Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-26

avenue yesterday. Ihe day was hot,
the dust thick, and only one man,
and he beyond, the prime of life,
opened his eyes as q woman crowded
in, with a long paper box under her
arm. His epes openeda little more
as she sat down near him, and, pre-
sently, they widened to their fullest
extent as he read the label on the
box - zone dozen open backed
shirts" He glanced from the box
to the female and back, and groaned
out;
'Land o .loyek but what will
come next t?" Dt,of
She looked around at him as if
she feared that case of collie would
come next, and he frightened
up q little ;7oTl t1oae18 vYltt
"Well, I've worn 'em for a year,
and l know they are handy and re-
liable. If my daughters want to
get half-a-dozeu apiece l shan't cry
over it."
"Were you speaking to me p she
asked, after seeing that no one else
seemed interested.
81 sorter was, and sorter wasn't, "
he replied, as he worked a faint
smile to his face neI was saying
that it's wonderful how much the
inventive genius of this country has
done for us on the shirt question"
She hitched away a little.
"Twenty years ago." he unused,
as he hitched after her, "if any man
had told me that the dormant &C.
MUS of this country would soon
rouse up and invent q button-be-
hind shirt I'd have looked upon him
as crazy. But dormant genius was
all 0. K. She reused, she invented,
and I've got one o them very shirts
on"
The look she gave him ought to
have torn him all to pieces, but it
didn't.
zone year ago." he calmly re-
sumed, "if anybody told me that
the gentler se1 would sooA demand
open backed shirts, I'd have gone a
fishing and never returned. But
the epoch has hove in sight--she's
right here. lean recommend them
as boss" Hcq1
"Who are You talking to, sir?"
she demanded in an awful voice.
"To you, madam. l was saying
that if wear 'om there is no reason
why you shouldn't"
81 appeal to these passengers J"
she excitedly exclaimed.
$50 do l. he answered. "Eyery-
body in this car with a button-be-
hind shirt on will please stand up
until | count noses"
The old man stood up. He was
all alone. lie looked around in q
sorrOwiul way, and said:
"The noses have it, and the reso-
luton is laid on the table. How
ever, I'll stick to mine, and | don't
believe this woman here will go back
on her dozen till she has given 'em
a fair show. Which side Of the neck
do they button on, madam ?"
The wells that followed brought
in the driver, The old man was
pointed out as a drunkard and a
woman-insultor, and the driver was
feeling for his neck when the aston
ished man cried out: '
"Who's drunk ! Who's insulted
anybody ?" ~ ~. =.
''He kept talking about shirts p
scrpamed the woman with the box.
"And you've got box fall !"
shouted the man. '' al'
~ hain't ne--w laaa8
She turned up the box, and saw
the label for the first time. She
grow red, then white, and there was
an awful silence. Ripping off the
cover, she exhibited q bolt Of mos
Quito netting nestled away in the
box. Nay, she held it up, and even
shook it at the old man. He smiled
SOFTLY nodded his head dozen
times, and blandly said ass
N Correct madam--I tumble to
lit. That doesn't look like a dozen
button.behind shirts, and I'm griey-
ed it, l. offended, Put it back,
madam; ; forget that you ever saw
me, and wear any kind you are q
mind to p,osh saaep u5l
a FRtaI DneI Abont Five Dollars.
Galveston News rs GEM a1lm t.H+ 'l'a
Col. j. B. Ninton, sheriff of Frio
county, brought in word Of the kill
ing of two young men named Vir-
gil Ridgeway and Frank Connolly.
1 Ridgeway and Connolly and two
hired men were out on a cow hunt,