Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 December 1892 — Page 19

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18. 1892.

Sote rtrtt

A FIVE-POUISTD NOTE.

BY GEORGE Copyrighted, 1S92, It ttm past midnight. and Piccadilly Circn was thronged. At the corner a nam fcerof respectable people, who bad been to places of amusement, "were waiting patiently for the beanly-laden 'buses that drew np one after another. A each 'bus drew np to tne curb the little crowd pressed forward, and there was the usual wild struggle for places. In which men and women alike forgot the first principles of politeness, and remembered only that it was late at night, and home was a long way off. On the pa Yemen t. laughing, singing and fcnatlinjr each other, were a number of loungers, male and female, who bore upon their faces the brand of their misfortunes; of men, old and young, who sauntered leisurely, cigar in month, np and down, surveying the scene. A tall military looking man of about forty, whose Inrerness cape,' worn wide open, revealed his evening dress, stood at the corner smoking a cigarette. A pale-faced girl, neatly dressed In black, after pasting Mm twice, came back and stood beside him. lie looked at her, almost contemptuously, and, turning on his heel, walked in the opposite direction. 8ne followed him, and, coming np by his side, said: . "1 want to jret home and I haven't a copper. Won' you givo me my 'bus fare!" The man langhed. "1 am not pretending, sir'tbe girl replied. "I've a sick child at home, and 1 haven't a shilling in the world. If you'll give me the money or my 'bus, you can see me get into it." The man shrugged his shoulders, and handed her what he believed to be sixpence. The girl took the coin, thanked him. and turned away. A minute atterwards she was by bjs side agaiu. . ' "I beg your pardon, sir. but you've given me half a sovereign," she said, holding the coin np that he might sea it.Now, John Alister was a man about town In the worst sense of tho word. He was an habitue of the. West-end thoroughfares, where the night side of "life" is to be seen. "You're a queer sort." he exclaimed, staring hard at the girl. "What's tne game? Do yon think I shall take the half sovereign back and give you a sovereign for yonr honesty? Have yon tried the dodge before and found it answer!"' "No, sir." replied the girl indignantly. i told the truth. I wanted enough to pay my 'bus fare. You meant to give me a sixpence and yon made a mistake. Here's your half sovereign; I'll walk home." Alister shook bis head. 'No. my girl," he said, yonM better Keep it. It will do yon more good than it will me, I'm sorrv if I've o&ended you, and I beg your pardon. Shake hands." He put out his hand and the girl took it. He held it a moment to, get a good look at her. They were standing in the light of a street lamp. John Alister saw that the girl was young and had been pretty, and the tears were in her eyes. Come, come, little one,'1 he said, kindly. I see I've made a mistake, but yoa needn't take It to heart. When a girl asks a man for money in such a place as this " "You're right." replied the girl, interrupting him; "I've never done it before. You looked a gentleman, and I was so tired and so faint I didn't feel strong enough to walk home, and I wanted to get back to my baby." "Well, you shan't go away and think I'm a blackguard. 1 don't mean to insult you again, and I believe every word you say. I'm suro you're in great trouble, and I should like to help you. Will yoa take this for. the little ones!" . lie took a tive-pound note from his pocket and pressed it into the girl's hand. The girl hesitated a moment. Then she closed her hand upon the gift. "I will take it," she said, "or God knows, I want it. Ah! Sir. you dpn't know what you have saved me from; but I can only take it upon one condition." Well " "7 hat you give me an address to which I can return it." John Alister laughed. i "If it will make the gift more acceptable to you," he said, "yoa shall have it on your own terms. You can retnrnit to John Alister. tho Talbot Club. Ticcadillv." The girl repeated the words slowly, to impress tbem on her memory. Thank you, Mr. Alister.and good night." She shook hands with him and ma mo ment was gone. "This is a queer go!" exclaimed Alister, looking after her. "I wonder what her story is. I'oor little woman; I suppose it' the old one a little work-girl who'j come to grief, and wants to keep straight if be can. I suppose I shall never see my liver again." . Mr. John Alister was what is popularly known as a good fellow. He had inherited a considerable sum of monev from his father at the age of five and twenty, and he had bad.his fling with it. At the age of thirty-five, he was a little tired of the game, and he tat down to look the future in the face. He saw that if be went on at the rate he had been going he would be lrft in an uncomfortable position, so he dropped some of hisexpensive habits, reckoned up his available capital, found that by investing it he would be sure to seenre 500 a year, and this he presently did. - Then he looked about him for a means of employing his leisure and keeping himself out of mischief. He found a secretaryship which was worth another 500, and the duties of which were not too onerous. On a thousand a year he could live comfortably in a set of modest chambers, and having no desire to marry, he was able to live a pleasant, enjoyable life. Enjoying bimself in this way, it was not likely that his adventure in Piccadilly would make any great ini predion upon him. In a few nights he had forgotten it altogether, and it was. therofore. with considerable astonishment that, about a month afterward, opening a letter on evening whrcn had been sent to the club for him. he found in it a brand new five-pound note. For a moment he thought it mnst be from some friend wbo owed, bim a fiver for a bet which be had forgotten, or something of that kind; but when he bad reaa the letter in which tne note was inclosed his carious adventure in Piccadilly came back to him at once. This was the letter "Sir I send yoa baok the money yon so kinkly lent me one night in Piccadilly. I shall always be grateful for yonr kindness. Yours sincerely, Lilian Wilon.'' "Well. I'm hanged!" exclaimed John Alister, as he looked at the note. "This is honeatv with a vengeance. 1 never expected to see that again. Poor little girl, 1 hope she ha not put herself to any trouble to fy this again. She waa welcome to it." ie turned to tho letter again. toe if there was any address on it. There waa nothing but "London." It was evident that Lilian Wilson did not desire an acknowledgment. John Alister pat tho five-pound note in hi waistcoat pocket, and the letter In his breast pocket, and strolling into the smoking-room, nat down and picked op an ereniDg paper and began to read. Presently his eye was attracted by a ser.national headline. A terrible outrage bad been committed in a railway train. An old gentleman had been murderously assaulted and left for dead in a fiMt-ciaM compartment of the London. Brighton it N'Uth Coast railway late on the previous evening. A ticket-collector was tlie first to discover the ootrace. ami at once raised the alarm. I fee old frentleraan was alive, but nncon.scious and wns bleeding from ft terrible vonud in the head. Inquinee elicited the fact that a dark, well-dressed young- rnsn bad entered the Carriage at London Uridge and a man an(wering the description bad alighted at Kmi&iIL UetWcfD Kedbill and Preston 1 ark no one. it was presumed, had entered crn' or n alarm would have been raided. 1 he police were brnilc engaged in renin for that dark young man. The injured man was found to be Mr. Solomon Turner, a retired tradesman, living in London, who was ging to Brighton for a fortnight for the eneht of his health. His brother. Mr. Jamn Turner, who identified him at one, put the criniw down to robbery, a Sir. Turner bad on the dnv of his departure rushed a check for Jl.5. His brother knew this for a fact, as he accompanied him to the station and saw him pay

lltbtithetl

It. SIMS. by the Author. for his ticket with one of the five-pound notes. The others were then In his possbssion. The change was still in the pocket of the injured man. His gold watch and 'chain wre still about him, but the pocket-book and the ten tive-pound notes were missing. The police had at onoe communicated with the bank and obtained trie numbers of the notes. The numbers were published in tne papers in order that, should any per,son attempt to pass one. the police mignC be instantly communicated witn. iney ran from HL 74.biC to liL 74.95 inclusive. John Alister read the account of the outrage through and. put the paper down. He remembered the note he had just received from Lilian Wilson. Smiling to himself at the absurdity of the idea that it would have anything to do with tne crime he drew it from his pocket and just oat of mere idle cariosity looked at the number printed on it. With an exclamation of horror he let the note fall on his lap. The number of the note in bis possession was UL 74,b9. It was one of the notes which had been stolen by tbo person who had left Mr. bolomon Turner for dead. It took John Alister a minute or two to realize the situation. Then he bhrst into a profuse perspiration. He bad in his poeket a note which was a clew to a murderous outrage perhaps a murder; for. according to the report, the old gentleman's life was despaired of. His duty was plain. He must go at once with the note to Scotland Yard and explain how it came into bis possession. Fortunately he had Lilian Wilson's note to prove the truth of his statement. He examined the letter closely. The letter had been posted that day and bad arrived by the last delivery. "It was posted this afternoon' he said to himself. "The girl must have received it from some one this morning possibly from the murderer." John Alister began to feel very uncomfortable. In the first place, he didn't want the story of his lending a fiver to a girl in Piccadilly to get into the capers; and in the second place he had, an idea that his information to the police would drag this girl into the atlair in a very unpleasant manner. He didn't believe for one moment that Lilian Wilson had any guilty knowledge of the real ownership of the note she had sent him. "1 can't help the consequences." he nail to himself. "I mnet go to Scotland Yard at once and make a clean thing." breast of everyJohn Alister, as soon as he had thoroughly made np his mind whatheooght to do. felt that he ought to do it at once. He wonld have preferred to "sleep on it;" to put the business off until the morning; but be felt that by so doing be might be aiding a criminal's esoApe from justice. His "clew" might be invaluable to the police at the present moment. He pulled himself together and ordered the waiter to bring him .a liquor-glass of brandy. He wanted to steady his nerves a little before undergoing the ordeal of Scotland Yard. While he was waiting for the brandy a waiter came in with a message from the hall porter. A young lady had left a note for Mr. Alister. and wished to know if he was in the club. Alister took the note and opened it. It was from Lilian Wilson: "Sir Will yoa see me at once! I am outside the club. It is a matter of life and death." "My. God! Then she kuows about the murder." he thought. And, putting on his hat. he went out into the street The girl to whom be had lent the cote was standing in the shadow, a little way from the club entrance. She saw him come out, and walked toward him at once. Directly she came into the light of the lamp he saw that her face was deathly pale, and her eyes red with weeping. "Mr. Alister," exclaimed the girl, before he bad time to say a word, "you won't mind my sending for you like this; but 1 want to see yon about something something very terrible." 1 can guess what it is." replied Alister. "I have compared tho number of the note you sent me to-day with the numbers mentioned in the account of the outrage on the rail war." "Have you!" cried the glrL "Then you Know'' "That is one of the missing notes. But come, I am sure yon are cot directly concerned in this terrible business. Tekl mo. how do you come to know that it is one of them! Young ladies are not in the habit of taking the number of a note before they send it away, I fancy," "I know it is on of them' said the girl. "because I have the others. Bee!" she exclaimed, drawing an envelope from her pocket, and taking out a number of folded cotes, "here are all the missing notos. with the exception of the one I sent you this afternoon." John Alister wascompletely taken aback. How did this girl, who not loug ago had asked bim for her fare in Piccadilly, come to be possesseu of 50, and of 50 in bank notes which had been stolen from the victim of an attempted murder! Alister hesitated before he replied. His first idea was that he ought at once to call a policeman; but he felt that the girl was acting fairly by him and concealing nothing. She bad come to him of her own free will, and she had made no concealment of the possession of the stolen property. "My dear girl," he said, presently, "this is a very serious affair. You mut go to the authorities ana tell them all you know. Of course, yoa have come by these notes innocently enough; but they are a most important clew to the discovery of the man wbo committed the crime. 1 don't want to ask yoa any impertinent questions, but you'll have to say from whom yoa obtained these notes." "That's the worst of it," answered the girl, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't want to do that. I can't; and I came to see you to-night, hoping I would be able to stop yonr going to the police, and saying how yoa got the cote in your possession." "Good heavens!" exclaimed John Alister. "yon mustn't talk to me like that. You cannot expect that I shall help yon to keep a matter like this secret. 'Why, it's assisting a murderer." "Hut if you know all, if I tell you all" "My good girl, I am qnite willing to believe that yon are innocent of any evil intention in the matter, but, after all, yoa are a perfect stranger to me. I know nothing about you except that I met you in Piccadilly Circus and gave you 15." "No! oa lent nie 5. and I have honestly returned It to you." "That's true, but tbe note you send me in part of tbe proceeds of a robbery, a robt bery committed with murderous violence." "Well." said the girl, brashing her tears away, and hardening her face, "at any rate 1 am here, and I have shown you tbe cotes. I have concealed nothing. You have ma in your power. You can seize my arm and call a policeman. Will you hear what 1 have to say before you decide what yon will do!" "Yes, I don't think I can be doing any harm, Hut I don't think anything yon can say will induce roe to alter my mind." "Hear what 1 have to say first. Then, when 1 have told yon. you can decide. It is not very much I am going to asfcyou. See. here are the notes; take them." Jbe handed over tho envelope with the notes in it to Alister. He put the packet in his pocket. "Now," she said, "yoa have all the notes. To-morrow you can take them to Scotland Yard. 1 want von to take them to-morrow, but not to-nlghf.'' "Why not to-night!" "Herause I don't want to be hunted down to-night. I don't want to be traced by the police." "What have you to fear!" "Nothing for myself everything for my bnstiaiid." Your husband!" "Ye; the man wbo gave me those cotes was my busb:ind." Ia be a dark yonng man?" "No; he is not tbe man who traveled with Mr. Turner don't have any fear. I am not asking yon to shield a thief and an asn.issin. lam asking you to shield a man who has s u tiered much already, who will utier more if you refuse my request tonight." "Well, tell me yonr story. I shall know better how to answ,er you when I have beard it." c "The night 1 saw yon I was in terrible rtistrens. I hart been waiting about all dny, hoping to meet my husband, who had l een trying to get a little money forme and the child tbe child who was ill. He didn't keep his appointment, audi hadn't a pen

ny, and I wanted to get back to my baby. 1 neard women ask men for cab fares. I saw money given. I thought I would ask some one for a bus fare, for 1 was worn out and dreaded the long, weary walk home. Yon look like a gentleman, and J, with the recklessness of despair, asked you. Yoa know the rest." "1 don't understand you," broke in Alister. "If you have a husband, why did you want to wait about Piccadilly to meet him! Why shouldn't you have waited at home for him!' "1 will tell yoa why. and in telling yoa I am trusting you with the secret of my life. My husband has made himself liable to the law. In a fit of desperation madness, call it what you like he used money belonging to his employers. He thought his fath-jr would enable him to pay it back before his crime was discovered. His father refused sent him away from his door with hard, cruel words; and then he was afraid to go back to his situation atrald to return to me and his child. He was afraid that be would be arrested. After he had gone 1 did a little work; kept the home together as well as 1 could, iiut work fell off, and the night yoa met me I hadn't a penny m the world. I- used to meet bim once a week near the circus. It was my night. He bad written to me that he would make one more appeal to his father tell bim of his marriage tome of his child, and try and touch his heart that way. I waited for him, but be never came and 1 knew that his last effort had failed." "Hut your husband Mr. Wilson." "lin name is not Wilson. Wilson is only tbe name 1 used to sign my letter toyou. My name is Lillian Turner. My husband is the son of the man who was robbed and left for dead in the railway carriage." ."UoodGod!" A horrible idea flashed through John AIister's mind. He believed now that this poor girl's husband had attacked and robbed bis own father, and that the wife was tryiug to stop him from giving information lest it should bring her hnsband to

the gallows. Lillian Turrjer guessed what was passing in her companion's mind. "1 know what yoa are thinking," she exclaimed; "but yoa are wrong. Do yoa think if it was so bad as that that I should be talking with you here now! No. My husband has made one terrible mistake in nis lite; for that, if be were arrested now, he would have to answer. Hut he has no share in this terrible crime!" "liut, my dear young lady, it looks very black against bim. ' Mr. James Turner saw these notes in your father-in-law's possession at tho station. He took one of them to pay for his ticket. He then went on to the platform and into the train, and in that train he is found nearly murdered, with the notes missing. These cotes were in your husband's possession to-day. Unless he stole them from his father, how did ht get them I" "I'll tell vou bow be got them. My busband saw his father the eight before he left for London, and made one last appeal to him. At that interview be told his father all told him of bis marriage, of bis child, of the foolish, wioked thing he bad done, and of all he had sutlered. lie must have touched the old man's heart to a certain extent, for he promised to think it over, and told my huaband to meet him on the platform at London Bridge the next evening. My hnsband went, met bis father there, and bis father gave him 50 in notes, bidding bim go at onoe to his employers and place himself at their mercy. That money my husband brought to me that night, it was in my possession that night. To-day my husband was to have taken 30, the amount he misappropriated, to his employers. Hut at the last moment his courage failed him, and he asked me to go. 1 went, and thov were out. I came back and sent yoa 5 oiij of the 23 we had to spare. After I had posted it, my husband came in with a white, terrified face, and a paper in his hand. 'My God!' he said, 'my poor father has been murdered, and the murder is supposed to have been committed for these notes. See, here are tbe numbers of them in the paper. No one knew that I went to meet him on the platform; no one Saw him give them to me. My God my God! what will people think!" "I left him at home, and I came here to see you at once, if possible, and tell yoa everything. Now you know. Give us till to-morrow. To morrow my hnsband will have had time to recover his courage. Tomorrow be shall go to the police and tell everything. If you go with this cote tonight, and put them on his track,' they will hud him and he will be arrested. That will be against him, terribly against bim." "Have you told me everything?" asked John Alister, looking into the girl's faco. "Everything." , "Whv didyonr husband quarrel with his father!" "His father was a very stern man, and my husband was hot tempered. They quarreled; and his father told bim to go and earn his own living aod troublo him no more; and he went. It was after be left his father's bouse that 1 met bim and married him. I was in employment then. I was in a milliner's shop. ' 1 earned my living as a milliner while I could after my husband left me." John Alister knew distinctly that the girl'a story was true. He guessed she was just a hard-working little woman, with whom the world bad gone wrong, and he felt sorry for her; but he didn't quite see keomng the secret of those terrible fivepound notes. He felt that he would be act" ing wrongly in doing so. "I tell you what I will do, Mrs. Turner." he said after a pause. "I'll come back with you. if you'll allow me, and see your husband. Pm a man of the world, and may bey able to advise him." "Very well, come. It's a long way. We live at Kentish-town." "We can take a cab." Alister bailed a cab, connle got into it and and 'the strange were, driven to Kentish-town. Mrs. 1 urner lived in a side street runuing out of the main road. She opened the door with a latchkey, and they went up stairs together. As they entered tbe little sitting-room a young man of six or seven and twenty started up horrified. He had heard the sound of a roan's footstep on the stairs. "Don't be alarmed, dear," said bis wife. "This is a friend. He is the gentleman who had the five-pound note." Turner sank back into his chair and buried his face in bis bands. "My wife has told you all!" he said. "Yes." "And you won't go to the police tonight?" "Yes, I must: but I want you to come with me. It is the best thing yon can do, believe me." For over half an hour John Alister sat m the little room and urged the terrified roan to do the only sensible thing possible. At last be consented, aod after a painful farewell scene with his wife, for be believed that he would be arrested and locked up, young Turner went with John Alister to , Scotland Yard, and were shown into the presence of the officer in charge. Jobn Alister commenced by handing over to the astonished functionary a bundle of bank notes. "These notes," he said, "yoa will) find are tbe notes; supposed to have been stolen from Mr. Turner, in tbe Brighton train." Tbe inspector looked up sharply. 'How did they come in your possession!'' be inquired. "This gentleman is Mr. Turner's son. He will tell you all about them." 'Ob, yon are Mr. Turner's Bon!" said the officer, turning to tbe terrified man. "Then I have good news for yon. Yonr father has recovered consciousness and has been able to speak." "He has spoken be has explained that be gave, these notes to met" "No; be has said very little, for he has not been able to talk, but we know about these nores." . "Yon knaw "Yes. Yon need not be alarmed about your possession of them. Messrs. Johnson .V Co.. who I believe were at one time yonr employers Imvn called upon n to-day, and produced a letter from your father." "A letter from my father:" "A letter written tbe- ntsht before he left for Hrighton. He informed them that be intended on tbe morrow to give you a sum of money, and that yon would call upon them and make them a payment; aDd be trusted for the sake of their old friendship that they would receive yoa kindly." "Thank Hod!" cried the son. "Then tbere will be no suspicion attached to me now." "No. We might have suspected you, as tbe possession of the notes would have had to be accounted for. and your story might have been uncorroborated; but there is no fear of that cow. To-night we have ar rested a man who Is the undoubted culprit. He is a well-known bad thararter. Kn must have seen those notes in yonr father's posnesMon at tne ticket ollioe, and douhtlees seeing yonr father afterward in an empty carriage, he got in with the intention of robbing him. He evidently did not seo your father part with the notes toyou. lie spent his time searching for

the cotes, and probablf the train palling np at Ked Hill stopped him robbing yonr father of the, few articles of value he had about him, and he left the train at once and made his escaptv "We traced him by the description, and arrested him to-night. There is blood on bis clothes, and be has been identified bv tbe porter at Red Hill. Leave us your address and we will commucioate farther particulars to-morrow." Outside in the open air young Turner reeled and grasped Jobn A lister's arm. Tbe sudden revulsion of feeling had been almost too much for bim. lie was freed from a load which had been upon him for months free from this new terror which bad come npon him like an avalanche. His employers had not betrayed bim to tbe police. He insisted on Alister accompanying bim to his home and helping to tell tbe good news to bis wife the good news that be need have no further fear, and that his father was out of danger. c - Mr. Solomon Turner recovered his health and strength in time, and appeared to give evidence agninst the would-be assassin, who was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. He freely forgave his son all past peccadilloes and took his daughter-in-law to his heart and home. They are a happy, united family now, and one of their most constant visitors is Mr. John Alister. Hut there- is a tacit understanding between Mr. Alister and Mr. and Mrs. Turner, jr.. that no mention shall ever be made of the tive-pound n,ote lent at Piccadilly circus, which was the prologue to what looked at one time like being a very terrible tragedy.

HUMOR OF TITH DAT. The Same Symptoms. Puck. Kenneth (aged three, very tired by a long walk) Mamma! My shoes are getting new again! A Shrewd Advertiser. Smith and Gray's Monthly. "Fashionable" Hatter (leadingthe prayermeeting) While Deacon Hebrides is passing the hat we will sing from page 201: "Is My Name Written There!" Hard Fate. Good New. Little Dot Oh, dear! I wish I wasn't a girl. Teacher Yoa do? Why! Little Dot 'Cause I like to Bit with the boys. She Coald Not lie Caught Puclr. Jndge (to witness) Miss Primmlns. yoa say your uncle bad but one limb. Had he lost an arm or a leg? Miss Primmius (with an air of triumph) He was in full possession of both arms, your Honor. More Expensive Then. Smith and Gray's Monthly. Mr. Larkin Yoa are tbe dearest thing on earth to me. Mrs. Larkin (fondly) Do yoa really mean it, Harry? Mr. Larkin Yes, especially about Christmas time. 1 Only Two Classes. Good Sew. Teacher Are there are any classes in a republie like ours? Boy Only two. i "Two!" "Yes'm. Them wot'a sot er pull an' them wot ain't," Money Tight. New York Weekly. Drng Clerk I've been docked a week's salary for making a mistake and killing a man. Lend me 5, won't yon? Friendly Policeman Couldn't, possibly. I've just been suspended a week for Killing another one. An Affectionate Son. Good News. Mrs. De Neat (reprovingly) I pnt a cake of soap on yonr wash-stand nearly three months ago, and it's as large now as it was then. fem all Son Y-e-s, mamma, I'm I'm keepin' it to remember you by. She Knew Her Husband. Puck. "So yoa found pokbr-chtps in yonr husband's dressing-case!" said the woman who makes trouble. "That's proof that he plays cards for money." -. "Oh. quite the contrary! If those chips meant money John would .have cashed them long ago." Quite a Ilellcf. New York WeeXlr. Hnsband What do yon do when you bit your thumb with a hammer! Yoa can't swear. Wife-No, but I caivthink, with all my might and main, what a perfectly horrid, mean, inconsiderate, selfish brute you aro cot to drive tbe nails yourself. Worth Thinking About. Smith acd Gray's Mouthly. ODDenstrauss My front, dot ring is wort five hundred tollars, and 1 let you baf itfor sixty-live. Jmes liut it uas ice initial letter "W" on it. ; . " : .- Onpenstrauss My frent, dot ring is such t I 1 m . . M A a httrgam it wouiu pay juu, iu uavo your came changed. f - She Never Tried It Puck. He Miss Kitty, I've heard it said that a kiss without a mustache is like an egg without salt; Is that sof She Well, really. Mr. braootbface. I don't know I can't tell for in all my life 1 uever He Now, now. Miss Kitty! She Never ate an egg without salt Breaking It Gently. Sew Tork Weekly. Onarrvman (commissioned to break the news gently) Did ye hear that foine blast, mum! ... Woman Indade I did. It froightened roe. "Would Oi had been near ye to protect ye. mum. its iuss sucu a ioiue-iooain-woman as you ui ioik to protect, mum. iva me yez ought to marry." "It's you ought to be kilt entoirely fer talkin' that way an' me married to a foine mon like Micky Finnogan." "Uch, ye naden't mould about bim, mum. He was kilt by tn' blast."

OUT OP THE ORDINARY.

Tbe first regular modern drama was "Lophonisba." played at Rome, 1515, before Leo X. At banquets in Queen Elizabeth's time every guest came with his spoon in his pocket. The women of tbe various cantons of Switzerland may often be seen carrying npon their backs loads of manure to their mountain farms. 'The Swiss "wine of blood" is ao called from the battle of Birs, fought on the vineyard; 1.000 Swiss opposed ao.000 French, and were all killed but sixteen. At the time Shakspeare wrote bis plays there were not in all the world as many English-speaking people as there are cow in New York and New Jersey. The Speaker of the llritish House of Commons receives a salary of ?25,000 a year, and when he retires he is raised to the peerage with an annual pension of $20,000. Mount Ararat, tbe resting-place of the Scriptural ark, is. in reality, two mountains separated by a valley. The higher peak is 17,210 feet and the lesser 18,00U feet above sea level. . Numerous experiments to determine tbe best tire-resisting materials for theconstruotion of doors have proved that wood covered With tin resisted the fire better than an iron ooor. As for tbe Chinaman, his method of shaving is exactly opposed to that of the Ifomanmonk. He shaves all but a round patch, tbe hair of which grows long and forms the pig-tail. There is in China a secret society called the "Triad." It is a capital orime to belong to it. yet it has more than thirty million members. Its object is the overthrow of the present dynasty. Stenography was first nsed in the French Parliament about the year IKiO, and one of the few oilicial stenographers of that period still surviving is Ml Lagache, who is cow a Senator of Frauce. It is estimated that no fewer than 70,000,. 000 Europeans wear - wooden shoes, liass wood is ordinarily used for tbe sabots, but willow is tbe best material. Poplar, beech, walnut and birch are also'used. A man down in Maine has found a petition to Parliament written in HU2. It is written In ink on hand-mado paper, and the brass pin stuck into the caper is, doubtless, older than the petition. The art of paper-making has reached tbe point where it is possible to cut down a growing tree and convert it into paper suitable for printing purposes within the short space of twenty-four hours. If the sun gave forth sounds loud enongh to reach the earth, such sounds, instead of reaching ns in the space of about eight minutes, as the light does, wonld only arrive after a period of nearly fourteen years. A London rat recently opened the door of ti blackbird's cage, and entered, evidently to feast on the bird seed.. The bird saw a chance for an excursion and flew out. Tbe door banged to, and tbe rat was a prisoner. Here is an idea of what a little spot of land may do in the way of production: The Island of Jamaica sells annually to the United states bananas exceeding in value the entire apple, peach and cherry crops of this country. Tbe smallest coin, ever struck in this country was a half-cent, which was issued between 173 and 11-57. China is the only country that has a coin eosmall as our mill; the Chinese "cash" is worth about onetenth of a cent. ' . Some sportsmen state that, in order to make choice of a puppy from among a number of others, it is best to leave the choice to the mother herself. In carrying ' them back to their bed the first the mother takes up will always be the best. One of tbe famous cariosities of tbe Mammoth Cave is Echo river, a body of water estimated to be some three-fourths of a mile iu length and from twenty to two hundred feet in breadth. Its depthat ordinary times is from ten to forty feet. Tbe Fayette City (Penn.) News contains the following unique advertisement: "J. G. Sanfortb. undertaker, eighteen years ex penence. .In that time I have buried over 2,000' persons. My motto is 'Live andjet Live.' Good goods and low prices to every one." Switzerland is not drinking more liquor this year than last, and has not increased in her consumption of alcoholics for three years past. There the government controls the sale of liquor, and the profits are divided ntnonfc the cantons. A third goes toward remedying the e fleets of alcohol. Of numerous cedars of Lebanon which have been transported to Europe a venerable specimen is in England and another m France. Hot h are in a thriving condition. The one in England is in Derbyshire and was transplanted In 1C76. The other was brought to Paris some time during the Jsst century and set out in the Jardin dea Plantes. A penny-in-tbe-slot machine has been pnt in the elephant quarters, in tbe Manchester, England. "Zoo." When a visitor gives an elephant a penny he drops it in the slot, and a bnscuit drops out of the machine, which he at once eats. The animals have learned that only a penny will make the biscuit come out, and so they refuse everything else. A IIombog Bnibh and Gray's Monthly. He What shall I get my dear little girl for Christmas! She Oh darling, anything that my boy chose for me would be beautiful and precious in my sight. And when "her boy" sent her six rosebuds and a box of bonbons sho said: "Well, that's what I call Doregall in that fellowl" The Difference. BtiffAlo Exrreii. The great difference between President Harrison and President elect Cleveland is that Mr. Harrison is always honest as a' matter of course, without making any fuss about it, and Mr. Cleveland has made a few exhibitions of honesty and brags about them indefinitely. Fine Towels for Christmas rWASSON'S

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3 Suggestions. Books, s Bible, an Illustrated Book, a Gold Fes, a Calendar.