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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1886)
WniTU AS SNOW. Gcorgo WiKitherly, ia the Quiver. From morning until evening Ho nought for pence nnd rest Rest for 11 wcury Mt tit It.. IVnco for iv troubled breimt; Hut vnln u'tin nil bin pocking From dawn till net of huh; IIi'h pIuh lay liruvy on lilm, And comfort there wns none. Then, in tlm gathering twilight, Ho knelt lilm down in prnyer. And tlio Rturfl hhonc In upon lilm, And mulled upon hint there; And while hu told liin Father OI'hIii'iibTiIucI; iih night, Tho pure unite snow fell oottly And hid the eurth from sight. And when, in hitter sorrow, Jle lo kud into the night, lichoid, tho eiutli hIioiio brightly, Wrapped in itn roho of while! And the proniino culiie lo cheer him, And bring him pun re: "Although Your hi'iih tuny ho us Miirlot They ahull ho ivliito iih mow." THE HUNTERS' HOLIDAY. rho Trl.-iln mill Trlhlilittionx of 11 Cblrngn IVost Slclo Woman Who DftnriiiiuiMl to lliivo iiltoino of Jlt-r Own, unci How Slio Mud HorOwn Wiiy. Sonic years ago Henry Hunter wns bookkeeper for a Lake street firm. And so ho is still. Years ago his salary was twenty dollars a week. It id just the same now. In faet for twelve years Henry Hunter lias sat at tlio same desk, kept tlio saino set of books, and drawn tlio same compensation for his services. Ten years ago he was mar ried, and tlio few hundred dollars ho had saved was spent for household goods. Ho and his wifu rented .a $25 house on tho West Side, and, of eourso lived up to their income. Tho wile dressed fairly well and so did he. They of course, went to ho theatre, and Henry smoked cigars, and oc casionally took a drink. Two years spedby and they wcrohappy and had 0110 child and plenty of hope for tho future, but no money. At times, in fact, thoy were a littlo in debt to tho grocer and tho butcher. Then Mrs. Hunter began to talk about getting a homo of her own. She seemed to sot her heart on it, and Hen ry talked about it, just to humor her. Hut ho had no more hope of getting a homo of his own than ho had of (lying 01T to tho moon to look for gold That is, not for many years to come. Ho was willing enough, oven anxious, but his familiarity with figures and linauces was sufficient to show him tho great gulf there is between a mod erate salary and a homestead. Hut Mrs. Hunter continued to talk of tho homo sho honed to occupy. Woman like, she had yearned, and, woman like sho refused to bo comforted by talk ol what would happen in tho far away future. Ono evening Henry camo homo from his work, and, after tea, settled down with his slippers, his paper and his pipe. Mrs. Ilunterluid been unusually reticent during tho meal, as a. woman always is when she has something of unusual importance on her mind and the inevitable accompaning desire to talk about it. So Mrs. Hunter bided her time until the tea was finished nnd tho dishes, cleared away and then sho began; "Now, Henry, 1 want to talk to you seriously." Ho reluctantly removed the paper from his oyos, and took tho big pipe from his mouth. "I was over to Mrs. Smith's to-dnv," Mrs. Huutor went on, animatedly, 'and what do you think? They aro buying a homo of their own. Mr. Smith's salary is only $18, but they cay ho can easily pay for it." "So?" replied Henry, with a grunt, and resuming his paper. "Yes," his wife kopt on, "and I don't seo why we can't do the samo thing. Your salary is $2 a vo k more, and I know I 1 nin quite as economi calor, at least, lean be as Mrs. Smith." "We'll seo about it next vear," said Henry wearily; "maybe I'll got a raise in my salary." And then ho resumed his paper, and pulled vigorously at his cooling pipe. "Hut 1 don't want to wait," persist ed Mrs. Hunter, I'm tired hearing about tho increase in salary which nover conies, and I'm tired of paying rent and lighting with tho landlord about repairs, too. If the Smiths can get a homo of their own I don't seo why wo can't." "And how on earth?" queried tho man with the pipe, "do you supposo tho Smiths aro going to livo and pay for a house on $18 a week?" "Why, they aro in a building asso ciation, and they pay so much a week, and that pays for the homo hi eight years." "And what is a building associa tion?" "1 I don't know, but I'll run over in tho morning and ask Mrs. Smith," replied Mrs. Hunter, a littlo abashed. "I'll tell you what it is," saiil tho lord of tlio rented houso with that air of superiority which tho best of husbands put on at times, "it's a scheme by which llnanciering fanatics think thoy can uet soniothingfornoth ing, by which they can pull themselves up by their boot straps, as it were, "ion don't catch mo in any of those schemes." And Mrs. Huntor's meekness return ed to her with a realization of her ig norance, and sho said nothing. Tho paper and pipe were resumed, silence roignod, and tho wife got out her stock ing bag and inendea nose, saying not n word, but keeping up a lively tnink iuu. Tho noxt evening, having in the meantime seen Mrs. Smith, sho tried to toll hor husband what a building association was, but that impatient man listened none too sj inpothmiigly, and quLstioiiod the correctness of his wlWirgilrW and Mrs. Smith's state jnents and ruthlessly exposed tho falsa financiering of tho building asso ciation plan as ho undei-tood it, and finally mixed Mrs. Hunter up so that she had to go oil in the bedroom and cry from vexation. Most good hus- bands can tell when their wives aro, crying, even if there area doen walls! intervening, and Mr. Hunter was that' kind of a man. It may be perception,! instinct, the superiority ot man, or! conscience that tells him. Hut what-' over it is, on this occasion tho bus-, band threw down his paper and went, in to seo nbont it. Of course ho wiped' away her tears and took his pipe out of his mouth long enough to kiss her and call her by her first name, and tell her not to cry any more. "I do do so want to uet a homo of our own," sho gasped, between sobs, "and I think we might try and bo careful, Henry, or you'll spill hot ashes on the baby and send it into convulsions." The little rain-cloud passed away, but nothing more was said about homes or building associations that night. The very next evening, how ever, .Mrs. Hunter sat down in hor husband's lap, pub her arms about ins neck, looked linn in tho eves in her old way, and said: ".Now, dear.Ihavo a littlo renucst to make of you. Will you grant it like a good husband?" And of course hegranted. Few men refuse their wives' ronuests under such conditions. Then Mrs. Hunter made known her desires. She wanted to run tho finances of the household. Give mo vour salarv overv week." she said, "and 1 will take caro of ev erything. You work hard, hubby, and you don't want to bo worried by these iittlo things. Husiness men like you have enough to bother them without paying butchers nnd trrocora and landlords. We'll make a barcain you keep out $!5 a. week for your personal expenses, and I'll have tli3 rest. That gives yop fifty cents a day for lunch and street carfare. When you want anything clsu come to me." Tho baruayi was niado and Mr. Hunter lived up to it. Ho gave Ins wife seventeen dollars every week, carefully retaining and always spend ing his and was glad of thoarrango ment. Ho had no trouble about any thing, and smoked his pipe in peace, unworried by the coalman, ihe butch er, tho grocer or the landlord. The $!5 a week kept him going nicely, nnd altogether it was a satisfactory ar rangement for him. Mrs. Hunter liked it, too. Sho was pleased witli the responsibility and with tho care and theschoiiiingtoninko both ends meet. She seemed to have some object in life besides tlio moro routine ol household care. The first thing she did, of course, was to take out her pencil (sharpened with tho cai ving knife) and figure up her pros pects. "Now, lot's see, said she to herself. "Income $1 .0-10 a year; out of that wo must pay rent, $:!()(); groceries and meat. $250; coal, $50; Henry $150; clothing, newspapers, miscellaneous, $100. I think we can get along on that if we are not sick, and that" will leave mo $100 a year. Lot nio seo; Mrs. Smith said their thirty shares in tho building association cost them $15. .'55 a week that is $105 a year. We can do it;" So-this is what Mrs. Hunter was driving at. She had not given up tlio building association idea. Hut tho meek, sly, littlo woman kept her own counsel, and in about a week (after consulting and pledging to secrecy Mrs. Smith) went around to tho office of tho building association and took out thirty shares of stock. This cost her $7.50 cash, and she had to make' payments of $ 15.75 a week. Sho was confident that sho could do it, but sho did not find it so easy. There wero very few cents left after all tho bills wero paid. Then she began to look about for cutting down tho expenses. Sho bought a cook book and studied kitchen economy. Shegot a sifter nnd sifted tlio coal. Sho induced Henry to give up the t hirty cents a week paper ho had always read and take ono for fifteen cents a change which ho did not liko at first but with which ho was soon de lighted. Tho new paper pleased liirn immensely, "Of course," ho said, "the dillorenco in price is only a trifle, but I prefer tho cheap paper at any price -it is so clean bright and handy. Ho didn't stop to think that his wi'fo hod saved $8 a year by slyly inducing him to change his paper. In many other ways Mrs. Hunter cut down tho family expenses, without at all inter- tenng with tho comfort which her hego lord loved so well. Hut her most suc cessful strike was at tho landlord. Tho Hunters had always paid their rent promptly and taken good caro of tho house, and when .Mrs. Hunter pub on her boldest air and blunt Iv told tho landlord that tho rent was too high and that there would bo a mov ing out unless ho came down in his price, tho landlord camo down liko a littlo man to $20 a month. Well, this thing went on for several months and Mr. Huutor know nothing of tho build ing association investment. Ho fre quently qu'tzzod his wife as to tho re sults ol her linnnciiruig.nnd praised her wnon ono snowed mm a little roll ot mils which sho had saved and tucked away in the middle bureau drawer. Ho didn't scq how on earth sho could do it, nnd then, of course, Mrs. Hunter had to give up her secret. Sho had not intended saying a word for two whole years, but two years is an eter nity to a woman with a secret. Ho was surprised, and also pleased. J Us pride was at first a bit touched at tho thought that his wife would go ahead in such a venture without his counsel and consent; but ho soon thawed suf ficiently to say that as long as tho in vestment had been made it had bettor bo kept up. Hut such is masculine nature ho failed to display any curi osity as to tho nature of the scheme. What Mrs. lhnter told him ho lis tened to patiently, but what sho didn't know or forgot to tfll him was not inquired about. Soon three years sped by, and one day Mr. Hunter camo homo with something on his mind. He was not long in working it oil. An acquaintance of his who had suddenly to leave tho city wanted to sell a nice lot at iiiuch'lcss than its value for cash, and Mr. Hunter knew it was a bargain, and did so wish ho had tho money. "Tho lot is worth $000 if it is worth cent," he declared, "and I could buy a cent it for $000 cash. In two years it will be worth twice the money." 'Lot s buy it, said tlio wife. iWI.Mt ...ft 1.9" "What with? "With my building association money, of course." And then Mrs. Hunter surnried Mr. Hunter by showing him tho last quor-. terly statement. She had paid on her' snares $ibh.uu, ana sue could now withdraw $720..'5O. Nor was that all she had saved in cash and tucked away in tho middle bureau drawer more than $150, and she didli't bee why they should not buy the lot. The next dny she went to tho office of tho association and told the secre tary sho wanted to withdraw her shares and get tho money on them. 'Hut why withdraw?" asked tlio sec retary; "if it is money you need, de posit your certificates as collat eral security, and wo will loan you the money. You can keep your bharc'3 up just tho same. It is for your interest to do so!" Sho took his advice, left her cer tificates, and carried away with her $150, tho cash on a loan of $(500 .with tho 25 per cent premium deduct ed. With this$150and theSl 50 saved tho lot was purchased bo'ore dark.and Mr. Hunter felt ptoud of his wife. Hut still he would not interest himself in details of tliobuildingassociation. "It is your s-clienie, wife," he would say, "and you havo done so well thus far, just you keep it up. I shan't meddle for fear of spoiling everything." Another year passed, during which Mrs. Hunter had need of all her econ omy. Besides the $0.75 a week duo sho had now to pay $1 a mouth inter est, but Mr. Hunter proved himself a worthy helpmeet to so good a wife by walking to and from town and carry ing his lunch. "I'm tired of riding in Jones' old Eitrect cars, anyway," ho said, "and I'm also tired of the res taurants. I believe it is healthier to walk and to cat a snug little lunch t han to ride in the stuffy old cars and swallow tho poorly cooked stuff wo get down-town." This was a great help to Mrs. Hun ter, for it enabled her to cut Henry's allowance down ono half, and that mote than paid the interest. And so the little roll in tho middle bureau drawer began t o grow again. At the end of tho year Mrs. Hunter surprised her husband by proposing to build a house of their own on tlio lot they una purchased. Ul course lie consent ed, and such a delightful time thevdid have looking up plans and liguri.ig on specifications. At last they agreed upon a snug cottage costing only $1500, and both expressed their sur prise upon discovering what a nice lit tlo house could be built for that sum when ono pays cash lor everything. "Hut can w"o raise $1500?" queried Mr. Jiunter, a littlo incredulous, not withstanding his increased respect for his wife's financiering and the myste rious building association. "I think we can," sho replied, and next morning sho put on her wraps and called on the secretary, whose smiling face she knew so well on ac count of her regular weekly visits with tlio dues. "Of course you can havo $1500," said tho secretary, promptly. "You have thirty shares, on only seven of which you borrowed. There are twenty-three remaining, and on each of these you can borrow $100, less 25 per cent, premium. That will givo you$L725, which is more than you want." 'And besides," said Mrs. Hunter, her pride mastering her modesty," "I've got $75 in the buieau drawer at home, and tl at may conio in handy." So arrangements wero made for building tho cottage. Tho contract with tho builder was signed, the mort gage to the association executed, and the littlo house grew quickly, being all tho time closely watched by Mr and Mrs. Hunter. At length it was finish ed, the contractor went to tho build ing association for his money, insur ance was taken out, and the Hunters moved in. At last they had a homo of their own it was at least partially theirs and how nice and clean and bright and sunny everything was, and with what pride tliey "fitted tlio car pets and tlio curtains and arranged their humble stock of furniture in tho cozy rooms. Mrs. Hunter still kept tho family finances in her own hands. She paid everything and bought everything. There was now to pay $t. 75 a week dues on tho shares, i? l a month inter est on the $150 borrowed for tho lot, and $Lt5. 1515 a month interest on tho $1500 borrowed to build tho houso with. This made total payments of $.'5;s.;S a mouth, but as there was no longer any rent to pay the doninmis were easily met and occasionally some money was spent for new furnituroand for improvements about tho place. "Just think," said Mrs. Hunter, "wo will havo our homo paid for in n few years and we aro now paying out on it only a littlo moro than we used vo pay in rent." "When did you say wo would get through paying?" inquired Mr. Hun ter displaying a little curiosity. "At the end of eight years lrom tho time I first took out tho shares," re plied his wile, and then adding, "sc the recretary says." Week after wiok and month after mouth Mrs. Hunter continued her reg ular visit to the ollice ot the associa tion, and at last the flowers bloomed for tho spring of 1SS5, and tho end of tho period ot probation and trial for tho homesteaders was but a few months away. Hut during the sum mer Henry fill sick and had to leave his desk lor t-ovoral weary months. There was a doctor's hill to pay, and lots of expeiiees, and only half of an income to meet them with, for the Lake street linn generously continued him on the pay roll at half pay. Hy the oid of this $10 a week, and tho'littlo roll in tho bureau drawer, Mrs. Hun ter managed to pay most of the bills and keep up tho interest and the dues. Hut it was a weary struggle, and tho dooto.r'6 bill and at Inst tho drug bill nndHhur bills began to mount up at nn alarming rate. Along in Novimber Henry resumed Ilia work, und $20 a week came in very handy once more. Butitscemed only a drop in tho bucket. Tho bills came in faster than tho dollars, and at, tunes mis. iiuntcr was so discour aged that sho felt liko giving up the payments on tho home and takinctho consequences, whatever thev might be. I But sho didn't. Always on Mondays sho scraped together tho nnnnios and II..! 1 t1 1 it dimes and mndo another journey to the little office. Weeks and weeks ago ueignuors uegnn talking ot Christmas, and the children (for the Hunters now had a pair of littlo ones) began to get crazy about it. Hut there did not seem to be any Christmas in tho Hun ter household. "Wo will will not run in debt for Christmas if wo never haveanythiiig,". said Mr. Hunter, doggedly. ' "No, wo won't" added Mrs. Hunter,' positively, "but we'll have a Christ mas, anyhow. Tho secretary told mo to-day that just beforo Christ inas our period of eight years in tho association will expire, and our inortgngo will bo released, and we'll have a littlo Christmas after all. It isn't every family can have a house and lot for a Christmas present, is it?" This was more encouraging, but two orinreo tunes a (lav tlio Dills were coming in, and tho butcher and grocer wero giving credit grumpily, and tho coal man was threatening suit before the justice, and there was no turkey, and no tree, and no toys for tho chil dren except a few penny trifles, nnd nothing for papa and nothing for mamma, and the neighbors were con tinually running in to tell of tho nico tlurgs they had purchased for so and so this is a littlo habit neighbors have, especially if they suspect tho wolf is at some near door and tholifo of poor Mrs. Hunter was made well nigh unbearable. Wednesday evening Mr. Hunter camo homo from the store with a week's salary in advance. Without a word ho placed it in his wife's hands, and turned away. She went into tho bedroom and cried. "I've a mind to let th dues and tho interest and the horrid bills go." she paid to herself, "and buy something for the children and Henry. It is hard not to havo any Chris"- and hero sho broke down. During the wakeful hours of tho night both she nnd Mr. Hunter thought of the cheerless holi day so near at hand, of tho nico tilings their few dollars would buy, and of the mortgage which could be lifted on the morrow. But Mr. Hunter threw all responsibility of decision between the two courses upon his wife, as men so like to do. Mrs. Hunter hesitated nnd cried a little, but next morning she told her husband that they would havo loast beef for Christmas dinner if tho butcher would trust them and the mortgage would be lifted that very day. Mr. Hunter sighed and buried his face in his newspaper, and soon after ward wentsullenly to his work. Mrs. Hunter bit hor lips, tried to be brave, and, with tho precious money in her purse, went once more and for the last time to the ollice of tlio build ing association. The secretary handed her the cancelled mortgage and the deed, wished her a merry Christmas, and congratulated her upon her perse verance and her ownership ot her own home. "You'll have a merry Christinas, in deed," ho said lightly, "with your tree and your presents, "all beneath your own vine and fig tree." "Yc-yes," faltered Mrs. Hunter, you are very kind," and then sho turned to go. "Hold on," said tlio secretary, "you havo forgotten something. This be longs to you." And he held out a small piece cf paper. Mrs. Hunter looked at itwon doringly. Her heart's beating seemed to cease as sho held tho little paper up and riveted her eyes ilpon it. "I do-don't understand it," sho faintly whispered in her excitement. "What queer hands at business you women are," replied tho secretary. "You seem to kirtw everything, and then you go and overlook something big. Don't you know that you bor rowed ol us $000 for your lot and $2,000 lor your house? And you have carried thirty shares, which ma .lire to-day, bringing von $15,000? That leaves you $100 surplus, after paying your dents, and there is your check tor it. (lo down to the bank and get the money. Hope you'll havo nice i iirwiims, inadaine. And in all Chicago there was nohap- pier Christmas than the ono thoy had at tho Hunters. Tom Scott's Fate. Washington Cor. Clovrlund Lender. A friend of Tom Scott, tho noted President of tho Pennsylvania Hail road, told mo recently how Scott's choosing ot railroading as a profes sion hung on the flipping of a penny. Said ho: "Tom Scott told mo the story himself. Ho was the toll col lector on the Pennsylvania Canal at Columbia, when the railroad authori ties, healing that ho was a bright young man, offered him the position of Ltation agent at Altoona. Scott was popular, and when ho told his friends of his offer thoy urged him to refuse it anil stay on 'the canal. Ho resisted their importunities, but finally taking a big red copper in his lingers, said: 'Hoys, I will lot the fates decide. Heads is Altoona nnd tails Columbia. ' Ho then threw the copper into Mie air with a twist which sent it into a dozen somersaults, but it fell and the head was uppermost. The boys then said that one trial was not enough. It must bo the best two out of three. Scott consented to this, and threw onconioro. His next throw was heads, and so tho railrond won. Had tho copper fallen on theothor side, who can tell what the future would have lenn?" m - mi - A Chineso merchant in New York has received a letter stating that not long ago tho little villages of Ko ond .hi, fifty-five milos from Hong Kong, quarreled about tho sito for a templo. Tho difficulty culminated in tho burn ing of both viilacw and the killing of nearly 1,000 people. JOUItNALISTIC CHANGES. A Liberal Ailvprtlarr nnd n Ilemnrhably Slirowil i'ubllslier. From the Turf, Field nnd Farm Ho was an old New Yorker, and he talked with tho precision of theprinted page: "Would you believe it? When tho Tribune was started it refused to publish theatrical advertisements or to chroIclo the movements of players Now it F,tves much space to the stage When Mr. Bonner was pushing the Ledger, ho bought a page in tho daily, Bemi-wcekly nnd weekly Tribune, agree ing to pay $3,000 for it. After tho advertisement had appeared in tho daily Mr. Greeley raised tho objection that it would hurt tho weekly, which hod a largo circulation, to allow such Hr man to occupy so much space in it, .Mr. Bonner insisted that the contract should be carried out in good faith, but Mr. Greeley was obstinate, and the matter was compromised by no charge being made for the page occupied in Mr. Bennett, the daily. When tho founder of tho Herald, heard ot the transaction, ho said to his trusted heuten ant, Joo Elliott, thatthoTribulio peo ple wero foolish; that no advertiser could ask for too much space at tho regular rates in the Herald. Mr. Klli ott repeated this conversation to Mr, Bonner, and tho proprietor of the Ledger quickly remarked, 'Tell Mr, Bennett that I will take eight pages of his paper.' As tho Herald was an eight-page journal, the advertiser put in a bid for its entire space. Mr. Ben nett was equal to the emergency. He put on sixteen pages, three pages of tho Ledger advertisement going into one-half section and five into the oth er half. This was tho first time the Herald over issued a sixteen-page pa per, and tlio leat was regarded as something wonderful. How different at the present, when moro than thir- r,wo pages aro sometimes caught and folded from the press. Sam Sinclair, tlio publisher of tho Tribune, lived at that time in Twenty-eighth street, near JMghth avenue. J ho morning that the sixtcen-pago Herald came out ho took his seat in tho street car and bought a copy of Mr. Bennett's paper. When he opened tho first half and saw three ot tho pages monopo lized by the Ledger a scowl camo over his faco and ho tossed tho sheet over his shoulder through the open window. Mr. Bon ner, who had got into tho samo car one block higher up, was amused by Sinclair's act, and ho called out: 'You havethrown away tho lesser part; you will find tho greater in what you have kept.' Mr. Sinclair colored to tlio roots of his hair, and opened thesheet and was greatly surprised to see that livo of the pages wero given up to the Ledger. Tlio fact then dawned on him that ho and Cireeley had niado a mis take in refusing to carry out tho con tract with Mr. Homier for ono page in the Tribune. The first Sunday Herald was issued to get rid of tho left-over matter which encumbered the galleys. It was an experiment; but it brought such good results as to lead to the es tablishment of a regular Sunday edi tion of the paper. Mr. Bennett was quick to sie.e a point and profit by it. Now all tho morning journals, includ ing tlio Tribune, print a Sunday issue, and it is really theelaborateniid most costly paper of t ho week. The changes in the newspaper world aro marvelous to an old-timer like my&olt." A far-away look camo into the eyes of tho speaker as ho uttered tho last words, as if tho faces of tho older Bennett, Horace Greeley, Henry J.Bayinond and other journalistic stars rose before him from the mists of tho past. Then he mut tered boniethiiigabout time moving on with remorseless tread, indifferent to change, and thrust his hands into his pocket and walked away. An Alabama Romance. in tho spring of 1805 soveral ladies of Cahaba, Ala., collected their silver and jewelry together and buried it near tho town. Among tho ladies were Mrs. Sail 10 A. Hoberts. General E. W. Pettus, Mrs Thorn and Mrs. M. M Tho ladies took tho valua ble package late ono afternoon in Feb ruary and with their own hands dug a holo and buried their possessions to hide them from tho Union soldiers, who were at that time passing through tho state. When tho ladies wero bury ing tho box thoy littlo suspected they wero being watched by a party of ne groes, who waited awhile until they wero out of sight and resurrected the box. The valuables wero scattered on tho ground and a division mndo. After tho excitement ot tho war had passed tho ladies decided to unearth their longed-for treasures. When tho 6pot was reached tho box was found empty. Alleffortsto recover tho prop erty were in vain, and tho owners bo caino reconciled to their losses. Time, with its changes, rolled on, nnd tho families became scattered through the states of Louisiana and Texas. A few days since some members of the Pettus family wero dining with Mrs. General Pettus at hor homo in Selmo. Tho party included Mrs. General Pettus, Mrs. Anthony Jonos and Mrs. Frank Pettus. During the conversation tho ladies -began to discuss tho war, and how hnrd it was to savo tho silver ware. Mrs. Anthony Jones said: "That reminds mo of some silver spoons an l forks left by a Union of ficer with the Ferguson family that I think must have had a history. Tho silver had tho initials J. A. T. on them. 1 havo "card thnt the officer mode every offort to find the owner of tho silverware, ond when ho could not ho left it with tho Fergusons, stating that it was not his and would leave it for tho owners. He left for tho north and the Fergusons went to Brazil. On thoir return the silverware also re turned to Solma. Tholadiesgrewjvery interested nnd identified tho silver from tho doscripticn given as that buried by thorn t wonty years ago. The silver was identified "and returned to tun owner. Solma (Ala.) Times. ! The Brnff Farmer. The self-satisfied man is nn inflic tion that all desire to ovoid. He i would not change his farm for the whole Hussian Empire. He can do more work in a shorter period of timo than any man living, lie con lift more, walk further, andVs getting rich faster than anybody Ho is aquainted with; while there aro very few things that ho will admit of being ignorant of. lie belongs to tho world's jncorrigibles, whom there is no convincing. He walked into tho country post office, where ho was always sure of an appreciative and attentivo audience, threw his dirty mittens underneath J-ho red hot stove, turned his back to it, and began: "Mighty told weather we're ahavin' nowi .My thermometer was down to twenty-four, last night." As no ono could come within six de grees of such extremecold, not asound, was heard except ono disbelieving Y cough that was half strangled. "Butter's coming up," ho said at length. "Got twenty-two cents for what I sold yesterday. But niinowas extra, you know. I've got tho name of making tho best butter in this ere v county, and it alwavs brines tho high est figure. Made threo hundred and twenty pound to thocowthisyear.and I'm bound to do better than that. next. And I've some of the best cows there is in this section, everybody says, uncro am t ono larmer m a dozen that knows a good cow, unv way; and then they don't know how to feed, for profit. 1 suppose I get moro off from ray seventy acre farm than most farmers do from a hundred and twenty acres; and it's just 'cause I know how to manage. "Now, when T bought that farm I hadn't but lectio to pay down. But I'vo vni'l.-ii1 r'ln;i r n' ilnlit. rnh mm o' the best houses and biggest barn iii thisV town, and am getting along jest boss. But I tell ye, 1 vo got ono o tho smartest women for a wife. Sho can cook a splendid meal o' vittles, and do a big washin', and don't get any outlandish notions in her head, like some women. "Children all take after me, though. They jist push right ahead and think they are as good as anybody. I calculate to do well by cm too. Whoever marries my girls will get something basides plated spoons and photograph albums. And tho uoys ain't going to bo left by anybody. Tom's colt can leave anything on the road, now, and he's only a four-year old; while Jake can saw and put up his four cords of wood alone, any day He s got the best saw 1 could find hero a-bouts. Tell ye what it is, boys, it don't pay to buy cheap tools to work with." A boy camo in for his father's mail. Ho had a basket of eggs that had cost two cents and a-half apiece. "What littlo eggs," said the brag farmer. "My hens lay eggs twice as largo as theni. Got the finest lot of fowls von over see. They're halt Ply mouth Hock. Wo just havo loads of y eggs, and tho woman sold lorty dol lars worth last year tell ye there's a bic profit on poultry. Yo want to raise early chickens and sell em as soon as they're largo enough for br'il ers. Then, through warm weather, pack down your eggs and keep 'em till Christians and yo can sell littlo eggs for a w hopping big price." Killed your hogs? some onoasked in order to havo a change of subject. "Why, yes! Hadn't you hoard how much thev weighed? Biggest pigs over fatted in this community, springpigs and thev averaged 1500 pounds." "s.iv.did vouever hearot Ananias asked a meek looking man with many patches on his clothes and an equal number of blotches on his faco. Yes, of course! Name is familiar. Seems to mo he used to keep our school when I was a boy." d "hhouldn t be surprised," was the reply. "Guess you always passed ex- animation, didn't ye?" "01 course! I always stood head of the class," was the confident reply. Smiles threatened to become ex plosive, when tho boy with tho eggs piped out: "Didn't yo know that Ananias was a liar that lived moro'n eighteen hun dred years ago?" "N o?" exclaimed tho farmer, hesi tatingly. . "Well, bygoll, he could have descendants, couldn't he?" as ho picked up his scorched mittens and made a rush for the door, to get a ride homo. "Tell you what it is, boys, there's such a tiling as being too wed satisfied with one's self and one's possessions, isn't there?" "Should say bo," was the reply. "But ho didn't tell it all. Ho might havo said lie was tho biggest fool in town" "Ilo'd a lied if ho had," said the small boy. "There's two or three bigger'n he, and" "That will do, sonny. You had better go home with your littlo eggs,"V said another. "All right! And that makes mo think of what Mrs. Ware said when I camo along past your houso. Sho wants you to coinostraight homo and dig soino wood out of the snow nnd split it, for the tiro was 'most out," said the boy, as ho pulled his o5d cap down over his ears and disappeared through tho door. Tho opening strain of "Over tho garden wall" was cut short by a gust of w ind laden with snow that froze his tuneless whistle, instanter. llis remark reminded others thnt there was a shortago in their family supplies. There was a general uj4ts ing, mid, to tho great delight of the clerk, Uncle Sam's postal museum was vacant for the next sot of loungers. Vocaville (Cal.) Jndician: Sid Walker cut a watermelon on. Wednes day tho 13tli of January. Thero hns been so littlo frost in that part of Yo caville that tho melon vines up to that date wero untouched by frost, ond tho melons have beon growing right along ns if it were mid'summcr. The flavor was little inftrior to ifs uormal character.