Indiana State Sentinel, Volume 35, Number 12, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 May 1889 — Page 6

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THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL, WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 188lJ

THE STILETTO. -an Francisco Argonaut. Looking at my friend as he lay upon my bed, with the jeweled knife-handle protruding from his breast, I believed that he was dying. Would the physician never come? "Pull it out, old fellow, bepged the sufferer, through white, drawn lips, his gasping voice being: hardly less distressing than the unearthly look in his eyes. "No, Arnold," said I, as I held his hind and gently Ftroked his forehead. It may have been instinct, it may have been a certain knowledge of anatomy that made rue refuse. "Why not? It hurts," he pasped. It wa3 pitiful to eee him suffer, this strong, healthy, hare-brained, darin?, reckless, young fellow. The resident physician walked in a tall, grave man, with gray hair. He went to the bed, and I pointed to the knifehandle, with its great, bold ruby in the end, and its diamonds and emeralds alternating in quaint designs in the sides. The physician started. He felt Arnold's pulse and looked puzzled. "'When was this done?" he asked. "About twenty minutes ago," I answered. The physician started out, beckoning me to follow. Stop!" said Arnold. "We obeyed. "Do you wish to speak of roe?" he asked. "Yes," replied the physician, hesitating. ''Speak in my presence, then," said my friend, "I fear nothing." It was said in his old imperious way, a'lhouch his suffering must have been great. "If von insist " "I do."

"Then," said the physician, "it you have any any matters to to adjust, they should be attended to at once. I can do nothing for you." There was an unsteadiru ss in his voice. "How 1. 112 can I live?" asked Arnold. The physician thoughtfully stroked his gray beard. "It depends," he finally said; "if the knife be withdrawn you may live three minutes; if it be. allowed to remain, you may pos-ibly live an hour or two not loncer." Arnold never flinched. It was not the first time he had faced death, which had no terrors tor him. "Thank you, ' he snid. smiling faintly through his pain; "my friend will pay vo'i. I luve some things to do. Ixt the k ni l remain." He. tunvd his eyes to mine and, pressing my hand, said aih'Otioiiately: "And I thank von. tuo, old fellow, !r not pulling it out." The phys cian, moved bv a Fene of delicacy. !. f; the ro-m. saying: "King if th'Te is a change. I wid be in the hotel .V i otnee. He had not gone far when he turned and came back. "Pardon me," said he, "but there is a voung surgeon in the hotel who is s ud to be a very skillful man. My specialty is not purge rv, but medicine. May I call Lim ?" "Yes," said I, eagerly; but Arnold prriiled and shook his head. "I fear there will not be titre," he aid. But I refused to heed him, and directed that the surgeon 1 called immediately. I was writing at Arnold's dictation when the two men entered the room. There was something of nerve and assurance in the young surgeon that i-truck my attention. His manner, though 'juiet, was bold and straightforward, and h;s movements sure and quirk. These are general peculiarities of highly educated young surgon. This young man had already distinguished himself in the performance of some difficu't hospital laparotomies and he was at that sanguine age when ambition looks through the ppeetadcB of experiment. And thn, zeal and ambition are often identical. Dr. Kaoul Entrefort was the newcomer's name. II-was a creole, small and dark, and he had traveled and studied in Kurope. "S;eak freely," gasped Arnold, after Dr. Entrefort had made an examination. "What think yon, doctor?" asked Entrefort of the older man. "I think," was the rply, "that the knife-blade ha" penetrated the a-eending aorta, about two inch" above the heart. As long as the blade remains in the wound the escape of i.i.iod is comparatively small, though certain; were the blade withdrawn the heart would almost in-f-tantly empty itself through the aortal wound." Meanwhi'e En t re fort was d-dtly cutting away the whit - shirt and the undershirt, and soon had the breast, exposed. He examined tiiH g-m-studded hilt with the keenest interest. "You are proceeding on the assumption, doctor," he said, "that this weapon is a knife." "Certainly," answered Dr. Kowell, smiling; "what else can it he?" "It is a knife," faintly interposed Arnold. "Did you see the blade?" Entrefort asked him. quickly. "I did ior a moment." Entrefort shot a quick look at Dr. Howell and whispered: "Then it is not suicide." Dr. Eoweli nodded. "I must disagree with you, gentlemen," quietly remarked Entrefort; "this is not a knife." He examined the handle very narrowly. Not only was the blade entirely coiirea'cd from view within Arnold's body, but the blow had been so strongly ildivtred that the skin was depressed by the guard. "The fact that it is not a knite presents a very curious series of facts and contingencies," pursued Entrefort, with amazing coolness, "some of which are, so far as I am informed, entirely novel in the history of surgery." A quizzical expression, faintly amused and manifestly interested, was upon Dr. Howell's face. "What is the weaion, doctor," he asked. "A stiletto." Arnold started. Dr. Howell appeared confused. "I must confess," be said, "my ignorance of the diilerences among these penetrating weapons, whether dirks, daggers, stilettos, poiniards or lxv.vie-knivt'9." "With the execution of the stiletto," explained Kntrefort, "a'l the weapons you mention have one or two edges, so that in j n.-tratiiig th-y cut their way. A stiletto is round, is ordinarily about half an inch or les in diameter attheguard, and tapers to a sharp point. It penetrates solely by pushing the tir-sues aside in a 1 directions. You will understand the importance of that point." Dr. Rowell nodded, more deeply interested than ever. "How do vou know it is a ßtiletto, Dr. Entrefort?" I asked. "The cutting of these stones is the work of Italian lapidaries," he said, "and they were set in Genoa. Notice, too, the guard. It is much broader and shorter than the guard of an edged weapon; in fact, it is nearly round. This weapon is about four hundred years old, and wou'd b j cheap at 20,000 florins. Observe, also, the darkening color of your friend's breast in the immediate vicinity of the guard ; this indicates that the tissues have been bruised by the crowding of the 'blade,' if I may use the term." "What has all this to do with me?" akcd the dying man. "Perhaps'a great deal; perhaps notLing.

It brings a single ray of hope into your desperate condition." Arnold's eyes sparkled and he caught his breath. A tremor passed all through him, and I felt it in the hand I was holding. Life was sweet to him, then, after all sweet to this wild dare-devil, who had just faced death with such calmness. l)r. Kovrell, though showing; no sign of jealousy, could not conceal a look of incredulity and also of pain that Entrefort should offer any hope to the 6iiSerer. "With your permission," Raid Entrefort, addressing Arnold, "I will do what 1 can to 6ave your life." "You may," 6aiJ the poor boy. "But I 6hall nave to uurt you." "Weil." "Perhaps verv much." "Well.' "And even if I succeed (the chance is cne in a thousand) you will never be a sound man, and a constant and terrible danger will alwavg be present." "Well." Entrefort wrote a note and sent it away in haste by a bell-boy. "Meanwhile," he resumed, "your life is in imminent danger from shock, and the end may come in a few minutes or hours from that cause. Attend without delay to whatever matters may require settling, and Dr. Kowell," glancing at that gentleman, "will give you something to brace you up. I speak frankly. Eor 1 see that you are a man of extraordinary nerve. Am I right?" "He erfectly candid," said Arnold. Dr. Howell, evidently bewildered by his cyclonic young associate, wrote a prescription which I sent bv a boy to be filled. With unwise zeal I aked Entrefort: "Is there not danger of lockjaw?" "No," he replied, "there is not a sufficiently extensive injury to perpheral nerves to induce traumatic tetauus."

I subsided. The man's coolness and promptness were amazing. Dr. Ko well's medicine came and I administered adose. The physician and the surgeon then retired. The poorsutJerer straightened up his business. When it was done, he asked me: "What is that crazy Frenchman going to do with me?" "I have no idea; be patient" In less than an hour they returned, bringing with them a keen-eyed, tall young man, who had a number of tools wrapped in an apron. Evidently he was unused to such scenes, for he became deathly pale upon the ghastly spectacle on my bed. With staring eyes and open mouth he begin to retreat toward the door, stammering: "I I can't do it." "Nonsense, Hippolyte I Don't be a babv. Why, man, it is a case of lifi and death!" "Hut look at his eyes! he is dying!" Arnold smiled! "I am .not dead, though," he gasped. "I I beg your pardon," said Hippolyte. Dr. Kntrefort gave the nervous man a drink of brandy, and then said: "No more nonsense, my boy; it must be done. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce .Mr. Hippolyte, one of the most original, ingenious and skillful machinists in the country." Hippolyte, bein modest, blushed as he bowed. In order to conceal his confusion he unrolled his apron on the tabie with considerable noise of rattling tools. "I have to make some preparations before you may begin, Hippolyte, and I want you to observe me. that you may become used, not only to the smell of fresh blood, but also, what is more trying, the odor of it." Hippolyte shivered. Entrefort opened a case of surgical instruments. "Now, doctor, the chloroform," ho said to Dr. Kowell. "I wid not take it," promptly interposed the suilerer;"! want to know when I die." "Yery well," said Entrefort: "but you have Tittle nerve to spare. We will try it without chloroform, however. It will be letter if you can do without. Try your best to lie still while I cut." "What are you going to do?'' asked Arnold. "Save vour life, if possible." "How ? Tell me all about it." "Must you know?" "Yes." "Very well, then. The point of the stiletto has passed entirely through the aorta, which is the great vessel rising out of the heart and carrying the aerated blood to the arteries. If 1 should withdraw the weapon the blood would rush from the two holes in the aorta, and you would soon be dead. If the weapon had been a knife the parted tissue would have yielded and the blood would have been forced out on either side of the blade, and would have caused death. As it is, no: a a drop of blood has escaped trom the aorta into the thoracic cavi y. All that is left for us to do, then, is to allow the stiletto to remain permanently in the aorta. Many ditlicuities at once present themselves, and I do not wonder at Dr. Rowr ell's look of surprise and incredulity." That gentleman smiled and shook his head. "It is a desperate chance," continued Entrefort, "and is a novel case in surgery, but it is the only chance. The fact that the weapon is :i stiletto is the important point a stupid weapon, but a blessing to us now. If the assassin had known more she would have used " Upon his employment of the noun "assassin" and the feminiue pronoun "she," lioth Arnold and I started violently, and I cried out to the man to stop. "Let him proceed," said Arnold, who bv a remarkable effort had calmed himself. "Not if the subject is painful," Entrefort said. "It is not," protested Arnold; "why do .you think the blow was struck by a woman?" "Because, first, no man capable of being an assassin would carry so gaudy and valuable a weapon ; second, no man would ie stupiu enougn to carry so antiquated and inadequate a thing as a stiletto, when that most murderous ami satisfactory of all penetrating and cutting weapons, 'the bowie-knife, is happily available. She was a strong woman, too, for it requires a good hand to drive a stiletto to the guard, even though it miss the sternum by a hair's breadth and slip between the ribs, for the muscles here are hard and the intercostal spaces narrow. She was not only a strong woman, but a desperate one also." "That will do," said Arnold. He beckoned me to bend closer. "You must watch this man ; lie is dangerous." "Iben," resumed Entrefort, "I shall tell you what I intend to do. First, however, I must congratulate you on the fact that, as the weapon may not be withdrawn, it did not enter the heart instead of the aorta, for if left in the heart inflammation of the tissues would follow and produce death. The danger exists even as it is. There will undoubtedly be inflammation of the aorta, which, if it fersist, will cause a fatal aneurism by the reaking down of the aortal walls; but we hope, with the help of your youth and health to check it. "Another serious difficulty is this: With every inhalation the entire thorax (or bony structure of the chest) consid erably expands. The aorta remains stationary. You will see, therefore, that as your aorta and your breast are now held in relation to each other by the rigid stiletto, the chest, with every inhalation, fmlls the aorta forward out of place about lalf an inch. I am certain that it is doing this, because there is no indication of an escape of arterial blood into the thoracic

cavity; in other words the mouths of the two aortal wounds have seize 1 upon the blade with a firm hold, and thus prevent it from slipping in and out. This is a very fortunate occurrence, but one which will cause pain for some time. Theaorta, you may understand, pulls the heart backward and forward witn every breath you take, but that organ, though now undoubtedly much' surprised, will accustom itself to its new condition. "What I fear, however, is the formation of a clot around the blade. You see, the presence of the blade in the aorta has already reduced the blood-carrying capacity of that vessel ; a clot, therefore, need not be very large to 8top up the aorta, and of course if that should occur death would ensue. But the clot, if one form, may be dislodged by the heart and driven forward, in which event it may lodge in any one of the numerous branches from the aorta and produce results more or less serious, possibly fatal. If, for instance, it should choke either the right or the left carotid there would ensue atrophy of one side of the brain, and, consequently, paralysis of half the entire body ; but it is possible that in time there would come about a secondary circulation from the other side of the brain, and thus restore a healthy condition. Or the other clot, which, in passing alway3 from larger arteries to smaller, must unavoidably find one not large enough to carry it, and must lodge somewhere, may either necessitate amputation of one of the four limbs or lodge itself so deep within the body that it cannot be reached with the knife. You are beginning to realize some of the dangers which await you." Arnold smiled faintly. "But we shall do our best to prevent the formation of a clot," continued Entrefort ; there are drugs which may be used with effect." "Are there more dangers?" "Many more ; some of the more serious have not been mentioned. One of these is the liability of the aortal tissues pressing upon the weapon to relax their hold and allow the blade to slip. That would let out the blood and cause death. I am uncertain whether the hold is now maintained by the pressureof the tissues orthe adhesive quality of the serum which was set free by the puncture. 1 am convinced, though, that in either event the hold is easily broken, and that it may give way at any moment, for it is under several kinds of strains. Every time the heart contracts and crowds the blood into the aorta, the latter expands a little, and then contracts when the pressure is removed. Any unusual exercise or excitement produces stronger and quicker heartbeats and increases the strain in the ad

hesion of the aorta to the weapon. A fall, a jump, a blow on the chest any of these might so jar the heart and aorta as to break the hold." Entrefo: t stopped. "is that all?" asked Arnold. "No; but is not that enough?" "More than enough," said Arnold, with a sudden and dangerous sparkle in his eyes. Before any of us could think, the desperate fellow had seized the handle of the stiletto with both hands in a determined effort to withdraw it and did. I hal no time to order my faculties to the movement of a muscle, when Entrefort, with incredible alertness and swiftness, had Arnold's wrists. Slowly Arnold relaxed his hold. "There, now!" said Entrefort soothingly; "that was a careless act and might have broken the adhesion! You'll have to be careful." Arnold looked at him with a curious combination of facial expressions. "Dr. Entrefort," he said. "Well?" "You are the devil." Bowing profoundly, Entrefort replied: "You give me too great honor;" then be whispered hurriedly to Arnold, "if you do that with amotion toward the hilt "1 will have her hanged for murder." Arnold, almost choking, and with a look of horror, withdrew his hands, took one of mine in both of his, and placed them on the pillow above his head. 'Proceed with your work," he said to Entrefort. "Come closer, Hippolyte," said Entrefort, "and observe narrowlv. Will you kindly help me, Dr. Kowell?" The latter bad sat helpless, wondering. Entrefort's hand was quick and sure, and he used the knife with marvellous dexterity. First, he made four equidistant incisions outward from the guard and just through the skin. Arnold winced and held bis breath at the first cut. but soon gained command of himself. Each incision was about two inches long. Hipfolyte shuddered and turned aside his iad. Entrefort, whom nothing escaped. Raid: "Steady, Hippolyte! Watch." Quickly was the skin peeled back to the limit of the incisions. This was excruciatingly painful. Arnold groaned, and his hands became moist and cold. Down went the knife into the flesh, and blood flowed freely. Dr. Kowell sponged it off. The swift knife went again at work. .Arnold's marvellous nerve was breaking down. He clutched my hands with unconscious strength. His eves danced. His mind was weakening. Almost in a moment the flesh had been cut away and removed down to the bones, which were exposed two ribs and the sternum. A few quick cuts cleared the blade of the w eapon between the guard and the ribs. "To work, Hippolyte be quick!" He had evidently been coached. With slender, long-fingered hands, which trembled at first, he selected certain tools with nice precision, made some quick measurements of the weapon and of the cleared space around it, and began to adjust the parts of a queer little machine. "What ," Arnold started to say, but a deeper pallor settled on his face, his hands relaxed, his voice was hushed and his eyes closed. "Thank God!" exclaimed Entrefort; "he has fainted. He can't stop us now. Quick, Hippolyte!" The machinist attached the queer little machine to the handle of the weapon, grasped the handle with his left hand, and with his right began a series of short, sharp, quick motions backward and forward. "Hurry, Hippolvte!" cried Entrefort. "The metal is very hard." "Does it cut?" "I can't see for the blood." In a moment more something snapped, Hippolvte started he was very nervous, lie removed the little machine. "It is very hard," he said; "it breaks the saws." He adjusted another saw and went to work. In a little while he picked up the handle of the ptiletto and laid it on the table. He had cut it off, leaving the blade inside. "Good, Hippolyte!" exclaimed Entrefort. Almost in a minute the bright end the cut metal was closed from view by the skin flaps, and these sewed together and the blood wiped away. Arnold returned to consciousness and glanced down at his breast He looked puzzled. "Where is the thing?" he asked. "Here is part of it," exclaimed Entrefort, holding up the handle. "And the blade " "Is an irremovable part of your internal machinery." A mold was silent. "It had to be cut ofT," resumed Entrefort, "not only because it would be troublesome and an undesirable ornament, but also because it was necessary to remove any possibility of withdrawing it." Arnold said nothing. "Here is a prescription," said Entrefort ;

"take the medicine as directed for the next ten years, without fail." "What for? I see it contains muriatic acid." "I mav explain ten years from now." "If I live. "If you live." Arnold pulled me down to him and whispered : "Tell her to fly at once." Noble, generous boy ! I thought I recognized a thin, pale, bright face among- the passengers "who were leaving an Australian steamer which had just arrived from San Francisco. "Dr. Entrefort!" I called. "Ah !" he said, peering up into my face ; "I know you now, but you have changed. You remember I was called away immediately after I performed that crazy operation on your friend, and have 6pent the intervening fceven vears in India, China, Siberia, the South Seas, and God knows where not. I am glad to set foot on my native soil again, for I am tired. Hut wasn't that the most absurd, hare-brained experiment that I ever tried on your friend! I dropped all that kind of nonF.ense long ago. Poor fellow, he bore it so bravely! Did he suffer much? How long did he live? A week?" "Seven vears." "What!" exclaimed Entrefort, startle!. "He is alive now, and in this city." The man staggered. "Incredible !" he said. "It is true; you shall see him." "Tell me about him," he asked, eagerly, his eyes glittering with the jculiar light which I noticed on the night of the operation. "Well, the change in him is shocking. Imagine a young dare-devil of twenty-one, who had no greater fear of danger and death than of a cold, nursing his life with pitiful tenderness, fearful that at any moment something may happen to break the hold of his aorta on the stiletto blade, a a confirmed hypochondriac, peevish, melancholy, unhappy in the extreme. He keeps himself confined as closely as possible, avoiding all excitement and exercise for fear they will produce disastrous results, and reads nothing exciting. The constant danger has worn out the last shred of his manhood and left him a pitiful wreck. Can anvthiug be done for him?" "Possibly. Let's find him. Ah, there comes my wife to meet me! She arrived on the other steamer." I recognized her instantly, and was overcome with astonishment." "Charming woman." said Entrefort, "and you wid like her. We were married four years ago in Bombav. She belongs to a" noble Italian family, and has traveled a great deal." Then he introduced us. To my unspeakable relief she recognized neither my name nor my face. I must haveappeared a peculiar person to her, but it was impossible to be perfectly nonchalant. We went to Arnold's rooms, I with painful fear. I left her in the reception room and took Entrefort within. Arnold was too greatly absorbed with his own troubles to be dangerously excited by meeting Entrefort, whom lie greeted with indi. erent courtesy. : "But I heard a woman's voice," he 6äid, and, before I could move, he had gone to the reception-room, and he stood face to face with the beautiful adventuress, who, wickedly desperate, had driven a stiletto into his vitals in a hotel seven years before because be refused to marry her. They recognized each other. Both started and turned pale, but she, quicker witted, recovered her composure and at once advanced toward him with a smile and an extended hand. He staggered back, his face ghastly with fear. "Oh!" he cried ont. "the blade has slipped out I felt it fall the blood is fouring out it burns I am dying!" and ie fell into my arms and instantly expired. The autopsy revealed the astonishing fact that there was no blade in him at all. It bad leen gradually consumed by the muriatic acid which Entrefort had prescribed for that purpose, and with which Arnold had kept his system constantly filled, and the wounds in theaorta had closed in steadily with the wasting blade and were perfectly healed. All his vital organs were sound. My poor friend, once so reckless and brave, had died simply of a childish, groundless fear of a woman; and 6he unwittingly had accomplished her revenge. WASHINGTON'S FEATURES. Personal Appenrniire an Described by David Ae-iron In 1811. Albany Lxjirw. Washington had a 'ari; thick nose, and it was very red that day. giving ine the impression that he was not so moderate in the use of liquors as he was supposed to he. I found aiterward that this was a peculiarity. His nose was apt to turn scarlet in a cold wind. He was standing near a small camp fire, evidently lost in thought, and rcking no ellort to keep warm. He seemed ix ::r.d t half feet in hi L' lit, was as erect as an Indiai , a id did not for a moment relax from a military attitude. Washington' exact hljjht was six feet two Inches in his boots. He was then a little lame from striking his knee against a tree. His eye was so tray that it looked almost white, and he had a troubled look on his colorless face. He had a piece of woollen tied around his throat and was quite hoarse. Perhaps the throat trouble from which he finally died had its oricin alout then. Washington' boots were enormous. They were No. 13.- His ordinary walking shoes were No. 11. His hands were large in proportion, and he could not buy a glove to fit him and had to have his gloves made to order. His mouth was his strong feature, the lips being always tightly compressed. That day they were compressed so tightly as to be painful to look at. At that time he weighed 200 pounds and there was no surplus lieoli about him. He was tremendously muscled and the fame of his great strength was everywhere. His large tent, when wrapped up with the poles, was so heavy that it required two men to place it in the camp wagon. Washington would lift it with one hand and throw it in the wagon as easily as if it were a pair of saddlebags. He could hold a musket with one hand and shoot with precision as easily as other men did with a horse-pistol. His hints were his weak poiut and his voice was never strong. He was at that time in the prime of life. His hair was a chestnut brown, his cheeks were prominent, and his bead was not large in contrast to every other part of his body, which teemed large and bony at all points. His finder joints and wrists were so large as to be genuine curiosities. As to habits at that period I found out much that might be interesting. He ws an enormous eater, but wis content with bread and meat, if be bad p'cuty of it. 15ut hunger seemed to put him in rage. It was his custom to take a drink cf rum or whisky on awakening in themornine. Of course, all this was changed when be grew o!d 1 saw Lira at Alexandria a year before he died. His hair was v . ry gray and his form wns slightly bent. His chest was very thin. He had Ulse teeth, which did not fit, and pushed his under lip outward. Not In n Hurry. fPuck. Uncle Mose "I wants to look at a pair of yo" number 'lebbens; soman' easy an' comfo'ble." Shoe Clerk "Yes, ßlr; just let me show you a pair of our Watikenphasts " Uncle Mose "Hol' on: hol' on, dar, sah; jes' 6how me some ob yo walkin' slows; 1'60 no sprintah, sah." Understood th Case. Time. Mistress "Now, Jane, clear away the breakfast dishes and then look after the children. I'm poing around the corner to have a drs fitted." Faithful Servant "Yes, mum. Will ye take the night key, er shall I set up fer ye?" The Organized Appetite- Weary. Philadelphia Times. The sadness that is overspreading the countenances of the party-workers in this city as they gradually reach the conclusion that the present federal incumbents are going to serve out their terms, would furnish sufficient grief for a dozca first-dasa funerals.

WHY THEY B0UXCED SAM.

SETTLING FOR THE DEATH OF A MAN. An Incident In the Life of the Genial Gen eral Manager of the Texas Tran-Cou-tinental Railroad Rather a Ludicrous Mistake. Texas Sifting. Texas journals announced not long since that Sara Curtis, the genial and efficient general manager of the Texas Trans-Continental railroad, had severed his connection with that company, he having received a more advantageous ofler from a rival company. The real lacts in the case, however, warrant the impression that Sam was bounced. One morning the president of the company requested the presence of Sam in his private oßice. Sam complied, and found the old man in a state of mind, so to speak. "Mr. Curtis, I havesomethiug very important for you to attend to, something that will require the exercise of great discretion," 6aid the president. "I shall endeavor to do my best," replied Sam. "Perhaps you remember that one day last week a man was struck by one of our trains near Liekskillet and killed?" "Yes, I beard of it." "Well, I have been investigating the matter, and I find that the engineer was entirely to blame." "That's my impression, too." "And the worst of it is, the man was married, and his wife has got a clear case againt the company. We are liable to be mulcted yes, sir, actually mulcted in heavy damages." "Very likely." "And what is more, the people of Liekskillet are fanatically opposed to railroads. A Liekskillet jury would give that woman $1,(X as quick as they would a cent. They are down on the Trans-Continental on general principles. And if we took an appeal, that would do ns no good, for she has a clear case of damages. Why, Mr. Curtis, Lickskiliet juries have siren verdicts of $.IU) against us for running over a razor-back hos worth a dollar and a quarter." "I know it." replied Sam. "What do you wish me to do?" "Go to Liekskillet and see the widow at once, and get her to compromise. Luckily, the matter has not yet got into the papers, and possibly the lawyers hae not yet tampered with her. If one of them Austin lawyers eets on to the case for a contingent, all hope of a compromise is gone." "I understand." "Use all your persuasive powers to get her to compromise. Here is Sl'.OoO in cash. If you can compromise the matter for that, you will be entitled to the gratitude of the company. These country people ere an easy set to fool, and you are the man to fool them." Next day Sam Curtis knocked at the door of a frame house in the suburbs of Liekskillet. A sharp-faced woman of about fifty years of age appeared. "Good morning, miss; I'd like to see your mother, Mrs. (irisby," said Sam. Mv name is Mrs. Urigsby." "Impossible ! It can't be that so young a girl as vou is already married. The hard lines faded out of the woman's face, and iSani was invited in. "Miss I mean madam, I represent the Texas Trans-Continental railroad. I came to confer with you about your late husband." "My late husband!' exclaimed the woman, staring at him. "Don't become exited, madam. It's a sad affair, but I do not come here to tear open the healing wounds. On the contrary, I come as a ministerine angel." "Oh, you do, do you?' replied the woman pensively. "Yes, madam, although the company is really not responsible for the accident, we do not desire any litigation." "I read the other day w here a railroad company had to pay .-'5.U0U for running over a man." "That was probably a different case. Now, let us reason together, i-'uppose you bring suit for $25,000. It will be three years before the case is tried, and by that time you won't have any case left. A young and attractive widowlike you will be married inside of a year. That would knock the stuffing out of auy damage suit for killing your first hushand." "But suppose I don't marry?" "Not a supposable case. Now, I hate to see as beautiful aud intelligent a woman as you wasting her sweetness on the desert air. If you lived in San Antonio, or Galveston, or Sequin, or some other Texas metropolis, you would be appreciated. Why, my dear madam, some years aeo we compromised a case like this and paid the widow a large sum of money. Like yourself, she was pitted, mentally and physically. With the money she got from us she moTed to Houston. She was able to dress fashionably, and in less than a week she had nine oilers 'of marriage. ihe finally married a statesman, and now she lives at Washington, is the chum of cabinet officers' wives, and drives out with the foreign ambassadors." "You don't tell me so?" "Now, that's what you ought to do, instead of throwing yourself away by living in this little one-horse town. Suppose I pay you 300, and you sign this little document." "Make it ?1.500 and I'll think of it." After some more talk Mrs. Grigsby signed the release. Sum paid over the money, and returned to the hotel in tine spirits. "In giving a wonnn tarty you can't overdo it," mused Sam. "I guess the boss will raise my salary for this." Sam's musings were interrupted by a big man with a revolver in his belt. "Be you Samuel Curtis, the general manager of the Truns-C'ontinental railroad?" "I'm the man," replied Sam. "Then I sarve you with this here paper." "What is it?" asked Sam, In astonishment. "It's a citation in a damage suit for $10,000 by the Widow Grigsby." "Some mistake, I reckon. I've got a release of all claim for damages, signed by her less than ten minutes ago." "I reckon not. She is not in town. She is out on her ranche." "What do you call this?" asked Sam producing the document. "That is not signed by the widow of the man who was run over." "What!" gasped Sam. "That is signed by Eliza Grigsby. The name of the witlow is Jane Grigsby. Eliza is the sis-ter-in law of Jane. She is married to the brother of the man your locomotive run over. Eliza hasn't got auy claim, except she is named Griesby." "I'm robbed! I'm robbed!" howled Sam. "O.i, she is a sharp one. Jim Grigsby, the brother of Tom Grigsby, who was run over, married her up north wnnewhere. She used to be a sc h :ol-teacher. Hope you didn't pay her much." "I'll have her arrested. She ras obtained money under false pretenses, the old hag. I'll have her in the penitentiary," 6aid Sam, jumpine up and down. "Did she claim to be the widow of the late remains?" "No, she didn't say so, exactly, bnt I took it for granted she was the widow, and she didn't deny it," said Sam, with a sirh. Sam went back, but he didn't go back to work for that railroad any more. LAYING OUT THE TOWN SITE. Guthrie Reginning to Assume a Definite Form Many Hmldincs Erected. Gcthrie, I. T., May 2. The surveyors engaged in laying out anew the Guthrie town site have succeeded in locating the interior corners of the business quarter, and Mayor Dyer at once issued an order to all property owners to make their lots conform to the lines laid down. The official survey will not be completed before Saturday, and in the meantime the representative men of Guthrie will do their utmost to make the crisis of short duration when it does come. The past two days have wrought many changes in both Guthrie and Oklahoma City. At least fifty buildings have been erected in each place, all of them wooden with the traditional square front. Two banks are doing businessiaGuthrieand a third will be in operation this week. Supplies are being hauled in by the railroads, and board and lodging may now be secured for a reasonable sum. The buildings are erected so that they may be easily moved, and upon the conclusion of the survey a general shifting of location may be looked for. In three or four weeks both towns will have reached a point when predictions as to their future can be made with creater certainty: The work of settling chums is proceeding rapidly, but there are few indications that settlers will do much toward improving lands this year, iletwtca Guthrie and Jünüsner there

are not more than a dozen claims on which plowing baa been begun. The fact is, the season is too far advanced to promise any decent reward for labor this spring, and many of the settlers have gone to Guthrie, Oklahoma City or Kingfisher, where there is a demand for men and teams in hauling freight Oklahoma City has settled its differences arising from claim-jumpers and people there prefer to view the general situation with great satisfaction. My First Fink Dress. Oh, the witchery of childhood and all its airy dreams, When the robins sang their sonnets to tho ripple of the streams, When the morning's golden splendor rerged into a fairer noon Softly fading to tho even, with Its nightingale and moon ; Oh, I can not sing its beauty language never can express All the gayety of childhood, and my First Pint Dres. I was pleased with my surroundings and my sky was never dark, And each morning cam with promise like the dove unto tbe ark; All nir life was an oasis and the caravan of Time Lingered like a dreamy mariner amid the syren's clime; Nought I knew about its treasures and never cared to gues,; I was lord of my dominion, in my First Pink Dress. Hope's wings were ever over roc. and as the ravens fed Klijah in his troubles, so her airy pinions spread he brought tne all the treasures and the gems ot parsing years, And I saw the golden rainbow, but I never droarat of tears. Hers was a poet's vision of the fairest tenderness, GiviDg all the hermit's beauty to my 1'irst Pink Press. View of a day iintrammeled, wh:n the long horizon's hem Stretched away into the distance with a solitary gem. Like a star unto a sailor on th sea at night to guido Safe unto a far-offhaven on the undiscovered side. Comes unto my musing vision and with all the faithfulness Of the star of polar regions, I can see my First Fink Drees. Scenes of happy childhood pleasnres, silent as a woodland grot. When my life was all unhannted by a sweet For-get-sne-not. Emblem of tbe days of boarding ever coming in my ake, When I wrestled like a Jacob with a pieej of porter steak; Oh, the days of tranquil teauty, crowned with deep forgotfulnes. Coronal of days departed and my First rink Pres. I have dressed in all tbe fashions of the modern and antique., Modeled to tbe many notions of American and G reek ; And, whatever fancy pleased me ot the potentate or paee, I adopted to ray formula as suited to the ag; But according all the honor to be given I confess. There has nothing filled my fancy like my First Fink Dres. Ray's Crossing, Ind. A toyzo L. Kick.

An Educational Union. YorNGSTOWN', May 1. Leading catholics and young divines have formed the "catholics educational union," the aim of the organization being to give those who find it ditbcult to pursue their studies after leaving school, an opportunity to follow the prescribed course of reading, which combines ecularand religion literature, and in general to encourage individual study in an approved and systematic course. It is proposed to establish local branches in every city and town. An effort w ill be made to obtain the co-operation and aid of the leading catholics throughout the country. Feminine Financiering. N. Y. Weekly. Husband "Did you get that ten-dollar check your nncle sent you cashed?" Wife "No, I haven't been out." Husband "Well, I am sending an order to a eiirnr dealer for two bosea of five-dollar cigars. I don't want to send money in ah envelope. You take this $10 and give me your check." Wife "Certainly." Husband (a day later) "More money! Why, my dear, what did you do with the $ 10 your uncle 6ent you?" Wife (in a huff) "You took it for cigars." The Manly Art of Self-Defense. Anxious sister to her brother (who has just finished a sparring lesson) "Promise me never to box aeain. If you want to do something for protection, learn to fence." Tom "Well, if 1 were ever attacked I might not have a sword with me." Sister (triumphantly) "Yes. but yon niight not have your boxing gloves with you, either." A Slim Outfit. Philadelphia Press. Jtidee "What is the charge against this man?" Officer "He is charged with robbing Mrs. Potter of her theatrical wardrobe." Judge "Have you any proof that he is tbe guiity man?" Officer "Yes, your honor. The entire wardrobe was found in his pocket." Not True to Life. Yankee Plad. Editor "We can't accept this sketch; itis'nt true to life it represents a messenger boy running." Artist "But he in't carrying a message." Editor "Isn't he?" Artist "No; he's running to a fire." Editor "Well, that alters th e case. Tut in the fire and we'll accept it" Only One Frar. N. Y. Weekly. Old Lady "What's the matter, little boy?" Street Urchin (whimpering) "Traid." Old Lady "Afraid? Well, I do declare! I didn't know you street gamins were ever afraid of anytbing, seen or unseen, in this world or the mxU" Street Urchin "Ye s, we're 'fraid of of each other." What She Asked For. The Judge. Mrs. OTIaherty "Have yez any tin quart pails, Misther Dootran?" Mr. Doogan "No, Mrs. O'Flaherty, but Oi have plenty av tin wan-quart pails." Mrs. OTIaherty "An' that's what Oi ascd yez for, Misther Doogan." Sailed For Kurope. New York, May L The lion. John Sherman, the Hon. John C. New, consul general at Ivondon, the Hon. W. W. Thomas, envoy-extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to .Sweden and Norway, and Lincoln Valentine, consul from Honduras, sailed for Europe on the steamer City of New York to-day. A Fortune In Ilia Face. Bellaire. I5ig Swell "Is it absolutely essential that every clown should have such a silly face?" Clown "To be sure; and if I were the lucky owner of your physog, for instance, the manager would have to double my wages." Very Shoppy. fPuck.l Miss Reeder "You should read Dr. Weir C. Mitchell's last story the scene is laid in the lumber regions." Dr. Schmerz "Ah, I see in the small-of-the back-woods, yon mean." Evidently Yery III. Epoeh.l Raeley "I understand your wife is sick." Ilailey "Yes; she hasn't spoken a word for three days." llagley "By gracious! She must be a pretty sick woman."

THE OXLY THUE R. R. R.

AD'.VAV'S tfk READY RELIEF. The most certain and sate Pain Ttemedy In the world that instantly stops the most excrudating pains. It is truly the great CONQUEROR OF PAIN and has done more good than any known remedy. For Sprains. Bruise, Backache, Pain in tbe Chest or Sids. Headache, Toothache, or any othr External Pain, a few applications rubtei on by the hand act l.ke maic, causing the paiu to instantly st"p. . Eor Coid, Bronchitis. Pneumonia. Congestions, Inflammations, BheumatiMn, Neuralgia, Lumbago, Sciatica. Tains in the frmall of the Back, etc., more extended and repeated applications are necessary to eilect a cure. All Internal Pain. Pains in the Bowels or Stomach, Cramps, Spasms Sour Stomach, Nausea, Vomit. n-,', He-irtburn, Nervousness, Sleeplessness. Sick Headache, Piarrhoa. Colic, Flatulency. Fainting Spi lls are relieved instantly and quickly Cured by taking internally a half to a teasp-.onful of IlEAUY KtLIEF ill half a tumbler of water. Malaria in Its Various Forms. FEVER AND AGUE. RADWAY'S READY RELIEF Not only cures tbe patient seved with malaria, but if people exposed to it w ill. every morning on petting out of be I. drink twenty or thirty drops of the Ready Relief in a glass of water, and ea a puce oi cracker r a crust of bread, they will escape attacks. With RADW A 'S PILLS there is no better cure tor fever and L'iie. Fifty cents per bottle. S..1 i by drusts. ADVICE TO CONSUMPTIVES. Consnmption is a Scrofulous disease occasioned by a deposit of tubercles in the lungs tbe upper portmn of them cenerally. As the tubercies enlarge they lie-in to irritate ths lungs by pressure on the surrounding parts. This creates a hacking conch. At hr.th nature, in her endeavor to cet rid of the annoyinj tubercles, sets up a-i iu'1 immatioa ; matter is secreted and the tubercle i softened. It then comes to a bead, or Hippurates, and the matter is discharged into the nearest air tube. This the patient raises, which, for a time, allays the cough, but as the i;ir 1's bil up w it h tulerctilar matter, the blood can circulate but imperfectly through the Iiiiil's; hence it becomes, more impure for the w ant of air, which lessens the power of nature to throw the disease, untd at last the disease becomes so general and the couj:li so great that ln-c;ic fever and niht sweats intervene, with bleeding of the luns, r.ntil the patient tually sinks. NOW 3 ES3KTSarS3 11 SarsapariiHan üi-i -j Resolvent. Is the only Medicine that has ever yet struck at the root of the disease, acts in this wise: First, by its action on the glands, it purifies the blood and counteracts the Scrofulous habit of the body, which is the caue of the disease; second, it promotes the action of the absorbents that remove the deposited tubercles, and third, it allays the couirh, jrivins immediate ease to the patient. If patients, laboring under this disease, will follow the directions here laid clown, we will promise, in every case, that their complaint will be speedily relieved, if not entirely cured, by the use of this rcm:dy. DIRECTIONS: Take from a teaspoon to a dessertspoonful of the RESOLVENT, in a little water if more acreeable, three times per day, half an hour after meals. Eat good, nourishing food, such as beefsteak, mutton chop, venison, roast beef, sago, arrow root, tapioca, and the like. Drink as much milk as atrreeswith von. Pay particular attention to fresh air, cleanliness, exercise, and as a general thing comfort, as much as possible. Ixfty and airy sleeping apartments, not exposed to drafts; and care u avoid and prepare for sudden chances of temperature; never go out of the bouse when the atmosphere is moist. Be careful n.t to cateh fresh cold, but cure tbe one you have. Wear flannel underwear according to the seasr.n, w hich should be .hanged for dry ni:ht an I mornincr. Ho but this, and the RESOLVENT will ejccd your mos sanguine expectations, and fulfill our most confident promises. For pain in the einst, back or limbs, ruh with READY RELIEF applied by the palm of the hand, or flannel saturate I; and i! diarrhta should trouble the patient fas it sometimes does) a dose or two of the RELIEF, that is, half a teaspoonful swallowed in half a tumbler of wa'cr. will check it. One of RADWAY'S PILLS thmild be taken occasionally to induce healthy action of tbe Liver, etc. We contentious? recommend our SARSAPARILLI AN RESOLVENT. REVDV RELIEF ami PILLS for the ense and comfort and probable cure of all suf'ering from Consumption. It is cruel to give way t-- despondency. The mind exerts a wonderful influence over all diseases, and firm in the hope of a cure, Consumption must give way to the proper treatment. HEALTH. STRENGTH. Tnre blood makes sound flesh, strong bone, r.nd a clear skin. If yo.i would have vo ir flesh firm, your bones sound, and your cotv. plexion fair, u- RADWAY'S tsARSAPAKILLIAN RESOLVENT. THE SKIN, After a few days' use of the S A P.s a r A UfLLI k if, becomes clear and beautiful. Pimples, Blotches, Black Spots, and Skin Eruptions removed. Sores anil Fleers soon cured. Persons suering from Scrofula, Eruptive Diseases of the Eyes, Mouth, Ears, Iirs. Throat an 1 Glands that have spread, either from uncure I diseases or mercury, may rely upon a cure if the Sarsaparillian is taken. Sold by all druggists. $1 a botde. Dil. RADWAY'S Regulating Pills, The Great Liver Remedy. Perfectly tasteless, elegantly coated with sweet gum, purge, regulate, purify, cleaase, nd strengthen. PR. RADWAY'S FILLS. For the cure of all disorders of the Stomach, Liver, Bowels, Kidneys, Bladder, Nervous Diseases, Loss of Appetite, Headache, Cos tireness.Indicestion, Dyspepsia, Biliousness, Fever, Inllamniation of the InternaJ Viscera. Purely vegetable, containing no mtrcury, minerals, or deleterious drugs. Observe the following symptoms resulting from Diseases of the Digestive Orcans; Constipation, Inward Piles, Fullness of Biood in the Head, Acidity of the Stomach, Nausea, Heartburn, Disgust of Food, Fullness of Weight in the Stomach, Sour Eructations, Sinking oi Fluttering of the Heart, CliokingorSu ocatin Sensations when in a lying poture. Dimness of Vision, Dots or Webs before the ight, Fevei nd Dull Pain in the Head, Dehciency of Perspiration, Yellowness of the Skin and Eyes, Pain in tbe Side, Chest, Limbs, and Sudden FLashes of Heat, Burnins in tbe Flesh. A few doses of RADWAY'S PILLS will fre the system of all the above-named disorders Price 25 cents per box. Sold by all dnggista. To the Public. Be sure to ik for RAD WAV's and see thV the name cf -RADVYAY" is on what you, bu