailless" or Eddy kites, and the
"box" or Hargrave kites. The highest
flight was made by an Eddy kite. The
purpose is scientific, as the kites carry
self-recording Instruments by means
of which the temperature and humidity
of the .'air at great elevations can be
measured. Sometimes the kites pass
through clouds, the thickness of which
Is revealed by the record or the in
struments. '
The Wonderful Phagocytes.
When a drop or human blood Is plac
ed between two plates or glass a d ex
amined with a microscope It Is seen
to coutniu, beside the minute disks
which give it its red color, little whit
ish grains called "white corpuscles."
If the glass is warmed to a tempera
ture equal to that of the "unman body
these corpuscles, or phagocytes, as tlu'y
are otherwise called, will be seen to put
out and retract minute processus,
which, as If acting the part of feet,
enable the phagocytes to crawl over
the surface of the glass. The Russian
naturalist, Metchnikoff, has discovered
that the phagocytes In our blood feed
upon the microbes or Inrectious dis
eases, when such microbes are intro
duced into the system. Sir Joseph
Lister, president of the British Asso
elation for the Advancement of Science,
believes that this action of tte pha
gocytes, which Is scientifically unmed
"phagocytosis," "la the main defensive
means possessed by the living body
against Its microscopic foes." When
ever a wound is made in any part of
the body the phagocytes, like well
trained soldiers, rush to the breach and
make war upon the putrefactive mi
crobes endeavoring to enter the system.
Iron Quarrle.
Very Interesting fucts, not generally
known, about the iron mines of Spain,
were discussed at a recent meeting of
the Iron and Steel Institute of Great
Britain. It is from Northern Spain,
In the neighborhood of Bllboa, that the
greater part of the Iron ore Imported
for the use of British steel-makers is
obtained. Steel is made by the basic
process from iron ore containing phos
phorus; but for the best qualities of
steel, which Is made by the open hearth
process, a purer ore must be used, and
It Is that which England Imports from
Spain. "Nature," says the English sci
entific Journal Nature, "seems to nave
er.'
Tort
Until receutlv ' e.K(J
has been ,.' ' utnJ
steel In Spain. DU
been exported to EnsJ
mines or Northern Spam
as being rather n,i "
the ordinary ses JZr".
mountains themselves art
or lron ore covered naa
ft thin layer or earth. Thlsi.
and it onlv ren,i.,. ,. 8
and load if ... 7""
when If l. ung Wi
edge by Its own gravity." 1
The Great Gas Indu.t,.
The artificial gas interest ofjL
try is an exceedingly tap
extensive one. There r In ,w
borhood or 1,200 cities and O
United States lighted in large n
manufactured gas. In addltlcTa.
are thousands or homes In wnu
to being largely, ir not wholly,
ed ror cooking and heating mJL
About 600,000,000 is Invent to!
works property In this country ai ,
gas Interest is perhaps second lis
portance only to the Investment tor,
road properties.
The ens Indnotrioo .,,..,.- , .
exposition at Madison Stiuare r. J
New York City, opening on Ju i
1897, and holding ror two week I
this exposition will be shown m
practical apparatus and applta
wuicu enters into tne manufactw,,
distribution or gas as an lllumta,
or heaUng agent.
One of the reatures of the eipoj
will be cooking demonstration! y
arternoon and evening, two conpeJ
aemonstrators having been
for this work.
A gas tower or large dlmeaslou J
been arranged tor and will be one
the great curiosities at the fair; n
slating or an extremely ornamenUlt
most brilliantly illuminated spetuJ
lar piece, the dimensions of whicbif
be twenty reet at the base, and reul!
to a height or fifty-five feet, on rtl
will be artistically arranged abontJM
gas jets.
. Evidently the gas people prop
demonstrate to the public that Or
product is capable of producing tqci
It not superior lighting effects to M
claimed for the electric light.
km
Jul
ii'li
Origin of " Brother Joaathu,'
When Washington, after being d
pointed general commander of
army of the revolutionary war, ml
to Massachusetts to organize It, u
make preparations for the Mm
the country, he found a great wiwtl
ammunition and other means neceait
to meet the powerful roe he hadttmj
tend with, and great difficulty to
tain them.
If attacked In such a condition M
cause at once might be hopeleu.
this occasion, at that anxious pufaU
a consultation of the officers and otoj
was had, when It seemed no way corf
be devised to make such prepantM
as were necessary.
Jonathan Trumbull was then On
ernor of the State of Conneeficutitt
the general, who placed the greatestiH
llance on his judgment and aid, remit
ed:
'We must consult brother Jomttu
on the subject."
f ho 7onml did so. and the uowmn
was successful in supplying mw 4
the wants of the army.
When difficulties afterwards m
and the army was spread overthecom
try, It became a by-word, "We m
consult Brother Jonathan.
The term Yankee Is still applied
portion; but "Brother Jonathan" to
now become a designation of the wb
country, as John Bull has for Engl
xlm'tA Plnln
a mrnnor In Nevada recently r
soned out a verdict that was more
slble than half the verdicts nm
l"UUU" . , skit
A certain Irishman, conceivioi
.iu., .i t,.n,n nnnn some W
would facilitate Its burning, olrew
. ,i , , o teir noon v
a, suiau miraiii imi" - - " -burning
piece, but not possessing s
sufficiently quick to cut tnis u -
. iv.o The
mown lnio a uiuuuu .
lowing was the verdict delivered n
great gravity by the official. .
"tani De cuiieu ouiviw, -
didn't mean to kill himself; It
visitation of God. bekase m
struck by lightning; he dldnt me
want or Dream, 101 uc ...
thing whatsomever to brentne w .
... .. . . , J..I..U w M'"
irs quite piain ne umu :
was about, and so I shall bring w j
for want of common sense.'' .
. . hnnk. "COOP"
in tJiancueva tuuui .
n , , . t to marie Of
nenaus, meuuuu " -
.i nt 1ft had S p"
"spell," which the physician P0'.
ed "constitutional lethargic lnj
which lasted for forty day".
the age of 20 he slept for finr
t i-.i -aa mnna sleep m
ner last rewiuni on icfi 0-
almost a year from April 20, iw-
tll March, 1863..
Our Idea of something awftd
be to become a great musn
lomr hair, and then get bald.
mildSt'
When women oppow --- ,w I
is usually because oi some
feel against the women fohV
to
fit
lb.
T
hi
r