Bloomington Telephone, Volume 11, Number 17, Bloomington, Monroe County, 2 September 1887 — Page 2

Bloomington Telephone BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA. 1TAT.TEK 3 1UU01TTE, - - Ptolishwi

At the laying of the foundation stone ef the Imperial Institute the Queen used glasses in public for the first time. The lenses were no larger than a shilling piece, and set in a plain bit of tortoise shelL Aaron Gove, President-elect of the National Educational Association and Superintendent of the Denver public schools, is 49 years old. He is a native of Rockingham County, N, H., and has resided in the West a quarter of a century. W. P. Blakf, Professor of Geology at Harvard College, who has been exploring the wonders of California, declares the great Yoseniite Valley is imply the bed of an immense glacier, and that ice action only ceased quite recently in California. The game of croquet has become so near obsolete that only a few hundred sets are now sold where they used to sell by the tens of thousands. Nobody wants to be called ahorse thief, liar, deadbeat, swindler, highway robber and State-prison bird for what enjoyment he can get out of a game. A ghastit Indian trophy is shown at the War Department, being a "necklace" of eight human fingers, captured from the Northern Cheyennes in 1876. The necklace originally consisted of eleven fingers, each of which represented a pale-face slain by the owner, who was the "big medicine man of the tribe. The police at Kingston, New Mexico, stood as spectators while Con Ryan end Jim Burke fired five shots at each other. Then there was no occasion for the officers to interfere, as Kyan was stone dead. It is always best to wait a little while, especially in New Mexico. It gives a bad man a chance to 0 home with his boots on. Patti was commanded to do a little einging at Buckingham Palace to help out the jubilee. But royalty refused to pay Patti prices, and the diva allowed ihat her Majesty's commands might be laid on somebody else. She wouldn't sing, not a note, for less than her price. She didn't get her price, and the jubilee had to get on without Patti

-A GOLD-BEA.TEB of Soochow, China, violated an agreement of the union to which he belonged. His conduct infuriated the craft, and the word passed ground: "Biting to death is not a capital offense." One hundred and twenty-three of tliem rushed on the miserable man, each taking a bite. Death soon relieved the victim of fiendish rancor. No one was allowed to quit -the tliop whose bloody lips and gums -did not attest of his fidelity. Down in Georgia they have concluded that the world will come to an end in 1977. Their reason for thinking eo i3 that a heu has laid an egg upon the :ihell of which is plainly "inscribed" the outline of a heart, an acorn, and the number 77. In Cuba, Ma, a hen has laid an egg having on one side the face of a clock with distinct Boman num erals. It would seem that the hemi are likely to start a kindergarten after they become a little more proficient in object teaching. Miss Viesna Cabteb, living six miles from Wrights ville, Ga., while sweeping tiie yard one morning was surprised to see a large hawk dash down into the inolosare, within a few feet of her, and pounce upon a chicken. Miss Carter wras equal to the emergency, and as his itawkship rose to carry off his prey she ran to the biddy's rescue and "downed" the hawk with the broom she held in her hand; and with one or two more well-directed blows succeeded in killing the impudent bird outright A. primitive anchor, very probably lost by the early French missionaries, was found at the head of Green Bay. It appears to have been constructed from a young maple tree having three

branches from the root. Another bar wut fastened on. Thus far it is like a round-topped stool with four legs. On the bottom of these legs are fastened, with mortise and tenon, the flukes, which were bars of oak crossing each other. Between the legs of the anchor the space is supposed to have been filled with stones to weigh it down. Cleveland County has the oldest living man in Arkansas. Jesse Marks colore!), who lives with one of his -sons-in-law, some three miles east of jfaeref has attained the ripe old age of 118 years. The correctness of this statement of his age is vouched for by one of the members of his old master's family, who knows something of his family record. Old Jesse, as he is commonly railed, talks and laughs as free as a young man, and gets about quite lively sometimes. He remembers distinctly and talks freely of many incidents of the revolutionary war. The county is doing the old fellow the honor of providing for his support. A Bostok man whe has crossed the Atlantic fifty-two times, and been seasick each time except ')he last, explains ho exception as follow; "i took a

rubber bag with me, some twelve inches long and four inches wide, with an iron clamp to close the mouth of the bag, and filled it with small pieces of ice every morning (the steward brought me the ice in a bowl), and applied it on the spine at the base of the brain, down between my shoulders, for, say, half to three-quarters of an hour, or, rather, I lay on it, pressing it against the spine. It had a most soothing effect, so that frequently I fell asleep while under it, and afterward felt braced up for the day, enjoying every hour and every meal." James James, a regro, and a citizen of the United Stages, who resides at Santa lioso, Mexico is probably the oldest man on earth. He was born near Dorchester, S. C, in 1752, and while an infant was removed to Medway River, Ga., in the same year that Franklin brought down electricity from the thunder clouds. Ho remembers of the rejoicing in 1"92 throughout the country in consequence of Washington's election to the Presidency, he then being 40 years of age. Five years ago, at the age of 130, Jim could do light chores, but subsisted mostly by contributions from the citizens, but for the past two years, not being able to walk, he remains for the most part in his little jacal, his wants being supplied by generous neighbor.. The rheumatism in his legs prevent him from walking, bat yet he has sufficient strength in his arms to draghimsei a short distance fifty yards or more. The attempt of 'Charley" Reed to commit suicide in l ew York the other day by throwing hi nself into the river from a ferryboat nays a Chicago paper, came near leing the end of a peculiarly pitiable and wretched career; pitiable because the man was possessed of abiliti es which, if rightly exercised, might hrve led him to exalted and honor ible positions, and wretched because the career for years past has been mar ced by a series of disgraces, each lov er and meaner than its predecessor. For many years "Charley" Reed wt s a well-known figure in social, politu al, and legal circles in Chicago. He we s a man of prepossessing appearance and was possessed of an affability and geniality, joined to a brisk, dashing rianner, which made him a great favor: te and secured for him popularity arn mg all classes. He stood well as a lawyer, and his political sagacity was svificient to secure him twice the positioi of prosecuting attorney against foimidable opponents. Had he been a sqrare man that position might have be en a stepping-stone to higher honors. Outside of his profession he was a s cholar of considerable pretensions a: id was particularly fond of literature, in which he made at least a local repu;ation by his clever translations. It is a peculiarity of his case that his downward career was a long one. It begf n long before he left Chicago in his dom estic relations. From his first wife he secured a bogus divorce. He left hit second wife, an accomplished and lovely woman, penniless, and she has since been obliged to earn her own livicg. It now appears that there is a third wife, who left him some time ago and returned to her parents. He lived a fast life in Chicago, and though in recoipt of a good income squandered it all in riotous living, and at last to obtain n ore money wrecked the Irwin estate, f which he was con-, servator, and beggared the children of a too confiding friend. It was under this cloud that ha left Chicago, He next turned up as counsel in the Guiteau case, and he eems to have shared in the misfortune s which have overtaken almost every one connected with it CURIO JS FACTS.

I

Doormats mado from scrap leather made into links and strung on metal wires are a novelty. The appearance of these mats is g od, while they are at the same time fie: able, durable and afford a firm footing. A hinged lam -post has lately been devised. It has 1 he advantage that no ladder is require 1 to enable it to be cleaned and repeired, and it also can be lighted by lending it over, the lamp-lighter carrying a key for that purpose. The danger of nf action from the promiscuous use of the mouthpieces of telephones is attracting attention. It is recommended that the mouthpieces be disenfected very time after using by means of a ditenfecting fluid kept at every telephone station for the purpose. "Pogonip" is said to be the name given by the mot ntainers of Nevada to a sort of frozen fog that appears sometimes in Winter, even on the clearest and brightest of days. In an instant the air in filled with floating noodles of ice. To breath the pogonij) is death to the lungs. Whe i it comes people rush to cover. The Indians dread it as much as the whites. Ib appears to be caused by the sudden frsezing in the air of the moisture which collects about the summits of the high peaks. One of the iatost novelties in paper pulp ware is a barrel, intended to supersede the woodon article for all purposes. It is 3omposedof five pieces is held together oy wooden hoops, and the head is one piece and fits into the barrel air tight. A quantity of flour sent from a distance to New York in these barrels was found to weigh as much cm its arrival as when it started. Usually there i3 considerable loss by the sifting of flour between the joints of the wooden bi.rreha. As the material for making thesd barrels exists almost everywhere, the manufacture of tjiem is likely to prcve a considerable industry.

KOTBCOr TO SAT.

BY JAKES WEOTOOH3 BXLKT. tibia' to Bay, my daughter! Nothin' at all to iy I Girls that's in love, I've noticed, einerly has tfceir way I Wr mother did, afore you, when her folks objected to tns Ytt bore I am, and hare you air I and yer mother where is she? Ton look lots like'your mother: Party much same in size ; An about the same complected ; and favor about the eyes. fifke her, too, about livin here, because the couldn't stay; Bll'moat seem like you was dead like her 1 but I hain't got nothin' to say t She Haft you her little Bible writ yer name acrost; the page And left her ear-bobs far you, ef ever you come of aj;o. JTre alius kep' 'em and gyaurded 'em, but if yer goto away Vothin' to say, my daughter 1 Nothin' at all to say I Ton don't rikollect her, I zeckon? No; you wasn't a yoar old then t And note yer how old air you? Why, child, not "twenty 1" Whim? And yer nex' birthday's in Apr lie? and you want to git married that day? . . . I wisht yer mothor was livin1 1-4lut hain't got notlr n' to say I Twenty years 1 and as good a gyrl as parent ever found I !tlxero's a straw kotched onto yer dress there I'll bresh it off turn round. (Her mother was jest twenty when us two run away!) Nothin' to say, my daughter I Nothin' at all to say Century.

TRICKS IN POLITICS.

BY HAROLD I. CLEVELAND.

PART I. "Ain't I a politician?"

That was the question of the Hon. Jake Slocum, as he sank back into his chair. A student of tho faces of politicians would not have mistaken Jake Slocum for anything else. s Ha was a politician in all thattbe name implies. His fox-shaped face, acutely pointed nose and bloodless lip;t ; his &mall, twinkling eye, and thin, gray looks of hair, all betrayed the calling of the man. In dress he wore a costume of modest pattern but stylish out.. Jewelry he eschewed save the gold band that glittered on one finger. Pervading the man was an air of coarseness and gentility. He was so open in his manner of approach that honest men felt the chill of suspicion when in his company, He was styled Honorable for his services to the High Taxation party, of which he was a leader in Jaco County. He had distinguished Mm self during legislative sessions in the Third House, and in the art of silencing the voice of the people he was an adept. Wifch these qualifications he possessed tflso a lack, of sensibility as to right and wroQg thfit gave him a still stronger claim to the title of politician, Despite his advantages for arbitration through these experiences, he was vulgar but strong. His power was that of the middleman who acts as the agent in unquestionable transactions between mer.'s consciences and his Satatdc Majesty. He was unloved, but feared most by those who knew him best. let as a politician he was honored for his unchanging partizanship. Fathers might desert their children buff Slocum abandon High Taxation never. His party was his religion, his love, his life. Men's opinions changed, n aw principles of government were favorod, and free-holders were forsaking the old doctrines. Little that mattered to Slocnm. His watchword was "My party first, then tho people." "Dang it, sir," said Farmer Jenks to him, "when you get done with your infernal party there will be nothing left for the people." Slocum smiled,looked curiously at the old man and replied sententiously, "My party first." That was Slocum, politically; morally, ugly rumors had been afloat of his early days of misdeeds more serious than boyish pranks. He had grown up with the prosperity of Jaco County as a warped tree nourishes in rich soil. 13ut hedged in as he was by suspicion, it had como to pass that he had ascended the rounds of the political ladder from villuge constable to city councilman, and thence up until he stood at the threshold of the Legislature. He toiled not, neither did he spin, yet the finest rainment and the fat of tho land were his. On the western border there was not a man who received more from men than ho, nor who gave back less. It was in this day of his independence that Slocum, asked by his party to solve a political problem, put the question to thrse of the members of that party, if 1 e was not a politician. Of tho trio, Luke Carruth, Sheriff of Jaco County, answered "Yes." ''Then," continued Slocum, "ef I say Scotty goes free, he does." "No, sir," scid Carruth, springing to his feet, "Shall I dishonor myself to save my party or yours? Put myself in your power, Slocum, so that at your back I may be branded as a scoundrel? For what? To keep me Sheriff of Jaco County for the next two years. Ask some other sacrifice than my honor. Scotty shall not go free." "Boh," was Slocuni's contemptuous rejoinder. Jaco County, lying on the border lino of the Northwestern frontier, was in the throes of a political contest. Tho high taxation faction had been the dominant part for years. But the times were ripening for a change and the new party known as the Freeholders threatened to carry the day. The situation was critical for the High Taxationists, and in their distress they appealed to Jake Slocum to use his power for their salvation. Given carte blanche, he now at once summoned to a conference three of the strongest men, and among them Sheriff Carruth, who was a candidate for reelection. Assembled, Slocum, his plan matured, thus unfolded to them : "I ain't trying to scare yer, boys, but ef something ain't done pretty quick our party is beaten. It's a bad year fer 's, and we've to hustle ef we get the persimmons. The other fellers are whooping 'er up, and Si Cade, dora to the Corners, to-day offered to bet his best span of mules that we didn't get a single office. Now, 'tain't fer me to talk. Action is my style, and I've

figgered out just where we stand and what's going to help us. Jonestown, Cade? Corners, oyer to the Ford, and at Egan's, where we always had a big vote, there ain't a man fer us. There's two thousand good votes gone kerflummix and us out in the cold. Promises ain't any good ; money's no UEie any where. I told them that if they'd stand by us this time we'd lower the taxes next vear. They just laughed and said as now I'd said that ten years ago and it hadn't come about, and how us fellers in office were all robbers and living off the people. Curse the dcirned people ! So now boys, it's come to this : That

losing these, we've only got about seven hundred votes left to win on and them votes over in Jacoville. Them votes are powerful shaky too, but ef we hold 'em we can't be beat. How'ro wo going to hold 'em? Sot Red Scotty freel Don't like that Carruth. You know Scottv." Carruth did know Scotty. He waa the leader of the evil spirits in Jacoville the head of an organized band oil thieves who ruled the little town with lawless power. It was the heaven to which they fled in all times of danger, For years they had terrorized tho border, but the summer preceding thin campaign Sheriff Carruth determined to root them out, captured Scotty and locked him up. He had lain in his cell for months awaiting a trial, and then, though several attempts had been made to free him, he remained a prisoner. His arrest had been a severe blow to the welfare of Jacoville. Its inhabitants no longer found pleasure in their pursuits, for their source of inspiration was gone. They gave themselves up to regret over his captivity and to invoking curses upon the head of his captor. Their day of vengeance came soon enough. Carruth's candidacy for reelection opened the way for them to pay the debt. Even if Scotty could not be freed, Carruth should not remain his guardian. The ballot became their weapon of attack. At this juncture Slocum appeared among them, held several mysterious conferences, freely distributed liquor, and when he was gone, Jacoville knew that in consideration of it: seven hundred votes going to Carruth for Sheriff, Scotty might go free. The exact terms of the bargain or how it was to be carried out no one knew. And Slocum returning homo laid the plan before Sheriff Carruth. "Fer," said he, ignoring Carruth's plea for honor in political work, "ef yer don't do it, Carruth, yer beaten and so is the party. Yer derned Bqueamish ness will bust us all up. Do yer suppose the boys will help yer after yer acting like that? There's nothing hard about it. I don't care how yer let Scotty ga Fix it up any way yer choose. Only, if yer don't have him on the road ter Jacoville the night bofore elecshun, we'd all better scoot up Salt Creek." Carruth saw the point. But he could not answer yet. Telling Slocum that he would decide the next day, he went out into the night alone. PART II. When once under the stars his selfpossession came hack and ho reasoned with himself. To yield meant no particular harm to him,' and much benefit. To refuse brought with it not only his own defeat, but the overthrow of bis He meant to be honest and do well by all men, but now he was calmly considering a proposition to free a criminal that the salvation of a political party might be insured.

He founl no relief in considering either side of the question, so sought his home, and then through the railing of a woman's tongu, chose his course of action. Pretty Dolly Carruth his wife was happy in all things but that feminine matter of dress. Hitherto her husband's income as Sheriff had given her ample opportunity to be a leader of fashion. But now his impending defeat meant to her a change of circumstances, that implied economy and following, a reduced position in the social scale. She could not bear to think of that fate. It was heart-rendering and the more she brooded over the prospect the more her anger rose against her husband for not being able to win. She gave him no sympathy in his efforts to check the tide that was running against him, but rather taunted him for his weakness. This particular night when Carruth, heart-sick, came into the cheery parlor where she sat, she met him with the reproach, "It is a shame, Luke Carruth, to worry me so. I suppose you know how badly you are beaten. I thought that when I married you that you would always have protected me from such trouble as this. I wish the election was over, and that we were out of this, and that I was dead," and here lacking words she burst into tears. Carruth stood in the center of the room where he had stopped when she began. He grew very pale as she went on, and when she had finished, turned and left the house again. He went direct to Slocum's, routed that worthv out of bed and told him:in three words that Scotty should go free. Slocum chuckled, patted him on the back, swore that he was a man to be proud of, and showed him out of the door with great respect. Later, as Carruth was returning to his own bed, Jie said to Dolly : "Do not worry any more. I am elected." Whereupon she threw her arms arouird his neck and kissed him. And that eased his conscience for tho time. The morning before election diy Carruth, entering the county jail, dismissed his warden on some trifling errand and alone entered the cell of Scotty. What was said between them will never be known, but when fcae Sheriff, an hour later, went out and 3 oft his prisoner, the latter possess 3d keys that would open tho doors that swung between him and freedom. Ho was to esrape that night at tho supper hour when the vigilanco of the turnkey would be relaxed. All tho day Carruth was uneasy and so ridden with the deed that he had committed that ho would fain have recoded. Twice ho entered tha jail to warn the

turnkey. Each time the thought of his party and Dolly's tearful face drove him away. At supper he could not sit easily, but started up from his seat and paced the floor, much to Dolly's wonderment. In his mind he could see Scotty softly creeping cut of his cell, stealing down the corridor, and finally gaining the outer door, with a bound drop into the protecting darkness and speed away over the prairies to the comrades that wore waiting to welcome him. He wished that he had not yielded. After all the reward for his act was not commemsurate with the suffering that it was coating. He might have refused to yield, he reasoned, and incurring defeat, taken Dolly, gone to a new country and won a higher position than even this. At any rate, he would have saved his honor. With an effort he ceased these reflections and awaited with a bold face the discovery of Scotty's escape. He would spend the evening with his wife and in the morning act his part He was on the point of telling Dolly that he would stay at home that evening when there came the sound of men running. His front door was violently thrown open and in rushed several citizens, led by his turnkey, the latter crying out "Scotty has escaped!99 Without hesitation, Carruth seized his coat and hat, kissed his frightened wife and followed his bewildered deputy to the jail. He soon secured a posse from among the citizens, but by cleverly delaying them under pretense of needing a glide, gave the fugitive quite a start. At last, when the guide who knew just the route that Scotty would take to Jacoville, was secured, and there was no longer pretense for delay, Carruth's heart sank. He must be in advance, and as swift as horses could got run down the man to whom he had pledged freedom. A momentary weakness seized him and then passed away. He sprang on to his horse, gave tho

forward cry, and following the guide,

f who was riding straight for Jacoville,

prepared for action.

All night the party rode, sparing neither horse nor men. Fields, lonely

farm houses, the fringing underbrush

along small streams, were closely

searched. There was neither laughing nor talking among them, but a silence that be

tokened the deadly earnestness of their

pursuit

The jack rabbit fled over tho prairie before them, and the coyote, at a distance, howled his protest at their dis

turbance. The long grasses trampled

under the feet of the panting horses,

gave forth a mournful sound, as if in

pain.

At midnight they swept by a "shack"

where a man, unknown to the occupant,

but an hour before had begged for food. They learned that this stranger

was armed.

Further on thev found a bewildered

farmer cursing the loss of his gray

mare, that some one had impressed into

his sendee. Just before sunrise, when all the

east was gray and the mantle of the

night hung in dark folds m the west, they passed the gray mare, dead on the

trail, and by this they kqew that their

man cculd not be far away. Now that he was near they grew cautions. Pistols and guns were examined, saddle-girths tightened, and a loose rein given to the tired horses. There was no need of haste now one

man against twenty could not hold out

long.

Just as the sun, warm from his royal couch, sent up a band of gold to burn

ish the sky, a frontiersman came gallop

ing back to the party, with the announcement that Scotty was asleep in a granary but a mile beyond. Worn out and not knowing that he was pursued lie had stolen into the building

and throwing himself in accruer, fallen to sleep. There the scout, stealthily

searching for trace of him, had sighted him, but fearing a single handed con

flict had ridden back for help. Scotty had killed too nr. my men to make him asleep a less dangerous foe than he was when he was awake. He had been known to shoot dead a deputy sheriff, who, thinking him asleep, had bent over him to puis the shackles on. The verdict of "tho frontier jury was

that the deputy was a fool for not kill-.

ing Scotty first and then shackling him, bat that is all a matter of opinion. When the word came back that Scotty was discovered, Carruth turning to the posse, said : "You stay here. I will arrest him. " Not demurring, the men dismounted, while he rode off to the granary. Within shooting distance he picketed his horse, and without taking out his weapons, walked up to the granary, entered, and touched the sleeping man with his foot. The instant he touched Scotty, the latter, as if by intuition, with a quick jerk threw back his hand, and the Sheriff found himself covered with the mussle of a revolver. Then said Scotty, as coolly as if he had known all the time of the pursuit, "Git!" Carruth did not move. His face was very stern and sad as he replied. "Shoot ahead," Scotty, but if you miss you are my prisoner, Ive come to take you back. " "You can't do it, Sheriff. You made your word with me that I should get away and I'm going. Go back or I'll shoot. " Carruth shook his head. There was no going back for him now. Over there in the glory of the morning his townsmen were waiting his return. He must take Scotty back, dead or alive, or die himself. With a bound and a blow ho knocked Scotcy's weapon up, grasped his gun and fired. The thief with a scream fell back, the blood rushed from a gaping hole in his breast. Carruth, trembling, and his face gray, bent over him to catch these words: "lou curse you you said you'd you'd set me free God!" Scotty was free, and Carruth was reelected. . The bicycle law of Oregon requires bicycle riders to s':op 100 yards 1 f m any person going in the opposite li ruction with a tetuw, and remain itaciouai;v until the team luis passed

BITS OF SCIENCE, A new theory of the final destruction of the ea:r1;h is that the polar iee is pen etrating the interior of the globe Lie a wedge, and that as soon as it rettches the furnace there will be an explosion that will Eplit the world into pieces too small for truck-patches. One who claims to have tried it says rubber may be fastened to iron by means of a paint composed of po wdered shellac steeped in about ten times its weight of concentrated ammonia. 1 should be allowed to stand three or four weeks before being used. It is often desirable to make excavations for pipes in very cold wef.ther, when the earth is frozen. Quicklime has been tried for thawing the surface with success. The ground to be dug is covered with alternate layers of lime and snow, The slacking lime heats the soil so effectually that after ten or fifteen hours it may be removed with ease. J3row:ing" oranges grown ii th West Indies and Mexico, so that they shall pass; muster as real Florida fruit, is the device of an enterprising Yankee. The process consists of putting the fruit into a large sieve and passing it over a hot fire until the oranges con tained therein are sufficiently scorched technically "browned, to give them the true Florida tinge which is peculiar to that delicious orange. he "browned" fruit is mostly shipped north and west M. Limner, an Austrian meteorologist, claims to have ascertained, after careful investigation, that the mcon has an influence on a magnetized needle, varying with its phases and daclinations. The phenomenon is said to be more prominently noticeable when the moon is near the earth, and to be very marked when she is passing from the full to her first or second quarter. The disturbances are found to be at their maximum when the moon is in the plane of the equator, and greater during the southern that it is duriig the northern declination. Galton has pointed out some very curious facts concerning the children of professional men. He found, from a study of the heredity of the m ambers of come of the largest scientific societies of London, that the lejal profession presented the most eminert men and the fewest idiots. The medical profession camo next, and lastly clergymen, who produced the smallest number of eminent men and the largest number of - idiots and feeble-mindecL The lawyers gave origin to six times ae many eminent men as tho clergy. The clergy gave origin to six times as many idiots and feeble-minded as the law yers. Prof. Trowbridgk's plan of submarine telephony in which speech was to be transmitted between vessels at sea without the aid of any connecting wire has been abandoned as impracticable, as the system upon which Mr. Edison has bee:a experimenting in Florida is more promising of good results. In this, system the telephone signals, by long and short explosive sounds instead of by Bpoken words and communications, have been successfully exchanged through the water bet wee 3 vessels from three to four miles apart, mth the prospect that the working limit may bST increased with improvement in the ap paratua. Crabs, which are supposed no shed their shells every year, do net often shed them after they have attained their full size, and the creatures become vie tiius to barnacles and all sort of marine growths that fasten themselves, upon the shell A remarkable example of this may be seen in the British museum, where has been placed an old crab of the edible species, with some half dozen oysters of large size fixed to its back, which load, ever increasing, the old crab was doomed to carry to the end of its days. Another curious specimen preserved is that of a haiiy crab, which, though not larger itself" than a walnut, is aaddled with a sponge as large as a man's fist. A Dtimns Story of Palmerstoiu Dumas loved to laugh at the expnso of English stiffness and resole. One of his best stories was this: One day Victor Hugo and I were invited to dine with the duke of Decazes. Among the guests were Lord and Lady Pal merston of course, this happened before the February revolution. At midnight tea was handed around. Victor Hugo and I were sitting side by side chatting merrily, Lord and Lady PaLnierston had arrived very late, and there had consequently been no opportunity to introduce us before dinner; after dinner it seems it waa forgotten. English custom, consequently, did net allow us to bo addressed by tho illustrous couple. All at once young Decazes

.comes r-p to us and says: " My dear

Dumas, Lord Palmerstonbegs you will leave a chair free between you and Victor Hugo." I hastened to do as he wished. We mo veil away from each other and placed an empty chair between us. Thereupon enter. Lord Palmerston, holding the hand of his wife, leads her up to us and invites her to sit down on the empty chair all this without saying a word. "My lady,w he said to his wife, "what t ime have you ?" She looked at her watch and answered: "Thirtyfive pa it 12." "Well, then," said the great minister, "remember well that this day at thirty-five minute past 12, you were sitting between Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo, an honor which you probably never mil enjoy again in your lifetime. n Then he offered his arm again to hie wife and took hor back to her seat without say

ing a word to us because we had not

been presented. Cor. Home Journal Would Seem So on First Thought.

Spotcash. You're from Grabviile, I believe V

Spotcash Yes, sir. Busiuess Man Well, sir, I've had

my eye on your town for some time. How do you regard it just; now as a location for a live dry (roods house?

Bpotcash 4 first-rate loca tion, sir rhtoate! Grampney & Smith havt just failed, Brown & Go, are on the ovo of making an assignasont, while tho only remaining house is a one Uo-rsc concern scarcely jkfi&g; expenses! Detroit lYce JPress,,