Decatur Democrat, Volume 35, Number 21, Decatur, Adams County, 14 August 1891 — Page 7

ADealsWiMLands OR, THE FijM for the Musselshell Millions. BY LEON LEWIS. CHAPTER T. STARTLING NEWS FROM THE MUSSELSHELL. Hiram Skidder, for many years a prominent merchant of Chicago, sat in his private office one afternoon, debating seriously the question of making an assignment. He was not only pinched for money, but his credit had been utterly demolished, as the result of certain crooked transactions which had been widely whispered under cover of secrecy. It is needless to say that the frame of mind in which he found himself was unenviable. His smoothly shaven face had become rigid in its outlines, and was paler than usual. His manner had become irritable, forbidding, and at times even violent. At the moment we look in upon him, he had just entered upon the examination of his afternoon's mail —a task he had found at once irksome, monotonous, and annoying. “Duns, threats, and reproaches—this is the burden of their whole song.” he muttered, suspending operations a moment. “I’ll see if I can’t get together a few additional thousands and vanish.” Picking up another letter, the merchant opened it. The handwriting being unfamiliar and singular, he glanced at the signature. “From Col. Harvey Whipsaw, of Rattlesnake Ranch. Musselshell, Montana,” he read, smiling involuntarily. What could such a man have to say to Tiim? He began reading the missive, displaying an interest which rapidily increased to agitation and wonder. By the time he had reached the signature again the sheet fairly.rustled in his grasp, and he looked startled and bewildered. “How strange!” he ejaculated. “Evidently there is some good in those wild lands on the Musselshell, after all. What a pity I sold them!” He read the letter a second time with keen deliberation, his excitement increasing. “Yes, the Colonel wants to buy an interest in those landsand become resident manager,” he muttered. “What can be "'the secret of his deep and sudden desire to purchase? Is it another case of ‘striking it rich?' His language suggests it, and, on the face of things, nothing is more likely. The richness of Montana in all sorts of mineral is proverbial. ” He secured the letter of Col. Whipsaw carefully in an inner pocket. “It’s clear that some great discovery has been made,” he added. “I musn’t lose a moment in recovering possession of those lands.” He touched a call-bell on his desk, in answer to which a clerk made his appearance. “Send Mr. Wynans here, ” ordered the merchant The clerk withdrew, to be succeeded promptly by a young gentleman who had been in the employ of Hiram Skidder a dozen years, at first as clerk, then as a bookkeeper, and finally as cashier. “Sit down, Mh Wynans,” greeted the merchant affably, indicating a chair. “I wish to shell < . ■ Thy ' iir, llewß-' ■ /'-” ! / tions. He had the strength and agility of an athlete, without having any especial consciousness of the fact, so completely had his thoughts been absorbed in study and science. He was uncommonly good-looking, with his smooth, regular features, his shapely head and curly hair, his mild blue eyes, and his genial, sunny aspect. “Let’s see,” resumed the merchant,, with his blandest voice, “do you remember how I became the owner of the property in question?” “Os course, ” replied Wynans. “Your only brother. Jeremiah Skidder, went out there fourteen years ago and bought a ranch. Later he wrote you and your brother-in-law, sthe late Charles Tower of Ingleheim, that ho had a grand chance to invest £IO,OOO in land near him,- and you and Tower sent out the money, taking joint deeds of the property. ” “Exactly. And what then?” “Why, Jerry Skidder wrote that he had been deceived.- that the acquisition was practically worthless; and he continued to write in this strain for years, until both Tower and yourself grew sick of the whoUs transaction, and finally sold the property.” “True again,” commented Skidder. -“And you have cared so little about your purchase that you have not yet had the deeds recorded?” Wynans assented. “So that Tower and I are still on record as the owners?” The cashier again, and, in fact, as much was shown by the application the merchant had received from Colonel Whipsaw, of Rattlesanke Ranch. “Let’s see,” said Skidder again, after a thoughtful and sinister pause, “how much did you give me, Perry, for my half interest in that Musselshell property?” “Seven hundred dollars, sir.” “You have been at no expense in regard to it, I presume?” “At very little, sir. ” “You have never even fenced the lands or paid the taxes?” “No, sir,” acknowledged Wynans. “The fact is, you had left your brother aforesaid in possession, charging him to pay the taxes, and I naturally adjourned all action until such time as I could appear there in person.” The merchant nodded understandingly. “Well, I’d like -to buy that property back from you, Perry,” he announced, with assumed carelessness, “and of course I’ll frankly give you my reasons.” The cashier again intimated by an inclination that he was all attention, and Hiram Skidder continued: “I desire to send my son out there, not merely to establish him in an independent position but to get him out of the dangerous path he is now following. As you may have heard, or even read in the papers, he has been in a number of disreputable affairs, and I fear another year or two in the midst of his present surroundings will nrove his utter rain. ” These plausible statements of Skidder’s motives did not deceive Perry Wynans. He knew them to be untrue. “I suppose you’ll want something for the use of your money,” pursued the merchant, with an inaleuating smile. “You gave four hundred dollars, I believe, for the half interest of my late brother-in-law, Charles Tower, In this property?” “Quite right, sir. Just four hundred. * “Then the eight thousand acres,” continued the merchant, with a smile of anticipated triumph, “have cost you Just eleven hundred dollars?” Perry assented, and Skidder proceeded: '’i,' * f , ■ <: Vt -<*■ . .

1 ’ “What shall we say, therefore, for your entire interest? Will fifteen huh-, dred dollars be a fair figure?” i The strange smile of Perry Wynans deepened. “Hardly,” he answered. “I have taken the trouble to give those lands a personal inspection, and——” “You?” exclaimed the merchant, with a Start of astonishment “Certainly—-I. ” “When, may I ask?” “Almost three years ago. ” “What! Before you purchased them?” “Naturally. ” And Perry smiled again. “I went out, there during one of my brief vacations. ” The merchant lost color. He even looked startled, and his mien grew reproachful and injured, as if he had been deceived. > “And I have also been at the expense i of sending a mining expert to Montana ■ to report upon the property,” added Wynans. 1 “And your expert has reported?” “He has, sir. I may add I am in re? • ceipt of very surprising information. ” The merchant stirred uneasily, an intense flush replacing the pallor which i had mantled his face. “Such information, in fact,” explained Perry, “that I do not care to part with my Musselshell property on any terms whatever.” ■ He arose quietly, as if he had nothing more to say on the subject. “Oh, well, seeing it’s you, Perry,” declared the merchant, with a wheedling sort of tone, “I will be liberal. I want to give my son a new home far from his present temptations, and have fully decided to send him to Montana. Suppose we say a couple of thousands for the property?” “I am very sorry, Mr. Skidder,” responded Perry, “but I have decided not to sell the lands in question—certainly not before 1 have again vfeited Montana in person. ” Hiram Skidder drew his breath hard, his countenance losing color again. “Then you won’t put a price on them?” “Not at present—no, sir.” “Can’t I tempt you?” queried the merchant, forcing a smile. “I don’t believe you can, sir. But you should remember there are plenty of wild lands for sale near mine. I expect to go out that way soon, so that your son can have me for a neighbor. I ” “I will give you $5,0G0, Perry,” interrupted the merchant, with an abruptness which attested how eager he was to carry his point. “Indeed? You must have had good news from the Musselshell!” “Not a word!” “In any case, I must decline your offer. ” The words seemed to plunge the merchant into a veritable consteruation. “You can’t mean it,” he protested. “I told my son he should have these lands, and so I must make you another and final offer. Let us say 810,000!” Perry shook his head emphatically. “Ten thousand dollars or 10 cents—it’s all the same to me, Mr. Skidder,” he declared. “Money won’t buy them!” “What! not $20,000, all in cash, within five minutes?” cried the merchant. “No, sir!” “Not fifty thousand?” “No, nor twice fifty thousand,” assured Perry, with the same quiet smile as before. “I have no intention of selling those lands, Mr. Skidder, and must decline to.entertain any proposition looking to their purchase!” Hiram Skidder became deathly pale with the rage and vexation these declarations caused him. A flood of furious reproaches and threats trembled upon his lips. But he controlled himself, “I —I am very sorry,” he faltered, with averted face. “I’ll have to be content with sending my son out there to be ■■fchbor, as you have suggested. Ml, sir.” again inclined his handgracefully and vanished. glance of hate and wrath was sent after him! villain!” he ejaculated. I in that way about a piece of property I sold him for almost nothing! But of course he has received extraordinary reports from his special agent. What can be the secret?” Springing to his feet, he strode to and fro excitedly, knitting his brows in an intense study as to the ways and means of recovering possession of the lands with which he had so lightly parted, supposing them to be worthless. <_) “I see what to do,” he finally decided. “I must start for the Musselshell this very night. At the best I’m on the verge of failure. lam tired of these vain attempts to get on my feet again. All is lost here, an d I have all to gain there. If I can get out there ahead of Perry Winans, and catch him in some quiet corner, with no one looking and with those deeds on his person, before they’ve been recorded, I’ll soon be master of the situation!” The look upon his face attested that he meant it, all things evil being written thereon—hate and greed, and even violence and robbery. CHAPTER 11. TURNED OUT TO PERISH. A knock was heard at the door at this moment, and one of the merchant’s clerks stepped hesitatingly into his presence. “If you please, Mr. Skidder, ” he announced, “here’s a young woman who wishes to see you. ” The merchant glared at his dependent so angrily that he retreated involuntarily a step or two. “How dare you come to me with messages from such creatures?” he demanded. “The second offense will cost you your place. If you had been longer in my service, sir, you would know that I never see beggars. ” He waved his hand imperatively, but the c erk stood his ground, with the remark: “The young woman is no beggar, sir. She’s your own niece!” “It’s false!” roared lhe merchant. “I have no niece! She’s an impostor! Call the police!” The clerk withdrew, but the door had scarcely closed- when it opened again, and he reappeared with an agitated face. Before he could speak, however, the aperture widened, and a second person entered the merchant’s presence. The newcomer was the niece who had just been so rudely repudiated. What a rare, witching girl she was! She had the wild free grace of a fawn; a slender, swaying figure; a sweet, pure, girlish face, framed in flowing hair, and a pair of lovely brown eyes, innocent, truthful and unconciously appealing eyes from which looked a woman’s thoughful soul that had learned too early the bitterness of life. She approached the merchant, extending her hand, as the clerk hastily retreated. “Are you my uncle Hiram?” she asked. “I am El fie Tower, your sister’s only daughter.” “El fie Tower?” repeated the merchant, • with a stare of surprise. “The daughter of my only sister Mary?” “The same, uncle. ” The merchant shook her hand feebly i a single instant, and Invited her by gesture to be seated. “This is a great surprise, ” he said, rei sumlng his seat “What brings you to i Chicago? Come on a little visit eh? Better have staid in the country.” ’ “lam come to stay, Uncle Hiram,” - announced the girl quietly. “I am alone ! in the world ” ; “Alone? How’s that?” “My father died last year, as mother : wrote you,” explained Elfie. “Mamma

• ■ . • - - ■ * has followed him,” and her voice grew . broken. “She died last week, Uncle Hiram, and when she was dying she told me to come to you. She, sent you her dearest love, regretting keenly * “Humph!” said the merchant “Os course I’m sorry she’s dead, but it’s years since I saw her, and the loss .doesn’t come on me as keenly as on you. Mary was a good woman, a little sentimental, perhaps, and always talking about affection, honor, truthfulness, and that sort of thing, but she meant well, I don’t doubt. How many children- did your parents leave?” “I was their only child, Uncle Hiram, save the one who died. ” „ “Ah, yes,” and the merchant yawned. “I have lost sight of my sister during the past few years. It is true, I received a letter in which she said her husband was dead, but I never found time to answer it. My business cares have always been heavy. I visited your parents in Ingleheim ten years ago, when you were a mere child. They were very prosperous jn those days—owned a grocery store, with houses and lots, horses, and so forth. Your father had few expenses in that little village. I suppose, Elfie, you have inherited a handsome property?” “Quite the contrary, uncle. My father made some investments which turned out badly, including his joint purchase with you of those wild lands on the Musselshell River, in Montana He was also burned out, and failed in business three months before he died.” “Ah, failed, <did he?” said the merchant, cheerfully. “Was it a bad failure?” “It swamped us completely, uncle—left us in poverty. ” Hiram Skidder stared amazed. “What! Eh?” he gasped. “Poverty?” “When the debts were paid we had nO home and only five hundred dollars in money. ” “The debts paid?” “Yes, uncle. Every debt was paid. My father taken ill, lingered three months, then died, but when he died he owed no man a cent,” said Elfie proudly. “No widow or orphan, no trusting tradesman, no one whomsoever, can say that my father every cheated him or her of their rightful dues.” “But, God bless my soul!” ejaculated Hiram Skidder. “Was the man mad?” Elfie looked surprised. “My father was an honest man, sir—that was all.” “And your mother was left in poverty?” “Yes, sir; but it was an honorable poverty. She had a little money left after father died. We hired two rooms, and I got work to do. I had received a good education at the village academy— I mean good for my years, ” said Effie modestly:—“and I became a clerk in the village book store. I managed to provide for my mother while she lived. After her burial I had only S2O remaining.” “A beggar!” muttered the merchant. “A regular beggar!” Effie failed to catch this comment. “The bookseller had no further need of my services,” she resumed, “his son being about to become a partner with him. And mother, when dying, told me to come to you, Uncle Hiram ” “Very convenient for you, no doubt. But I have a large and expensive family of my own—especially a son and daughter who would bankrupt the biggest millionaire on earth if left to their own devices. Poor people have a singular fondness, I’ve noticed, for saddling their offspring upon somebody else. I don’t see that I can do anything for you. It’s absurd for a girl of your size and education to think of settling yourself as a pauper relation on me. It can tbe done, my dear young woman!” The girl’s face flushed hotly. “You are mistaken, sir,” she said,with a dignity beyond her years. “I want to pay my way. I want work. I came to ,ask a situation as a clerk in your store.” “If I took in everybody who asks me for a clerkship,” returned the merchant testily, “I should soon be in the poorhouse, There is no vacancy in my establishment. My clerks are used to my ways, and I can’t turn them off even to make an opening for you. ” The girl’s face looked blank. “Do you refuse to receive me into your services, Uncle Hiram?” she asked. “I do not want any favor, only a chance to earn my living. I will work just as the others do, and receive the same pay. ” “You are very condescending,” sneered the merchant. “But the long and short of the whole matter is, I have no place for you!” “No place for me in your house? No place for me in your store?” “Y’ou seem to understand me. I have no place anywhere for you.” The girl’s countenance plainly expressed her surprise, indignation, and wounded feeling. “Wouldn’t cousin Hilda like me for a companion?” she asked. “No; and if she would I couldn’t consent to anything of the kind. She has too many ‘ companions ’ already. Besides, she’s going out of town. ” “Will you at least give me money enough to take me out to Montana to my other uncle, Jeremiah Skidder,” pursued Elfie. “No, Elfie; and that would be a very bad move for you. Your father and I sold our lands on the Musselshell to Perry Wynans, my cashier, for almost nothing, because they were reported worthless, and hence you have no resources in that direction. Your ‘other uncle ’ is a lazy, shiftless, lying vagabond, and one of the meanest men I’ve ever encountered. ” “Then you refuse, to interest yourself in any way for me, uncle Hiram?” inquired Elfie. “I can’t do otherwise,” replied the merchant. “It was your father’s place to provide for you. I don’t wish to comment upon his failure in business and neglecting to provide for his family; but that he could expect me to repair his neglect is incredible. ” The girl arose sadly, sternly. “We shall not agree, uncle Hiram, in regard to my father’s course,” she said. “He left his name to me spotless and honorable—an inheritance a thousand times more precious than all the money in the world. I would not exchange his reputation for all your wealth, sir!" “You are impertinent, ” returned Skidder, angrily, arising. “I have obeyed my mother’s command, sir, and asked of you work and protection, ” added Effie, with deep agitation. “I am all alone in the world, uncle Hiram —friendless, and, to a very great extent, helpless, as a girl of seventeen must necessarily be. If you turn me away I have nowhere to go. I have but ten dollars remaining. ” “Many a man and woman has begun life on less than that, ” said Skidder. “I cannot help you. You ought to have too much pride to thrust yourself upon me as a pauper to be cared for ” “Stop there, Uncle Hiram! I am no pauper. I asked for work, not for alms." And the young girl’s eyes flashed fire, and her pale young face grew sternly reproachful You send me away as if I were some Importunate beggar. You revile my parents. You taunt me. You have said enough. I’ll relieve you of my presence!" She moved to the door, where she turned and faced him, her great eyes eloquent with her sadness and desolation. “But before I go,” she added, “let me say a word more. We shall meet again. Uncle Hiram, but not as now! Now I am a poor, weak girl, without money or friends, but I shall some day be rich and i powerfuß Some day, and perhaps at an

early day, I believe as sorely as God lives, we shall meet again upon a changed footing! Until then, adieu!" She bowed and withdrew, traversing the outer store and gaining the street, where she mingled with the throng. Rejected by her kinsman, a stranger in a strange city, what was she to do, and where was she to go? She wandered on desolately, the world all before her, the making of her whole future in her own girlish hands. She walked barely a block, hardly conscious of the direction she had taken, when a_hand touched her gently on the arm from behind. Turning quickly and halting, she found herself face to face with a man whose life was destined to be associated with her own thenceforward and forever. That man was, Perry Wynans. CHAPTER 111. WELL WORTHY OF EACH "-OTHER. As bad as he was, Hiram Skidder felt ashamed of the meanness and brutality with which he had treated his niece. “Os course I should have been glad to give her a night’s lodging, or anything of that sort, under other circumstances, ” he said to himself, when site had vanished. “But it was her misfortune to come here at the most awkward moment possible—just as I am preparing to leave these scenes forever! Perhaps ” He was interrupted by voices near his door. “What! You are Mr. Skidder’s brother?” one of his clerks was saying. “You jest bet I am—his own and only brother, all the way from Montany,” was the reply, “and you jest hustle and hump, will ye, young man, and let Hiram know that Jerry Skidder is waiting to see him!” The merchant stepped briskly to the door, not without great surprise and curiosity, but also with an intense satisfaction at the prospect of further information from the Musselshell. “Oh, it’s you, Jerry?” he cried, with his most affable voice and manner, grasping the hand of his relative. “I am equally astonished and delighted at seeing you! Come in!” Jeremiah Skidder hastened to comply, and the merchant closed the door behind him, after a warning frown at several clerks who were staring after the newcomer. “How rugged and hearty you look, Jerry.! And how little changed for the worse,” he resumed, waving his brother to a seat near his desk and returning to his own chair. “How have you been all these fourteen years since I saw you?” “Qh, about as usual,” answered the visitor “You seem a little pale, with being cooped up here everlastingly, but you enjoy good health, I hope?” “Excellent, Jerry. How’s your family?” “I’ve only Daisy left, Hiram, her mother having died several years ago. Perhaps vou don’t remember Daisy? She’s a great girl of one-and-twenty. ” “Is she here with you?” , “Yes. She has long been wanting to come to town to see the sights, and I couldn’t refuse no longer. No, she’s not waiting outside,” he continued, as the merchant looked from a little window into the store. “She’s at our hotel on Madison street. And how’s your wife and the children?” “I lost Mrs. Skidder years ago,” replied the merchant, “but the ‘children’— a son of twenty-five and a girl of twentythree—are quite well. Jerry wagged his jaws nervously upon a huge quid of tobacco, and bestowed a keen glance of appreciation upon his surroundings, while Hiram looked him over With a curious and searching scrutiny. The contrast between the brothers was rather striking, Jerry being at least' ten years the oldest, and having a, thin, weazeny frame, a pair of deeply sunken eyes, and a bony, angular visage. The old man was active and wiry, however, as became his bronzed and weatherbeaten appearance, and could have readily “handled” hisyotinger and bigger brother. “You seem to be well fixed here, Hiram, ” he remarked, his gaze coming •back to his brother’s face. “Must have made an awful pile of money! How does it happen that you’ve never been out to Montany to see me?’,’ “I couldn’t get the time, Jerry.” “I concluded that such was the case, ” said the visitor, with increased nervousness, “and that’s why I yielded to Daisy about coming. The fact is, I want to buy those Musselshell lands of you and Tower!” (to be continued.)

Trouble for Two Men. There was a moment’s silence after the introduction. Womanlike, each was mentally “sizing the other up.” Then one of taem spokq. “My husband frequently speaks of you,” she said. “Indeed!” returned the other. “My husband thinks you are wonderfully clever.” “Really ? Why that’s the way my husband talks about you. He told me how you reshaped and recovered that old parasol and so saved SB.” “Parasol! Why I never touched it until my husband had harped all one day on your cleverness in upholstering and relming a baby carriage at a saving of $6.” “Nonsense. The thing that made me do that was the way my husband talked about that parasol. Then he gotupe to fixing over a. last year’s hat because you were working over an old dress. “But I never started to do that until my husband had told five times about your hat. I wasn’t going to admit that you could be any more economical than I.” “Why, really, my dear madam, I heard of that dress twenty-four hours before I touched the hat.” “Impossible. I ” “I believe our husbands ” she began again. “I believe they have,” chimed in the other, becoming excited also. “It’s a wicked shame!” “An outrage! They’ve just tricked us; that’s all!” “It was a regular plot. And to think how he’s made me work! TH get a new gown to-day.” “And la hat.” Then two women went into a dry goods store and spent, all the money they could scrape together. And two men got mighty little for supper that night, and when they complained they were promptly convinced that they ought to have said nothing. One of the members of the Chicago Medical Society has reported the case of a man who sheds his skin every July. It all comes off in leas than twenty-four hours, and the skin of the arms and legs can be peeled off just like gloves or stockings. Under the old appears a new skin, which is very sensitive. The finger and toe nails also drop off, new ones quickly taking their place. If that be an evidence of reversion to earlier types, that man must have some of the reptile still in him. ' , , ■> Mr. Oliver Jex (displaying his London suit)—How is this for a fit? Mr. Snippen Sheers (eriticallvy-Well, it ' ’ v *'

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Business Directory. THE DECATUR NATIONAL BANK. OBcere T. T.Dorwln, President; P.W.Bmlth, Yice-Presideet: B. B. Peterson. Cashier: T. T. DorfrimP.W.Smith,Henry Derkes, J.H.Ho> brookTß. J. Terveer, J. D. Hale and B. 8. Pt> terson, Direotors. Weare prepared to make Loans on good security, receive Deposits, furnish Domestic and Foreign Exchange, buy and sell Government and Municipal Bonds, and furnish Letters of Credit available in any of the principal cities of Europe. Also Passage Tickets to and from ttejPM World, including transportatioa to SI. 3EE. Xs®SXY.TTic\ Veterinary Surgeon, Blomroe, Xxxd.. Successfully treats all diseases of Horses and Cattle. Will respond to calls at any time. Prioeaueaaonable. Jame* JR. Bobo, Attorney* At Law Paul G. Hooper, Attorney- At Xsa*vp* - > YnMeme. THBANCB A J. T. FRANCT.' A' j. T. MBBBTMAN A.ttomoyai ZswwFe DXCATUB, INDIANA. Office Nos. L 2 and 8, over the Adams County Bank. Collections a specialty. IfIBSSK HOUSE, L J. MIESSE, Proprietor. Decatur, lad. Location Central—Opposite Court House, Dm leading hotel in the city. O.T. May, M. r lX7*Sßlolrexi«ft» Burgeon Monroe. ... Indiana. All calls promptly attended to day or night. Office at residence. Adams County Bank Capital, 875,000. Surplus, 875,000. Organized In 1871. Officers—D. Studabaker, President: Robt. B. Allison.Vice-President; W. H. Niblick, Cashier. Do a general banking business. Collections made in all parts of the country. County, City and Township Orders bought. Foreign and Domestic Exchange bought and sold. Interest paid on time deposits. S. J*. Jordaxi., , Attomey-at-Lawand Pension Agent Collection of Claims a specialty. Decatur, Indiana. Kent K, Wheelock, M, De, EYE AND EAR SPECIALIST 94 Calhoun-st. Fort Wayne, Ind. JJE V. D. NEUENSCHWANDER, M. D. HOMEOPATHIST. Berne, ... Indiana. Children and Chronic Diseases a Specialty. Twenty years experience. A. 6. HOLLOWAY, FHysiciaii rib Surgeon Office over B/rns’ harness shop, residence one door north of JI. E. church. All calls promptly sjttenliQd to in city or country night or day. M, L. HOLLOWAY, M. ». Office and residence one door north of M. E. church. Diseases of women and children speclalties. . ■ MONEYTO LOAN On Farm Property on Long Tims. BTo OonaLaaa-lrereloxx. ft Low Rato of Interest. Prex-tlrel ZPresrxixreMxtfli In any amounts can be made at any time and stop interest. Call on, or address, JL. K, GBUBB, or JT, J*. Office: Odd Fellows* Building, Decatur.

COMPLEXION POWDER: SAFE CURATIVE; BEAUTIFYING. |. 2.3.1 three ] IStJI I POZZONTS | | TINTS j Important to Mankind I SPRING CLOTHING I HATS AND FURNISHING GOODS I • Oar Entire Stock of SPRING STYLES Are now ready for your inspection. We can truthfully JI say that never was there such a varied assortment displayed in this market, for business. The Styles are the Nobbiest I The Patterns the Handsomest / While our lower grades excel anything we have ever shown. s i Our stock of SPRING OVERCOATS -s1 Is exceedingly large. Our Children and Boys Department is simply crowded with the Latest r i Novelties of the season. We will make it pay by offering the possible prices spr the best made goods, for you to come to us for i Spring purchases, i and IN East Berry Street, Fort Wayne.

JB MZnUIQB, • DENTTBT. Now located over Holthouee’e ehoe etoeiL sbS Is prepared to do all work pertaining to the deutai profee sion. Gold filling a specialty Ry the use ofMayo’e Vapor ho is enabled to extras! tooth without pun. All work warranted. nWIN, B. X. MANN, X. * ERWIN A MANN, f ▲TTO&nYS-AT-LAW, | And Notaries Public. net . Pension Claims Prosecuted. Office in Odd Fellows’ Building, Decatur, Ind * ! : 'lv Notice to Teachers! Notice is hereby given that there wfll boa public examination of teachers at the office of the county superintendent, in Decatur, Indiana, on the last Saturday of each month. Apploants for license must present “the proper trustee s eertiffieate or other evidence of good moral character,” and to be successful must pass a good examination in orthography, reading. writing, arithmetic, geography. English grammar, physiology, history of the United States, science of education, and present on the day of examination, a review or composition upon one ot the following named books: Me of Two Cities, David Copperfield. Ivanhoe, Heart of Midlothian, Heurv Esmond, The Buy. The Scarlet Letter, The Sketch Book. Knicker! booker’s New York, The Happy Boy (by Bjornson). Poems of Longfellow, Poems of Bryant. Poems of Whittier, Poems of Lowell. Hawthorne's ‘Marble Faun,* And Carlyle's 'Heroes and Hero Worship,‘ Holmes* ‘Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, McMaster’s 'Life of. FrankUn, and Charles Bmde’s 'Put Yourself in His Place. Said composition shall contain notices shan 600 nor mors than 1,000 words, shall be in the applicant's own handwriting, find shall be acoompanted with a declaration that it is the applicant’s original work. Reviews will be ffraded on pennmnAblp, orthography and oom> Examinstlous will begin promptly at 8:80 a.m. No license will be granted to ay■pUoants under seventeen years of ago, aft* August 1888. J. P. SNOW. OoTbrnST TnWE TABLE Wry?. The Shortest, Quickest and Best Route to the West, Nortiiwest, South and Southwest. FREE PALACE RECLINING CHAIR CARS on all night trains. Solid VestibSled Train Service Daily, without extra charge, Palace Reclining Chair Cars from Toledo, Detroit and Chicago to St. Louis, Quincy and Kansas City without change, requiring only one change of cars to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Denver and all points West of Missouri River. Through Pullman Buffet Sleeping Cars daily from St. Louis to Salt Lake City via Denver, Cheyenne and Ogden. Round Trip Tickets to principal places in CaUfornia, Oregon, Utah. Arizona ana Old re.T>rl IKTe-riv BdEexioo every day in the year. A complete line of tickets via any authorized route, obviating the annoyance to passengers of exchanging tickets at the Missouri River. For lowest rates, maps, folders and descriptive printed matter, write to or call on C. S. CRANE, F, CHANDLER, Asst. G. P. A., Gen. Pass. Agt., St. Louis. Mo. St. Louis, Mo. R. G. Thompson, Pass, and Ticket Agent, Fort Wayne, Ind. I CURE FITS! When I sty Ctm I d® Bstmeimnerslyta ■top them for * time, and then have them re» turn again. I mkan A RADICAL CUS& 1 have made the disease ot FITS, EPUJZPST or r AXXDTG BICKKSSS, Alife-long study. I warrant my remedy to Curb the worst cases. Because others have failed is no reason tor not now receiving acure. Send at once for a treatise and a Frbb Bottur of my Infauublb Rbmrdt. Give Bxpresa and Post Wfice. It costs you nothing lor a trial, and ft will cure you. Address H.O. ROOT. M.Cre IS3 PUMSTyNHIYM