Bloomington Courier, Volume 9, Number 33, Bloomington, Monroe County, 16 June 1883 — Page 3

WASHINGTON NOTES. Judge Graham has instructed postmasters to treat newspapers as sacredly as letters, ami be will recommend a reduction of postage on casual newspapers to one cent. p. X Sneehy, who served as one of the jurors in the Guitean trial, has become insane, and will be conveyed to an asylum this week, flis insanity has been gradually developing ever since the hanging of Guitean, which event seemed to have a powerful effect on a mind that before that had not hown the least indications of weakness. The fourth auditor of the treasury has finished auditing the accounts of surviving members of the crew of the lost arctic exploring steamer Jeannette. Ho holds that they are not entitled to witness fees or to reimbursement for the amount paid by them for board, etc while in Washington in attendance on the Jeannette court of inquiry. He limits their allowances to their sea pay as seamon. General Sherman will start on his last grand round of inspection in a few weeks, ft is his purpose to visit all the outposts of consequence throughout the West, and to say farewell in persou to the entire frontier. The trip will occupy two or

three months, probably. The General

will give up his house on July 1st. His family will leave before that date, however, and their present intention is to remain away from Washington for several years. . The Civil Service Commission gives notice that competitive examinations for admission to the public service will be held between the 19th of June and the 3d of July at the following places: Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Lonisville.Milwaukee. New Orleans, Pittsburg, Port Huron, St. Louis and San Francisco. Any person wishing to be examined at either of said places, for service in any Department at Washington, should send a written request to the Civil Service Commission at that place, for a proper application blank which will be supplied. General Phii Sheridan is probably not aware that he is to have a very fine residence in the most fashionable quarter of the capital, presented to him when he arrives here next fall to succeed General Sherman as the head of the army. Certain of his admirers have, however, bought him a house, and it was paid for and the conveyance made. The price paid is $43,000. The place was purchased from Judge Aldis, of the French-American claims commission, and was built by him about four years ago. It is located in the northwest quarter, on Bhode Island avenue. Secretary Chandler received and considered the memoranda furnished by the navy-y ard commission, Commodore Luce, president, concerning their proposed report to Congress, and approves their recommendation for closing certain yards and a reduction of expenses in the remainder. They will take effect about July 15. The recommendations inclade the reorganization and concentration of the mechanical departments of every na ty-yard, so that there shall be one shop in each for the performance of the same class of work. The yards at Peosscola, Norfolk and New London, Conn., are to be clos d, though the Norfolk yard is to be kept in working condition.

Inquiries recently made into the man -ner fire insurance business is conducted here has developed some curious things. It is shown that the dozen local companies doing business on an aggregate capitafof about 81,000,000 carry 0,000,000 in risks on city property, and the eightyeight agency companies representing 8150,000,000 capital, are cariymg about thesam amount of risks. The local companies are accountable to nobody,and the people who have been blindly paying them SI 50,000 a year in premiums are showing an anxiety to learn whether or not they are buying indemnity aratnst loss when they make their contributions The destruction of any full business square clown town would probably wipe the local companies out of existence. The insured are beginning to clamor for a new insurance law. Congressman Ryan, of Kansas, has arrived in Washington direct from his Si ate. He has recently passed through a large portion of it. He wa'; asked regarding the condition of the crops. Said he, "The prospect is immense. From appearances we shall have the biggest general crop we ever had. The wheat looks the finest I ever saw it with us, and vastly ahead of a year ago at this time. The heavy rains we had wet clear down and brought it up splendidly. We find, too, there is a larger acreage than we had supposed. Weshall liave almost as much as we harvested last year. Last fall there was a drouth so that farmers could not sow as early as they are accustomed to,so

me area was uiminisneo, due not to so great an extent as we had supposed. As

for corn, it looks well so far, although

planting was backward. In the southern

part of the State it is up to an ordinary

man s shoulder and strong and healthy.

The fanners are all happy." m 1 it - m

xne soiaiers are getting ready ror a

systematic movement upon the next Congress, with a view of sec ring another in

crease of their pensions, and other legislation in their behalf. Francis A. Us-

burn, president of the United States

Maimed Soldiers" League, whose headquarters are in Philadelphia, is sending out circulars for contributors to influence legislation in their interests. The circular says: "You should now see the importance of keeping what we have gained

by sustaining in future wa chful organization, having the ability and power to go lo Washington and eave pensions from being reduced to what they were before, if not lower. It was stated by senfitors when our bill was considered by the Senate that a commission would shortly be appointed to rerate the entire pension list; that it was too high, and that the various grades shoul i be equalized." An organization is also thought of by some of the old veterans having in view the passage of a law civing each soldier of the late war 100 acres of land. Col.Thomas Worthington, an old veteran, who has spent the last several years at. Washington trymg to obtain the passage of various claims for pension b Congress, is one of the foremost agitators of this movement. The immense business of the Pension

Office appears from the monthly report of the Mail Divisir m for May. In round numbers the new cases received were 5,(i00. There were 30,000 pieces of additional evidence pent in. The reports received from the Adjutant Geoeral,and the Surgeon General numbered nearly 31,.

000; of miscellaneous letter, not inquires, there were20,000;'tho surgeons certificates numbered 15,000; the orders for medical examinations returned were 80,000; the special examiners forwarded 9,500 reports; the letters of inquiry numbered 25,500. The total number of pieces received was lS7,39f, and the total number of letters sent out. was 155,169. The trial number of pension certificates issued for the month was 9,791,aud of the- 4,113 were under the increase act of March Inst. The figures show the amount of work which this office is doing for the soldier.

SHE LIKED IT.

Facts for Farmers. It is stated that by spreadiug salt on the ground undei plum trees as far out as the ranehes extend, a good crop is often secured, as it interferes with the operations of the curcnlio. The same application is good for bark liec. The size of farms is decreasing for the transition to better farmiug. A noticeable feature of the change is that very small farms have also decreased in numbers: indicating that raedinra sized farms are found more profitable. A writer in the Country Gentleman says the following recipe will cure hairs and beef: To four gallons of water add six or eight pouuds of fiue salt f accord ing to the length of time that meat is to kept), and three ounces of saltpeter, with molasses or sngar to give flavor to the b'ine. This pickle should be scaldciLbut not boiled, and stirred until the salt is dissolved, skimming off all that rises. Apply hot; then the brine will strike to the bone. T. B. Terry reminds farmers that a "stitch in time" saves labcr in looking after potato beetles as well as in any other busiuess. By picking off the first titles that appear,the second crop will be largely diminishe 1. For those which escape, and there are always some, he uses a pan with a handle and a long paddle. With these implements a man need not stoop, and can gather from two rows at once,the tops are hot injured, and there is no danger of poison. The cut meats of a 250 pound hog will usually average about as follows:

Pounds.

4 to. 81 S to 82 2 or 30

The missing 11 to 17 per cent., or 22 to 35 pounds, partly goes into fee., head, trimmings, bones, tenderloins, &e., and part is lo3t by shrinkage.

Lincoln and the Quakeress. During the war Mrs. Gurney, an eminent Quakeress, sought an interview with Mr. Lincoln in order to animate his spirit by exhortation and prayer. One rainy Sunday morning she, in company with three Friends, saw the President in his private room at the White House. In a short address she assured him of the sympathy which she and the Friends feu f r the burden-bearing Execntive. She then knelt in fervent prayer for him and the country. As Mrs. Gurney was leaving, the President took her hand, and, holding it for a few minutes in silence, said: "I am glad of this interview. In the very responsible situation in which I am

placed, as an humble instrument in the

hands of my Heavenly Father, I have desired that all my words and actions

may be in accordance with His will; but

if, after endeavoring to do my best with

the light which he affords me, I find my

efforts fauV then I must believe that for

some purpose unknown to me He wills it

otherwise. If I had had my way this war

would never have been, but nevertheless

it came. If I had had my wav the war

would have ended before his, but nevertheless it still continues. We must conclude that He permits it for some wise purpose, though we may not be able to comprehend it. For we can not but believe that He who made the world still governs it."

Per cent.

Clear rib sides .43. to H or Shoulders 15 to . 16 or Haras 1 to 15 or Lard 12 to 15 or

Susan adorned her well-turn 1 limbs With rtelionte hire, hut not forhov, Yot overvwhoro that Susan tvouti The vi:ul wonUl sure tt rlltwel hor to ohnrch one day, Y;u nifccliievously naughty on the street, As Susan often found. And when the Boston shut it out, It frisked and capered near, Rimmhi impatiently abotit Till Susan should uppettr. "What makes the wind plarue Susan so?" Kind-hearted young men erird; "Cause Sutnn don't object, yon know," An elderly maid replied

A DOCTOR'S STORY.

A Whistling Robber. Gen 'Ionian's Magazine The Russians in Ukraine tell a qn story about a whistling robber of olden times, who evidently was a person of gigantic proportions,fnr he was i" the habit of sitting on nine oak trees at once. One of the nicknames given to him was "Nightingale," on account of his extraordinary whistling powers. Should an unwary traveler come across his path he would whistle so melodiously that his victim would quickly faint away, whereupon he stepped forward and killed him outright. At last, however, a well-known hero, by name II ja Marometz, determined to subdue the robber, and having shot him with an arrow, took him prisoner, carrying nim off to the court of the Grand

Prince Vladimir. Even there he proved

dangerous, for when the Grand Prince, merely from cunoaity, commanded him to whistle, the Grand Princess and all the royal children being present, the man commenced whistling in such an overpowering manner that soon Vladimir and his whole family would inevitably have been dead had not one of the brave courtiers, perceiving danger, got up and shut the whistler's mouth.

West Pointers. Special to the Commercial Gazette: At West Point, Ohio stands at the lu?ad,nnd of the graduating class seven are from that State. Their standing will probably be as follows: Langfilt first, Hancock 6, Daff20, Kennedy 21, Cochrane, 29, Tag gart 50, Edwards, Clarence 40; ltoot, of

Indiana, is 24; MeQuinton 47 and Bandy, of Indiana, will probably graduate 52. Pennsylvania com: s next to Ohio with five, one of whom stands third. Illinois also graduates five, who are well up in the class. In the far West, California and Nevada break in on the usual reoord,and each graduates one. Of the Southern States, the leading position is taken by North Carolina, which graduates four, one of whom stands fifth in the list. Massachusetts has four representatives,, two of whom graduate close together, being fourteenth and sixteenth in tho list . New Xork has three.

England has 7,917,000 square miles of colonies and possessions beyond Hie seas, in extent twice as large as all Europe, with 21,000,000 inhabitants, of. which 200,000,000 are in India' 5,000,000 in Canada, 3,000,000 in Australia and 1,000, 000 at the Cape.

Augustus May, an employe of Guar, Scott & GVs., Richmond, thinks a spring in his cellar, in which he discovered oil, last Sunday, will yield in sufficient quantity to pay.

If is not so far back but that I can "remember very well how and when T ',omjneuced the practice of medicine. By way of introduction to my story I must say a few words of that tune. When M. D. was tacked to my nnine I bowed at two shrines, my profession and my Angelina. Her namo was iiot Angelina, but my wife, b-ung a modest Utile lady, declares she shall not be dragged before the inquisitive public. Let, then, the abstract Angelina represent th- real woman. I conceal my name for similar reasons. Of course I had a rival. Name, Richard Seniors; age, twettty-six: genioral appearance, striking and handcomo; character, very bad. Neither my alTectiou for this gentleman nor It's affection for me would have started a conflagration on any river of which I know. We disliked each other from the first. "Being a much handsomer man than myself, he might have been a dangerous rival. However, he saved me the trouble. He committed a forgery which was discovered much sooner than fee expected. He was arrested for the Menee. tried and convicted. T was one of the principal witnesses against him. When the sentence was passed upon him he requested a moment's conversation with me. hasTll never forget tho look 'of hatred on His face as he hissed out,--"Yon have ruined my love and my life. Remember that, and fear me." T am not a timid mar., and attached but little importance to his threat. X thought it simply the bluster of a Ptfif defeated and disgraced rival. Soon after Angelina and I were married, and, as the story books say, "lived hapny ever afterward.' So much by wav of introduction; now to .my storv: We had been married a little over two years. During that time T had heard nothing of Snraera. His sentence had been a comparatively light one a year and six months. After his discharge from prison I neither saw or heard of him. For so young a man T had been very successful as a phvsieiafi. Perhaps nv success wac due to my strict attention to practice. No matter how late, or bow dark nnd ftformv richt tW t" t promptly Athuded o every summons to the bedside of sntTe ring. One night a little before the hour of retiring, the door hell nmg, and shortly after a man entered the room where we trpr eHHncr. TTe thc not nrepos.'smg. Hi fa?iir was short and thick and the general east of hi$ features villainous.

Ho evidently h longed to that variety

of fowl known as the .iail bird. Nevertheless, without hesitation, I put on my

coat and hat and prepared to go with

him.

"A gentleman,'' lie said, "has broken his leer." T thought it a piiy that, if he were in any way like his -messenger, he hadn't

broken his neck, T did not tell mv wife

where I was goin g, for it was a distant part of the town, mud in anything but a respectable neighborhood. T did notwisb to make the little woman nervous. On our way rav friend, the jail-bird, was very uncommunicative, answering my questiens about the injured man in surly monosyllables. He was apparently in no haste, for he walked very slowly more slowly, I thought, than was consistent with tho welfare of my patient. At last we arrived at our destination. If was a very dark-looking house, in a very dark little, street. My guide led me up two flights of stairs, that creaked objections to our weight, upon them. Tn the third story, we stopped before a door, winch to ray surprise, my companion opened with -a key, wnieh he took from his pocket. Was he afraid that a man with a broken leg would escape? It was still more surprising when, on entering the room, I found it empty! He motioned me to a eh sir, and, remarking he would soon return, left the room. For the first -ime T was somewhat nervous and suspicions. The emptv room.

the actions of my guide, his carelessness on our way as to tho health snpposed injured man, the lonelv bouse and the neighborhood, combined to make ine suspect foul play. T stepped to the door only to find it locked from the outside to the window only to find escape impossible there. Tt was many feet from the ground. My suspicions were now certainties, I was trapped. None of my friends, not even my wife, knew where I was. I micrht lie murdered in this den, and my death remain a mystery. I suppose I waited about an hour before I heard the key turn in the door. Then to my dismay, half a dozen men entered. When nature had made the jail-bird who had led me into the trap, she did not break the mould. These gent1 emeu were of the samo pattern. AH wore the same hang-dog, murderous look. One of them

raised the light in the room which had been burning low. Witn hardly a glance at me, they took seats on tho floor and began to play cards. Soon the door again opened, and an

other man entered. I hardly had a hope as I looked at him, for I saw the exhulting face of my enemy Dick Somc-ns! At a glance he saw I recognized him. With a malicious leer he stepped forward, and quoted his own words of two years before he said, "Yon have ruined my love and my life. Remember that, and fear me!" "Homers," T said - for my life I couldn't have called him Mr. Homers "I know t hut yea have trapped me here for the purpose of revenging yourself upon mo, but remember, sir, that f have friends! Remember law and justice!" ut fear nothing," he answered. "Revenge on you is dearer (o me than life, and though for me the. Imttomless pit were yawning, 1 would have if." I saw it was useless to appeal to this

man, and 1 sullenly waited for wbatseomc.l fate. At his command the ruttbms searched lift. One of them, who appeared to be a kind of treasure" for the gang, secured

j my watch and pocket-book. Then they j t'ed me whh stout ropes to n chair.

Homers did not address me again, on! sat upon the floor and gambled with the rt Presently he rose, and saving ho would return by daybreak, left the room, lie evidently felt that I was in his power, and seemed in no hurry to complete his revenge. When he had gone the card playing was kept up for a eon pie of hours. Then they all stretched themselves upon the floor and slept. The door opened inward and across it was the burly form of the treasurer. Tn spite of the apparent hopelessness of a trial, I set about cevising some plan of escape: The first thing was to free myself. T have large wrists and unall hands. In tying me they had not taken this into consideration. Without much difficulty T liberated my hands; then, of course, it was the work of but a few seconds to ent rely free myself from the bonds. Taking the precaution to place the ropes in such a position should any of the gang waken, T would still appear to bo bound. T thought upon my chances to escape. They certainly appeared very few and small. The fact of the men upon the

floor being asleep, seemed little in my fa vor. T could not move the ruffian who was sleeping at the door without waking him. As T have before stated, escape bv the window was impossible. Every plan that had suggested itself hndinsiirmounfable objections to it. T had almost gives' no scheming in despair, nnd concluded tr adopt some honelessly desperate measiw when T thought of the contents of a bottle I had in my rocket. Tn searching, the ruflians had not listurbed it, flunking it of no importance. Tt contained chloroform, T also had :i sponge in my pocket. Tn a moment T resolved what to do. Prawing the bottle from my pocket I soaked the sponge thoroughly with its contents. Slowly, painfully ft could hear my heart beat with all the caution that a man uses when his life mav deoend on the slightest noise, I stepped to the eide of the nea'-est ruffian. I placed the saturated sponge to his nose. T saw him qireklv yield to the influence of the vapor. From man to nvm T steppeil. Then, opening the door, I stepped into theha'l. I stil! moved a'-out cautiously, feeVnor that danger was not past I thought there might be a watcher there, but, to my relief, I saw no one. T descended the first flight of stairs, and reached the second story in safety. I had gone half way down the second flight. My heart stood still, for I heard some one enter below: then, in the muttered oath, I recognized Homers voice, T crouched down upon the stair next the walk horh "f nnpp TV. q i a .e up. ii hand brushed my face. Tn a moment he had me bv the throat. T knew him to be by far the most powerful man, and if was not a time for scruples. Luckily, it being so dr.rk he could not see the action, I raised the b' ack jack--T had held it since T left the room -ano brought i down heavily uprn his skn1!. His hand lift nr 1ro?tj and n lifeless mass rolled down the. stairs. T found him at the foot quite sHU. T made good my escape, not stooping to see if t h id kiTed him. T do not know to lns day whether he is 1 ivin7 or d ad. T on ' y k now I never saw or heard of him again. When T arrived home I found a vow frightened little woman, but did not tell her until Ion cr afterward the history of that night. T have never since been in such s; My, and if discretion and a reasonable snpp'y of coward en ;.t vent it, never will be in the future.

Our Millionaires. Money is becoming eo coirunn among us thr.t in a few years the possessor of a million of dollars will no longer be a marked man. Formerly $ I Oo.hiH) was a sum of money which entitled its wner to consider himself a v an of weight and importance, now we hear f one hundred millions without sf a eg ring. Jav Gould now on the eve of retirement from business will fake with him in his private life the last named sum. This crent'eman has thirty millions in tho Think of England a safe place T suppose in ceas any thine happens. Commodore Vanderbilt died worth one hundred millions, of which he left fifty-two millions to his eldest f-ou, who i credited with having doubled it, and the rest was divided enionersi- his othe sons. A nice little sum to divide that- -n'est ce pas. A. T. Htewart, who, when living, was supposed to be the n'ehest man in the States, caused much surprise when it was discovered that ha was worth onlv sixf v.six millions Ye gods? only sixty-six! We talk of these sums of money, which a few decade43, nay a few years asro, would have seemed fabulous with a fine indifleronee n''wadivs. T h'le just seeu a copy of the first New York Herald ecr printed. Tt is a sirrdl page about the size of foolscap. Tt wrf nrinted on July 17, 1834, and tho father of the present proprietor printed and ptibMshed it himself, and as a finish to 'his day's work sold it in propria persona on the sidewalk. His son, Mr. .Tames Gordon Bennett, derives from this paper alone an income of a million dollars, and one proportionately large from the Evening Telegram. This gentleman gave 100,000 to the 1 rish relief fund. On his recent isit to a fashionable German wa tering place Mr. Benuett had a fancy for having Strauss' Band, tho most famous band in Germany, to p!ay duly on his balcony for himself hnd friends during their ton days' visi. This liftle freak cost him in the reighborh od of $100,000. Happy man. One can only shrug one's shoulders and contemplate. Mr. James W. Maekav is another millionaire. On his wife's return from her

late European tour the Custom House oflieors valued her wardrobe at S600,0()0. He is the owner of a bonanza mine in NTevada. His father was a laborer, and was tilling the ground, when eliek! bin

spade struck something hard silver and in a conple of weeks ho was a millionaire. Mr. Mackny has purchased Victor EmanueTs country scat in Italy for $100,000. Lat, but not least, T will mention the Antors. No Bonanza here, no speculating. The Astors belong to the real o!d Knickerbocker families, and their money is derived from real estate. As long as an Afitor lives that Astor will be a rich man, and his descendants forever. The

original Astor was among tho Dutch settlers before the Revolution. The grandfather of the present Astor, however owned, at one time, almost the whole island of Manhattan in the form "f an immense farm, for which ho puid originally hve or six hundred had earned dollars. This farm stretched from what i now Hle eker street io what is now llarlam, Tt was famous for growing the most beautiful fruits and flowers. Imagine the strawberries that flourished where now stands the Fifth Avenue Hotel in all its glory, and tako breath and try to estimate thy wealth of the man who owns three or more square mites of the city "f New York, where one can not live in a decent house unless one can pay 11,000 a ear rent. The wealth of the Astors is Euid to far exeeedthatof the Rothschilds.

A "Retainer" Explained. The following anecdote is related of Daniel Websf or: When Webster was at

tho zenith of his career, one day a gentleman waited upon him to engage him for tho defouse ii an important cae at law the amount at stake in the suit being 000. Having stated the cae from his j oint of view, Mr. Webster said he was willing to take it; but the client ouldnot tell exactly when the caso would come on. '"Very well," said Wt hater, ;if you retain me for the defouse, I will hold myself in readiness, and will not engage 'or the plaintiff. The gentleman hsIhI what tho retaining fee would be? "A thousand dollars. ' "A thousand dollars!" oxel aimed the gentleman. "Yes. Only think for a moment what 1 engage to do sir. I do not only hold myse.f at your service in the matter,perhaps for a month or more, but 1 debar myself from accepting any offer, no matter bow large, from the plaintiff." The applicant was satistied with this explanation, wrote ont a check for the amount, and gave it to the 5s' r eat expounder who, after he had put it in his poeket, said: "I will now give you a bit of advice, gratis. If you can compromise this business upon fair terms with the plaintiff you had better do so." The client acknowledged his thanks, and took his leave. In a few days after the gentleman called upon Mr. Webster a gain and told him that a compromise had been effected, and the matter was satisfactorily settled. Mr. Webster duly congratulated his visitor on the result, and would have tuni 5d to other business, but the visitor seemed to have something further on his mind. "Of course," he venured, .aftr a pause, "I shall net require your services, Mr. Webster," 'TVrh'Vy not sir," "And and ho.v about the$V 000 I paid you ?" faintly asked the gentleman, who was not quite reconciled to paying sneb a sum for ser ices which was never to be rendered. "Oh. ah!" responded Daniel, with a bland smile; "ou don't seem to understand, it is very simple. That was a retaining fea called in law a retainer. By virtue of the contract I also became a retainer. What should I leffm if no W fee? Th gentleman wint away, if is sj id, thoroughly instructed, if not unite satis fieri, with this practical lllu t ration of a "retainer." Straw Lumber. Iron arp. Tho other day we had occasion to investigate pretty thoroughly the diameter, properties, and uses of straw lumber. As some p our readers know, this is an article manufaiu red at the We-.t, and turned out in boards or sheets thirty--three inches in wi. lib by twelve feet in length, and of various thiekiu s:... It h heavie" th .a black walnut, has no gndu is of the color of sraw-Uoard,t' ongh considerably darker, and is much stronger and stiller than ordinary timber. Though made in considerable quantity at the present time, the supply is hardly equal to the demand. There are advantages in this material which in the near future will probably make it of the highest value,not only for carpenters and architects, but for the carbuilder, and in fact for the mechanics treuerally. Its toughness, the. firmness with which it holds nails and screws, the ease with which it can be cut, and the fact that it can be cut by the aid f heat, shaped in dies, nnd is not liable to shrink or warp, and is little affected by water, even when unprotected, r.iakes the range of its probable uses extraordinarily great. It seems to bo a non-conductor of heat and eh-etrieity. U can be rolled up into pipes of great str. ngth and light weight, and is available for a range of nses for paneling purposes for which we have no equivalent. Aaron Burrs Pistols 1 iimv5Hn (Mirir-Pmrnnl. Some weeks ago I r.ut across p rhnps the mst f annua and fatal firearms on this continent -tho superb duelling pistols of Aaron Bu rr. They are a bone-breaking brace of the first calibre, and the property of Capt. Brent Hopkins of this city. One of these pistols fired the ball that killed Alexander Hamilton at Wee hawkeu. It is identified by a Ion , deep notch indented on the handle. The pistols were made by Mortimer of London, England, and were imported by Burr at the close of the Revolutionary war. The barrels arc thirteen inches long and carry an ounce ball. They are flint locks, and the :ans of the priming are lined with gold, and the touch holes are bushed with the same metal. They are hair triggers, and shoot with great force and accuracy. The locks aro very superior and of exquisite mechanism. The pair came into tho possession of Capt, Brent Hopkins, the present owner, through his uncle Oapt. Ham Goncfe Hopkins of the Forty second Regiment of United States Dra goons, who purchased them from Burr m Washington CHty in the winter of 18 13 or ISM, paying S"00 in gold for them, linnremarked at tho time that ho would not let any one else have the pistols, as he had used them with Hamiltom, The weapons have surely a hloo I stuin ed history. They have been used with fatal effect in eleven duels. Among the sanguinary combats, Pettis of Virginia

EMANCIPATION,

killed Riddle o 1 Bloo 1 I Ian 1, n nr St Louis; Edward Towns of Virginia killed a Frenchman near New Orleans: Oapt. Sam Goode Hopkins killed a Spanish Count near Madrid, Mo.; Hugh Bent lulled a man from Oeorgia on Diamond Islaud below Henderson, Ky. They were used several times in Virginia, twiee in South Carolina, and more than unco in Kentucky, with deadly cfieet, Robert. Tripietl of Owneshoro shot the old law

yer, Phil Thomson, of that city through j imnui yu,u

and through with oiu of taeni, but,

The Steps by Which Mr. Lincoln Was Brcugfct 10 the Issue of His Proclamation, 'i'hhiyr Colfax ir hustn Co?mrfrifinahf?t; Bin , us the great emaneipafor was, in a family of "poor whites," in a slave r-tate and his fnt her moving awav froai it to raise his children in a free state, hostility to slavery was naturally one of his earliest jirineiph s. But, while radical in his convictions, lie was always conservative in his methods. And, as President, the success of tin national can e was uppermost in bin t hough immeasurably higher than all other consi delations, personal, politieal or tnun unitarian. Urged, as he

was by his most pt werful political friends from the very op ning of the rebellion, to strike at slavery, he forbore until he had te.sh d and exhaused every other method, and then approached it very slowly, very thoughtfully and very conscientiously. Hideod, he quite incensed many of his political faith by declaring pubbely that, if he could save the Pnion without destroying slavery, he would certainly do so. His paramount dntv, he felt, was to Have the the Nation from destrmdion, and everything must be subordinated to that duty. But, when thereb lliou had continued

a full year, and it was evident beyond all question that forbearance had ceased to be a virtue, he felt that the hour of action had struck. Hi.-j first movement whs charaeterislie. After a message to Congress, urging compensated emancipation for the slaves in the border states, leaving only eight or nine stab's interested in the maintenance of the rebellion, be invited the thirty border state congressmen to a free conference with him upon this question at the White House. They met him, about the middle of July, in accordance with his requost, and he pressed them with every argument he could command to favor this plain But, after a full and frank interchange of views, he found no favor shown to his proposition by any of them, except those who were already understood to be anti-slavery in their convictions; while the rest were decidedly unfavorable in their comments. As he told me afterward, "when ths last coat-tail of these members had passed out of the executive chamber," he determined that "the ti ne had arrived for him to strike at tho institution with the battleaxe cf the national ower." lie wrote, within n tew days thereafter, July,l.S(2, the firt draft, of the Emancipation Proelmuat ion, and retl f'na original draft to my mother and myself u November following (two months after lie had published the September proclamation), to illustrate to us how he bad progressed, step by step, to the final consummation. As first written and I fear this original draft was destroyed as T have never seeu it since, in manuscript or in print he declared slavery abolished in all the districts of ihesh.ve States, which were unrrresened in Concre-s, fro the d-ib of ios mj uniu re, tut v ; delay whatever. And after writing :t he called his

cuWnet together in special moeting,about j

the !at of July, to read it t- them. He opened this extra session of his cabinet, w Inch they knew was to consider thi gieaf question, by reading thm a humorous nrlieh' by Artemus W irl, but threw it down as he comp!efc I it, saying, subst mtjally, and with a marked e ban ge in hs tore an 1 manner: "Thi1- is not what F called yon here for to-day, but to listen to a document I have resolved to r-ign and publish, the entire responsibility of winch I shall -ake on myself, only aski ig your opinion ns to itc pi ir.aseology.r FX have no doubt that the re nting of the eo7v sketch was on account of the great mental pressure upon him of the act he was contemplating. T recall another occasion when, almost heartbroken, as he told me he was,over recent reverse, ho took up and read a witty letter about himself, by Orpheus O. Kerr, to some ainrned congressman who entered the room nftir did to inquire nervously about the outlook, j After reading Ids manuscript with sol emu deliberation to it- closing line,"Dono at the city of Washington," etc., Secretary Chase, who had been walking up and down the room, broke the silence by an important suggestion, which has linked his name forever with this great act. Said he: "Mr. President, you -y you do not ask our opinion about Hrh proclamation, and you know verv well how heartily T am in favor of it. But f confess T do not like the language with which it concludes. That would answer for some formal proclamation about a treaty or something of that kind. But this is far more momentous, and 1 think should end quite differently." "Well," replied Mr. Lincoln, "what do you suggest, Chase?' The Secretary ot the Treasury must have thought about this grand sentence previously, as he could scarcely improvised it on the instant, f r lie replie 1 iustanter that he would conclude snch an important document as tnis, about as follows: "And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, 1 invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God." Secretary Seward, who was sitting at the President's right hand, had an inkstand near hint, and Mr. Tineo!n asked him to reduee Secretary Chase:? uyges turn to writing. Bu, while compljing, Mr. tit ward remarked: 4T think after the words 'warranted by the const itutioc,' I would add, 'upon military necessity, as that vmld hi ing the ac more distinctly wit hit the war power." Vou are right, Seward: add those words," responded ?Tr. Lincoln. Whoii these impresshe words were writ tea out, Secretary Seward paused and s;; id: 'Mr. Taneoln, I havj another suggestion to mnke about this document, if you wish ti hear it." "Certainly what is it?" responde I the President. 4if fear," said Mr. Seward, "we have m t :lh t;iuh reverses and ehce.lis this summer, fhtd if you issue!' is procin ma-

no Union victory had leen won since that important cabinet conference in the closing days of July. Meanwhile Mr. Lincoln became satisfied, from his constant ledection upon the subject, that the proclamation, when issued, would command greater popular support at the North,a&d possibly, therefore, 1)0 more potential to

ward tho solvation of the Union, which, to him was above all else, if he changed its phraseology further. He accordingly wrote in its stead the draft of a preliminary proclamation, warning all interested in slavery that, if the rebellion did not cease its assaults on the life of the nation within a certain specified time, lie wuld follow it with a second proclamation, which should be aimed directly at the instil ution itself. And then he waited for the Union victory which was to be the signal for this important movement how anxiously and how excitedly few of us can realize. At last, in mid-September, rumors flashed into Washington that the Army of the Potomac had, after a hard-fought battle, won a srreat victory at Antietam. But such unoflicial reports had so ofteu changed into tidings of reverse that the President still hesitated. He told me that while waiting for one or two days of nontirmation of the news, he paced the floor for hours at a time, unable otherwise to control his feelings. While thus wearily waitiug, in the most intense excitement, Secretary Stanton hurriedly entered the executive chamber with the glad news that a long special felugram was at that very hour going over the wires to a, New York paper with the details; that the battle had resulted in a decisive victory, and that a copv of the dispatch was coming into tho War Department telegraph office as fast as it was being received there. The hour had strucfc at lasfe! Un the Q52d of September, the President hurled his thunderbolt against this powerful institution, before which Presidents and courts, Congresses and parties had quailed, but whose "right," under the constitution and Union, it had so uuwisely ieonardized by its bloody war against both. The Confederate government, its Con gress and Cabinet, its generals and editors, laughed this nli-ninarv proclamation to seorn another proof of the truthfulness of the ancient axiom: f,Whom the Gods wish to destroy they first, make mad." Thev made merrv over its threat that, if the rebellion did no cease before trie year ended, he would destrov the institution which they had revolted to establish f s the eorner-,-fone of fhoir new naHon. "foro davs,nnd weeks and months slow I v passprf awav. Koveres came to the President's political organizations in the fall elections, from the AtlanMe to the Mississippi river, But Mr. Lineoln's purpose ws as unshaken as the eternal hills. The "New Tear's dav of dawned, md the President's official reception was heUV Tow well do T ie ! er lis looks on fhit mmvvn,lrt v The sari fae, even when smil big nt valued frends as thev passed; the eye.Qtha'" een ed to have had less than theTr needed sleen, and the firmlv compressed lips. He seamed, ns he. often did. not only to bnve the woe- and trials of our elation on hip threat heart, but to be lookine a wav down on the vi'ta of future centuries. Puialiv, the armv and the navy officers in their uniform of war, the foreign ministers with their decorations, the Supreme Court and the congressmen, had all spoken their New Year's greeting and had gone. And then the thousands of "the eonmon people" for whom he alwavs hnd such great regard and sincere symnafhv, for he felt he was one of them and from them, n-iserl bv him in rapid proees' ion, manvof them wringing his hand in their hearty greeting. The cloek struck '2, and the reetion was over. But the Treat woi-k of that cly with him had yet to be, done. And it was done. That evening he said to me and several other friends whom be had admitted to his roon : 'T have done the deed. My signature looks tremulous, for three hours hauil-shakine don't imnrove a man's eVrojjranhv. But mv resolution never was more firm." And then with a solemn tone T can never forcret, he added : "The South has had a fair warning. For T told them in September if they did not return to their allegiance, and cease warrincr on the Union, T would ctrike at this pillar of their strength. And now the promise shall be kept: and not one word of it will T ever reenll." Interesting Facts. Ninety-three thousand acres of land were plauted with timber in Kansas last year, Nearlv $11,000,000 worth of cattle are now grazing in what six years ago was Indian country in Texas. Great Brit-un has 18,000 rerrisfored chemists and druggists, and 2B,000 registered medical practitioners. Out of 0,027.092 registered letters and packages carried last year by the Postoffice Department, 720 were lost. A man breathes about thirteen times a minute, and uses 3,000 cubic feet, or about 375 hogsheads, of air per hour. Three thousand depositors in Connecticut saviugs banks have not made impiirs ies about tneir money for twenty yearr past. The ground upon which Cincinnati stands was purchased by .T. C. Oymmes about ninety years ago for sixty -seven cents per acre. A sleeping-car porter who traveled 60O miles with ten passengers worth over $3,000,000 each says that his perquisites were only fifty cents. The City of Newark, N. J., contaius 1,200 factories with 20,232 passengers. The capital invested is 23,916,115, and the spies foot up $00,234,525. Sea urchins are so tenacious of life that on opening one it is not uncommon to to see the pieces of fche broken shell move off in different directions. The aggregate value of the property of color ed people through Tennessee is set down at SO, 178,051, being an increase of (71,180 over the preo -eding year. Farmers in the United States have $12-

WINGED WORDS.

If words Vr birds. And swiftly tiew Prom tipe To lips Owned, dear, by yon; Would they. To-day, Ho ImwkHnnd crowd? Or blue, And true, Aud ewect ? Who knowe ? Let's play To-day Wo chooso tho beat Bird bluo And trua. With dove-hko breast ! T is queer, My dear, Wo novor knew That words, hike bird. Had wings and flew ! -Jessie McGrofifor. in St. Nicholas for Jane,

CONDIMENTS.

tion cuw, it v. i i ) c regarded as a kiud of 2HV25:)3(V2 ot capital invested in their forlorn hope, born of desrvur. U wilt be business. This sum hi eludes I arms, im

tit range t say, ThimpMn recovered, and grow as fal an a licur. Henry Clay and r r ... ......... .,.. j n...

v ii un iiiiiin m-h- t.-M u 11 uvi' mss Lki::

ronner was m nave usu me isiojy in one of his duels, but they arrived a tiny j ioo late,

considered, not as a boon lo Ethiopia, but as holding out our hands ( Ethiopia and eryinjj for heip." Wh it do you iil'i-o then about it?" as-" 'd Mr. luia'oin. "Withhold it, bv all mount," roj litnl ... . 1 .. . s t " 1

Mr. .vinmi, liU our anuiott r.avo y. an

rv wimuwlirrr. and :hon

i publish it to Hit1 world without further j delav." I A f Un- a moment thuj.fht,Mi. lj?n!n

ri..wafd, you're n'.ii, uud i will

wait. " Nt?arly two months paebed away, and

plemcnts, livestock, fertilizers and fences. Maaehu?etts fihcrieg employ 25,117

norsons, aud at least ltXl.000 persona are supported by this industry, which lias just paai'od through an unusually prosperous year in 18$42. There wore on the farms in tho United Stnteson dune I iO,8TiS,0SI boraeH, l,Kl:ytKJ mules, 00,070 oxen, HV1H,5U3 miAi etvs, 1, lSS,a90 other oattlos, oft,Ulj.ri; Hheep ami 47,1)83,051 swino. It has bxHui estimated that there are 600,000 miles of barbed wire fences in use.

Latin ia a "dead ianuage" especially when an inexperienced drug clerk fools with it. ... A Zulu belle may bp s ud to be like the prophets, bee ease she has not much on'or in her own country. An Alderman, of the typical ample dimaisions, waudered around for awhile on the 1st day of April with a placard across his back inscribed: "Widened at the expense of the corporation." A new book is called "Unspotted from the World," It evidently refers to Oapt. Howgate. He's "unspotted," as far as the polics are concerned. ' When I grow up Fll be a man, won't I?" asked a little boy of his mother. "Yes, my son; but if you want to be a man you mut be industrious at school, and learn how to behave yourself," "Why, mamma, do lazy boys turn out to be women when they grow up?' A new baby recently arrived in the family of a Louisville jour aalist,and papa was excessively proud over the event Turning to the blak nu3e. "Aunty, said he, stroking the little pate, "this boy seems to have a journalistic head." "On," cried the untutored old lady,soothingly, "never you mind 'bout dat; dat'U come all right in time." "On! why art thou not hear me, oh f my love?" sang a serenader in Glasgow the other night; and yet, when the girl, who was leaning too far out ef the window, lost her balance and trapped right on

! him, the fellow acted as confused as could

be. Sme men cannot stand success. A Wilmington (Del.) man went home the oher night and found his house locked up. After infinite trouble he managed to gain entrance through a back window, and then discovered on the parlor taole a note from his wife reading: "I have gone out; you will find the key on the side of the step." At a singing school the other mght a young man was bragging about the strength of his lungs, and invited a girl to hit him in the beant. She said she was left-bonded. lt-d been washing a11 dry, was tired, didn't feal very active, but at his urgent request lef go at him When his friends picked him up he said be now

thought he would die easier lying down.

He had lost every recollection of having any lungs, but the young woman consoled him by admitting that she didn't hit him as hard as she mvjrht have dode, because she rather liked him. Wong Fat on American Domestic Life. 8nn Francisco Wasp. Say, Wong, why do the Americans like to see wrestling and fighting?", "Oh, htm heap flaid or him ifea Melican velly fond stay out latee. Him wifee get heap mad taka a poka say, Me coolee him off.' Bimeby Melican man come home, takee off him shoes, ster.lce npstav say, Me footle ole woman AHe same him wifee open him eve say, 'Ha! whe you be so latee? Wha time you thinkee him be?' Den Melicm man him sav, 'You betfa leavee me lone me velly bad man. Me see fighee allee nicht Patsee Hogce .Tack Hallnea Mo boip sabe Sullivan knock you out in anunit. Me sabe Muldoon givee you fall bleakee vou neck. Yon let up; me velly tough man muehee worsee man Sullivan. Den him wifee bitee Melican pok wetee him ice wata, takee him wipee do flo. Nexa day newspana say heap mnchee talkee high life. Velly bad on Melican man: him get divose, alle same .Tim Fay givee him wifee million dolla and ketehee nud da gallee ." "A Leetle the Orneriest Cuss." Senator Bowen, of Colorado, tells the following storr about himself : On his return from Washington some weks ngo he was riding through Towa on the Chicago, Burlington & Qnincv road, and late at night passed Oreston, the little town where Bowen lived when a boy. At that point an old man. Deacon Elihu Baxter, boarde1 the train, and Bowen recognized him. Of course the venerable deneon didn't know Bowen from auybody else, and when the two fell into conversation nnd B nven gave out he was from Colorado In had the deneon at a disadvantage. "From Colorado, eh?" said Deacon Baxter. "Their new Sena tor, Tom Bowen, is an Towa lxv did you ever meet, the cuss?" "Well, yes; ofFn on, replied Senator Boweu, rather nervously. "They tell heaps of yarns on him," continued Deacon Baxter, "an' some of the stories are purty tongh. But T gbess mo ?t on 'em is true, for T knew him when be was a boy, and,' if mv recollection serves me right he was a leetle the orneriest cuss I ever sen." A Good Ghost. New York special to the Commercial Gazette: A icmarkable story is tokl in eouneetion with the death of James Laugdon, clerk in tho tax ofUce, which occurred on Tuesday evening last A short time after his body had been removed from the room in which he died to the parlor in front, a married and siugle daughter of the deceased entered the vacant room and beheld, as they say, an apparition, which they described as a small bluolichtot dazzling briUiaucy. The lights which was almost the size of an ordinary candle flame, veut about the bed iu which Mr, Lnngdon had died in the the form of a circle and disappeared, when the young ladies, bes'de themselves with terror, embraced and uttered piercing cries. The younger sister has not yet recovered from the shock. Both saw the apparition at the same time. Au..ther singu lar circnmstanoQ related by the friends of the deceased is the cloak in the office m which ho had worked for nearly a quarter of a century stopped at 7:20oclock m Monday night, while Mr. Langdon'a

death occurred at 7:20 o'clock the following evening. The clock is still stopped, and will not be set again until the funeral takes place.