i\\ . I

 

 

 

 

 

tried to kill him, aided by a desperado pard of

s. '

“ The sgagigeii, tog] rgmeiéiber, left the next-
mornmg. u e e t e we es radoes a ed
and bound in this hotel. pe g gg

“ The night following his departure those two
men started on the stranger’s trail to kill him,
and three others whom you all knew, called The
Triplets, were hired to kill that stranger.

“He had once done me and mine a service.
and so I wished to save°him, and I rode up the
valley and warned him.

“ X on are aware that neither Room Key
Johnny nor his pard ever returned, nor were
The Triplets seen in Saw Dust City afterward,
so my warning must have done some good.

“ It was because I would not tell where I had
been, and what doing, that Red Tom threatened
to kill me, but as he made the attempt one whom
I did not know was present sprung from behind
the counter and drove his knife into the heart
of the storekeeper.”

“ “'ho was it?” cried Bunco, furiously.

“ As he is safe, and will not return here, I do
not mind telling you,

" It was Hop Up. the Chinee!” ,

A murmur ran through the room, and Deer—
Eye Dick continued:

“ I urged the Chinee to fly, but he would not
go unless I did, as he said I would be accused of
the murder.

“ So I decided to go. and he went after his
brother, Lick Skillet. who was the servant of
the three men known as The Triplets, and then
away on that stranger’s trail.

“ I took some money from my trunk, some pa—
pers and what I needed from the store in tbe
wa ' of provisions. ammunition and blankets,
an I took my two horses with me. '

“ Of what the store held half was mine. so I
committed no robbery, and I have been away,
riding Pony Express. ’most all the time, until a
few days ago. when I decided to come back here

. and claim my own. '

“ That is my story, gentlemen of the jury.”

As Deer-Eye Dick sat down a silence that
could almOst be felt rested upon all.

His handsome, sad face and frank manner
had won over many to believe he told the truth;
but there were many more who did not believe
in any truth or honesty, and they did not care to
have a tragic scene spoiled, and they Wished to
see the youth punished.

As for Bunco he was astounded at the boy’s
story, though he knew he told the truth in the
main.

He had not allowed any one to know that Red
Tom owned a dollar in the store, or any one else,
and led all to believe it was all his.

But Deer—Eye Dick’s story would prove that
he had been but half owner, and more, that he
sad Been getting all the benefits since the man’s

eat .

All remembered the running off of the two
Chinee brothers, but no one had connected their
going with Deer-E e Dick’s flight.

So the idea of unco was to show that the
youth charged the absent Chinee with the crime
to save himself and told the story of his owning
the half of the Bonanza Palace Store to try and
make capital for himself.

Seeing that a number believed the youth,
Bunco determined to act promptly. and so said:

“Gentlemen of the jury, you have heard the
prisoner’s statement, and I pronounce it false
from be innin to end.”

Then fiiuck radford arose and said in his
pointed way:

“Judge, this seems to have simmered down
to a question of veracity between you and the
prisoner, so, to prove your case, you will be will-
ing to answer some questions?"

“ I am the justice here, sir, and not on trial,”
was the angry retort.

“ Then as judge you should be just and an-
swer some questions I wish to ut to you.”

‘ “ That’s so !” came in a how from the crowd,
and Bunco said:

“ What do you want ter ask?” 7

“Do you not remember that two Chinamen
5eftg§aw Dust City the night of Red Tom’s mur-

er _

“ Every fool remembers that.” ~

“Certainlykwell, as you remember it, can you
not recall that theywere suspected at first of
killing Red Tom, the; putting Deer-Eye Dick
out of the way inssome mysterious manner, and
of robbing the store?”

“ Some said they might have done it, but I
never believed it, and I found out afterward the
boy did it. ”

“ You thou ht so, and so did others; but now
to the story 0 the prisoner owning half of the
store 3”

“ It is a lie.”

“ Here. 811‘, look over these papers,”and Deer-
Eyc Dick handed a package of papers to Buck
Bradford. -

Bunco sought to intercept them, but Buck
Bradford said :

“ Hold. judge! don’t do that. for I won’t stand
it."

A glance at the papers showed him what they
were and he said in his calm, distinct way:

" Here is a paper which is a partnership
drawn up between Landlord Bunco and Dickie
Reddington. in which each owns half of the
Bonanza Palace Store, while Red Tom is to have
the receipts of the profits on Dickie Reddington‘s
half. but not to touch the principal.

“ This is signed by Bunco and Dickie Red-
dington, and witnessed by Red Tom,” and turn—
ing to the youth he asked:

" Are you Dickie Reddington?“

“ I am."

“ And the man Red Tom. for his name was
Thomas Reddington !"

“ We were nearly connecte( .” was the re-
sponse.

“ That is nonsense, for that boy is not the one
referred to in that paper, and he professes to be.
simply because he stole papers and knows their
contents.

“ The Dickie Reddington referred to there is
Red Tom‘s wife, and I have sent to her, to her
home in Kansas, all her share of profits from
her half-interest 1n the store. .

“ I tell you, gentlemen of the jury, that that
youth killed Red Tom, robbed the store, got
hold of these papers. and knowing just how
matters stood, from having them in his posses-
sion, he came back here to play innocent of
his crime and rob me of half of that store.

“ Such is the case. gcntlcmen of the jury, and
I leave it to your good sense to decide if he is
not guilty.”

It was evident that the words of Bunco set the
tide once more against Deer-Eye Dick, and see—
ing it Buck Bradford made a most impassioned
appeal for his young client.

He asked the jury to look into his face and see
if they could trace there one sign of guilt, and
to beware how they decided against him. '

But the jury wished to curry favor with
Bunco, the all- )owerful man of Saw Dust City,
and they deci ed very quickly as to their ver-
dict.

“ What do you say, gentlemen 3" asked Bunco.

“ Guilty.”

“ Of the murder of Red Tom?”

“Yes, judge."

" Of robbing the store?"

“ Yes. “

“ Of stealing these papers?"

“ Yes." .

“ Of flying to save his life, and returning to
defraud inc.“

“ Yes."

“ Then. gcntlcincn. the prisoner having been
proven guilty upon all thcsc charges, and such
being your Verdict, I do puss sentence upon
him, and it is that he shall be banged by the
neck to-morrow afternoon at sunset, on the tree
in front of this hotel, and known as the Vigi-
lantcs‘ Gallows, and whereon many a better
man has swung before him, and for a far less
crime than be has been guilty of.

“Gentlemen of the jury, is my sentence ap—
proved 3’ ’ ,

I The jury nodded as one man, and the trial
was ended, Deer—Eye Dick being at once bound
and placed under guard in one of the hotel
rooms. to await his doom on the morrow, while
Buck Bradford, Hank Holden, Ned Talbot, the

l
Overland driver and several others walked off
, to see if something could not be done to save the
unfortunate youth from such an ignoniinious
and untimely end.

CHAPTER XXXI.
PUT 'ro FLIGHT.

DEER-EYE DICK was a little stunned by the
result of his trial.

.He knew that Buck Bradford had done all for
him that man could do, and he wished to thank
him for it, but he was at once forced off by
Bunco. who wished to get him safely away in a
room of the hotel where no one could see him,
excepting the guard which he placed over him.

The youth had thought that when he showed
the papers he held, and told his story, the miners
would believe him and not Bunco.

But the landlord had a strong pull in his
favor in just having been elected judge, for
there were few who would go against his author~
ity, lawless as he was, after having put him in
the pOSItion which they had.

Deer-Eye Dick saw that Buck Bradford, Hank
Holden, the driver, Ned Talbot and others be-
lieved his stor ', but they were so few against
the majority t at sided with Bunco, that he
could not hope for any act in his favor.

“ If I only knew where to find Buffalo Bill
now, he would help me, I know,” he mutteer
to himself, after he had been placed in his
prison room—for Saw Dust City did not have
what it most needed, a jail—with a rough-look-
ing guard at his door outside.

" And Doctor Powell is with him, and the
parson and So], all good friends to me and who
would not let them hang me.

“ My life is not a happy one, for I am an out—
cast from home and friends: but then I do not
wish to die like a dog, for maybe some day all
will come well.

" Still I can have no hope now, and suppose I
must die.”

So mused the poor fellow in his bonds in the
hotel, while outside Buck Bradford was doing
all he could to influence the miners in his favor,
:Ild Hank Holden and Ned Talbot were aiding

1m.

Never in its history had Saw Dust City had

gether of its citizens to elect a court, the appear-
ance of B0wie Ben‘s ghost in their midst, the
going of the Unknown to seek him, the arrival
of Deer-Eye Dick on the stage, and the trial
that followed, had wrought the people to the
highest pitch of excitement, and it was not to be
wondered at that several men were killed and
others wounded in the quarrels that necessarily
followed.

Starting homeward with a party who lived
their way, Buck Bradford and Hank Holden
were urgin the claims of the prisoner strongly,
when one o the number, a burl ru 11 known
as Scar Face, on account of his ace being seam-
ed with scars, said:

“ Waal, it’s my opinion ther jedge are right,
and don’t you forgit it."

“ How do you make that out, Scar Face 3” ask—
ed Buck Bradford.

“I makes out that he owns ther store. and
ther boy kilt Red Tom and stole the papers and
ther money, and he should hang for it, and he
will, for ther jedge has said so and I backs up
ther law."

“ I was the one who got Bunco elected, for I
fiat-tergnyself if I had run, when asked, I would
have been elected: but I put Bunco forward,
and as long as I deem him acting right I shall
support him.

“ But this is a case where it is a prisoner
against the judge, and Bunco being interested
should not have sat on the case, but asked some
one else to do so, where no partiality would be
shown.

“ You is mad with ther jedge ’cause you lost
yer case,” growled Scar Face.

“ It is the boy’s life that will be lost, yes, sac-
rificed, and I will do all I can to prevent it,
while, if Jud e Bunco does not act Square, why
there is a ju ge more powerful than he is that
may force him to do so.” ~

“ Who’s that?” ’ ‘ i

“ Judge Lynch,” came the response.

“ Does yer threaten ther agdge with lynch
law Bfadford?” asked Scar . I '

“ threaten nothing, only, as we have decided
to have this town run by law, I shall see that
justice is done to the full extent I can, for there
are many here who should suffer, while that
poor boy should be let go.”

" That’s so,”chimed in Hank Holden.

“ Maybe you mean me?” growled Scar Face,
and he came to a halt just at the corner of the
street leading up to the burying-ground.

“ If you wish an answer to your question,
Scar Face, you force me to say that i think Saw
Dust City would be the gainer by your emigrat-
ing to the cemetery up yonder.”

There was no mistaking the meaning of the
words, and most of ~the part , some score in
number, laughed, while Hank olden said:

“ You got your answer barefooted that time,
Scar Face, now didn’t yer ?”

The desperado was taken aback for a mo-
ment.

He was ruler at the camp where he dwelt,
and few opposed his slightest wish.

He “ had his graveyard.” so to speak, and his
looks revealed very plainly that he had seen des-
perate doings in his time.

He carried his revolvers for use. he often said
and not for show, and it had been a mooted
question which was the worst character—Iron
Grip, Devil Dan. Bowie Ben, Room Key Johnny,
The Triplets or Scar Face.

As all of the former had “turned up their
toes,” Scar Face considered himself “ the boss
0’ Saw Dust City,” as he called it, along with a
pard equally as Wicked who answered to the ap-
pellation of Mad Eye. on account of the ferocity
of expression in the one eye he had left, his oth-
er having been shot out.

Twice had Scar Face had trouble with Bowie
Ben, to the latter’s sorrow, for he had been each
time worsted. and so much had his deviltry,
cunning and deadly aim been respected by the
others that he had not been troubled to any
great extent by them.

\Vith his pard Mad Eye, Scar Face had no
fear, but alone he seemed to feel like a man who
was unarmed where others wore weapons.

On this occasion Mad Eye was not along, and
so Scar Face was not enjoying the full bent of his
wicked humor.

Had his pard been present, a shot would hav
answered Buck Bradford‘s bold words.

As it was, he said:

“ You seem to want ter fight with me, Buck
Bradford?”

‘_‘ N0, indeed, I seek no trouble: but you asked
a question and I answered it.” .

“ Maybe you’d like to put me up in the grave-
yard yerself I” was the sneering remark.

But hot came the answer:

“ If you gave me just cause, Scar Face, I’d
not hesitate an instant to be the cause of your
goin there.” .

“ l 'aal, young feller, I hain’t prepared fer a
row ter-night: but you kin jist l‘arn right now
that arter ther insults yer has put upon me afore
my friends here. that it’s shoot at sight atween
us from this on.”

“ That is a cat and dog life to lead, Scar
Face. so suppose we have this out now, either
stepping off ten paces here, or going up to the
cemetery?”

“ Does yer think I’m a fool ter go up thar,
arter seein‘ Bowie Ben’s ghost to—night!”

“ No, I think you are a coward. and you
should not be so afraid of what you will soon be
yourself.”

“Ter-morrow, and ever arter, young feller,
it is shoot atween us. fer I hain’t fixed ter—
niglit.” .

“ You mean your pard Mad Eye is not here!l ’
said Hank Holden, and the crowd laughed.

“ Yer may think that’s funny, but I spots
them as laughs at me,” growled Scar Face, and
the weaker kneed present regretted their hi—
larity. _

“ No, Scar Face, I do not care to live in such
enmity with my fellow—man.

“ I have tried to do right since I came here, I
have forced a quarrel upon no one, and I am

 

 

such a night of excitement, for the calling to—'

not going about now looking for some one to
shoot at Sight.

f‘ Those present are as much your comrades as
mine, except my pard Holden here, and they
Will see fair play.

“ It is by such aid as yours that Bunco will
try to hang that boy, while the better men will
Wish to save him.

“ Come, let one of our party step off ten
paces, and we can end this matter right here.”

“ I says I liain’t fixed to—night.”

derousl inclined, so what more do you wish '3”

Scar ace glanced around the crowd, and he
saw, to. hold his own, he must fight.

He did not like the calm courage of the young
miner. for it awed him, so different was it from
his bullying desperadoism.

But he growled forth:

“ Yer kin hev yer way, young feller, as I sees
yer is determined ter commit suicide.

“ I don’t want ter kill yer, fer I thought may
be yer’d repent yer sins and turn preacher some
day. but I suppose I hes ter as yer wants it so.”

Buck Bradford laughed,and asked one to step
off the distance and arrange the preliminaries
for the duel.

“ You’ll distarb ther folks in the’r sleep,” said
Scar Face, with an effort at wit.

“ Well, they’ll not blame you, Scar Face.”

‘f IVhy won’t they ’11”

" People censure the living and not the dead,
so they’ll blame me,” was the significant reply.

Scar Face was about to make some reply,
when suddenly a voice called out:

“ Who is that!” ‘

All eyes beheld, coming thrOugh the darkness,
from toward the Sinner’s Hope Burying~ground,
a mteall form. walking at a quick, though noiseless
s p.

As he drew near enough to be distinctly seen
Scar FaCe uttered a startled oath and dashed
awgay toward the river, while some one called
on :

“ It’s Bowie Ben’s ghost.”

Then all but two ran off, while the “ ghost ”
started at a full run directly after Scar Face,
who had headed toward the river.

 

CHAPTER XXXII.
a MYSTERIOUS DEATH. .

THE two men of the party who had not taken
flight,at the appearance 6f the ghost of Bowie
Ben, were Buck Bradford and Hank Holden.

They had caught si ht of the advancing form
as the others had, and wondered at its coming
down the hill from the cemetery, at that time of
night, for it was but a couple of hours to dawn,
as there was no cabin beyond where they had
halted, on the road leading up to Sinner’s Hope
Cemetery.

After the apparition, said to be Bowie Ben’s
ghost, in the early part of the night, at the Sin-
ner’s Rest Hotel, they did not believe any one
would go near the graveyard, unless the Un-
known had done so, as had been reported by
those who had watched him ride in that direc—
tion.

The Unknown, however. had gone on horse-
back, and the form approaching was on foot.

Both of the friends had a good look at the ap-
parition, when it strode into the bar of the hotel,
and quaifed a drink, and they had pronounCed
it to he certainly Bowie Ben, if alive, and his
ghost if dead.

If they had known of the visits of the Un-
known, the Indian and the Chinee, to the ceme—
tery, and what they saw and did, erhaps even
the two brave young miners woul have beaten
9. hast retreat with the others, to all of whom
Scar ace had set the example by his bounding
away with a howl of oaths.

But each of the two glanced at the other, and
seeing an inclination to remain, neither moved.

So they saw the apparition come on, in that
same weird way which he had shown at the
hotel, looking straight ahead and seeming to see
nothing.

It certainly was the same being, apparition or
ghost they had seen a few hours before.

It paused within a few feet of them, and then,
just as Buck Bradford was about to speak'to it,
seemed .to glide away, rather than run after
Scar Face, who was making remarkably good
time, with p a start 'of some sixty or seventy

feet.
“ What do you make of it, Buck!” asked
Holden. »

 

“ Don’t know; but it looks mighty ghostly,
and if it is not Bowie Ben, then it is his ghost."

“ So I think; but we’ll go up to the cemetery
in the morning and see if Bowie Ben is still in
his grave.”

‘ ‘ Yes, we’ll do that; but now suppose we follow
on after Scar Face and the ghost, for they have
gone to the pine grove yonder, and the only
way they can get out is to swim the river.”

“ Do ghosts swim, Buck?”

“ I don’t know; never heard of such a case;
but we’ll soon know,” and the two friends start—
ed at a quick trot for the clump of pine woods.

They grew upon a point of land, around which
the river curved, and were a resort of the
miners who used it as a park.

The grove was some two acres in size, and the
trees were large and scattering, so that it made
a pleasant resort.

“ Wait here, Hank, while I o in, so you can
see if any one comes out,” said uck, leaving his
friend upon the narrow neck of the little penin—
sula, which was not more than fift feet across.

Then Buck Bradford went into t e grove, and
for half an hour Hank awaited his return.

Then he heard a call, and he hastened into the
timber.

“ Where are you, Buck?”

“ Here.”

Toward him Hank went and soon came upon
him standing by the side of a huge bowlder.

“ What have you there, Buck 3” he asked, as he
saw something at his feet.

‘ ‘ Scar Face.”

“ What! did you have it out with knives. for
I heard no shot?"

“ No, we had no fight, for I found him dead.”

“ Dead .3”

“ Yes, stone dead.”

“ You are sure?”

“ Neither his pulse or his heart beat or throb.”

“ This is strange. Buck.”

(A Vrer .39

“ Aug the ghost ‘3”

“ It glided away as I drew near.” '

“ Buck, I wish we understood all this.”

“ I wish so, too.”

“ What are we to do?”

“ Put the body in the little cabin yonder, and
go home until morning.”

There was a small cabin on the oint, where a
miner once had lived. but having een killed it
was afterward deserted and used only as a place
'to sell liquors, when the miners took a day
“ off "and picnicked in the woods.

To this the body of Scar Face was borne,
and both of the young miners made a careful
examination to see if he really was dead.

Deciding upon this they left him there,
closed the door and went to their cabin. '

The sun was up when they arose, and after
breakfast they mounted their horses and rode
up to the cabin of the Unknown.

That' personage was seated in front of his
cabin, under the roof that served as a piazza.
the flooring being the solid rock.

He had finished his breakfast and was smok-
ing a cigar and enjoying the grand view spread
out before him.

He saw the young men coming and greeted
them in his courteous way, while he said:

“ Be seated, gentlemen, and say how I can
serve you, for as I have invited no one to visit
me, your call surely means that you need my
aid.”

The hot blood rushed into the f8.CPS of the
two men, but checking his anger, Buck Brad-
ford said: ,

“ I did call to ask you to serve us, but it is
in a different way than you doubtless think.
and the sooner you dismiss from your mind
any idea that we wish aid of you, other than
is right. it will be the better for us all.”

“ I am in the dark as to your motives. sir, I
admit, in your coming here,” was the smiling,

 

yet frigid reply.

“You are armed, and you are always mur- '

 

“ In a word I will explain.

“Last night, after you left the hotel, the
stage arrived and brought one passenger a
youth who was once here as clerk in the o-
nanza Palace store.

_“ Red Tom, the storekeeper, was killed the
night the youth left, and all supposed the boy
had murdered him, and he was seized last
night, and after a border trial sentenced to be

, hanged at sunset this evening.

“ We elected last night Bunco as a judge,
and twelve jurymen, to try and help the morals
of these camps, and the trial was before them,
and Bunco sentenced him.”

“ What then 1*”

“ The youth. whose name is Deer-Eye Dick,
says that a Chinee, who left with him that
night, killed Red Tom.

‘ He states that Red Tom meant to attack
him, when the Chinee sprung forward and
killed him.

“_ Then they fled together, along with another
ghmee, the brother of the one who killed Red

om.

“The boy returned last night, as I said, to
get his property, for he has papers to prove
that half the store was his, and not Red Tom’s,
and I feel that he tells the truth."

_ “ Still, if the judge has sentenced him noth—
ing can be done,” said the Unknown, in a tired
kind of way.

f‘ Oh, yes, much can be done, for the case was
tried by Bunco, who was an interested party,
and I feel that a change should be made, a new
trial allowed, and that another should sit in
judgment upon the boy.”

“ Why do you not so have it, then?”

“Because those who support me are greatly
in the minority.”

“ Majorities do not always win.”

“True. sir, and we came to you to say we
would like to demand a new trial, and tem—
porarily appoint you as judge in the case.”

“Ah! it is an honor I appreciate, I assure
you and i am willing to act in the matter.”

“Thank you, sir, and we will bring up the
matter this afternoon, and wish you Could be
at the hotel, for your presence would go far to-
ward giving us success.”

“ I will be there, gentlemen, as you request.”

“And now may ask if you made any dis-
covery regarding the ghost last night?”

In spite of his nerve the Unknown started,
and his brow clouded, as though angry at him—
self for showing the slightest emotion.

But he answered, calmly:

“I disc0vered that what I saw was beyond
finding out.” '

“ It is a remarkable circumstance, sir, for we
also are at a loss to solve the mystery, having
again seen the apparition last night.”

“ Indeed! pray tell me what happened?" and
the stranger showed considerable interest, as
Buck Bradford told the story of what had oc-
curred, up to their finding the dead body of
Scar Face in the grove of pines.

“ It is yonder grove?” he said,pointing to the
point nearly a mile away on the other shore
of the river.

“ Yes, sir.”

" Are you not afraid that you will be accused
of murdering Scar Face, as there were no wit—
nesses?”

Buck started at this, for it had not crossed
his mind before that he might be accused.

“I think no one will dare accuse me of mur—
der,” he said.

“I hope not: but no one knows what may
happen here!” and the b0w of the Unknown
meant that the interview had ended.

(T o be continued—commenced in No. 196.)

————=__

Casual Mention.
WE imported $10,000,000 worth of precious
stones during 1884.

THIRTY—eight two-horse and thirty—five one-

horse carriages follmved the remains of a two-

ear-old child to the Catholic cemetery of
ilkesbarre on a recent Sunday.

THE Boston Young Men’s Christian Union is
devoting much time and money iving carriage
drives to the sick. Nearly 1,4 persons have
thus been benefited this summer.

INDIAN belles of Alaska wear a thick coating
of oil and soot on their faces when not in full
toilet. This is said to preserve the complexion,
which, after a thorough scrubbing, looks as fair
and smooth as a good article of soft-soap.

A DAKOTA farmer, grumbling at the poor
outlook for wheat in the early summer, offered
to give his wife all the wheat he would have over
1,500 bushels. He has just thi ashed a trifle over
2,500 bushels, and the wife is going to have a
new black silk dress. .

TRAMPS in Dakota are not too lazy to do the
“crow act. ” That is, they act as scarecrows in
the wheat fields, taking turns at standing on a
platform high above the wheat, and occasional—
ly yelling or throwing a stone at the birds.
They are paid very little besides what they
eat.

A NOVA SCOTIA farmer, hunting for his cows
at dusk, came upona big black bear that at once
showed fight. The farmer was about to seek
safety in flight, when his three c0ws. bellowing
loudly, with tails erect and fire in their usually
placid eyes, charged the hear so fiercely that he
turned tail and fled.

THREE American horses are to be shipped to
Rosa Bonheur. One was bred on the Sun River,
in the Rocky Mountains: another is a wild horse
caught on the head-waters of the Niobrara, and
the third is a mustang from the Brazos River,
Texas. They are designed as specimens of
horses used on our frontier.

THE drought in Iowa is drying up many fish-
ponds. Among them is Horseshoe Pond, near
Bedford. which is a few feet from a running
brook. The other day the grass between the
pond and the brook was found to be full of cat-
fish, which were fiopping their way from the
drying~up pond to the running water.

A FINE fish story comes from the Sucker
State. It is that a Genesee man floating down
the Illinois went to sleep, leaving a stout fish-
line dangling in the water. When he awoke his
boat was fifteen miles further up stream than
when he went to sleep. A monster catfish had
swallowed the bait and towed the boat up the
river.

CONTINUED dry weather near Danville, 11]..
led Samuel White to dig a well. He bored
twelve feet, and struck water that flowed so
freely that the dry bed of a creek near by has
been converted into a fine stream. Farmers
come from long distances to see what seems to
them very much like a miracle—a stream of
cold water flowing through lands that are
parched and brown with the drought.

A GEORGIA rattlesnake got into a pantry the
other day and found some eggs, which it swal-
lowed. Then it crawled partly through the
handle of a jug, and finding some more eggs,
swallowed them. This brought about an inter-
esting state of affairs, for the greedy snake
found it impossible to get out of the jug handle,
being unable to move either backward or for-
ward. In its efforts to escape it made a great
rumpus. and it was soon killed by the awakened
inmates of the house.

THIS republic certainly has a mixed opula—
tion. The Polish Alliance of the Unitedp States
declares that there are 1,000,000 Poles here. A
prominent Bohemian in the West claims that
there are 5,000,000 Bohemians. Some of our
Irish fellow—citizens assert that we number 20,-
000,000 Irish. with their descendants. There
are more Germans than Irish, some 7,000,000
negroe‘s and hundreds of thousands of Italians,
Hungarians, Spaniards, Chinese, Swedes, Nor-
wegians and other nationalities, so that, out of
our estimated 60,000,000, there can be a very
few native Americans, of the Anglo-American
order. Our foreign friends evidently claim too
much, as is their custom. Our people still have,
we suppose, a right to a small representation
in spite of the fact that this is our own ancestral
land.

 

Popula: Poems.

o ‘0 —i—
TRYING DOORS.

 

BY JOHN E. ii‘caxx.
I see a long and gloomy corridor.
And cold and very rocky is its pave;
On the sides is many a fastened door—
At its head, a crib; at the end, a grave.

I see a baby leave the cradle. and '

Crawl to the first closed door upon the right.
Indifference is written there; no hand

Assists the babe: it weeps there thro’ the night.

The years roll by. The babe 9. boy is gro vn.
He softly tries a door upon the rft,

But Cruelty is carved there, and a moan
Comes from his heart, by sorrow almost cleft.

On roll the years. The man pines for the sun—
On every door he taps, but all in vain;

For Narrowness and Hate the legends run
Upon the doors—and yet he knocks again.

But Prejudice and Jealousy look down
Upon him only at the end of years,
He wants Dame Fortune’s smile,and not her frown:
He wants to laugh and sing, and not shed tears.
At last he saiv a door on which. in gold
Was writ Achievement—and his work was done!
His shoulder to it, far away it rolled—
He stood and breathed the SWeet air in the sun.

——-—:o:——
LINES TO A FRIEND ON HIS MAR-
BIAGE.

 

BY EUGENE FIELD.

 

If I were rich enough to buy
A case of wine('hough l abhor it 3)
I’d send a quart of extra dry
And willingly get trustee for it.
But, lackaday! You know that I‘m
As peer as Job’s historic turkey-—
In lieu of Mumm. accept this rhyme,
An honest gift thougn somewhat jerky.

This is your silver-wedding day—

You didn’t mean to let me know it!
And yet your smiles and raiments gay
Beyond all peradventure show it!

By all you say and do it‘s clear
A birdling in your heart is singing,
And everywhere you go you hear
The old time bridal bells a-ringing.

Ah. Well. God grant that these dear chimes
May mind you of the sweetness only
Of those far distant, callow times
When you were Benedick and lonely—
And when an angel blessed your lot——
For angel is your helpmeet. truly—
And when, to share the oy she brought,
Came other little ange s. duly.

So here’s a health to you and wife—
Long ma you mock the Reaper‘s warning,
And may t e ev. ning of your life
in rising sons renew the morning;
May happiness. and peace and love
Come with each morrow to caress ye.
And when you’re done with earth. above—-
God bless ye. dear old friend—God bless yel

————':o:——-

THE NINE BEDS.

 

Ten weary, foot-sore travelers,
Allin a woeful plight,

Sought shelter at a wayside inn
One dark and stormy night.

” Nine beds—no more," the landlord said,
“ Havel to offer you;
To each of eight a Single room.
But the ninth must serve for two."

A din arose. Tte troubled host
Could only scratch his lead;

For of those tired men no two
Could occupy one bed.

The puzzled host was soon at case—
He was a. clever man— '
And so to please his guests devxscd
This most ingenious plan:
li;§i£dfl,h§,l IEJ ELLEN L Ll
In room marked A two men were placed:
The third be lodged in B;

The fourth to C was then assigned—
The fifth retired to D.

In E the sixth was tucked away,
In F the seventh man:

The eighth and ninth in G and E,
And then to A he ran,

Whereln the host as l have said,
Had laid two tram lers by;

Then taking onwthe tenth and last,
He lodged him safe in l.

Nine single rooms-a room for each—
Were made to serve for ten,

And this it is that puzzles me,
And many wiser men.

—————:o:——

THE BEST WINE LAST.

—— Tablet.

 

BY HENRY BURTON.

 

So Cana said; but still the first was good,
For skillful Nature wrought her very best;

Turning the sunshine into hues of blood.
Bringing the ripened clusters to be pressed.

But this the Master brings: His silent eye
Flushes the sunshine of a loitering year;

13» still, 011 guests, for heaven is passing byl
Bow down, oh, Nature. for your God is herel

And it is always so. Earth’s joys‘grow dim,
Like waning moons they slowly disappear;

Our heavenly joys fill up the widening brim,
Ever more deep and full, more sweet and clear.

Sweet were His words, when o’er the mountain
slope
He breathed His benedictions on the air:
Waking the sleeping angels. Faith and Hope,
Bidding them sing away the grief and care.

And yet. methin ks, He speaks in Sweeter tones,
Out of the shadow of the nearing cross:

Telling of m rnsions and the heavenly thrones,
Which soon shall recompense for earthly loss.

The good. the better, and the last the best,
This is the order of the Master's wine:

More than the yc~terdays today's are blest,
And life’s to-morrows may be more divine.

And what beyond? Ah! eye bath never seen,
Ear hath not heard the wonders that await :

Earth’s lights are paling shadows to the sheen
Of untold glories just within the gate.

We bid thee. Master, come and be our guest!
Life’s common things Thou turnest into wine:
Our cures. our woes, our bitter tears are blcst
If only Thou dost cause Thy face to shine.
——Good Words.

 

 

:0:
THE LAND THAT IS BEST.

 

BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.

 

Oh. hol for the West, the boundless West,
Where pastures and creeds are broad,
Where the breeze is a tonic that thrills the

breast,
Blown straight from the hills of God.

The East is the land of dead men’s bones,
Laid tier on moldering tier,

And the damp, malarial wind tliat moans
Is the breath of those dead men near.

And its slow, pale people seem merely wraiths
That have strayed away from the tomb,
Clutching their cold ancestral faiths
And wrapped in the garments of gloom.

And the mountains rise up and restrict the
sight,
As its creeds restrict the soul; .
But away and over the frowning hight
Those billowy pastures roll.

And there the people are flesh and blood,
Sincw, and muscle and brain,

And the strong lifetide is a crimson flood
Thrilling through nerve and vein,

They ride for milcs o‘er the meadows of green.
They follow the trail of the kine,

And scarcely a tomb by the way is seen,
And the air they drink is like wine.

Brown of feature and hold of heart,
They ride in the face of the blast:

And Nature is dearer to them than Art.
And the Present is more than the Past.

They do not sit down by the tombs of the dead.
They live in the world of to day);

For the Present is here, and the ast has fled.
And the Future is on the way.

Then ho, for the West land, fair and bread—
The land where thought is free, '

Where people live closv to Nature s God,
Oh, that is the land for me!

,A-f-‘an' “mu-.- u...:~,.‘., u,_..z-.«, ..

 

 

 

 

 

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