Decatur Democrat, Volume 40, Number 51, Decatur, Adams County, 4 March 1897 — Page 5

ADDITIONAL, LOCALS. Fred Falk transacted business at Geneva yesterday. | Crackers —any kind and all you want at the Union Bakery. Miss Mary Baughman is visiting friends at Kenton, Ohio. Oysters in any quantities at Coffee & Baker’s Uniop Bakery. / For Sale—The Park Hotel pro . petty. Cal) on or address, Dan Yager, Decatur, Ind. 50.3 t The leading merchant tailors, J. H. Meyer & Bro. All work guaranteed. Decatur, Ind. J. H. Meyer & Bro. high grade merchant tailoring. All work guaranteed. Decatur, Ind. > For high grade merchant tailoring call on J. H. Meyer & Bro. All work guaranteed. Decatur, Ind. Take your booots and shoes to , N. Nix, north Second street, for first-class repairs. 51 4 If you want to trade for a farm, or a farm for city property, if you want to buy a farm cheap on easy terms, or want to buy or trade for city property you get a bargain of R. K. Ekwin. Notice to Stockholders. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Cincinnati, Richmond & Foit Wayne Railroad Co, for the election of eleven directors to serve for the ensuing year, and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting, will be held in the office of Mr. C. C. Binkley, in the city of Richmond, Indiana, on Thursday, April 1, 1897, at 9:30 o’clock a. m. The books for the transfer of stock will be closed from March 21st, until after the election. R. R. Metheany, Sec’y. LKNTON HILES. The following regulations have been handed down to the Catholics of this diocese tor their observation daring the Lenton season which begin yesterday: 1. All the faithful who have completed their twenty-first vear, are, unless legitimately dispensed, bound to observe the fast of Lent. 2. They are to make only one full meal a day. excepting Sunday. 3. The meal alowed on tast-days is not to be taken till about noon. 4. At that meal, if on any day permission should be granted for eating flesh, both fish and flesh shall -not be used at the same time, not even on Sundav. 5. A small refreshment, commonly called a collation, is allowed in the evening; no general rule as to the quantity of food permitted at ; this time is or can be made. But ‘ the paractice of the most regular ■ Christians is never to let it exceed one-fourth of an ordinary meal. 6. The quantity of food allowed at a collation is, in this diocese, bread, butter, eggs, cheese, milk, all kinds of fruits, salads, vegetables and fish.

7. General use has made it lawful to take in the morning some warm liquid, such as tea, coffee, or thin chocolate, and a cracker or a small piece of bread. 8. Necessity and custom have aatborized the use of lard instead of butter in preparing fish, vegetables, etc. 9. If for any good reason the principal meal cannot be taken at noon, it is allowed to partake of the collation in the morning and to put off the full meal till the evening. 10. The following persons are exempt from the obligation of fasting: Young persons under twentyone years of age, and persons over sixty, the sick, nursing women, those who are obliged to do bard labor, all who, through weakness cannot fast without predjudice to their health.

TO THE PEOPLE OF ADAMS COUNTY, , 1 Who intend buying a custom suit, I wish to call your attention My Spring Styles arc all in, and My Prices are the Lowest. I do my own cutting and assist in the manufacturing, and can therefore sell cheaper than one who employs a cutter. ANY Style of Cloth YOU CAN THINK OF, I CAN SHOW YOU. And a guarantee goes with every sale that it is at least 25 per cent, cheaper than elsewhere. ... You can find at my place a complete line of ... tassimeres, Chevoits, Tweeds,. Betseys, Covet Cloth, whip cords, worsted Suiting, Fancy Vesting. To those who have their own cloth, I wish to state, HHTV TUa TailaF* that my prices to cut, make and trim a suit, is SIO.OO. Pants, $2.00. 11 11 I V I IIP I 511111 1 All work guaranteed to be perfect In fit and workmanship. , , I liU I UllUi b

11. By dispensation, dhe use ot fiteshmeat will be allowed time on Sundays and once a day on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays an I Saturdays, with the exception of the second and last Saturdays of Lent. 12. Persons dispensed from the obligation of fasting are not bound by the restriction of using meat a only one meal on days on which its use is granted by dispensation. We recommend that, on good Friday, the faithful abstain from the use of milk, butter and egg*. We earnestly beg those who h ife made themselves the victims of intemperance to begin with Lent a sober and pious life, and to show a spirit ofotrue repentance by a pledge of total abstinence.

According to faculties grantel April 18, 1896, we are allowed till the Lent of 1898 the use of flesh meat on all Saturdays, that are not fast-days, throughout the year. Joseph Bishop of Fort Wayne. MY LUCKY FIND. I was almost in despair. What a lot of trouble I have brought on myself for my good nature! Police investigations and reports, annoyance, chagrin, perhaps, at the outcome. Yes, it was enough to make a man swear! And the cause of it all was Baby Mouse, hapless Baby Mouse! But, before you, dear reader, will understand why Baby Mouse should be to blame you will want to know who he is. It’s a strange story, and yet sweet and tender withal. And it ends, well—that’s its best part. Three months ago I was coming home with the evening shades. It was bitter cold, and I rejoiced in anticipation of my cozy, warm home and the simple, dainty meal which my old housekeeper, Johanna, knew how to prepare so well. I was lost ip just such comfortable bachelor reverie, when I descended from the L road to wend my way tow aid my little Washington Heights home. I walked rapidly and soon reached there. Opening the iron gate that led into the tiny garden patch in front of the house, I saw a small package'lying on the fro zen snow. “A present from somebody,” I said half aloud, stooped and picked up my find. My hands, a bit numb with cold, despite my fleece lined gloves, had scarcely grasped the bundle when it began to kick and squirm. Nor was that all. It raised such lusty howls that my neighbors’ windows flew up, and they stuck out their heads to see what it meant. It would have done me good to see my face just then in a convenient mirror. All the nursery tales of cry babies and bewitched castaways came to my mind with a rush. I fWt like depositing the lively packet in the place where I had found it, but that would have been cruel. # Aye, it would have been worse than murder to leave such a little mite out in the open with the thermometer at 10 above zero. I had no desire to make the acquaintance of the state attorney. But, better than all, great pity swelled my heart for the unfortunate creature whom loveliness had cast away, and as fast as I could run with my burden 1 ran into the house. Johanna met me in the door. “See what I have brought you,” I said, with a laugh. The good woman gazed with horyor on the squirming, shaking babe and held out her hands. “Doctor, what does it mean?” she gasped. “It means, Johanna, that for the next few days you are going to bathe and feed and fondle this little waif, just as you did me once upon a time. ’ ’ And then I told her the story of how I had found Baby Mouse. In the lamplight I examined the little foundling, and Johanna, too, looked him over with critical eyes. He was a jolly little youngster, 8 months old perhaps, with chubby face, eyes as blue as a summer sky and lips that soon took on cherry hue, as their blue, pinched look died away in the genial warmth of the room and Johanna’s embraces that alternated with mine. Johanna brought out fresh linen, arranged a bed and bathed and washed the foundling. Tucking him comforta-

bly away In an improvised crib, aha gave him a bottle filled with milk, and, when ho had appeased his hunger, ho fell into a peaceful slumber. I kissed the baby’s brow and said to Johanna: **l am going to report that case to the police in the morning, and I’ll ask them to let me keep tho little one until his relations are heard from. ” Jobanna gave me an amazed look. “My life is so lonely,” I continued, “he may bring some color into it!” I may have sighed as I walked away. “You haven’t forgotten, doctor,” answered the good woman, “no matter how bard you’ve tried!” Next day I went to the chief of police. He recorded the case and had no objection to my keeping tho baby. This is the way I came into possession of i lovely and beautiful child. Johanna and I decided to call him Robert, but his pet name — Baby Mouse — was older than that, and it clung to him. And now you know who Meuse is. Nobody ever came to claim him, and my heart opened to the tender waif as it had never opened before. Mouse, of course, was treated like a king. Now and then Johanna would say, “You are spoiling the child, doctor!” But she was as weak as I with regard to Mouse. He grew and prospered like a flower in the sunshine of our love and was the lustiest youngster on the block. But there must be rainy days as well One day Mouse was taken ill, and before night we knew that he had been attacked with diphtheria. With flaming cheeks and trembling hands he lay in his crib, and I bent over him with breaking heart. Long nights of anxious watching followed. At last care and tender nursing drove death from the door, and the doctor told me that the danger was passed. But another blow came severer even than Mouse’s illness. My old faithful servant had caught the infection and had to take to her bed. There I was, a helpless man, with an ill woman and a convalescent babe on my hands. Surely it was a desperate situation. I engaged a trained nurse to wait on the sick, but I could not expect her to look after me too. The little comforts to which I had been accustomed dropped away one by one. “If only my wife was herel” My wife! Yes, I had been married—in fact, I was still married. And this, too, is a strange story. My wife was an only child, spoiled by rich and indulgent parents. When I took her to my modest home, I discovered that she had many little faults—all women have—and I thought I could wean her away from them. The big faults, of course, I was willing to condone, for they were part of the bargain. My wife was a bit gay, a bit frivolous, a bit stubborn and a bit too fond of dress. But I loved her with all my heart, and she loved me. And because I loved her I endeavored to cure her of . these little imperfections. It was a difficult piece of work. Sharp words were spoken on one side, tears shed on the other, and the upshot of the matter was that one day my wife left me and returned to her parents. They wrote me a long letter, expressing regret that my wife could not live with me and advising that we had better separate. » I might have applied for a divorce, but could not bring myself to do it, and the other side took no steps for a legal separation. My life became dreary and sad, and I believe I was on the short road to hypochondria. Mouse came just in the nick of time and saved me from that fate. I gave him all my love, and he was all the world to me. But my present dilemma was due to the coming of the little castaway. “Mouse, Mouse,” I said more than once, “what have you done?” , There were days when I dreaded to go home—two sickbed’s, nothing to eat for myself; forsooth, a cheerless, lonely home. When I sat down by Johanna’s bed, she tried to console me as best she could, but her cheerful words fell upon deaf ears. One evening in March I again wended my way homeward. I thought of Mouse, of Johanna, of the trained nurse, and was in the worst possible humor. Opening the door with my latchkey, I hung my overcoat on the rack and made more noise than was necessary in taking off my rubber shoes. I went into the dining room, and— Had Johanna been prowling about in

> * ’’ e bought the entire stock of goods belonging to Niblick, deceased, we will Sa OFFER GREAT BARGAINS. 1 Ito ... Everything must be | Closed Out by March 10. | H : * gg 1 TO MAKE ROOM i I FOR A COMPLETE NEW STOCK I 0 A IN ALL DEPARTMENTS. J K I S Our buyers are now in the New York markets making H P selections, and buying direct from the manufacturers, H iw<l and for CASH, which will explain why we will be able i® I to sell you at g | PRICES LOWER THAN THE LOWEST. I I _ _ 1 I g || We will have 50 Rolls Carpet $ Dress Goods, &c. || W Best makes direct from the We will have the most complete fnffl manufacturers. line of Dress Goods, You will be well paid to WAIT Silks, New Wash Fabrics, and see our line before and all classes of buying. Dress Trimmings, Laces and m New line Laee Curtains, Embroideries, W Draperies, and that was ever brought Ip || Window Shades. to this city. li BSXSXSXXXSBBSSXSSSSSSS II b -w | REMEMBER, Effliy DEPARTMENT Hill 18 REPLACED | || With new goods, and at prices lower than || || Ever in the history of trade. ’ || f NIBLICK & CO. I *•

spite of the doctor’s express orders to remain in bed? The tea steamed over the alcohol lamp. There were fresh bread and golden butter, ham, cold roast beef; the evening papers were nicely stacked on one side; on the other, my box of cigars, the ash tray and the matches. Just as Johanna was wont to arrange things in the good old days, before hapless Monse interfered.

I went into the next room, where Mouse was kept. The lamplight was muffled, but in the semidarkness I recognized the form of the trained nurse bending over the baby’s crib. “The trained nurse! Was I dreaming? I knew that head, with the daintily molded cheek, the rich blond hfir, gracefully arranged at the back. I had kissed it many times. A step, and I was near her. “Anna!” I cried. “My wife!” I caught her in my arms. She pressed her head to my breast and whispered: “Richard, forgive me!” It was not a dream. It was sweet reality. Again the lovely woman in my arms whispers: “Can you forgive me, Richard?” I can only kiss her again and again and listen to the story of her coming. Johanna had written her in what a plight I was. She had told her about the coming of Mouse, the child’s illness and her own, and my helpless condition in the face of all this trouble. And then Johanna had lectured her about the great virtue of forbearance and other wholesome truths with regard to the married life of two people who in reality loved each other.

The old w oman’s words went straight to Anna’s heart. She came, and I held her in my arms and begged her to stay forever. By this time Mouse had been aroused from his peaceful slumber. When he saw me, he stretched out his little arms, and I took him and laid him into those of my wife. “Will you be a mother to him?” I asked. “I will love him as you do,” answered the sweet woman by my side. And thus peace has once more come into my house. And the cause of it all was—Mouse. Blessed Mouse!—From the German For St. Louis Republic. Our Forefathers’ Books. In the course of some remarks at the London dinner to Poynter, the academy’s president, Conan Doyle said: “It is difficult now to realize the avidity with which our forefathers fell upon p good, solid book. For thejp there were no book stalls crammed with cheap literature, no little pirating magazines, containing the looted spoils of-a dozen goodly books. Consequently they had time to absorb a book, so that it became part of their mind and soul. We could not put back the clock and make books rarer. We would not if we could. But it would not be a bad thing now and again if we went into a retreat for a month or a year and swore off all ephemeral literature and turned back to the classics of our language.”

Coffee & Baker arc! still headquarters for for meals and lunch at all hours. You wili find them at the Union Bakery. The Clover Leaf Route offers special low rates and other inducements to those who desire to witness the contest at Carson City, Nev., March 17. Call on nearest agent.

MAKKKTS. CORRECTED BY J. D. HADE, GRAIN MERCHANT DECATUIt MARKET. Wheat .~ J 8a Corn, per cwt (mixed) 24 Corn, yellow, 25 Oat«, old 16 Oats, new 7T. 14 Rye ... . 30 Barley 25 Clover seed 4.50 Timothy.. 1.25 Butter 12 Eggs 16 Chickens.. .. ... .05 Ducks 06 Turkeys 09 Geese 05 Wool 09 to .13 Wool, washed Hand .17 Hogs 3.00 TOLEDO MARKETS MAUCH 4, 1:30 P.M. Wheat No. 2 red, cash $ .88% May wheat 89 Corn No. 2 mixed, cash 23 Corn No. 3 22