Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 11, 1889, Page 13

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“LET THE ASSASSIN SHOOT.” Thomas H. Benton's Memorable Quarrel With a Brother Senator. ELECTED BY HIS RABBIT FOOT. The Queer Euperstition of a Florida Congressman—Victorien Sardoun's Fatalism—Two Stories of Oam- ron — Editor Shepard's. Ourrent Anecdotes. T witnessed this incident in the sen- ate, in which Thomas H. Benton played a prominent part, writes Hannibal Hamlin. Senator Foote, of Mississippl, bad assailed him violently daily until Mr. Benton deliberately arose one morning in the sennte and declared if the rules of the senate were not en- forced by its presiding officer he would take the rules into his own hands. He notified - the senator from Mississippl that “‘if he continues his personal as- saults on mysell, I will take care of him myself.” ‘Well, I was quictly writing one morn- ing when my ear told me that Foote ‘was pursuing precisely the same course of proceeding as the day before; the chair of Benton on my left was thrown back with great violence and he passed me in the area and went toward Foote a8 though he had a purpose in his mind. I never doubted that he had. Foote glided out from his seat down amid the senators, taking from some part of his person a pistol and attempt- ing to cock it. Isuppose it was one of that kind of pistols that had a guard in the rear, and he had forgotten to pull the guard around and couldn’t cock it; but when he was passing down and try- ing to use the pistol, Benton literally tore nis vest gpen and said: **Senators, stand aside and let the as- sassin shoot.” ‘Well, the assassin finally reached the eat of Daniel S. Dickinson, of New ork, who disarmed him, and there was a cry all over the senate, *‘No quarrel- ing! No guarreling!” enton had returned to his seat, and with the dignity of a Roman he said: *Mr. President, I never quarrel, I have sometimes fought, and whea I fought, T fought for a funeral!” Congressman Dougherty, ot Florida, s an earnest believer in the rabbit foot. He says that when he was first nomi- mnatea there was great opposition to him. One day during his campaign he ‘was training a lot of young hounds, and they scared up a rabbit, which ran into #. burying ground and disuppeared un- der a tombstone. When he went home he mentioned the circumstances, and his friends decided that he must have that rabbit® Some of them were so superstitious that they vowed the, would not vote for him unless the rabbit was caught. The moon was shining brightly, and a party went out ome mnight and caught the rabbit. One of the feet was eut off and mounted, and Mr, Dougherty says he carried it and "ll elected in spite of the odds against m. To an accident is attributed Vie- torien Sardou’s singularly superstitious mysticism, for he. is a great heliever in portents and omens. Along the narrow street there was passing a wagon laden with cut stone, and to allow room Sar- dou took refuge in a doorway, but he had scarcely established himself there when a big, fat man was driven to the same shelter. It was obvious to the dramatist that there was no room for two of them, so he crossed over the street and established himself in a door- way ol\posiuz. The wagon passed, the swearing driver all the time whipping his horses, and it was probably owing to some jerk they had given thata huge cube of stope was detached and crushed in its fall the man to whom, waiving his elaim as first ocoupant, he had surren- dered the pluce. It was this that lnid the foundation of his superstition. To express it he has borrowed a word from the Arabs, those inveterate fatalists, boukra, which means to-morrow. After those 'wild bursts of passion at reher- pals, when he is reduced to dumbness by his own shouting, this is his first word when he is suficiently recovered to utter it. On one occusion the duke of Welling- ton reccived a letter in the following terms, suys » writer in the Pall Mall Gazette. I correct the spelling. **Mr. Tomkins ventures to address the duke of Wellington. Mr. Tomkins’ mother {8 a washerwoman; Mr. Tomkins regrets to say that, having washed for the mar- uis of Douro formany years, his mother :n been unable to obtain puyment for the last three years. Mrs, Tomkins is very voor, and cannot afford to lose the money. She hopes the duke will kindl, it. Mrs. Tomkins’ address is —.” After carefully reading and considering the letter, the duke sent the following veply: “‘Field marshal the duke of Well- ington has received a letter from Mr, Tomkins, stating that the marquis of Douro is fn debt to his mother, Mrs, Tomkins, The duke of Wellington is mot the marquis of Douro, The duke regrots that his eldest son has pot paid his washerwoman’s bill. Mrs. Tomkins has no claim upon the duke of Welling- ton, The duke recommends her, failing another npghcuhon. to place the matter in tho hands of a repectable solicitor,” Bome six weeks later the duke had a dinner party at Apsley house. One of the guests asked the duke if he was not tor- mented by applications for his auto- graph. The duke replied. “Oh, yes, constantly.” The friond then snid: “A few daysago I was examining & most teresting collection, with you we’l the place of honor in'the *What was that?” samid the duke. SWell, the collector's plan is to write to every person of eminenee and to accuse his eldest son of bilking his washerwo- man. He mfllcn his own lettor and the nply face to face.” 1 should like to we scen the duke’s face when he heard tlu first Prussian cannon st Waterloo, should also like to have seen it on this occasion, The New York Tribune priots the following anecdote of the late Siwon Cameron. Speaking of Geveral Logan one day, General Cameron remarked: *Logan was a grand man. Ie aud I were great friends, and I don’t think we ever dif- fered but on one occasion in our lives, Just after the close of the war, General Logan introduced a bill which was de- signed to abolish the office of military : ‘Cameron scem 10 be fighting my bill: o 7 replied: ‘Yes, geoeral, T am. and X propose to fight your bill as long as [ s in tne Unitod States senate.’ “iwell, vllv..d.o you fight it?’ “‘Booause, General Logam, when I was o candidate for the senate a friend mine who was sick caused himself to carried in & cot to tho capital of l“vl:hlo vote for we, aad he is men whom you propose to inm out of office.’ » *Ob, that’s it," sald Logan; ‘*well, how would it sult you to amend my bill 80 that hereaftor ‘in all cases of death or rulgnluon the vacancy will not ba filled ¥’ “That would be satisfactory,” said 1. And the fold gentieman remarked, with a smile: My friend is still hold- ing that office.” One day I asked him: “General, what are the faots about the planting and raising of ‘a crop of corn in the streets of Charleston, 8.0.9" ‘‘Well,” said the general, ‘‘that is true, but it was & very foolish thing— very foolish; but you see partisan feel- ing was running very high at that time and we did things that we would not do now. The way it happened was this: ‘‘Before the war Mr. Davis and I were warm friends, and up_to the time he loft the senate we had numerous oon- versations, which sometimes became rather warm, not to say bitter. Just before he went south he spoke of firing on tort Sumter. I replied: “*Mr. Davis, if your people ever dare to fire on Fort Sumter your city of Jharleston will be laid in ashes,’ and during the conversation I further re- marked: ‘If your people ever dare to fire on Fort Sumter I myself will raise corn on the streets of Charleston.’ Mr, Davis went south shortly afterward and Fort SBumter was fired upon, and in due time Charleston was captured, Shortly after the capture of the city I went there. After landing at the whart and while passing a commissary dufiot, I found one of the sacks of corn was burat open. This reminded me of my prom- ite to Davis, I filled the pockets of my overcoat with corn and hired a man to plant and cultivate it in a triangular iece of land in one of the streets, and e shipped to me the crop. But it was a very foolish thing to do, after all.” Elliott F', Shepard has kept this whole town laughing throughout the year and a half in* which he has controlled the Mail and Expres, says a New York let- ter to the St. Louis Republic; but the laughter has been subdued in compari- son with the chorus of shouts that would have hailed a full account of what went on in the office of the great reiigious daily. When Coionel Shepard ‘‘took on” the Mail and Express, to use his own micturesque phrase, his well- meant efforts to exploit his peculiar notions in its columns were care- fully balked by the staff, His scriptural toxts were lost on their way, to the printers, and his absurd puns were ‘*killed” in the proof. This went on until the colonel suspected treach- ory, and then strict orders were issued that what he wrote should “go.” Go it did, but his editorial articles were shown about the office in proof to a wondering staff, and the first edition of the paper was eugerly scanned above stairs, that the colonels latest eccentric- ities might be discovered. His oddest things were greeted by the staff with roars of laughter and exclamations of incredulous astonishment. As the time went on, however, queer things heeame A matter of course, una the staff grew hardened to the chief’s oddities. This, however, did not prevent a vast amount of office gossip, and the colonel was maddened to find his most secret coun- sels spread abroad in rival newspapers, He gave strict orders that nobody should talk, and finally hired a detec tive to spy upon the office, One of the funniest scenes of the year oceurred one day when the mnnu{;lng editor was informed that the “‘text,” by that time a well-established daily feature, had been lost. For five minutes the atmos- phere of the pious sanctum was blue with profane denunciations of the man who had lost the text and of the text itself, and even of the amiable colonel. Finally the loss was reported to head- quarters and a new text supplied. Lord Fife, who is to marry the eldest and ugliest daughter of the prince of Wales, comes of a queer family, says the New York Metropolis, The cable has told us how three of his sisters have been divorced and married again. His mother was a very stout and handsome lady who used to wake up in the middle of the night and devour chicken and champagne, which were placed upon a table at her bedside. She was liberal in her views and furnished a house in Kensington gardens for idmund Yates, then a popular novelest. When she died suddeunly her husband, old Earl Tife, found the bills for the furniture and, like a_true Scotchman, closed his eyes to their suggestivenoss and merely requested Yates to pay them to him. At any rate no eulogy of Lady Fife ap- pears in the “‘Reminiscences” of Ed- mund Yates. ‘When poor Dick Townshend, the Illi- nois congressman, was dying that last terrible forenoon in the Riggs House, when there was nothing but delirium and agony for the sufferer, he called now and then, as his mind would clear a little, for Tom Lowery. He was an oltd friend, the big railroad man of Min- neapolis, whom he could somehow faint- ly remember was in town. Mr. Lowery canie to the bedside at once. “What can I do for you, Dick?” he asked, “Is there anything I can do? Only say what ivis, Dick.” The dying congressman was able to tell him in the next few moments that a mortgage for 85,000 on some rropony of his in Washington worried him, be- cause it might make trouble for his wife. As soou as he could gather his friend’s meaning, Mr. Lowery retired for p moment to a corner, ‘‘Here, poor fellow,” he said, as he held a piece of paper up before the eyes of the sufferer, *‘There! Perhaps that will velieve vou, Don’t worry, don’t YR Mocs of heek f 'he piece of r was o check for #.000. " i Grant used to chop cordwood in a pe- culiar way. says Judge Lunham in the St. Louis Republie, cutting the tree all round instead of half down on one side and then on the other, like the ordinary axman. While president he visited St. Louis and I went with him to his farm, and puassing the spot where he once chopped wood, I said; **General, the fellow who eut those stumps was & poor wood chopper, don't you think s0?” The president replied with a sigh: “That might be true, judge, but to tell the truth, I was hap- g&er then thau wow. I cut my wood, auled it to the city, got wmy vrice lor it, returned to my family, and was bappy; but now the burden of a nation ison me, and I know no rest. Those were happy doys, judge.” Speaking of ministers’ salaries, rve- calls to the Providence Telegram a bon mot of the late Heury Fairbrother. Meecting & minister in Pawtucket with whom he was well acquainted, oue day, the divine told him he had received a call to another parish and should ae- copt. *‘A call?” said Heory. “Yes, I have been laboring in the vineyard of the Lord here in Pawtucket for a num- ber of years for a saiary of 81,000 per an- num, und have received a very flatter ing offer to go to Brooklyn with a salary nli!w." **And that is what you wean Beall® “Yes." “Well, up at the ub we should call that a raise. Our soldier boys have beem hav- ing a» great time otthe state camp, ) lew York letter to to the Phila- delphis Record, where the Seventh has beea followed successively by the Sev- enty-first and the Niath regiments. I was in company with a group of Sev- enth regimentmen when one of them remarked that each compsny had its charaoteristics. One company is de- voted to athletios and another to so- clety, and g0 on. ‘“My company 18 re- markable,” said one in reply to & ques- tion, ‘‘for the number of representa- tives of old families whioh it contains. One of them,is the desoendant of a famous cabinet minister of many yeara ago, n secretary whose name was at one time a household _word throughout the United States. When we were at Washington we waited on General Sherman and this young man, who was carrying about as large a load of cham- pagne as he could conveniently man- age, stepped up airily and introduced himsell, remarking that he supposed the general had heard his name. “Yeos,” said General Sherman, with esomething like a twinkle in his eye, ** have often heard it and always honore it. You bear a famous name indeed, sir, and I trust you feel the full respon- #ibility of the load you carry,” Now that the Persian mimster has taken his departure for his country a number of amusing stories are related econcerning him-—stories which do not in the least refloot upon his cleverncss or his ability to serve his sovereign most creditably here, but which plainly @vidence that he is not altogether con- versant with some of the pleasantries incident to Washington life. It ma not be amiss if I tell you two which heard yesterday, says the gossiper of the Washington Press. The minister found when he came to Washington that he had at least two acquaintances, if not friends. They were a lady and gentleman who had for some years lived in Persia, where the gentleman was connected with & large importing house, Calls were at once exchanged, end finally an invitation was extended to his excellency to dinner. The in- vitation was graciously accepted. Un- fortunately the former American resi- dents in Persia had one drawback to their marital happihess—they had no ohildren. It seems thatin Persia it is ihe custom to assemble around the table all of the children of the family when a very special dinner is given. When, therefore, the minjster noticed there was an entire absence of the little ones, he inquired through his sacretary, who sponks English well, the cause of it. The lady of the house replied that she did not Knvo wi children, but that if she had heen so blessed she eould never have loved them as she did that ‘‘dear reature’ whose portrait hung just over the mantel-piece. The dear creature referred to was the likeness of a ‘‘pu, dog,” a pet in the household, who ha died a short time before and whose memory was perpetuated in oil. When this was traoslated to the minister an expression of horror caume over his countenance. Heevidently did not en- joy his meal and he brought his visit to an abrupt conclusion. He never could be induced to enter the house again pro- testing that he eould not associate with a lady “‘thut loved dogs more than she did children.” Upon another oceasion the minister called at the house of an official who had been away from his home for a lit- tle while. As he was, through his in- terpreter, conversing with the lady of the house the husband entered, and, after shaking hands with 'the minister and his secretary, turned; to his wife and naturally kissed her. i The minis- ter rose immediately, and, bowing pro- foundly to the lady and gentleman, d his hand over his heart and an- nounced, through his sectary, that he would hold ever inviolate the con- fidence which had thus been placed in him, and nothing should induce him to reveal to any one the scene which he had just witnessed. In explanation, it appears that no Persian ever kisses his wile or wives in public, oris in any manner demonstrative before stran- gers. The minister properly imagined that, as the gentteman kissed his wife before him, he desired to pay him some special honor, for which he was grate- ful and must keep to himself. It is no wonder, after secing so many unaccus- tomed sights and hearing so many strange expressions, that the minister Le}z that ashington was no piace for im. A remarkable trial has just occurred at Brownsville, in this county, before Justice Sparks, in which Daniel Foss was charged with stealing water from a ditch, says & Marysville (Cal,) special. Locat excitement was intense. The prosecution was conducted by District Attorney Forbes, and the defense by W. G. Murphy of this city. The trial consumed six days, and was enlivened by the constant exchange of personali- ties on both sides, which were hugely enjoyed bsl the spectators. Justice Bparks said, in presenting the case of the defense to the jury: ‘‘Gentlemen, them’s my sentiments and I want you to bring in a verdict accordingly, as they are the law.” Tossing the district ai- torney’s instructions to the jury, the }'ustiea contemptuously remarked: *Them’s not my sentiments; they are nogood. You can take them for what they are worth.” The jury after a few moments deliberation returned a verdict of guutrv. The justice was dumbfounded. “What!” he shouted; *'you dare go agin me sentiments? The verdict is set aside and the prisoner discharged!” This ends the case for the present, but further proceedings are nxpectecf. Both parties to the ac- tion claim & right to the water in dis- pute. 1 was recently sitting in Mark Twains home in Hartford waiting for the hu- morist to return from his daily walk, says a New York letter to the Boston Journal, Suddenly sounds of devotional singing came in through the open win- dow from the dicection of the outer con- servatory. The singing was low, yet the sad tremor in the voice seemed to give it special carrying nower. **You have quite a devotional domes- tic,” I said to a member of the family who came in shortly afterwards, *That is not a domestic who is sing- ing,” was the answer. ‘‘Step to this window, look in the conservatory and see for yourself.” 1did so. There, sitting alone on ope the rustic benches in the flower-house, was a small, elderly lady. Keepingtime with the first finger of her right hand, as if with a baton, she was slightly swaying her frail bod{‘ as she sang, softly, Fo!. woetly, Charles Wesley hymn, *Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” and Sarah flower Adam’s ““Nearer, My God o Thee.” But the singer was not e domestie, It wus Harriet Beecher Stowe, There sat the once brilliant authoress like a child crooning a favorite air, Dining one evening with Wilkie Col- lins, he spoke of the difficulty of imag- ining a piece of character which had not its original in real life, says a writer in the New York Metropolis. After he had described the house in ““Armadale” a gentleman called upon him and upbraided him for putting his residence into print. _The ~description was exact, although Wilkie Collins had wevor seen the place. He invented a man who was so careful about his food that he weighed 1t in little scales at table. A gentleman was introduced to Mr. Collins and said: “You had no right, sir, to caricature me. I weigh my food in little scales, sirl Here they are, sirl I always carry them about with me by advice of my Kflaunn. But is that II.I{ reason why I should be held up to ridicule, sr?” In vain Mr, Collins that be had never be- fore heard of such & habit. Why a Pioneer Michigan Justice Suddenly Adjourned Court. KNEW WHEN BN%S INSULTED. b General 0, O, H With a Southorn lgdy—Miserly “Old Hutoh" — Emporor William's Seff: Control. by Ploneor Justh !&:{iulfllln. A story that Jud‘?a illy occasion= ally repeats when th@®ubject of Michi- gan justice is up for discussion, runs substantially as follows, say the Detroit Tribune: ‘When Gratiot county, Michigan, first began to be disturbed by pioneers, and altor it had its first justice of the peace, a farmer named Davison walked three miles to secure a warrant for the arrest of his neighbor named Meacham for as- sault and batttery.” To save vhe coun- stable a six-mile wip the defendant walked with the plaintiff, They en- countered his honor just leaving his house with his gun on his shoulder, and Davison halted him with: H*Squire, I want & warrant for this man for striking me,” “I'm in an awful hurry,” said the squire, ‘‘Come to-morrow,” *'§o’m I in a hurry, and I’'m going to have a raising to-morrow.” “‘Meacham, did you hit him?” asked the {;xst(ce. Yo, \’'s Experience “Dnv.lson,did you strike firstp” “No,” “Meacham, had you rather work for Davison three days than go to jail?" *'T guess 80,” answered Meacham, “And will that satisly you, Dav- ison?” *Yes," “Then make tracks for home, and don’t bother me another minute! My son has just come in with the news that an old bear and three cubs are up in the pame beech, down at the edge of the slashing, and T'm going to have some bear meat if it upsets the supreme bench of Michigan, Court stands ad- journed at present.” General Sherman’s Rank Reduoced. The other night General Sherman went up to the Broadway theater, says the New York World, to enjoy Francis Wilson’s merrymaking in the comic opera of **The Oolah.” There was a clear sky when the general went in, but before the performance was over it began to rain and the temperature be- came raw and cold. At the end of the second act he went into the Gedney house, a few doors below the theater, and inguired of Clerk Majilton if he could hire an umbretla, at the snme, time explawing that he had .been caught out in his evening suit and he feared rheumatism and other com- nts. Majilton didn’t know him, but e thought he could well afford to take chances on such an eminently respecta- ble-looking gentlgmail; and although the polite clerk has a rotund figure and weighs about two hi d and_twelve, he gladly offered #olaan him his over- coat, as well as his silver-handled um- brella. rorve “‘But,” said the. geperal, ‘‘you are lending these things to an entire stranger, and you eught to accept some kind of a deposit to secure you against dishonesty.” £ “Oh, that’s all; right, colonel,” re- plied Majilton. as he tossed a koy grace- fully to Louis Harrison. *‘I can’t be de- ceived by you, I'd trustthat face of yours for anything.” The warrior was tickled by the com- liment, and he remarked casually as Eo went out with his tall. gaunt form enveloped in the garment that fitted him like a meal-sack: “I'll take you at your word, and you shall have my card when I return these things.” The next day the coat and umbrella arrived, accompanied by a note of thanks and a photograph of General William T. Sherman, with his auto- graph across its face. “‘Great Scott!” said Majilton, “and I called him ‘col- onel,” just as if he had been any ordin- ary American citizen. I wouldn’t mind it half somuch if I had calied him ‘judge.’ but to be reduced in military rank after all his years of service—and by a hotel clerk! “It's awfull” Neal Dow's War on Smoking. General Dow is Eh‘ongly opposed to the use of tobacco as he is to liquor drinkiog, and has carried on a lifelong crusade against it, says the Lewiston Journal: e always has claimed that tobacco dulls the moral sense. Many years ago, before there were any railroads, o man l.ruveling in a stage coach with Dow, one day, lighted a cigar. “I wish you would stop smoking, sir,” suid Dow. “fs smoking offensive to you?” the man asked. **Yes, sir. “Well, I'l1 stop as soon as I've finish this cigar,” Without another word Dow suddenly reached forward, pulled the cigar from the man’s lips and thew it in the road, The man fired up, looked at the well- knit figuro of his follow-passenger, ro- garded the bright lightin his eyes—and cooled off. *T recall an fincident wmln{; down the Rigi, while I was traveling in Europe,” said the general. *‘European railroads did not provide a separate smoking car then, and I doa’t know as they do now. A passenger in our car was complacently smoking his cigar. *“You're an Englishman, sir, aren’t you?’ I eaid to him, “*Oh, no,” said he briskly; ‘I am an American.’ ' “*What! you ani, American and smoking in the presence of ladies !’ “He stopped smoking, but with poor race; and he looked as if he would ike to eat me. g “He was of & differpnt type from a man whom I met. ona steamer in the English channel. I asked him to stop swoking, and he did, so, with profuse apologies. I told him that I believed that tobacco dulls the/moral sense, but he smiled at the idea, ! ou furnish a proof of m{ theory, #ir,) said I. *You Were smoking when you ought not to haye been---and you acknowledged it As n as I called your attention to it. , Tobacco dulled your moral sense.’ "’ Chicago's Miserly Millionaire. I never talked to a board of trade wan ten minutes without hearing some- thing about **O.d Hutch,” says a writer in the Chicago Mail, He seems to be as persistent in getting into men’s minds and on their tongues as was Charles . in Mr. Dick’s Memoirs. This man said: “*¥ou cuan find *Old 'Huteh’ on one of the stools at a cheap lunch counter down near the board every morning of the week. Goes iu there regular and orders two soft-boiled eggs ‘and rolls, and he looks at the check as closely as any poor clerk in town, How’s that for a man with his money? Millions and and millions of wealth, and eating a 16 The Palace Offce Building o T0 QFFICE SEEKERS [ Omaha THE BEE BUILDING. A Superb Court, Perfect Ventilation, Thoroughly Fire Proof. WELL LIGHTED OFFICES, HARD-WOOD FINISH, TILED CORRIDORS Fifty-Eight Vaults, Lighted by Electricity, Night g2 Day Elevator Service THE BEE BUILDING, Seventeenth and Farnam, offers attractions for Professional Men, Insurance Companies, Brokers, Real Estate Agents and Business Men, who desire elegant, commodious and fire-proof offices at reasonable terms. For particulars apply at the Counting Room, New Bee Build- ing. or20 cent breakfast. But that’s his | Goorge Washington, the father of his style. He surprised me the other day. Aslong as I've been around the hoard I never saw ‘Old Hutch’ wear anything but a black slouch hat; but the other day he appeared with one of the new style straws with straight stff brim. Nobody could Look at fhim without smil- ing,and the old man ‘tumbled’and wore it only one day. He doesn’t care for dress, or comfort, or good living, any way. He has just one passion in life, and that’s gambling. He is the first man on the floor of the board always, and the last one to leave it. The ex- citement of the trading hours is the meat and drink of his life. He revels in it. Imagine,if you can, the sypreme delight to such a man of ruuning a cor- ner such as he manipulated last Decem- ber. But he’s almost parsimonious in his daily tife. I saw him at the theater one time alone, sitting in a parquet seat without a soul to talk to. He’sa oner; that’s what he is.” Emperor Willj 's Self-Control Emperor William, who is naturally of an excitable and nervous temperament, never loses an opportunity of schooling himself to prevent any display of feel- ing, says a Berlin lotter. A few nights ago he’ ane a most astonishing exhi- bition of absolute self-control, and even cold-bloodedness. During the state per- formance at the Royal opera in honor of the marriage of the princess’ sister to Prince Frederick Leopold the dress of the premiere danseuse caught fire from the gas jet in the wings, and in a mo- ment she was wrapped from head to foot in a sheet of flame. With great pres- ence of miud the principal basso, who was standing near Ey. draped in Roman toga and waiting to ‘‘go on,” dashed her to the ground, and tearing the toga from his shoulders enveloped her in its capacious folds, thereby extinguishing the flames. She was, however, 30 badly burned that during three days her life was despaired of, and as it is the r girl will be disfigured for life. er rescurer was also badly hurned about the hands, arms, and face. The incident, although concealed from the major portion of the audience, was plainly visible from beginning to end t the emperor, who was seated in one of the stage boxes. Notwithstanding the exciting nature of the scene, he neither raised a hand nor even moved his chair, but remained apparently in- different and unconcerned, coldly gaz- ing on the poor girl battling with the cruel flames. Only at the conclusion of the act did he send one of his aide-de- camps to make inquiries as to the con- dition of the sufferers, She Couldn't Stand Blackguardism ‘Whnen General O. O. Howard was marching down through Tennessee, General Whittlesey, late president of the Freedman’s bank, was assistant adjutant-general on his staff. Whittle- sey had been a clergyman down in Maiue, and was fully as straight-laced as Howard, says the Washington Post, One day Howard drove into a farmyard from which Whittlesey was just depart- ing. A woman and her grown daugh- ter were standing outside the door, My good woman,” said Howard, “will you kindly give me adrink of water 77 *No. Getoutof my yard. A lot of more impident Yankees I never seed,” “‘But I have done nothing and said nothing out of the way,and will se- verely punish any of my soldiers who should say or do anything wrong.” “That sojer insulted me,” said she, pnin!.lng to the retreating form of Gen- eral Whittlesey, ‘‘He axed me for a drink of water and whea I done give it to him he sassed me.” “But—but that is General Whiti'esey of my staff, I am sure he wouldn't be rude to any woman,” *Maw,”” said the girl, pulling her mother’s dress, ‘I reckon he moughtn’t have meaut anything misbeholden.” *“Hush; don’t | know low-down black- guard talk when T hears it? He asked me what was the state of my nativity.” Not “General” But “George." Some time ago s party of gentlemen at Woodlsnd, says the Sacramento Bee, were discussing the characteristics of country, when Sam Ruland, the gorge- ousness of whose imagination has made him well known throughout the state, broke in ubon the conversation. ““You are right, genticmen,” said he. ‘‘Washington was & cold, austere man. He was as haughty as could be, and o stickler for formalities. There was never but one occasion, so far as I have heard, when he throw aside the usuail frigidity of his demeanor. That in- stance was narrated to me many year ago by my grandfather, who served un der Washington in the war of the revo lution, It was the next day after a bat tle,in which the British troops had bec: routed. The Colonial troops were drawn up in ranks, and Washington rode down the line, mounted upon the white charger, of which you have all heard. Wheun he came up to where my grand- father was standing, the latter called out: ““Why, how do you do, general?’ *‘General Washington reined up his charger, dismounted, threw his arms about my grandfather’s neck and ex- claimed; ‘‘Ruland, do not call me general--- call me George!’” Grant's Gallantry. It is doubtful whether any chronicle or romance of the days of chivalry con- tains so touching an incident of matri- monial devotion as that lately told of General Grant, says the Graphic: When the honors came upon the Grants, like sorrows to the house of Denmark, not single spies, but in battalions, the mistress of the white house began to re- new the dream of her girlhood—to have her cross eyes straightened. Wishing to surprise the president, Mrs. Grant, telling nobody, sent for the most eminent oculist in American, He wil- lingly promisea to undertake the opera- tion, which he assured her would be easy to accomphish, and without danger, The good lady could not contain herself for joy, an woman-liko, (am I right, mesdumes?) gave way when she saw her husband and confided to him her secret, the pleasure she had in store him, He looked wistfully into those dear cyes which had held him in tender gnze through all the trials of a checkered career, and said in a simple way: “Julia, I wish you would not change them. T love them as they are, and they might seem strange if altered.” Nor Lauuncelot, nor Romeo, nor lover of any clime or age ever spoke words of tenderer gallantry than those of the hero of Appomattox. How Gilmore Maintaius Discipline Band Leader Pat Gilmore has been a Kreu.y prominent man out west, ¥here is musicians have been playing at ex- positions and public performances, says the New York Graphic. How he retaing discipline over his performers is one of the unfathonable mysteries to the west- ern mind, but a New Yorker tells a story wnich explains it easily. He went up tothe band roomone morning where they were practicing a_difficult compo- sition, and he says: **Mr. Gilmore was standing on a lictle platform, waving his baton energetically. The band was playing for all it was worth. Sud- denly Mr. Gilmore - stamped his foot. frowned viciously, and on the instant the music ceased. [ wondered why this was, a8 my untrained eurs could detect no discord. With a storn look upon his face the great bandmaster turned and ointed his baton at a cowering trom- r\onu player over in one corner. In voice that sounded like the wrath of the storm king, Mr. Gilmore said: ‘Karl, that was very, very bud. The beers are on you.” Then he raised his magical wind aloft, and the musio beguu egain, “‘Pat,” said I, shortly afterward, in low, duleet and somewhat familiar tones, *‘what do you mean by saylg ‘the beers are” on you? " “Don’t you know?” he replied. “Well, I'll tell you. When one of mf' musi- cians make a mistake I fine him by compelling him to buy the besr for the crowd after rehearsal. It's a great scheme, and it pleases everybody but the victim.” Henry Ward Beeoher in Tears. The interesting fact is just aisclosed hat of all the stories which Henry Ward Beecher read during his lifetime Mr. Thomas Nelson Page’s beautiful tale of *‘Marse Chan” was his special favorite. The story was first brought 10 Mr. Beecher’s attention from a read- ing of it by a rich southern lady, who subsequently moved to London, says the Washington Press, When the great preacher was on his last visit to London be made, 1t a special request that the ceading shuuld{)e repeated to him by he same lady; and Ka had actually, vmid all his engagements, not forgot- en to bring overa copy of ‘‘Marse ‘han,” g0 that he “might not disappointed. An evenin, was then fixed at Dr. Josopa Parker’s house, at which Mr. Beecher stuyed during his visit to London. The scene which followed the reading was one nover to be forgotten by those present Mr. Beecher had begun by the statement that he intended to have **a good cry,” and before the story was half through he had realized the ex- pectation, for great tears were falling down the Plymouth pustor’s cheeks, and evecy lady in the room, including the reader, was sobbing aloud. Sara Staggered Editor Meaill. According to Rey. FEugene Field, Colonel Joseph Medill says that Sara Bernhardt 1s the most singular woman he ever had any dealings with. Hay- ing been introduced to the eminent actress by Mr. Abbey in Chicago sev- eral years ago, the colonel thought it would be no more than polite to call upon her when he visited Paris.. So one evening last month he dropped at the Hotel de Rivoli and sent up his card to the fair w It was about 7:30 o’clock. Si had no engagement at at the theater that evening, and a bet- ter season for a call of proprievy could hardly have beon chosen. But pres- ently Sara’s maid came tripping down to the waiting-room with this message: “Madame eez ver sorry, but madame oez engage at ze praisont; will monsieur be 50 kind to come again at haff-pass-2 in ze morning?” “It was the most oxtraordinary re- quest I ever heard of,” says Cofonel Medill. I puton my hat and walked oft in high dugeon. Yet, after all, I am glad that it was I and not my som Robert.” ——— SINGULARITIES, The two-year-old daughter of a Calais (Vt.) farmer is reported to have pt for overone hundrcd and twenty consecutive houra. J. Backus, of Ingham county, Michigan, has o swarm of fighting bees. They recenu, attacked a flock of twenty-five wurkeys an killed every bird in the flock. A rattlesnake kopt by an Orladuo (Fia.) jeweler lived eightoen months without eat- ing. His ownor then put an end to the snake’s wmisery by chloroforming hiw. Wirt county, W. Va., reports the discovs ery of a groen snake, with two heads and two necks. The roptile is about two feat loug aud shaped something like the let- ter Y. A strolling Italian musician in Philadel~ l:‘llla has an improvement on the monkoy. It & parrot which sigs operatic music in 8 BOPrano voice that is heard for squares, then collects coins from high windows. ‘I'he bird can tly where the woukey would fail to reach, The people who live noar Goguac Lake, Battle Creck, Mich,, claim that the shores are gradually coming together, and thut in & few years tho lake will be dry land. No one knows of any let to it, and there i con- stant drainage of soveral bundred thousand gallons daily. Mrs. John Porter, of Otsego, N. Y., gave birth last week to a baby that weighs only thirty ounces, The child is barely ten inches long, and measures but three inchos a tho shoulders. Itis perfectly formed, ap- parently healthy, and lively and vigorous, t is clothed in doll's rafment, and rests com- fortably in a small doll's carriage. Both parents are of usual statue, A phenomenon whioh is sstonishing the ple of Sussex county, N.J., is the fnd- of pew ico daily on "the land of Peter Feathor, Last Sunday Mr. Feather gath- ered sufiiclent lee from the plsce—the mouth of an unexplored cavern—to freeze two cans of ice cream. A small stream ruus out of the cave and forms & pool at the open! and here it is that the ioe forms. A draught of air issues continuously frow tae caveru and congeals the water,

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