The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 26, 1896, Page 28

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 1896. o reue o srese gl HEN I left the University of Jena I went to live with an uncle—who since the death of my parents had supplied their place to me — at a pleasant country house within an easy distance of his manufactory. TUncle Rheinhold was much attached to me, and though he had not objected to my pro- longing my university life rather beyond the usual age, when I finally quitted Jena he strongly urged me to turn my atten- tion to industrial pursuits, holding out to me the prospect of one day becoming his partner and ultimately sole proprietor of his profitable business. Those were my romantic days, and noth- ing would have pleased me better than to have had a romance or two by the way. These were denied me; but, upon the other hand, an abundance awaited me at the place of my destination. 1t was nearly 10 o'clock in the forenoon when I reached the neighborhood of the rich counselor’s fine domain. The morn- ing was so fine I determined to leave my carriage at a roadside inn, near Wiesen- thal, and proceed the remainder of the way on foot, and besides this gave me an opportunity to make myself look spruce before appearing at the Frager abode. Of course I had no thought of pleasing the three girls, as niy heart was Minnie’s. A small wood lay between me and the house. I was about to enter it when I saw, about T ‘“A MELODIOUS VOICE SHOUTED | height, the wayward beauty, glowing with and the comx:mmdin§1 style of her beauly. She is my Dieffenbach,’ he said. *‘I call her after the celebrated surgeon, as she is the cleverest surgeon in the whole neighbor- hood. She is now doing an amputation in the village with the help of the doc- tor.”” The third portrait was not_less charming than the other two. Rich masses of brown hair shaded a counte- nance whose features were more delicate in their expression than either of her sis- ters. *Thisis my Oken, named after the great naturalist; her real name is Ern- estine, but as no profgssor knows more of zoology, ornithology," ichthyology, and a lot more, I call her Oken. You should see her room, it is a museum and men- agerie combined, inciuding a very com- plete coliection of snakes, lizards, horned toads, tarantulas and other disagreeables.” *“My dear sir,” I exclaimed, ow is it that your amiable daughters have become addicted to such unfeminine and extraor- dinary pursuits?” 7 “The cause is soon told, my dear Mr. Frank,”’ replied Frager. ‘“They had the misfortune to lose their mether when they were’ very young. It was impossible for me to attend to their education, so I turned them over to a tutor, who has brought them up like boys.”” He nad hardly returned into the break- fast-room when there was a loud barking of dogs and Louise dashed into the court- yard on her snow-white palfrey. My heart felva thrill of pleasure as I saw this slen- der, graceful, daring amazon in her well- fitting habit. She sprang lightiy from the saddle and hurriedfir\" entered the house. The door flew open, Louise darted in, and without taking the slightest notice of me threw her arms round her father's neck. “Mad girl!” cried Frager, *‘do you not s ee there is a guest in the room, 8 worthy friend of mine?” Drawing her elegant form to its full recent exercise, measured me with a haif | scornful smile playing about her beautiful | mouth and replied : | “If I do not mistake, I have already made the gentleman’s acquaintance.” “I had the honor,” said I bowing, “to serve you as a target.”’ *‘I wish you had behaved better, Louise,” said the counselor, with some dis- pleasure, “‘you really are incorrigible.” “‘So he has blabbed already,’” said the damsel, scornfully. *Only think, papa, the young man was frishtencd, and thought I would kill him.” Turning to | me suddenly, she said, *'If you are not too fatigued and are fond of pistol-shooting, come with me to my gallery.” She led the way and I followed. I had not han- dled the weapon for yeurs; she han- dled it with a dexterity that made me | look very clumsy. Ihad no chance with | her. I was fortunate if I hit the target at ‘HALTY” » Accordingly, for upward of a year, I ap- plied myself to master the mysteries of looms and shuttles, correspondence and bookkeeping, but before it was half out1 fell deeply in love, but this I dared not tell my uncle. Minnie was the sweetest fairy that ever tripped over a lawn with- out doubling a daisy; her hair was of the richest auburn, her eyes were of the deep- est blue, her mouth was a rosebud, ana with my hand I could span her waist, but—alas! that terrible but—she lacked one thing which my uncle set above all the graces ever combined in a goddess. Her mother, the - widow of a very poor clergyman, iived upon a scanty pension, 2nd Minnie was dowerless. So we kept our love a profound secret and trusted to time and the chapter of accidents. Both young, we could afford to wait; and confi- dent in each other’s affection, the possi- bility of another union never entered the heads of either of us. My uncie frequently spoke to me of matrimony. He advocated my early mar- riage—perhaps a little from selfish mo- tives, for he often joyously anticipated the charm a young and graceful woman would bring into his dwelling, and the de- ight fie should have in dandling a grand- nephew upon his knee. Warm-hearted Renerous, he was still completely the nan of business, and he looked upon it as a settled maiter that, although I had very litile fortune of my own, 1y expectations from bhim weuld insure me a rich & This idea was so deeply rooted in his mind that it caused me some unesasiness, as the day must soon come when I should confess to him my love for sweet, venni- less Minnie. One morning a letter came which seemed to give my uncle much pleasure, but in- stead of handing it to me to read he folded it carefully and put it in an inside pocket. All that day he was in a state of parficular exhilaration. At dinner he seid little, but something very agreeable evidently occu- pied his mind. At last, when at evening hie had established himself in his easy- chair at the open window, his meerschaum in kis mouth, & flask of golden Rhenish at his elbow, the mystery was revealed. The Jetter was from his oid friend, Counselor Fracer, who iived on his pleasant domain of Wiesenthal, about two days' drive from us. I had met the counselor once at my uncle’s and was told that he was a very weaithy widower with three marriazeable daughters. These 1 had not seen. My uncle, it appeared, had been negotiatineg a marriage between me and one of the youn, ladies, who were reported to be very hand- some, and that morning’s letter contained the counselor’s full acquiescence in the 200 paces from me, the slender figure of a lady attired in a fantastical costume, be- tween a riding-habit and a riding-coat, | leaning upon a double-barreled gun, ap- parently enjoying the charming landscape. “If that be one of Frager's daughters,” thought I to myself, “Uncle Rheinnoid was not so far wrong. What a lovel; figure, to be sure.” I was about to wall on, when a voice, melodious but powerfu, shouted : “Halt!” 1 thought the command could not cer- tainly be addressed to me, and walked on. Then came the sound of the cocking of a gun and ths next instant a bullet whistled over my head. The hint was enough. I halted. “The woman must be crazy,” thought I as she rapidly advanced. *“What a pity such a ravishingly lovely form should be that of a mad woman.” “Why did you not halt when 1 ordered you?” "she demanded in commanding tones. Scarcely knowing what to say, I care- lessly remarked, “1 thought I heard a bul- let whistle rather near me.” “‘Are you afraid of bullets?" “Well, there may be cases.” “ror shame! A man should never be afraid, least of all of a lady. You thought I should hurt you. Do you take me for an assassin or for a bad shot ?” “Neither; upon my word.” ‘“There is a fine apple hanging over your head. Lay it on fmm palm, stretch out your arm and I will shoot it off. Will you bet that I don’t?” “I am not fond of such bets.” v “‘Afraid again?” “Every man has his moments of weak- ness.”’ *‘Poltroon,” scornfully exclaimed this demon m petticoats, as she raised her gun | and leveled it at my head. “‘For God’s sake!” T cried, but just as the words were out of my mouth came the flash and the report. [ thought I shouid have fallen; to a dead certainty this she monster had hit my hat. “Take off your bat,” said she. I mechanically obeyed. There was a hole close to the brim. shuadered from head to foot. ‘“Where are you going to?"’ said the ter- rible markswoman. Not to anger her, I said as courteously as possible: *‘To Wiesenthal; to Counselor Frager’s.” ‘“Beware of his daughters,” said the female fiend with a laugh that might have been that of the “wi]§ buntsman,” and instantly she disappeared in the wood. I hurried on to Wiesenthal as fast as my legs would carry me, wondering whether Wiesenthal had become a Turkish province, or whether we were back again in the middle ages, when people shot at veaceable passengers for pastime. At last Iemerged from the trees and breathed more freely a< I entered the garden. The scheme, together with an invitation to me | worthy counselor gave me a hearty recep- to pass a few days at Wiesenthal. | tion, and made me welcome to iesen- It was usciess to say that neither of the i thal. Cold game and a bottle of Seine Misses Frager would please me. My uncie declared it impossible for me to decide until I had seen them. So I was obliged to submit. I told Minnie the whole matter, vowed I would be true to her, and tried to console her by Innumerable kisses and tender epithets. But the timd, loving httle heart ached sorely, T knew. As [ was about to depurt my uncle said: girls are pretiy, witty and well read. You must ruk up your learning. The chief thing is, sach of them will have a dower of 30,000 thalers. Bring me home one of thes: and I take you into partnership.” I rolled pieasantiy along the level road in the warm autumn sunshine, through mile aiter mile of dew-spnngl’ed vineyard. “The | { berger were very welcome after my recent peril. My host lamented the absence of his daughters, but said he hoped to intro- | duce them to me at dinner. Then he showed me their portraits, saying with the air of a showman: “This girl is my eldest, Louise, a terrible mad-cap and hair- brained puss; she ought to have been a boy. She is passionately fond of field sports.” At tlus I related my morning’s adven- ture. “Just like the gypsy,” he said. “But you had nothing to iear, her hand is steady and her aim true. This next por- trait "is that of my second daughter, Emily. She is tnought very handsome. Notice the lovely brunette complexion il all—it was as big as a plate—while she put the bullet in the bullseve at almost every shot. Tiring of that, she began firing at birds and at fruit on trees. At last, producing an ace of hearts, she hade me hofii it out at arm’s length, remarking that she would shoot | the ace out. Remonstrance was useless. Stunding over me with her cocked pistol she deciared she would send a bullet thlrdough my hair if I did not doasI was told. This was worse than scalping, so I tried to turn it off with a joke, but it was all in vain. I thought I should have fainted as | I mechanically stooped and picked up the | card which I had thrown away in myv trembling fineers, endeavoring to console myself with the thought that a bullet in the han§ Wwas better than one in the head. | Louise fired, cut out the ace, turned on her heel and walked away, leaving me discour- | teously to myself. | _ “Ihope,” said the counselor apologiz- ingly, after I had told him my adventure, ‘‘that my Emily will efface the bad im- pressions her sister's pranks have made upon you. If Louise with her rage for shooting risks inflicting wounds, Emily, ?t? the other hand, is always ready to heal em."” ‘We entered the dining-room, where we found the table set for five, but the ladies did not appear. The patient counselor again apologized and we sat down to din- ner. To be candid, I was glad of Louise’s absence, Notwithstanding the fright [ bhad had I was very hungry, the cooking was excellent, and I was passing the first really pleasant moments since my arrival, when the door suddenly opened and the dark-browed Emily appeared. She was, if possible, lovelier than Louise. Dazzled by her beauty. I rose and bowed. but like ber sister she heeded me not, but hurried to her father and embraced him, . A most successfnl operation,” she cried, *Poor Arnold is saved. See how badly his arm was shattered,”” displaying {from a folded cloth the amputated mem- ber, with the raw and bloody stump. *Girls,” exclaimed _the counselor, ‘how can you bring such disgusting objects into tbe house where we are st dinner?”’ ““What care art and science about your appetites?” replied the she surgeon, look- ing at me with a very unfriendly expres. sion. The counselor urged me to eat, but I could not swallow a bit. Desirous to con- ceal the fact that the amputated hand h:ad cut off my apoetite, I took out my hand- kerchief and held it to my moush. *“What is the matter?” asked the coun- selor. ‘I have a tooth that pains me,” I re- plied. “Doyou suffer from a decayed tooth?” hastily inquired Emily One lie begets another. ‘At times,” I answered; ‘‘at times when eating one of my double teeth is very apt to ache.” ‘‘We must have it '’ said Emily, firmly. ‘A bad tooth is like a bad con- science; it may be stilled for & moment, but it never rests long.” All my deprecations were useless. She gaietly withdrew to the window and bade the servant bring in a basin of water. Then she drew from a case a hideous in- strument, in form something between a boathook and a corkscrew. “Come over here and sit in this arm- chair,” she said. *I will do nothing at all to your mouth, but the teeth are my favorite studies, and I beg you will allow me to examine yours.”’ I had at last to sit down by the window and open my mouth. Just as I did so the counselor léit the room. My heart sank within me. I was now completeiy in the power of this fiend and her foreceps. She took a probe and poked and scraped about my teeth in a horrible manner. Suddeniy I felt a hideous piece of mechanism in my mouth which grappled a tooth. Before I knew where I vas blue lights danced betore my eyes and I felt as if my jaw was break- ing. “The next momenf a_ magnificent double tooth with two prodigious prongs was triumphantly waved before my eyes. More dead than alive my tongue con- vulsively sought the terrible gap left by my departed and irreplaceable grinder. “Now that my hand is in, you had bet- ter let me remove two other double teeth that need attention,” said Emily, smiling blandly and advancing upon me with her implement; but I shuum; with terror and sprang from the chair as if a scorpion had stung me. At this Emily left the room just as the counselor entered, attracted by my cries. I explained to him that his daughter had, against my will, extracted a perfectly sound tooth. But this the counselor would not admit, declaring that Emily knew her business too well to make mistakes. I then returned to my room, and reclining on a comfortable sofa, in my shirtsleeves, I was soon asleep, as the house was quiet and the afternoon somewhat sultry. Horrid dreams dis- turbed my rest, however, culminating in one in which I was bound, my oreast bared, and a knife driven through my heart. Tawoke with a scream, to find that Emily had crept softly in, rolled up my shirtsieeve and bled me. This was awful. To my bitter remonstrances Emily de- clared I had fever and delirium, and that if I did not keep quiet, she would be obliged to repeat the operation. At last she left me and I at once sought Frager to tell my griefs to him. He lis- tened courteously and compassionately, but nothing could persuade the stubborn old man that Emily had done wrong. None of the ladies appeared at the sup- per-table, but when the meal was half fin- 1shed Oken, long expected, came at last. She was very pretty, with a solt, gentle manner, and bowed her head very grace- fully in response to my salutation. She turned the conversation which ensued to the subject of natural history, more espe- cially dwelling on the latest discoveries among amphibia. Ernestine then opened a pretty basket beside her and presently she held close to my face a lively snake, which stretched out toward me its horri- ble neck and forked tongue. I jumped up and retreated, but Ernestine followed me, and saying, ‘‘You are only a counterfeit naturalist,” she slupped me across the face with the snake and left the room. Frager again apologized, and tired out I begged to be excused and went to bed. Here, after stretching out my legs, I found that Oken had putsome live hedgebogs, crawlish and lizards under the sheet. There was noth- ing for it but to get up, pack my traps and wait for day. At early dawn I crept out of the honse ““A MAGNIFICENT DOUBLE TOOTH | I WAS WAVED BEFORE MY EYES.” and just as I was crossing the lawn I was confronted by Louise nng her pistol. As £oon as she saw I was going she lowered it and asked in a joyous way if I really was going away. To this I replied in the af- firmative and declared T wished I had never come. Explanations ensued. I told her I was engaged to be married and had no idea of marrying her or either of her sisters, at which she almost fell into my arms, telling me that all three of them were engaged and hoped to be married as soon as they could get the counselor’s per- awuission, 3 . I returned to my uncle and told him the whole story. The old man was_so kind I ventured to tell him my secret, He frowned at first, but finally consented, admitting that my Minnie was an angel of beauty and goodness. Before a year was out there were four weddings at Wiesenthal. Nimrod married a parson, Dieffenbach a dragoon, and Oken a painter. Dieffenbach declares to this day (and let this be the moral of my tale) that the loss of the tooth was but a just punishment for going to look at other women when I was already a plighted and accepted lover, a sentiment in whicn her sisters, and especially Minnie, heartily concur. BRANSCOMBE ASHLEY. ONE THI or DO. A boy can climb a slippery tree Where men would surely fall. The dog who barks at you and me Wil let bim pull his tail. He takesa swim where it’s 80 cold ‘We'd never reach the shore. He's capable of feats untold, But he cannot shut a door. With rubber and a wooden frame He makes a gun; his skill Enables him (0 bring down game Your rifle cannot kill. Your fishing tackle Ia-ds a few; His bent pin catches more. Ab. wondrous things a boy can do, But he cannot shut & door. —Washington Star. A HISTORIC CANNON. It Is Now Used .as Fender. Almost the only relic in existence of the battery that was established in this City during the Mexican War is an old cannon that is at present doing duty as a curb- stone fender. At the time the battery was constructed it was on the edge of the bay and near where the corner of Broadway and Sansome street now is. When peace was declared the battery was dismantled and all the material of any use was carried away. For some reason one cannon was left behind, car- riage and all. There appeared to be noth- ing the matter with it and it was even used several times to fire Fourth of July salutes. : As the years went by the carriage was moved away and remained lying on the ground for a long time. When Battery street was cut through 1t received its name from the old fort and the cannon was rolled down to the edge of the curbas a reminder of the old days. How long it lay there is a question that nobody can answer, for those who might have done so are all dead. Atany rate it is known that a patriotic drayman con- cluded that the cannon should be taken care of. He got a number of voluntaers and when the curbstone was put in the crowd carried it to the corner and poked its muzzle down into a hole. It has re- mained there ever since. The portion of it that is visible appears to be in a good a Curbstone — = =5 = 01d Cannon Used as a Curb-Fender at Battery Street and Broadway. [From a sketch.] state of preservation, but the chances are that the other end of it is only a big lump of rust. 3 - BOOTH IN HIDING. One Man’s Life Hung by a Very Slender Throad. The spot to which Captain Cox led the assassins was an old tobacco-bed covered with broom-sedge in a dense thicket of young pines, which was not nearany road- way. Thomas A. Jones, a foster-brother of Captain Cox, and who had been his over- seer, lived within half a mile of the Po- tomac, on a place called ‘“‘Huckleberry,” and, as he had been regularly engaged in conveying spies and biockade-runners sur- reptitiously across the Potomac, Cox sent for him and placed Booth and Herold in his charge. Jones daily brought food cov- ered with corn in a basket to the fugitives, and called lustily to his hogs as he paid Tus visit. Each day he found Booth suffering much from his leg, and usually on-the grouna rolled in his blanket. He was eager for the papers giving an account of the mur- der. and seemed to be much distressed that his foul deed met with little approba- tion in the South. Jones watched his o!;‘ portunity to take his dangerous charge to the river, about two and a half miles dis- tant, and nearly a week—a gloomy, cloudy week of chilly mist—passed before the favorable oproriunity came. % On the third or fourth day aiter Booth reached the pines it was decided to dispose of their horses, which had become restless from lack of food and proper stabling, as 1t was feared that theirneighing would be- tray them. Accordingly, erold and Franklin A. Roby, Captain Cox’s overseer at that time, led the horses about two miles distant into Zekiah Swamp, where it makes a junction with Clarkes Run, and here they were shof. As the place was boggy, the bodies of the dead horses dis- appeared from view in the course of a week and were never seen afterward. The carcasses of these animals, how- ever, came near betraying Captain Cox. A large troop of colored cavalrymen came to his residence for the purpose of secur- ing information as to the route taken by the assassins after they left Rich Hill. Captain Cox showed them the general direction of their course early Sunday morning, which was toward Zekiah Swamps. The troopers started for the swamp, and Captain Cox and his son re- tired to a knoll about a quarter of a mile in the rear of his house,which commanded an extensive view of the entrance to the swamp in the valley below. ‘They could easily see the buzzards hoy- ering over the spot where the horses had been killed a few days before, their bodies not having yet sunk into the bog. Captain Cox and his son anxiously watched the cavalrymen approach the swamp. Would they or would they not enter below the dead horses? Captain Cox nervously questioned. “My son,” said he, “if those men enter below the spot where the bodies of the horses are I shall hang for i The colored cavalry entered but a short distance above where the horses lay and deploying at intervals of fifty feet beat %:d:;‘v:mp {ro‘:?t C-pt:lin Cox's to Dr. 8, nearly fifteen miles.—Vi i Mason, in the Century. Yol CLEVER STAMP SWINDLER : Dealers and Collectors All Over | the Country Made Victims. i OPERATED FOR A LONG PERIOD Names of Prominent Philatelists Util. ized by Franz Wooge in His Scheme. Lying in the County Jail in this City is Franz Wooge, awaiting trial in the United States District Court on a charge of having | used the United States mail with pur- | pose to defraud. | Wooge, for a year and a haif, has made | a very vest of himself to the stamp-dealers and stamp-collectors from one end of the | instead of using a handkerchief he | the top, same as you would with a f | he wouldn’t put the tree in his pocket | wond easily imagine, and people d reatly what it could mean. “But it was simple enough. One of the residents of the region going along one day in 8 most remote part of the country saw a great giant walking along th tains. He was 2 moststupendou s giant, whose uatural walk carried him along from mountain top to mountain top just as you or I would walk along on the stones in a cobblestone-paved street. Of urse it was very pleasant to be as big as gl‘;al:bcwheu he wanted to walk around among the mountains, but when he wanted to iiedown I suppose he must have had to come down en the plains—that is, if he wanted to lie out straight. But this isn’t telling you about the trees. ©It seems that this giant was exceed- ingly neat; he was very careful about hig clothes and he wouldn’t even sit down in a dusty place without first du.‘!lnz'x( off. You've seen boys in their good clothes take out their handkerchiet and dust off a stone with it before sitting down? Wel], this giant used to do the same thing; o tree; he’'d just pull upa tree and by the trunk and brush the place off her duster, and when he’d got through dustin’ 3 you would a handkerchief, but he’d just Zive it a toss. Sometimes it would fall near by; sometimes when it happened to be caught by a wind current it might be carried a long distance before it fell; it was FRANZ WOOGE, THE STAMP SWINDLER, [From a photograph.] United States to the other, oper- ating under a half dozen or more aliases and from as many different points. His scheme was to secure stamps on approval from a dealer or collector in one place and then dispose of them toa dealer in another, | or by means of advertisements in philatelic | publications. So far as has been learned | he followed this predacious course as the sole means of securing a livelihood. The attention of Herbert P. Thrall, | United States Postoffice Inspector, was first called to the doings of Wooge by the receipt of complaints from various people in the East stating that Frank Wooge and Frank Kenig had ‘obtained stamps from them under false representations and had failed to pay for them. An investigation resulted in learning that the same person was using both these names and was oper- | ating from Crook County, Or., near a place called Sisters. There was not suffi- cient evidence, however, to warrant an ar- rest and Wooge was allowed to continue at | work, though a strict surveillance was ! kept on him. Eventually he began to carry out his swindling designs on some of the Califor- nia dealers. Among others from whom he secured consignments were W. Sellschopp & Co. of this City and W. A. H. Connor of Los Angeles. These provided the ne- cessary evidence near at home, and on February 26 Inspector Thrall caused Wooge's arrest at Ktna™ Mills, Siskiyou County, California. Correspondence and other documentary evidence was secured at the same time showing that he had operated under the aliases of George W. Zimmerman, Frank Keenig, Frank Wooge, Frank Grimmel, W. Rothfuchs, W. H. Faberand C. T. Car- enter, and from Sisters, Silver Lake, ummer Lake, Paisley, Plush, Lakeview, Bly, Yainax, Fort Klamath, Kiamath Agency, Klamath Falls and Keno, Ore- zon, and Fort Bidwell, Cedarville, Willow Ranch, Ager, Yreka, Fort Jones, Scott River, Sawyers Bar, Callahan and Etna Mills,Cahfornia. In order to secure approval lots from those to whom he wrote Wooge gave the names of supposed responsible people as reference, such as bank presidents, mem- bers of prominent firms, city officials, etc. In some cases these were purely fictitious, and in the others the people had no knowledge whatever of Wooge. He also represented himself sometimes as a person of some prominence, such as a sherift, and a minister of the gospel, his expectation | being that neither his references nor his own standing would be investigated. He has a good knowledge of the most de- sirable class of stamfs evidently, for his | requests were generally for those which , always find a ready market, such as un- ! used United States Columbian issue or un- used stamps of Great Britain and the var- ious British colonies. What largely aided to make his efforts successful was the nse of such names as Kenig, Rothfuchs, Zim- | merman, etc., all_well-known philatelists of high standing in philatelic circles. _ Inone case he corresponded with a well known St. Louis firm under all his differ. ent aliases, and though there was no at- tempt to disguise the handwriting the im- go:mou. owing tothe large volume of this | rm’s business correspondence, was not | discoyered until the firm's attention was called to the matter by a communication from Inspector Thrall. . Wooge's operations were extremely bold | in his stupid way. He had sent a lot of stamps to E. F. Gambs of this City which he desired to sell. The matter slipped Mr. Gambs’. attention, and be had his memory refreshed by a communication from Wooge, under his assumed name, to which was added the title of deputy sheriff, threatening to prosecute if the stamps were not at once paid for or re- turr}ed. They were paid for, \Vooge is ebout 33 or 34 years of age. The evidence against him is claimed to he conclusive, as it is both of a circumstan- tial and documentary character, The | Federal statutes provide as a punishment | for the crime of which he is said to be guilty a maximum fine of $500 and a maxi- mum imprisonment of eighteen months. e MR. BILLTOPS TO FRANKY, | He Tells About Certain Singular Occur- | rences in the Far West. “Pop,” said little Franky Billtops, “teil me a story.’’ ) “Wrell. Franky,” said Mr, Billtops, ‘'you've heard of showers of bulifrogs, and fishes and that sort of thing, I know, but you never heard of its raining trees, did you? Out West, once, way out West by the Rocky Mountains, the inhabitants Were surprised one day to see a trée com- ing down out of the sky. This bappened & number of times and people got more and more surprised about it, and accounts | offense or defense even in (are such trees as these, that came nobody knew how nor whence, that people had wondered at so much. “When they discovered where the trees did come from they got up a petition and sent it to the giant asking him not to throw his trees around in that way, be- cause, you see, it was more or less of an annoyance to folks to have trees coming down like that; but the giant never paic the slightest attention to it, and the trees kept coming just the same; but the people felt easier about it than they did before, for we are all less disturbed by things we know about thau we are about things we don’t understand.”’—New York Sun. —————— HAS THREE BARRELS. A Pocket Firearm of Novel Construc- tion. An old-fashioned pocket firearm recently | fell into the hands of Edward Ladd of 9 Third street. It was the property of a miner who recently 'went to Cooks Inlet, Alaska, and, in the parlance of ’49, there is one ‘“nick filed in the handle.’ The weapon has three barrels, three inches long, set one above the other. The ham- The Three-Barreled Revolver.. mer is operated by the trigger only, thus being a self-cocker. The firing-pin swings on a revolving pivot set in the frame, and the operation is on the ratchet principle. The firing-pin, when the weanon—which is | of the old powder, cap and ball variety— is ready for action, rests below the lower cap. By pulling the trigger the pin i raised opposite to the barrel simultaneco with the raising of the hammer. lower barrel is discharged, and a = pull raises the pin to the second L and so on until all three are di This unique weapon is rer made, and would be very e proved firearms. On the barrel is_the inscription, *“William W. Marston, New York City, Pat. May 25, 1857.” Thisshows the weapon to be among the first, if not the first, of the self-cocking pistols that have become so popular of late years. g Dk, There are large districts in China where labor is so cheap that it can hardly be reckoned on a money standard. Thou- sands of Chinese laborers live on a little more than a handful of rice or so a day, and yet even then there are thousands of unemploved practically starving. NEW TO-DAY. From USJournal of MeMcine (-] Prof. W. H. Peeke, who makes a specialty of Epilepsy, has without doubt treated and cur- ed more cases than any living Physician; his success is’ astonishing. ‘We have heard of cases of 20 years' standing cured by him. He publishesa valuable work on this d ease, which he sends with a % large bot- tle of his absolute cure, free to any sufferers who may send their P. O. and Express address. We advise any one wishing a cure to address ®rof. W. H. F.D., 4 Cedar St., New Yor® ADWAY’S of 1t got into the newspapers. Some of these accounts said there were showers of trees; and take it altogether there was a great deal of interest over it, as you can PILLS, Purely vegetable, mild and reliable. Secure Com- plete digestion and absorption of the food, cause & healthy action of the Liver and render the Bowels natural in their operat on without griping