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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1892-06-17, Page 6THE HURON EXPOSITOR. JUNE 17, 189'2 MIDDLETON'S WIFE. Kate Mitchell was one of those unfortu- nate women whose surplus physical ener- gies distinguish them_ from others of their sex. As a child-ahe,was known as a "tom- boy," and prim mothers held her up as an awful warning to ;heir little daughters, vrhile in her own home the question of how to subdue her buoyant spirits was wrestled over with true maternal solicitude. When she grew up, sooiety frowned upon her as a "hoyden," and her way was beset with thorns. At 18 she could row, and swim, and ride, and play lawn -tennis like a boy. She was a great walker, and upon one occasion had walked to Me. Diablo and back in two days, with her brother and a couple of friends, a feat which alone would have sufficed to place her under a ban in San Francisco's best society. That she sang like a bird, danced Tike a sylph, and was, altogether, a very amiable, pure -minded girl, was a small offset for the sum of her iniquities, and al- though she was exceedingly popular among a set of young and irresponsible boys, con- servative circles frowned upon her, and it was generally underatood that she was a young person of moat radical and dangerous tendencies. It was, therefore, a matter of polite regret when the announcement of her coming nup- tials with one of this same conservative circle was received. Tom Middleton was a promising young lawyer, of excellent family and irreproachable manners. It had been generally understood that Tom's ideal was of a different type, and more after the pattern of the elegant society women with whom he had been accuetomed to associate. His intimate friind and boon companion, Jack Spencer, who had always disapproved of Kane, undertook to pose as the mouth- piece of society, and -echoed its sentitnents in Tom's unwilling ear. Tom stood staunch- ly by his colors, but his friend's words sank deep into his soubnevertheless. He secretly resolved that for his sake and her own, Kate must het" toned down." He succeeded even beyond his hopes. Nine years after her marriage, few would have recognized in the quiet, repressed wo- man, the gay and spirited girl of former days. Kate was fond of her husband, and the alchemy of love had wrought the change; but it is a dangerous thing to meddle with spiritual chemistry as well as with thelorces of the material world,and if Tom had known what pent up longings and rebellious in- clinations raged beneath his wife's quiet' exterior, he might have repented his suc- cess. But he went on callously and blindly, as men will when dealing with delicate forces which they cannot understand, and Kate kept her grievances to herself. Two ohildren came—the elder a girl, a fiery, un- tamed little creature, who made the moth- er's heart ache, as she saw in the child a re- flex of herself • the other a boy, sturdy, de- liberate, like his father. When the children grew larger and needed room for exercise and out -door air which their city home would not afford, they took up their resi- dence in a little country home, not so far away but that Tom could travel back and forth dank and attend to bis business, and it is here that our story finds them. One gray, December day, Kate stood at her window, gazing out upon the landscape. It had been a dull, tiresome week. Several days before, Tom had started off on a long - promised vacation, which was to be dedi- cated to a hunt in the mountains, in com- pany with a party of friends. She was thinking, with envy, of this hunting party, and wondering, half bitterly, why amuse- ments that were conceded to be proper and healthful for men should not be healthful and proper for women. How she would have enjoyed the long tramps over the hills, the excitement of the hunt, the joy of hold- ing a good gun on her shoulder, and know- ing that she could sight and shoot with the best of thew She felt a wicked solace as she thought of the showers that had fallen in the valley and the clouds that had hung constantly over the mountains. She was lonely, dull and cross, and chafed against her hedged -in life, with its narrow bound- aries, its senseless restraints. Thera was a rush of feet through the house, the door of her room opened, and the children burst in. "Mamma, the creek is Up! Take us down to see it !" The childish longing for novelty and ex- citement found an instant echo in her heart. They had run in from outdoor play, and were bonneted and cloaked, with rubber overshoes to protect their feet from the damp eerth. Aa for her, it was refreshing to evade Bridget's vigilant eye, and to steal out of the front door in her loose house dress, bare -headed, and with worsted slip- pers on her feet. They followed a garden path for a little distance, and then entered a narrow lane leading to a place where they were accustomed to ford, in the summer time, but over which now swept a seething, tempestuous flood. As they looked and listened,Kate realized that this was no ordinary freshet, but the product of a heavy rainfall over the whole vast watershed, which had accumulated its forces in thouatends of tiny rivulets, and, joining issue . with the mountain stream, plunged down its narrow channel, a mighty and irresistible power. Even as they looked she saw a wall of water suddenly roar up above and come down toward them like a miniature tidal wave. The dam built by the new water company had given away! They ran back from the shore to higher ground, and. not a moment too soon. The stream rose several feet in a second. It cut into the solid banks on either side, and bushes, and young trees, rooted up and sucked in by the greedy current, went spin- ning by. A giant sycamore wavered, flung out ita bare and skeleton limbs as if in ghostly protest, and fell far out into the stream, interlocking its branches with a sturdy green oak which stood on the oppo- site bank, while its trunk, loosely anchored by long, snake -like roots, tossed helplessly in midstream, " Mamma! See the big boards coming !" cried out her little daughter. Kate looked far up stream and saw a great timber sailing leisurely along. Now it caught on a projecting snag and swung half &hoot, now it struck on a submerged island, and idly disengaged itself and saun- tered on. Behind it was another, and yet another—the stream was black with them. "Oh, my God 1 The railroad bridge !" The railroad bridge, and the afternoon train now nearly due, soon to rush down a steep grade to a leap into that yawning chum. Her first impulse was to start up the canon, but she instantly checked her- self. What folly, when miles of overflow lay between her and the doomed train. Word must be sent down to the station, and from there a telegram to the next stop- ping place above the bridge. But how? The hired man! Jim had gone an hour be- fore to the village to get the mail and have his "daily goseip with the loungers of the place. Even if he were here, neither horse nor man was fleet euough to cover the cir- cuitous road that lay between. Then she looker' at the prostrate sycamore. Down the stream, leisurely, but nearer and nearer still, sailed the great timbers. "Marian, take little brother and go straight to the house and stay there till mamma comes back." She had already pulled herself up by one of the roots and was creeping stealthily along the swaying trunk. Here her dress caught on a branch; there she had to climb down and crawl along with her feet under the water to avoid an upright limb. Once she slipped and lost her hold, and was nearly sucked into the ncidying current, but she caught at a etout projection and swung herself up again. She could hear the swage of the heavy Children Cry for "August lower" How does he feel 7—He feels cranky, and is constantly experi- menting, dieting himself, adopting strange notions, and changing the cooking, the dishes, the hours, and manner of his eating—August Flower the Remedy. How does he feel ?—He feels at times a gnawing, voracious, insati- able appetite,wally -unaccountable, unnatural and unhealthy.—August Flower the Remedy. How -does he feel ?—He feels no desire -to go to the table and a grumbling,- fault-finding, over -nice- ty about what is set before him when he is there, -August Flower: the Remedy. How does he feel ?—He feels alter a spell of this abnormal appe- tite an utter abhorrence, loathing, and detestation of food; as if a mouthful, would kill him—August Flower the Remedy. How does he feel ?—He has ir- regular bowels and peculiar stools— August Flower the Remedy. timbers up -stream as they rocked lazily upon the water, but she did not dare to look. Before her the main trunk of the tree was lost and she saw two diverging limbs, one low in the water, the other locked with the oak in mid-air. Which to take? She dared not heeitate, but began a perilous climb along the upp'er limb, slippery and naked in places, wavering so that she grew dizzy and shut her eyes to keep from falling. And, so, lying prone upon it, hand over hand, she crept the entire length, and the great etick of timber struck heavily against the fallen sycamore, and just as Kate swung herself into the branches of the oak she felt her support give away, and with a groan and a era* and wild up-tossings of its skeleton mem, the old tree tore loose from its moorings, and was swept down stream toward the bay. Her hands torn and bleeding, Kate Mid- dleton reached solid ground at length, but first her maternal instinct asserted itself, and she looked back and saw her children standing still and looking after her. She pointed home with &gesture they dared not disobey, and eaw them turn and run up the lane, then sped along her way. She was not light of foot as in her girl- hood ; whereas, she was once fleet as a deer and swift motion was a very joy to her, ehe now realized that she was growing to be a etout and middle-aged woman, She moved heavily and clumsily and labored for breath, and her feet were like clods beneath her. There was a mile of rough and rocky ground to be covered before she reached the station, and the train—oh, but to possess once more the agility -of her girlhood! Which would be first? Would the trsin, flying across the upper levels of the Coast Range, reach the next station before the brave woman had sent her message of warning? How many times she asked her- self the question she could not have told. She scarcely dared hope that she might be in time. Her heart seemed ready to burst with grief for the terrible misery threaten- ing so many happy home. Alas! for the fathers and mothers whom the morrow might behold bowed down with sorrow, Alas ! for husbands and wives— She was crossing the ,bed of one of the many abandoned channels of the impetuous mountain stream, a rocky pathway, atrewn with the spoils of by -gone freshets, wbere, even them a shallow stream was rippling past, token of the torrent's surplua force. She faltered, smitten by a new and awful thought.. What if,Tom—Tom, who was not to come for two days more • Tom, who had started out in an altogetiier different direction—should have cut short his excur- sion, or, with his party, driven home by the continued rains, somehow wandered to one of the upper stations and boarded the train there! Where was her vaunted physical strength now? What was she, after all, but a weak, wretched woman, with trembling limbs, every muscle clogged by this great horror that had taken possession of her, a fierce pain gripping at her heart, something rising in her throat which suffocated her, her eyes blinded with babyish tears? Thank God! her brain kept clear and true to its purpose, and urged on the flagging body. On, on, over little hillocks, across level stretches of sand, down new ravines she ran. Once she cut her foot cruelly upon a sharp stone, and remembered, for the first time, that she had on the light worsted slip= pers she had worn in the house, and had carelessly neglected to exchange for walk- ing boots when she started down to the creek with her children. She even be- thought herself that her loose house -dress was scarcely the style of apparel in which she should like to present herself at the sta- tion, could she have her choice, and at the same breath sent up a prayer of thankful- ness for its light weight, which scarcely en- cumbered her movements. With all the rest of her senses dulled, her hearing appeared to have become preter- naturally sharp. She seemed to hear the clatter of the approaching train twelve miles away. The throb, throb, throb of the engine kept pace with her beating heart. She heard the hollow echoes from the neighbor- ing hills as the train crept over embank- ments, its deafening clamor as it rushed, across trestle -work, its dull rumble as it rolled over solid ground. She even seemed to see the engineer as he laid his hand on the escape -valve, ready to give the iron monster voice as it neared the little moun- tain town, then the wild shriek of the escaping steam, the clangor of the bell, the puff, puff, as the train slackened speed, the clatter of the brakes,the jangle of the coup- lings. Would she never reach the little red sta- tion house, now plainly in sight at the end of the smoothly gravelled road! She was passing the poet -office, where people idly gazed at her. What matter! If only there were a horse and buggy in sight, to help her on her way ! If only one of the loungers would understand and take up the mission which her spent strength seemed inadequate to fulfil? But she might not turn aside. On the depot platform more loungere, Jim among them, rolling a quid of tobacco in his cheek and talking earnestly about the state of the weather end the prospects of the grow\ing crops. They all looked upon her as a mad woman, as she ran past them. Jim muttered an expletive under his breath, moved hy the strong indignation that must always possess a self-respecting servant, when master or snistress does something derogatory to the dignity of his " family." The station master was in his office, talk- , ing with a gentleman who had some down from the mountains and was waiting to take , the traiu to the city. He was clad in a , hunting suit, and was talking with some excitement. 1 "It has rained all the week," he was say- I ing ; "you think it rains here in the valley, but great guns ! you should be up in the mountains in a rain storm. Sheets and sheets of it—blizzards of sleet and hail, and , the wind blowing like a hurricane. We Pitcher's Castoria. broke camiyesterday. I took a bee -line down here. The rest crossed the hills to the station above. They'll be down on the four o'clock." Voice and speaker were familiar to the woman who stood in the doorway, both hands pressed to her panting breast. The words came only too distinctly to her quick- ened senses. Then her premonitions were true and Tom—Tom was on that fated train. Againher body reeled, but her steady brain saved her. "Stop the train 1 the bridge is gone !" she cried. Both men looked up, startled at the words. With the prompt movement of a man trained to obey orders, the agent leaped to his instrument ; the other man, slower to comprehend, 'came forward, the look of amazement on his face, as he viewed the singular apparition, giving place to amused indulgence, as he recognized the speaker. What an eccentric, impetuous girl Kate Mitchell always was, and what a life she must lead Tom Middleton? "This is quite an unexpected pleasure, • Mrs. Middleton," he said, smiling. She waved him back with a single imperi- ous gesture. There was a brief silence. The operator listened intently, with his head resting on his hand, Kate Middleton remaiued standing in the doorway, her hands clasped low, her.faee blanched with dread, and all her soul absorbed in listening. Jack Spencer, slowly comprehending the meaning of the scene, waited, his interest growing with every moment's delay. At last it came, the monotonous click, click, conveying its portentioue message in a language unknown to two of the three listeners. The operator arose from his chair. "Just in time. The train was pulling out of the station, but they stopped her." Kate Middleton clutched at the doorway. For the first time in her life her head gave way. She was again on a swaying sycamore, and the limb was cracking, breaking, going down. She felt the watee on her face and opened her eyes, to find Jack Spencer sup- porting her head, and the station -agent pour- ing ice -water over her. "She'll be all right in a minute," said Jack, cheerfully. "Now, Mrs. Middleton, with your permiesion, I'll see you home." She borrowed a hat and cloak from the station agent's wife. Jim brought up the horses. Jaok Spencer handed her into the wagon with grave courteay, and they drove off. Some of the loungers, dimly under- standing what she had done, looked on curi- ously. That was all. No fuss, no formal tributes, no speech -making even from the two who understood. There was no depu- tation of strong men to tinder her public tribute, in voices shaken by sobs. Contrary to all tradition and unlike any hero or hero- ine who ever saved a train from wreck,eshe was on the wrong side of the bridge, and the people most deeply concerned were nine milea away. She had little to say on the ride home- ward, although Jack Spencer was attentive and talkative, and tried, as hard as a man could, to show his appreciation Of her brave deed. Perhaps she was embarrassed in the consciousness of her odd attire, and the curie ous looks cut upon her as she rode through the village. Perhaps she was secretly ashamed of her mad race, and of the excep- tional, unwomanly physical protvess that had mirde it possible, notwithetanding the fact that it had saved many lives. She did not even invite Jack to come in when "she reached her own door, but descended from the wagon with great dignity, and, enly re- laxed a little when Jack mid, Very earn- estly: "1 shall never underrate the value of physical training for women again, Mrs. Middleton. Some day I shall beg to put my little daughter under your tutelage.' Which was a great concession for Jack, whose little daughter was the apple. of his eye, and whom he had hitherto only looked forward to making an accomplished woman of elegant manners. Neither honor nor praise awaited Kate in her own hOme. Bridget scolded her and put her to bed, and declared that she " wud surely catch her death a -cold, an' she de- served it well,", and tried to save her from the consequences of her misdeeds at the same time. Of the children, Harry stub- bornly reaented her base deeertion of them ion the bank of the raging stream, and Mari- . an, with her Mother's spirit of adventure 'strong upon her, terrified the household by avowing her intention of going across. the water on a tree the firet time she could es- cape parental authority. The mother had her reward, nevertheless. Late that night, when the children were asleep, and Bridget had relaxed guard, Kate escaped from bed, and donning a wrapper and shawl, laid herself down upon the lounge before the open fire, to enjoy scan- ning the daily paper. The rain fell steadily without, mo steadily that the sound of a horse's hoofs coming up the sodden drive- way was scarcely distinguishable from the patter of the rain -drops. Kate started up as she heard a step outside the door; an- other moment and Tom was before her,look- ing very solemn, like a newly materialized ghost. ''Tom ?" she cried sharply, and then she seemed tonovver before him, yet not before him, but the horror of the afternoon, which again descended upon her and took posses- sion of her. Tom, her husband, might have been one of that grizzly throng of mangled, crushed, dead and dying phantoms of the might -have -been, ever torturing her mental vision. She pressed her hands over her eyes as if they might bar out the sight. "Oh, you ought not; you never should do such a thing," she said. - After all, she had nerves, and they had been sorely tried that day. " What do you mean ?" gravely demanded Tom. This was indeed a sorry greeting, after all he had been through. "Yon shouldn't have come home in this unexpected way; you should let people know when you are coming." " Kate," said Tom, solemnly, seating himself on the sofa and drawing her down beside him, "you will speak differently. when you know how near I came not coming home at all; I have travelled twelve miles on horteback over a rough mountain road to get here to -night. We were just starting out of Prescita when we were noti- fied that the bridge three miles below there —six miles above here, Kate—had been car- ried away." "How did you find out ?" Kate was her- self again. There wags little twinkle in her eye, but her lip trembled. "As to that," replied Tom, " reports are somewhat vague. But all accounts agree it was a woman. And she did wonderful things. The bridge -tender's wife, I believe. Floated down stream on a timber, somebody said. Started, all dripping, for the station, and got there in an unconsciously short time. Not a minute to spare.- If it hadn't been for her !—oh, it was a wonderful feat, everybody says." "But how—very unladylike !" said Kate, in a shocked voice, stooping to pick up Borne - thing from the floor. "Unladylike !" cried Tom, exeitedly, " I tell you Kate, that was something worth while. Very differest from your lawn -ten- nis practice. When a woman puts her strength to such a use—and such a strain as it must have been, by Jove ! Why, Kate, I doubt if you could so much as walk to town and back. Butwhen a woman saves 200 or 300 lives at one stroke 1 My goodness, Kate 1 What have you been doing to your foot ?" For Mrs. Middleton had unconsciously pushed the weunded foot into sight, and its load of bandages, piled up by Bridget's clumsy fingers, and finished with a red flan- nel swathing, was indeed calculated to strike terror to the beholder. " I took a little walk to -day," replied What is ' ne„ , et.entt`tt.tv" ' • 1 Castoria is Dr. Samuel Pitcher's prescription for Infants 0,nd Children. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. It 13 a harmless substitute for Parcioric, Drop, Soothing Syrnpq, and Castor Oil. It is Pleasant. its gucrantco is thirtyyears' use by Millions of Mothers. Castoria, destroys Worms and allays feverishness. Castoria prevents vomiting Sour Curd, cures Diarrheea, and Wind Colic. Castoria relieves teething troubles, cures constipation and flatulency. Castoria assirailates the food, regulates the stomach linti bowels, giving healthy, and natural sleep. Cas toria is tho Childron's Panacea—the Mother's Friend" Castoria. "Castoria is an excellent medicine for chil- dren. Mothers have repeatedly told ,no of its good ogect upon their children." Dn. G.. C. OSGOOD, Lowell, Hass. " Castorla. Is tho best reinedv for children of which I am acquainted. I hopo the thly i. not. far distant when mothers will consider tho real interest. of their children, and two Castcria in- stead of the variousquack nostrums which aro - destroying their loved ones, by forcin,gophini, morphine, soothing syrup aud other htirtful agents down their throats, thereby sending them to premature fp-aves." Da. J. F. Kmrcanr..mt, Conway, At.' The Centaur Company, TT 111 • :nee. . • e ; Castoria. " Castorla is so ivel 1 adapted to Children that I recommend. it as superior to any prescription known to me." II. A. Ancnzn, M. D., Ill So. Oxford Gt., Brooklyn, N. Y. "()r physicians in tbo children's depart- ment 11.-..vo spoken highly of Oeir e:pe..ri- ence in their outside practice. with Castoria. and ultliongh only have ,aniong• onr medical supplie3 what 1.3 known as regu.lnr products, yet wo aro free to confes3 that the ineriis of Castoria, has N70:1 US CO look with f avor i t ." UNITED 110SPITAL AND 1:41SP72/SAILY, ."11.3.'N C. SMITH, Pres., BostOn4--Airsi. nrray Street, Neer Yoh ility. •-• • Kate, guiltily, trying to hide the feot again beneath the hem of her dress. "But don't let us talk about that, Tom. I'm sorry I seemed queer and cold when you came in. I wasn't feeling well, and you—you looked so. It made me shiver." Like many people who are dauntless in the presence of real danger, Kate had all her life been shy of praise. If she could have kept the knowledge of her escapade, as she mentally termed it, from her hus- band, she would gladly have done it. But, stupid as he was in some ways, obtuse as he was, he was not to be put off in this way. He was already on his knees besides her, cutting threads, removing pins and un- doing cloths, in spite of her protests, until he disclosed a little foot, purple with bruises, and with an ugly, gaping cut in one side. No wonder you are not yourself to -night. A little walk.' I should say so. Kate, what have you been up to now ?" "1 had on my slippers," confessed the culprit, "and there wasn't time to change them. Let it alone, Tom. It'll be all right to -morrow." "A little walk !' "persisted Tom. "Great Cesar, Kate, you are not to be trusted' alone any more than a two-year-old babe; I'll never dare to go off and leave you again." "If I hadn't taken my little walk you— you—mightn't have had the chance 1" c/ied poor Kate, cornered at last. "My soul !" cried Tom, a light dawning upon him at last. "It was you 1" I think he kissed the little lame, bruised feet, I am afraid he did a great many fool- ish things, and humbled himself most lamentably to show his love for his brave young wife, his pride in her, and hie con- trition. There was a purse made up log -the pas- sengers on the ovel,land train that fateful day, to reward the piucky woman who had saved them from such a frightful disaster, but they were never able to find her out. The station master and Jack Spencer kept their secret well. The only aubscription that ever reached its destination was Tom Middleton's. His wife eometimes wears a very ugly bracelet set with a couple of very large and ponderous gold coins. When peo- ple question her about it she replies that it is a medal that Tom once awarded her for a race she won. It is generally understood that she refers to some rowing matqh or horseback ride, for there are boats on the pond now, saddle -horses in Tom's etable, and a tennis -court on the lawn. But, even as she answers, Kate sees again the railroad train, with its precious living freight, thun- dering on to destruction, and a woman, bare, headed, wild-eyed, with draggled dresp and bleeding feet, racing desperately across a rough country, in a mad effort to avert the impending danger. • Forty Years Ago. I, too, may lay claim to being an old set- tler of this State, having come to Illinois in 1841, and having lived in central Illinois nearly through the forties. I helped sing campaign songe, huge stalks of pokeweed loaded with red berries ignominiously trail- ing in the dust behind our- "band wagon " on the way to barbecues. In '46 and '47 I was working as a "hand" on a farm, and don't I remember that wages were from 25 to 50 cents a day—the latter price for harvest hands—and that the man who received his pay in money was a lucky fellow, orders on the store being the usual mode of payment. In 1846 I worked all summer for $4 a month, all paid in orders on a store some five miles away, and I was then 17 years of age, and large and strong for my age; and while I do not remember the prices charged for goods, probably owing to the neoesearily limited extent of my transactions, I do recol- lect that in the fall I had nothing to show for my seasonhel work, not even a suit of clothes that would warrant my appearance in even the primitive society of the country, some 15 miles from Shelbyville, and the prospect was that my own dilapidated suit of tow -linen pants, coarse white shirt, knit yarn " gallusses," and a straw hat made by myself, would have to carry me through the winter. Luckily, however, I was enabled to contract for a suit of blue jeans clothing, two pairs of woolen drawers, two woolen shirts, all home -spun and home-made, the shirts and drawers, I remember, dyed a rich, warm yellow with butternut bark, some socks, and a pair of shoes, all to be paid for by six months' work through the fall and winter. r discovered that I had forgotten to in- clude a cap in the outfit. The contracting party was inexorable, and held to the letter of the bargain; but one day when out hunt- ing with the dogs, we—the dogs and 1— killed a fine tortoise -shell cat tbat had gone wild and made a beautiful fight, and its skin, with the help of the good woman of the house, made a beautiful—well, at least a comfortable, if rather fantastic—cep, good for all winter, even if it did keep shrinking in a way that necessitated constant ripping and piecing. As I remember, fat hogs and cattle "were about the only things that would bring money, and I know that a good cow could be bought for $10 and acalf for $1.50. Those Children Cry for Pitcher's Castoria. were the good old Democratic days. Nearly everything, including labor, was paid for by orders on the store or in some, kind of trade, and the ,store bills were paid in butter, eggs, poultry and wheat, and this "tuck " was sent by wagon to St. Louis; nething but the faintest rumors of Chicago had reached us then. Now and then a huckster would come along with a two -horse covered wagon, buy- ing poultry, etc., for the St. Louis market. Shall I ever forget that our good Woman sold to one of these gentlemen six dozen dressed chickens at one time, a trantiaction vividly impressed upon my memory by the fact that for several weeks the only meat we had to eat was a curious stew or ragout of chickens' heade, necks, gizzards, livers, hearts, and even feat; but even that, al- though in time becoming a trifle monot- onous, was a relief from the all -the -year- round diet of corn bread, fried bacon, and "coffee" made in a tin pail over a wood fire, and made of parched rye andnwheat, a diet, varied on Sundays, or on the rare occasions when we had company, by bleck, heavy bis- cuits, innocent of baking -powder, or any- thing to make them rise, fried ham and eggs, or possibly fried chicken, and store "coffee," while the usual evening meal:was mush and milk, the family sitting around the iron mush pot which stood upon serne live coale, each person supplied with a tin cup hiOf full of milk, and a spoon, the latter doing double duty in dipping out the mush from the pot, and in conveying it from the cup ito the mouth. During this period of depression in iny af- fairs, some of my good friend S "down east" sent me a $5 bill in a letter. , This at once raised me to the front rank of capitalists in that neighborhood. It was more pioney than I had had for years. It was apparent- ly more money than any .onese else;in the neighborhood had, for, puzzled as I was to know what to do with it, not once thOking of spending the precious stufft not khowing when I would see its like again, I wiis be- seiged by borrowers, one man ridin,g ten miles on horseback to try to borrow that V, showing how the rumor of my suddenly ac- quired wealth had spread, and showing, as nothing else could, how scarce money was then. I lent it at last, with !many misgiv- ings, to a man who had the beat farm and the only brick house in all the country 'round, and am glad to be able to say that he repaid me about six months afterward„' when I had made arrangements to leave that part of the country.—Chicago Inter -Ocean,. That Boy. r Sol Smith Russel tells of how he was traveling on Long Island some season e ago, doing his monologue in town halls and church basements. At the reilroad Station in one of these little eel -catching communi- ties, a native, rusty and hoary, tat; on a freight truck and acoosted the conedian with : " Be you Mr. Russell?" 1 "Yes, that's my name," aqswered "Waal, I thought so," said the native. "I seen yeow up to the teown hall las' night, an'—waal,:you're a good un I" "0, thank you," said Sol ; I'm gild you liked the entertainment." "Since I come away," resumed the na- tive, "I've been thinkin' that mebbe you might do sumpin for my boy—good, ilikely critter as ever lived, but so peaky full lof hie gimcracks that we can't do nothing with him. Put him in a shingle factory last spring fer to larn the trade, but he k4' 'em all laffin so that they couldn't do no !work, an' one mornin' they threw hiin out, en' he ain't doin' nothin' neow. Settin' up tit your show last night I jest about made up my mind that Rube would make a mighty good living in your business, an' I thought I'd ask yooto take him along with you. He's the goldurnest fool you ever saii• in alt your bout days, —It has become a necessity, to enlarge the seating capacity of the Church of England at Walpole Island, Kent county. The church at present seats 300 people. With the additional seating to be made it will seat 400 people comfortably. The #nlian choir of 50 voices renders the musicaij part of the services in a hearty manner, 1f the Bishop of Huron can visit the Island this summer he will have a large class th con- firm. PURE POWDERED PUREST, STRONGEST, BES. Ready for use in any quantity. For making. Soap, Softening Water, Disinfecting, and a hundrel other Wes. A can equals 20 pounds Sal Soda. Sold by All Grocers and Druggists. E. W. ,UriLiiaL1Eirrri Toz-cslaItct. FIrTm French Chia TEA- SETS. A complete as- sortment of fine, decorated China just to hand at KILLORAN & Co'S Western Tea Emporium. 3Hi JO PIS iS113. 'MVS tivinowo NIYW 30113 C./CI CD rji err CT) cr• P2-4 0 0 •-+ r.r.2 CD Cr' CD et - 5 1=5". CD c• -r- 0 CD no • 0 1-1 11 O cri 6.z 0 © O CD CI - 2 -D 0 Tr) w P ne P he' Feet<1 0 r-1 1=f • P ct- 0 o tzi c1c1 )-• :+C. g CD 1-, • 0 (IQ% (D. • • l'pe Crq l't:S P o0. P., Cig m c-t- Ot 1=i P.. 0 0 Cilt:1 0-h it td. . CD tj 1=! o "/91 tC/C1 • 0 a' - X CX2 1:0 P cig t=1 P P-1 ,snaciriLaa *HITV_AckCl/IVH REID & WILSON, Hardware Merchants, Seaforth, 51.75 0.0 0 0 MUST BE LOAI1ED AT PER CENT. on First and Second Mortgages. Old Mortgages paid off. NO COMMISSION. Agents Wanted. Call or send 3c. stamp for CIRCULAR. Ell•REYNOLD 5 7 RICHMOND STW TORONTO Parties will be met any time and place to see properties and arrange loans. No fees. Enclose stamp. The Old Established. BROADFOOT'S Planing Mill and Sash and Door Factory, SM_A_FORTI-1_ This old and well-known establishment is still running at full blast, and now has better facilities than ever before to turn out a good article for a moderate price. Sash and doors of all patterns al- ways on hand or made to order. Lumber dressed On short notice and in any way desired. AH kinds of lumber for sale on reasonable terms. Slingles kept constantly on hand. Estimates for the furnishing of buildings in whole or in part given on application. None but the best of material used and workman- ship guaranteed. Patronage solicited. 1269 J. 11. BROADFOOT, Seaforth. J. C. SMITH & CO., 33_A_1\TICMIZS.. A General Banking business transacted. Farmers' notes discounted. Drafts bought and sold. Interest allowed on deposits. SALE NOTES discounted, or taken for collection OFFICE—First door north of Reid & Wilson's Hardware Store, SEAFORTH. PUBLIC NOTICE. The undersigned hereby begs to Notify the citizens of Seaforth and vicinity that he has opened out a Renovating' Establishment. ANY ONE IN NEED OF Clothes Cleaned and Pressed, Repaired or Dyed Will do well to give him a trial. Stains from Oil, Pitch, Tar, Paint or Grease will be thoroughly removed and nicely pressed up again, mOting than look as clean and fresh as when new. Salisfaction gilmsranteed. Charges moderate. Shope and residence first door north of Thos. Kidd' residence, and,opposite S. Masons. 1266 tf. J. W. SNELL. ^ _a_ Patrons of Industry. Mr. R. Common heti been connnissioneel to organize Societies of this order in this County. Any section wishing to organize, can receive all information by applying to 1274-tf R. COMMON, Seaforth. Cures Burns, Cuts, Piles n their worst form, Swellings, Erysipelas, Inflammation, Frost Biter, Chapped Hanps, and all Skin Diseaties. HIRST PAIN EXTERMINATOR Cures Lumbago, Sciatica, Rheumatism, Neuralgia Toothache, Paine in every form. By all dealers. Wholesale by F. F. Dailey & Co. f;,• VETERINARY. Tong GRIEVE, ciVcieev.agSaeoeite.8%.,,ehr Aonyillord:18r.eltseadvvuaa:soeofonf,DOosnineltewail,iiritin2ioag,, OcAo hffinai ermi coVae last nmetdrroi end: aeo. rt reit yi adi Cee no. 3.FiacithAinNe:h80.pBe, Sactatife7tvh..8., graduate tended to either by day or night. Charges moder- erinary Medical Society, eto., treats all diseases of the Domesticated Animals. All calls promptly at - ate. Special attention given to veterinary dentis. try. Office on Main Street, Seaforth, one door erinary College, Toronto, Member of the Vet - promptly attended to and riflery Dentisottryonataspirelucii2avtlfetyt. south of Kidd's Hardware store. S—BAY- 0-R-TH-110-RSE INFIRMARY. --Corner el Jar, vie and Goderloh Streets, next door to ste Pres. byterian (7hurch, Seaforth, Ont. All dictates of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, or any of the don sticated animals, successfully treated at ib. inirmary or elsewhere, on the shortest noticr. -barges m)der- ate. JAMES W. ELDER, Tow inary Surge)n. P S. -A large stock of Vetertt ary Medicines sept con etantly on hand LEGAL HIGGINS 86 LENNON, Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries Public, tee. Offices -- 120 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, and Seaforth, Ontario. Seaforth Offico-Whitney's Block, Main Street. Money to loan. THOMAS Minn"; Blooms. JANES LE.kNott. 1231 ATTHEW MORRISON, Walton, Insurance JYI Agent, Commissioner for taking 'affidavits, Conveyances, &c. Money to loan at the lowest rates. M. MORRISON, Walton. T M. BEST, Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, &c. t) . Office -Rooms, five docile north ofCommercial hotel, ground floor, next door to C. L. Papst's Jewelry store, Main street, Seaforth. Goderich agents -Cameron, Holt and Cameron. 1215 _ GARROW & PROUDFOOT, Barristers, Solicitors, &c., Goderich, Ontario. J. T. GAMMON, Q. C.; WM. FROUDFOOT. 680 CAliN' HOLT & CAMERON, Barristers so oEiRto°rein Chants:try, &e., Goderich, On M. C CAMIRON, Q. C., PHILIP HOLT, M. 0 CAMERON DJ. DOWNEY, Solicitor, Conveyance; &e.,late J of Victoria, B. C. Office -Ove r Bank of Commerce, Math street, Seaforth. Pr vate funds to loan at 5i• and 6 per cent. 1085 11 /FANNING tx SCOTT, Barristers, Solicitort, Con • veyancers, &o. Solicitors for the ABant of Johnston, Tisdale & Gale. Money to loan Office - Elliott Block, Clinton, Ontario. A. H. Mamramo JAM'S Scow. 781 11 HOLMESTED, suooestetor to the, Ate firm . McCaughey & Holmested, Barrister, So- licitor, Conveyaneer and Notary. Solicitor fer the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Money to lend Farms for sale. Office in Scott's Block, Main Street, Seaforth. I)ICKSON & HAYS, formerly with Messrs, Gar - row & Proudfoot, Goderich: Barristers, Sol- icitors, eto., Seaforth and Brussels Seaforth Office -Cardno's Block, Main Street. R. S. HAYS. W. B. DICKSOIS. Money to Loan. 1127 ' W. CAMERON SMITH/ BARRISTER. Solicitor of Superior Court, Commissiorer for taking Affidavits in the High Court of Justice, Conveyancer, Money to Lend OFFICE. -In Meyers' Block, Main Street, Seaforth, adjoining office of Drs. Bethune and Belden. 1234 DENTISTRY. 1--,1 W. TWEDDLE, Dentist, Office over Hamilton _U• & McInnes' Shoe Store, corner Main and John Streets, Seaforth, Ontario. Nitrous Oxide Gas ad• ministered for the painless extraction of teeth. 1169 DR. G. FRANKLIN BELDEN, Dentist; Aosistant, DR. A. S. ATKINSON. Gas administrated for painless extraction of teeth. Office over Johnson's Hardware Store, Seaforth. 1226 KINSMAN, Dentist, L. D S., 1-1 . Exeter, Ont. Will be as ZurichT I at the Huron Hotel, en the Last THITRSDAY n AM molten, and at Murdock's Hotel, Hensall, on the FIRST aim THIRD FRIDAY in each month. Teeth extracted with the least pain possible. All work first-class at liberal rates. 971 DR. 0. H. INGRAM, Dentist, (successor to IL L, Billings), member of the Royal College of Den- tal Surgeons, Ontario Teeth ineerted,with or with- out a plate in gold celluloid or rubber. A safe antes- thetic given tor the painless extraction of teeth. Office -over O'Neil's bank, Exeter, Ontario. 1204 .N. B. -Plates secured firmly in the mouth by Yemens' Patent Valve. MONEY TO LOAN. ONEY TO LOAN. --Straight loans at 6 p6f in_ cent., with the privilege to borrower of repaying part of the principal money at an time. Apply bo F. HOLMF.STED, Barrister, Seaforth. MEDICAL. 1 -AR. C. SHEPPARD, Physi&an and Surgeon, Bay - if field, Ontario, successor to Dr. W. H. Wright. 1225-52 1 -AR. T. P. .McLAUGHL1N, M.C.P.S., Ontario, Phy- sician, Surgeon and Accoucheur. Night calls promptly attended, Office, Dashwood, Ont 1225 DRS. SCOTT & MAC KAY, OFFICE, Goderich Street, opposite Methodist Church, Seaforth. RESIDENCE, next Agricultural Grounds. J. G. SCOTT, M. D. C. M., (Ann Arbor and Vic- toria,) M. C. 1'. S. 0. C. MACKAY, M. D. C. M., (Trinity,) F. T. M. C., M. C. P. S. 0. DR. IleFAUL, Member of the College of Phy sicians and Surgeons, etc, Seaforth , in, Ontario - Office Cady's 13lock, opposite etc, Nightbell at residence, north side of Goderich St. seventh door west of the3lethodist Church, 1210 tf. -F) E. COOPER, M. D., Physician, Surgeon and ▪ Accoucher, Constance, Ont. 1127 DR. ELLIOTT, Bruoefield, Licentiate Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Edin- burgh. Bruceileld, Ont. 980 RW. BRUCE SrTH, M. D , C. M., Member of lei ,. the College of Physicians and Surgeons, &c., Seaforth, Ontario. Offit5e and residence same as occupied by Dr. Verooe. 848 A LEX. BETHUNE, M. D., Fellow of the Royal 11_ College jof Physicians and Surgeons, Kingston. Successor to Dr. Mackid. Office lately occupied by Dr. Mackid, Main Street. Seaforth. Residence -Corner of Victoria Square, in house lately tx-Tupied by L. E. Daneey. 1127 AUCTIONEERS, T P. BRINE, Licensed Auctioneer for th. 'COHT2- d• ty of Huron. Sales attended in a I parts of the County. All orders left at Tni Exposrrou Office will be promptly attended to. T‘ H. PORTER General Auctioneer and Land JU. Valuator. Orders sent by mail to my ad- dress, Bayfield P. 0., will receive prompt attention. Terms moderate. 1165-52 WM. IVIVLOY, Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Sales prompt- ly attended to, charges moderate and satiefaction guaranteed. Orders by mail addressed to Chisel- hurst Post Office or left at his residence, Lot 2, Con- cession 11, Tuckersmith, will receive prompt atten- tion. 1258 tf. W. G. DUFF, AUCTIONEER FOR THE COUNTY, Conveyancer, Collector,, Book-keeper and Accountant . Real Estate, Life, Accident and Fire Insuranot Agent; Money to Loan, Correspondence, &c. Portion requiring his services in any .of theee branches will receive prompt attention. OFFIOR IN DALAI-% &oat, (yr STAIRS), MAIN STRUT, SNA ?ORM. 113/ NEW BUTCHER SHOP IN EAFORTH. JONES & McCUAIG, Beg to inform the people of Seaforth and vicinity that they have started the Butchering business on Main Street, Seaforth, in the shop formerly occupied by Mr. George Ewing, and will be glad to serve all who may call on them, with fresh meat of all kinds. They both have a practical knowledge of the business and guarantee a good article and prompt attention tocue- tom ers. Orders solicited and meat delivered in any part of the town. 1239 tf. JONES & 51cCUAIG. 0 ere lee