Ligonier Banner., Volume 32, Number 37, Ligonier, Noble County, 16 December 1897 — Page 3

F eV R VR A = Or, An Interrupted Current. .~ BY'HOWARD M. YOST. g #:Copyright, 1896, by J B. Lippincott Co. ° - AR A AR AR AR AR A AR AARAS /CHAPTER IX.,—CONTINPED. . Sarah greeted mg& effusively.. The good soul seemed to have a constant fear that each time she saw me would -be the last. B o ~ *Can you let me have a saw, a chisel and a hammer ?” I'asked. - ~ *“Ach,yes. Bud vhat for, Nel?” -*] am going to find out whatisin that cellar,” I answered. o © **Hbw.you ged in?”; - o *“By cutting through the floor.” “Dat will be hard work, Nel.. De timber under de floor is awful thick.” .- - “I know, that. But I have plenty of time, and so will be able eventually to get through.”” - b The tools were praduced, and T started homeward, Sarah sending after me an earnest appeal for carefulness and the avoidance of danger. s , I intended to commence the task of getting into the sealed apartment immedidtely upon my arrival home. The thought that danger of seme kind might lurk:in tlre-cellar would not deter me. And the pistol-shotT had heard the ~last night seemed to indicate that there might be a degree of peril in the work. i 1 did notjilike the: idea of the dank, " musty odors ascending into my sleep- . ing apartment, but I-could easily remove to one of the spacious.chambers _upstairs, and thus escape them. ["On arriving at the house; i toolk ,the tools i;pto my room. I looked over the floor; and, after quite a time debating where the hole should be made, determined to begin over in one corner. Before 1 had time.to commence operations, a loud knock|sounded on’ the front door. . B Hastily shoving the tools under the . bed, I went out through the hall and opened the door. My visitor was Mr, ‘Sonntdg. . - - ae o

! § COHAPPERX. -.| .- -1 ushered the old lawyer into the room. /After a few commonplace remarks/he said: “That walling-up of those fellar doorways has made quite ag;imA.%r‘essiofi on me. Suppose we have aglook at them.”" =l b I was very willing. Together we.descended the stairs-to the Storerbom,

Mr. Sonntag examined the place where the door had been, minutely, as though he expected to find in the stones of the wall some intimation of what was on the inside. He even went so far as to scratch off patches of the svhitewash. : 1

*“lt is rather dark here,” he finally said, glancing agound. . ‘*“Perhaps the door can.be opened,” I suggested. 9 el “I have the key with me; but maybe it would be best not to use it. -Give me a few mateches.”: .

I handed him all I had with me, and he, by the light afforded, examined closely the places where he had scratched off the whitewash. ' :

- While watching him, the thought again occurred to me that I had seen or et him previous to my arrival at Nelsonville, - - 5 ie [

“Do you know it seems as though I had-seen you before?” Isaid. | ' - “Yes, so you remarked during your -visits to my office yesterday,” Sonntag ~replied, as he stepped back to where I was standing. 0 | “There is no doubt of that being a solid wall,” he went on; “so if the room:behind it is being used forsome purposé, entrance is not gained from here. See what pains have been taken to hide the work: The whole wall has been newly whitewashed. If that had not been done; the new mason-work would be glaringly pereeptible. ' Let us go into the house cellar and have a ook at the dividing wall there.” It needed but a glance to see that this ‘wall had not been tampered with. - The “whitewash was old, and there was no spot where it had been renewed.

*I have already examined the outside place,” the old lawyer remarked, as we ascended the stairway. = : ~ “That was not whitewashed, and, if 1 remember rightly, the stones used looked old and worn like the rest of the foundation,” I said. - : “Yes; the stones used in both the doorways were old ones. But they are

o w’f - SRR o X Ay DN e X R 3 Lo : fi ee R LAV b 5 : < s : Mr. Sonnt'sg examined the place minutely. of a different kind of stone,” he remarked, with a shrewd smile. ~ “Different kind? What significance would that have?” _ “All the stone quarried about here is limestone. You will find-the foundations and walls under your house are ‘built with this kind. If any other kind _was used it would have to be brought from a distance. Sandstone was used " for the two doorways.” ! - “And was therefore brought from a - distance?” I asked. - - : '+ . *Perhaps not-in this case.” » -, *But you said there is mothing but limestone quarried about here,” 1 suggested. P - *“And that is true. The stones used - in the doorways had been used before,. for they are old and weatherbeaten. . Do you remember a small stone build~ing up at the mountain, which years ~ ago was used as a schoolbouse?” my lawyer asked. r L - _“Ob, yes!. It was known as the il s e N g

yeurs, I am told. The point is here: That old schoolhouse . was built of sandstone. Where the builders got the stone 1, of ‘cqurse, cannot say, but evidently not around here. It is my belief the stones in the two " doorways were taken from the old tumble-down schoolhouse.” " '

“And supposing your surmise is a eorrect one, does it furnish you witha clew to the person or persons who did the job?” I asked. e “Perhaps,” he replied, shortly. =~ . As he raised his head to answer, recollection flashed upon me. “Ah!” I exclaimed. “I have been cudgeling my brain in the endeavor to :remember where I had seen you before.” He quickly turned toward me witha half-smile on his face, but offered no reply. ‘ ' “I have seen you.in Philadelphia,” I continued. ) ! i { “Possibly. I used tolive there before coming to Twineburgh,” he remarked, indifferently. . _ Eof _“You have. been in Twineburgh but 'six months,” I.went on. “l'es‘.,, . * “And I saw you for the first time about a year ago. I almost knocked you over as I-was coming out of the president’s officé in the Safety security banlk. You were just going in, and I ran into you.” . ! “Ah, possibly. I have.had business dealings with that concern;” the old lawyer replied. ! i, ~ “And you knew Mr. Perry, the president?” . “¥Yes, slightly.” e _“Then why did you'ask mé at the time #f I was.the president?” I asked. Sonntag gave a twitch of the shoulder, and : his shrewd sharp' lyes twinlled. . ‘ o . “Did I'ask you that?” he queried. “Do you not remember?” “Can’t say that I do,” he replied. “It seems strange you should leave the city to engage 'in the practice of law in a small town like Twineburgh,” I said, musingly. } “Why strange?” was his curt question. ; ' l - “Qh, well, you are quite advanced in years, and, with your long experience, ought to have commanded a larger and more luecrative practice in a large place like Philadelphia than in a small country town.” S S L obe " He did not reply for a few moments, but stood with a whimsicdl look on his face with his eyes turned toward the floor. i L ¢“I became tired of city life,” he finally said. “Ihaveno family depending upon me, and so am at liberty to follow out any whim which happens to take possession of me. Thereis enough business here to enable a single man to live well, besides allowing -him more leisure. I was looking for such a business, and—-and-found it in Twineburgh.” | - “Well, yon certdinly are an odd fellow, if you will excuse me for saying sO,” I remarked, with a laugh. “Yes, T am rather odd.” -

~ When we reentered my’ ‘lgiedroom, Sonntag’s quick eye caught sight of the tools under my bed. . i z

“Going to cut through the floor?” he asked. ' “That is what I intended to do. I'm going to. know what is down there,” I replied, decidedly.

- Then I told him about the noises I had heard which had seemed to come from beneath, the slamming of the door, and the pistol shot. I also told of the vaoices I had heard both in the attic and in my room, and all I had observed regarding themi. |, = F “THe old lawyer listened intently, and when T had finished walked to-the windoww. .

Do you suppose that the sound of the voices could in some way have come from the telephone wire?’ I finally asked. c¥ o ‘ 5 ' *“Not being an eleetrical expert, I cannot say,” Sonntag answered, turning from the window. o ,

“It seems impossible the voices eould be heard without the aid of a receiver,” T remarked. ) ‘ :

“Perhaps there'is a receiver both in your room and upstairs—not like the ones we are accustomed to, of course, but one formed by nature.: Certainly there are possibilities in electric force which we have not yet discovereéd. You say the sounds occurred only when g wind was blowing which caused the wire to swing against the lightning rod2> 5 T

“That was surmise, for I have had no opportunity to watch when the wind blew. But it seemed the most natural explanation of the rappings.” ! *And you had no way of ascertaining whether the sounds in your room here and in the attic were produced by the same voice and at the same time, or whether there were two voices independent of each other?” : ' “Why, you know it was impossible for me to be in the attic and in my room t 00,” I answered. . N

“Perhaps ‘we may be given an opportunity to find out something about the voices,” Sonntag said,' with a gesture toward the window. - Fo oA

“How do you mean ?” I asked. b “There is a thunderstorm coming up. It will undoubtedly be preceded by a wind,” the old lawyer said. : : “Yes, yes! How foriunate it is that you are here!” I-exclaimed, excitedly, for T _comprehended his meaning. “Now you remain here, and I will go up to the attic,” I went on. ‘“Each of us must note the exact time the sound is heard. We had better compare watches, so that there shall be no difference in each one’s estimate of the time.” v I pulled out my watch and approached Sonntag. His hand went up to his vest pocket' and he was about to follow my example, when upon our hearing came that small, soft, high-pitched voice. ‘We stood gazing into each other’s eyea for a moment, then I made a rush for the door. | The lawyer detained me, and in great impatience I waited. =~ - : “Take paper and pencil with you,” he sajd. “Jot down the words and indicate the raps in the exact order that they come. I will do the same with the words and pauses. Now go.” =« I went up the two stairways on the jump. The wind was coming up strong, and the heavy thunder rolled in the distance. Near the small window, where I had heard the voice, I took my stand. The raps from above were louder now, and besides, in the daytime, lost a great deal of the uncanniness which the gloom and solitude of night had given - m"fi; was sounding, though #;fi: ably”on. actount of the loud mosning

My paper and pencil were ready, and I listened with strained attention to catch the words. :

This is what my paper showed: | “Never will (rap, rap, rap) consenti under existing (rap, rap—a grating” noise, probably caused by the wire be-’ ing held against the lightning rod by | the foree of the wind) the property re‘moved (raps) place to bring you (raps) hid where (raps) never find (raps) talk wisdom I shall (raps) night and take (raps) dollar will you ever—” Right here the garret was flooded by a blinding glare, and immediately followed crash on crash close above me.

Stunned by the noise and too dazed for the moment to realize that the threatening storm had burst, I feebly tottered toward the stairs .and sank down upon the top step. The rain was coming down in torrents and ‘the roar on the roof seemed but an echo of the thunder. I wassoon able to arouse myself from my dazed condition, and, remembering the object of’ my errand, went back to the spot where I had stood to recover the paper and pencil, which had fallen from my hands. There wasno desire to continue investigations while the storm lasted; so, picking up the paper, I hastened downstairs to my room.

I noticed a strange odor as I went through the doorway; and saw Sonntag standing in the middle of the room in a strange attitude.. The pencil he had used was still in his hand, but.the paper had fluttered to the floor.

The old lawyer not seeming to notice my approach, I tapped him on the arm.

, T — : o . } ’ ; 3 i A r/a“h | _ | f oty : i f 4 51 ’ V. 4 . . “ b v .‘ ‘;‘," : ; 7 N Wh:re I had heard the voice I took my stand. e gazed around at me with wide, staring eyes, then drew along breath. “What. was it that happened?” he finally asked. - -“Oh, did you catch it, too? Nothing but a little demonstration of electrical force,” I replied. “It was quite close to us. The house must have been struck by the bolt; or perhaps the lightning rod saved it.” _ - = “It was awful!” the old fellow exclaimed. ‘“There was a stream.of fire reached half way across the room. .It came from the wall there, right near the chimney. Well, it’s over, and' neither of us hurt.” The old fellow shook himself together. ‘“After this, no more experimenting in electricity for me, especially during! a thunderstorm. -T’ll stick to—to the law,” he’said, with a flash of his. bright eyes which told me he had recovered from the effects' of the shock. J !

‘“Then you did not take any note of the voice?” I remarked. “Yes, ves. Here it is; and you ?—ah, that’s good. Now let us compare.” The two slips of paper were laid on the table. “The first words taken note of on my paper,” Sonntagbegan, “are, you have my—then a pause, and yours are: Never will. Ah!” he exclaimed, in deep satisfaction, “they seem to run along well together. Now you begin and read, and where the raps are indicated pause, and I will put in my words. Let’sseeif we can get any sense out of it.” .

This is what we read:: ; . “Never will—? | “you have my—” . : “consent under existing—" - “circumstances you have broken faith with me in every—" - “way why was—" - ‘“the propérty. removed—"’ : “from the original—" % “place to bring you—" *“to time what did you do with it safely—" ;

“hid where—" .. ; “you can—'" A “never find—" “it unless you—" “talk wisdom I shall—" “go for it this very—" : “night and take—" ; “it away and not one—" “dollar will you ever—"’ ; “Right here is where the shotk came,” I said, after reading the last phrase. “Of course I took no; more notes after that. Have you any more?” “No. The flame came, and I got no further,” Sonntag answered. *This’ certaiply is curious. There seems to be a complete circuit formed somehow, or, more properly, two circuits; when one is closed the other is opened by that closing, and vice versa.” & While making the foregoing remark the old fellow was leaning over the table, intently scanning the two papers. ' “You say a flame shot out in%to the room?” 1 asked. o .‘YCSo,’ & “From- where?” - “Between the window and chimney, it seemed to be,” he replied, without lifting his head. : | I stepped over to the place indicated There was a large nail sticking in the wall, which had been covered with whitewash. ‘A flannel coat which I had hung on the nail the night before was now lying on the floor, a charred ruin. The nail itself was blackened, and was : quite hot, as contact with my fingers told me. ‘ . ‘ “Great heavens!” I exclaimed, starting back, “this is the strangest phenomenon. What a wonder the house is not ablaze!” - : : "~ [TO BB CONTINUED.] - =~Common salt that 8 used daily in ;”””od*‘”fi{mmf fi'fi: food, ifi& elp s in the composition of

THE LATEST | ;ASHIONS. ‘What the Busines’q" Woman Needs for House' Wear. 5 Sashes and Belts—Variety and Num'ber of Faney _\Vallsts a Boon to the Girl of the qown—Fa’sh- g 4 ionable Siocks. : t e _____7_) i !

J UST what to get in the way of house J dresses is a problem which foften presents a serious aspect to the aw erage business woman. After much delving into the subject the following seems to be the best solution: :

. A loose dressing wrapper, which may be made of lamb’s wool in some pretty coloring: It should hiave a rather loose

e e o S e s i V;A “ . { RL —' 2 t : O A ”"::‘J ¢ L (r.:‘-'.fA 0 .rnY . ‘\\, 7 5 / T 2 : I\3‘@ v ..: o i : e L o G fon ) ) 'l Vao o AU ) Seaal 3 D PRt A TR ) Y > /‘ & § eRJ AR R A L& v A 1) g\- D RERER) 3 BRS¢ o B 5193}1,!‘3f-; IR % [ 20 RS (5 |\ LA AT s SRR Y D At e SERERL o) ,J};\ e P -‘\“‘» :'.v‘;'z'. a 2, W \ Y o O «‘ ’s\6‘ -‘fi i Anl Y 1 o | a 5 |2 NP | £ fi‘“-\\@ ?"1 fi\ . %3 ¥ 1 . | y|3% 5 @ | : P ¢ Ya- & . { Jer 3 ¢/ & 7 g ; v ‘ ? {" ’@' | ‘ . A LOOSE DRE‘SSII\‘TG WRAPPER. | | cut box plait down the center of the back, another down the front, and be unlined. ' Large bishop sleeves are the proper shape. The garment may be finished ;with a crocheted edge of | . worsted to mateh the main color and | . fastened at the neck with a cord and tassel of ,the same umder a turn-down collar. *

- " . IL‘,". { i g s_/"@)\ 7 . N ‘\{‘E e i AN = —~AL) -AE ) <) . /L—’ et . S ; R (\n ~§_‘"? . N e \Si e e S ; e \"\' Al By pATLE R ;x’:';a,\ \ o \ \ S 5 TR { SR g) VRGE-S e B A eo[ f”'«::“‘-f-“fifi‘d; S Glgneny . R OV, NER Q) o\ 17X 4 8 el /S 0 AR R ey (\g«;.f.»‘ ; d&”;“fi?@'- 25, et /A Vi) \,/N,» “/v%@mé@ S/ 5 HETE (6% &\ QD SRR A MRIENNY 75 oAT 7 AT ‘ ol ARG e\ e SR N TNAL R T e Do e 4 f\,)'- \ e N 4GI .J'; % MK A S | RS &% i e a 0 e SR oot RN 2‘ e |el R S eo R SRS R T 8 REran S\ A TATY Wl SR T Y ;N k\ %‘.\ /@ T R e /ifl B‘K NONONYY g l?'/fi RSR s ane e Hv,'. fl.r EE o JORI S I R’/ i W?fi o '}; | TSR B G/ Bt iy RETe R (Y G 7 R e A R AN LBy VL R R GRS \5 v%ot ER o ‘ 3 Wan |e E e g XFhLR A 3 e e «:w»,l,‘,ml"] 17 PG ss oL Y S e N o, M yl ey Lale s \‘W‘"‘ , G i SR s~ | £ b / STt SRt Gl S r i A i , {;fw R (SRR R SRR PTS [‘h RDR S e GRS, TG eSR \ ;\ Sagten {‘ ) e3\ AP ) 4 SR - - |

Then ‘a combing jal\c"ket is needed, made of some prettily colored muslin,; low at the neck and|short of sleeve. An old shirt waist may often be effectively used in constructing this garment. Lo { ! A wrapper made up on simple lines, in which the work about one’s rooms| may be doné. In selecting the material for this it is best to chpose some bright or dark color in goods that will launder well and yet will not soil too easily. Have you ever tried the possibilities of the homely turkey-red material, trimmed with black lace? It makesa wonderfully pretty \t‘rapper. v The business woman also needs one dress-up house gown i]n which she can receive her own intimate friends informally. A delightful example of such

' P R %338 o “‘?f';?‘j,» \ o o £ b &Y AT p) =Y/ N AR l"‘." A ;;” R '/I’ A 7 Lo | ARG | Vnn,?’t; ;."“-2«;"'}')7‘? "5“.’7???;' fled o 1 H quf ;;’e’ i L EHE BIE A k; R AT ‘ ‘ f\\\\é“':../» L = ‘\\ SE“! b o m | &» R B 2 i {’\ i \ @R ey N AN\ | : Ry A THE BELT OF TO-DAY. | a gown is of wool material in a soft pink, spotted with black. It is made loose and full, with a slight train. It has a high collar of yellow lace, a yoke of black velvet edged with a deep flounce of lace, bands of velvet around the waist to give it an empire effect and long ends falling to the feet from a brilliant buckle. The sleeves are full and end at the elbows in flounces of lace. : i e ~ The sash bas come to stay, and has

overrun all but walking gowns. On them we sh]all probably see it next summer. e : :

Neot with| the simplicity of the country- maid is the sash of to-day worn, but it is beruffied and embroidered and tied into fs{ntastic shape until all sem- | blance of its former straight lines is fost. . 4 ' Such a sash is of Persian ribbon. Tt is arranged to form a corselet around | the waist, with two rabbit’s ears upstanding on each side of the front. In the center of the back is another cluster of rabbit’s-ear loops, but bunched close together, some up, some down. From there long ends extend from the foot, flounced about with a narrowedging ‘of black chiffon and cut off round at the bottom. . L

Bright purple was combined with black lace to form-anether sash. It had its beginning between the shoulders, wheTe a watteau would naturally start. A strap, extending from arm to arm, held it in position. The strap, in turn, was fastened in place by the use of two other straps of ribbon, which encircled the eye of the arms. They closed in front with large hooks and eyes, under roséttes of| ribbon. ‘

To return to the sash proper. The ribbon in it was cut across at intervals of three inches, with black lace insertion, and the edge finished with a‘flounce of lace. Again the ends were rounded,, a fact which is true about all the “new sashes. ! i

For gowns that must-be worn without sashes there are two kinds of\-Zaist adornments#-——jeweléd belts and rolls of velvets. The former are-worn with blouses and may be as dazzling as many mock jewels can make: them; the latter finish the faney waist and are fastened on the side with rabbit’sear loops of velvet. { Neck fixings have all come arotind to the front, and the new stock collars are trimmed .at the back and overflowing with trimmings in front. These stocks, by the way, make pretty Christmas gifts and are easily arranged at home. A stock of green siik is among the novelties. Soft silk is used, laid in tucks about the collar. In front are hanging bows of green ribbon, tied with bunches of violets. Other stocks have lace effects in front, a little to the left side. g

NOVELTIES IN SILK WAISTS.

Dressy yokes are much worn and give a soft effect lacking in the severe lines of a plain cloth gown. These yokes are of lace, mousseline—the Persian variety is newest—and plisse. They all have flounces falling over the arm to give width to the new tight sleeve. - An odd stock that will be becoming to a girl with sloping shoulders is of black net, spangled with gilt. On the stock, at each shoulder, is fastened a long piece of net, edged with spangled lace. This piece falls: ovér the shoulder and upper arm, and is fastened in place with decorative stick pins. | ‘The old-fajhioned stock of the country gentleman has been adapted to the ‘needs. of the I\'ew York girl,and many a one adorns the front of her gown. They're easily madé. All one need do is to take her piece box of laces and silk, get an old print and copy it in the materials ons hand. . Jacket costuines seem to have given a further lease of life to the separate waist, and one sees on all sides flaring jacket fronts, revealing soft and brilliant effects in waists. . With a heavy mixed brown cheviot costume is worn a waist of bright orange silk, veiled with pale yellow chif-’ fon. This combination is very striking, yet as colors go these days; it is not considered too much to wear for shopping. Another: gown, this a tan, was worn with-a bright cardinal waist, of satin, plain savg for the tiny lengthwise tucks that weré laid in it. The prevalence of jacketed costumes has also introduced once more the vest and stock, which, when worn, give the appearance of an entire bodice beneath. These . vests are worn over cambric shirt waists, and when a wardrobe includes a great variety of them, both plain and elaborate, it is wonderful how they will change the appearance of one gown, which must do duty on many occasions. d o s - Silken and 'satin waists suitable for house wear are elaborate with jet bands and mousseline de soie ruchings. Quillings of ribbon are also much used, alternating with plain bands. There is no end to the number and variety of combinations which may be used, and the material on hand, no matter what, may usually be made available if its owner but exercise a little ingenuity. e . THE LATEST. . No Time for Repentance. “Yes,” said Hardshell, wearily, *I mgtried I hastee? . . o 0 0 _ “And repented at leisure, eh?” % R e, i e fmyfl“‘ PR TR Topies. &:{f‘f“f

_ © M'KINLEY’'S METHODS, How the President Discharges an « Obvious Duty.” The president is not much more congistent in his treatment of the currency question than he is in his dealing with the matter of forcible annexation. “I earnestly recommend;” he says, ‘“as soon as the receipts of the government are quite sufficient to pay all the expenses of the government, that when any of the United States notes are presented for redemption in gold and are redeemed in gold such notes- shall be kept and set apart and paid cut only in exchange for gold. This is an obvious duty.” S v ) ; - Why an obvious duty? Because if the redeemed notes are paid out as the law now requires they are more; than likely to returm for ré-redemption. -‘Thus it becomes necessary to keep replenishing the gold reserve, and this can be done in no other way than by sélling interest-bearing bonds. Hence ““the great cost to the government” under existing law “of maintaining the parity. of our different forms of money.” - , Tt

And this cost is especially great.“in times of business panic and when the revenues Are insufficient to meet the expenses of the government.' At- such times,” the president truly says,-*‘the government has no other way tosupply its deficit and maintain redemption but through the increase of its bonded debt.” T : :

If, then, it is the obvious duty ot government to hold greenbacks in the treasury until somebody is willing to give gold in exchange for.them in order to obviate the necessity for repeated issues of bonds, that duty is most obvious and imperative in times of panie and when the revenues -are. insufficient. e ) | )

Yet the president does not propose to begin the discharge of this obvious duty until “the receipts of the government are quite sufficient to pay all the expenses ofithe government!”” How.can he expiain his recommendation that the obvious duty b€ not discharged at the very time when, hy his own shows ing, it is most imperative? , : The government is running 'behind noy at a greater rate than ever before and there is an official estimate- that there will be a deficit of more than $21,000,000 during the next fiscal year unfess something is dene to increase the revenues. According to republican theory, therefore, another panic is due,and liable to occur at any time. But, panic or no panic, the shortage is a nctorious fact, and it is a fact which should prompt to the immediate 4d’¢charge of that obvious duty. 5 ) i Respecting this duty it is to be observed that if it should be discharged in accordance’ avith the president’s recommendation and if the banks should, be required to redeem their notes in gold in accordance with another -of his- recommendations the ‘greenbacks would soon be permanently retired and they might as well beextinguished. . C _ “Such runs on the treasury as occurred during the last administration would bring the last-one of the greenbacks into the treasury, and there they would stay until some one offered gold. in exchange for them. = s Who would offer the gold?. Not the national banks, because. they ‘would hold fast to the gold to meet demands from holders of their own notes. : If other§ should offer gold and take out the notes and put them in circulation the banks would quickly gafher them up and present them at the treasury and draw out the gold again. -Thus the proposed measure would almost, certainly result soon in. the complete retirement of the greenbacks and practically their permanent retirement. This swould the more certainly be the case, because, as Senator Allison has pointed out, if the banks were required to redeem their notes in gold they would decline to accept silver or its certificate representative, except as a special deposit. They could not afford to be loaded with. silver if required to redeem in gcld. * The resulting discrimination against silver would produce very serious complications. Not the least of these, probably, ‘would be depreciation of silver and silver certificates, which the government could not remedy without borrowing hundreds of millions of gold to maintain their convertibility. —OChicago-Chronicle. ..~ - .

PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS. ——Poor Mr. Secretary. Gage’s currency reform scheme is getting the ha!ha! even from Tom Reed.—St. Louis Republie. ' B — —The gold advocates ought to be good to the organ grinders, for these musicians handle nothing but scund money.—Chicago Dispateh. : . ——After his tussle with the demiocrats and the Foraker men in Ohio Mr. Hanna considers having the grippea karmless diversion. — Kansas City Times. : - ———The Dingley robber-tariff is a failure as a revenue producer; but it is a grand success as a tribute taker, and that is what the monopolies and trusts gave their money to-Hanna for. —lllinois State Register. ~ " —Will anybody _ name anything. farmers have to sell the price of which has been raised by ‘the Dingley bill? Will anybody name anything which farmers have te buy that has not been raised by the Dingley biil —Columbus (O.) Press. : : : ——The fact that Mark Hanna has permanently closed-the headquarters of the republican national committee at Washington, which he had promised to keep open until the next campaign, may give a hint of what his late fight iz Ohio cost him and the party —St. Louis Republic. ; B ——Just think of it! Hereis the man who discovered William McKinley, elected him to the presidency, mortgaged his administration to Wall street, “fired” John Sherman from the senate. to . make a place for himself and dragooned a governor inte appointing him, now having to make a desperate struggle to get the vote of the republican members of the general . assembly. And all this in a little more than a yea.r.—Cincifinaf.i'En)quirer. S ——There is not much real independence left in the republican party. Most of it went out of the party in 1884 The better class of republicans fret and fume under boss rule and perennially cill for recnroliment. But when the American Industries,” thi %@ set uUp ," ;’;awf‘ \rri%;@\%mi%m Lt 5 e dab

ST BADEN SO 1 House Republicans * Up in the Alr™ . . on the Money Question. Chairman Dingley- is as uncertain about what congress will do this winter as are the dozen or more other members who have felt called upon to express opinions. The only point on which he speaks with anything like positive conviction is that there will be no “reform” of the currency. “"In an extended interview given. to the press before leaving Maine for Washington, Mr. Dingley said-this: “If the senate were republican and in harmony with the majority of the house on monetary questions, I should look for currency legisiation; but, with a free silver majority in the senate antagonistic to the ideas of a majority of the house as to what constitutes a sound currency system, I do not see ‘how it is possibie to secure desirable currency legislation of 'a permanent character until the senate is brought into harmony with the house.” ~ This language is-important, coming as it does from the republican house ‘leader, and gives credence to the belief which has been growing in the publie -mind for months 1o the effect that the -republicans "~ will be glad enough to avoid all’ discussion of the- currency F question at'the forthcoming session of | congress. Their hope is to take advantage of the senate situation as a subterfage affording the best means at hand for escape from a most embarrassing predicamcent, The truth is that the majority in the house is about as badly divided.on the morey:issue as that in the senate, and agitation at this time 'would bring humiliating exposure. ..Democratic duty, therefore, 1s plain. The republicans in the house must be smoked out, ‘and the democratic lead-, | ers could perform no better party serv- ' ice at this juncture than to smoke them l out and reveal their hypocrisy and pre- [ tense. - ’ : -

Mr. Dingley does not say so in plain terms, but the tenor of his remarks indicates the belief on his part that the house republicans will pursue a coursa of masterly inactivity on the currency this “ winter ifi permitted to do so by the'democrats, because of the lack of a definite reform policy. He then proceeds to outline a policy. “Ishould be pleased,” he says, “to see legisins tion which would remedy the want of flexibility of our banking system and would separate those functions cf t!‘.q treasury department which relate {d the government demand notes and cc:™ tificates used as currency from thcse which relate to current receipts and expenditures, and thus better picioct. the reserve.” This is practically the scheme which; it is presumed, Secretary Gage will urge upon congress, but which, 4 is understoed,-has not the sanction of ‘the president. Without McKinley's™ positive indorsement it .is not likely to find enough favor in the house t 6 even threaten pariy harmony. —St. Louis Republic. ol f

-~ PANIC AND PROSPERITY. Hard Times Prices Better Than PrcsS perity Prices. . Republican newspapers are doingail they can to impress upofi the farmers the idea that prosperity has dawned in the United Stater because of the electign of MecKinley. v . . Therise in the priee of wheat has been spectacular, and, although it was-caused by famire and shor! crops-abroad, the increase in price has been exploited to prove that republican legislation is the producer of prosperity.’ This. argument has been urged with constant reiteration, and has had more or less effect, but there are some statistical people in Towa who are still unconvinced. ~Among théese dispelieversin republican sophistry is the editor of the Independent of Forest City, la., who indulges-in a little mathematical calculation, with results which are not at all comfortable for the republicans. = With unusual generosity this editor takes the panic year of 1833 and compares the pricesreceived then by farmers for seven leading agricultural products with those received in 1897. The primes are those quoted on the Chicago gxn;ket November 15 0f'1893 and 1897. . For 1897 the record stands as follows: bu. corn at’26c.....ceelieuinnen.ai. $120.00 500 bu. flax at sl.o9.......eetennnnnenns.. . 045.00 500 bu. oats{at 2llC....cccieeecencvees, 105.00 poo.buswheat at 94C..:veciecorivensmcew - 470.00 100 DY, Ve ab 4105 i v outbensoss - -A0 40 hags, 300 Ibs. each, at $3.50......... 4200 20 steers, 1,200 lbs. at $5.10............ 1.224.00 IPgtal i iit HE.011.00 “Turning back to ‘the panic year of 1893 the -statisties give the following results: .« <. ] o 500:bui. corfi AL39¢. ... 0l da N THS D 500-busflax-at§l:l6. .. initiiiacncdiin., DBOO 500 bu. oats at 29C.....ciieienncieiaa.. 14500 500 -bu..-wheat “at 63C....iccevenacas.s 310.i0 100: Du. rye 8t 47C .. i anidociicaennin, 4700 10 hogs, 300 Ibs. each, at $6.50.......... 786.i1) 20 steers, 1,200 Ibs. each, at $5.62...... 1,345 &) SPGEEL. he.hesbaanensiecsions asaganniveaB3.4lo.so . With-MeKinley prosperity the farmer receives $2,941 for the produets iu question. ~With acknowledged panic and hard timés in 1893-he received $3.410.80 for the same kind and quantity ‘of ;products, a balance in favor of hard times prices of $469.80. e Comment is unnecessary.—Chicago Dispatch.. - - ¢ sons

—Mr. Dingley cannot but be gratified to observe that the effete despoiisms are more and more disposed 10 adopt-his doctrine that the way t 9 secure national prosperity is to shut'out foreign trade. Gerx.r‘lany ‘has already made -a long step In that direction, Austria is heading the same way, and now it is announced that ¥rance goutemplates the imposition of duties so’ high as to be practically prohibitory. Mr. Dingley will fee{}zlin additional compliment in the fact that all these measures, without exception, are aimed directly at the United States, thus showing that his labors in the direction of international trade hostility are appreciated.. lurope is following our lead. When we have reached a point where we neither sell nor buy from any other nation on earth every patriotic citizen will feel that we have achieved our glorious destiny. And Europe appears disposed to.give us a boost in that ‘direction.—Chicago Chronicle. -~ —The trouble with the Dingley bill is that it was framed to do two eutirely inconsistent and contradictory things, and thus far it has succeeded ‘in doing only one of them. As a prohibitory tariff act it is undoubtedly a success. The imperfgio;;sAfince it went into effect show this. Asa revenue producer Tven thik. Wha satiod ressgnie vhers