The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 25, 1895, Page 11

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER < into Qus best torm. O: other hand, warn the novice s doing too work in training. A man sligktly under- beat a sii rirained man ney be a shade taster of the two. 6ll novices enter their first contest ined. Fifteen minutes of earnest, snAppy WOTK on the path is better than halia of alternate lounging and listless ap- on. middle and long dis ent must often b who ne tarely 6 punishing r tance racesgreat pun- 1, and the con- self in prac- » has the heart for a 1d advise running at » speed against the tance events. th novices s to dwell t until they d and body. I would ady he event for ick to it, will One 100 and ¢ yards, or for athlete to select 1as the most talent and hat an all-round ath- ipionship ferm in any tthe same time for the or for the 220 and 440 and 880 yards, but an ider range of distances 140 em. Let your athletic Don’t try to force ng your prow If you follow > you many difficult and ns when you are beaten. DODGING A BICYCLE. people who write those mar- s about what to do in emer- nt at the top of the column type, “Don’t try to dodge a ire it wounld materially de- f bicyele ac tto go toa wom i lay. She was crossing the sudden she saw a bicyc! '\‘. own on Ler. She gave a scream and back, another scream and sprang for- Then, with a series of screams, she led back and forth, the man on the wheel e time trying to avoid her: Justwhen i the actual contest as | NPyt *\Q{& eSS ‘ e Sl Hupsg Ailigaom AWl R R Ui "8 i " Sk [ 5, 1895. THE CALIFORNIA CRACK, REY Drawn for “The Call” by Nenry Sta d. EL SANTA ANITA. 13 her destruction seemed unavoidable the man sacrificed himself and fell against the curb- stone. He didn’t ssy anything. There are some silences that are expressive. Of course, all thinking people recognize that the only sencible thing to do when you sce s bicycle headed for you is to stand stock still % and give the rider a chance to turn out. There are those nmong us, however, who have better schemes than this. I have one man friend who bas. He always carries a cane and he has always averred that if ever a bicycle attacked him he would thrust the cane between the spokes and smash the machine. I met him yesterday, He was wearing & wan smile and & strip of court-plaster on his chin. I hadn’t got any further than “How—" when he put his hand in his pocket and drew out & silver cane- head and three inches of stick. But he wasa man all through to the last, for what he said was: “I stopped the bicycle, anyway.” ey SOUTH ArlcRICAN RACERS. ‘When the great race gelding Prince Wilkes, 2:14Y, by Red Wilkes, was sold to South American purchasers some seven or eight years ago for about $20,000, the attention of horsemen was attracted to the possibility of our southern neighbors furnishing a good mar- ket; but after news had been received of sev+ eral defeats sustained by the stout chestnut gelding in his new home, agd his final death by drowning during an inundation which in- cluded his stable, interest flagged, and no at- tention whatever has beep given to what should undoubtedly prove as rich if not a richer market than Europe. At Buenos Ayres there is one of the finest racetracks'in the world, and the club is composed of the wealt h_ iest gentlemen in the city. The grand stand will easily seat 10,000 people, and every detail is most carefully regarded. Running races are similar to the American, but trotting 1s con- fined to two and three mile dashes, with a dis- tance instead of a class handicdp. Prince Wilkés was given a 200-yard handicep in his first start. ——————— “Jones complains that the world isunsympa-~ ¢ i “Yes, poor fellow! Even his horse ran away from him yesterday and wouldn't listen to his whoas &t ail.””—New York Tribune. “Belle, how do you keep Bob at home nights?”? 3 “7 had a folding-bed made that looks justlike & sideboard.” THEY ALL WRITE TO SUTRO. winter. What It Costs to Be| Philanthropic. The Odd Correspondents | of San Francisco’s ¢ Mayor. Girls That Want Pianos and Men and Women With Many Hobbies. CALL. ) had 00,000 to spend in ristmas presents for men and women known to him still a great many people vho have applied would be n dollars would not nd. It would fall ng the scores of at come to the Mayor of o with each mail delivery the But about a fortnight before year the letters increased tly, in fact, ha to answer every one would re- tire the Mayor to spend a k hire alone, and w the City H: ame of Mayor Sutro’s benevolence nthropy has spread throughout the world, for his correspondents are lo- Letters come frcm England, Germany. France, Russig—a. from South Amer: parts of Asia, and ofien from China, Japan and India. When the Ma, 1 Europe, in truth, and some hours each day considering the ap- plications and dictating his replies. But the labor soon became so great that he d to turn over the work to Mi Do one ¢ Taylor Rogers. In accordance with the Mayor’s instruc- tions they read each letter, hand him a very brief synopsis of epistles that are sometimes very long and write answers as he directs. The volume of correspond- ence has increased so much of late, how- ever, that it has overtaxed the employes of the office and it has become imperative that no begging letters from outside the State shall be answered. Aside from the astonishing number of letters recerved the most astonishing thing about the matter is, perhaps, the immense variety of gifts desired. Some women do not hesitate to ask Mr. Sutro to buy them bicycles or pianos, sealskin sacques or com- fortable homes. Others want their taxes or mortgages paid and still others ask for money without giving any particular rea- son except that they desire to partake of his bounty. The number of those who wish funds to aid in gaining educations is very great and all seem to feel that the M; r will look with favor upon their applications. Whiie most of the letters are evidently from illiterate persons many of them bear the imprint of having been written by people of education and even refinement, who have been driven by want or misfortune to ask aid from the head of 2 distant municipality. In addition to those who ask pure charity thousands write to request the Mayor to buy their goods or merchandise. They offer to sell anything in the animal kin.dom from an eaglet or a bull pup toa bull buffalo. This probably arizes from the accounts that have been published of the smail mensgerie which the Mayor formerfy maintained at Sutro Heights. Others have inventions, patents or real estate to dispose of and beg the Mayor to invest and not only aid them, but to in- crease his own wealth as well. Perhaps the following article, published inaily in a New York paper and copied y throughout the country, has had mch to do with the number of bexging Lo .ters received, for scores of epistles have contained copies clipped from various papers: Mayor Sutro of S8an Francisco—reformer, oc- togenariar, many-times millionaire and phil- anthropist—is emphatic in his declaration thiat it does not pay to get rich. ““Effort,” says he, “is the oniy source of hap- piness. Itisnotmy intentfon fo leave all my wealth to my children—the people shatl bene- fit by my effort as far as Iam able to confer that benefit, and T shall leave as a legacy to those of my own family an incentive to the effort which I contend is the source of happi- ness. Idonot believe that a man with & full ed in almost every corner of the earth. a, Canada, the eastern | r first assumed office he | undertook the task of answering most of | these beggzing letters himself and spent | read but herself, and his clerk, | honest efiort constantly applied is able to | | enjoy the rational pleasures of thislife. The | man who is engaged in congenial labor s the | happiest of all men. | “The power to concentrate wealth isa menace to the country. Itis the root of a cor:aption that is sapping the foundations of our Govern- | ment. Millionaires, sy s and corpora- tions are impoverishing the people and rt ing the Nation. They call me & radical—s socialist. Perhaps I am, butIam not & fool, | and I refuse to betieve the sophistry of corpor- | | ation advocates contrary to the plain facts of | | my persopal observations. Our political sys- tem is all wrong, and our social sysiem is even worse. The founders of this republic gave us the best constitution ever devised, but we have | drifted fer away from the principles enunci- | ated by Jefferson, Hancock and the signers of | the Declaration of Independence. “Corporations and the money power ewn | this country to-day, and the people are steadily | being reduced to & condition of abject slavery. If1 had my way I would compel every men of | wealth and every corporation to contribute to | & fund for the employment of the working- to provide labor for every man wi We are all more or less depencent upon one | and we are bound. in commo one another, 1f we f compelled to do 0. Iam in favor of & public fu to provide work for Ia am in iavor of taxing the ri fund.” ng m | ived is from | broken | One of the latest lette an aged Baptist mi down with the toil and priv: asks, in a pathetic letter, a Christma ent to cheer his last di It i was s0poor. You said you were. IthoughtI | wonld write you once more and, perhaps, you | would help me. I wrote you a letter last | My address is | . Lucy A. BOONE. | ranklin street. Philadelphis, Pa. = | Three hundred dollars is what a young Jady in this State asks to be used in pro- curing an education: 429 n. Mr. Sutro, May your Honor please excuse the liberty I take in addressing you. I have read and heard so much of you and your great generosity and kindness to the poor that I venture to ask help f you. I am poor. I would like to have money enough to fit me for some kind of business. If I had money enough to go to some normal school for one term I think I would be able to teach school or some such thing. I would like to have ($300) three hundred dollars, and if in the future I am able to return it to you with interest I will gladly do so. 1am & young girl, only 18. If ygu doubt that I am an honest girl—a girl my word—write to — —, , at Please do not cast me aside un- Yoursinhopes, Mis§ —, noticed. In the Mayor a young bull buffalo. say: mail came an offer to sell the The writer 3fr. Adolph Sutro, San Francisco—Sir: Your neme has been given to me as a possible pur- | chaser of a young buffelo. The animal is a very | dsome bull, about 5 years old. Kindly let me know if you t he sale could! be made in your City and re. 1220 Douglas street, City, Towa. The deadly clipping was in evidence in a letter received from Hindsboro, Iil., from & man whose own and wife’s family | bad been ruined in speculation. He wrote: | HINDSEORO, 111., Nov. 30, 18! Sutro: I saw in the Republic, | name was advertised, saying yon | Dear Mr. where you " wes a millionairc many times and it wasnot EVERYBODY WRITES TO THE |Sketched from life by a “Call” artist.] MAYOR. olent now Sir I am very poor and quite kaeedy | and I am going to ask you to end mee a Christmas Present. 1am 64 years old and have been preaching and farming a good many vears. In time of the war I was drafted and I couldent leeve home very well and had to hire a substitute. Had to borrow the money to pay him, finally it took my home to pay it. Now Lam old and have no home. I have bin afilicted in my feet for 3 years, the last 3 monthsI have bin haraly abe ito get around. Now Dear Sir I beg you to helo & little—pleas sir lend a helping hand. They who give to the | poor come to the Lord and the Lord will bless you in doing s0. Now «hatyou may know that Tamnota freud Iwill give you some refer- ence. My neme is Levi Elliott & Baptist min- fster. As to my standing and truthfullness I refur you to A Andricks, Sandorae, Ili; John A McClelland § F Phillips, Odin Ill; Edmon Copplesen, J H Fisher, Irvington IlI; Abner Green, John MCintyre, L. D, Winters Coffey- ville Kanses. Now Kind Sir if you doubt mee wright to any or all of the men named and if they dont say that I am worthy and needy then let me go. Ifthey sey I am then pleas, do pleas, help | & little I beg. Pleas send me & Christmas Present to Coffeyville Kansas. REev. Levi ELLIOTT. From Philadelphia comes a pathetic ap- peal from a woman who says that she is in want of the necessities of life. She says: Mr. Adolph Sutro, Mayor of San Francisco— KIsD Sie: Please pardon me for my boldness in again writing to you, but poverty, I might say, compels me to doso. Iwill tell you my circumstances: I have been sick for five long weeks. While I wasso sick I cared but little for anything to eat had I the money to buy it. Now that my appetite has returned I have nothing to purchase the needs of life with. Now the Lord has lent you much money, while I am, unfortunately, withoutany. I will find work as soon as I am able, but at present I cannot. Now, please, help me a little, will you not? Please do not think me a beggar, but send me a few dollars and I willask God to bless you, for I am trusting in him for every- thing in this world and in the world to come. I feel impressed that you are a kind man and that your mother was s Christian. Ihave never read a word concerning your life, there- fore know nothing about you except that you are very wealthy. I dreamed ounce that you were fixing up an old house for me to live in, competence which precludes the necessity of and I asked you if you were notsorry that, l' your intention to leave all your welth to your children. If you should bestow any of your welth toany one outside your children and person that it would make happy it would be me. Iam & poor man, good worker, honest and a good fellow. I would apreciate anything that was Give me to help me start in this world. I do not care to be ritch, butIwould like to have plenty. My grand- father was broke up in speculation, also my wife's people, and have Got no meaus to help on eitner side. I am hihly respected among my fellow-men as beeing an upright man. Will pay my debts as long as I can. I would like to Here from you. Yours respectfuily, LEONARD SwItzek, Hindsboro, 11, An impoverished physician, who labors among the “crackers’ of Missouri, scorns to beg from the Mayor but asks him to buy a mortgaged farm that something may be saved from the wreck. His letter was also the result of newspaper reading: OFFICE OF GEORGE M. Ross, M.D., EDWARDS, BENTON COUNT: Mo‘,g December 2, 1895. Hon. Mr. Sutro—RESPECTED SIR: The philan- thropic sentiment contained in the inclosed clipping, which I cut from the St. Louls Re- public, has fnspired me with the hope that Pprobably you would listen to me and, if favor- ably impressed. would assist me and st the same time if nothelp yourseli you will at least not be damaged in the least. I wish to sell you a piece of 1and. You may think there is some trickery or fraud about this, but let me ex- plain. 1am practicing medicine among a very poor class of people—dotng what good I can amoug and for them. A good many of them are un- able to pay me, some only a very little and only a few can pay fully and promptly. I have & family to support, and so when I myself was stricken down with s long and lingering ill- ness it was not long until the small amount we had on hand was used up. S0, asour ex- penses continued we were compelled to go into debt, and to pay the debts I was compelled to mortgage my place, a farm of 160 acres. I have paid the interest on the morigage for several times, but besides making a living for my family and paying this interest, I have not been able to pay off the mortgage. So I con- cluded to get me a small house in the little town near my place and dispose of the farm, for [ am not able to work it at all. Something | ing it for weeks, may be months. F.8.Lorb. |y | respectiully yonrs, - | asking | certain sense charitable, still Iam no begear, | dollar T ask of yeu. Respectiully, the mortgage on Jannary 1, 1896, and I would like to be able to sell the land and pay it all off before that time. To be sure, I could adver- tise my land for sale through some real-estate ageney, but there is 10 certainty of their sell- Now, my dear sir, you can lose nothing by buying this land, though it is so far from you. There has been a large emigration from Towa and Ne- braska passing by and coming into this part of Missouri. Numbers of the best farmers from those States, driven to leave their homes by the drought and failure of crops,are coming into this country. Most of them want to trade stock for land or buy on_time or rent, but they are energetic and it will only be & question of time that they can buy the land they are now renting. IiI could wait—but I can’t—I eould | get & big price for my land safter a while, for | land is advancing in value here. My land is | nearly all good, tillable land, and there is fine | timber and wild grass for range purposes on nearly all of it, and this is the hest truit section of Missouri. 7There is & fine variety of fruit on { my place, & four-roor house and forty acres | fenced and in eultivation, good spring living water. Ido notwant toswindle anybody, but | 1 you can spare $1200 to buy this place with vyou will never lose & cent by it, but it will help me, & poor but honest man, to make s fresh start in life.and to make & living for as happy & little family as there is on earth, every member of which will be taught to breathe a prayer for blessing o the heed of the man who will thus help me to bring them | to any of the eountr officers of this county, or to the postmaster, or to either of the banks at versaw (which is the county seat), that I am hit. u meen to accept this offer, in order to matters you can send the amount ($1200), twelve hundred dollars, to the Bank of Warsaw, to be paid to me when I give them adeed from me to you for theland which I | own and it clear of mortgage and other incum- brance. By so doing you will oblige one who will remember you and who is very truly and GEORGE M. Ross, M.D, Iinclose a stamp for reply, for, while ou to go into a speculation thatisin a but am offering you a hnundred cents for each G. M. R. A young lady who signs herself “M. B.” and says she is “real pretty,” writes from Everett, Pa., to ask for $250 to bave her voice cultured. She say. AMr. Sutro, San Franmcisco, Cal.—DEAR SIR: I &, as you will discover later, a reader of Mun- sey’s Magazine. In thelatest issue I read an article of you and have from the tirst been im- pressed with the kind ana thoughtful look on your face. I also noticed you were quite wealthy and have decided to write ana ask a very great favor of you. Tam a real pretty young girl, and my one talent is music. Isang in the Lutheran church choir for some time, and have had all the most prominent parts. It has been my cherished hope to have my voice cultivated, and if I nad ($250) two hundred and fifty dol- larsI would be enabled to attend Irving Col- lege, Mechanicsburg, Pa. This is the first and only favor I have ever asked of any one, and am unable to eav what has prompted me to ask this of you. But I do ask you, and hope from the bottom of my heart that you, with so much mwoney, will help a poor girl to realize her fondest hope, that of singing in a paid choir in some city. If you will be kind enough to answer this please address M. B., Postoflice box Everett, Bedford County, Pa. ve en answer and learn you take the slightest interest in me I shall be only too de- lighted to answer at once, send you my pictare and name; also answer all questiens you may care o ask. 3 Hoping to receive a favorable answer at your earliest convenience, I am vours to command, M. B. Everett, Pa., September 3, 1895, An Alameda lady offers Mayor Sutroa young eagle. She does not mention the price. There are some pathetic letters as well. A lady writes from Bloomfield in language and handwriting that betokens refinement and education, asking for assistance for herself and children. Jesse W. Carper, who tells Mayor Sutro that he is secretary of the Methodist Epis- copal Sunday-school at New Petersburg, Ohio, and a man of good character and education, wrote less than a month ago that he would like a loan of $100. He ex- plained that he wanted $50 with which to start himself in business and §50 to buy groceries and other necessities to dis- tribute among the poor of his town on Christmas. Mre. William Dwyer of Randolph, Cedar County, Nebr., asked the Mayor in a re- cent communication to send her $500 to pay off a mortgage on her husband’s farm. Her main reason for writing was that her husband had joined the Populist party and subscribed to the Wealthmaker. A woman in Russia, who had read of Mayor Sutro, wrote to ask for 400 rubles to start a.millinery-store, while a San Francisco member of the gentler sex—mar- ried, by the way—asked the Mayor for a bicycle on which to get exercise for her health. To those letters that are deemed worthy of answers, courteous replies, either grant- ing or refusine the requests contained, are returned. Usually the. applicant is in- formed that the Mayor aiready has calls that use up all his spare cash, Iam compelled to do, and this seems to me tha best. Now there will be & year's interest due on ORepessor up as Lonest and energetic as American chil- | dren ought to be. You will find by referring | A Costly Philatelic Specimen. Black Bob’s Wonderful Discovery in the Courthouse. Tiny Pieces of Colored Paper That Are Worth Small Fortune. Written for THE CALL. Btamps are frequently made the theme of Christmas tales in the magazines de- voted to the interests of the stamp-collect- | ing fraternity, but the wildest flights of | the philatelic romancers make but feeble approach to the marvelous real story of the greatest ““find” of the rarest stamps | known, which wasrecently made at Louis- | ville, Ky. The stamps referred to are those that were issued by Postmaster John M. Wimer of St. Louis, Mo., in November, 1845, be- fore the United States Government had decided to adopt the system of prepaying | postage by adhesive stamps, which had been first introduced in England in 1840. TALE OF A POSTAGE STAMP. treme rarity of all these stamps, and how much they are sought after by collectors is shown by their market price to-day. The most common specimeus, certain varieties of the5and 10 cent denomina- tions, are valued at $250 each, while the rarest, certain varieties of the 20-cent, which were found among the Lowsville lot, recently changed bhands at the record price for stamps, a pair of them having been sold for $5000. Stray fragments of the story of the great Louisville find have appeared in various philatelic publications for the past few months, but the full details of the sensa- tional developments relating to the mat- ter were jealously guarded by those who were in a position to divulge them. The lion’s share of these gems eventually fell into the hands of the C. H. Mekeel Stamp and Publishing Company of St. Louis, and in the special semi-annual edition of their Philatelic Journal of America, jast out, the full story of the great find is told for the first time, the only variation from absolute facts being changes in the names of those who made the original discovery and those who assisted to dispose of the stamps. The salient and most interesting features of the story follow: Biack Bob isa Kentucky negro employed as porter in the courthouse at Louisville, Ky. Oneday last August Bob was com- missioned to clear up some boxes of old correspondence, besides an accumulation of miscelianeous traps that had for some time been an eyesore to those about the building. In the act of shoveling a large batch of A STAMP THAT IS WORTH $2500. [Drawn by a ““Call’ artist from a photograph.] In order to permit of a full appreciation of the extraordinary value that attaches to these labels a few facts concerning their history is necessary. Although, as stated, these stamps were issued in 1845, their existence was not known to collectors until November, 1863, eighteen years after their creation, thus indicating to some extent their scarcity. Ever since this discovery they have been the subject of deep and careful research in order to fully establish their authenticity and their consequent value. It was not long before the more scientific collectors had traced the records back so as to fully establish the legitimacy of the 5 and 10 cent values, but the genuine character of the 20-cent value had remained a subject of doubt and discussion up to the fall of 1894, when John K. Tiffany,a prominent attorney of St. Louis ana an ardent philatelist, gathered together from the fortunate collectors who had speci- mens a number of the three different de- nominations, and from a thorough ex- amination and comparison of these speci- mens evolved a theory which he claimed unasseilably established the genuineness of the 20-cent denomination. But the full proof of the character of this most valua- ble of all postal labels was only obtained when the extraordinary discovery was made at Louisville. As the result of the investigations made regarding these philatelic gems, it has been ascertained that the aggregate num- ber of all values combined that were printed is 9000, Of this number 3500 were of the 5-cent denomination, 4500 of the 10- cent and but 1000 of the 20 cent. It wds further ascertained that there were varia- tions in the designsand différences in the paper upon which the stamps were printed that resulted in seven distinct varieties of the 5 cent, nine varieties of the 10 cent and four varieties of the 20 cent. Evi- dence was also obtained which indicated that a considerable number of each value had never been brought into use, and which are presumed to have been de- stroyed. These are the facts that show the ex- old letters into the furnace, several that were loose fell at the negro’s feet. To one of them Bob noticed a stamp attached. He picked it up for examination, and it being of unusual appearance, and remem- bering that he had heard of boys collect- ing stamps of foreign countries, he placed it in his pocket and then bethought him- self to look for others, so long as he had taken the trouble to save this one. A half-way careless tumbling of one or two other bunches brought to his view more stamps, about the same as he had found before, except that the figures n some cases were different; the pictures, however, of two bears appeared in all. At this point of Bob’s interesting in- vestigations the two janitors of the build- ing came in, and, seeing the darky cu- riously examining one of the stamps, asked him what he was looking at. Forth- with Bob produced what he had found, and one of the janitors expressing an in- terest in them, Bob asked him what he would give to obtain them. The janitor being acquainted, too, with a gentlemarn who, as he expressed it, ‘“liked such thbings,” offered a quarter and a drink for the lot. Bob was too thirsty to resist, with payday still away in the distance, and mentally congratulating himself upon his morning’s good fortune, quickly closed the deal. Janitor Draper and his co-worker, Berry, the next evening called upon the former’s stamp-collecting acquaintance, as Draper did not care to keep his quarter invested any longer than he could help, and besides he expected to realize a profit. Perhaps the stamps would bring a dollar. Draper’s astonishment, not to say satis- faction, can, therefore, ve imagined when he received a $5 bill for the nine labels. Berry struck for his share and received it, and equal partnership was then and there agreed upon. They at once arranged a programme for the next day, as there were several boxes of old correspondence in the Courthouse cellar that had not been touched. T.ey were both down an hour earlier than usual, and sniling fortune greeted them, for in the very box out of which Bob had taken the other bundle of letters they found quite a quantity of the stamps. They concealed their discovery from the porter, who maae his appearance later in the day, and who had forgotten the inci- dent of the previous afternoon. Draper and Berry met the next evening by appointment at the former’s house to talk over the situation and arrange to seil the 100 additional *‘bear” stamps they had secured, and, which at the rate they had received for the first nine, would mean more than $50 for them. But would the collector give this amount? This idea worried them considerably, and they de- cided to take counsel with their respective brothers-in-law. This proved a wise pre- caution, for Draper’s brgther-in-law sug- gested that they dispose of but a few at a time. He knew nothing about stamps, but having much natural shrewdness feared that a wholesale offering might spoil the market. He also suggested that they visit a printer named Hacker, who displayed stamps for sale in his show- window. Ip accordance with the pro- gramme fixed upon they catled on Hacker on the following Sunday. The printer had considerable knowledge of stamps, and when the four darkies called and displayed to his astonished gaze a dozen or so of their stamps he could scarcely believe his eyes. Assoon as he gained his composure sufficiently he asked his callers if they had with them all they possessed. Their countenances had already betrayed them, and they were obliged to acknowledge that there were others, but would not admit there were more than double the number they exhibited. Hacker insisted that they bring all they had to him, and promised to give them $25 apiece for such specimens as he would select, and the next evening was appointed for a second meeting. Meanwhile Hacker was in a serious pre- dicament. He had promised to buy at least $300 worth of the stamps, but had no available funds. In his dilemma he re- ‘membered an acquaintance of means, who was an advanced collector. He called on him, told him the story and promised to sell him on a reasonable basis some of the stamps 1f he would advance him the neces- sary sum of money. This was readily done, as the collector was extremely anxious to secure some of the long-wished- for rarities. True to their promise the party of four called on Hacker the next evening, and, to Hacker’s astonishment, produced more than forty of the coveted rarties. He carefully selected the cream of the lot, as to the sellers it made no difference whether hetooka5,al0ora 20 cent stamp. The result of the transaction gave the stamp- sellers $325 and Hacker thirteen of the cooicest of the St. Louis stamps, among them two of the 20-cent denomination, and from the sale of which he subsequently made a net profit of nearly $4000. Their peculiar and fortunate experience induced the two janitors subsequently to seek the cotnsel of a well-known collector and prominent business man of Louisville, in whose employ they had previously been. He proved a real friend, and on his advice they paid a visit to New York with a por- tion of their possessions. Here they dis- posed of nineteen stamps for $2000, and subsequently other sales were made to New York and Boston dealers. Forty-two stamps were thus disposed of within a short time for a sum less than §5000. At this stage the St. Louis firm camé on the scene and by shrewd and generous dealing succeeded in obtaining all the re- maining stamps in the hands of Draper and Berry, some ninety-five in number, at a total outlay of about $23,000. The total number of stamps brought to light was 137, consisting of seventy-five of the 5 cent, 46 of the 10 cent and sixteen of the 20 cent. Altogether Draper and Berry realized in the neighborhood of $30,000 from their find, whith was equally divided between them, and Bob, the real discoverer of the great bonanza, was made happy by a lib- eral gift. - It may be interesting to know further that all these stamps were found on envelopes addressed to Messrs. Tyler & Rutherford of Louisville, Ky., and were from the firm of William Nisbet & Co. of 8t. Louis, and that their aggregate value to-day is not less than $60,000. A ik, False Modesty. The enormous grizzly stood irresolute upon the iceberg, seven-eighths of which, as may be seen by the most cursory refer- ence to Ganot’s “Physics,” is beneath the surface of the water. He was ih doubt. The reference is to the grizzly and not to Ganot. On the wind came the voite of a north pole explorer. @ “Tuere's anotner one of those fellows,” bruin muttered. “They always bring their wives with them, and I wouldn’t be caught here for anything in my bear- skin.” On the word he made off in a westerly direction, unwitting, inexperienced chap as he was, and remote from news of the latest fads, that the new woman can stand most anything.—New York Recorder.