i r
6
MORNING SONG.
8rectbenrt, tlio night is over, tho mists hurt
shrunk away:
Tho niornlutc lenms nro gathering dew Uro;
from the nprny,
And every leaf
Villi n rnnlnrn UL-n to crlcf
Is a quiver with tlio kisses of the summd wlndl
at play.
Forth let us strny, dear, while 'tis summer time;
All tho world la gay, dear, nt for love anu rnyme.
Sweetheart, como. let us andcr j tho patlis are
blossom strewn:
There arc. daisies for your tresses, tbero aro pop-
pies for your shoon.
Let their beauty and their glee
Make a tender thought for mo
Ere tbo Rummer day lias floated to tho golden
gates of noon,
"IVhy should we part, love! when true lovers wed
Summer s In tlio Heart, love, wnen meir uioom
is dead.
Bauiuel Mlnturn Peck In Homo Journal,
TIIEJHMLEYS.
I found myself, ono Septamlicr morning,
ftandliig by tlio slioro of n beautiful llltlo
sheet of wnter among tlio Susox bills, Jn tbo
northern port of Now Jorsey, In n sort or
Hip Van Wlnklo study. Tbo metamorphosis
had lieen sudden and completo in my sur
roundings. An hour or tw o ago I bad been
la tbo whirl mid bustlo of netivo city lifo.
Now I wns in tho midst of penco mid (pilot,
among rami scenery that was restful to tho
eye, heart and brain.
Tlio sheet of water nt whoso edgo I was
landing was dignified by tho nnmo of Lake
Wnnnynndn an Indian uppcllallon, as I nf
terwniil learned and was a dimluulivo picto
to bear tho liiiiuo of lake.
But it was very beautiful, as I recall it, on
that blight September morning, nestled
among tho lowering bills nud framed by tbo
foliage of tho trees, mid vrith a margin of
green formed by tho low growing bushes and
grasses. It wus early in tho day, and the
first rays of tho sun had begun to look over
tbo ragged tops of tho unoven ridgo to tho
eastward, iukI with n blnzo of glory thoy
presently Hooded tho bosom of tbo crystal
Jako lying in peaco boforo mo.
Ilocks cropped out from tbo surfaco of tho
ground everywhere, and loose bowldors lay
on tho siilo of tbo precipitous hill whoso feet
were laved by tho clear waters of tho little
lako. Theso bowlders, by their precarious
touuro of tho ground, suggested to mu tho
idea that Sisyphus of old had lieen cngnged
bore, mid that tho bugo stones, seemingly
ready to topple down into tho lake, wero evi
dences of his herculean andinconipleted task.
Theso vorduru clothed foothills, immedi
ately surrounding the sheet of water, were
but Liliputinu pickets, thrown out in ad
vanco of tho towering mountain ridgo, mid
contributed pleasingly toward tho pretty and
imposing landscape.
As I returned to tho littlo red farm house,
about 100 yards from tho lake, I saw for tho
first timo Kuto Bliulcy, tlio pretty blonde
daughter of my host. She seemed n girl of
about 18, with n rather sail expression upon
her attractive face. As 1 raised my but to
salute her she gave mo n nod mid a smile,
but that smilo was a forced one, mid there
was no soiitaueity in her greeting. It was
not dillldeiiee that checked her attempt nt a
courteous anil friendly return of mi' civility.
There was evldei.tly n cloud over her ynung
lifo which she was trying to illiimliio by u
forced ray of pleasantry that it might not be
noticed by u stranger.
Sho was a pleasing contrast In her plain,
neatly lilting gown to the maidens 1 had
been accustomed to see nt tlio fashionable re
sorts. It was beuuly utmdoruod; purity and
simplicity combined; a picture of innocence
that would have been so very bright but for
tlio sadness that tinged ,her face.
After breakfast 1 went out in quest of
amusement of some kind to while nwny the
hours that would prove tedious without some
bort of activity. Strolling over toward tlio
bugo barn, I notlrod two figures Hitting on
the immense Hut rod; in front of (he great
doors. One was John lllmley, my host, and
tho other was his brother-in-law, Tom K.klns.
Ulniley sat moodily watching tint other
man, who scouted engaged in chiseling souiu
initials In the hard traprock. This rock was
flat and smooth, mill was on a level with tho
ground surrounding it. It was, )ierlias, n
square of about leu feet, and formed n
natural pavement in front of the lingo barn.
The two men wero conversing as I sauntered
up, and, utter acknowledging my presence
with a nod, they seeuii-d no way loth to con
tinue their conversation.
"Tom, you've got your Initials cut on that
corner, now cut my iiiimo In full in the center
of this stone," said Bliulcy,
Tom looked nt lilm for n moment sharply,
and seemed to discover something in the
man's tones or looks.
"Pshaw I what do you want to advertise,
yourself in that way fori"
"All right; if you don't do it I'll got somo
ono else to cut I hem for me," replied Blmley,
in an unsteady voice.
Just then Kate passed tbo barn on her way
to the spring, casting an anxious look at bor
father as she passed,
"God pity that poor motherless girl when
I'm gonot"
lllmley uttered these words in u low tono,
half to himself; but I caught them, though I
think Tom did not, as bo was busily pounding
away in tho finishing touches to his engraving
a little farther off.
Hut Tom bail evidently been thinking of
Bltnloy's request and the probable motive.
Ho ceased bis work, and, facing his brother-in-law,
said:
"See hero, John, I'll cut your nnmo for you
on ouo condition, and that is that you will
stop moping and brooding."
"Agreed," said the elder man, but I detected
n cynical smile on bis face that contracted his
assenting mood.
Having nothing clso to busy himself with,
Tom proceeded to mark out tho design for
this memorial tablet at once, and his skill
surprised me when I examined Ids lesser work
tn the corner, now completed.
lllmley, iipKivutly satisfied that ho bad
gained bis lut, went olT toward the lake in a
listless, moody sort of way.
Kate suddenly nppeaml around an anglo of
the barn and snldt
"Uncle Tom, don't put tho name on tho
rocUl Don't please!"
There was real terror in her tones that
startled Tom into examining her face. It
wns hltiuchcd, and her lip quivered on she
stood there with ouo deprecating hand raised.
"Why notl' demanded Tom, surprised.
"Oh I I can't tell you. Hut please don't cut
tlio nnnio there!"
"But I'vo promised I would, and Joan w ill
bo furious if 1 refuse now."
"Well," Mid the glrl.Kidly turning away,
"perlinjw you're right,
From Tom I now learned tho cause of Blm
ley's depression. It seems ho wn soon to
leave hi farm driven out by tho inexorable
mortgage, Failure to meet his payments of
in teres', short croju and n combination of
misfortune bad culminated in tho less of the
proprty.
My heart ached as I looked after tub
inotlierloi girl, left not only destitute by the
withdrawal of n mother' loving care, but
left ulso with the fearful burden of a father's
living, double sorrow pmslng very heavily
upon her ouiiB shouldors, and veiling hei
youthful luce will, prematura sadness.
llish up on one ot tho venduro clad foot-
Llllsl saw tho lwwed figure of John Blmley
moving slowly toward tho summit. He
paused at tho top, and, looking back with ono
earchlng glance, ho disappeared down tho
further sldo. I wns about turning my atten
tion to tho carver's work near mo, when I
saw tho form of Knto pass swiftly mid noise
lessly out of the undergrowth at tho top of
the bill and also pass out of sight down the
other side.
"John's guardian angel," said Tom Ell.ins,
without Mopping the thuds of bis mallet, in
reply, apparently, to my questioning look,
turned upon him.
"John's terribly down In tho mnutli slnco
Mary died," ho continued, aiming some
heavy blows at tho bright steel chisel for a
deeper cut. "I think he takes on more about
Mary thuu ho does about the farm."
It was clear enough now. The girl's ropug
nauco to having her father's name cut in the
rock; her constant sohcitudo about Mm; her
itealthy pursuit of him over tho hill. Shu
rend more in his oye mid his silence than Tom
Hlkins did in his short sentences. Life was a
burden to him. mid not even the strong cord
jf Knto s lovo would bo nblo to bind him to
.arth for long.
That samo nftcrnoon John Blmley viewed
Tom's nearly completed work in the center of
the flat rock. He smiled sndlv ns ho said:
"Tom, put tho dato underneath it." It
teemed to dawn on Tom's mind that his
arother-lndnw meant this work to be n
posthumous tablet a gravestone.
"See hero, John," ho said, jumping up and
nylng n hand on his arm, "you liavo no call
X be brooding about your grave yet. I'd chip
)ut tho whole business if I thought"
"No, no, I don't do thntl"snid lllmlev, forc
ing a laugh. "I was joking. Say. Tom," said
le, suddenly changing in tone and looks, "if
inythiug ever should happen to mo you
mow whnt I mean I want you to tnko care
f my girl." His voice was broken and
mireely audible, and his baud trembled vio
ently as he grnstied tbo ono extended to him
y Tom Elkius. "Now promise me that," ho
nliled, witli Ills whole soul in the words.
"So hell) mo heaven, 1 swear it!" said Tom.
jrrlnging the hand ho held. "Don't you worry
wont u mi, joim."
At the near nnglo of tho great barn, toward
.iiich tho men's backs wero turned, I caught
)ut ono glimpso of a fair w hiio face, and I
ihought I heard a stilled sob as Kate quickly
irow tincjc into concealment.
'1 his sort of thing was getting too painful
Hid somber for me, mid yet I wns held to tho
ilaco irresistibly. I could not liear to leavo
iho girl with no other comforter and pro-
fcctor than this good naturcd but unobservant
I'om I-'Iklus, with the sword of Damocles sus
X'lided over her young life.
I wished to got nwny from tho gloom that
Blmley wns creating in this qulot, rural re
lent, anil yet I longed to lo near, and, If
josslble, avert tho blow from Kate's head: or.
'ailing in that, I, perhaps selfishly, thought I
night find a plnco in onocornorof that gentle
lenrt, and cheer and comfort her in her great
nlscry.
Notwithstanding her sollcitudo and such
onstnnt watchfulness, I had several times in
luced this girl to accompany mo on short listi
ng excursions out on the lake. V rowed
nit nearly to the bank farthest from Unnley's
.'arm, where tho pickerel wero always abuud
int and hungry. Kate, before leaving her
'uther, would Insist that Tom Klklus should
villain close by him, mid, in n vicarious way,
uko her place as guardian angel.
Uno day, however, as her father was asleep,
ixhnusted and tired from having sat up all
Jio night before, sho consented to permit
foiii to accompany us, somewhat against her
w ishes, and very much against niino. I had,
n our excursions together, mado no littlo
)rogreSs, I flattered myself, in tho task of
lispossessing her troubled mind of the idea
ihat her father meditated any harm to him-
iclf. I had succeeded, I admit, in this work
)y adopting methods that seemed best mid
jleasantest to myself; methods that wero im-
uensoly self satisfying to tho comforter.
llenco 1 was nvorso to the presence of a third
arty; but I could not help myself, so X
fielded gracefully.
Wo were having mi exceptionally good
atch this day, and Knto's fuce wore n, flush
)f excitement, and her eyes wero brighter
linn usual. I sat watching her nuimated mid
pretty fueo while Tom was unhooking a lino
pickerel from her line. It was n very pretty
picture, and I was revolving in my mind
iouie expedient for gutting oil' with her next
;ime, unknown to Tom Klklus, that I might
bave mi opportunity of speaking about some
thing closer in my heart than sjduy, scaly
llsh.
"Dang! bangl" came two sharp (reports of
pistol, which tho tall, rocky mountain's
tace replicated with so distinct intervals that
they seemed like four shots.
"Merciful tlo.ll" screamed tho girl, at
tempting to leap from the boat in the direc
tion of the lllmley home.
1 ceued her as 1 om seized tho oars, and os
wo ilow over the still water ICato clung to mo
u it terror that mado her unconscious of her
lotions. She did not faint. Her eyes Wire
riveted to mine us the boat skimmed toward
tho shore. 1 saw then what made mo happy
iven in that tragic hour. I read In her gaze
x look of love. Not that floating, nlry bliss
9f happiness that comes to lovers under more
uispleloiiH circumstances, but a deep, appeal
ing, clinging love; a helpless lovo that lw-
leeches mi echo to its sadness, a imrtnker of
It pain. I pressed her more closely. Tom
would btippoio, if ho supposed anything about
it, that 1 was trying to keep her from flinging
herself into the lake.
Wo wore soon flying up the slope toward
the house. Wo rushed in together. Not a
toul was there. Out we went mid toward tho
barn. A wild cry of pain from Kate, who
oad outstripiKsl us In her great haste, told tho
dory of the rash deed.
Two forms were lying prono upon tho Hat
rook in front of tho great barn doors. Ono
was Biiuley's, tho other was that of his guar
dian angel. His guardian angel had relaxed
tier vigilance just long enough to eriuit tho
consummation of this deadly deed.
Two ghastly holes In lliuiley s liody revealed
the outlet of his tired life.
l'oor Kate, orphaned, shocked, senseless,
clasped the nerveless hand ot her father.
Wo took her up tenderly and carried her
Into tho house, where sho soon uncovered. A
low moan was the only reply sho mado to my
comforting words.
On the flat rock I road theso words graven
there. John Blmley had scratched the dato
with an old knife: "John lliuiley, September
17. 18S0."
Tho sun was going down liehlnd tho ragged
ridgo of tho mountains, just tinging tho lake
witli its departing glories. Wo three stood
by the edge of tho lake talking over tlio phuu
for tho future,
"You will go with mo, Kate, and you shall
have a homo as long us I have one," said Tom
Klklus, heartily,
ICato glanced from Tom to vo, ami lack.
"I don't know, Undo Tom," sho answered
almost in a whlKT,
Kate and 1 had a short conference, unknown
to Klklus.
Whut!"sald the latter, fixing his eyes In
tently on her. "Don't knowp
I don't think sho will accept your kind
oillces, Mr. Klkliw," I interposed. "Kate has
Clven mo tho right to put in a much Itcttcr
claim than yours, It you are her uncle, to taut
rate of John Hlmloy's girl now,"
Kate coi rolKjruted this statement by put
ting her Laud iu luiuo. - -m .
THE COTTON PLANT.
ITS NATURAL HOME IN ASIATIC
TROPICAL REGIONS.
India Said to be tlm Mont Ancient Cot
ton Growing Country Cotton round on
tlio Wrstnrn Coiitlin-nt Tlio l'lrst Sen
Island Cotton.
Tho cotton plant is a child of tho sun. Its
natural habitation is in tlio tropical regions of
Asia, Africa and America, but it has been
acclimated and successfully cultivated o.s far
north as tho thirty-sixth degree of north lati
tude Its cultivation covers a verv largo Kr
tion of our globe. In tho eastern hemisphere
tho rnngo of its cultivation extends from
southern Kurojio on tho north to tho Cajio of
Good Hokj on tho south; iu tho western
hemisphere from Virginia to southern Brazil.
It has Ijeen most successfully cultivated, how
over, between tho thirtieth mid thirty-fifth
degreos north latitude. Humboldt found it
growing in tho Andes at an elovntion of !,000
feet, and in .Mexico at (5,500 feet. Boylo re
ports it cultivated at an elevation of -i,000
feet iu the Himalaya. Such elevations, how
ever, nro not favorablo to Its best develop
ment. Botanlcally, cotton belongs to tho
natural order malvaceiu, genus gossypimn.
Botanists differ ns to its proper classification
into species; some enumerating as many ns
ten siecies, others seven, mid others only
three, as necessary to a clear discrimination
between tho ilistiuclive hnrneterlslies recog
nizable, after mnkingdue allowance for differ
ences resulting from soil mid climatic in
fluences. ANCIENT COTTON OllOWINO COUNTItV.
Tho history of the cotton plant antedates
In its beginnings tho commercial annals of
tlio human family. India seems to lmvo leen
tho most ancient cotton growing country.
Kor five centuries before the Christian era
her inhabitants were clothed in cotton goods
of domestic ufncturo from tho liber
grown upon s m soil by her own crude
methods.
Notwithstanding uld proximity of China to
India, it was not until tho Eleventh century
that tho cotton plant lecmno an object of
common culture iu China. Tho flint mention
mado of cotton iu the records wns 200 year.
before the Christian era. From that time
down to tho Seventh century it is mentioned
not as nn object of industry, but ono of inter
est and curiosity; mi occupant of the (lower
garden, tho beauty of its flowers being cele
brated iu poetry. In tho Eleventh centurv
field culturo of cotton commenced in China,
but owing to tho opposition of tho jieople, es
pecially those engaged iu growing mid manu
facturing wool and Max, it was not until l'MS
that tho cultivation mid manufacture of cot
ton wei-o well established.
Central and South America mid tho West
Indies grow and manufactured cotton long
before their discovery by Columbus, who
found the plnnt under cultivation, and the
peoplo using fabrics made from tho stnplo.
At tho conquest of Mexico by Cortes, iu 1511),
ho found that tho clothing of the Mexicans
consisted principally of cotton goods; the na
tives of Yucatan presented him with cotton
garments and cloths for coverings for hi.,
huts, while Montezuma presented him with
"curtains, coverlets ami robes of cotton, flue
os silk, of rich mid vnrious dyes, interwoven
witli feather work, that rivaled the delicacy
of painting."
FLAX INSTEAD OK COTTON.
Egypt seems not to have either cultivated
cotton or used its fabrics at a very early date,
since the cloths in which tho mummies were
enveloped wero of flax instead of cotton. In
deed, it appears Hint those nations which were
early celebrated for their manufacture of line
linen wero slow to substitute the cotton for
tho llax.
Spain was first of tlio European states to
grow cotton. It was introduced hero by tho
Moors in the Tenth century. The first cotton
was planted in the United States in KWI.
"Carroll's Historical Collections of South
Carolina" mentions tho growth of tho cot
ton plant iu that province in Hit!). Iu 17,iil
it wns planted iu gardens iu Talbot county,
Md., latitude north. At the commence
ment of the revolutionary war Gen. Delagal)
was said to have had thirty acres planted in
cotton near Savannah, Ga. In is stated that
in 17-1S, among tho exports of Charleston, S.
C. were seven bags i cotton w ool, valued nt
I'll 1 Is. 6d. a bag. iJSother small shipment
was made iu 175-1, and In 1770 three more,
amounting to ten bales. In 171 eight bales
shipped to England wero seized on the ground
that so much cotton could not bo produced in
tho United States.
Tho first Sen Island cotton was grown on
tho coast of Georgia in 1780, mid its exporta
tion commenced in 1788, by Alexander Bis
sol, of St, Simons Island. Iu 1791 tho
cotton crop of tho United States wns ,000,000
pounds, of which three-fourths was grown in
South Carolina and one-fourth in Georgia.
Ten years later, 1801, -IS.OOO.OOO pounds wero
produced i.),000,000 jwunds of which was
exported. Professor J. S. Nowman In Ameri
can Agriculturist.
Tho Lives of Longshoremen,
But, however much of adventurous inter
est there may lx among these more wehxl
forms and expressions of Now York harbor
life, the truer interest centers iu the thou
sands of toilers whoso lives are pax-ed on tho
docks and in tho holds of vesels where tho
countless products of labor and nrt leavo us
for tho old world, or are first set down for
tho new. These, nro the longshoremen; and
there nro 18,000 to "0,000 of thein necessary
to handle the outgoing and Incoming freight
of tho harbor. That is n largo number of
icu. l)eK'ndent upon these alone are nearly
enough human lieiugs to populato a large
city. Their yearly earnings are from $10,
000,000 to $12,000,000. They ure rough, haul
mid uncouth, hit nro marked by such a
geniality of uaUire that the key to it is diffi
cult to discovei when the soverity of their
labor is cgnsidciod. Their vocation is not a
tmde; but you will seldom find any class" of
men requiring any more actual animal
strength, constant dexterity and downright
skill.
As a rule thoy are uneducated men, tho
Irish nice largely predominating, but if you
will for ono day watch the loading or un
loading of any great steamer, the nmrwlous
endurance, alertness, and brightness you will
discover thorn pos.scs.stHl of will give you a
better judgment of the iniiHirtmieo they hold
to tho intricate mid largo affairs of any great
seaboard city, while you will bo filled with a
genuine resjtect for tho sturdj accomplish
ment iu their unregarded calling. Nor would
it bo an unoctio esitorionco. For every Hag
ot every nation is nlove these vessels as thoy
are taking mid giving, Every raw may lie
studied in swarthy seamen. Every object
that tho mind can recall or understand is
taking its place for the hither or farther
destination. And the fancy easily courves all
seas, and lands with tho going nnd coming,
tho gainings that uiv involved, and tin. pleas
ures of the human lives that are rukcu in
theso mighty outivachiugt of tho purposes ot
men. New York Cor. Globe-Democrat.
Tho die was destroyed after .1,000 of tho
Jubilee 5 gold pieces had Uvu coined, ami
they are now selling at u premium. Oiw ot
them brought (10 in Londou recently.
All Hlght, Do Soto.
Ono day last week on old man with a bald
head, and obviously with a drink or two
stowed away in tho placo whero a drink does
nn old man tho most good, boarded a Van
Buren streetcar and looked around for a
6cat. Of courso ho found none, and, on ap
pealing to tho conductor, was told that he
would Ihj ablo to find him ono by tho timo tho
car reached Western avenuo.
"All right, Di Soto," replied tho aged pas
senger. Tlio conductor finished his faro taking and
resumed his jwrch o:i tho rear brake, but the
old man's wordi kept ringing in his ears.
" 'All right, Do Soto! All right, Do Sotol'
What the thunder did ho mean by that?'1
tho conductor asked himself, and ho finally
beenmo so worked up about it that ho went
in nnd asked tho old man whnt it was ho had
been giving him.
"Oh," said tho delighted old party, with n
chucklo, "in 1658, when tho first Atlantic
cable was laid, they got a fow words across,
you rememlier. Ono of tbo messages which
came from Vulenein, Ireland, iu responso to
nn inquiry how tho wire was working, was;
'All right, Do Soto.' Do Soto was tho opera
tor's name, you know, nnd, by gosh, that was
tho last word they did get through that old
cable lieforosho went back on 'in complotcly.
For months that was nil you could hear in
this country. It was in every man's mouth.
Whenever wo wanted to say that a thing was
p nil right, when in fact it was nil wrong, we'd
say, 'All right, Do Soto, seof That wns what
I nioant when you told mo I'd got a scat nt
Western avenue. I know that this car doesn't
run any further, mid so do you, you young
scoundrel" Chicago Herald.
"King Out" nil tho Orowlers.
A miller sat in a chestnut tree,
And cracked nomo ancient nuts for mo.
Ho said that Hour w as as cheap as dirt,
That his bank account was badly hurt
lly tho profitless trade of the dying year;
That Hour va3 low and wheat was dear.
King out, my merry chestnut bell,
King sharp and clear, and to him tell
That thlj same tale he told before,
And hid him tell it nevermore,
Tho builder of mills, in his easy chair,
To mo doth often sadly swear
That business to tho dogs must gj,
If prices keep so very low;
Tlmt things look darkly blue nnd drear,
And says, "Oh, shoot tho glad New Yearl"
King out, oh, trusty chestnut bell.
King sharp nnd clear, and to him tell
That this samo tale he's told licfore,
Aud bid him tell it nevermore.
Now let mo sit In mine office chair,
With my good big pen nnd my frowsy hair,
And lot mo writo that "In eighty-se? en
Uoth millers nnd furnishers llnd their heaven)
For prices will rise and profits will grow,"
And then I can say, "I toil you so."
Hut hark I do I hear a chestnut bell!
No, 'tis only a card, with words that tell,
As I lay it. away on my dusty shelt,
"Somewhat of a liar 1 am myself."
Northwestern Miller.
Gamester.
I watched the smile on her rosy lips
As I hunched tho cards and sho stacked tko chips;
"Olvo me IhB pack, my deal,"
A tlourish, a flash, tho shutlling done,
Sho dealt me n hand, and I said In fun:
"This time tho 'pot' I'll steal."
An nee, two treys, a queen, a jack,
Hut the card I wanted wns In the pack
A "bob tailed Hush" 1 saw.
"One card," I said, when tho beta were mado;
I split tho treys nnd drew a spade
'Twivs a club I held before.
With her card alio tapped her snowy chin,
And laughingly paid : " I nlways win,
Come, I'll bet you nil I've got."
" I'll take you," said I anil I saw her start
" I'll 'raise' you one and bet my heart "
Sho " called " mo nnd lost tho " pot."
Tid Kits.'
A lljronlo .Toko.
John Taylor, in his reminiscences, tells us
Mint ho was much in tho habit of visiting the
green room of Drury Inno theatre in order
to cultivnto an acquaintanceship with Lord
Byron.
"Ho nlways." says Taylor, "received me
with great kindness, nnd particularly one
night when 1 hnd returned from a public
dinner nnd met him in tho green room. 1
had by no means drunk much wine, yet ns I
seemed to him to lw somowhat heated and
appeared to be thirst, ho handed mo a tum
bler of water, as ho said, to 'diluto' me."
Detroit Free 1'iess.
Ho Knew Where They Mad llccii,
Do Hang Have you seen anything of my
slippers, Johnny i
Johnny No, sir.
Mrs. Do Hang John nonry, mind what
you say.
Johnny I ain't soon 'm pop, honest.
Mnmnia kep' my head downf a low I couldn't
soo a blamed thing. I ain't sayin' nothin'
nbout feeliu' 'm, though. Tid Bits.
A Dismal Failure.
Sweet Girl And so you havo been on tho
plains for ten years?
Handsomo Cowboy Yes, this Is tho first
timo I've leen back into real civilization.
"Now please tell mo, in Mint lonely life, so
far removed from tho refining influences of
civilization, you know, what did you miss
mostl"
"Oysters." Omaha World.
Short Smiles.
"I will now quit fooling," said tho phy
sician us ho wrote out a prescription, "and
proceed to business." Then ho mado out his
bill. Philadelphia Call.
Colored Hunter Hold on dar, Alio I You'll
strain dat gun fus' thing you knows, tryin
tcr shoot dat duck so fur ofT, an' do weepon
nebber will bo no mo' 'count. Texas Sitt
ings. When a man becomes firmly convinced Mint
ho is a genius, it is then that the fringe slowly
begins to form on tho bottom ot his trousers
leg. Life.
"There is always sunshino somowhere,"
says an exchange. If it wero not for such
littlo bits of information as this how stale, tint
and unprofitable this world would bo I Bos
ton Courier.
Lawyer Now, you say you've known this
couplo for years. Witness Yes, sir. Ever
soon them quarrel! Nover. Thoy'vo always
lived together in unity, ehf No, sir; in
Swanipsvillo; that's about four miles from
Unity. Judge,
A clergyman relates that on ono occasion,
after marrying a couple, an envelope wns
banded tohim, which be supposed, ot course,
contained tlio nmrringo fee. On owning it
bo found n slip of jvipor on which was writ
ten, "Wo desire your prayers." Now York
Daily News.
Tommy was taken very sick, nis mother
discovered that bo bad been cnUng too much
preserved stuff, nnd while awaiting tho doc
tor's visit, implored him to tell her tho causi
of it. "Mother," ho said, finally "Mother,
Mame Duffy rejected my suit, aiul," hoai-soly,
"it drove nu to jam,'' id Bits.
Pittsburgh Tramp Madam, if you'll fill
mo up with n good dinner I'll saw somo wood.
I'm willin' to toork. Woman (.hortly) You
know very well wo bum nothing but natural
gas. Pittsburgh Tramp Well, gimme suthln'
to eat, an1 I'll turn on tho gw for you. Har
per's Bazar,
M ALLIGATOR MARKET.
A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW OR
LEANS SAURIAN EMPORIUM.
Trices Itnngo from Fifty Cent to 8300.
Ilow They Aro Hunted led Twlco n
Week Sent to Kurnpe ns Curiosities.
An Old 1'ellow.
"How do you sell tho lionst, madam P
asked tho Inquisitive reporter of a quiet look
ing woman, wfio was tho ono jicacefiil object
iu tho screaming, noisy world nbout her.
"Well, I hardly know how to nnswer that
question," sho responded, her voice pitched
hlh .enough to penetrato tho chirping,
squeaking, cawing and crowing of tho con
gregation of feathered folk fluttering nbout.
"You see, they como nt most any price, and
when f tell you wo get ull tho way from fifty
cents to $200 apiece, you can understand
how prices vary." As is well known, sugar,
oranges nnd nlligators form three staples in
Louisiana exports nud internal revenue, nud
it wns to discover the exact condition of tho
crocodilo mnrket, mid whether the spring
catch had been good, that a visit was paid
yesterday to tho big tanks on Churtrcs street.
There is n lavish liberality nnd n free, un
stinted prodigality in tho wny ono of theso
reptiles Jays eggs that would discourage any
thing short of n patent incubator. Why,
without half putting her mind to it, and iu u
poor season nt that, she will fill her nest
with soventy-fivo eggs nnd crawl nwny, com
fortably assured every last ono will produco
a healthy littlo yellow mid black wriggler.
Just hero it is that tbo ex- ert hunter comes
iu for n soft thing. He knows tho favorite
laying grounds of tho alligator hens as thor
oughly as Johnny doc? his bantam's nest in
tho barn, and when the timo comes for tho
exhausted mother to conso from her labors,
ho simply paddles out, fills his ennoo witli
tho thick skinned, ponrly globes, and feels
suro of a flue return later on.
Alligators aro brought into town in every
stage, from nn embryo state in tho egg to
great, angry monsters n dozen feet long, tip
ping tho scales hundreds of pounds. Mn:i
hunt their hideous gntfto after dark, stalking
tho swamps, dragging lagoons and wailing
through low, ooay marshes, whero vast num
bers of nlligators) abide. Several methods of
capturing them are resorted to. Those
caught with hooks are only fit for immediate
killing, ns thoy sicken and dio in short order.
Tho big ones nro lassoed nnd smaller fry
snared in a heavy seino mndo for this pur
pose. Tho hunter realizes ho is after danger
ous game, with lots of vicious habits, mid so
besides blinding their stupid eyes by a lnmj
worn in his cap, ho is prepared to send a
soothing bullet whenever necessary.
After bringing in his find of eggs, tho croc
odile farmer heaps them iu boxes and simply
deponds on timo.to do its perfect work. In
tho course of weeks the infant gnaws and
claws nt tho hard shell until ho finally squirms
his way into the world. There is as much
dilTeronco in the skin of the young nnd old
ones ns iu n babv's complexion as compared
with a grown person's. Their hido is ns nril
Hant as if polished, n bright black and yellow,
which grows dingier mid rustler every year
thoy live.
Passing through tho big bird store tho alli
gator region is rciched. It Is a pretty, gar
den like place, with tender, lacy vines
trained In delicato festoons up tho lattice
against the dark brick wall. Great red pots
hold rich foliage plants that lend a tropical
nir to tho spot, fitting tho inhabitants of tlio
long cemented tanks. Theso troughs nro
built six iu n row, the occupants being care
fully graded according to size. There is very
littlo family nll'ection among them, parents
rnrely hesitating to sacrifice their ofTspriugon
tho altar of a healthy appetite. Survival of the
biggest is an unanswerable law to which all
must succumb; consequently they nro elassi
fled into two nnd three year olds. Twice n
week the water must bo changed for tho Falu
brity of tho ntmospbTo. Thero is a notorious
untamable odor about an alligator that must
bo regarded. It is tlio perfumo ho brought
from his wild, freo lifo iu tho forest, and
hangs about him with unvarying steadfast
ness. Twice a week refreshments aro handed
round, beef lights as a rule, a delicacy for
which alligators havo a very pronounced pen
chant. Tho half grown variety eat from flvo
to six at a meal, distending their uncomely,
shapeless stomachs until tho receptacles rcfuso
to hold another particle. Thoy feed only at
intervals, but hnvo voracious appetites then.
They are very ugly creatures, with wretched
dispositions, as tho reporter had a fair oppor
tunity of discovering. Hanging over tho sido
of tho tank in playful, almost intimate, rela
tions with tho beast, his sheltering umbrella
gave a tip too far and touched tho extreme
point cf tho thing's snout. It wns enough;
with n terrifying bellow and blowing oil of
steam tho infuriated being rose two inches out
of tho wnter and sent his observer exactly
three feet in tho air. It was a severe shock,
and has generated respect, if not admiration,
for tho alligator's sensitiveness. Lying in tlio
sunshine, o very grizzly feature is accentuated.
Their great shovel beads float on the water
with stupid, evil eyes that blink like yellow
excrescences on a mud colored surface. A
tiny, minute slit in the snout admits enough
nir to enable them to muko a sound frightful
enough to scare tho stoutest hearted.
The keeper of tho tanks said hundreds were
sold yearly to traveling showmen, numbers
being sent to Kuropo as curiosities, besides
many that were bought by northern visitors.
Saloon owners buy them constantly to keep
on their counters as an attraction to jwssssj,
Chicago aud St. Louis being uoticablo among
the number. An artist hero iu town sts
them up with nil sorts of comical devices. Ho
stuff' them up with cotton, nnd fashions
preachers, lawyers, gamblers, organ grinders,
cotton handlers and duelists out ot the ridicu
lous littlo figures. One, u burlesque sceno iu
court, was very particularly amusing. These
are sold very cheaply and a pretty fair trade
is driven.
Tho saurian merchant has a perfect treas
ure that ho keeps in closoqunrtersnud guards
as the fairest jiwcl of his entire collection of
beauties. It is a huge, evil smelling, sluggish
reptile, measuring twelve feet, whoso ago is
calculated at 150 yevrs. Ho lies sprawled out
on tho floor of his trough iu a state of torpid
stupidity. Tho creature looks bored to death,
and with enough impotent malignity in bis
depraved yellow eyes to devour every visitor
who studied his uuhandsomo proportions.
Tho tropical beast is entirely out of placo
surrounded with fresh air mid tho perfumo of
flowers. One fancies him crawling slowly
from the beat and sluuo of somo low lagoon,
lying iu wait for prey that has no chauco bo
t ween those weighty jaws. Littlo niggers and
crocodiles are iudiasolubly connected iu the
ordinary imagination, and ouo instinctively
looks round for the black juicy morsel to
gratify his hungry, homesick heart. New
Orleans Times-Democrat.
Origin or the lluitle.
Women will l interested to know that tho
bustlo is of Persian origin. Nott, in his notes
on tho "Odes of Haflz,H defines the "refaight"
as a kind ot bolster which the ladies fix to
tho under garment to produco o, certain
roundness, thought by them to bo becoming.
Chicago Tribune,
OUR OWN.
Tho littlo child that sits besldo our feet
May rob us of our strength and rest so sweet,
Aud causo our way with cares to bo thick strewn;
Ami yet wo love our own.
Thero may bo fairer lands and brighter skies,
There may bo friends more faithful or more wise.
Than any we havo ever seen or known;
But each will lovo Ills own.
.Mrs. Clara B. Ileath.
RICE THROWING AT WEDDINGS.
Origin of the Custom ns Olven by tho
Chinese Tho Wlso Sorceress.
Ill the days of the Shang dynasty, somo
1,500 years before- Christ, thero lived in tho
provinco of Shniisl a most famous sorcerer
called Chao. It happened one day that n Mr.
P'ang camo to consult to oracle, and Chao,
having divined by menus of tho tortoise dia
gram, informed tho trembling P'ang Mint ho
had but six days to live. Now, however
much we may trust the sagacity and skill of
our family physician, wo may be excused if,
iu a matter of life nud death, we cull iu n
second doctor for a consultation, nnd in such
a straif.it is not to Iks wondered nt Mint P'nng
should repair to another source, to make suro
thero was no mistake. To tho fair Peach
blossom he went, n young lady who had ac
quired some reputation us a sorceress, and to
tho tender feminine heart unfolded tho story
of his woe. Her divination yielded tho samo
as Chan's; in six days P'ang should die, un
less by tlio exercie of her magical powers,
she could avert the catastrophe. Her efforts
wero successful, nnd on tho seventh day great
wns Chao's astonishment, and still greater his
mortification nnd rage, when ho met P'ang
taking his evening stroll mid loanied that
there lived a greater magician than he. Tho
story would soon get nbout and unless ho
could quickly put nn end to his fair rival's
existence his reputation would be ruined.
And this was how Chao plotted ngninst tho
Ilfo of Peachblo-som. Ho sent n go-between
to PenchblosMim'.s parents to inquire if their
daughter wns still unmnrried, nnd receiving
a reply iu the nfllnnatlvo, he befooled tho
simple parents into behoving that ho had a
son who was seeking a wife, nud ultimately ho
induced them to engugo Penchblossom to him
iu marriage. Tho marriage cards wero duly
interchanged; but. tho crafty Chao had chosen
tho most unlucky day ho could select for tho
wedding, the day when the "Golden Pheas
ant" wns in tho nscendnnt. Surely as tho
bride entered the red chair tho spirit bird
would, destroy her with his powerful Jieak.
But the wise Peachblossoni knew nil theso
things, mid feared not. "I will go," sho said;
"I will fight nnd defeat him." When tho wed
ding morning came, sho gavo directions to
havo rice thrown out nt tho door, which tho
spirit bird seeing mado haste to devour, nnd
while his nttcntion was thus occupied, Peach
b!osom stepped into tlio bridal chair and
passed on her way unharmed. And now tho
ingenuous reader knows why ho throws
rice nfter tho bride. If nny interest has been
engendered iu his breast by this tale of the
fair Peachblossoni, let him listen to what bo
fell her at the house of tlio magician. Arrived
nt Chao's house, no bridegroom wns there,
but an att5iidant was given her, and tho two
girls prepared to pass tho night in tlio room
assigned to them. Peachblossoni was wako
ful, for sho know that, when tho night passed,
tho "Golden Phensaut" would lie succeeded by
the evil star of tho "Whito Tiger," whoso
power nnd ferocity who can telll "Go you to
bed first," she said to tlio maid. The girl was
soon asleep, nnd still her mistress slept not,
but continued to pneo the room, and at mid
night the tiger spirit came, aud tlio morning
light showed Peachblo-som still pacing tho
room, while on the bed lay tho lifeless body
of tho little maid. Thus wero tho mugic bat
tles of Peachblossoni and Chao, mid many
more wero there, until they took their flight
to heaven, where now they reign as gods.
And on earth tlio actors havo not idols more
prized than those of Penchblossom and Chao
Ivung. Chinese Times.
Tho I'rlnee of Wale' Ilnlr.
in everything except tlio iudispcnsnblo
tawny beard that falls likoa roll,of dead gold
silk to the extremity of a massive chest,
Prince Albert Victor, tho eldest son of tho
Princo of Wnle, models himself on Ouida's
heroes. Ho is as fond of knickknacks ns a
lady. His private apartments aro tho near
est approach to tho talented hut vulgar au
thoress' ideal of n young guardsman's rooms.
Ho would not brush his hair otherwise Minn
with an ivorybneked brush to save his life.
Eau do Cologne and other perfumes havo
their place in his bath. To writo a note on
paper that was not the triumph of Mm per
fumer's art would in his own imagination bo
unworthy of his tastes nud position. Ho has
started in life iu fact as nn exquisite of tho
George IV typo; but luckily for himself and
for the nation lie is preserved from some of
tho most objectionable traits of tho "First
Gentleman's" character by tho .sensitive shy
ness of his disposition.
Ho differs again from most exquisites in
having n praisoworthy desire to pay prompt
ly for tho luxuries in which ho indulges. In
deed ho worries his attendants to worry his
tradespeople to send In thoir bills shurp. and
frets ninl fumes if tho nstuto shopkeepers
ulive to tlio vnluo of having tho future king
of England upon their books within decent
limits delay in delivering their nccounts.
Like his father ho gets his clothes aud plenty
of them from Poole. Prince Albert Victor's
idea of dignified mufti is a frock coat and
lavender or gray trousers. Ho seldom wears
a cutaway coat, and even when traveling
hardly ever appears iu a suit of dittoes. On
tho whole ho mny bo described as a very
stately and solemn young man. London
Letter.
The Life of n Grasshopper.
As every one knows, it is a rule of nature
every winged insect shall dio within tho year
(tho occasional individuals thut survivo tlio
twelvemonth only proving tho rule), for tho
stage of wings is tho last third of tho crea
ture's life. After all, it would bo very absurd
if wo did not rocognizj among ourselves Uia
stages of childhood, youth, middle ago and
old nge, which together cover tho span of our
"threescore years and ten." Au insect's
stages proceed iu a far smaller compass, and
tho winged one is tho lost. It is really tho
old age of tho caterpillar or grub.
Thus a grasshopjier may to two or threo
years a grub, for another six mouths a hob
bledehoy that is, a wingless thing, half grub,
half grassbopjier and then for n further
spaco a winged grasshopjier. fn tho lost
stago it marries, nnd Micro is an end of its
purp'e. Nature lias no further need for it
and does not care whether it dies or not. Tho
slender fragility of the insect's npjearanro
may have suggested a feeble hold of lifo;
some grnsshoppoi-j look hko the mere specters
of insects. About others, too, there is n vege
table, perUhnble look, as of thin grass blades
that a frost would kill or heat shrivel up; a
suspicion uliout their sero and faded edges
that they are already beg-uning to wither.
But the grasshopper has nothing to complain
of as to its length of lifo. It sings the sum
mer in nud the autumn out, aud goes to sleep
with the year. Gentleman's Magazine.
The oldest general of the United States
army is William Selby Harney. Ho was
born near Nashville, Tenn., in 18)0, ami
entered tho army in ISIS. He was bruvetted
major general on March 13, 16Ci
I