Democratic Press, Volume 2, Number 60, Decatur, Adams County, 5 December 1895 — Page 3

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*WIBF" CHAPTER XX. When, early on the morrow. Stephen Frinaep received a note from .lane containing only the word •Come,” it may be believed he loat no time in answering the summons. Aa ho entered the compound, he hw Jane standing under the veranda, and going up to her with hasty. swinging •trides, be eaught her in hi* arm*. Her red lipa quivered beneath the fierce admiration hia eyea expressed, but he stoo|>ed and kissed them into quietude. * "My little love, my own sweetheart," be murmured, fondly. In all his intercourse with her he had never been able to speak or act aa he would have chosen. But hia promise to Mrs. Dene had bound him. and then the knowledge of her promise to Sergeant Lynn; but now all need for self repression wan at an end, and he could put bis passion into words. For more than au hour they strolled up • and down, and then a servant interrupt ■ ed them with a salam for the Colonel ‘ from Mrs. Knox. Telling Jane to wait for him there, he at once obeyed the t summons. To hia surprise the lady was neither so elated nor pleased as he had exjiwted ", to find her. Khe was pale and dis<v>mfsiswl, nnd the smile with which she tried »<> welcome him faded away at once. “You may congratulate me,” said the Colonel. "Jane has accepted me. nnd I only want your consent now ami the Quartermaster's." "She is the most willful child that ever was!" eriod Mrs. Knox, irrelevantly, ns it seemed. “1 believe that if a man with all the fortune of a Rothschild had wished to marry her. she would still have kept to her promise to that drunken sergeant. ' “But now she is mine." said Stephen I‘rinsep, proudly. "Then mind you keep her.” “Why? You don’t think" She put her hand upea his arm. and met his glanee of surpr.se with one of solemn warning. "I'll tell you what I think. If Jacob Lynn sees her again, he will persuade her to marry him in spite of what lias passed.” "But he has releases! her from her engagement; at least I supjH.se he has." Mrs. Knox remaine>d silent: but the firm compression of her lips aeetned to declare* that she could say something if she liked. "Wil! you tell me what Sergeant Lynn said in reply to your daughter's letter?" There was a touch of authority in his tone which Mrs. Knox immediately detected and re'sented. "You ha<l better ask my daughter," she replied, sullenly. "Os course 1 can do that, but I would rather hear from you. June has suffered so much that I should like her to forget everything connected with that unhappy man.” He waited for her to speak, and at last she said, hesitatingly: "You wish me to tell you what Jane told me?” He bowed gravely in assent. “Then,” she answered, hurriedly, "Jane said she only ns-eived her letter torn In half, with nothing whatever in reply.” "Which was tantamount to giving her up, of course, though one might have wished he had release,l her in a more courteous fashion." He had said "good-by” and crossed the threshold, when a sudden suspicion struck him. and he came back. “You really believe that Sergeant Lynn meant to release Jaue?” he asked, looking searchingly into her face. She crimsoned to the temples, but her voice never faltered as she replied, decisively: “There could be no other meaning to such an act." And this appeared so incontrovertible that the Colonel's doubts were satisfied. He changed the subject to a pleasanter one. "By the bye. Sirs. Knox, now that everything is settled, is there any reason why the wedding should not take place at once? Another fortnight will see nearly every one away from here—could it not be before the fifteenth ?" She looked up, delighted at this solution of a difficulty which oppressed her. "I think it is the very wisest thing. People will talk, of course; but the sooner you are married, the sooner gossipping will cease.” , "I am glad you consider it practicable,” he rejoined. “Will the Quartermaster “I will answer for my husband; only win Jane’s consent, and the thing is settled.” He went out and found Jane where he bad left her. She ran toward him and put her hands in his with n little familiar gesture, and effectually effaced tiny disagreeable impression he might have received during his interview with her mother. And in reminiscences and the sweet feeling of happy lovers, the morning sped. It was two o'clock before either thought about the time, and then the Col onel recollected that he had not yet visit ed his office. He had to tear himself away. "I was just coming up to your bungalow with those papera." said Valentine Graeme, meeting him as ho rode up to the door of the orderly-room and dismounted. “I am sorry I am so late. Is there much for mo to sign?” “Rather more than usual, and some must go by to-night's post. There is n sergeant wanted immediately nt .lattiabad. Lynn is next on the roster; but I thought you would rather that he remained here, under your own eye for a bit. than send him on detachment." “Why do they want another sergeant?" asked the Colonel, thinking it a strange coincidence, that a chance should occur

I ’ of getting rid of Sergeant Lynn for awhile, so soon after his conversation with Mrs. Knox. He hnd not determined whether to comply with her requsat, but now the whole thing seemed taken out of his hands. Having disposed of all the patters that had anything to do with Sergeant Lynn, the Colonel turned to other business, and soon forgot the whole affair. But before he left he had to tell his adjutant the news about himself. "What should you say was the most unlikely thing to hapj>en, Graeme?” he asked, pushing aside the official |>aj>ets and leaning back in his chair, smiling. "You are going to Im* married, Colonel?" was the quick reply, and nn accent of high disdain crept into the divination. The Colonel nodded his head. "Miss K nollya, 1 aujrpoae?" “Pshaw! I would aa soon marry an Icicle!” was the contemptuous reply. “Then 1 am afraid you will have to tell me who it is for I cannot guess.* “It is Miss Knox." The Adjutant was too dumfounded to offer the usual congratulations. He was standing with one hand resting on the table, ami now jdaeed the other on it also, turning sideways, and prevented the Colonel from seeing his face. The Colonel. too proud to ask for the good wishes which wen* not forthcoming, would uot be the first to apeak. Mr. Graeme felt compelled to say something. “After what I said at Cawnpore about a married colonel, yon cannot exjwct me to show exuberant delight,” he observed, with rather n forced smile. The Colonel looked disappointed at this lack of warmth. "I thought you would have been more —more enthusiastic, Vai. I wanted you for my best man. but " Valentine tried hard to look gratified by this mark of favor from his colonel, but again his effort at cheerfulness was a lugubrious failure. "It is very kind of you to ask me, Colonel,” he answered, with the solemnity of a mute at a funeral; it seemed such a satire upon his holies that he should be askiil to take the part of first walking gentleman when he had hoped to play the title role. “Congratulations,” he went on. "are very stupid things in my opinion; but you may be sure I wish you every prosperity. Miss Knox is " He stop-js-d short, and concluded rapidly: "But you know what she is, sir.” "Yes, I know," laughed the Colonel. “And we will talk about your supjtorting me on the great occasion another time." Though he spoke carelessly he had discovered from Valentine's manner that he was, or thought himself, hard hit, and understood why he had been so unready to respond. He rallied June about it that same evening. "You are a regular little fire-brand in the regiment," he told her, smiling; “not content with having me at your feet, you have left your mark at intervals all down the list, from Major Larron nnd the Adjutant ” He broke off abruptly. "Down to Sergeant Lynn," she finished, quietly. "Don’t let us have any subject between us that we are afraid to mention. Stephen." He had taught her to call him by his Christian name, and the slight pause before pronouncing it seemed to make the sound the sweeter when at lust it fell upon his ears. "My darling, nothing shall come between us either now or ever!” he asseverated, boldly; and even to himself the speech seemed a boastful one, for how could he tell what the future had in store? Some doubt must have returned to him later on, as they sat together after dinner in the veranda, for he aski*d. anxiously: "And if Sergeant Lynn had not given you up, could you still have sacrificed me to your love of truth?" "1 must have kept my word if I died,” she answered, firmly. "Then. Jenny, your love must bo less than mine for you; I think 1 could have given up all, even honor, for your sake." She looked distressed at his remurk and slipped her hand in his as a gentle protest against his self-deprecation. “You should not sjieuk so. even in jest. I should not love you as I do if I did not think you nobler and truer than any one else in the world.” Then, feeling that she had said more than the occasion demanded. she added, in a lighter tone: “In India I think one must hute falsehood more than in any other country; it is so humiliating to share a meanness with the natives." “And not be able to beat them at it, either,” he finished, gayly. CHAPTER XXL Mrs. Knox was much relieved to hear Sergeant Lynn was off to Hattiubad, ami indeed had good cause for satisfaction. She hnd played a very bold game, and though just now it promised to be successful, the slightest contretemps might render futile all her scheming, and matters would be worse than if she hnd never interfered to mend them. As she hnd stood that Sunday afternoon with her letter in her hand, n sudden temptation hnd assailed her, whose promptings she had not been able to resist. 11 seemed such a simple thing to cut off the one short twntence nt the bottom of the pnge; nnd to tear the letter in half was nn after-thought which seemed to give emphasis to tile implied meaning of the return. Mrs. Knox would not have resorted to such an expedient hnd not her daughter’s happiness ns well ns worldly welfare been concerned. However unwilling, she would have eventually resigned herself to the failure of her ambitious plans had Jane really eared for Jacob Lynn. It was probable the Sergeant might write to Jane again, she thought, and so she had perforce to bo on the alert lest the letter might fall into other hands than her own. She was glnd that she hnd contemplated the possibility when n day or two inter the letter came. It happened that she was alone in the house when it arrived; but so afraid was she of detec-

tion thnt shs carried It away to her own room and locked the floor. Then she tore ujs-n the envelope and rend the letter. "My own dear one," It began. "I have been wretched since your letter cams, nnd Imped you might out of your great good* ne»«, which I know well I have never deserved, write to me again n fuller explanation. I like your noble frankness in having confessed that you lore some one else; •ml |H-rhn|>H I ought to hnvo released yon at Jour request, only 1 could not, Jane 1 could not! And whatever you may fancy now, I cannot but think that you will turn to me st Inst, loving me. nearly If not quite so dearly aa I lovo you. They any women always forgive crimes committed for their sake, then surely you will look leniently on my fault of sriflabneM. You ace, 1 admit it; I know thnt I am selfish, •nd yet cannot muster up the courage to try to live without you. If I lost you, I should lose hope ami drift I know not, care not where. You hold my future In your hands. I am ordered to Hattlabad and shall start by this evening's train. At first I thought of applying for another to go in my stead; but then again I thought that a short absence would do me no harm might, in fact, help me to win the only thing in the world that I care to have. 1 won't ask you to rnaary me soon, after what you have said. Y'ou shall tnke your own time; but write only a lino to toll mo that my case Is not so hopeless as sometimes I think it is. Goodby. my own dear love, and that wo may meet soon is the prayer of your devoted lover. JACOB LYNN.” A very weak letter, worthy of the writer, thought Mrs. Knox; but it might have been all-powerfnl had it fallen into auy other hands but her own. She shuddered aa ho pictured what would have happened had she been less watchful. The downward course must be a very easy one, for she felt not a twinge of compunction aa she destroyed thia letter; nor did she give one backward thought to the teachings of the village school in Somersetshire, nor the high, if somewhat narrow-minded, principles she had imbibed from the village curate And so for the, while all went well. Mrs. Dene wrote immediately ujH>n receijit of the news -a letter full of delightful congratulations, ami indeed everybody expressed pleasure at hearing of the Colonel’s engagement. Mesalliance though it undoubtedly was. the Quartermaster's daughter was so sweet and fair that most people forgot that fact and thought only of the romance of it. The wedding was to take place on the fourteenth. It was to be very quiet; only the father and mother, ami Valentin* Graeme, who, after all, wns to act as best man. Jane had only stipulated that she should la* married in white. "It would not seem like n marriage if I wore my traveling dress." she bad said, pouting; and Stejihen i’rinsep. to whom her slightest word was law, agreed with her directly. “You will only want a bit of orangeblossom in your bonnet to be as like u bride as any one could wish," observed her mother. But here the Colonel made a difficulty. “Jenny, you promised mo you would wear white roses,” he interposed, reproachfully. "And so I will," said Jane, smiling back. (To be continued.) Economy in F uel. Prof. Carpenter, a writer and authority on the economy of fuel in present engineering methods, states that a study of the tests of boilers which have been made in this line shows, definitely, that a larger percentage of the value of the coal can be utilized when using anthracite and that bituminous coal and even oil can only be burned w ith large wastes of heat. Many who have intimately studied the subject are of the opinion that a large portion of the hydro-carbon gas contained In bituminous coal is given off when the eoal is first fired and Is carried away unconsumed with large volumes of fresh air before the furnace doors are closed. Whether or not there Is absolute proof of this being so. Prof. Carpenter thinks there Is little doubt that, to successfully fire bituminous coals they should first be gradually heated in the presence of a small amount of air, which will drive off the gas. and the gas liberated should then be passed over a body of incandescent coals in the presence of sufficient air to produce combustion. Mention Is made of the scheme, favored by some, of drawing the gas downward through a body of incandescent coal, but no automatic device will replace an Intelligent fireman, though It Is admitted that no slight difference exists In the quality of these various machines, and some of them are of prats tical help.—New York Sun. Fancy Diving. Capital exhibitions of fancy diving are often given from the pier at One Hundred and fifty-fifth street and the Hudson River, New York. Dives from the top of piers fifteen or eighteen feet above the water are gracefully accomplished, varied by back hand springs, somersaults and “twist.” A daring dive was made the other day by a young man from a tall pier. The cable of a steamer stretched to the pier, passing about eight feet in front of where the athlete stood. Yet he cleared It nicely in his dive. Excellent long-dis-tance swimmers are to be seen here also. Some of them think nothing of a Jaunt to the New Jersey side, although the Hudson is a broad river at tills point One young woman lias crossed several times. It takes her about an hour to swim across. Cushions for Verandas. A group of veranda cushions, which are very affective, are of white unbleached muslin, each one having a windmill sketch painted in Prussian blue oil colors, after a design on the delft plate. Tile paint should be used very sparingly to obtain the right shade, a nearly dry brush being necessary for tlie soft clouds and background. Another group of cushions covered with apple green and pale sky blue denim have designs printed upon them in pure white. The Land of Suicides. Switzerland, with a -population of 3,000,000, averages 650 suicides annually. Only Denmark and Jjaxony make a more extensive use of what Is supposed to be tl* right to die.

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HARRISON IS INCONSISTENT. THE lion. Benjamin Harrison, of Indiana, jin-sided at a great imiwt meeting In the interest of the Presbyterian foreign missions held In New York city a few days ago. Tin* ex-president made a brief addreM, in which he praised the aggressive work of the Presbyterian Church, nnd urged bls bearers to consider their duty as church mendterw and contribute lllwral ly to the support of the Foreign Mission Board. In thus aiding to extend the blessings of religion nnd civilization among the heathen the ex president deserves the approval of all good citizens. No exception can possibly be taken to bis approval of tin* agencies which have done so much to replace Ignorance and barltarism with knowledge and enlightenment. But as a Is-llever In the gosjwl of McKinley Ism, sx-l’retrident Harrison la very Inconsistent in his advocacy of foreign missions. Sup|*>so that in response to his appeal larger funds are procured ami more missionaries sent to the pagan lands, and that those preachers smssssl iu converting a considerable number of the heathen. With Christian civilization will come a demand for clotlwa. agricultural implements. tools, etc. Trade will spring up and the newly civilized foreigners will want to buy goods from America. Os course they will have to pay for them with other goods which they will ex|s>rt. But imagine the surprise of tin* recent converts who have heard with gladness the message that all mankind are brothers, nnd that peace and good will conn* with Christianity, when their products reach our shores! They will find that ex-president Harrison and his Republican friends believe that the foreigner who sells us goods is our enemy, ami is described as such by the Republican press. They will learn that instead of welcoming the men who came to exchange their products for ours, the protectionists want to shut out foreign goods with a high tariff wall. They will see trade prohibition extolled as a jiollcy for civilized nations, and will be told that if they wish to prosper they must restrict the importation of goods into their country. Under these conditions what would the late heathen Im* likely to think of the wide difference between the preaching nnd tlie practice of the ex-president and his party? Would they not be apt to say that American protection was very much like savage exclusiveness? Could they Im* Named If they pointed out the absurdity of trying to spread rhe glorious doctrine of the brotherhood of man. so long as foreigners arc looked upon as enemies to Is* fought with tariff wars? If the barbarians must prohibit trade in order to be prosperous, why. they would ask. have we not prospered in rhe thousands of years we have lived without intercourse with outside countries? An attem. : to answer these pertinent questions would expose the thoroughly anti-Christian and anti-social theories on which McKlnleyism rests, and would show clearly that commerce and civilization go hand in hand in enlightening the dark places of the world. Preaching noble doctrln<*s is good. Putting the same doctrines in practice in our institutions is far better. No More McKinleyism. Ex-Senator Edmunds does not favor tin increase of tin* tariff by his party. IL* says "the industrial and commercial interests of tlie country are very sensitive on this subject,” ami consequently he thinks it would l>e belter to seek needed increase of revenue In increased Internal taxes. This is a practical admission that the tariff is better for the country than a re-en-actment of tfic McKinley law. The exSenator would not favor the retention of the present tariff if he did not believe a return of general prosperity was probable under IL It is far from being perfect, but it is far superior to the “robber tariff” which preceded It. Edmunds has always been a stubborn UejmWlcau partisan, but he knows the country Is moving steadily upward toward a new era of prosperity under the Democratic tariff, and he does net think it good Republican policy to meddle with It. Tlie predictions of the high taxers have failed lamentably. The country was plungisl iuto the abyss of hard times while the McKinley law was in force, and it Is climbing upwards Into good times under tlie greatly reduced tariff enacted l>y,tl>e Democratic party. Tilt* precedent of the low tariff period from ISlti to 18(M) Is in course of repetition. In 1846 tin* Democratic party, under the lend of Secretary Walker of President Polk's cabinet, adopted wii.tr Mr. Blaine called a "ft trade tariff." When paused It was denounced by tin* opposition as fatal to the country's prosperity. The bad predictions were not realized. The country prospered under it, manufactures increased and commerce expanded. So satisfactory was the "free trade" tn riff of 1846 that nt tile end of ten years all opposition to it censed. Not one of the political parties in national conventions in 1856 mentioned the tariff, and In 1557. after tlie low tariff had ireen in force eleven years. It was made still lower, practically without opposition. Republican representatives of Eastern manufacturing States voting for the reduction. Lower duties than tlie present tariff have been tried in this country and it

lloiirlslttwl under them. Wlieti tlie pres ent lh*m<H*ratic tariff Is revitod It wil' is* downward. -Quincy dll.) Herald. An Kxplanatlon that Docs Not Kxplain Says rhe San Francisco Chronicle' ■•'l’lto protectionists have always ha<l to ims*i the argument that wages art far higher In England under fns* trade i Hinn In tlie European countries wlilel* have a protective tariff. Tin* answei is that in England the trades union) have been aldo to increase wages bj uniting the worklngiiien.” Tills is one of those awfully clever explanations which leave the pr»b lorn as far M ever from solution. For If it is true that trades unions In England can incn*UM> wages, why canno* similar labor organizations in protectionist countries do likewise? It It rertaiu that all the Eurojwain nations han* had trade's unions for many years. How does it happen that they have not raised the wages of their memliers as high as those of England? And what is the raason that in England under protection, but witli labor organizations. wages were far lower than they now are* under free trade? If trades unions could by united action double wages, why not continue the j>roce*«s and quadruple them? The facts an* that wages depend mainly <>u the quantity of wealth produced by the* workers, and that trades unions cannot permanently raise* wage's unless the ees>nomlc <*ondltlons are favorable to the large* production of com ovalities. Lalor organizations are in many reapeetts beneflctal institutions. but they an* powe*rleme to effect any jiermanent improvement in the condition of their memls*rs so long as a pernicious tariff policy checks commerce. injures industry and decreases the* markets for manufactun*el goods. With tin* emanrfpation of her industries througti free trade England made it jMtssible for her workingmen to get higher pay. In protectionist European countries wages are still low. This is the gist of the* <|U<*stii»n which vexes the Chronicle. There is no comfort in it for American protectionists. A Little Off in Its History. The* organ of tlie Philadelphia Manufacturers’ Club joins ttie small-fry Republican editors who :tge valiantly threatening President Cleveland with ail sorts of distijejeroval if lie should veto a bill imjH>sing higher tariff taxes, and shouts: "Tin* people* have* now j>tainl.v des-lared that they want protection, and that they nqmdiate* the pedicy of the* President which has tillesl rheland with ruiu and wreck for more* than two years." The* trouble with this view of the I’re'Sidenfs duty toward a Republican tariff measure, is that its basis is a falseliesed. Tin* Democratic tariff jeolicy lias not tilleel the country with wres-k anel ruin for two ye*ars, fe»r the* simple reason that since* it was adopted a little* more* than a yeur ago, a period of ste*adily increasing prosperity has replaced tli<> “wreck ami ruin" brought on by McKinleyism. In 181*3, and the* first half of ISH4, when bus!ne*ss was stagnant ami industry idle, the Chinese etoetriue of trade* re*strie*tion was in full fores*, and doing its perfect work of closing factorie*s and bankrupting merchants. If the* peejple object to "wreck ami ruin" they should certainly remember that it was brought on by Republican legislation ami elisappearexl uneler a Democratic administration. Beside*s, there is no evidence that the* people* want j>rotes*tie?u. President Cleveland was e*lected by an imim-nse* majority of voters who declared that tlie-y wanteel pr<rtt*ctie>n swept away as quickly as pewsible. Other issues havei I since* arisen eni which a Republican Congress lias been elected. But so I long as a Ih*mex*rat tills the* jeresidentiul: chair in* represents the people's wishes on the* tariff question. No protectionist bill can bee*ome law witih his sanctiem, What Defeateel the Democrats. The* Pittsburg Ceunmen-ial Gazette and eitltor protectionist Journals insist that the* defeat of tin* Democratic party ! is a repudlatlem of its tariff jeollcy. A J e*)ose*r oboervutiexi would show these* critics that the* j*arty has fared worst i In tliose* leH*alltle»s Where its represents- j tlves have been false to its tariff principles. The* defeat eef leaders who preventeel the* passage* of such revetnue laws as wore* prennlsed by the Democrats In tin* eaiiijMiign of 1892 anel who solei out their party to the* protee«tlonists Is the* most conspicuous feature of the* late* elections. The re*sult in 1895 is not dissimilar to that of 181*0 and 181*2 except In the* fact that In one instance the* Republican party was the sufferer and In tlie other the I>em<x*ratlc ;arty. The Republicans obtained power in 1888 on a pledge* of tariff revision in the interest of tlie masses. That pledge was violated by tin* passage of tin* odious measure of isik*. Tlie tariff of 1894, though a measurable improvement upon tin* tariff of IS'.Ki. is full of cowardly compromise**. It is not tlie measure* tin* jM*oph* had a right to expect. In their indignation they have thrust tin* I)eni(M*rats out of jiower in Congress and put tin* Republicans back. It remains to lie seen wlie'tliei* in the* Interim of popular repudiation the* Re*]iirl»lle*ans have learned anything. Philadelphia Record. By the use of the mechanical devices now employed it is said that a workman can make the “bodies" for )(»• hats a day. By the hand process he could prepare only four or five.

NEWS OF OUR STATE. A WEEK AMONG THE HUSTLING HOOSIERS. What Our NrlKlelor* Ara lining Matter* of Uemorai noil Loral lnte>reert Murrleegra auel Dratha — Aeetel.nl* meet ttrteaee.« l*oUeter. About Our Oevee I’eoptu, Cel rex All, Indmmipoli* ha* a healer, who profe*»ea to jiower* j»o**e*s*e*el by tin* Denver Mew*iah, Xelilatter. lie in (leorge \V. Bunting, bulleling tnsjM-etor under the present ' city administration. Bunting i» a .'pint* I ualiat, nnd the walls of his officw are deco» raieel with slate writings, which he cluima an* messaucN from tin* unseen world. I’p i Io date Bunting litis concealed ills light under a busliel, but when quedloned rei cently, he admitted that he had for years : practiced tlie healing art by the laying on i of hands, and Heat lie lead cureel not less than 2.00) |ie*ojile, for which ho had never eliargesl a cent. Bunting is a Southerner, and served in | tlie Confederate* army. He says he jeossmscs the hypnotic power, ns well as tlie curative, nnd, besides l**ing a believer in ! Sjiiritimlistn. claims to lie a medium. He ! says that the reason lie lias kept his Mowers a secret is because he was airaid jeeo)>l<* would think him a crank, but Hint now healing by the laying on of hands lias tame to I** recognized as jeossible, he will oj**nly treat all corners. He gives a number of illustrations ot Ins alleged cures. ______ Plenty of Gaa. Tlie opinion of prominent gas men that the first cold snap of tlie winter will catch tlie majority of the cities and towns siiort of ga« is not fully shared by State Natural Gas Inspector L<*aeh. lie thinks with proper serv ice there should Imj plenty of gas in all the tow ns and plenty for factories besides. It lias come to the ears of Hie Inspector that some companies are purposely stinting their patrons by bolding liack part of the natural supply that the consumers are entitled to. Tins will is* looked after by Prof. Leach. On all complaints of shortage by consumers, bn will take measurements of th** gas sujiply, both at tlie point of consumption ami at tiie wells in the field, and if there is any "holding back" iu* will at once detect tlie dereption and prosecute the companies. During the most critical period of the winter, Inspector l.eaeti will make a thorough jH*rsonal inspection of all tlie gas systems in the State, extending the investigations to the source of supply in tlie fields. He projMises ttiat the companies shall give their patrons tin* best possible service. Miner Stale Item*. An anti-saloon war has begun in Greencastle. Coal has been diecovered near \\ illiamsburg. Thomas Brow, of Osgood, fell down stairs, and will die of ids injuries. Henry Liv ingstone’s general store is in ashes at Elrod and tlie loss is 14.000. Jonathan Gordon, an Osgood farmer, committed suicide. Temjiorary insanity. A farm-gate manufactory lias located at Franklin and will employ a number of men. N’earlycvery small town in the State has a revival meeting and, according torejiorts, sinners are flocking to the altar. While taking down a gas derrick near Newcastle, a heavy pieee of timlier fell on William Walton, instantly killing him. diaries Waiters of Elkhart, aged 21,w as running an emery wheel at Elkhart, when tlie wheel burst, making a large hole in his head. He will die. A 7-year-ol*l son of John Morgan, of Elwood, fell from a box ear, amt was picked up unconscious. He is suffering with concussion of the brain. In the last two month hogs have been dying by tlie hundred around Kokomo. They were treated for eholera. It has b<s‘ii learned that they died from eating pumpkin seeds. At South Bend, Lewis Moyer, aged ♦ years, son of Attorney F. J. Lewis Meyer, was struck by an electric motor car, and sustained injuries from which lie died is few hours after. Wliile eoujiling cars at Griffith, Martin Kraus, a brakeman on tlie Chicago and Erie road, was caught between tlie drawbars and killed. He leaves a widow and three children at Huntington. Tlie spiiitualists and iinti-npiritnalists are at war again in Anderson. One element has engaged the opera house for Sundays, and the other for week days, ami they propose to say some tilings about Meh other. Earlham College, at Richmond, possesses one sjiecimen in her museum that is of great value. It is an almost complete skeleton of the fossil beaver, and is the only skeleton of this species approaching completeness know< to science. Wabash County has tmule the first recommendation of soldiers relatives for adniishiuu to tin* new State Soldiers’ Homo at Lafayette. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Tinklo are to be sent to the home, Mr. Tinkle being aged ami infirm and incapable of supporting himself and; wife in contort. Judge Cajiron, of the Pulaski Circuit Court, has decided the act of 181*1. known as tlie five mile ditch law, to be unconstitutional. Th'* declaration is made on tlie fifteenth section, which stMtes a new court in the joint action of boards of commissioners of two anilities, lart which does not provide for a time or place of holding sessions. Tlie ruling was made in what is known as the llemlee ditch case, which was taken from Cass County on a change of venue. In tills Circuit Court tlie law was held to bo constitutional, it went to Pulaski County for a new trial. Tlie result, of tlie decision will bo to stop payment of ditch asse-smmts. The ditches were built ami paid for witli money borrowed by the county by tlie sale of l*omis, tlie total amount sold tor this and other ditches being nearly fS'.I.(XM). It is said tliis law has been acted on generally by tin* counties throughout tlie State, and tliat many costly ditches have been constructed by the issue of bounds. A local business house in Wabash advertised that it w ould give 5 jier cent, of io ■ 1 for a day to the Wabxsh County Orpliaii s Home. There was a rusli o buv on the strength of it, mid tho sales aggregated Jl.tWl. of which SB3 was turned over to the Orphan's Home Hoard. Andrew J. Vuughan, one of tlie most prominent young men of Richmond, has announced his determination to go to Cuba and join tin* itisui gent army, and will leave within a very short lime for Tampa, Fla., from which pluce lie will go direct to Cuba. He lias receiv' d a thorough military education, having graduated with livuors at Orchar Lake, in 1891.