WOX/IE/iLAND.
[George Edgar Montgomery.]
I tfy ueart to-day is like a summer Hower
I Which lifts its blooming chalice to absorb
I Sweet «»dors from the air. For, like a
I
Hower,
I Mv heart absorbs die fiery life that dwells
I Within the blossoming matter of the world
I And naked strength of nature. Here, where
I
earth
I Seems [»eaceful as a dreamefs paradise,
I J trace the movement of the universe,
I The splendor that inspires the thought of
man,
I And glory that outshines the fancy. Here
j learn the clear ami simple speech of truth,
And feel the buoyant spirit of forest birds
That till a whole bright summer with their
song.
[ look U|M>n the old world as a child
Looks with a vague and tender trust upon
Ju» mother’s face; and, strangely moved, I
see
Beyond the beauty of familiar things,
As one may see into another’s heart
With the line sense of love.
HUNGRY JOE’S DEFEAT.
[New York Tinies.]
.
tht> r‘.u‘day ot Au«ust “ m»n arrayed
n store clothe., a sluu.h hat, an.l blue spec
tacles registered ttt a fashionable hotel on
Broadway as B. Ashley, of Abilene, Kan.
1 «»«• stranger had ju-t come in by the western
express from Chicago on the Erie road. His
garments were the product of a ready-made
clothing »tore jn Abilene, and they added
slightly to his general bucolic appearance,
ills hands and face were tanned, be walkel
with the Jiarenthetical gait of one whose legs
im<l lieen curved by years spent in the saddle,
and his bearing was in other respects indica-
,lve °* the wild western borderman. Mr.
Ashley spec lily developed other tendencies of
the prairie type. He insisted upon going out
for exercise on horseback every morning
shortly after daybreak, and upon these occa
sions he employed hisown raw hide bridle and
ha well-worii Mexican saddle, which had
No harsh voice falls
formedapart of his luggage. His accent
Along the solemn quietude of the air.
was a peculiar blending of English and west
Yet I can hear faint voices, which are like
ern types of speech. He had weak eyes and
Echo of unseen music; there is sjieech
was in consultation with a prominent physi
In the melodious breeze, and there is song
Within the soft hush of the languorous cian here, while stopping for a month in New
|
noon—
York on his way to Europe to put himself
Song that would roar like thunder if tho ear under the care of tho most eminent oculists
Could catch its undertone. The fire and stir abroad. Mr. Ashley seemed to have very lit
Of a da^lalian impulse throb beneath
tle occupation l»eyond horseback riding at
Theo itward slumber of a life which is
unearthly hours of the morning, visiting his
¡Sleepless and everlasting. Then* is not
man of medicine in the afternoon, and loung
A leaf, a rose, a tree, nor animat? thing
Which does not add a language to the world; ing about tho immense and richly gilded ro
tunda of the hotel in the evening. He was
Awl I, that am a ¡»art of earth and sky,
¡•’eel that divinity and kinship born
bountifully supplied with cash, and he ex-
Oh. I love
i Of truth and noble knowledge.
pended it with considerable liberality. He
To watch tho pageant of the world unroll,
smoked a good deal, but drank little, because
To search within its sorcery, and to drink
Its wild enchantment, even as men were his doctor had objected to one habit and ab
solutely forbidden the other, by reason of its
wont,
,
effects on the patient’s eyes. Many people
Jin the dead days of fable, to give form
about the hotel drank at the expense of Mr.
no sprite, and gnome, and god.
Ashley, but he seldom indulged himself in
PREPARING SEALSKINS.
more cheering beverages than lemonade and
vichy.
■ the coloring all D one in E ngland —
()ne day Mr. Ashley strolled through the
lobby of the hotel in the company of a young
MONOTONOUS WORK FOR GIRLS.
man
whose face is well known to the regular
■New York Sun.
I In a small, gloomy room ftt the top promenadersof Broadway. This young man
(of a flingy building in a down town is always faultlessly dressed and clean shaven.
(street eight girls sat yesterday working He has prominent featuresand peculiarly thin
compressed lips. He lives handsomely,
Ltolidly. The light seemed dusty ami and
•nd always has plenty of cash. With his new-
■hot as it shone dimly through the soot- found companion, Mr. Ashley, the weak-eyed
■ncrusted window panes, and the rum child of the guileless west, occupied a seat in
ple of machinery below jarred the floor the bar room for some little time. Upon this
(incessantly. The girls sat in little occasion Mr. Ashley departed from his usual
■groups. They were shabbily clad, custom sufficiently to assist in the liberal ab
(though there were touches of bright sorption of champagne. When his Broadway
(color here and there, and their faces friend went away, Mr. Ashley sauntered
Lil looked pinched and care-worn. again through the office of the hotel. He was
[Their backs were bent in a weary way beckoned by one of the clerks.
“Mr. Ashley, how long since yon have
La they leaned over the work. Each
in New York?” queried the gentleman
■girl held a sealskin stretched across been
the diamond stud.
Bier lap, and picked at it with great behind
“Near eight year,” responded
unin-
rapidity. Their hands were quite formed gentleman, “ Ne ver was that
here afore,
■»lack. They seldom spoke, and when and never since.”
(i stranger entered they looked at him
“I)o you know the person who just left
listlesHly for a moment, and then yon C
propped their eyes on their work
“Y«*s. Met him two nights ago nt the
Again.
Madison Square. I couldn’t buy a seat, and
I “They are picking the long black he offered me one of his. Said his friend
Lairs out of the skin,” said the fore- hadn’t come and he would be glad to acoom- j
(nan, rubbing his hand over one of modate a stranger; so we sat together. Seems j
(he glossy pieces of fur. “We get all to be a nice sort of a chap. ”
“1 have no doubt of that,” continued the
(f our sealskins from London, where clerk
with a slight air of superior knowledge
(hey are taken direct from the Arctic not unblended
with sarcasm. “That young
(egions. Sealskins cannot be colored man is Hungry Joe, one of the most cele
butside of England. They not only brated confidence operators in America.”
Lave a peculiar process there, but the
“You don’t say,” drawled the western man 1
(limatic influences result in better col slowly, and with some astonishment. “Well,
oring than can be done here. So the I’m darned.”
He went thoughtfully away. That night
(kins go to England first. After they
(ave been colored they are shipped all the young man with the thin lips and the
handsome
clothes called for Mr. Ashley after
(ver the world and made into sacques,
(olmans, muffs, gloves, and hats, when dinner. As they came through the office the
occidental innocent took out a large pocket
lliey arrive at their destination.”
filled to repletion with money, drew
| “Why are the long black hairs you book
from its inner recesses about $5,000, and de
(peak of not taken out in London ?”
posited the wallet, with the balance of its
I “Well, I don’t know that there is any contents, in the hotel safe. His companion
(articular reason except the econom- viewed this proceeding with a passive f <ce
(al one. The London concerns charge but a gleaming eye, aud the two w’ent out
(rite heavily for the work, and the re together. Mr. Ashley returned to the ho el
mit is we prefer to do it here where it just in time to take his morning ride on
loeen’t cost as much. It does not re- horseback. He slept until about 4 in the 1
luire highly skilled labor. The black afternoon. Then he drew $200 from his |
lairs you see are not so very much wallet and left.
“You are fully warned,” observed the |
bnger than the rest of the fur. There
( a difference of perhaps a sixteenth of clerk, as he handed ever the amount, “and it
is your own fault if you lose any money to
(1 inch. By blowing against the grain Hungry
Joe.”
If the fur the black hairs can all be
“Correct,” responded Mr. Ashley, stuffing
(ad«? to stand out.”
the bills into his pocket.
I “How many hours do the girls work
His next appearance in the hotel was a lit
■ day?”
tle after midnight, and this time he put $300
I ‘ They come at 7 o’clock and leave at away in the wallet, with the declaration that
I They are paid fair wages. Of the New York sharps might be pretty stiff on
burse they do not make their fortunes, bunko, but they were a little behind the times
on draw-poker. “In my country,” he ex
■it still the pay is fair.”
plained, “two deuces and a bowie w’ill open a
| Monotonous work?”
(“Oh, it’s overpoweringly so,” said the jack pot every time.”
Mr. Ashley passed several days in quiet and
patty foreman, shrugging his shoulders
(patiently. “The incessant picking seclusion. A full week went by before he
out again with his companion of the
(most drives me mad at times; but drilted
lips. The next day after that he
(on I suppose it’s worse for the girls.” compressed
drew a round $1,000 from the safe, and
I7/A7? A? THE RES T A OC/F T Y REIGNS. seemed annoyed when the clerk smiled a
broad and knowing smile. “No game
(r Philadelphia Press.
fazeu me,” said Mr. Ashley in
I After all, in a city of a million and a ever
a dogged way, “and a man who can |
blf of people, what is society? This hold up his end with cowboys isn’t
(eat centre abounds in comfortable going to be liested by any broadcloth brigade i
bd happy homes, where respectable that was ever hatched.” There was a lull
(en with money enough for all the i of eight or ten days in th' proceedings, and
bm forts and many of the luxuries of then Mr. Ashley drew another $1,000. A
■e live happily, charmingly, inconspicu- couple of days later he drew $850 more. That I
(sly. There are thousands of houses afternoon he went for a drive with his gen- '
(re to support which from $10,000 to i tlemanly companion. His face had been suf-
LO.OOO a year are none to much, in fused with sadness all the morning, but it was I
Brich reside merchants, brokers, editors, noticed that he seemed somewhat brighter |
he returned from the drive. That
(wyers. There are also very many when
Hungry Joe and two of his well
(agnificent residences, better called | evening
known Broadway companions spent several
(laces, in which live honest and intelli- hours in earnest conversatiofi with Mr. Ash
(nt people, who live reputable and ley. That gentleman’s weak eyes made it
(medie lives, spending from $50,000 necessary to wear his broad hat well down
I $150,000 a year, and there are others over his forehead. When the three young
finally magnificent, in which live men went away the merest shadow of a smile
lhemers, blackguards, liars and thieves, played about the mouth of the western man.
■io, having fattened upon the mis- From the table at which they had sat the
(rtiines of their fellows, flaunt their | three young fellows went straight to the tel
(altli offensively in the faces of their egraph office, where they sent the following
(orer but better fellow citizens. Out dispatch:
, Abilene, Kas.:
lie of these are hundreds of thousands P ostmaster
x>o you know Beniamin Ashley, cattle
I people who live quietly, who are | raiser?
Telegraph full particulars, my ex-
(ver seen in public places, who are
(odest in their ambitions, temperate in i
|eir living, church-goers, domestic, I
fiiet, home people.
pms AND THEIR ADHERENTS. I
fiw York Sun.
■The Catholic mission at Lyons has I
■blished some statistics concerning
fie religious creeds of the world and j
fie number of their adherents. Mono-
fieism is said to have fewer followers
fian Pagandom, which counts 816,000,- i
B" worshipers. Catholics are esti- ,
fcte<l to number 212,000,000. Non
kt holies are distnbuted into Protes-
fcts. humbering 124,000,000. and van- .
B* dissidents and schismatics, figured
• at M,000,000. Jews foot up 7.000,-
BO; Mohammedans, 200.000,000; Brah-
|ns, 163,000.000; Buddhists, 423,000,-
Bh; and idol worshipers, 230,000,000.
Bis interesting in this statistical esti-
fcte to note that Roman Catholics ar?
Bday «aid to outnumber the adherents
■ all other forms of the Christian creea
B only four millions.
art. They toasted him right royally in “ v?l
low label,” presented him with a big basket
of flowers with the word “Farewell’’ in large
blue» letters across the centre, and otherwise
marked his departure with evidences of their
tender regard.
Mr. Ashley had been gone from the fashion
able Broadway hotel precisely eleven days,
when a tall man came in from a carriage
tlrtt was loaded with trunks and steamer j
chairs and ». ther appliances of wean travel.
He signed himself on the register, “Benjamin
Ashley, Ixmdo•».” The clerk looked up hur
riedly as if to apologize for not recognizing
his guest, then looked surprised, then mut
tered a hasty word or two, and assigned the
stranger a room, all in a confused and preoc-
cupiel way. This was apparently another
Benjamin Ashley. He was tall and slender,
and well dressed, and pale. But he spoke
with a slightly Americanized English accent,
not unlike that of the other Benjamin Ashley.
The clerk was pretty well puzzled, and that
night he took good care to have the stranger’s
full name and address inserted in the list of
arrivals published daily in a periodical de
voted to that purpose and carefully read by
the confidence fraternity. The clerk went on
duty early the next day, aud as he had fully
expected, one of the first callers was the thin-
lipped young man, who asked to have his
name sent up to Mr. Ashley’s room. Ward
came back that Mr. Ashley would see
the gentleman in the drawing-room, and
thither the clerk followed after a moment.
Hungry Joe was sitting in a large arm chair
when the tall man from Ixmdon came into
the apartment. The New Yorker merely be '
stowed a passing glance on Mr. Ashley and
looked away. The Englishman, however,
seeing no one else Excepting the clerk, ad
vanced courteously and said:
“ Did you wiih to see me. I am Mr. Ash
ley. ”
“ Eh?” queried Hungry Joe, with a startled
look. “ You’re not Mr. Benjamin Ashley E
“ Precisely.”
“ Not of Kansas”
“ Aes, of Abilene, Kan. How can I serve
youF
The thin lips of the confidence man were
rather white by this time, and they were
more firmly compressed than ever. He re
garded the tall Englishman in a dazed fashion
for a few moments. Then he asked:
“ Do you own a large cattle ranch thirty-
five miles south of Abilene?”
“ I believe I do. Why do you ask?”
“Been to Europe to have your eyes doc
tored r
“Yes, I have now been abroad four
months. But, my young friend, these ques
tions are rather odd. Please explain your
self.”
“Odd!” echoed the Broadway man. “Well,
I should think they were. If you are Ben
jamin Ashley, and you do own that ranch,
the cleverest man in the country has given
me a deal, that’s all. Why, it ain’t two
weeks ago that me and two friends bought
a half interest in that ranch, and, by George!
the man whiTsold us stopped in this same ho
tel.”
Mr. Ashley seemed rather astonished by
this information, and beckoned the clerk,
who had been listening to their conversation
quite intently. That individual gave a care
ful description of the previous Mr. Ashley,
and the New York sharper told how had he
won some $3,250 from the man, who was on
his way to Europe for the benefit of his eyes. ,
He had represented himself as the owner
of the Ashley ranch, and at his request
the speaker had telegraphed the Abi
lene postmaster, who had replied giving de
tails as to the property, which is valued at
about $50,000, and had added that Mr. Ashley
himself had gone abroad for medical treat
ment. The man had represented that he
wanted to make certain expenditures in Eu
rope, and that his card losses would prevent
unless he could dispose of an interest in his
ranch. He produced deeds to establish his
ownership, and they seemed satisfactory even
to the lawyers. Thinking he had a chance to
get $25,000 worth of material for $14,000, tho
victim harl taken two friends in with him,
and by clubbing together they had raised
the necessary amount.
“Really,” observed the Englishman when
the recital was finished. “I am very sorry
for you, but you have unquestionably been
swindled. For my part I shall not have the
slightest difficulty in establishing my inden-
titv. As to your friend, tho bogus Mr.
Ashley, he is probably one of my cow
boys, Henry Barnes by name. The de
scription certainly fits
that person.
He came to the ranch—let me see—
about 14 months ago and asked for a place.
Now I remember he wasn’t much like the
other boys, but I needed more help, and I
took him on. He may have been in hiding
for some crime, for all I know But on the
plains we can scarcely go into such matters.
He did his work all right, and seemed rather
more refined than his companions, though he
tried to conceal it. I heard once or twice
from my men that he played a very cold
hand at poker.”
“He does,” said Hungry Joe mournfully.
“He was an expert penman, now I come to
think of it, and he did some work of that sort
fdr me. He was still there when I camo .
away.”
“And that’s the cuss who got off to Europe '
with my money, hang him,” burst in the
defrauded confi lence operator, angrily, i
“What’s worse, he went away full of my
champagne, and smelling of my basket of ,
flowers. That man’s a d—d swindler, that’s
what he is.”
Receipt for a Duel.
[London Family Herald.]
In the little town of Rosenburg, west ,
Russia, lived a young and hot-headed lieu- i
tenant, who one day had a dispute with a
clerk in the government service, and sud- i
denly exclaimed: “You know well enough
how to handle your pen; but I have at home
a pair of sharp swords with whica I can
write better.” The other answered: “Such
playthings ought only to be given to children
who have nothing to lose.” The lieutenant
then challenged him to fight with pistols.
“Very well,” the clerk replied, “I accept
your offer, on one condition. You know I
have a wife and childr-jn for whom I must
care. My income is 4.500 marks. If you
will deposit a sum sufficient to yield that 1
interest, I am willing to fight. In that case |
P* R. Di' KSON, Brewer house, New York.
you must place to my account 90,(XX) marks.”
The re] ly was evidently in all respect? satis “But,” stammered the astonished officer, “I ;
factory, »nd within two days Mr. Ashley re have no fortune!” “Ah, sir, those who pos
ceived in his rooms at the hotel a visit from sess nothing have no right to ask men who
the ihree confidence operators and a lawyer, must work for others to fight duels!” The
who is more or less celebrated in this city. duel never took place.
Tlie head porter of the hotel was called up
into the room after the visitors had been
The l<ondon “Hasher.’’
there an hour or longer, and was requested to
Th? Gaulois thus sums up the modern Ix>n
append his signature to a certain document
in the capacity of a witness to the signing don “masher:” He never laughs or puts off
thereof. This done, and the papers signed by an air of weariness. One smile and he is lost.
Mr. Ashley, a large sum of money was paid He rises at midday and breakfasts on a sar- ,
over by the gentleman with the thin lips, and dine and glass of curacoa; drives to Hyde
the porter retired with a five-dollar bill out park in a buggy, with a high-stepping horse,
of the pile. The visitors shortly withdrew until 2:* then lunches; then Tattersalls; at 6
from the hotel, and Mr. Ashley deposited again in the park on horseback; takes a
that night the sum of $ 14,0( MJ cold cash in the lemon squash; dresses and dines at 8, eating
office of the hotel. Two days afterward he little, but taking a good deal of “the bay”
took passage on a Guion steamer for IJver- (masher name for rhampagn#*!; then the
pool. having explained to the hotel clerk that Gaiety; then the ball, where he never dance«,
he had sold ? half interest in his Kansas cat but sits in a comer with his mashes, »pf M
tle ranch to hrs friends, and that Hungry Joe, 3; must never be »een on foot
as he was called, had expressed a wish to re
“Never mistake perspiration for inspira
tire from city life. Mr Ashley was wi
off“ by his enthusiastic New York acquaint tion,” said an old minister in his charge to •
young
pastor just being ordainel
ancea after the most approved style of the
yon may have your meal« In your room; but
these are extraordinary luxuries which must
b»‘ paid for accordingly. As a rule, I am
Observation of a Traveler on the bound to say that the cookery, especially of
meats, is often execrable, eveu at the best
Continent
hotels, for they are usually overdone. I have
found nowhere on the continent a beefsteak,
or
a roast of beef, or a mutton chop, at all
Not I p to the American standard of
c-'’’iparable with what one (>n get any hour
Comfort and Convenience—
of the day at any of our L>est American hotels.
Koine l>?Mirable
For here all their luscious juices are cooked
out of them, and the meats, at the best, are
Cnatoms.
poor in comparison with ours or the English
tat aud tender viands.
[European Letter in Pioneer Press.]
A SEVERED HEAD ALIVE.
Though my experience of hotels on the
continent has l>een chiefly confined to the
Alpine regions of Switzarland and France, I A Remarkable Iteeltal by a Veteran
Chicago Engineer.
have found them, as a rule, good. Some of
them excellent, excellent—that is to say, ac
[Chicago Herald.]
cording to the continental standard, which is
“How was it about the explosion you wit
by no means the best American standard of ness m ! ?”
“Well, one was near Susquehanna, on the
comfort and convenience, to say nothing
of luxury.
We miss, indeed, that York & Erie, now the New York, Lake Erie
crowning flower of American civili & Western. Poor Walter Arnold was run
zation—the airy and consequential hot«l ning the engine. He was as nice a chap and
clerk, with his head of Adonis in oil and his as steady and careful an engineer as you ever
dazzling opulence of jewelry; and we miss saw. 1 was standing near the office door
the ubiquitous African, with the broom talking to the mechanical superintendent
brush, w\o confronts you at every turn and about some new hammers that we were put
corner with his instrument of torture, and ting into the shop. It was iu the fall of 1857,
insists upon sweeping you as if you were a but 1 remember it as if it occurred yesterday.
street crossing. The barber’s shop, too, so Walter hauled up about 200 yards to
important an adjunct of even the poorest the right of where we were standing,
American tavern, is nowhere to be found, so and his engine had hardly stopped when
far as I have ol»served, even in the most ex the explosion took place. It was a fearful
tensive aud pretentious of European hotels. sound. It stunned us for a second or two.
In Chester, where I needed the services of a Then we rushed down to see a sight which I
barber, I was directed to a shop at some dis don’t want to see again. A lot of the work
tance from the hotel, which I found with people and their wives aud children had got
difficulty, up the back stairs of a haberdash on the tender. It was pay day, and they
er’s shop. For no barber's ¡>ole, as is uni were nearly all cut to pieces. The fragments
versal in America, was there to serve ns a of the bodies were seen lying around, mixed
beacon light to the unnhorn stranger. Nor up with the wreck of the engine and tender.
have I seen a burber’s pole in Europe, though Immediately on getting up to the spot I
it is of purely European derivation. But I rushed across the track to see if I could find
recognized the functionary I needed in the anything of poor Watty, for he and I were
modest sign “A Hair Dresser.” He was only close friends. Well, sir, sure enough, there
a hairdresser. ' He was as ignorant of the was his head lasting upright on a flat stone
mystery of the art of shaving as of the sur in a little stream of water by the side of the
gical operation which was formerly a funo road, and the color of life was still seen in
tion of the barber’s miscellaneous profes his cheeks. ‘My God,’ I said to the man next
sion. In England, he explained, that every me, ‘there is poor Watty’s head,’ and with
gentleman was expected to shave himself, that the eyes actually closed and opened, as
and if he couldn't he should let his beard much as to say, ‘Yes, old man, here I am?
gi-ow. This was, of course, an exaggeration. This is as true as you and I are here now.
There are plenty of shops in London, and No, 1 don't want to be in any more explo
in continental cities, where the functions of sions.”
“And you really think the head heard your
liarber and hairdressei* are united; butthoy
are relatively far less numerous than with remark and answered it by winking his
eyes?
”
Us, and are generally separated in the small« r
“Yes, sir; it is true as death. Watty Ar
towns - in many of which the barber is un
nold knew me, and heard my voice, and an
known.
swered it. You see, the head <vas taken off
WINE DRINKING.
But this is a digression. 1 was speaking of clear, below the jaws, and very likely the
the European hotels. In the list of American superheated steam seared the ends of the
hotel luxuries which many Americans sadly veins and stopped the flow of blood from the
miss here, I should not forget the bar-room. head and face. There was a good color in
This most cherished of American institutions the face and the eyes were full of intelli
is rarely to be found in connection with Euro gence.”
The reporter ascertained that the name of
pean hotels, or at the cafeu. Though Wine
drinking is as universal »s tea an J coffee the speaker is William Nugent, mechanical
engineer
and draughtsman. The person who
driuking with us, it is like the latter, a part
of the day’s repasts— more especially of the was with him at the time of the accident was
dinner. The A merican custom of promiscu oue Richard Bates, who afterward removed
ous social tippling of strong liquors, on empty to Philadelphia. Mr. Nugent is employed iu
stomachs, at all hours of the day and night, the office of the ChicagoTire andSpring works,
which the bar invites, and which is the fruit As to the possibility of the head being
ful cause of so much intemperance, seems to conscious after severance, it is on record
be unknown on the continent. The wine that several of the heads taken off by the
bottle before every guest or family at the j guillotine in Paris during the reign of terror,
table d’hote is supposed to have been taken showed signs of life and consciousness after
execution took place, and that vital action
freshly from the cellar of the hotel.
continued for a considerable time in some
THE HEAD PORTER.
cases. It is by no means impossible that a
But I was going to say that the organiza nervous contraction of the eyelids might
tion and regimen of the continental hotels have taken place. Whether there was really
are as different from those of America as the conscious motion is another question. It is
social customs of the people. Here the cou certain that Mr. Nugent thought at the limo
cierge, or what may be called the head porter, that there was, and that he continues in that
is the most important, or, at least, to the belief to this day. The conditions are cer
stranger, the most useful of the hotel func tainly more favorable for the momentary
tionaries. He has his bureau or desk, and, in maintenance of consciousness in Walter Ar
the more pretentious houses, he wears a liv nold’s case than in the cases of victims of the
ery, and two crossed keys embroidered on the guillotine. There was much less loss of
laj>el of his coat, are the insignia of his office. blood, and the whole system was probably in
He is usually a linguist of no mean accom a condition of more robust and active life.
plishments, for he speaks at least three, and There was also the fact that the flow of blood
sometimes four, languages—French, English, from the head in this case hail been partially
and either Italian or German, and often checked, fii’st, by the superheated steam, and,
both. In either of these languages he second, by the cold water of the creek.
gives you any information you may re
“Shake Nlitayn In.”
quire for yorr guidance within or with
[Detroit Free Press.]
out the hotel, posts your letters, sends your
“My boy Shake he comes a big shoko on
packages to their destinations, hires your car
riages, and earns his modest gratuity by a me,” said a pleasant-faced farmer at the
thousand little necessary attentions which Gratiot avenue station yesterday.
“How was that?”
are wholly neglected in American hotels. In
“Vhell, Shake was radder lazy und he eat
the hotels of the smaller Swiss towns and
French towns, as generally in England, the more on der table ash two men. Last vheek
bookkeeper or secretary is a woman, some he shtrikes on me for wages.”
“Is he of age?”
times the wife or daughter of tho landlord or
“Oh, no. Shake vhas only 16. I doan’ [>e-
landlady, and bookkeeping for a hotel here is
a much more complicated affair than in lief he can earn his jsiard mit any farmer,
und
so I tells him I vhas willing to poard und
America. For, instead of a single charge |
per day for board and lodging, it is made up clothe him, und if some circus comes along I
of charges for every it-jm of service or con gif him feefty cents. Dot vhas good enough
sumption—for your bed room, your candles for a boy mit sooch an appetite. But vhat
(for gas or oil lamps are unkn >wn in be 1- | you pelief Shake does?”
“I dunno.”
rooms on this side of the water), for attend
“He comes to town and drinks some peer
ance, for your several meals, and for every
article ordered outside th? prescribed menu. und vhas arrested und sent up mit der work
house for seexty days.
If 1 tak«? him out I
THE MEALS.
It follows from the nature of his duties | haf to bay ten dollars cash. Dot vhas a b»g
that the head-waiter or chief butler is also a I shoko on me, und Shake he laughs all oafer
much more important functionary than with himself?’
“Why don’t you leave him in thereto
us. For he has to take note of what every
guest eatsS and drinks, and particularly of the serve out his time? Begets his tioard and
eccentric foreigu variations, from the pre clothes, and you 1’ave nothing for him to do
scribed native courses. Breakfast, as an at home in the wihter.”
“By Shiminy; but I nefer fought of dot
early morning meal after rising, is not one
of these. Instead of it you are provided with pefore! Dot’s so—dot’s so. Shake vhas no
goot
at home, unffvhas only expense on me.
coffee or tea or chocolate, and brea«I and but
ter. This is called a cafe on the camplet If I doan pay dot ten dollar den he shtavs
though it is regarded as anything but com in.”
“An«l the joke Is on him?’
plete by most Americans. The most sub
“Dot’s so—dot’« so. If I take him out he
stantial breakfast, which is taken later in the
laugh
peeind my pack init <ler boys. If I
day, usually at some of the numerous cafes,
leaf
him in I go oop to see him once a vheek
and w hich corresponds at least in the order of
sequence to our lunch, is called a dejeuner a und niak«! some grins und ask him how it
la fourchette—a delicate implication of vhas so far he goes. Shake shtays in. Ha!
meats. The table d’hote dinner is the one ha! ha! I vhas tickled already 1”
grand formal meal of the day, the only one
|j«‘on Abbett.
when the resources of the cuisine are called
[Gath in New York Tribune.]
into requisition, and when all the guests who
Twenty-five years or more ago I saw and
avail themselves of its questionable privileges
are expected txj tie in their designated seats j heard Mr. Leon Abbett, now Democratic
punctually at the designated hour of about governor-elect of New Jersey, a«ldr«*fM a <le-
bating society in Philadelphia on a public
6 or 6:30 p. m.
night He was announced as a prodigy who
TABLE D’HOTE.
would make a speech immediately on any sub
The table d’hote guest here is relieverl ' ject proyiosed by the audience. Some mem
of the perplexing task imposed upon him by ber» of the rival debating societies, more
the more generous hospitality of the Amer jealous than fraternal, proposed the word
ican hotel of selecting his dinner from the be “cosmogony,” an unfair thing, because he
wildering profusion of viands and vegetables had not promised to define every hard word.
and side dishes and dessert dainties with in But it was said that young Abbett’s wits
comprehensible French names which are dis were all ready anil he had a dictionary con
played on his bill of fare. His dinner here is cealed, out of which came the miming mean
all arranged for him beforehand, and consists ing: science of the universe. He spoke glibly
of some half a d«>zen simple courses of a single ¡ but left the impression on my mind that he
dish each—soup, fish, mutton or beef success- i would as well tie prompt as right. He was
ively—then some usually inexplicable side the son of a milliner in that city who brought
dish which is the cook's ch«-f d'œuvre, then up a bright family of boys, handsome, well-
string beans, then some sort of fowl, usually behaved an 1 precocious.
chicken with salad, followed by fruit ami
cake, and, in defererthe to English custom,
Too Murli Timber.
cheese. The only article you have the privilege
[Detroit Free Press.]
of ordering is wine, which is usually poor.
“Well, what’s the matter nowF asked
This seems to lie the stereotypefl menu for a Simpkins’ wife as he staggered in about 3
table d'hote dinner everywhere. At least o'clock in the morning.
from Paris to Geneva, high up among the
“Well, (hie) an’ 'e said: ‘Putsh stick in'm
small inns of the Alpine mountains and so (hie)—soda.’ So I saysh: 'Putsh stick in
ravin?«, and down in the more pretentious mine? Then I gesh—”
ones of the valleys, the tmall bill of fare has
“Well, I guess,” remarked Mrs. Simpkins,
prevailed with very little variation for local lay ing considerable rtres» on t »e iiersonal
circumstance, except as to price, which varies pronoun, “that he put a whole cord of wood
from 4 to 5 franca.
in your soda, and that it all went to your
head?’ And when Himpkins woke up the
BAD COOKING.
You may dine a H carte, if you choose, and next morning he thought 00 too.
EUROPEAN HOTELS.
A NEW NARCOTIC.
Coca, a Wonderful South American
Plant—-Its Remarkablo
Proportion
[New Orleans Picayune.]
Humboldt aud other travelers tell how tho
mail-carriel’s, traveling on foot and bewaring
upon their shoulders heavy bags of mail, will
scale tho mighty mountain range of the An
des, crossing through passes 16,000 feet above
the sea level, where, even under tho vertical
sun of the e<piator, perpetual snow abides,
sustained in these labors by a meagre diet of
parched corn, and stimulated by the potent
coca leaf. The laborer who, in the absence
of steam engines aud other hoisting ma
chinery, climbs tortuous and trembling
ladders from the depth of a thousand
fathoms in the Peruvian silver mines,
bearing upon his back a leathern bag of
the precious ore, is enabled daily to endure
this tremendous exertion through the bracing
influence of coca. These matters, incredible
as they may seem, are certified to as facts by
the most trustworthy witnesses. The schedule
time for foot-mail carriers across the moun
tains in Bolivia, from Chuquisaca to Ixi Pez,
a distance of seventy leagues, 210 miles, is
three days, or seventy miles a day, and these
carriers live chiefly on parched corn, seldom
tasting meat, but chewing about three ounce»
of coca leaf a day. In the high altitudes,
where traveler» suffer with difficulty of
breathing, and frequently with tushes of
blood from the mouth aud nose, the consum
ers of coca experience no sort of inconven
ience, but perform their labass with accus
tomed activity.
That a plant which is possessed of such re
markable properties should be so little known
beyond its own proper habitat is quitecurious
in this age of travel and discovery, and it in
duced some consideration and inquiry on the
¡»art of «1 reporter. Meeting with Dr. Her
rick, secretary of the board of health, yester
day, the reporter questioned him concerning
the matter.
Said the doctor in substanix»: Coca is now
coming into use by the medical profession in
this city.
In reply to an inquiry as to the purposes
for which this medicine was administered
here, the doctor said that it has specific and
powerful effects on the nervous system. It is
a tonic and stimulant without any apparent
injurious reaction. When the nervous sys
tem has l>een broken down by alcohol, opi
ates, and the like, it has been recommended,
and, combined with phosphates, it has been
proscribed to counteract the waste of the
body which is seen in pulmonary consump
tion and other diseases which have to be met
by some system of nutrition. It is very prob
able that this drug might be used to advan
tage by professional pedestrians and other«
engaged in exhausting aud prolonged phys
ical labors.
Under the direction of tho dtx'tor the re
porter visited a druggist near the l’oydras
market, who imports the article in its purest
and most reliable form; that Is, the freshly
dried leaves.
Said the druggist, reaching down from a
shelf a metallic can, closely sealed: “The
coca, like the tea, must bo transported and
kept in air-tight and water tight packages.
Exposed to the air and to moisture, it not
only loses its aroma and flavor, but is chem
ically altered, and thereby rendered inert and
useless. You will observe,” he continued, as
he opened the package and pulled out some
greenish dried leaves, “they have much ths
odor of English breakfast tea, and except
tlmt tho leaves are not curled or crumpled,
they are not unlike those of the tea plant.
The first coca leaves brought here were iu
bagsi, but they were worthloss; and now that
they an? packed in theso canisters the leavoi
arrive here endowed with all their proper
virtues.
“As a tonic for persons who are suffering
from alcoholism or the opium habit, it is
an. admirable remedy. It not only re
lieves tiie nervous depression under
which they suffer, but enables them
to break off from their dangerous stimu
lants by offering them one which seems to
have no bad properties. Coca »Mill» to bracq
up the nerves without producing the exciting
stimulation and the consequent depressing
reaction that accompany the use of other
narcotics. In combination with certain
remedies it has been of groat lx*neflt to cou
sumptive patients also.
“Have you any habitual customers for the
diug who use h as a regular stimulant? ”
a*k«i the reporter.
“Yes. The firs* was a gentleman who hail
1« amed to use it while living in Brazil. As
M ton as he found he could get it here he ha|
been buying it regularly, and says he neveB
experienced any injurious effects from it.
(Hher person-i, among them several journal
ists who learned the use of th«? coca from tho
first-named party, also purchase it r«?gularly
and declare that while it brac«?s them up for
nignt work it pr«xluces no bad eff«wts.”
( 'oca is an interesting study, not only to the
medical scientists, hut to the jx>Htical philos-
opher, for it enables millions of people to do
their daily work on a deficient food supply
w ithout suffering th«? pangs of hunger. As
an economizer of food it occupies a uni«[ue
position.
A Thrilling Ride for n -lug of Idquor
[Boston Traveler.]
One night a Carolina judge had been out
very late and on his return, after stabling
his horse, he kept vigil even later with soma
sympathetic friends. On rising in the morn
ing and descending to the breakfast room, his
throat very dry, what was his surprise to find
the demijohn that stood on the table in a
similar arid condition.
“Rambo.”
“Y-yes, sah.’’
“Take this jock—saddle the mare, and rids
down to the (,'orners and get it filled as quickly
as you know how. Do you bearF
“Y-yea, sah.”
His order given, and the slow and stutter
ing Rambo from the room, the thirsty son of
Bacchus and Minerva sat himself «town,
watch in hand, to await the committing of
his «-ommission. “Tw«> minutes,” he mur
mured, brokenly, gasping as chickens de
when their porridge is too dry—“the mare ia
bridled—saddled—and Hand» is on her back.
Now he is down th«? path, out the gate on ths
highway. Good old Bessy! How she file«
along! Now they are by the willow tree. Now
they are crossing the brook— now— and now
— the two miles ar«? finished and they are at
the store. Two minutes for the lx>y to finish
waiting on tho customer» already there—two
minutes to draw the—for Hainbo and it is on
its way. Here it com?«. Over tho brook and
by the tree—along th«? road—along the lane
—through the gate—up the path—and here it
is with Hamlo!”
“I say, in mama, I c-can‘t find that « to bri
dle anywha! Why, h-h-here it 1«, massa, be
hind your « hair! Guess you must ha’ bringed
it in last night!”
Importing Mknll«.
[ Popular Science New». ]
The thrifty German mind is equal to emer
gencies. A half dozen human skull« were
lately bought in Iz»ndon for the cabinet ot
anatomy at Heidelberg As old bone«, them
would be admitted into Germany free from
duty; ami the customhouse officials there
fore taxed them a» “worn effects.”