Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Bandon recorder. (Bandon, Or.) 188?-1910 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1904)
BARNEY'S REDEMPTION By A. W. WHITEFORD CorjTiKht, 1WXJ, by A. V. Whitcford the coming tost were about evcii. Taken altogether, the .Midland hud perhaps a lew less miles of track, hut It had moi hills. Ou the western divisiou it had the advantage, but on the eastern d vision It was the other way. The re test would come over the middle divl 8ion. and whoever got into hendquar ters lirst would undoubtedly win the race. As the appointed day drew near. Bar ncy's Interest increased to such an ex tent that he decided to overcome his scruples for once and go down to the depot with the crowd. That the racing train would not stop he was certain division. The first thine the men hmi lor I,e knew tl,at tl,eso c,oar track or to decide was whv it had been issued ders rcsnect nothing but water tanks and the reasons thev advanced were u,,u mai cnuics. wun pernaps an occ jTjIITIIIN six hours after the new IAI I general manager issued his fa J I mous "dry" order it was the must uiscusseu suoject on the almost as varied as the men them selves. Some claimed that it was be cause he had lost the contract for car rying the Consolidated Brewing com pany's Kansas and Iowa shipments; others asserted just as positively that It was because he would not believe the "fog" explanation for the last head-end wreck, in which two of the largest compounds on the system had been put out of service, while the bal ance contented themselves with sar castic allusions to his "prohibition tendencies" and his "devotion to prin ciple." But on one point they all seem ed to agree, and that was that it was entirely too severe. "To think." said Barney McDonald as he stod In the midst of a group of engineers and firemen just outside the roundhouse olliee. "we are not even to be allowed to go into a saloon. I won der w lu re he thinks we intend to get our checks cashed. .Maybe he intends to furnish a traveling identifier so as to enable us to walk into a bank like respectable people and have some young snipe of a clerk ask us to swear that we are the person named on the cheek. No. sir." he continued em phatically, drawing himself up to the full height of h! six feet four: "not if I know myself. I've had my checks cashed in saloons for the last twenty years, and I've never been drunk yet, and I'll do it again, too. if I feel like it. orders or no orders." After the first wave of excitement had passed and the obnoxious order had been accepted as a fact speculation be came rife as to who would be the first victim, for it was a generally accepted fact that at least the first offender would get short shrift for the sake of example. For the next week or two. therefore, everybody was particularly careful as to where his inclinations led him. and if there was any imbibing it was done so much on the quiet that not n soul could swear to having "seen" anything. The first pay day. however, saw Bar ney true to his threat. With his check In his hand he walked straight from the pay car to the nearest saloon, called up the house and defiantly threw down the little piece of paper with the order to ' "take it out of that." That the local of ficials took no notice of this was proba bly due to the fact that they knew lie was only blutling. although it might have been better if they had. for with him It was but the beginning of the old. old story. Flattery was finally the means of his undoing. The admiration of his companions, either real or pre tended, for the boldness he displayed soon had its effect. Such remarks as "iou're too good a man. Barney: they can't afford to lose you." turned his head. From a steady and reliable workman he became first careless and then reckless. Nor was this the worst. To every man who openly admired his nerve or praised him for holding on to his rights he considered himself in duty bound to show his daring until it came to a point whece he never made a trip with out taking" a drink. Some of the cooler headed ones soon saw how things were going and tried to drop a word or two In his ear. but he quickly advised them ' to take as good care of their own busi ness as they did of other people's and then see how much better ofT they would be. It came at last, however. After an unusually lively afternoon he started out on No. 2?.. as usual, but h had gone beyond his limit, and the motion of the engine soon got in its work. When he ran the Rock Island cross ing, the fireman began to suspect what was wrong ami decided to keep an eye on him. but when he tried to make the stop at O. and came to a standstill at the pump house, about two and a half miles down in the hollow, the entire train crew knew that the jig was up. The conductor v:u compelled to report the occurrence, the investigation was held the next day, and, as the trainmen put it. "Old Barney gets his six months twice a yea r." - In a short time Barney and his fam ily moved to X., a little town about seventy miles outx from headquarters, where his wife's folks lived. Here he made l.i living as best he could, driv ing a team, working on the streets or doing anything in the line of odd jobs that he was able to pick up. lie made no trffort to get back on the road, not even to the extent of circulating a pe tition for reinstatement. He realized that lie had made a mistake and was honest enough to accept the full limit of his punishment even to the extent of keeping away from the depot as much lis possible. In order to avoid meeting the men who went through on the trains. But his love for the old life ttill continued. Twenty years of con tinuous service on the road fits a man Into a groove from which he finds it im possible to extricate himself. He talked but little about railroad matters, but every item was as eagerly devoured and every change as readily noted as though he were still In the service. When the news reached N. that the Iowa packers were going to make a test between his old road and the .Mid land to decide who should get the Chi cago shipments he was among the first to hear it. and no one wished more sin- Mml-.r flio life rnml would win It to be a great race. slonal railroad crossing, and as the town possessed none of these his only satisfaction would be a glimpse of yel low paint as the refrigerators llashei by, but he considered this much worth the effort When he reached the platform, which was already well filled with people. In found them all discussing the one sub Ject. Men who had never set foot In an engine cab were busily engaged show ing just how the Midland was going to get beaten, while an equal number of others, possessed of an equal amount of knowledge, were showing how it was Impossible. Some were betting on the time that would be made, others on the amount of meat carried, and still others were telling just how much the lucky road would clear on the con tract In the next three years. Barney took no part In any of these discussions, but stood quietly at one edge of the crowd waiting patiently for the first sound of the train's approach. In a short time his trained ear detected the unmistakable rumble, and soon a thin columu of smoke appeared far down the track, and In another moment the whistle sounded. As the train came up by the lower switch he could see that steam was shut off with the evi dent Intention of stopping. "That's queer," he remarked to himself as he took a step or two nearer the track. "I wonder what's wrong." The crowd, too, had noticed by this time that something was the matter, and they began pushing and scram bling in a wild endeavor to reach the the agent's window just as the train came to a standstill, with the engine even with the depot. It took but a mo ment for them to learn what was wrong. The engineer, overcome with the heat and the strain of the excite ment, had given out and was unable to go any farther. The conductor held a hurried consul tation with the agent. "I'm afraid the contract's lost," he said gloomily. "They told us when we took water at P. that we were just about even, but here we are. laid out. and not an engineer with in forty miles. I'd run her myself If I thought I could make it. but I guess you might as well tell headquarters we've lost the heat." But the agent, whose eyes had been wandering over the crowd while the conductor was talking, suddenly caught to her place at the right spot on thr hills until her speed became souiethin terrific. The fences seemed to be van Ishing into the earth, the telegraph poles went by like wisps of straw, the trees that lined the right of way blend ed together until they resembled a moving sheet shaken by the wind, an occasional horse or cow Hashed by like a dancing dot on a moving screen, and one town after another was reached and passed like pictures on a revolving man's drop." and whqn, about half way down, It broke with a roar he knew that there was not another drop of water In the tank. The glass was a little more than three-quartern lull and five miles to go. Barney set his teeth together a little closer as the space at the top of the recording glass began to lengthen. Two-thirds, and over three miles yet! Half full three inches! The strain was beginning to tell. A look of de- WOMAN AND FASHION panorama. But on the engine there spalr began to settle on the fireman's wan little opportunity to put in any time admiring the scenery. The fire man kept his place In the middle of the deck and only let go of the shovel long enough to shake a grate or work an Injector. The brakeman, for once without kicking, was cracking coal mill! after mile without so much as looking up, and. ns for Barney, he simply sat tight, one hand on the throttle, the other fingering the brake valve and his eyes glued to the strips of ftteel that seemed to be hurled at him like two streaks of gray colored lightning. "We ought to catch sight of thum at B.," he remarked as he looked at watch. "They'll have to stop there for water, too, and It's whoever gets away from there first that wins out. At this rate we'll have that twelve minutes made up by that time, and If they don't get their water first our chances are as good as theirs." But as they approached the town of B. things looked black for their chances. The town was in the midst of a level stretch where the two roads ran par allel and in sight of one another for more than two miles. The two water tanks were scarcely more than a bun- area teet apart, as uarney s engine came into the town limits he could see the Midland standing at the water tank, the fireman up on the back of the engine tank, with his hands on the spout, ready to throw It free the in stant, the tank was full. I' or one instant Barney hesitated. then shut off to make the stop. "Only twenty miles in," he muttered, "and trus stop means ten minutes. I guess we're up a tree." But the next instant he turned to the fireman for the first time since they had started. "Hey. Billy!" he called out sharply. "Run back and see how much water we'vo got!" Billy needed no second bidding, but grabbed the broom on the With his check in hbs hand. sight of Barney and replied quickly "There s Barney McDonald. Why not give him a chance? He used to be able to turn them fast enough." The conductor glanced In Barney's direction. "It's worth a try," he said It took but a moment to call Barney to the engine. The conductor hurriedly explained the situation, winding up by saying: "Now, get up here and take the train In. I'll be responsible for every thing, but I'll guarantee that you never need worry ir ou omy get mere on time." Barney s railroad training came to the front on the Instant lie knew there was no time for haggling or ex planation. He merely said, "All right: I'll do It," and swung himself up into the cab. A gleam of his old time spirit came to his eye as his feet touched the deck, and It was with almost childish eagerness that he picked up an oil can. jumped down and began to "oil round " He hurried from one side to the other, feeling her boxes, touching up her liuks, dropping a splash or two on her guides, and In an instant was back in the cab, and they were started. "She's a bird," hetj-emarked to hlm Eelf as they began to leave the town behind them, "and brand new. Her drivers must be at least seven feet high, and that tank holds oyer 4.000 gallons. We've lost twelve minutes." he continued as he hooked her up a notch and gave her a little more steam, "but unless I'm mistaken this Is just the sort of a mill that will make it up. We've got coal enough, and we've only Tn cars of meat, got one stop to make for water. It's a all loaded in the same nvike of refrig- good seventy miles, but an hour and a era tors, were to be delivered to each half ought to get us there easy." ro;M at the western terminus, and who- That he had forgotten nothing of his ever landed them in t'hl-:ig first was former skill was soon evident from the to get the contract for the next three way the train was handled. He knew wars. The rivalry' between the two every foot of the road from one end of roads had always been of the fiercest the division to the other, and as each sort. This was due to the fact that as familiar landmark was reached and thev lay so close together It was no passed his every move clearly showed trouble for shippers to transfer trade that he was still the Barney of old. from one to the other, and the nip and The curves were approached with Just tuck scramble for the local business enough caution to keep her Inside the kept all the divisiou points at a fever limit; the hollows were gauged to a uuat nicety; she was held up at just the As Barney figured It, the chances in nroner instant on the falls and dropped I Instant, ran back over the coal, jerked off the manhole plate, reached down and touched the bottom of the tank with the end of the broom ha mile, and then, holding It up so that Barney could see how much of it was wet. he called out: "Only about thirteen inches. We'll never be able to make it with that." But. Barney appeared to be satisfied. for he turned around, gave the throttle a Jerk that brought an angry snort from the engine, and in another mo ment they had passed the water tank and were flying on through the town. caving the Midland crew gaping at them In open mouthed astonishment "How in" legan the fireman as he got back to the deck, but Barney inter rupted him with: "Here: take her a minute, and don't ease her up either. We've got one chance, and only one and we're going to take it." As he stepped down from the seat he picked up the coal order book, serib bled hurriedly on it for a moment with the stub of a pencil he found in it. tore out the page and handed it to the fir man with the remark. "Drop that to the operator at II." Then he turned, picked up the end gate and coal pick and started back over the coal. Still at a loss to account for Ids movements, the fireman glanced at the message he held in his hands, but It brought no light to his mind. All he could make out was. "Wire headquar ters 1o have the south yard section gang on the lookout for lire on the track and have the Ice house track clear, ready to load a ton or two when we get In." He was enough of a rail road man. however, to know how to obey orders, and in far less time than it takes to tell it he had folded the paper, weighted it with a small chunk of coal and turned to watch Barney. As the engineer reached the hack end of the tank he Jerked the lid off the manhole and then took the end gate and slipped the upper crossbar over the brake rod on the first car in such a manner as to allow the bottom edge to be directly over the manhole. This done, he picked up the coal pick, took a firm grip on the brake rod. braced hi? feet for an instant on the end gate and swung himself up on the roof of the car. In another moment Billy un derstood at least a part of the mes sage, lie was going to get a water supply from the Ice boxes In the refrig erator. KntireJy unassisted and with only the coal pick for an ice hook Barney haul ed up the big 'J00 pound cakes out of the ice box. ran them along the running board till they reached the end of the car, tJien gave them a iick or two wun the pick, and down slid the pieces into the tank. Although they were run ning fully fifty miles an hour, he work ed jusl as swiftly as though they were standing sfJll. Not a lick was missed, and not a cake got away from him. When the box at one end of the car was emptied he ran to the other end and began on the second one. When that was emptied lie climbed down upon the tank, took off the end gate. dropped the lid over the manhole and came back into the cab. "Now shut off your overflow." he said as the fireman yielded up ms seat. "Throw your tank valve over and open your injector throttle. We've got to get steam enough into the tank to melt that Ice. I put in fifteen cakes. They're good for twenty gallons apiece. I guess that will let us in. In fact, it's got to," he continued as he glanced at the steam gauge, for we cant spare steam, enough to melt any more." From then on not a word was said. Barney took his place on the seat box. the fireman kept his eye on the water glass, and the brakeman looked after the coal. The steam soon melted the ce, and the water ran as free as ever. Mile after mile rolled by. The last twenty miles were soon re duced to fifteen. The train's speed nev er slackened for an Instant. Fourteen miles thirteen! They were using lots of water, but the injector still worked smoothly. Twelve eleven ten! It was begin ning to suck a little. Nine eight! It was hard work now to get It to take inld. Seven six! Billy put it on this time as they started down "Middle- face, but Barney only gripped the throt tle a little tighter and leaned a little farther forward. Two Inches one and a half! Only one inch left, and they were still two miles out! How long would the boiler stand It before burst ing? The fireman began to wonder how it would feel to be suddenly lifted clear off the right of way, and the brakeman started to edge toward the gangway. In another moment the wa ter was out of sight In the bottom of the glass. Even Barney could now feel the cold sweat start out all over him. "Turn your grates, Billy!" he shouted. "Drop your fire In the ash pan and shako.lt out on the track!" Billy understood the other part of the telegraph message now, and he went to work with a will. In a few seconds there was nothing visible in the bottom of the lire box but the slowly cooling grate prongs. A mile and a half yet! The steam gauge was beginning to quiver. -A few rods farther and it had gone back five pounds. At the mile they were down to nine ty, at the half only forty; at the quar ter they had scarcely twenty-five pounds. But the momentum of the train was enough. In another moment they were In the yards, and the race was won. They needed a switch engine to set them In on the siding, but as they saw the new crew take charge.' the fresh engine couplrd on, the Ice boxes refilled nnd the train off for Chicago fully five minutes before the Midland whistled for town they did not mind being dragged around as a "cripple." and they immediately set to work to see how much damage had been done. "Never even bulged the crown sheet." said the boilermaker whom Barney persuaded to examine the engine's in terior. "It took the lead pretty well out of the soft plug, but it won't take long to fix that. I dou't think the boss '11 say anything about It" The general manager didn't say much More Than a Hint of Summer. There Is more than a hint of summer in this white voile with its off trim ming In guipure of different kinds. The loose Eton falls free over the silk belt, the guipure being disposed In h GIANT OCTOPUS. Way a Thirty Foot Monster Ctiuic to lie Cupturcil. )t the moot interesting objects Natural History museum in The One in the pus. E. it. Kennedy, the author of "Thirty Seasons In Scandinavia," not only saw the octopus, but a little later heard the story of the capture of It, as related both, by the fisherman whose boat It attacked and also by two In dependent witnesses. The fisherman was leisurely rowing on a calm day close to the rock bound shore of one of the fiords situated some fifty miles north of Trondhjem. Suddenly a long uud gjlstening arm swept over the stem df the boat and remained there. The fitjherman, astonished at this un wonted apparition, dropped his oars and sprang to his feet. Like magic anothej- hideous looking arm shot over the gunwale. The boat canted. The man, Realizing that he was attacked by some monster against which his old fish knife was the only available weapon, seized his oars nndtlabored with might and main to get his boat into a yell fug far off. to dra for thd took t slight hung in hhi.um:-:i:v voilk. revers style. The s!eevp is very f::ll from the shoulders to the deep cuff. the latter reaching to the elbow and decorated with a double ruflle of lace. The skirt is laid in deep plaits stitched down over the hips and flaring broad ly to the tucked hem. Cleveland Plain Dealer. crevice of the rocks, all the time for his mates, who were not He had to strain every nerve ; his hideous cargo after him. suckers never relaxed. When, half exhausted, he got the bow of his craft flthin reach of willing hands. It io three men to haul It up a Incline, for the monster still pn, even over the bare rocks. Then jthey belabored its head with oars and clubs. Having safely secur ed it, they sent off to the nearest sta tion and telegraphed concerning their It was at once purchased by scum and carried there after it m photographed. They stretch arms out before preparing It. The longest were each five alen. or ten feet four Inches. In length. Over all, together with the great carpet bag the monster measured thirty ross. prize, the mt had be ed its body. feet ac "Walking Skirts. Exit the sh.in. plain walking skirt. If it must . but enter the short, elab orate walking skirt. Women are at last awake to the fact that It is the length, not the elaborateness, which is a crime on the street and that a much trimmed skirt provided it clears the ground bys-weral inches, elbow sleeves and an ornate bodice are correct, even economic.-;!, for certain kinds of wear. feeling Do i Wait either. There was no gold watch pres- j The discovery has brought with It a entatlon, no eulogies were offered and , blessed relief, and the woman who no speeches made, but Barney McDon ald pulls the fast mall today over the middle division and obeys orders strict ly, ne considers that dry order one of the best ever issued. ENGLISH RED TAPE. Censure For mi OlHeer Who Saved Money For the "Wu'r Olliee. A zealous young ollicer In South Af rica who had a knowledge and love of farming made his men collect oats which fell lavishly by the wayside as column after column carrying out hay passed up country. He plowed some land, sowed his oats nnd eventually reaped his harvest This harvest. which was a heavy one, saved the country at least 2,000; But when his accounts were sent hoirx the officials at the war olliee could not understand how they had come by something for nothing. Such a thing had never hap pened before. They impugned his mo tives and accounts, and the least of Un charges brought against him in a long correspondence was that he had looted the oats. Months passed, and still the young ollicer had not been able to convince the war office that he was honest. Then a well known general In tervened and testified that he himself had watched the experiment In farm ing by which the country had been saved a considerable sum of money. At last the war office ended the corre spondence. Nothing that had been In sinuated was withdrawn, although nothing was pressed further. The olli cer Is left with the correspondence on his hands, and any onereadlng It could not hesitate to pronounce It as being In effect a severe censure. Man Chester Guardian. feels gaucherie in an elaborate srreet gown outside of a carriage is throwing this feelliu gleefully to the winds. Boston Advertiser. BATH BRIEFS. and Never bathe when overheated. Never bathe when exhausted ill. ot prolong the bath beyond a reasonable time. more than two hours after a Popular MnterlnlN. English suitings that give a mannish effect are displayed in many shades ami are not only serviceable, but quite handsome, when used for the tailor made gowns. Voile retains its popularity and is ex hibited in all evening and street shades. The louisine silks bid fair to meet with favor. They are shown in stripes and checks at popular prices. meal before bathing. In cold weather one should not go out for some time after a hot bath. Delicate people had better not bathe until several hours after breakfast The temperature of water for a cold bath should range from 32 to 05 de grees. If you are chilly and a cold bath makes you shiver it is hot the best sort for you to take. Dry the body quickly, using a dry bath bnush or a Turkish towel to stim ulate c rculation. Opinions differ as to the relative merits of a cold or a hot bath. Nei ther kind will do for all. The Individ ual con ktitutiou must be consulted. The i Ilenutlful Etnhrolderie. l-inest linens and linen lawns are most beautiful when hand embroider ed. Much of this work, especially nbroad, Is done by the sisters in con- rents, who patiently work and work the fine threads into designs of such outlined beauty that women will rave over these embroideries and will pay famous prices to tht convents for them. Unanimous. risoner Is led from his cell into THE QUEER MOROS. Sonic of the Peenllnrlt le of Thin Left Handed 1'eople. To judge Moros by inflexible occi dental standards of motives and mor als Is to lose at once the key to the situation. The very structure of their language differentiates them from our selves. Verbs are In the passive voice. The man who was slashed and killed provoked the trouble. The under dog In the fight Is always the aggressor. The thief Is not blamed for "finding" things lying about at loose ends; the man who lost the property Is the real criminal besides, he Is a fool. If he were a sensible man he would have exercised vigilance against the ap proach of the thief. Moros reverse ev erything. Like all orientals, they ven erate the past and their folklore; myths and legends abound In tales not unlike those of the "Arabian Nights' Enter tainment" They turn to the left of the road, ex tend the left hand naturally In greet ing, and the scribes write from right; to left turning the paper sldewlse, as any left handed man would do. A witty officer explained that the preference for the left was due to the desire to keep the right hand free In the event a stranger should need some thing done to him. The "explanation may not be far from the truth. Chap- Iain C. C. IViteman In Journal of tho Military Service Institution. DmN Trimming:. Most, of the new short skirts are trimmed with graduated bands of sat in, velvet and taffeta. Fancy braid ings are gaining favor among the tai lors and. with embroideries, will be a feature of the early spring season. Thick. Hat. wide military braids will be used and are very smart on cloth gowns. The Lingerie Hat. For the new shape in lingerie hat white crystalline is arranged in hand kerchief points over the brim, these being edged with a uarrow vaienci The Dcflsnt Drummer. "It was right funny," said Uncle Hosea, telling of the orchestral con cert. "A smart Aleck lookii:' feller set In the middle, an' all ter oncet the lit tle man at tho end o' the line hit the big drum a sassy rap. Well, the smart Aleck feller shakes a little stick at the drummer, an' what does he do but hit her up ag'in Jest ter show he was as good ns the next man. An, by Jinks, hq didn't take no back talk or. rather, no orders from the smart Aleck man, because he just kept a-whackin' that big drum in spite o' the boss' n-shakln' thnt stick, as if ter say he'd catch It if he didn't quit. Yes, sir; I gloried in his spunk, if he was little. An' at the end o' the tune he whooped It up on that drum harder than ever. A little man for nerve every time." A NEW SHAVE. ennes lace. The crown Is low and spreading, a thick niching of black louisine encircling it, while a spray of white camelllaB Is daintily posed In front A bandeau lifts the shape off the face and Is covered In white tulle. New York Commercial Advertiser. Smart tittle Coatn. Separate coats are named as one of the Innovations to come In the near future. Some very smart little jackets nnd blouses In black silk now shown in the shops may be looked upon as foreruiiHers of this development. They nre trimmed with lace, tucks or fancy stitching nnd nre exceedingly fetching. Connuhial IIIInm. Brother I trust that you are happy with your husband, Maud? Maud Ob, yes, ns happy as one can expect to be with n man who is talking of himself half the time and of his first wife the other half. the presence of his seven wives, for having which number he Is about to answer to the law. "John." cries wife No. 1, "see where your fqlly has led you." In a dazed manner he looked at the array of women. "How dared you?" demands No. 2. "Wretch!" shout No. 3 and No. 4. "Villain:" exclaim No. 5 and No. G. Nervously he clutches the arm of his guard. "Have you no excuse, perfidious man: demands No. i. Wiping his beaded brow with trem bling fingers, he at length stammers "I I-l must have been crazy." "You Certainly were!" agree the sev en wives, each looking meaningly at the other six. Chicago Tribune. HER PRECIOUS SPOONS. She Used Them For Show at Laac con "With Diaaatroua Result. Considerable quiet laughter has been going on among the guests at a lunch eon given by a young West Philadel phia bride the other day to the attend ants at her wedding. There had been among the hostess' presents at the time of her marriage a particularly beautiful set of spoons, and, while she had no occasion to use them at this particular luncheon, she thought that she would put one beside each cover for well, Just for Instance. Unfortunately, however, there was one stranger In the merry little com pany which sat down about the table, a pretty, outspoken, somewhat "gushy" young woman from the west, and It was she who caused all the trouble. As the luncheon neared Its end and it became apparent that the spoons were not for use she kept eying the one at her place, and finally she burst foijth with this flash of Inspiration: "These spoons what perfectly lovely souvenirs!" V The chorus of praise was immediate ly taken up by all about the board: The confused hostess found Explana tion impossible, and every guest went away from the house with one of those precious spoons. Philadelphia Press. GOING SCOT FREE. Old The Source From Which This Saying: Emanated. The origin of the old saying, "Going scot free," is this: Scot from the Anglo-Saxon "sceot," a portion, signified in old law a customary tax or contri bution laid on subjects according to their ability and embraced all paro chial assessments. The conclusion is obvious namely, that to escape "scot free" was to avoid all such payments of dues and taxes. Before the reform act the right to vote for parliamentary and municipal officers was vested exclusively in pay ers of "scot and lot" Rastall (1558) speaks of It as a certain tallage for tho use of the sheriff or his bailiff, and In Kent the usual rates paid in Romney marsh for repairing sea walls are known by the same name. "Scot," says Camden, "is that which from various sources Is gathered Into. one heap" literally that which is 'shot" into a general fund, from the Dutch and low German "schot" This maj- have come to us through the old French "escot," diner a escot to dine at an ordinary where each guest paid ds "shot," and any one who did not contribute would be said to get off 'scot free." London Answers. THE WORD HUMBUG. There Are Various Plausible Expla nations of Its Origin. The word "humbug" has been traced back to the title page of "The Uni versal Jester, a choice collection of merry conceits, bonmots and hum bugs, by Ferdlnando Kllllgrew, Lon don, 1735-40." The following nre the most plausible and possible derivations: In the time of James II. a worthless coin was minted at Dublin from a soft mixed metal, which became known as ulm bog, pronounced Ooombug 1. e.. soft copper, worthless money. Some see in It a corruption of Ham burg, from which town so many false reports came during the war of 1709 ISOb that such news was received with "Oh, that Is a Hamburgl" Others refer it to hum, in the sense of hoax, and bug, in the old sense of bugbear. Others say It Is merely hum buzz, used in combination to signify sound without sense. Others, again, think that it was first applied to Hom berg. a chemist nnd an ardent seeker of the philosopher's stone. Notes and Queries. Butter as Medicine. Blnirlcal EnVot of the Snnnhlre. """" -uu"uuu " .muij To the sapphire has been ascribed Miat. peoPle use 11 ana arcelr ever the following magical properties: That it prevents wicked thoughts; that It is such an ieuemy to poison that If put In a glass -Ith a spider or venomous rep tile it will kill it. St Jerome In his think what wonderful value lies at their hands in the pats of dainty yel low cream fat But this delicate fat is as valuable as the dearer cod liver oil for the weakly, thin people, and doc- cxposltion of the nineteenth chapter of to hnv frequently recommended the t-'uuug oi uiuuy uiiu sncea oi Qreau. Isaiah says that the sapphire procures favor vjlth princes, pacifies enemies, frees from enchantment and obtains release from captivity. This gem was sacred to Apollo and was worn when Inquirjng of the oracle at his shrine. It was esteemed as a remedy against fevers. Sleeping In n Cannon Tho interior of a cannon Is perhaps the last place In the world one would assoclato with a siesta, and yet India possesses a gun which Is capacious enough to form a chamber where of ficers retire for a siesta during the heat of the day. This cannon, which thickly spread with butter as a means of pleasantly taking into the bodily tissues one of the purest forms of fat It Is possible to get Butter la a car bon, and all excess of It Is stored up as fat in the body. It gives energy and power to work to those who eat heartily of it; so It is not economy at table to spare the butter even to tho healthy folk. Flayer Xails and Disease. It is interesting to watch the history of a case of disease as recorded upon the finger nails. When wo look at the patient's nails, we see on each of them Is beyond question the largest In the a distinct ridge, showing that the por- world, is probably also one of the old- tl" of the nail which has grown since the acute attack Is much thinned out If a person has broken hla arm within eighteen months, the ridges on the nails of the hand of the affected arm mny be seen, while they will be absent on the other hand. The more acute Gin Eyes. thf Illness tho shnrner will he th The earliest notice of artificial eyes rI(lge. Extreme anxiety and mental depression have the same effect on the nails as physical disease. est It was cast nearly -100 years ago by a famous chief of Ahniednugger, and came Into English possession when India was conquered. London Standard. II Ih IniprcnNlon. "Of course j'ou believe that polyga my Is wrong," said tho man who was discussing the Mormon question. "My dear sir," answered Mr. Meek ton, "It Is not only wrong. It's fool hnrdy." Wasli-ngton Star. I am acquainted with occurs In a very rare work by the French surgeon Am brose Pare, entitled "La Methode Cura tive des Playes et Fractures de la Teste FTunialne." Paris. 1501. Pare gives a description nnd figures of artificial eyes to be worn In cases where the eyeball has given way and ail the hu mors Have escaped. They are to be segments of a hollow sphere, made of gold, coated with enamel painted In natural colors. With the exception of the gold, they nre exactly like the eyes In use at the present time, which are made wholly of glass. Notes nnd Queries. Fortune Through Failure. "I owe my success In life to politics." "Why, I didn't know that you had ever held office." "I never have, but I ran for office once nnd ,got so badly beaten that I turned from politics in disgust and took up the line that has brought me a fortune."-rChlcago Record-Herald. IUffht and Left Handed. It Is curious to notice the vagaries of humanity in cases where no hard and fast line has been already drawn. Al though most right handed persons put on their coats left arm first a consid erable percentage thrust In the right first Soldiers fire from the right shoulder, but sportsmen are found who prefer the left In working with a spade a proportion of right handed men grasp the spade with the left hand and push with the left foot and right hand, though when using an ax the samo Individuals would grasp farthest down with the right Cham bers' Journal. Too Violent nn Innovation. "You tojd me you had an original lden In vonr novel." 1 hnoV'hvns thp ronW "hut th ,iJ ',a sat behind Mm and laughed. Un Usher discovered It in tho nroof iwt frunately the gun kicked, and the How It Happened. Is it true, ma," asked the little rab bit, "that pa was shot by an amateur gunner?" "Certainly not," replied the mother rabbit "You see, the amateur gunner was shooting at me, while your poor and made ton Star. me take it out" Washing- man sat down on your pa and killed tiim." Philadelphia Press.