Image provided by: Oregon City Public Library; Oregon City, OR
About Oregon City enterprise. (Oregon City, Or.) 1871-188? | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1876)
o 0 o o r J' o o is. ("j 3 O o o o o o r I a n o o e o o G o o 0 DEVOTED TO NEWS, LITERATURE, AN 3 THE BEST INTERESTS OF OREGON. o o VOL. 10. OREGON CITY, OREGON,' FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1876. NO. 15." ( 1 fl Ifl Iflf IB I o o ) O THE E A L03M. NEV7SPAPER P O II THE Farmer, Busings Man, i Family Circle. o Q ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY. ITRAISnv S. DECENT, PEOPBIETOE AND PUBLISHER. OFFICIAL PAPEB. FOB CLACKAMAS CO. oor south of Masonic Buiiaing. Main St. Trnn of Subscription t Blngle Copy One Year. In Advance.. Six Months" " ..$2.50 ... 1.50 o TVrnn of Ailvertitlnff Transient avortismonts including nil legal notices, i? square of t wel linos ono week ' r(lft For each subsequent Insertion Ono Column, one year ;: :; .. 4o:k Card. 1 sguarojone year 12.00 SOCIETY NO VICES. OKIiOON NO. 3, I. I. Moots pvcrv Thursday gpgg&t,. evening at 7'i o'clock, in the Odl Fellows' J lull. Main street. Members of the Or- dor re invited to attend. By or'lTorr, N . t. uiinixcA inf:nni3 i.o u no. S. I. O. O. V., Meets on tne Second and Fourth Tues day evening eaeh month, at 7 ' o clock, in tlie ni Fellow s' Hall. Membersof the Degree are. invited to attend. MULTNOMAH LODHUNO. I, &, A. M., Holds its regular com munications on llie rirsi aim Third Satunlavs in each month, at 7 o'clock from the 'Jit h of Sep. teinher to the 'J)th of March; and t i oVlock from the 20th of March to the JOtli of September, Miethien in good standing are invited to attend. lly order of M 1 ALL. KNCVMIVMUN'T NO. l.I.O. O. F., Meets at (M.I lellows q Halloutlu- First ami liurd lues- .jX. dav of o.vh month. I'ainarens -in'go.d standing are invited to attend. 77 r S I .V li S .V C A R D .ST. -.A. J. HOVER, M. I. J- w. MIHBI", ITp-Stairs in Clinrman's Hrick, Main str.; t. , , . Iir II .vnr p -siil nee 1 liird Sir"ef. at foi of ciiff stair.vny. tf .TOIIT WKLCII D I H T S 3T, OltlCUON CITY, OlSKGO.V H Price Paiil f;v Count y Or lr. cHUELAT SASTHAfvl, ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW IORTI.XU-I.i Onit.'s new brick. .50 first si rtct. O OHKSOX CITY Charinan'R lricl stairs. s.M.fi4tf - - up JOHNSON Sl WcCOWN o ATTORNEYS AM) C0rSEL0RS AT-LAW Oraon City, Oregon. 0-VilI practice in all the Courts of the State. Special att'-ntion ven to eases in the U. -S. band uilK'.- at Oregon City. 5aprlS7i-tf. 1. T. BARIN ATTORTJSY-AT-LAW, OREGON CITV, : : OREGON. Will practice in all the Courts of the State. Xov. 1, 1875, tf H. E. CHAMBERLAIN, ATTOENFAr-AT-LAW Oil KG OX CITY. Office in F.ntkriri3F. Rooms. JAMES 15. Attorney UPTON, -at-Lnw, Oregon City. 5. 1375 :tf Nov Y. II. 1IUS1IFIELI). Kt ulliMliet alitre '111, ut tlie old at anil. Main Strrrt, Orfion City, Orison. An nsRortmfnt of Wat hes. Jewel ry, and Soth Tliomas' Weight Clocks ' . .1 i . . 1. i. ..... -- ...1 .A , , J9 1 ' 't "iin.il i n til tniiLt M urT- P'vtsVAa represented. BKep.iirlnjr done on short notice, and thankful for past patronage. JOHN 31. 15AC0 IrP(JRTFK AND DEALER In Iiooks. Stationery. Herlum- C erv. etc., etc. Oregon City, Oreg-on. R VAt the Post Office, Main stgeet, east side. e TO FRUITGROWERS. rniiE ALIIE.V FRUIT PRESERVING X Company of Oregon City will pay the HIGHEST MARKET P3ICE orPU'MS. PBARSnnd APPLKS. Mr. Thos. Charman is authorized to pur chase for the Company. Ii. D. C. I j A TO IT R ETT E, President. TIIOS. CKARM AX. Secretary. Oregon City, July ZS1S75 :tf MILLER, MARSHALL &C0., PAY THE HNJITKST PRICE FOR A UK AT, at ail times, at the o Oregon City Mills, And have on hand FEED and FLOUR to sell, at market, rates, reed, must furnish sicks. Parties desiring novltf o o O Rip Slam's 3Iisfortunes. Who Kindled tlie Great Fireat Baker1 Uulrh! My name is Slam Rupert Slam, but out our way the boys, with a natural turn to be vulgar, call me Hip Slam. I am a Virginian by birt h , a printer by education, an editor by destiny, and I conduct the Baker's Gulch Reveille in connection with which I have lately earned some un deserved notoriety, having been com pelled to shoot Mr. Lapp, the rival editor at Baker's Gulch, who had charge of a villainous compound of libel and pretenses., stylH O'.e Moun tain Duru. "Lapp is dead, and it is true I shot him, but that the deed could have been avoided I deny, and I equally deny that it was a culpable deed iu itself. On the contrary, I shall assert, to my dying day, that it was a deed done in behalf of good morals, and this assertion I will maintain with any arms the contro verting party may choose to select. The BAker's Gulch Iltreiile is pub lished every Wednesday; the Moun tain Dmcn comes out every Saturday. We thus divided the week and the patronage between us, and I was content to have it so; but Lapp was not. He wanted all the subscribers and all the advertisements, aud he wanted also to be Clerk of tlie Coun ty Court. The result was that, in stead of being Damons andPythiases, Mr. Lapp and myself became rivals. I conducted my share of ti;e contro versy upon the most honorable, high toned principles. It is not impugn ing to tlie memory of the deceased to sav that Mr. Lapp conducted his part of the rivalry like a lish-huek- ster. I was and am a btchelor. I board ed at the hotel, but I slept over the ollice of the Rereil, where a small iron bedstead, a bull'alo robe, some chairs, a spittoon, and tlie liles of the AVr comprised niy small fur niture. Toe night before the last great lire which consumed Baker's Gulch, there was a poker party met in my apartment aforesaid. A barrel and two shutters were in tins habit of serving us for table, so that it became a saying with the 3aker's Gulehers, "Slam's shutters are off," meaning that a game of some sort was in pro gress. U.i tins occasion there were six of us in the partv, aud seven or eight spectators, most of whom would have liked to piav, but were prevent ed lv impecuniositv. Of tlie plavers. I only remember Capt. 1'ristow, of our Ktamping-miil : liube lioluns. Mr. L-ipp, and myself. We were playing a rather lively game ot t lit? 2-cent-ante species, with a good deal of blinding and straddiiug. Laim. who had a pnpensity to hold good hands on opportune occasions, some how had all the luck in calling ne when T was most unwilling to be called, oeeause i naa nothing worth showing. On this night 1 speak of , Lapp's luck was perfectly astound ing,, and lie won from everybody. Mr. Rollins was in a bad humor, and I, tilled with the insane desire toget back my earnings. Lapp, I i.eed not say, never lost his composure, nor ever showed more life, more lire, than you will find in an oyster or a cucumber. He dealt the cards with his usual clumsy composure, and looked after the antes and chips with the assiduity of a nurse minding in fants by the margin of a duck-pond. 'Gentlemen," he said, "as I am win ning to-night, I think I can afford to treat." So he kicked no Cant. Tris- tow's nigger, asleep on the floor, and sent him over to the hotel to get us a couple of bottles of wine. When it came, I held a pair of knaves on the deal. I drew three cards, and found myself in possession of another jack and two aces a delightfully full hand. It took me $2 to come in, and, as I was just then without chips. I borrowed from Fristow, who was slumbering again. Mr. Rollins pass ed out, and Air. Lapp immediately saw the pile on tlie table and bet S10 I saw his $10 and went him $2o bet ter. "See here," said he, in his im pertinent way. "I m vour friend. I don't want to win your money I have cot a good hand, and, if you'll just call on me. it's all right I'll show it!" "Mr. Lapp!" I shouted, "you are a beggarly scoundrel, un fit to play cards with gentlemen! Do you see my cards, or do yon surren der ?" "No, I don't .see it!" he sneer ed. "How can I see it when it is not put upon the table? Put up your money, and 1 II talk to von 'You know that my word is good for ii, said l. "if you win from me, you shall have the money to-morrow auer ureaktast." "Bip Slam," said the mean-spirited cuss; "let's talk business. I know you have no mon ey to lose, and you know I know it vr, uu .uuticrs a nie ot your Fiper irom i ne start. 1 want it. I Know yon have another tile on oVnosit in the Express Company's fire-proof 1 safe. T irii-a iitrn .i v.i 7 , - bi,juu jiw ior tne nie nere s tne money but if you'll take my advice, you'll not bet against my hand, for it'll win!" I sold him the nie ana made mv bet trood. TTa my bet and raised it just enough to take all my money price of the Reveille file minus the cost of a cocktail or so in the morning, and men, preliminaries .settled, he show ed me his hand-four queens-by jingo! every one simnered at me. and cutting sheep's eyes at the ace in tne oornor. Lapp rose. "Gentlemen," said he, "day is not very far off, and there's nothing more to drink here. My brother Slam goes to press in the morning, and has copy to prepare; I will therefore take my leaves and my file of the Reveille " And so, with a diabolical grin, he departed. His boy took Capt. Fristow off to bed, and when the Hereille foreman came to go to work in the morning I rose, escorted JIr. Rollins to my humble couch, covered him Avith the buffalo robe, and, after giving the foreman j an order to go down to the express office for my file there locked up, I and to fix up an editorial for the pa- I per, I went off to breakfast. j At the breakfast-table I fonnd my delightful old friend, Col. Debonair, i and a "Mr. Choppa, an English I traveler, to whom the Colonel intro duced me. After breakfast we ad journed to the Colonel's room, and, by sending for James Addison, Esq., were able to make up one of the most charming whist parties I ever took a hand with. At 1 o'clock p. m., with honors easy and Addison sure of two by cards to make up the game our seventh successive rub ber won and seven empty bottles under the table, we were startled by the cry of "Fire!" I sprang to the window, only to see the office and building of the .Reveille in a bright blaze, and Rube Rollins springing from the second-story window, minus his hair and lap-robe beard. The' great tire at Baker's Gulch had be gun! Two days later, when the fire was extinguished, but while the ruins still smoked, I first heard the rumor that it was I, Rupert Slam, who had caused this disastrous and over whelming conflagration. I horse whipped several persons, but still the rumor spread, and I was too busy in re-establishing the office and restoring the edition of the Reveille to take more summary means to check it, or to trace it to its source. But on the Saturday week succeed ing the fire this infernal Lapp, in tho issue of his Jlounfttin Dmcn, came out with an editorial, double leaded, upon the subject of "Who Is the Author of the Late Conflagra tion?" . In that atrocious article he savs: Fellow citizens, wo ask you to consider where this fire originated; to reflect what was the debauched aud desperate condition of the pro prietor of that establishment at the time. We happen to be the owners of a file of that creature's miserable sheet, and, in an article so long ago is last December twelve months. find the following: "Baker's Gulch is a blot and stigma upon the fair face of nature upon the throbbing bosom of humanity. Baker's Gulch must burn again, in order to be re formed, Nothing but a complete I iphometic r ire-Baptism will suffice to purge away tlie hideous iniquities of Baker's Gulch." s soon as I saw this copy of the Ihtictt, 1 took a friend with me and proceeded to Lapp's office. I ex plained my mission. Mr. Slam, he replied, "I hae a mission also, and that is to find out and publish the author of this con flagration which has ruined this whole community. I gave you name and date for tlie article. Prove that yon never wrote it?'' "How can 1 prove it except iy asserting You had one of, my files; tiie other was burnt in the lire. Produce the file aud show me the article. If you can do that I will acknowledge that I burned Baker's Gulch." ."I can not do that, Mr. Slam, for, as you know quite well, my file of the Reveille as well as yours, was burned in the great contiagation. jut, in this volume, I have happily collect ed a mass of 'elegant extracts,' from the editorial columns of your paper during the past three years, and mean to publish them every one." "Let me see the volume, Mr. Lapp." I took it, glanced over a page or two of its infamous contents, stood a moment actually appalled at 'such devilish machination as I saw there revealed, and then said: "Publish another word of these lies at your peril, Mr. Lapp!" It was charged that I had saturated ru' bed-room with kerosene and put a slow match to it. Rube Rollins. whom I left asleep on my bed, when questioned, admitted that he smelt kerosene very strongly at the mo ment of his escape. My foreman told me that Lapp had visited the room after I left for breafast, under pretense of searching for a shirt stud of Jiis, lost between the punch eons of 'the floor. Laip, then, Avas there, and he is uot too good to make a bonfire of a whole city in order to accomplish his ends and destroy his enemy. In the very next' issue of his paper he published another double-leaded article, entitled, "Ru pert Slam's Editorial, continued." In this murderous libel he quoted me as saying: "Unless the mean scalawags and mudsills of Baker's Gulch are Avilling to come forAvard at once and giAe this paper (the Reveille) the support and patronage it deser-es, let them prepare for tears tears that will scald them to the quick. Let them insure, for the fire-bug is amongst them, and his operations Avill be guided by desper ate hands." For this article I challenged Mr. Lapp. He refused to fight, and came out with another pretended editorial of mine, in which tlie respected com munity of Baker's Gulch was abom inably libeled. For this article I horsewhipped Mr. Lapp. The Dext issue of the Mountain Daim contained an article in which, amongst other atrocities, I was re presented as haA'ing editorially said: "Nothing but a vigorous and persis tent Ku-KIuxiug can restore this community to its normal health. The rope, the whip, and the torch are needed to save Baker's Gulch from dying of its own corruptions. " For this article I kicked Mr. Lapp the entire length of Main street, and tossed him into Capt. Fristown's tailrace. A day or tAvo later, by a piece of good fortune, a mountaineer came into town, and to my offiee, with two bales of paper strapped over the back of a mule. "See her, mister," said he" "that there Lapp's. a Ioav-Ioavh cuss; lies been ieuig ties on you 1 1 examined his parcel, and to my surprise and joy, found a complete J edition of the Reveille, from the first number down. "What will you charge me for these? I., must have them at any price." "Not a nickel, stranger,"said the true hearted fellow; I go in for fair play, so I Av'ant to see you tackle that there Lapp aud give the low cuss particular fits. He" de serves it." But the very next number of the Mountain Datcn contained the follow ing : "We are credibly informed that Slam, in order to befog public opiuion, has sent across the moun taicsand has a whole spurious edition of his incendiary sheet published, with the objectionable articles .care fully eliminated. But "it won't work, Brother Slaru. We have the evidence against you! FelloAV -citizens, read the following from Slam's issue of August 2'J, 18 ." And he Avent on for half a column Avith a string of the most iniquitous lies every' invented for man by the father of lies him self. I found myself encountering so many cold and dark looks about this time that I thought it proper to con sult my friends, and they advised me to challenge Lapp to meet me at a townmeeting. Tlie meeting Avas called, and ill, the manhood and intellect of Baker's Gulch assembled there. I appeared with my files, and Lapp Avas present Avith his damnable volume of calumnious forgery. The mountaineer was also present in the audience, but, though I did not know it then, he avus drunk, suborned and soddened Avith the enemy's own whisky. I made my statement in extenso, and I am convinced that my frank and genuine eloquence made a powerful impression upon the Baker's Gulehers. Jnt Avhen I called on that mountaineer to corroborate me, lie rose, Avith an abominable drunken leer, aud said: "It's all a d d lie! Yon hired me to fetch that bundle of papers over from Mnshmillionville, an' I done it! In the midst of the ensuing murmurs, Lapp rose and cried out: "I move you the follow ing fellow-citizens: Wueiie.vs, Rupert Slam has been proven an enemy to this community , dangerous to its peace ami dignity, an incendiary and a fire-bug: there fore, be it. Resolved, That the said Rupert Slam be allowed thirty-six hours for himself and press to remove perma nently from Baker's Gulch and vicin itv. The resolution and preamble were carried unanimously. After the meeting 1 went once more to see Lapp, and told him that I would surely kill him unless he retracted all his lies about me. His sole answer was to read tne part of an unfinished editorial oi his for tin next Mountain D.nm. in which it wa. recommended to donblelockall build ings and appoint a patrol for every street, "until the convicted fire-bug -" "Are a on determined to pub lish that, Lapp?" asked I. lit grinned in his offensive way and Avent on writing. "If you don't defend yourself, I'll kill von as you sit." said I, drawing. "I am defending myself," he answered, pointing his pen at me. I fired; the ruffian fell; I Avalked out of the olhce. and here I am. I am told that 'Lapp, after I left the office, rose, Aviped the blood from his forehead and eves, sat a this desk and wrote as follows: "We are not able to finish this article to-day The fire-bug has visited our office and justified his name by firing upon us Avith his usual success." He then yielded himself up to the surgeon's hands and died in two hours, perfect ly conscious to the last.butabsolutely declining to proclaim my innocence N. Y. World. How He Taught Financiering. Not long since two York men visit ed Kansas. They stopped at a hotel one loreuoon, ami alter dinner one of them Avalked down to the barber's shop to get shaved. Ihe shop was shut, the barber having gone off to take his after-dinner nap. Then the York man Avalked back to his land lord, and said: "With your magnifi cent cpnntry, which is the garden of the Avorld, you ought to be the most prosperous people on earth, lou don't look out for coppers. Here's your barber now shut up and gone, when he might have earned ten cents by shaving me. Now he don't get it, for I'm going to share myself, and save my ten cents. 1 have a razor in my valise, and if you will show me a mirror, I will shave myself. Ihe landlord said tho barber Avas a shift less cuss, who, like most western men, couldn't compare with Pennsyl- vanians for attention to business, and patience in scooping the dimes; but he hoped they would all imorove in time, and then he showed our friend into a room Avhere he found a good- sized mirror, and shaved himself Soon after he joined his companion and congratulated himself on the success he had had in saving ten cents and teaching Western men financiering. After tea the pair paid their bills and went to the depot to take the train. On their way the man who hadn't shaved said: "Pretty reasonable house, that; only one dol lar for dinner and supper." "Only a dollar!" said the other, "avIiv I paid a dollar and a half!" and a little fur ther explanation showed that he had been charged DO per cent, more than his companion: So back he Avent, and demanded of the landlord an ex planation, and got it in these words: "The fifty cents extra is for the use of a room. You don't suppose Ave can have our rooms turned into bar- I ber shops for nothing, do you?" And the man who shaved himself went to the depot a Aviser if not better man. He don't brag much of his adventure since his return to York, aud it will be some time before he attempts to give another Western man a lesson. COURTESY OF BANCROFT LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, CONGRESSIONAL. SENATE. 0 Washington, Jan. 2G. Allison called up the House bill transferring the custody of certain Indian trust funds from the Secretary ofthe In terior to the Treasury of the United States; passed. Howe, from the judiciary commit tee reported favorably on the House bill to amend the revised statutes of the United States relating to natuj ralization; passed. ? West submitted a resolution re questing the Secretary of the Treas ury to submit to the Senate copies of any proposition made .by the Pacific Railroad Companies for the creation of a sinking fund, for the redemp tion of the Government mortgages, together with a statement of the ac tion of the Government thereon, and of the reason therefor. The morning hour having expired, the chair laid before the Senate the unfinished business, being the bill to confirm pre-emption and home stead entries of public lands Avithin the "limits of railroad grants, in cases where the entries had been made under the regulations of the land department. 0 This was discussed by Christiancy, Bogy, Frelingliysen, Sherman, Mor rill, Boutwell, Harvey, Sargent, McMillan, Ingalls, Morton, Wright and Hitchcock. The motion of Christianev to refer the bill to the judiciary committee Avas rejected. Ihe House bill relating to the centennial celebration Avas referred to the committee on appropriations. Jan. 27. Windham 2resented a petition from Minnesota citizens ask ing an appropriation for tlie im provement of Red River. Boutwell presented a report pre pared by the chief clerk of the Treas ury Department, and submitted to tlie Secretary in December, 1S72, in regard to erroneous practices in ac counting in tho treasury, Avhich have grown up in usage, or have been authorized by law. The morning hour having expired, the chair laid before the Striate the unfinished business, being the bill to confirm pre-emption and home stead entries of public lands within the limits of railroad grants, in cases where such entries had been made under regulations of the land department. Several amendments were intro duced and rejected. The question being on the passage of the bill the yeas and nays were ordered, ard it was passed. Yeas If, nays 1. The bill as passed is as follows: He it cna tcl f ihe Semde rmrf I To use of Representative assenhled. That all pre-emption and homestead entries, or entries in compliance with any law of the United States, of public lands, made in good faith by actual settlers upon a tra -t of land of not more than 100 acres each, Avithin the limits of any land grant, prior to tne time when notice of the with drawal of the lands embraced in such grant was received at ihe local land, office of the district in which such lands are situated, or after their res toration io market by order of the general land ollice, and where the pre-emption and homestead laws have been complied Avith and the proper proofs thereof have been made by parties holding such tracts or parcels, they shall be confirmed and patents for the same shall issue to the parties entitled thereto. That when, at the time of such with drawal as aforesaid, a valid pre-emption or homestead claim, existed up on any lands w ithin the limits of such grants, which afterward were aban doned and under the decisions and rulings of the land department Avrre re-entered by pre-emption, or home stead claimants who have complied with the laws governing pre-emption or homestead entries, or shall make the proper proofs required under laws, such entries shall be deemed valid and patents shall issue therefor to the persons entitled thereto. That alt s ich pre-emption and home stead entries which may have been made by permission of the land de partment within fhe limits of any land grant at a time subsequent to the expiration of such grant, shall be deemed valid and a compliance with the laws and the making of the proof required shall entitle the holder of such claim to patents therefor. Jan. 23. Hitchcock presented a memorial asking that New Mexico be admitted as a State; referred. Logan introduced a bill to estab lish a mint at Chicago; referred. Booth asked for a breakwater at San Louis Ohispo, Cal.; referred. 9 HOUSE. Jan. 26. Clark, from the commit tee on postoffices and post roads, called up the bill regulating postage on 3d class mail matter. It pro vides that all mailable matter of the 31 class, referred to in sections 3,S78 and 3,911 of the revised statutes may weigh not exceeding four pounds for each package, and that the postage thereon shall be one cent for every two ounces or fraction thereof. Clark explained that this bill proposed to repeat the law passed in the last hours of the last session in form of an amendment in serted obscurely in the sundry civil appropriations bill, with evident in tention of misleading the House; i : i . i mui law increased me postage oil 3d class mail matter fiom 1 cent per 2 ounces to 1 cent perunce or from 8 cents to 16 cents per pound. This bill proposed to reinstate the post age on 3d class matter as it Avas be fore, to 1 cent for 2 ounces. This bill was discussed by Cannon, Garfield, Randall, .Clark and Law rence. The bill then passed Avithout division. The House then went into com- ! mittee of the whole, Haskins in the chair, on the military academy ap- j propriatiou bill, which appropriates 231,241, and Avas addressed by Hale, Hamilton and Hurlburt. Without action on the bill the House ad journed. Jan. 27. Cannon, from the com mittee on postofiiees and post roads, reported a bill to amend the sections providing penalties for sending ob scei e matter through the mails. Laid on table. The House went into committee of the whole, Haskins in tlie chair, on the military academy appropriation bill. Banning, ' Randall, Holman, Danford and Wilson spoke but the House adjourned without action on the bill. Jan. 28. The Speaker announced it . 11 ... i ne ioi lowing select committee on real estate pool and Jay Cook in debtedness: Glover, New, Lewis, Pratt and Smith, of Pennsylvania. Elkins, of New Mexico, "presented a memorial of the territorial legisla ture for an enabling act and the ad mission of New Mexico as a State; referred. Goodwin asked leave to offer a resolution declaring that the people of the United States constitute a na tion to the extent and for the pur poses defined in the Federal Consti tution; that rights and powers of the United States Government are defined and limited by the Federal Constitution, and cannot be enlarged or diminished, except by amendments to the Constitution, etc. Hamilton, and others, objected. On motion of Whitthorn, chair man of the committee on naval,, af fairs, u eselect committee consisting of Whitthorn, Willis and Danford was authorized to take testimony at Norfolk in regard to the alleged abuses and frauds at that navy yard. Springer introduced a bill to pro hibit American citizens from holding slaves in foreign countries, and to regulate elections in Utah Territory. Iluntoon, from the committee on Revolutionary pensions, reported a bill to amend the act of the 14th Februaiy, 1871, pensioning soldiers of the war of 1812, and to restore to the pension rolls those persons whose names were stricken therefrom in consequence of disloyalty. He moved to have the bill put upon its passage. Tl.e House then went into commit tee of the Avhole, Haskins in the chair, on the Military Academy ap propriation bill. There was considerable debate on an amendment of Hamilton's to strike out the words "at ?4o0 each, in ad dition to rations," and submitting the words "at $540." Agreed to. The bill was not discussed. A com mittee was appointed to superintend II. H. StarliAveather's funeral. A Fine Art Experience. Into one of the large jeAvelry and fancy goods stores at Boston walked, the other day, one of those customers that the holiday season sometimes brings to town. He was a hard-handed, loose-jointed, broad-shouldered individual, carefully dressed in a new suit of baggy, ready-made clothes, a home-laundried shirt, and a hat which, although perfectly new, Avas three seasons behind the present fashion. Sauntering up to one of the sales men, with a very obvious attempt at being at home anions the glittering splendor of the salesroom, and a general air of "Not to be astonished or done by you Boston fellers," he in quired. "Got any brunzes?" The clerk answered in the affirma tive, and led the way to a bewiler ing stock of bronze statuettes, clocks, etc. The visitor stared at them for a moment as an interior African might have at the first Avhite man he had ever seen, and then, setting his hat a little more firmly on his head, asked. "Which o' them figgers rnout be the Venus of high low?" The trained salesman, with placid countenance, quietly replied: "I do not remember any by that title; are you sure that was the name?" The patron of a large yellow the fine arts drew silk handkerchief from his hot, and, uneasil', said: moj'ping his face "It mount ha' been ace high, but I think it was high low; Mariar sed that ef I tho'tof seven-up I shouldn't forget the name. The fact is," said the puzzled purchaser, Avith a sudden burst of confidence, "the fact is. Cap, I hev just put up a neAvtenment down to South Higginsboro', and Maria 'lowed she'd like a brunze in the keepin' room, suthin' like Avhat she seed once in ensin Sam Stiffner's parlor on Beacon street. Cousin Sam he writ the name on a card, in praps I've got it noAv;" and, diving into his breast poket as if he Avas to un sheath a two-handed sword, he lugged out a long pocket book, from the depths of which he plucked a card and handed it to the salesman. " Ah!" said the latter' "the venus of Milo. Yes sir, here is a fine copy, a reproduction by, Barbidienue:', The customer surveyed it earnestly for a moment, and then said: "Yejiaint got a perfect one, hev ye, Cap? This 'ere one has lost both her arms and got dents all doAvn here back." The patient salesmau explained that the statuette was a copy of the original that Avas found in that condi tion. "Shoh!" commented the other, and then hesitatingly, "don't any of them haA-e any more close 'n that! This 'ere one's night gown 'pears to have kind of slipped off on her." Again the shopman, despite his twitching muscles, explained to his attentive listener thafeit Avas an imi tation of an ancient statue. He, hoAvever, cocking his bead on the side' iuquired: "Wall, now. what'II you tak far herjess as she stands?" rapping his: bony knuckles on the bronze, as if it Avere a buzz saAV. "One hundred and fifty dollars for' that size," saidthe clerk. "Wha-a-t!" almost shouted thtf astonished Avonld-be patron of the' arts; " a hundred 'n fifty dollars fur' a brunze gal thout any arras, and skearce a rag to her back! Venus of My Low! Venus of Your High, I should say. A hundred n fifty dol lars! Why that's half the mortgage' on brother Jim's farm. Guess Mariar must thought mv name Avas Wilrfan- B. Astor, instead of John Higgins; and, fixing his hat a little firmer, she' made a hastv exit from the store. and struck a straight line for the' Eastern Railroad station. Bostort Commercial Dnllettn. Tom Scoft, The Hnrglar. The Career of a "Notorious Thief. Phil.aijel.phia, Jan. 7. Thomas Scott, the notoiious burglar, was1 arrested in this city on Dec. 20 on charge of highway robbery, Avhich' it was alleged he committed off" the' 10th of November. WUen he was taken into court, a requisition was' produced from the Governor of New York, Scott being wanted in Uticar to stand his trial for burglary. He; was accordingly given in charge of the NewrsYork'ofiicers, and was taker? to Utica, Avhere, on the 10th of las Angus , he vyith six companions' broke into a house in the suburbs and, Avhile heavily masked, ransacked the house, having first liandcnffed the only man about the place, and driven the women and children into' a cloak room. This afternoon h Avas convicted in Utica, and was. immediately sentenced to 18 years in the Auburn prison. Three of his comrades, Leary, Svreatman, and; Lombard, on the testimony of Wmv Conroy, Avho turned State's evidence, were previonslj- convicted and were sentenced to 18 years each. . Scott first became conspicuoiiS lit Philadelphia when some years ago Lieut, Flaherty had to shoot him through the lungs to capture him, for transfer to Springfield, Ohio; where he was wanted for the murder ot tlie banker llertzler, whom it was alleged he killed in the effort to gefc at a supposed deposit of 8300,000;.. A woman held the horses at the door while Scott and a pal entered and shot the banker before the plarni could be given Scott Avas alsoRa principal in the Nathan murder. f the confession of one of his comrades' in this Utica job is to be believed.' He broke jail from Joliet prison antl went to Chicago to do a bank job, and Avhen arrested his manner was so Avinning and his tale so plausible that tho injured bank President gav' him a new suit of clothes and money" to get onCthe, track of the fugitive' robbers. HeAvas the leader of the' party who did the Wilkesbarre Bank joli some years ago iu company with' George Ellis who has now given him away at Utica, Walter Dunn, now in the Eastern 2enitentiary for eleven years, and Warren Emmanuel, and Crocky Elliot, now serving out a sixteen years termCin0Cherry Hill for shooting Officer Murphy, one of Mayor Fox's men. He Avas also leader of the party who broke inter Councilman George Hall's house several years ago and robbed him of tAvo thousand dolh.rs. Scott boasts that there is xto State in the Union that he has not touched. He Avas well known in Ne w York, and at one time consorted with ther authorities there so much that it ia one of his favorite boasts that he baa helped to build 'several of the brown; stone houses which rarf ujeso rapidly under the TAVeed administration. He is a man of about medium height. heavily built, ;with a prepossessing face until thebrow is reached. Thia retreats so rapidly and piles itself up so much at the back of the erahiun that his bean is almost a deformity. He has a heavy scar on his left cheeky which many times led to his detec tion. He dresses Avell, and is gen- tlemanly-looking and 0of pleasing' conversational powers. Although only about 37 years old, he has been tAArenty years a professional thief, and bis many trials have given him such familiarity with the technical requirements of the laA? that he fre quently covers his tracks so well that he cannot be convicted. An interesting historical relie has been placed recently in the Museum of theInvalids in Paris. It is the armor which Charles VII presented to the Maid of "Orleans, and which the latter, after having befji' wounded under the Avails of Paris, placed in the Church of Saint Denis. It is composed of plates of steel, weighs oA'er fifty pounds, and is in all re spects similar to that noAv in thec collection of Pierreponps which belonged to Joan of Arc at the mo ment when she fell into the power of the enemy at a Compiegne. "What can yon say of the second law of thought?" Student "It can not both be and not be. (For exam ple, the door over there must be either shut or open. It can't be both shut and open." Tutor "Give an other illustration." Student "Well take the case of another door.) A man in New Hampshire had the misfortune recently to lose his wife. Over the grave he caused a stone to be placed on which, in the depth of his grief, he had ordered to be in cn'iwi "TWrs enn not restore her therefore I weep."o O "So von wouldn't take me to be twenty!" said a rich LeireFS to aa Irish gentleman, while dancing the polka. "What would you take, me for, then ?" "For better or worse, replied the son of the Emeraia Isle. . O O o