Decatur Democrat, Volume 44, Number 41, Decatur, Adams County, 20 December 1900 — Page 8

THE GRAND SCHEMER HE UNFOLDS A PLAN WITH MILLIONS IN IT TO A CREDITOR. Major Crofoot Doesn't Sneered In Convincing His Wrathy nnd Steptlesl Visitor, but Does Manulte to Stand Him Off Once Attain. [Copyright. 1900, by C. B. Lewis J As the man turned Into the doorway leading up to Major Crofoot's office he had a look of determination on his face. As he ascended the well worn stairs his tread showed aggressiveness. As he banged tile major's door open and entered he had the air of a creditor who <1 get his money or carry away bis pound of flesh. The major was In. He sat at his desk smoking a very short stub of cigar, but as the door opened he whirled with a bland smile on bis face. and. rising, with both hands held out, he exclaimed: "Well, now, but this is truly a coincidence—a coincidence! Come right in, my dear fellow—come right in!” “Oh, I'll come in fast enough,” answered the caller as he suited the action to the words and came to a halt i a H I _ -fp *1 ii llr “AS THE WHEELS TURK A MOUTH ORGAN PLAYS.” in the middle of the room. “Now, then, no more skulking and dodging. You owe me $lO borrowed money and I want it right off the reel.” “My dear Mr. Shine.” said the major as he took a last puff at his stub, “you formerly had an office next door. We lieeame acquainted. You learned that I was temporarily embarrassed, and, sizing me up as an honest, ambitious man. who would ultimately overcome his bad luck, you kindly forced a $lO bill ujion me one day.” "I deny it!” shouted Mr. Shine. “Why. hang It. you were annoying me every day for a month before 1 let you have the money, and you told me a thousand lies to get it!” "When you so kindly forced that money upon me." continued the major as he smiled and walked. "I said to myself that some day I would repay you a thousandfold. It was your trust, your confidence, in me that touched me. 1 was almost unknown to you. For all you knew I might be a deadtsat You bad only your judgment to go on. but your judgment was right. This very morning I should have telegraphed you to call in.”

•‘Ob. you are going to pay, eh?” "Major Crofoot always pays his debts, sir. and in some cases he returns SIOO for fl. It will tie so in this case. I could have paid you back long ago. but was waiting to make it a memorable occasion for you. The time has arrived. My dear fellow, let us ahake hands.” “What for? You owe me %10. You say you are going to pay it. 1 don’t see the object of shaking hands.” “Yes. you truly cast your bread upon the waters." said the major as be paced the width of the room and looked into vacancy, "and I am pleased that your returns will be so great. Do you know 1 love a man who trusts to my honor and integrity? Let a man show his confidence in me. and I would sell my shirt for him. Yes. you kindly forced sl«i upon me. and”— “And now you kindly force it back again.” interrupted Mr. Shine. “It's no use dodging, old man. I’m here for my money and am going to have It.” “My dear fellow, you are one of the few who trusted to my integrity when I was down on my luck, and I therefore pass over your hard words now. You haven’t heard of the Great American Combination Baby Carriage company. have you?” "No. sir.” • “Because it is just being Incorporated and we are taking the greatest care not to let anything get out until we are ready. My own creation, sir, and the biggest thing of the decade. If we don’t make a million dollars out of it the first year, I shall be more than surprised. I wouldn't take half a million in cash for my chances.” “That’s all blamed nonsense!” shouted Mr. Shine as he liegau to bristle up. "1 know you, you ol«l soft soaper! You want to dodge that *lO, but I'll have it before 1 leave!” "My own Inventive idea, as I told you, and It will astonish the world. The baby carriage can be changed Into a cradle, a hammock or a sled by moving a lever. Good fur summer or winter, you see. Is provided with a stationary milk bottle, a whistle and a rattlebox. lias an Ice chest and a soothing sirup department. As the wheels turn a mouth organ plays. Provided with a patent brake, rubber tires and a mothproof cover; also has revolving fans to keep the files away. After the baby gets out of long dresses he can use the carriage as a tricycle. That’s the Invention. Mr. Shine. Organized on a capital of *750.000. and shares to lie sold at par. There's more than millions In it.” “I don't care a rap If there Is. What I want Is my *lO, and I'll give yon just five minutes to shell out.” “I was going to offer you the secretaryship." softly observed the major, “but the salary will be only ten thousand a year. What I shall offer you

*ud what 1 was going to telegraph you about as you came in was the purchasing agency. We shall want a man to I buy the milk and soothing sirup and see that they are pure. The salary will be at least $15,000 per year, with i perquisites thrown in. My dear man. ! you trusted rue. This is your reward. Now. will you shake?” “Not by a darned sight!" shouted Mr. Shine as he bobbed around. "None of this sort of rot will stand me off on ' my $lO. Do you want me to take it ; out of your hide?” “And you can buy stock at par, rny dear fellow—stock that will be worth j 150 inside of four weeks. 1 have arI ranged for that. That stock will pay I you at least 100 per cent. Invest $lO,000, and you have an Income of S2S,(XX) I per year. That’s what comes of trusting to the integrity of Major Crofoot. Is it enough? If not, just say so, and I’ll add $5,000 from my salary as president." Mr. Shine deliberately removed his coat and vest and flung them on a chair. “Or if you want to borrow $lO for a day or two you can have it nnd welcome. I’ll just step out and get it for you.” The major stepped, and Mr. Shine removed his collar, tie and cuffs. Then he spat on his hands and limbered up his arms and waited. He waited for half an hour—two hours. Then he got up and redressed himself and kicked over the chairs and desk and went out. The major had stood him off once more. M. Quad. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. Many Thing;" of Which It* Graduate* Are Ignorant. The failure of the Sunday school as a means of giving a systematic and thorough knowledge of the Bible is great. A teacher in a city high school asked an advanced class of 40 or 50 pupils. who had been drilled for years In the International Sunday School Lessons, how to proceed in order to reach Palestine, and not one could give the desired information. Then she asked the class in what part of the world Puiestine is located, and no one knew. That is a very good specimen of Sunday school teaching and can be paralleled anywhere by those who will take the trouble to ask a few questions. The Ignorance of the Bible on the part of most persons of average intelligence is something amazing. The simplest questions will elicit no answer on the part of most such persons. That educated persons know something about the Bible may be assumed, but not unless the training goes much beyond the standard of the common school. Again and again it has transpired that those who were generally well informed, who were fairly well educated and regarded as bright and clever, were almost totally ignorant of the Bible. Their Sunday school training had given them no knowledge of the book that was of any value, and. however much they might have read it since, it was to them a sealed volume. —Boston Transcript.

Giving Him a Rest. The energy of one of the oldest Inhabitants of a Massachusetts town is a byword among his neighbors and a . trial to his grandchildren, who have not inherited thejr full share of his active temper. His grandson John in particular suffers from the old man’s untiring industry. for John is his assistant in the little grocery shop, where everything, from codfish to brooms, may be found. A purchaser of gingersnaps lingered one day to Lear the noontime address delivered to poor John by his grandfather. "Now. Johnny. I'm a-going home for my dinner.” said the old man briskly, "and on the way I'll carry up these palls to Miss Manson and fetch back her kerosene can. 1 shall be gone up'artls of half an hour. You'll have plenty of tjme to eat your luncheon, and while you're resting after that I wish you'd saw up that little mess of wood that lays out by the back door ami split it up for stove kindling, for the weather's turning sharp a'ready. "Most likely I’ll be back 'fore you get out o' work, and anyways I don't want to keep you at it all the time, so if there's a few extry minutes jest set down and make out a bill or two. The fust of the month'll be upon us 'fore we know It.”—Youth’s Companion. The Preacher Wa« Glad Swore. The daughter of a well known clergyman in Washington bad a severe attack of scarlet fever when she was 3 years old which resulted In deafness. Up to that time she bad been a regular little chatterbox, doing her Infantile best to carry out the proverbial: Being a woman, ihe'll talk forever! Upon her recovery her parents were nearly heartbroken to find that she bad not only lost her bearing, but the power of speech as well. Whether she bad really forgotten bow to talk or whether it was obstinacy or lack of confidence they could not determine, but despite all efforts of the best tutors the child remained a route. One day when she was nearly 10 years of age she was playing with a cat. and with as much cruelty as though she were of the sterner Bex she used its tall as a handle with which to pick It up. The poor animal, not appreciating the economic use of the aforesaid tall. Inflicted a deep scratch across the chubby little band. “Damn that cat!” she said, flinging it down. And her father, devout clergyman an he wns, clasped his hands nnd. raising 111 b eyes to heaven, exclaimed: “Thank God. that child has spoken at last!"—Detroit Free Press. Russia in Europe has a forest area of about sixi.ooo.oixi acres. One-third of ths country indeed is forest.

SOME MEN GROW ON TREES. Thin Is the Belief of an Indian nnd Some Other Tribe*. The Sioux Indians still share with the old Aryan and Semitic tribes in the belief that there are trees that bring forth human beings and others that bear various portions of the human body, and in the fourteenth century an Italian traveler, on arriving at Malabar. was told by the natives that the country abounded with a tree that bore men and women. The latter were attached to the limbs by the nether extremities and were full formed when the wind blew, but when the wind died out they soon withered. These specimens of humanity reached the length or height of three feet. In the first book of the Mahadharata mention Is made of forms of dwarfs that were to be found on a large fig tree. The Arabs are still strong in the belief that somewhere in the southern ocean there is a tree that bears a nut that resembles the face of a man and when in its fullness the mouth opens and gives voice to the cry: “Wak! Wak!” The Chinese reverse the order of things and. instead of believing that the trees give birth to men, claim that tn the beginning the herbs and grass sprang from the hair of the human family. They have preserved the tradition, too, that somewhere within the borders of the beautiful Flowery Kingdom there is a wonderful lake by whose margin grew trees whoje leaves developed into birds and also that, if a jar be broken on the waters, birds of the most brilliant plumage will at once arise from the pieces and fly off. In central India there is a tribe called KLatties that claim to have their origin from a stick of wood. When the five sons of Pandu, the heroes whose exploits are told in the Mahadharata, had become simple tenders of sheep, Kama, their illegitimate brother. wishing to deprive them of their last resource, prayed to be gods to assist him. He struck the earth with his staff, which opened, and from it sprang a man who was called Khat, meaning begotten of wood, and by this name have his descendants ever since been known.—St. Louis Republic. Make a Pet of the Rat. “As a matter of fact.” says a courageous writer in the Boston Transcript, “the common rat is a vastly more intelligent creature than the squirrel or the average cat, lam more than half convinced that the resources of the rat as a household pet would if fairly tested prove very great. The rat is undoubtedly capable of a higher and more intimate form of domestication than that which he now commonly assigns to himself. He is at present a resident of our bouses on unwelcome terms, and he makes himself, quite naturally, as much an enemy of the household as possible. “Let the rat be welcomed and made a friend of the family, as has been done in a few cases, and he becomes a different sort of fellow altogether. No longer forced to steal his food, be becomes a playmate and a companion. The sleek and well groomed gray rat is, barring the ordinary baldness of his tail, quite as pretty and graceful a creature as the squirrel, and there is no reason why we should not become so much accustomed to the appearance of his tail that in time we should regard it as quite ornamental." A Morocco Superstition. In a paper to the Anthropological in stitute Dr. Westermark showed from Investigations in Morocco that the Arab ginn. or gnun. Is regarded as a special race of beings created before Adam, of no fixed form and assuming, like Proteus, who was perhaps a personage of the same extraction, almost any shape they please. Bad ginns attack men. but are kept away by salt or steel and verses of the Koran. The author supposes that the belief in ginns has come down from a saltless and ironless age. but was absorbed and developed at a later time under the influence of Islam. To Puninh Johnny, Francis Parkman, the historian, had a Mosaic idea of justice. A friend met him one day walking along the street leading a street boy with either hand. “What In the world are you doing, Parkman?” asked his friend. "1 found that Johnny here bad eaten all of the apple instead of dividing with bis little brother. lam going to buy another for the younger boy nnd make Johnny watch him while he eats it?' What Was U anted. “Please. 1 want a pennorth of—er—er —I want—er—er”— “Have you forgotten what you came fort’ “Yes; that’s wbat I want.” “What?" “Camphor.”—Moonshine. Baby’s Used. Mamma— We must get a nurse for the baby. Papa—Nurse nothing! What he needs Isa night watchman.—Exchange. DlacouraKlnß. “Its very discouraging.” said the young mau. “1 confess that at times I considered myself a genius." “But perhaps you are.” suggested bls friend soothingly. “Impossible. I explained my plans to half a dozen hard beaded, practical men. and not one of them seemed to think that I was a blamed fooL”—Life. Th. Commercial Instinct. Mamma—Tommy, do stop that noise. If you'll only be good, I'll give you a penny. Tommy-No: I want a n'ckeL Mamma—Why, you little rascal, you were quite satisfied to be good yesterday for a penny. Tommy—l know, but that was a bargain day.—Philadelphia Press.

Ej. ” ” HER ANSWER. •*Dcir Sell,” he wrote; “these violets I’ve made ao bold to send to you Shall be iry mute embassadors. And each shall tell how deep and true The tender’s love is. craving yours For him. What messengers more meet? Are they not typical of you. They are so sweet?” “Dear .lack.” she wrote; “your violets Have just this moment been received. Their mewMKe took me by surprise; ‘Twas something scarce to be believed. 1 send my answer back with them; What filter messengers for you? So typical of how you’ll feel, They are so blue!” -Catholic Times and Standard. AMERICANS MORE RATIONAL We Are Falsely Charged by Eoi.penns With Being Indlgnifled. Our crowds may and do have riproariug times when the occasion demands it, but surely they do not become asinine as do European crowds. Our crowds may stand around newspaper offices looking at bulletins, but even on election night they don't rush away in mad, screaming hordes, every few moments yelling hysterically “a bas” something or somebody, as they do In Paris. In London wherever crowds gather for any purpose, from an unveiling to an excursion, street hawkers are on hand with two things that they call respectively “teasers” and “ticklers.” The 'teaser” Is an empty bladder tied to a stick, and the “tickler” Is a long feather. The “teaser" is affected most by the male representatives of English dignity, and the "tickler” captures the fond feminine heart. The male goes into raptures of joy when he succeeds in hitting somebody—a respectable elderly gentleman preferred—with his toy. The female trips gayly through the streets, tickling the ears of masculine persens to whom she has not been Introduced. And among our ‘flower orders.” who are as undignified as are the costermongers of London? We have no class that delights in wearing grotesquely bell shaped trousers with huge pearl buttons down the sides and coats with immensely broad braid bindings and also profusely covered with pearl buttons as big as traJbdollars.—New York Press. John L. Sullivan', Brawn. Some eminent tragedians were once quizzing John L. Sullivan, then in his heyday. Said one of them: "Say, John, why don’t you try the legitimate? Look at Muldoon. He has played the wrestler until he Is as well known In connection with ShaJtespeare as he is on the mat.” John looked thoughtful for a moment and then growled: “Say, do you think I could do ItF “Why, sure. Play ‘The Gladiator.’ Just the piece for you.” Once again John thought awhile and then said:

"Say, that’s a good idea. I think I've got a good scheme to work with it too.” “What is it, John?” “Why, I'd have a real solid bon arena. I'd ccme into the arena and holler, 'Bring out your wild ox! 1 See? Then I'd have ’em bring in a live bull. I'd wrestle round the ring with it until I got a good hold on its horns, and then I'd slowly twist it down and break its neck. Then I'd put my foot on its neck and say. 'Behold the Invincible, yours truly. John L. Sullivan, champion of the worlds I'd kill a real live bull for ’em every night. How do you think .that'd bit ’em?’ "Great! But great Scctt, John! Can you kill a bull like that?” “Hub! Can I? Come out to the slaughter bouse and see me do It.”— The Chinese Cook. Mrs. White determined in the first flush of her newly wed dignity that she was not going to be “squeezed” by the Chinese cook and the storekeeper, as it was quite plain every one else was. Accordingly she purchased scales and weights and announced her intention of personally weighing everything. For some days this method proved very satisfactory, but she was sometimes a little puzzled on finding that the provisions occasionally weighed more than was charged for. One day the mystery was solved. She was carefully weighing a chicken. In China not only is everything, living and dead, sold by weight, but fowls are always supplied alive. The chicken during the weighing operation suddenly entered a vigorous objection and began to flap and struggle with ail its might, and during these flappings and something weighty fell with a thud to the floor, evidently from somewhere about the chicken. This turned out to be a large piece of lead which had been cunningly fastened under one of the wings. Further investlgntlon led to the discovery of a similar piece underneath the other wing. The overweight of the past few days was now accounted for.—Chambers' JourThat Tired Feeliac. “There's no doubt about it,” says a prominent vegetarian, “that for endurance, for hard work, vegetarianism Is I the only thing. Do you knew why? It is tiecause in vegetables you eat no tiredness. In meat or fish or poultry you eat a gnat deal of tiredness, and that is why the meat eater after a hearty meal feels lazy and heavy and disinclined to work. He has absorbed with his meat a great quantity of uric acid, and the definition of uric acid has l*en given by an eminent scientist as the ‘essence of tiredness.’ He who eats only vegetables Is never tired after a meal—never.” Toll. If ynu wnnt knowledge, you must toll for It; if food, you must toil for it. and if pleasure you must toil for It. Toil la the law. Pleasure comes through toll and not by self indulgence and Indolence. Whin a man gets to love work, I his life is a happy one.

Trt-E NO. 2 .New H’arqrqoqd Typewriter. ..H-AS.. The Irnpi’oVed MANIFOLDING HftMMOND /Method. Typewriter Gompany increased MANIFOLDING 69th to 7Oth sts. Power. New v °' l ’- Superior E “' Branches in principal cities. And a number of valuable Representatives everywhere. Mechanical Improvements.

Baker & Christen, ARCHITECTS..... Have opened an office over Archbold & Haugh’s Book Store, and are prepared to do any kind of work in their lino, Persons contemplating building can save time, trouble aud money by consulting them. Balder <& Ghristeq, Architects. J. D. HALE, DZALZH IM Gfairj, Seeds, Wool, Oil, Salt, Goal, IJrne, Fei’tilizefs. Elev tors on the Chicago A Erie and Clove Leaf railroads. Office and retail store southeast corner of Second and Jefferson Streets four natronaae solicited. I FRED REPPERT, Sale Crier £ Auctioneer Speaks English, German, Swiss and Low German. Decatur, Indiana. ROY ARCHBOLD, DENTIST. I. O. O. F. BLOCK, Phone ■' office ' 164 rnone ■ Ue6idence< 153. HENRY B. HELLER, ATTORNEY AT LAW, Office, rooms 1 aud 2. Slcue Block, opposite court house. Collections. Notary Public. AMOS P BEATTY, ATTORNEY AT LAW And Notary Public. Pension claims prosecuted. Odd Fellows building. 1 JAMES T. MERRYMAN. ATTORNEY AT LAW, DKCATL'K. IND. Office—Nos. 1.2. 3, over Adams Co. Bank. I refer, by permission to Adams Co. Bank. — ' John Schurger. Dave E. Smith SCHURGKR A SMITH, ATTORNEYS AT LAW. Monty to loan at lowest rates of interest Abstracts of title, real estate and collections Rooms 1. 2 and 3 Wei Iley block. 3S

ERWIN & ERWIN, ATTORNEYS AT LAW. Ornes.—Corner Monroe and Second streets General practitioner. No charge for consul. Cation. Helpleg the Enemy. A coal heaver was getting in a load of coal in the suburbs of London. He i was shoveling in the coals at a good rate when he was startled by a terrific yell from the house adjoining. "Wot the dickens is the matter?" queried the coalman, starting up. A disheveled looking individual made bis api>enrance at the door. “Matter, you thickhead!” shouted the man, frantically endeavoring to pull his hair up in dots by the roots, “you are putting the coal down the wrong hole. My wife's people live there!”— London Tit-Bits. His Limit. “I'm getting along,” said Mr. Cumrox. “I’m progressing slowly, but ( surely.” “In what?” “Culture. I've been travelln<«rouud with Mrs. C. and the girls until I'm getting right refined. But there's one thing 1 don't think I'll achieve. I don’t believe I'll ever be able to go into an antique store and tell the difference between bric-a-brac and junk.”—Washington Htar. “Opportune” once signified nothing more than "to be at the harbor.” An opportune ship was a ship which had cometonort. Limited. "Groat Scott, and the bank has gone up for $500,000! Eor how much are the directors responsible?" "Only for the failure.” — Denver News. | Ur. Fenner’s K DNEY ~ Cure. ” T°r all Kidney, Bladder and Urinary Troubtea, Basrk.Heart Dtorane.Rkln bineane, Rheumatism, Had Wetting, etc. Unfailing in Female Weakness. """ B/ drum. Wc.im ujr u*|i WcrrMonu>,KY.

Mortgage Loans. Money Loaned on favorable terms. Low Rate of Interest. Privelege of partial payments, Abstracts of I itle carefully prepared. F. M. ICoL Second and Madison st". Ddcatlii’, Indiana. Dr. G. V. Goqqell, Veterinary Surgeon / Dentist. . . DECRTL)I{, INDIBNB. Office—l. O. O. F. BLOCK. Graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College and Toronto Veterinary Dental School. Treats ail diseases of domesticated animals. Calls attended to day or night. T' Miesse House. I. J. MEISSE, Proprietor. I — First-Class Hotel. ..KATES.. $1.50 and $1.25 X PER DAY. Opposite Cosrt Busse.

NEPTUNE BHOB. Surgeon Dentists. Located over Archbold’s grocery. CHARLES N. CHRISTEN, Architect* Coiitrictoi Decatur, Indiana. All kinds of Plans and furnished for building of every description. Reasonable terms. 12 Capital 1120,000. Established 18' The Old Adams Countv Bank Decatur, Indiana. Does a general banking business, lections In all parts of the country. Buy •o'rn, toensblp and county c-ders. roreig and domestic exchange bought and sola, > tereat paid on time deposits. , , _ a .,,de-Ufflcem-W. ||. Niblick, President; D. MJ®* baker, Yice President : R. K. Allison. ta» h and O. 8. Niblick. Assistant Cashier PARKER’S 7“ HAIR balsa* Cleanse. airs JJJth Promotes a la,un £”‘Xe Graf Never Faile U> ColorHair to Ha Ywlbjjl vo»o Cure. »< -alp disrate. •i Bait ** JDr,and|l mat Pnigg'®* — ■ ■ PO Dr Williams’ IndlajJ.Ld 0 . Uli ■ ■ ment Is prepared for 111-; ' B»Uf»W « CO.? uMe Nachlrieb * Fucllinr.