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VOL XIX.
PITTSBORO, CHATHAM COUiSTY, N. C THURSDAY, MAV 20, 1897.
NO, 38.
! contracts will be made.
CHAPTEtt Vll-frontliincil.)
llo returned to tlio depot whence ho
lind come, and the Very next train enr
oled him back to Now York city.
Ho thought of the exchange of over
oats which lie had made with his trnv
ltS acquaintance, nml muttered:
"Hy Jupiter! 1 left tho keys and tlio
vax Impressions in my oont pocket. I
hope they will nut he tho moans of get
ting tho young fellow with whom I ex
changed coats Into trouble."
When Stuart Harland alighted from
tho railway train tho officers who wero
on the waivh when tho stranger whom
wo hav followed, leaped upon the plat
form, were still at their post.
1 Harland had not taken five steps,
when a heavy hand fell upon his shoul
der, and us the light of tho policeman's
lantern was rclleeted full in his face,
tho officer said, in a stein voice, as ho
grasped the young man's arm:
"ou are my prisoner! I arrest you
on the charge of being n fugitive from
just ice!-'
' These two police officers wore watch
ing for Stuart Hurluud, for to them Po
lice Sergeant Smith hu I wired they ung
man's description, and when tlioy stop
ped tho mnn who had taken Uurland's
overcoat, they were on tho alert for tlio
latter.
1 Sutart liarland's surprise was un
bounded, and lie was indignant, as well.
"What Is the meaning of this outrage?
thero la certainly some mistake!'' ho ex
vlaic.ied.. 'in a few words the police officers ac
quainted him with the fact of John Oak
liurn'e murder, of which Sergeant Smith's
Hisnntch liail informed them.
tne of tho officers added-
' "My instructions are simply to arrest
you and return you to Now York City at
viuce."
"I suppose I must submit, but if you
will only permit nie to visit the house of
a friend for a few moments, I shall be
under obligations to you," said Stuart.
"Impossible; tho return train will
leave lii ten minutes," replied the officer.
, htuart groaned.
' I have had my journey for naught,"
ho muttered.
Then he thought of Marion Oakburn
and tlio singular circumstance that she
was in the broker's office at midnight.
He recalled her frightened manner, and
his niiml was troubled.
, The reflect ion as to how the public might
innstruo his sudden night departure
made him nervous ami apprehensive.
llo was not skilled in the art of hiding
his emotions, and tliev betrayed what
vas passing in his mind.
The officers who accompanied him
watched him closely, and they said be
tween themselves:
' "This business troubles him. llo looks
os though he were guilty."
Stuart never thought of examining
the stranger's overcoat, which had camo
into his possession as wo have seen,
i His surprise and consternation were,
therefore, unite genuine when tho skele
ton keys and wax impressions were
taken from his pocket when ho was
l'i ought before the coroner.
' In a few words after this discovery,
V'hilo the C't roner motioned to tho man
who had last entered the broker's office
to be silent, Stuart explained how the
exchange of overcoats cumo about, as
wo hae rela'i d it.
But Stewart's story was greeted with
a murmur of incredulity, and it was clear
that it was not gem rally credited.
' Harlund observed this, ami ho turned
to the young clerk who had been ono of
his co-laborers in the broker's office,
nd said:
"I am snro no one of you would wish
to impugn my veracity, and I ask you to
6ay if you recognize this coat asmine.
If you do not sec that it was never made
for me that it is at least threo sizes too
large."
Tho broker's clerks replied affirma
tively, and expressed their conviction
that S. cart's word was not to bo
doubted. This was certainly a continua
tion of Harlaud's statement,
i Tho Coroner row addressed the man
"who had last entered.
That individual was Mr. Pratt, of the
firm of Pratt & Weeks, who had ruined
Jason Garrison.
i Pratt was a portly, gross-looking man,
with a Muck goatee, which owed its
color to dye, as did also his scanty hair.
Ho was bald, but 4his evidence of ago
was partially concealed by a skllliul
arrangement of tho remnants of his
colored locks. His features wero heavy
and sensual, but he had a smooth, in
sinuating manner, and always dressed
m the height of fashion
But he wore j
too ninth jewelry, and his garments
were inclined to oe toua.
" You wish to offer some evidence, sir?"
FRid the coroner.
"Yes. sir; as I informed tho officer at
the door, who thereupon, immediately
proclaimed the fact, much to my sur
prise." , Pratt was 6woru and ho said:
; "Having received the information at
my office that young Harland was under
arrest, i nargeu wiui uie muriier oi noun i n0w that ;t must havo been the detona
Oakburn, I deemed it my duty to appear I tu, t)f the pistol shot that had killed
hero to givo certain testimony, which it
seems to mo will establish tho fact, that
he was actuated by a powerful motive
when he committed tho crime. The
murder, uo doubt, was but an unforeseen
incident of the robbery of the 6afe."
. He paused, and at this juncture the
stately old gentleman who had left the
office after hearing tho banker's com
munication about the marked money,
re-entered, but he was unobserved, for
Pratt was now tho central figure of the
assemblage.
' "The fact Is, gentlemen, Stuart Har
land has been indulging in speculations
far beyond his means, and, as ho de
ceived "us regarding his financial status,
he has become oui debtor to the sum of
ten thousand dollars. We were led to
suppose he cou'd control that amount of
the fortune widen it is understood he
will inherit. We hold Mr. liarland's
note for the amount of his indebted
ness, which is now several day over-
5
due. Hero Is the note, sir," continued
Pratt, ns he placed tlio paper in tho
coroner'B hands.
"The ilny preceding the murder, that
is, the day before yesterday, we sent
him n note, informing him that unless ho
settled with us, wo would ripply to his
wealthy aunt, whoso heir ho is said to
bo. IIi replied that If wo did so ho was
ruined; that his aunt was particularly
opposed to stock speculating, and that
she had often warned him against it,
Baying that her money should never bo
risked in that way. In fact, Harland
stated that ho feared Ills aunt would dis
inherit him If she loiiud him out.
"It was my wisli to givo tho young
man time, for I pitied him, but my
partner is a hard man and ho was Inex
orable. Mr. llurland had mortally of
fended himin some way, nnd ho vowed he
would have his money or ho would make
the exposure Harland dreaded.
"Harland declured that ho had no way
to pay the money, but he obtained my
partner's promise not to movo In tho
matter until to-day. Now, it seems to
mo almost certain that his motive for tho
murder and tho robbery was to obtain
tho money to pay us, and thus savo him
self from the loss of his aunt's fortune,
which might have resulted from an ex
posure." Thus Tratt concluded.
Harland had listened in silence, but
his eyes Hashed, and his rage was be
trayed in Ids face,
"Von nro a liar and a scoundrel, Dan
Pratt!" he exclaimed. "You are con
spiring to ruin me. You hold my note
for a thousand dollars. II it purports to
bo for more, It has been tampered with.
Moreover, the note I can meet to thut
amount, as I have the money on deposit
In bank and meant to send you a cheque
to-day."
"Poor young man. IIo is plunging
Into the depths of falsehood and decep
tion," said Pratt, in a mournful tone,
"We have found out his motive. The
case is clear now," muttered tho police
sergeant.
rii.trrEi; vm.
Tho faces of the audience, who had
listened to Pratt's evidence, betrayed
the Impression he had made.
Stuart was regarded in such a manner
that he was sure Pratt was believed by
tho majority.
True, none of the stolen money had
been found in Stuart Ilarlund's posses
sion, but this could not be regarded as
an evidence of his innocence, since ho
had ample time to secreto tho proceeds
of the robbery,
Thus rclleeted tho jurors.
There was little further evidence to
hear, and presently the Coroner sub
mitted the matter to the juiy, who
thereupon rendered a verdict without
leaving their scats, that "John Oakburn
came to his death at the hands of some
person, whose positive identity was un
known, but that tho evidence was such
as to fasten a strong suspicion upon
Stuart llurland."
Thereupon, the Coroner directed that
Stuart be held a prisoner to await fur
ther developments.
Stuart retained his composure admir
ably, as he listened to the verdict of
tho coroner's jury, and heard the order
which condemn, d him to detention in
prison.
The officers wero about to conduct tho
unfortunate young man from, the office,
when Jason tiarrlson came forward and
grasped his hand in a warm greeting.
"You will tell Edna that I am falsely
accused," said Stuart.
"Yes, yes. Sho will never doubt you,"
answered the broker.
Harland was moving to the door, be
tween the two officers, when Marion
Oakburn gained his side, and said to him
in a tone of the most positive conviction:
"Take with you theassurunco thut you
will bo saved."
Stuart was conducted to Ludlow street
jail forthwith, and his mind was in a
condition f doubt and trouble most
harassing. So many circumstances of
a surprising nature had crowded them
selves into his life within the last few
hours, that he was dazed and confused.
In the midst of the contusion in his
mind, he saw constantly, however, like
a portrait which had been stamped in
delibly upon tho camera of memory, tho
horror-stricken face of Marion Oakburn
as ho had seen nor when sho left tho
office in which her father had boon mur
dered. Her faco haunted him like a
ghost that would not bo laid, and as ho
reflected ho thought:
"When sho camo out of the office her
father must have boon dead, lieforo I
saw her steal out of that apartment the
murder had been doue.
"Where was she when the awful crime
was consummated?"
There was a horrible doubt in Stuart
Harlaud's mind tin u.
"Hut, no, no; such a thing Is so en
tirely Inconsistent with Marion's char
acter that tho monstrous thought that
Rho may bo implicated in tho murder of
her own father cannot find a lodgment
in my mind. And yet what was sho do
ing in the office at that hour, and why
was sho in such a state of terror when
sho left it?"
These unanswerable questions natur
ally suggested themselves to Stuart's
mind.
Then ho recollected how ho had been
awakened by the loud noise, which ho
coui,i not account for, and he thought
John Oakburn that ho had heard,
He did not know that Paxton advanced
the theory that the assassin's weapon
was an air-pistol. Hut ho had caught
enough of the police sergeant's mutter
ings to learn that tho time of the mur
der had been fixed at twenty minutes of
one, and bo ho knew that John Oakburn
must havo been dead when Marion left
the office.
Despite all his suspicions and conjec
tures, Harland had not mentioned tho
incident of his having seen Marion leav
ing tho office, for he hud always enter
tained tho most exalted opinions of her
character, and he had reusoned:
"Thero is mystery inexplicable in
Marion Oakburn's conduct, but I can
not believe her guilty. There is some
explanation which will yet be made that
will clear up all this dark affair, and I
sha'l not regret my silence."
Tho ignoble thought that he might di
rect suspicion from himself by revealing
his tinowlodgo of Marlon's secret visit
to the office never entered his mind.
"Who can be tho guilty one?" Stuart
asked himself, and although there was
no clue to guldo his suspicions, by some
mental process which he could scarcely
havo explained himself; his thoughts re
verted to Levi Krodge, tho janitor.
Perhaps the vague suspicions of this
man, which entered his mind unbidden,
wero prompted by an opinion which ho
had recently formed that. Levi Krodge
was a spy and a sneak.
Stuart had twice caught the fellow
with his car nt. the key-hole of Jason
Garrison'H private office when confiden
tial transactions Wero taking place there.
The second timo Stuart's unger gained
tho ascendency, and he kicked Kredge
out of tho office
The young man hud not forgotten that
Krodge had flushed upon him a look of
ferocious huto as ho slunk away without
resenting the assault.
The fellow had not uttered a word,
but Stuart had read murder in tho fierce
burning light of his eyes, and from that
moment ho knew that tho seemingly in
offensive and servilo cripple was a dan
gerous man.
Tho thought now occurred to Stunrt
that it might have been tho fellow's pur
pose In listening at key-holes and in spy
ing about the office to obtain knowledge
which would enable him to commit n rob
bery when thero was money in the safe.
So deeply impressed did Stuart, be
come with the idea that Kredge was
concerned in the murder that he deter
mined to mention the matter to Mr. Gar
rison, to whom he had never mentioned
Krodgo's eavesdropping, simply because
he despised anything like tnlo-bearing.
As for himself, Stuart Was sustained
by tho consciousness of Innocence.
Meanwhile, when Daniel Pratt was
making his statement before tho coro
ner's Jury, tho elegant old gentleman
who had entered tho office just behind
him seemed strangely excited. His
hands wero clinched, his lips com
pressed themselves Into a rigid lino, and
Ids beautiful, luminous darkeyos blazed
with a dangerous light.
Dospito this evidence of his more than
passing interest in the proceedings bo
foro tho coroner's jury, ho was, as wo
havo stated, nn entire stranger to nil
present.
Did ho hold somo secret knowledge of
the actors in this life-drama which
caused his emotion?
When ho hastily loft tho office after
ho overheard tho bankor inform the
coroner regarding tho mark on tho
money which had been stolen from
Jason Garrison safe, ho hurried di
rectly to the office of Messrs. Pratt and
Weeks.
Tho office of this firm of brokers was
arranged something after tho manner of
a bank, and at tho moment when tho
stately old gentleman entered It Mr.
Weeks, Pratt's partnor, was behind the
screen-mounted counter engaged in
counting a packago of money.
Producing a one-hundred-dollar noto
from his pocketbook, tlio old gentleman
whom we have followed strode forward,
ti ml presenting tho note at a little wicket
in tho screen, ho asked:
"Will you please accommodate mo
with change?"
"In ono moment, sir," replied Weeks,
and ho continued counting the money,
while tho old gentleman remained
standing beside the open-work screen.
From this position lie obtained an ex
cellent view of tho money with which
Weeks was engaged, and he made a dis
covery. He plainly saw that each noto in tho
package of money which Weeks was
counting was marked distinctly with a
"V" In the upper left-hand corner of the
back of the same.
It seems that tho stranger must have
acted upon previously acquired knowl
edge when ho hurried straight to the of
fice of Pratt & Weeks, tho moment he
acquired the knowledge that tho stolen
money was all privately marked.
"It is tho money John Oakburn's mur
derer stole from Jason Garrison's safe,"
said tho aged stranger mentally, and he
thought:
"Now, if ho only gives mo the marked
money in change, I shall havo the evi
dence that the stolen money has found
its way into the possession of these vul
tures. Aro these birds of prey tho as
sassin's accomplices?"
In a moment or so Weeks had counted
the marked money, and then ho picked
up the ono hundred dollar noto which
the stranger had placed upon tho coun
ter. "How will you have it?" ho asked.
"In two fifties, please," replied tho
other, who had seen notes of that de
nomination in tho package of marked
money.
Tlio stranger repressed the excitement
ho felt at this moment of suspense, as
Weeks turned to the packago of marked
money. That ho meant to give him two
notes from that packago in exchange for
tho one hundred dollar note was plain,
for ho begun to run over tho notes in
search of the denominations required.
In a moment ho found them.
With tho two marked fifty dollar notes
in his hand, he was coming to the wicket
to hand them to the stranger, when tho
door of the privato department of the
office, which was behind the counter,
was dashed open and Pratt rushed in.
Springing to his partner's side, he
seized his arm, and hissed in n whisper
some communication which ho did not
hear.
Weeks uttered an oath aud dropped
the two marked fifty dollar notes buck
among the balance of the marked money.
Then he unlocked tho money drawer,
and, taking out two other unmarked
notes, he spitefully threw them at tho
aged stranger.
Tho latter secured them and turned to
tho door.
Glancing back over his shoulder, he
saw Pratt and Weeks hastily gathering
up the marked money.
"Pratt was just in time to foil my plan
to obtain some of tho marked money.
They know the secret now. That scoun
drel Kredge must have brought them tho
information," muttered tho stranger.
There was a telegraphic "stock indi
cator" near the door, and tho aged gen
tleman paused to consult tho "tape."
He read "C. A. 400; 223 e. CO."
"Ah! Four hundred shares of tho Chi
cago and Alton liailroad stock at two
hundred and twcnty-flvo dollurs to bo
delivered at the seller's option, at any
tlrao within sixty days," muttered tho
old gentloman; and the readiness with
w hich ho translated tho legend on tho
"indicator take" told that ho was no
novice in tho stock market.
Leaving the establishment of Messrs.
Pratt .t Weeks, he returned to the
office, where the Inquest was still in
progress.
As ho passed along the sldo or the
building occupied by the firm of Pratt &
Weeks ho saw Levi Kredge emerge from
the privato entrance to the office.
lie therefore possessed the positive j
certiludo that tho janitor had brought
tho scheming brokers the news that tho
stolen money was marked.
"This affair is growing more and more
mysterious. Kredge must have known
that tho stolen money was in tho pos
session nf Pratt and Weeks, Ho is
their spy, that is clear," ho thought.
When lie arrived at Garrison's office,
again, he did not immediately enter tho
building, and while ho stood before it,
he saw Pratt approach and gain entranco
to the office. Ho then entered himself,
us stated.
At the conclusion of tho Inqiiert, tho
mysterious old gentleman, who was se
cretly interesting himself in the case of
John Oukburu's murder, walked to
Hroadway and took the omnibus to tho
Astor House, for at this date Jacob
Ast ir had not made his successful innn
vntion, and there wero no horse cars on
the great business thoroughfare of tho
great city.
Some weeks previous to tho occurrence
of the incidents thus far recorded, tho
old guitleinaii had arrived at the hotel,
nml registered the name, "Hichard Stan
more." Mr. Staninore seemed to be n stran
ger in the city, but In have a great deal
of business with Wall street business
men.
Particularly iniinir'e were his com
mercial relations with the linn of Messrs.
Murks .V buck, rteconmodution loan
brokers, who had established themselves
on Wall street a year previous. Also
with Judson, Kirk & Son, another Wall
street firm largely Interested in various
mining and railway speculations.
Thero was another firm, not on Wall
street, with whom Mr. Stanmore was
eviib ntly on the best of business terms.
The firm in question was that of Ben
jamin & Co., a Jewish money-lending
house which negotiated large loans, and
to them in secret niimy a Wail street
operator had been glad to come for finan
cial aid when the market took a long run
"tho wrong way."
Almost every evening a representative
of each of the lirn.s mjntioned was clos
eted with Mr. Stanmore in his apart
ments in the hotel.
Surprising as if may seem, however.
In view of the fact we have mentioned,
Mr. Staninore was entirely unknown
personally on Wall street, and ho never
visited tho offices of tlio business firms
we huve mentioned.
All of this smacked of mystery, and
there was much more in the doings of
Mr. Stanmoro that seemed to bo inex
plicable. Very much to Mr. Garrison's surprise,
tho day following tho night of the mur
der and robbery drew to a close, and no
one from Pratt A Weeks called upon him
to demand the money ho owed them.
In view of 1he fact that Mr. Fra" d
insisted that the $7S,iMill must po-i
be paid that morning ut an early i. .i
if thi' debtor wished to avoid unple, in
consequences, Mr. Garrison thought it
was remurkable that ho had not heard
from him.
Prutt had hurried away from the
broker's office without exchanging a
wiTrrl with Mr. Garrison.
Edna had been informed by her father
of Stuart's imprisonment, and the de
voted girl received the evil news bravely,
for she was sustained by the belief t lint
innocence would triumph.
Jason Garrison was in a state of in
tense nervous excitement and alarm.
Ho shut himself up in his library, and at
every unusual sound he started appre
hensively, as though he was in momen
tary expectation of tho occurrence of
some terrible calamity.
At nightfall, as ho was looking over
the evening paper, ho suddenly leaped
to his feet, and exclaimed, excitedly:
"Cun this bo true! Can this bo true!"
'TO DB COMTISUED.
ABOUT CASH CUSTOMERS,
Ono liiocrryman Pa.vn lie rrefein Thine
Who Trmle on Credit.
It. seems strange, hut It is true,
nevertheless, that customers who pay
cash for their purchases are not con
sidered very desirable by butchers or
grocers, and especially those who do
not send children, or messengers after
tho goods, but go themselves and
have the articles selected aud weighed
or measured under their personal su
pervision. A grocerymen whom I ques
tioncd on tho subject endeavored to
deny that such was the fact, says a
writer In the New York Telegram,
but when I mentioned several in
stances to show that it was true, he
said: "Well, we don't like i hem be
cause they are too particular. They
want the biggest and best of every
thing, and they beat down our prices
asking as they can. Of course it is
pleasant to get the ready money, but
it comes in such small amounts
that the full benefit of it is not ap
preciated, liesides yon are never
sure of a cash customer. They are
not in your debt and can quit you
when they feel they have a griev
ance. You are sure of the customers
who run an account with you, though
occasionally they fall to pay. Hut
we have a way of protecting our
selves against loss," said the. groivry
man with a sly smile.
"No wonder the butchers and gro
cers prefer customers wlv run a book
to those who pay cash." said a boarding-house
keeperof my acquaintance;
"a cent or two more ou a pound for
everything is charged to the book
customer, w ho is usually careless in
noting the increase, but this differ
ence alone makes a handsome profit
for the grocer. In addition to this
the poorest quality of goods is foisted
on the customer who ruusan account,
as the privilege of running a book
h supposed to be a favor for which
the customer cannot be too grateful.
Where the latter is inclined to be
careless it often happens that certain
items find their way on the bo k, sol
that when the. account is footed up
at the end of the week or month the
total is found to be much larger
than was anticipated. It is not at I
all strange, to one who knows, whv '
the grocers and butchers are willing
is to take chances with book cus
tomers." Tiik mayor of Iloston has advised
the council to enact an ordinance
forfeiting the license of any theater
which permits lottery advertisements
to appear uinm its program. Tho
next step should be to expel from the
council any alderman who buys a
lottery ticket.
!jpp! i
I i 7 n-zr v 4 w
Ui'n riM,
fiid you over make mud pies,
Wonderful in shape and size,
Full of pebble raisins sweet
From your pantry in the street?
Did you ever have to cry,
Vuiisrt a team ciinm whirling by,
And before you could Bay boo,
Carved your pies and ate them too?
flow you toilej from road to pump,
MukingiliiHt-ri'iU'h, lump by lump !
How you "patted" till you found
Every pie exactly round !
Then you set your dollies nine
In a long and fe-iivc line.
And, beginning with I.oulse,
Mudo them eat a pin apiuco !
What a sight they were Indeed,
After siudi distressing greed !
Yet they hud a washed-out look,
When contrasted with the cook !
New England Homestead.
A BOMB LOADED WITH MEN.
A new bomb m been invented that
is an extremely curious affair.
It is culled a Pioneer bomb, and ia
made to bo tired from a cannon like
an ordinary cuiiuoubull. Tlio curious
part of it is that instoad of carrying
lead and explosives it is to have men
inside.
Tha idea of the invention, explains
the Great Hound Wurld, is to fire
soldiers into tho enemy's camp. The
bomb opeus the moment it touches
tho ground, tho men spring out, and
begin to fight tho enemies within
reucb,
A shower of these bombs would Very
seriously incouvonienoo an enemy, it
is to bo supposed, for they would u it
quite know whut to mako of sucu as
tounding eauuouballi
The bomb is uo arranged that there
is uo suddoti jar or shock to the mon
inside. It is covered with a number
of rubber tubes tilled with air.liko the
bicycle tires. Thcne rubbers prevent
tho mon from any iujury which might
be caused by reaching the ground so
suddenly. Tho bomb bounds aloug
like a rubber ball one.) or twice, and
the soldiers are said to be quite com
fortable inside.
THE MEUBV LITTLE UOI-HER3.
They are a saucy set of fellows,
those youug imps thut throng tho
Western plains and appeal to the good
hearted Manitoba farmer for their
winter food. They aro not beggars,
either; the gopher has far too much
independence and character for that.
They just walk into a field weil
stooked with succulent grain, and thuy
thrive, as happy a lot of bright eyed
youug roguod as you wish to see.
They havo not much dread of the ani
mal's mortal enemy man as they
show by tho fearlcsuors with which
thoy build, or rather dig, their homes
near by tho prairie roads, and sport
about iu their own back yardu to
their hearts' content.
Wo saw thousands of them when wo
drove in a buekboard sixty miles
across prairies iu the Canadian terri
tories. It was a wurm late August af
ternoon, ami tho littlo chaps were
gambolling about in tlio bimsbine,
frolicking like diminutive tqning
lumbu, and far more agile, graceful
aud interesting. Two of them got un
der tho horses' hoofs, hut tho tine old
prairio cobs wore too good naturod to
step on tho littlo fellows, aud the
gophers themselves despised the big
brown animals with theeoutempt born
af an absolute assurance of safety.
Then with an adroit dodge, they
would whisk away, scamper otTto their
burrows, sit up ou their hind quarters
with their fore legs lifted and paws
bunging comically downward, aud with
a pretty, scampish expression of inno
cence these littlo monkeys, uo larger
thon a kitten and wrapped iu their fur
coats of gray, would cock their heads
on one side, eye us with thoso bright
little black beads of eyes, aud well
laugh. Wheu we had bowled past, I
always felt that the little villains were
niakiua; grimuoos at our backs. Our
Auiinui Friends.
THE "BOBnER-OrLLS."
The slow-flying pelicans of the Ta
cilic coast uro greatly interfered with
iu thdir fishing operations by the
swift "robber gulls," who always fol
low the biggor birds when the latter
are out in search of a dinner. The
pelican can see a fish from a great
heighf, can dive for hhn with the
swiftness of a bullet, uud seldom
misses its prey. Hut after catching
the fish in its bttgo beak, the pelican
is obliged to throw it in tho air iu
order to more readily secure it in its
pouch as it comes down. Just thero
lies tho gull's opportunity. S.voopiug
down with tho swiftuuss of tho wind,
the gull snaps up the fullenfUb before
it has had time to reach tho wuitiug
jaws of the poor lumbering pelican,
who thereafter flies off reflecting
paiufully on tlio totul depravity of a
gull. These little happenings among
tho fowls of tho I'ucitio afford an illus
tration of souio of tho uncertainties
attending tho quesU of humanity :u
this unfriendly world. M my a well
iuteiitioued human pelican giOA a-'ish-iug
here or there in the waters of lit
erature, science, polities or theology,
aud mayhap uittituliy lays bold of a
nutritive morsel of some kind of truth.
But while ho is slowly turning the
matter over iu his nnud, or perhaps
purposelessly piayin I! h the lact,
there suddenly sweeps up tunic gull of
critical or cynical temper, or some
gust of adverse circumstances, that
either snatches or blows away tho
good thing that was to have been
taken into mind or heart, so that no
help to the soul actu.iliy results from
it after all. It is this rink of moral
loss of good thoughts and imoulses,
through tho activity of the sneak -thieves
of ridicule, apathy or procras
tination that is indicated iu tho old
Biblical parable, where it is euid :
"Then coiueth the wicked one, and
catcheth away tint which was sown."
It will not do iu this world to leave
good thoughts long in the air, as does
the stupid pelican; the unrest nay to
defend them from euemies is to home
them ut once in the heait. New York
Observer.
TIIF. TALKISU STAHI.INO.
The talking St irling, says a writer
iu the London Spectator, is a clever
and amusing bird, and is easily reared
aud taught. Wo secured a nestling
eighteen months ago, before any
feathers bad begun to grow, and
brought him up by baud. He natu
rally grew up perfectly tame aud so
much attached to us that when, by ac
cident, ho flew away after being with
us only ii few weeks, and epent a
whole night out in Loudon, he re
turned to his home Ihs next morning
and hopped into his cage with evident
satisfaetiou. This ho did a second
time, but on that occasion returned
with less dignity, us we siw him over
buiutiee when sitting ou a chimney
at tho top of the high mansions in
Victoria btreet iu which wo live, and
be fell down to the bottom of the
house, reuppearing in a gentleman's
office tho next morning the veriest
littlo sweep, but ipiilo unabashed.
After ho bad changed his immature
plumage for the brighter adult plu
mage, in his first autumn ho begun to
talk, repeating his own name with
variations "'Bobbie,' 'Bjbkiu,' or
Bobbikin' " then picking up tue
terms of endearment mid admiration
which were applied to him, but with
out any effort ou our part to teach
him, till ut lust he cried nil day long
'"Dear littlo 'Bobbie,' pretty little
'Bobkiu' poor old 'Bobbie,'" iu the
most bewitching way. After a while
ho learnt nothing fresh till ho moulted
last autumn, since when ho has added
considerably to his vocabulary. Dur
ing that process his head was bare,
and we used to my to turn i:i d'Tision
"You old crow," which ho readily
picked up, but altered it to "Dear
old crow,' aud called as clear us a
human being "Pretty 'Hobby,' 1 love
you, such a sweet littlo "B ibbie,' kissie
poor 'B jbiiiu,' " transposing tbo
words frequently, but curiously
enough putting them together so as to
make sense. As I writo ho is chatter
ing this bosido mo uuil biirkiug like
dog between whiles. Hd c nuns out
of his cage when ho likes, mi l when
wo havo the pittieuce to cuduro his
pryiug aud inquisitive ways. Ho sits
ou oue's shoulder, creeps down one's
arm till he ut last patches ou the hand
and pecks at pen or needle, us the
case may be, rendering work or writ
ing impossible. Uo has apparently
ceased again to leuru fresh words, and
seems more occupied with his spring
plumage, though he still chatters all
day loug, and wo bhall look with in
terest after his ucxt moult for fur
ther additions to his conversational
powers.
As many as 1300 Mibniaiiuo cables
are now in existence, covering a dis
tance of ltVJ.IliM) nautical miles. Their
cost is CM minted at 200,000,000.
FOR IAR.H AM) OAUDEN.
JJIMF.BAL MANUKE8 KOH TOTATOES.
Potash is the mineral that is most
needed for tho potuto crop. But it is
much better distributed as a top dress
ing over the whole surface than ap
plied with the seed potatoes in tho
hili. The potuto roots, very early in
their growth, iill the soil between tho
rows. When mineral manures are ap
plied iu the hill, unless care is tukeu
to mix them thoroughly with tho soil,
they may eat into tho cut Heed und
effectually destroy the germ. When
used broadcast on the surfuce there is
no danger of this.
EFFECT OK DEIloHNINO.
Of a lot of twenty yearling and two-year-old
steers now being fed at tho
Oklahoma experiment station, eleven
were dehorned iu November, tho
others liaviug been dehorned previous
ly. Three days later tho dehorned
steers w ere found to havo lost an aver
age of over eleven pounds each in
weight, while thoso previously do
horned showed on averago gain of
fifteen pounds each. One wei It later
the freshly dehorned steers Bhowed o
gain of thirty pounds each ; the lothor
nine a gain of twenty-ouo pouuds.
The apparent loss from tho dohoruiug
for tho leu days was about sixtoeu
pounds each. No one of tho dehorned
steers seemed to show any ill effects
from tbo operation, but they evident
ly ute less for a few days. Amcrieiu
Agriculturist.
AN ATOM 1' OF TUE HORSE'S FOOT.
Dr. R ish S. Huidekoper, professor
of vctoriuary jurisprudence, Amencau
Veterinary college of New York, gavo
the second of his series of interesting;
lectures ou tbo exterior of tho borso
at the American Horse Exchange re
cently, his remarks being confined ou
this occasion to tbo mechanics of tho
function and the hygiene of the foot
and the principles of horseshoeing,
which were illustrated by dissections
of tho foot and hoof, and by sample
of shoos in ordinary use.
In order to aequaiut those of tho
audience who had uot beeu present on
the occasion of his first lecture with
what had thero transpired, tho doctor
gave a synopsis of his previous re
marks, touching lightly ou the pre
historic races of the horse, or equides,
and briefly explained how the digits
had become solidified into the cor
onary, navicular, and pedal bones, or
aborted into short splint bones ns seen
in the horse of the present day. Tho
lecturer then Bhowed by au nrrsy of
exceedingly olearly defined specimens
of the normal foot before and after
maceration, longitudinal section of tlio
foot, aud vortical and transverse suc
tions of the hoof iuteruul and exter
nal, plantar cushion and horny frog,
the exact relation of the iuteruul
parts, and the operatiou of tho ten
dons upon the phalanxes or pastel u
bones.
The doctor took especial pains lt
demonstrate how tho outer or horny
wall of tho foot tho hoof grew
downward from tho cuti lure, an en
larged circular baud or ridgo which
crowns the living parts and underlies
thut portiou of the foot known us tho
coronet. He then demonstrated bv
the macerated specimen how a lamin
ated tissue on the surface of the living
portiou dove-tailed into tho iuuer wall
of the hoof holding tho latter as it
were interlocked as well as glue 1 on.
The hoof or horny envelopo of tho
foot was shown in sections, a.id then
built up, tho looturer fitting iu the
frog between tha bars, then the crescent-shaped
solo, oud on top of tho
frog the plantar cushion or fleshy frog
which takes the jar when sudden pres
sure is applied to tho phalanxes or
bones of the foot.
A contracted hoof that had been al
lowed to dry was shown in contrast to
its mate that had been kept iu a moist
and therefore naturally healthy con
dition, and the lecturer demonstrated
how weight applied to tbo former
would bring about disease, while iu
the latter, which gavo sufficient room
for the internal cushion to perform its
functions, no such troubles ould
occur.
Dr. Huidekoper then showed how
solid rubber soles attached to hhoos
stoppod all ventilatiou and were posi
tively iujurions to horses' feet, and
brought his lecture to a close by illus
trating bow ho had obviated ull
troublo from slippery pavements by
inserting small olougated rubber
blooks in the shoes themsolves, shoes
taken from his own horses aud very
muou worn, Mill reUiuing a suflk'ieiit
quantity of the rubber to keep tho
wearer from slipping aud also not iug
as a oushion. New York PorL
It is estimated that there are 1,300,
000 Irish people in Australia,