North Carolina Newspapers

Sfye (fham 3Jucoiu. writ H. A. LONDON, Jr., EDITOR ANI PROPRIETOR. BATES OF Ay v Ay Ay Ay ADVERTISING. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: One ropy, one year, - One copy , six months - 100 One copy, three months, - . - .'50 One square, one insertion. One square, two insertions One square , one month, - fl.00 - 1.50 2.50 VOL. I. PITTSBOEO', CHATHAM CO., N. C, SEPTEMBER 19, 1878. NO. 1. made ,arger vments liberal contracts will be ft Ml Advertisements. LARGEST STORE LARGEST STOCK Cheapest Goods & Best Variety CAN BE FOUND AT LONDON'S CHEAP STORE. New Gools Eeceired eyen Veei. Tou can always find what you wish at Lon don's. He keeps everything. Dry Goods, Clothing, Carpeting, Hardware, Tin Ware, Drugs, Crockery, Confectionery 8hoes, Boot, Caps, Hats, Carriage Materials. Sewing Machines,Oils, Putty, Glass, Faints, Nails, Iron Plows and Plow Castings, Sole, Upper and Harness Leathers, Saddles, Trunks, 8atebels, Shawls, Blankets, Um brellas, Corsets, Belts, La dies Neck-Ties and Ruffs, Ham burg Edgings, Laces, Furniture, &c. Best Shirts in (he Country Tor $1. Best 5-cent Cigar, Chewing and Smoking Tobacco, Snuff, Salt and Molasses. My stock is always complete in every line, and goods always sold at the lowest prices. Special inducements to Cash Buyers. My motto, "A nimble Sixpence is better than a slow Shilling." I3FA11 kinds of produce taken. W. L. LONDON, Pittsboro', N. Carolina. H. A. LONDON, Jr., Attorney at Law, PITTSBORO, X. . jJST'Special Attention Paid to Collecting. DR. A. J. YEAGER, DENTIST, PERMANENTLY LOCATED AT PITTSBOEO', N. C. All Work Warranted. Satisfaction Guaranteed. It. H. COWAN, DEALER IN Staple it Fancy Dry Goods, Cloth ing, Hats Boots, is hoes, No tions, Hardware, CROCKERY and GROCERIES. PITTSBORO. N. C. NORTH CAROLINA STATE LIFE INSURANCE CO., OF RALEIGH, N. CAR. F. H. CAMERON, President. W. E. ANDERSON, Vice Pres. W. H. HICKS, Sec'y. The only Home Life Insurance Co. in the State. Ail its fund loaned out AT. HOME, and among our own people. We do not send North Carolina money abroad to build up other States. It is one of the most successful com panies of its age in the United States. Its as sets are amply sufficient. All losses paid promptly. Eight thousand dollars paid in the last two years to families in Chatham. It will cost a man aged thirty years ouly fire cents a day to insure for one thousand dollars. Apply for further information to H. A.:L0ND0N,Jr., Gen. Agt. PITT8BORO', N. C. Dr. A. D. ITIOORE, PITTSBOEO', IT. C, Offer, bit profesnional services to the citizen, of Chatbmn. With an experience of thirty years he hop,, to give entire satisfaction. JOHN MANNING, Attorney at Law5 PITTSBOBO', N. 0., Practices in the Courts of Chatham, Harnett Moore aud Orange, and in the Supreme and Federa Courts. O. 8. POE, Sealer in Dry Goods, Groceries & General Kercfcanilse. All kinds of Plows and Castings, Buggy Kitoriali, Furniture, etc. PITTNBORO', N. CAB. THE YEOMAN'S STORY. PLORKHCB X. BERGEB. Is it yon, old neighbor and friend? I'm here in th dark alone; I wasn't noticing much how sombre the room had grown. I know by the grasp of yonr hand the things that you want to say, But I'd rather yon shouldn't say them at least till another day. Tes, Will, he has gone at last. My do rling is real ly dead; All I had left in the world, and I haven't a tear to shed! Give me your armthere's the moon, there full, over the apple-trees. Let us walk and talk for a little maybe it'll give me ease. Will, you remember his mother? You must often have heard it said There was never a prettier woman, nor one that held higher her head; Yet only a village beauty, with cheeks like the month of May, And a mother to slave for her dress, and a father to give her her way ... Philip was comely and tall, but I was richer than he; Sometimes she liked Philip the best, and sometimes she teemed to like me She played fast and loose with us both, as only these young things can Who fancy no sport so well as to toy with the heart of a man. Well, Will, without bonnet or shawl she came to my house one night. Said she had broken with Philip, and if I would have her I might. Shall I ever forget that moment, when, shaking in every limb, I seemed to hear music about me more solemn and sweet than ahymu? We were married within the month, and Philip had gone away A happier man than I never looked on the light of day! I whistled from morning to night, and was blithe as a bird on the wing; Ah, lad! that a strong man's soul should hang on so weak a thing! I don't remember exactly when first I noticed the change. But I know that soon something struck me as not like herself, and strange; Her dimples were not so deep, nor so round her lit tle chin. And her eyes grew brighter and brighter as her cheeks seemed hollowing in. She watched my every turn with her large blue wistful eyes. As though she had something to say she was full of trouble and sighs; I thought she was sick for a sight of the old folks down at the mill, But she wouldn't go near her mother, and that made me uneasy. Will. She fretted a deal at last, and the child when 'twas born wasn't strong; But like the fool that I was, I didn't think what was wrong. Till I came unawares upon her in the beerhcopse yonder . . . she lay la a heap . . . with a letter . . . from Philip . . . and sobbing her heart away It was well she died as she did; she was spared from a heavier f ite, For when he came home from sea, he came just a week too late; The osiers were binding her bed, and the May rose had burst into bloom, When I heard he was back in the village. 'Twas close on the evening gloom, I had opened the churchyard gate, with an armful of lilac flowers To deck out her grave a little (not green yet in spite of the showers). When I paused without dropping the latch, for Philip was standing there With his arms hanging down at his sides, and his lips on the work as in prayer. I was sorry for him, right sorry he was so stricken and wan; His face when he lifted it up was the face of an aged man; The look that he gave when he saw me will never pass out of my sight. But I couldn't give him my hand, Will, I couldn't, try as I might! So you see I was left wi h the baby. Conld you thick such a little boy Could grow all the world to me, my all of sorrow orjy No hands touched him but mine don't smile, lad I washed him, and fed, And watched till he fell asleep every night by his cradle-bed. I carried him in my arms, and played with his curly hair; His eyes, the picture of hers, were sometimes hard to bear. But I grew a better man, Will, than ever before I had been. With her baby boy to live for, and her grave to keep neat and green. 'Tis wonderful, Will, these children, how soon they come to know! It didn't seem any time before he could laugh and crow. And stretchout his little arms when he saw me comiug nigh The best child ever born, and never the one to cry! Sometimes I used to lift the hem of his babyclothes And nnrse his tiny feet, pinkish-white, like a wild hedge-rose A id woude- throngh what rough paths they would t'ead in the years to come I didn't think thei they'd betaking the safest and surest home. ... Three years old when he died! and just beginning to talk, To prattle to Rover and me, and toddle about in the walk! I makes you sometimes donbt if things are so right after all, Whe i the weeds are left to flourish, and the blos soms are made to fall. You've some of your own at home you'd like to see him maybe It can only do yon good, Will, to think upon him and me! You'll feel the goodness of God as you never felt it before When the young ones hear yonr footsteps, and rush to the cottage-door! Do you hear that moaning noise It's Rover down in the yard; I'd a mind to shoot him the morn, aud yet 'twould be rather hard; The boy was fond o' the dog, and the poor brute seems to know Being old, and scarce able to crawl, he misses my darling so! That's his hat on the peg, and yonder his poor little toys It grieves me above a bit that I've ever been vexed at the noise; Novo I'd give worlds tohearit, even though it were ten times more O will! how my heart sinks down as we come near the bedroom door! . . . There he lies in his cot, so quiet and happy and still. He looks more like his mother than ever I saw him, Will. . . . What a selfish fool am I, to regret that he's gone from here. For hasu't his face a smile, lad? and that's better sure than a tear! Death is sweeter than life, and slumber is sweeter than pain. 'Twas such a hard fight, old man, and we have so little to gala! Who knows what he might have come to had he lived to be old as we? If life is a good thing, Will, -tis a better thing not to be! Those snowdrops he picked himself that he holds in his tiay hands. Now he gathers the flowers of Paradise, as clothed in white winffs he stands In thegaideu of God, looking upwards to the throne of eternal grace. With the light of ineffable love streaming down on the hash of his face. Will, do yon think he remembers? or has he for ttgoueit all? The old dog crippled and blind, who always limped up at his call, The pipe of the early thrushes, the bloom on th orchard-trees, My facA, that his eyes were fixed on when I took m him to die on my knees? O God! let him not forget me! Let him still remem ber, and wait. And watch with a wistful longing when they open the goldeu gat; Watch with a wistful looging till he sees me enter in, Pure as a little child, and free forever from sin! But the house. Will, ths lonely acrts, the poor little empty chair, The picture-books uuopened, the silence upon the stair! How shall I listen o' night to the moan of the winds on the hill? And the rnh of the rain from the tkies? God', how I shall misthim, Will! From Temple Bur. THE TELLTALE EYE. BY A TRAVELLER. Some years ago, while living in Paris, I met with a French detective who was boarding for the while at the house at which I was sojourning. I confess I was drawn to the man from the tirst. He was a frank, open-hearted, careless French man, whose only aim seemed to be to enjoy life. I had no idea that he was a detec tive, but supposed him to be simply a young man of fortune. Together we at tended the various places of amusement, and 1 soon found my friendship for Eu gene Laromie was cordially reciprocated. He was a tall, splendidly-formed man, with a good-looking careless face, black hair and whiskers. A close observer would have noticed self-reliance and de termination in every feature, and the calm clear eyes told of more than ordinary courage. He was quiet and unobtrusive in his manners, and was decidedly a favor ite with all in the house. One morning as Laromie and I were sitting at breakfast, an old gentleman who had been boarding there for some time (he was there before my arrival) came in and seated himself opposite us. Laromie glanced at him carelessly, but I noticed a quiet smile in the corner of his mouth as he did so. I noticed also that Laromie was longer over his breakfast than usual, and rose only when the old gentleman did. My surprise wras soon ended, however ; for as the old gentle man turned to leave the dining-room, Laromie approached him, and laying his hand on his shoulder, said, quietly : "Monsieur Du Far, you are my pris oner." The old man turned deadly pale, and glanced around hurriedly, as if to secure some means of escape. But Laramie's grasp on his shoulder tightened, and he continued, coolly : ' Monsieur Du Far, I arrest you in the name of the state, for forgery and coun terfeiting." "Who are you?" faltered the old man. "Eugene Laromie, one of the secret police of Paris, better known to you as Henri Gaubin." The old man said not a word, but suf fered Laromie to lead him away. I fol lowed in the most complete astonishment. Arriving at the street entrance, we found a cabriolet waiting for some one. La romie, after telling me that he would see me again during the da' and explain the matter, entered the vehicle with his prisoner, and drove off. I was positively bewildered by what I had seen and heard. Laromie a detec tive I I could scarcely credit it. I felt not a little uneasy, too. I had been ex pressing my opinions with regard to the government and condition of affairs to him without reserve, and many of them were not very complimentary to the "powers that be." I could not help fear ing that his duty as a government official might require him to get me into trouble ; and I was somewhat impatient to see him and have an explanation of the whole matter. I did not meet him again until late in the afternoon. "Well, mon ami," said he, as he entered my room, where I sat smoking, "have you recovered from your surprise ? Ha, ha ! I don't know which was more amusing, this morning, your astonish ment or that of old Du Far. The rascal was completely caught, and 1 do myself the credit to believe it has been one of the neatest affairs yet performed in Paris." "Laromie," said I, as I pointed to a chair, which he took, "I am afraid I have been very imprudent since I have known you." What do you mean?" 'Not knowing your real character," I answered, "I have been perfectly unre served in the expression of my opinions with regard to your government, and mat ters in general here." "You fear, then, that I may have been playing the spy on you, and reported your sayings to the head of the Bureau of Police ?" he said, hastily, while his face flushed painfully. "Exactly," I replied. He rose abruptly from his seat and went towards the door; but in a moment he came back, laughing. "Knowing your opinions of our system here," he said, good naturedly, "1 don't blame you for the suspicion, especially after what you witnessed this morning. But, believe me, mon ami, it is no part of my duty to sacrifice my honor ; and being on such intimate terms with you, I should have warned you, had I thought it neces sary for you to be cautious. But I am willing for you to hold your opinions, so long as you do not interfere with matters here. You have wronged me greatly, but I forgive you." I at once offered him my hand, and apologized for my suspicions. He laughed good-naturedly, and assured me that I was forgiven. Then we sealed the for giveness with a cigar and a bottle of claret. "Now," said I, "I want you.to tell me something of your experience as a detec tive ; for, from what I have seen of you to-day, 1 think you must be an uncom monly clever fellow. Suppose you giva me the history of the case you have just completed." "They say at headquarters," said Laro mie, "that I do my work well, and I be lieve the compliment is not undeserved. I give great care to my cases, and am usuallv employed in those which are con sidered difficult. But instead of telling you of the case that happened this morning, supjH)se ou let me relate what I consider my most famous exploit." "By all menus. I want to know, also, why you lwcamc a detective. Tell me anything you like. 1 shall be a willing listener." "I tliink I must have been born for my profession," said Laromie, brushing the ashes off his cigar ; "for in my childhood I was always finding out other persons' secrets. My com anions could hide noth ing from me, and it seemed to me that events had only to happen for me to know them. Manj that I did not seek to learn forced themselves under my very eyes, and frequently to my great annoy ance. As I grew ap, this talent, for so I consider it, increased. When 1 came of age, 1 found myself in possession of an ample fortune whioh was left by my late father. There was no necessity for me to adopt any profession, or enter any branch of business, for my support was already guaranteed ; but, in order to give my talents room for legitimate use, I deter mined to enter the secret service of the government. The chief of the secret police was a friend, and I sought him, and usked admission into his force. At first, he advised me strongly against the course 1 wished to pursue, giving me many rea sons which it is useless to mention here. Some of them were good, others of no con sequence ; but none of them sufficient to alter my determination. 1 pressed my application with so much earnestness that the chief at last consented to take me on trial for six months. At first, he gave me only trivial cases ; but I soon satisfied him that I was capable of better things than these, and he gave me more responsible duties. I succeeded so well in every thing, that in less than three months I was promoted to a position of great trust and importance. 1 have now been in the service nine years, and during that time have made myself valuable to the govern ment; and it has become customary, whenever a case requires unusual talents, to entrust it to me ; and I do not remem ber but one instance in which I have tailed to give satisfaction. "Having told you this, mon ami, simply in compliance with your request, I will now relate what I consider my greatest exploit. "About fifteen months ago I was sum moned by the chief, aud inlbrmed that a murder had been committed in the Fau bourg St. Antoine, attended by an uncom mon amount of mystery. He wished me to visit the spot immediately, and take charge of the case, which promised to be an interesting one. .1 at once repaired to the house. 1 found it in. charge of the authorities, who had refused to allow any thing to be disturbed until I had visited the place. 1 was told that the murder had been committed on the previous night. The victim was an old woman who had amassed a considerable sum of money, which she always kept hidden in her cham ber. It was generally known in the neighborhood that she was very miserly, and kept her money by her, being un willing to trust it out of her i sight. Her body was lying on the floor of the cham ber, and the room had evidently been plundered by the murderer. The woman's throat was cut through to the spinal column, and though she lay in an im mense puddle of blood, there were no stains on her dress, and no blood marks on the floor of the room. This was singular, and at once convinced -me that the deed was done by a practiced hand. The mur derer had evidently held the woman in one position with one hand, while he cut her throat with the other with one power ful sweep of the knife. There was no other clue to the assassin. It was of im portance to know that the murderer was not a novice, and, from the manner in which the deed was done, I inclined to the opinion that he was not a Parisian, for the method had never been practised in the city before. "I returned to the Bureau and informed the chief of the result of my observations, at the same time telling him that I had very little hope of succeeding, the clues to the mystery being so obscure. Neverthe less, I promised to do my best to unravel it. In about three weeks I was sent to ex amine into another murder. The victim this time was the mistress of a boarding house, end was a widow somewhat ad vanced in years. Her chamber had been entered and robbed, and her throat had been cut to the bone, in precisely the same manner as in the other case. She, too, lay on the floor, weltering in a pool of blood, but nowhere else was a drop of the blood visible, on her person, the floor, or the furniture. Evidently the same man had committed both murders. The only differ ence in the circumstances of the second affair was that I found on the floor near the body a pocket-handkerchief folded into a three-cornered shape, and showing marks of having been knotted at the ends. "The thing perplexed me greatly, and I felt quite hopeless of dispelling the mystery which surrounded it. The pocket-handkerchief was of no use to me, as it had belonged to the deceased. Nevertheless, I took it with me, hoping that it might be of use some day. I was very anxious to trace the assassin, for I began to see that he was commencing an organized system of murder ; and besides this, I felt that my reputation was at stake. "While pondering over the matter -and it was rarely out of my thoughts one of my friends, who is a photographer, communicated to me some intelligence that he had gained from his reading and studies. He had seen it stated that the last impression made upon the eye of a dying person would be retained there for a certain time after death. That being the case, he thought it possible to obtain a photographic likeness of that impression, and was very anxious to try the experi ment. The matter interested me at once, and I readily promised to give him an op portunity to test it in the next murder case that came within my observation. I saw plainly that the discovery, if successful, would be of immense importance in trac ing murderers, and I had a vague hope that it would enable me to find the man I was seeking, as I was confident that he would repeat his performance before long. A month passed away, and then a third murder occurred. This victim was, like the second, the keeper of a boarding house, and was killed for her money. She, too, lay weltering in a pool of blood, with her throat cut to the bone, while, as in the other cases, the wound had been inflicted so as to caus j no splashing of bloed.. The handkerchief lay near the corpse, as in the second case, but seemed to have belonged to the assassin this time, instead of being the property of his victim. "I at once despatched a messenger to my friend the photographer, who soon ar rived, bringing with him instruments of great power and delicacy, which he had procured in anticipation of this event. The eyes of the murdered woman were wide open, and we had no difficulty in fix ing her face in a proper position. The day being clear and bright, an excellent negative was taken, and when the impres sion was transferred to the paper, we found it the profile of a man's face. The upper portion was obscure, but the lower part, from the nose down, was perfect. Tne features were those of an Italian. This confirmed my supposition that a foreigner had committed the murders. Only the lower part of the face being pro duced, I was somewhat perplexed. It was too iad to be so near the end I sought, and yet to be baffled by an imper fect picture. I was sorry that only the profile was the last thing seen by the dead woman. Had it been the full face, I might have had more to encourage me. Then again, there is something common to all Italians in the lower part of the face, and what resembles one might with reason be said to resemble another in this respect. However, my friend and I were delighted with the result of our ex periment. It was a novelty then ; now it is a common thing. We decided to say nothing about it until we had made other trials, unless we found it necessary for the development of the case I was engaged upon. I provided myself with a copy of the photograph we had taken, and deter mined to subject every Italian I met to a rigid inspection. On the whole, the mat ter was progressing favorably, and al though the difficulties in my way were formidable, I could not help feeling en couraged by the events of the day, and I resumed my task with new vigor. "I at once busied myself with searching for my man among all the Italians that I met. I frequented the places mostly pat ronized by them the boulevards, the cafes, the theatre and the opera. Every Italian I met, even down to the organ grinders, I subjected to a rigid scrutiny, and once or twice came near getting into quarrels with persons who resented my conduct as impertinence. At least two months passed away in this fruitless search, and, in spite of the advantages which I possessed, I began to despair. "At last, the government haviug occa sion to send me to Switzerland on a secret mission, I found myself in one of the small towns of that country. Having transacted my business, I set out on my return. In the compartment in which I was placed were four persons. One was an old lady, another a young one, the third a priest, and the fourth a man whose features I could not see, as his hat was drawn down over them. I knew at once, from the man's manner, that he was try ing to avoid being recognized, and I de termined to watch him. 'After we had gotten fairly underway, and had left the town some twenty miles behind us, the man raised his hat, and I could scarcely repress a scream of delight. There sat the very counterpart of the pic ture I had in my pocket. 1 was confident of it from the first, but I knew that it would never do to alarm him at first, and I did not wish to arrest him until I was sure of fastening the charge upon him. Every feature coincided exactly with those of the photograph. Although I felt ccr tain of this, 1 quietly took out the picture, and compared it with the face before me. The examination satisfied me. "It was necessary to proceed cautiously. As soon as I had entirely recovered my self-control, I caught the fellow's eye. '"Monsieur is Swiss?' I said, inquir ingly. " No,' he replied, with an unmistaka bly Italian accent, 'not Swiss.' " 'Italian V I said. " 'Yes,' " 'Monsieur is going to Paris?' "Yes. Are you?' " 'No. I shall leave the cars at Dijon. Has monsieur ever visited Paris ?' ' 'Yes, frequently. I was there several months ago.' " 'Ah, then you heard of the terrible murders that took place in the city during your visit?' "The man started slightly, and looked at me searchingly. I could scarcely re press a smile, but I kept my countenance motionless. " 'What murders?' he asked, hurriedly. 'I narrated the incidents of the three murders with apparent carelessness, but all the while watched him calmly. He was nervous, and as you Americans say, 'fidgetty.' Everything thus far confirmed my suspicions. I was confident that I had my man, but I determined to try him a little further. Since the last murder I had carried with me, together with the photo graph, the handkerchief that I had found near the body of the third victim, and which I suppose had belonged to the assas sin. Now I drew it out quietly, and, while pretending to use it, displayed it in such a way that the man could not help noticing it. As his eyes rested upon it his face grew perfectly livid. He glanced at me with a look of terror, but then by a powerful effort regained his self-control, and turned to look out of the window. In a few minutes he turned to me again. " 'Monsieur,' said he, 'that is a singular handkerchief you have. Will you let me see it?' "I handed it to him, and lie gazed at it searchingly. I saw his lips close rigidly. After a searching examination he handed it back to me. ' 'There is a singular history connected with that handkerchief,' said I. 'The last of the victims of whom I have told you was a distant connection of mine, and I was the first one to discover the murder. I saw this handkerchief lying on the floor near the body. It was folded into a three cornered shape, and had the appearance of having been knotted. I supposed it had been used in the assassination ; but as it was not injured, and as I took a fancy to it, I took possession of it before the offi cials came. Do you know I have always had an impression that the murderer was, begging your pardon, an Italian?' "An Italian ?' cried the man, suddenly, showing signs of great excitement. 'Why do you think so ?' " 'From the manner in which the throat was cut. I have heard that your country men are deucedly clever with the knife in matters of this sort. But it's an ugly, un pleasant subject. Sup)ose we drop it ?' " 'Willingly,' said the Italian. "With that our conversation ceased. During the remainder of the le, as I sat silent, with my hat drawn over my eyes, feigning sleep, I watched the Italian closely. He never took his eyes off from me, and I noticed that he glared at me with a look that was not indicative of a very warm friendship. As the train en tered the town of Dijon, I quietly pre pared my revolver (with which I am al was provided when on duty) for use. '"By the way,' said I, taking the photo graph from my coat pocket, 'I forgot to tell you of a new discovery which was made in connection with the last murder of which we have spoken. It has been found that the eye of a dead person re tains for a certain time the last impression made upon it. This being made known to us, we determined to try it with the hope of discovering the murderer of my relative. We procured an artist, who made an excellent photograph of the eye of the murdered woman. To our delight the features of the assassin were revealed distinctly. Here is the picture, if you would like to see it.' "The train stopped at the depot, and the guard appeared at the door as I handed the photograph to the man. He glanced at it for a moment, and then with a yell sprang to his feet, and moved towards the door. I had anticipated him, and as he turned he saw me standing at the door, covering him with my revolver. " 'One step more, and I will fire,' I said. 'In the name of the law, I arrest you upon three distinct charges of mur der.' ' In a few minutes I had him hand cuffed. I did not get out at Diion, but kept on to Paris with my prisoner. On the way he confessed everything ; and in deed, on searching him, I found a mem orandum book with a calendar. Opposite the date of each murder there was a black cross, and other dates had a slight mark, with the names of women, and the words, without husbands.' These, he told me, were murders which he meant to have committed. I also found in a private pocket of his coat a large, pointed, sha p double-edged knife in a paper sheath. The picture which I had shown him had com pletely cowed him, and had induced him to confess everything to me. "Well, he was tried, convicted and be headed, and I was complimented by the chief for the way in which I had conduct ed the case. I really do think it was done handsomely, if you will allow me to say so." I thanked Laromie for his story, and we talked for a long time about criminal af fairs in France. He promised, now that I knew his true character, to take me with him in some of his rounds, and show me the wonders and mysteries of Paris. I frequently availed myself of this kind offer, and some of these days, when I have leisure, may be tempted to relate my ex perience for the benefit of my readers. "THE FIRST PRIVATE." A rare specimen of soldierly human ity once appeared at a Southern hotel. In the large bar-room of the house, during the evening, a discussion arose touching certain events that transpired at the battle of Shiloh. The dispute waxed warm. Many of those present had been in the war some engaged on j the one side, and some on the other and, being military men, and ofticers at that, they were very emphatic. At length a modest gentleman, who had been sitting in a corner, quietly listen ing, arose and came forward. "Gentlemen I" said he, "I happened to be in that battle was in at the be ginnings, and came out at the end and, if you would like, I will tell you just how it was." All were respectfully silent while he spoke, and they could not be otherwise than attentive for the man's descrip tion of the battle was so precise, so circumstantial, so eloquent, and so startlingly vivid, that those who had been there seemed to be living the fiery scene over again. When he had con cluded, all understood, and there was room for no more dispute. On the following morning, the soldier of Shiloh went to the office to settle his bill pre vious to departure, and asked the amount of his indebtedness. Said the landlored: "You were in the army V'.' "Yes, sir!" "May I ask what office you held?" "I held no commission, sir; I was but a private soldier." "Is it possible? Well, sir I I shall claim the privilege of celebrating this rare event by making you a present of a receipted bill without further cost to you. Of the thousands of soldiers who have stopped at my house since the close of the war, you are the first private." WHERE THEY DRINK BEER. Beer is drank pretty freely in all parts of Germany; but in Munich it literally supersedes water, which is only used for boiling potatoes, washing dishes, and making beer. As much beer as a person can drink can be had for ten pfennigs, or about two and one half cents cold and sparkling and it is not to be wondered at that every body relies upon it, when good drinking-water is so scarce, and if you put a lump of ice in it will cost as much money. A visit to the breweries and beer-gardens and tap-rooms of Munich would astonish the most inveterate beer drinkers of Philadelphia. It is sold at the breweries in mugs holding about as much as four ordinary glasses, and so great is the demand that of an evening when the spigot of afresh barrel is turned it is never stopied until the barrel is empty. We have seen five barrels thus running at one time in a large es tablishment, the mugs being filled with remarkable dexterity. It is used in every family as a part of the daily food, young and old partaking of if with all the freedom that we use water. They contend that it is healthy, and much less injurious than coffee, and that as few persons injure themselves by drink ing it to excess as others do by drink ing to much coffee. jjzrietien. Chicago has 45,000 schoolchildren, with 810 teachers. In England and Wales there are 6S,538 persons of unsound mind, an in crease of 1,902 over last year. The ratio to population is 27.57 to 10,000. There is a pigeon roost fronftwo to three miles long, and from half to three-quarters of a mile wide, in Potter county, in this State. Every tree is full of nests. Secretary Evarts' youngest daugh ter, Miss Louisa Evarts, is said to be an expert oarswoman, and can handle a boat with the skill and firmness of a masculine hand. The late Caroline B. Derby, of Sa lem, Mass., after bequeathing the bulk of her estate of $50,000 to relatives, leaves $5000 to the Salem Hospital and $2000 to other local charities. A Bridgeport (Conn. ) genius claims to have invented an attachment for the telephone to prevent a message being heard by any one on the line other than the person for whom it is intended. The Liberian exodus ship Azor is at Charleston, and will probably take a cargo of naval stores to Antwerp, earn ing money to pay off the claims against her ere she again sails for Monrovia. Two Treasury clerks in London have been detailed to read all the speeches delivered by Gladstone within the last six years, for the purpose of culling all passages that may be con strued into personal attacks on the Earl of Beaconsfield. The bones of the intrepid explorer, Pere Marquette, have been discoveed near point ft. lgnace, Mackinac, aixnit thirty yards from the former Jesuit Church, and probably within the fence which once surrounded the dwellings of the missionaries. The letter-boxes at Liverpool have a spring attached to the flap, and when a letter is -pushed in a plate moves and shows the hour of th last clearance. People can thus tell if they are in time for a certain mail, and a check is had on the postmen charged with empty ing the box. The old Bassett House, in North Haven, Conn., which was built in 1713 and was recently demolished, showed many huge oaken girders and rafters and beams apparently as sound as when they first came from the forest. The property has always remained in the Bassett family. An acoustic expeiiment was made in Paris August 21 with the captive balloon. Twenty musicians went up in it and played Bilse's "Storm," while the other half responded from below. The ruins of the Tuileries gave back a decided echo, and people in the street were surprised at hearing the "music of the spheres" after this fashion. The "Norwegians complain that foreign sportsmen, especially English, arelikelvto exterminate the reindeer and wild fowl. More than fifty rein deer are now seldom seen on the liar danger table-land, where 300 or 400 could formerly be found; and Professor Friis, the greatest Norwegian sports man, says there are only 6000 or 8000 in t.hn wholfi countrv. A couple of sportsmen, moreover, are said to have Shot 1200 wild towi in a ween. WliilP! a "French trader was jour neying toward Constantinople, his cart broke down and his money rolled out upon the ground, when it was pounced upon by some itusxian omceia uu -di-d iviceinor The Frenchman de manded his property, but was informed that according to nussian law an money found upon the highway belonged to the State. He appealed to the author- it ip at. San Stefano. who confirmed the decision, and he did not get his money back. Pr.strnaKrp.r Bonirhton. of Kidire- bury, Connecticut, it is said, has dis covered in his yard a comb of honey at tached to an apple tree. It was made by a small swarm ot oees, ana tuu comb is as large as a peck measure, hanging from one end of the limbs of the tree. At night the bees cover the outside of the comb instead of resting in a bunch in some one part ot it. l ney n this t.n protect it from the dew, and so closely do their bodies join as to completely cover me sunac "Potato plants used to be grown, a very long time ago, in front yards on Broadway, New York, for the sake of the flowers, which were much prized for bouquets and other ornamental purposes. However, the potatoes them selves" I suppose this means the tubers "became such favorite food in a few years that the plants were pro moted backward from the flower Ixnls to the kitchen gardens and open fields. The beauty of the blossoms was for gotten in the usefulness of their roots." St. Nicholas. At Scales Mound, near Galena, 111., a week ago, Henry Haar, a young man lalxring under a mild attack of insanity, built a bonfire of corn-fodder, and, divesting himself of all his cloth ing save a shirt, deliberately walked into the burning mass, chanting at the same time his own funeral dirge. He was stifled by the smoke and fell to the ground, his feet and legs remaining in the fire. He was found in that con dition and rescued from the flames by his parents, still singing while roasting alive. Both of his legs have been am putated, and he will probably die. There are 4.000,000 dead letters received annually at the Dead-Letter Office. Three hundred thousand with out Tramps, 50,000 partially addressed, 6000 no address, $1,500,000 of ni,ney orders and drafts 'f money value, 45, 000 packages containing property, $40? 000 in money nine-tenths of which is returned, the balance remaining in the Treasury subject to application for four years ; 15,000 photographs ; 250, 000 Euroiean letters are returned un opened; one tenth of all letters received contain property; 10,000 applications for letters reported lost, the great pro portion found and delivered. 8 ' .. M a,- ;1 1 ft ..:l Vi. i:8 i J! Mi i 83