St. Joseph County Independent, Volume 21, Number 42, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 9 May 1896 — Page 3

THE FARM AND HOME. MATTERS OF INTEREST TO FARMER AND HOUSEWIFE. Economics to Be Practiced in Erecting and Maintaining a Hot House — Caustic Potash the Best Chemical Dchornei —How to Test Butter. Concerning a Hothouse. A hothouse need not be an expensive affair to be useful. It is economy to make it so tight by battening cracks and a layer of building paper that no wind can get through. I And that a building simply wide enough to accommodate a seven-foot sash does very well, says Howard B. Cannon, in the Grange Visitor. Such a building may be heated inexpensively by a stove, sunk well down and delivering its smoke into a flue made of sewer-pipes. The stove should be placed at the end where you enter, and the chimney should rise from the far end. A house to start onion or tomato plants can be constructed for perhaps 12Cj cents a square foot of glass area, by one doing his own work. When your spring crop of plants is out, if you are a small farmer, you may find your house useful to store some tints, etc., under the benches. I should advise putting on a temporary roof, that the sash be not warped by the heat of summer. When fall comes one rinds a hothouse handy for

curing seed corn, onion sets, etc. 1 used mine to ripen tomatoes in after frosts came, and followed these by bushels of seed corn. The last use of the year for the sash, however, will please many who perhaps have not seen such. We built rough sheds Into which our henhouses open, and left an opening at the south end in each shed seven by six feet. Across these openings “chicken wire” was stretched. On the approach of blustering weather two sashes were slipped into each opening, one above the other, and secured in place. This gives a sheltered ami warm place for the hens to scratch. I hope we will find our scratching sheds to be egg-fac-tories during the cold weather. How Long Cows Shall Be Kept. Unless a cow has a remarkable individual value as a milk and butter producer, and has shown ability to perpetuate these qualities in her proge y, ten to twelve years old is long enough io keep her, says an exchange. A good many cows condemn themselves long before that time. We have known cows to breed up to eighteen or nineteen years old, but they had to be fed ground grain and bran, mixed with moistened cut hay. There was no profit^ln milk and butter made this way, for the old cow gradually lessened her yield. The object was to produce calves from this cow to be used for breeding. But as the cow decreased in value, so also did her ■calves. Those last born were feeble and not very good milkers, either, a cow whose milk production has been artificially forced for two or three years is apt never thereafter to come up to the standards she 'had before, as the production of an excessive amount of milk impairs the animal’s constitutional vigor. To Test Butter. A possible way to test butter is to got a clean piece of white paper, smear it with the suspected article, then roll it up and set it on tire. If the butter is good, the smell of burning will be decidedly pleasant, but if there is artificial animal fat in the composition, there is no mistake about the tallowy odor. About Plowing. Plowing is hard work for the team, but it is comparatively easy work for the plowman, except on rocky or stumpy land, where the plow has frequently to be pulled back aud lifted up to avoid some obstruction. For these reasons a strong, active team that will walk right along with a good furrow behind it should always be secured if possible. It is not easy to make good work with a poor team, and if it is not equal to its task there is much unnecessary waiting at the end of the furrow and resting. The work of holding the plow is so easy on level land free from stone, that even a child can do it, while holding the handles makes it easier work to walk in the furrow than to follow the same team with a drag over plowed ground. That is hard, dragging work for both man and teams, and it needs an able-bodied man instead of the young boy who is usually put at this job, while the man takes as his part the far easier task of holding the plow, which on level, clean land is no task at all. Ashes with Stable Manure. Whoever has ever mixed frosh caustic ashes with manure from the stable knows how»quickly a strong odor of ammonia is given off. It is wasteful of the fertilizer to do this while the manure is exposed to the air, but when it is to be plowed under very soon the loss is not great. In the soil the ashes will not only make the manure ferment more rapidly, but they will themselves l>econ\e a much more valuable fertilizer through absorption of the ammonia. This will quickly convert caustic potash into the nitrate of potash, which is the most powerful fertilizer known and is good for any kind of crop. Wc have sometimes applied hen manure in hills for melons and cucumbers, mix ing it with the earth, and after mixim. sprinkling a few hard-wood ashes ii the bed and covering with earth befor< planting the seeds. Vines thus treate< did better than with any other kind o manure we ever used. Feeding Value of Manure. Concerning the feeding valse of rav potatoes for milch cows, John Gould the well-known Western dairyman says: “Compared with ordinary food at present prices they are worth fron 6to 7 cents per bushel. When fed rav to a cow the potato influences her milk

The milk will not cream so well, ana the butter will lack in grain and texture. I would not feed more than a peck per day to a cow. A creamery in Clinton County lost their entire trade because the patrons fed an excess of raw potatoes to their cows. Some of them fed a bushel or more per day to a cow. The New York expert butter men who handled the butter wrote the patrons, telling them they were feeding potatoes in too large quantities, and if their trade was recovered potatoes must be abandoned. When cooked and mixed with some nitrogenous grains they are a good ration, if not fed in too large quantities. They are best as a fattening ration for pigs or other fattening animals. Pruning Trees Before Transplanting. In ordering trees from a nursery it should be remembered that the pruning is never completed as it should be when the trees are put into the ground. There is usually a quantity of top with perhaps 50 to 100 buds, each of which if left to grow will produce a feeble shoot. Cut the top back to three or four buds and leave these to grow into the future branches of the tree. Thus started the tree will begin to make its top the first season after setting out. The roots also will need to be cut back as well as the tops. In most cases, if the trees have been sent far and have been long on their journey, the small feeding roots will be dried up and of no use. Cut the large roots with a knife that will make a clean cut, and the new roots will spring from these. ■ ।

The Expensiveness of Pasturing. Wherever land Is dear the pasture । provides for stock that, considering its i nutritive value, is much dearer than ’ that grown by cultivation. In the first ' place, the grass, even If undisturbed, 1 does not yield as heavy a crop as will most of the grains and corn drilled for fodder. In the pasture the constant trampling of stock lessens the yield । still further. What the stock waste In i a clover field will in most places pay ' for the labor of cutting and carrying the clover to them, provided the field Is near where the stock is kept, ami tlie cutting of the clover can be done by , horse power. Yet there are many , places where cultivation Is impossible, ( and using those as permanent pastures । is the only way to make the land use- i ful and profitable. < Selling Ability Necessary. The American Dairyman remarks ' • that selling ability Is Just now more de- ‘ sirable to farmers than producing ability, and that the place to display It is iu packing. The farmer must load the I consumer into temptation, which may 1 be contrary to Scripture, but is neces- 1 sary to sell goods. Even a cabbnge is ' trimmed up by the skillful salesman ' to attract the customer. The Dairy- . man illustrates by the sale of a large ; consignment of California fresh fruit , which was beaut Itully packed, nnd < brought prices to delight the owner’s ' > soul, while other fruit, uot opening up 1 > well, went for a song. < Beet Chemical Dehorncr. The best chemical dehomer, accord Ing to Hoard’s Dairyman, is caustic potash, to be had in sticks for a few cents nt any druggist’s. When the calf Is a c few days old, clip off the hair over the horn button, moisten one end of the f caustic (hold the other end wrapped in ' paper) and rub it on the button until the skin is very red and highly In- t flamed. When the scab comes off. If , the least trace of the horn nut remains, । repeat the application. Put t'ae caustic 1 only on the nut button, as it bums in- t tensely. - V Wheat Bran for Cows. No kind of feed is so handy for feeding milch cows as wheat bran; it is light and bulky in proportion to its nutrition. : and it has the elements needed to make a large milk flow, tut it does not make 1 rich milk, and needs to be supplemented with grain meal, or the cow will give ’ so much from her own fat that she will 1 become thin in flesh, and be of little use for butter-making the following season. - 1 Farm Notes. The way that hogs have been going i in the face of the low rates for cattle, , sheep and horses has been very cheer- . ing to swine producers. The price . compared with the price of grain Is ' one of profitable production. , Never be satisfied with what the , farm does, but endeavor to still further . improve it. The farmer who concludes that he has reached the best that con be obtained from his farm will find himself going backward. Successful farmers are those who are striving to obtain more. Firm. Stock and Homo holds that I under present conditions the sum paid । for hired help must be the smallest 1 possible, and only concentrated prod-ucts—-butter, beef, pork, wool, poultry, 1 etc.—should be shipped by rail. Along - these lines lay large doses of agri- ’ cultural salvation. It is much easier to feed whole grain , than to grind it, but it is better to put the labor to it than to lose in the ” feed. Ground grain can be more intimately mixed with coarse food, and in that respect it not only servos to ’ balance the ration, but the combination of foods cheapens the whole and ~ more perfect digestion results. „ Here is a point on asparagus. A great many persons who grow it. do . c so with flat culture. The proper mode q for the best results is to hill up the )f rows. Apply fertilizer on the rows now while they are fiat, and then turn a furrow on the row from each side. If the row is hilled up two feet w it is all the better. Cut the stalks d, Just as they are peeping out of the n, ground. They will then be tender from Is the tips to the butts, and as white as m celery. If allowed to grow out of w the ground the tips will be tender and k. the butts tough.

AN ENGINE OF DEATH MANY KILLED BY A CINCINNATI GAS GENERATOR. Awful Catastrophe Occurs When Bnildiue and Streets Were Crowded —Certain that Many Are Dead and More Mutinied — Panic in the City, Tale of the Honor. At 7:45 Monday evening a terrific explosion occurred in Louis Fey’s saloon al Cincinnati, 0., immediately opposite tho Gibson house. The building, a five-Story brick, was shattered to splinters. Fey manufactured his own gas with a ma chine from gasoline. A large tank filled with the explosive fluid was in the room in the rear of the saloon. In addition a barrel of gasoline was being unloaded at the time. An electric motor furnished the power. The motor was operated nt too high a rate of speed, causing the commutator to burn out. This ignited the gasoline, causing the explosion. It is a], most certain that at least twenty persons were killed. A fair estimate places the number caught in the falling building at from sixty to seventy-five. At least twen-ty-five people, and perhaps more, the exact number may never be known, mangled, crushed, burned and scah.<v.to deatii. Bodies of Adolph Drach’s ^piily of four. mid four unknown. wt’H* QUICKIy rec. vered. There of the Fey family, two servant girls, and three men employes were missing. Twenty five injured were removed to the hospital, two of whom will die. Tho explosion shook large buildings for squares. Hundreds of windows in the G ibson House were broken and plate glass windows on loth sides of \\ alnut street the entire length of tho square were shattered. Scores of pedestrians were knock ed from their feet and tin re were dozens of runaway teams in the vicinity. Several electric cars were thrown from the track and at hast twenty female passengers on different ears fainted away and were carried into the Gibson House and adjoining places. The electric light, telegraph. telephone and trolley wires on tho square were torn down and the explosion was followed immediately by darkness. Whole Building Destroyed. Flash lights were rigged up across the street and the ray-, thrown onto the ruins. The explosion tore the entire structure from between adjoining buildings on either side ns neatly as it could have been accomplished by workmen. All that is now left is a mass of brick, mortar and torn lumber, over which the roof rests iu a slanting jModtimi. It was occupied by Fey’s ami Drach’s saloons. Isflh of the belter ela- It is e-t>mited that forty or fifty people were inside at the time of th- explosion, and it seems impossible that any could have escaped. The fin-men beat n path into the ad joining barber shop and Ix-gan drilling holes 'hrotigh the thick brick wall in the hope of reaching some of the bodies. The heavy roof lying over the ruins made it Imjstssilde for the firemen t<> make any headway from the top or sides. The upper fl-tors of the five story building were <>• cupicd ns flats It is not known how many people were in the flat* or b<»w mnnv were in the saloon*. but mote rs , hh <1... l.uU.liiiit iuxm-dintely^Hfc lapsed. There wits Do tire to the rum and make certain death otW In the building, but the dust and continued flying for a lung time so deM| •y that the work of rescuing the proceeded with great difficulty. Him Whole Ftuntlv Cone. *- One of the barkeeper*, who was m»t on duty nt the time ami escaped, lived in one of the upper flats, ami was wild with grief because he knew that bis wife and four children w. re in the ruins Oue of his children wa* ns.iwwl dead soon after the explosion. As the mzht passed the s. m-s al.mt the wrecked building' became more <h* tressing than ever Women whose bus | bands and sons had nd r -m in d home by lo or 11 o’clock । ame dow n to the Fomi tain square and liked up the space als>ut tho government building. win re they were weeping and crying an mt their friends' being in the wreckage. Department* at Work. All of tlw d.pnu 'm iC' ■ ' the . w ere at work at the ruins The i*.lnv c mini*sioners were in charge of their department. together wish Chief Deit"h. and the fire commissioners wire with Chief Ar.h ' al<l Th’’ street .leaning department was out in full force, at work removing the debris ami hauling it away, and good engineers were s -m on hand s iperintending the hand! ng of the heavy timbers. Crowded with People. The explosion occurred at a time in the evening when there were many people iu the bar. ami it was said soon after the explosion th.:’ a number of women and their escorts had just entered. They were probably in the wine rooms in the rear of the bar. The street was well filled with pedestrians ami it is almost certain that many of them were fatally injured. Standing almost in front of the building when the explosion occurred was a Newport and Covington car. 1; was completely wrecked ami the half-dozen passengers and the motorman and conductor were more or less severely injured Panic in the Gibson House. There were several hundred guests is the Gibson House ami they rill became panie stricken. Men and women rushed from their rooms, the latter shrieking with terror and several of them fainting. The guests of the house who were in the lobby, barber shop and waiting-room were knocked down by the shock. It seemed to them as though the explosion was in the hotel building and. not knowing at what moment it would be followed by another, they rushed from the hotel, adding to the panic in the street. Wreck at liberty, Neb. At :: o’clock Monday morning train G 3, fast freight on the Burlington, going west, ran into a washout, near Liberty, Neb. The engine and three cars were wrecked. Two trainmen were killed and several injured. Engineer Brennan was crushed between the engine and lender. Conductor Wileox, who was in the engine cab at the time of the wreck, wa s badly ma ogled OU" leg being torn from his body and the other badly crushed. He expired in a few minutes after being extricated from the wreck. The tiroman was thrown from the cab window and escaped uninjured, with the exception of slight bruises, as at the time of the wreck the train was running very slowly, having orders to do so on account of the heavy rainfall. Engineer Brenman’s home was at Scottsville, Pa.

SHAH IS SHOT DOWN. PERSIAN RULER THE VICTIM OF AN ASSASSIN. Tragic Affair Pregnant with Serious Consequenccs-Hinta at a Dark Con•piracy—Man Who Fired the Fatal Bullet Placed Under Arrest Deed of a Secret Agent. Nasr-ed-Din, the Shah of Persia, has been slain at Teheran, and in the diplomatic offices of the principal capitals of ■Lurope there is serious perturbation. The tragic affair is pregnant with astonishing results. Once again England will surely have to fight a desperate diplomatic battle With Russia’s czar for Asiatic territory. The story of the assassination, as telegraphed from Teheran Friday afternoon, contained no hint of a widespread conspiracy. It simply stated that while the ■hah was entering the inner court of the •hrino of Shah Abdul Azim, six miles south of Teheran, he was shot through the heart; that immediately he was carried to h.s carriage and in it conveyed to the palace; that there he was at ten Jed by Dr. Tholcgan, his chief physician, and other physicians who were hastily sent for. But in spite of their combined efforts his majesty expired about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The assassin tc*-9 arrested. At the Persian legation in London the opinion is expressed that the murder was the deed of a fanatic and was not the outcome of any especially designed movement. But according to a dispatch which has been received from St. Petersburg, the assassin was a member of the Babi secret society, a criminal association which has hitherto made attempts upon the shah's life with revolvers. It is known that the shah was arranging for a great celebration of his accession, and it appears that tho conspirators were determined that he should not live to enjoy the event. While in a general way Nasr-ed-Din was a humane and a progressive monarch, as far as Asiatic rulers go, still his love for money nnd for jewels prompted many cruel nets of confiscation and of barbarous punishment that made hint thousands of enemies in all classes of society. It is feared that Russian intrigue will bring about disorders in Persia. It is known thnt the dead monarch coveted Herat, and made a foray in its direction, but a repul-e by the British brought him to his senses. Should the new ruler l»e temptcl to make a similar ladlicose essay the results for all concerned would l»e extremely serious. Persia. Afghanistan, Britain nnd Russia would sj»eedily become embroiled, aml the result could not be predicted. The killing of the shah hns most certainly added ’o-thc troubles and the complications of the Salisbury cabinet. RICHARD P. BLAND. Brief Sketch of Ml»nnri's Cnnilidate for the Presidency. Richard Parks Blnud. whose presidential boom hns been inunrhel by the Missouri silver Democrats, is one of the mo«t pictnn-sque men in Arm-ricaa polities! life. He been cnl’ct "SlWer "Silver Dollar "HwlHon■ire Bland" «nd other smtbriqnrta iudicntiro nt the in’ r- h< has takon in m-ney mat tors and min Mr Rlnnd was born FW 1535 near Hir’f-rl. Kr, In "the Green Hirer ■ •nn’ty." When about 2D Z" 5 .Mb ni< hakp r. nt am». years old Bland went to M *-ouri, where he lived five years ami then went to California,'and later t > Utah. II i»ractieed law among the miners aud had ample opportunity to study the mineral interests and the relative output of silver and gold. In 1565 he returned to Missouri and settle*! in Rolla, Phelps tMunty. In ISC9 he removed to Lebanon, whic- is his present home. IL- was first elected to Congress in 1872. He took his seat the following year after the demonetization of silver. As early as 1877 Bland began to fight for free coinage. He was in Congress for twenty-two years, and his most noted measure was a bill providing for the free and unlimited coinage of silver, restoring 412Lj grains of standard silver as the dollar and the limit of value. The bill passed the House and was amem in tho Senate. President Hayes vet' it. Since his defeat in Ib'Jl Mr. Bland has cultivated a farm near Lebanon, Mo. Neighbors Gave Him a New- Skin. A remarkable case of skin-grafting is reported from Kingman County, Kan. Several weeks ago J. 11. Light was severely burned on the hands and face in a prairie fire. Physicians despaired’ of his life, and as the only hope the amputation of both arms was agreed upon. Dr. Buck persuaded the family to prevent amputation and try skin grafting. The physician consumed two days in the preparation of the invalid's hands and face. Eight citizens agreed to contribute the grafts. Rev. Mr. Hendershot furnished 200 pieces of skin from h.s arms, another 150, another 100 and five others contributed a total of more tnnn 200 grafts, in all 637, which were placed on the afflicted parts. Charles J. Bronston, of Lexington, Ky., who became somewhat famous by his recent leadership of the Blackburn forces In the Kentucky Legislature, is to be married to Miss Belle Wilson, the second daughter of Paducah’s millionaire. Clarence Smith, a 19-year-old boy living at Elk Mountain, near Custer, S. D., was shot and instantly killed by John Sellers. The affair was the result of a •quarrel between the families to which they belonged. Rev. Minot J. Savage was given a dinaer In Boston by a dub mimed after him.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM REFLECTION. A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instruct*ve Lesson, and Where It May Be Found—A Learned and Concise Review of the Same. Lesson for May 10. Golden Text.—“ The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner.”—Luke 18: 13. The Lesson of Prayer is the subject this week, Luke 18: 9-17. Prayer. \\ hat more importayt subject could be mentioned? To pray well is to live well. It is the secret of the universe. Why should not more time and thought be given to this greatest consideration, learning how to pray? In prayer everything depends upon the motive or spirit. There is a kind of benefit which conies from the mere form of prayer. "Verily,” says our Lord, “they have their reward.” But to pray to the highest ends the heart must take hold upon God himself, "and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matt. 6: 6.) Let prayer be on this higher plane. Learn to talk with God and to God, not with and to men. Give prayer its true, higher ranges of desire. Link the soul with God, ami be lifted up and strengthened. How many a time one has come away from a service more impressed and comforted by the prayer, even, tfian by the sermon. The discourse may Imre been excellent and may have been studiously prepared. But the preparation necessary for the offering of acceptable petitions goes further back. It takes hold upon all the life. It represents imleed the soul's fellowship with God. The only way to learn to pray well is to be much with < iod. We tell our heart life when we pray. Lesson Hints. Iho whole chapter is about prayer. It begins with the parable of the importunate widow and closes with the incident of the importunate blind man, Bartimaeus. Both got what they sought. Seek and ye shall find. '1 ho verse preceding the lesson contains the strange query, "Nevertheless, when the Son of man Cometh, shall he find faith on tho earth?" We shall understand it better if we sny, following the Greek m re literally, this faith, e. g.. faith in prayer, faith that God will do what be hns promised, faith to fulfill our part in the conditions. The especial direction of this parable, however, is toward those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and “despised others." It is this last part that vitiates in large measure the whole, the despising others, setting oneself above others. This and the thought of rightcousness ns in ourselves, rather than as imputed "f God. How. in the first place, can one w ho trusts in himself pray to any being outside of himself? How, fn the sc >m! place, can one pray ne. vitably who counts others about him. using the word literally, good for nothing? Ami this particularly is to be noted, the publican a pl.-a, :n» it were, out nt what the Pharis-*- throws nwny. “Even •» this publics a," says the latter with mntempt and spurning. "Yes," says the publican, “thnt is myself. I am n sinner and nnu -rtl'r, a castaway But G>d in hear. w. ju-t l>. < t ;— ■ nf th have mercy Tins was. ifi- r a.i. the best prayer he < -uld "fler. F.>r what is prayer but bring- : :g our '■mp’m-" :■> God’* fullness, our urn • antic" t > hi* • >mple’>-n> 'S. our sin t > h - sinlessiioss? “Go l bo merciful,” he -i• *. "to me a sinm r." To w hem else can G• I be nu rciful? Mere) seated is the word, th,» root referring t-> the cover of tie- irk. Where d<>o« God sit in mercy ex. pl w h-Te he can save confessed sin- : er- ? In short, the Pharisee asked just.ce, hi- just desert*, noting more; nnd he got what h- 1 a*ke I. The publican asked for mercy; and mercy he received. There s-'ems bo little connection beI" "ii the Li*’ part of the 'elected scripture. the incident of the children, and tho first part. th<> parable <.f the Pharisee and th-’ pubh ’n. I’ may afford, however, something of a side-light on the spirit which should characterize those that 1 onto t > God >n prayer. Behold Christ plucking up the little children that gathered about his feet. Thus does he give himself most fully to the simple hearted and sineore. Come to <’hrist always in the similitude of a child. 111 list rat ions. • ine of the lessons of prayer is patience. Some one represents a child with a disseeted map. the father standing by to see it put together. The pieces, not at once fitting, the petulant child breaks off a corner Imre and a corner there, and some piece' qui:-* in two to force them into place. In the end the whole is awry, marred and confused, and tho child crying. Then tho father gravely reproves the child for two things; 1. for not leaving the parts as they had been wisely planned; 2, for not appealing to the father who knew the adjustment from the beginning. Tn a werd. {uitience was nee,!—!, patience’ » do and beep >n doing. p.iCnce to ask and keep .m asking, patience to wait and keep on waiting. Another lesson of prayer is submission. Drummond represents a ship <tiptain crossing the great ocean with his craft, three times api-ealel to on the way. Once a small boy wants him to stop the great ship to get his ball that has rolled into the deep. He refuses. Another lime a little girl thinks her doll has fallen into the brine. He goes below, and, finding it in the engine room, quiets her mourning by rcstoring the plaything to her. At last a man falls overboard, and the great engine is reversed while the lifeboat is sent to his rescue. At the wharf the captain brings the boy another ball. In each prayer or appeal was answered, but differently, according to tho circumstances of the case. Trust the wisdom of God. Next Losson “Parable of the Pounds.” Luke 19; 11-27. It Unites AH Graces. Love is like the diamond—pure, white. Other graces shine like the precious stones of nature, each with its own hue of brilliance, the diamond uniting all colors with one beautiful and simple white. Love uniting all graces is the fulfilling of the law, the beauty of holiness, the image of God. (Jeorge S. King, the oldest living Ironmaster, is now 86 years of age, and is hale and hearty, thoroughly enjoying his home in Johnstown, Pa.

RECORD OF THE WEEK INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY TOLD. Jas. Walden of Sprague Confesses to a Murder Committed Years Ago, and Then Dies —Grief Over the Tragedy, Also Killed His Victim’s Sweetheart. Fays He Killed Sprague. On a pleasant May evening, about eighteen years ago. Paul Sprague, an estimable young man of Woodville, fell a victim to a shot from some assassin as he sat at his window in his home. No crime has ever been committed which was more deeply engulfed in mystery than the murder of young Sprague, who often iiointed with pride to the fact that he was without an enemy, and was ever ready to be--1 rien l the most miserable wretch and help the poor and needy. The revelation is at last 1 ere. and to tho great surprise and astonishment of the entire community. James Walden, a highly respecteil citizen, confessed in his last moments that In- had commit ted the crime and had lived in almost ] erpetnal torment since he tired the । fatal shot. Saturday morning Walden . sent for Constable Frost, stating that ’ he wished to make a statement regarding the commission of a certain crime. After a drive of about nine miles the cottage where Walden lived was reached, and, when ushered into his presence lie broke down and wept with child-like simplicity. He told tiie following story in broken sentences, being very low with consumption: "Boys, I will not be with you long aud I want to confess to the murder of Paul Sprague, which occurred eighteen years ago. for which I have thus far escaped from the clutches of the law here, but expect to soon answer to a higher tribunal. I would not have killed Sprague had it not been that I was intensely jealous of him. He was to have bei*n married to Miss May Collins the day after his death, nnd I was desperaiely in love with Miss C-dlins. I conld not bear to see her made the wife of another. It was not known that I was in love with tho young woman, as I had not-even spoken to her on the subject, but was waiting for an opportunity when I might do so. The chance did not present itself, and on the flay of the murder I learned for the first time that Miss Collins was soon to wed. I nt once liocatne enraged and, after procuring a revolver. I went home and waited until night, when I went to the home of Sprague and secreted myself until I caught a glimpse of him at the window, and without a moment’s warning I fired nnd then ran hastily to my home. I remained in the town about two months and then went to Ohio, whore 1 have lived inti! about a year ago. when I retnrned to this place.” Walden attempted to say something else, but failed, having fallen into a stupor. He grew weaker until he died. While Walden- had held himself aloof from society aud lived by himself, yet he was never suspected of committing the murder. Miss Collins was heart-broken over the murder of her ’ lover nnd after an illness of two months died. All Over the State. > Elijah Mannan, a prosperous farmer, i aged 66 wears, committed suicide at his » homo near Eminer -e by shooting. He r bad been iF! ami was despondent. i The Hart ford City Glass Company's r I box factory and blacksmith shop burned. I I •<*, $IO,O(M». covered by insurance. Fire • started in Lariaux’s bakery. Loss, sl,**i. al*o insured. Frank Dailey, ag-d 34. and Joseph Berard. aged 30, while attempting to cross tho Sr. Joseph river near Leo, nine miles north of Fort Wayne, were carried over '.he dam and drowu<'d. The bodies were found. While sailing on Nine Mile lake, near Warsaw, a boar containing Miss Edna Hanson and Earl C. Ilortenpart was capsized. Miss Hanson was drowned. Ilortenpart was unconscious when picked up by a row boat, and his recovery is doubtful. The body of Miss Hanson was recovered. George L. Woolsey, of New York, who built, about a year ago, the largest ifistillery in the world at T.>rre Haute, which was afterward purchased by the American Spirit Company, has purchased ground and will ar once begin the construction of another distillery, with a capacity of s.ihh> barre!'. The glass companies turning oat fruit jars and other such wares have effected ■i trust aud will advance prices and sell all goods through a common agency at Muncie. Frank Ball has been appointed manager of the selling agency. The trust takes in the Pennsylvania company of Anderson, the Ball Brothers ar Muncie and the plants at Red Key and Marion. < inly two small plants are out. They will begin blowing trait jars at once. A general alarm called G^t Muncie’s entire fire department Tuesday, and when the apparatus was pulled into the court house yard thousands of citizens crowded around the large stone building. The firemen hurried into tho building and chopped .town d->>rs to make their way to cho irurrot and flom -, a lien- it was thought tin- tire was b- ate.l. County officials and other people commenced to carry out documents. and for fifteen minutes excitement ran high. Finally the firemen made a complete investigation, and then the mystery was solved. A number of people had noticed that which resembled a volume of smoke issuing from the dome of the building, ami. thinking there was a tire, turned in an alarm. That which looked like a volume of smoke proved to be a dense swarm of small bugs that had congregated about the dome and in the shutters. There were so many of them that it required thirty minutes for them all to leave, and they could bo seen moving through the air in dense throngs. The firemen were quite indignant td think that they hail climbed to the top of the building only to find a swarm of bugs, and they sought revenge by turning the hose on the remaining insects and washed the dome clean of them. F. M. Brown, of Shelby township, Ripley County, while plowing in his field, unearthed a quantity of Mexican, Spanish. English and American coins, some of them bearing date of 1794 and none of them of a coinage of less than seventy years ago. Among the collection were a number of rare coins, worth many times their face value. Altogether the values foot up in excess of $l,00(k but Mr. Brown has deposited them iu the bank at Versailles for sale to antiquarians. This Is the fifth time within ten years that buried treasure has l^en found iu tha^, immediate neighborhood. , J - al I I