davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
FUGACIOUS SCISSORS.
An Instrument Which Disappears in the
Most Mysterious Manner.


Most Mysterious Manner.
Tho apparently fugacious habits OF scis-
sors have been noticed since the earliest
historic period, according to a writer in
Golfers Once Week. They disappear
with a celebrity and secrecy wholly without
parallel in the history of lost objects. a
woman is sewing and has pair Of scissors
in her lap. She uses them, say twice, and
each time drops them again in her lap. The
third time she wishes 10 use them she can
not find them. Though she searches her
lap, her dress, her chair and the floor thor
oughly she can not find the slightest trace
OF the missing scissors, and thereafter they
are never again seen by mortal eyes. Or
let Us say that a woman, in the very act OF
using pair Of scissors, is called from her
work. She places the scissors carefully In
her work-basket, goes out, locking tho door
of the room after her, and returns in ten or
fifteen minutes TO find her scissors gone.
What Is more remarkable about the dis
appearance of scissors is that once having
disappeared they are never again found
You may lose tack-hamner or comb, but
sooner or later you will find the missing
article behind some piece Of furniture, but
pair Of scissors once lost are lost forever
That there is something peculiar in the
disappearance of scissors is virtually adj
nitted by women when they seek 10 pre-
vent the loss Of scissors by means OF
charms. For piece of ribbon, which many
women attach TO the handle OF their scis-
sors "to prevent them from being lost"
must act as charm, or elsewise IT would
be valueless. How, in the name Of science
and common sense, can the mere fact that
four inches Of blue ribbon are tied 10 the
handle of pair OF scissors keep them
from being mislaidi In point Of fact il does
nothing Of the kind, and in spite OF the
woman's faith In the blue ribbon charm Il
is absolutely useless. II, however, we as
sumo that the origin OF th's custom was the
attaching of bit OF witch-hsse! 20 the
handle Of pair Of scissors, we can under
stand IT, The woman Of the middle ages
had a vague belief that the Disappearance
of scissors was due 70 the witches, and
therefore called in the aid OF witch-hazeL
The modern woman, ignorant OF the pc
culiar efficacy Of witch hazel, fancies that
any thing tied TO pair Of scissors Wi
keep them from being lost and she prefers
ribbon 70 witch hazel because IL Is pretiler
and more convenient
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
BISMARCK, KNAPPE, sEWALL EFT AL.

No doubt Prince Bismarck at Berlin
and DR.. Knappe ct Apia will be gratified
by the news that Consul General Sewall
is not going back to Samoa, Mr.. Bayard
having decided to dispense with his ser
vices. Their qualification will not be
shared by the American people, how
ever. Mr.. Sewall has impressed them
as meritorious public servant who in a
position of exceptional responsibility
and difficulty has intelligently and cour-
ageously safeguarded, as far as in him
lay, the rights, interests and dignity of
his country. If Mr.. Bayard had per-
formed his duty in this Samoan affair
as well as Mr.. Sewall seems to have
performed his, the chances are that it
would have been satisfactorily settled
long ago. The consul-general's under
standing of the matter is that he is dis
missed because of his testimony before
the senate committee. 81 was under
oath" he says, "to tell all | knew Of
Samoan affairs and to withhold nothing
The views | expressed on the situation
and the remedy necessary were given
at the request of the committee. 1t was
not for me to consider whether these
views agreed with Mr.. Bayard's or not. F"
Senator Frye Is quoted as saying that if
he has any influence with the new adj
ministration, Mr.. Sewall will yet go
back to Samoa as consul general.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
NEAT NEW SCHEME.
One by which an ArtfGl Dodger Gcs
Ahead of q Railroad Company.

One by which an ArtfGl Dodgcr Got
Ahead of Railroad Company.
AS New York sun reporter stood In the
crowd around the tlcketofllco ia the Old
Colony depot in Boston just before the train
left for the Fall River boat, woman pushed
her way 10 the window and said: - ticket
10 New York, please" At the saIne moment
man hurried up, and, Shaping down his
money, called out also "Sew York" The
ticket agent took IA ono OF the bills, shot oct
the ticket and the charge, which tho man
hastily scooped up and darted away into tbs
crowd The woman stood waiting for her
ticket, seeing that her money was gone, and
finally vcntured 10 remind the agent that IL
vgas almost time for the train 70 start
81 gave you your ticket and change" said
.he man.
"Why," said the WOMAN. "that's what
am waiting for. You attended that man be-
fore you did Inc, though 90. here frat"
TIE woman was positive the agent had
taken in her money, and had given her no
return for il, and the agent was equally
positive that be had handled but one five
dollar bill. By this time The conversation
grew heated, aud the crowd was three deep,
waiting for chance at the window. The
gong was almost sounding, ard they grew
restless as the dialogue grew mere pointed
and emphatic.
Atlast the ticket agent observed that the
woman was crazy, 10 which she replied thai
perhaps she was. but she wan Ted her money
and was going 20 have u The matter wa
finally brought 70 an end by the woman get,
ting ticket showed cut 20 Der.
The ticket agent said later that this was
new dodge, and be wouldn't be caught that
way again. TIE srtf1l 6odgcr bad waited
his opportunity 20 come 20 the ticket win
dow Just as the WOMAN stepped up, sad
after throwing out bis money, 70 give her
an impression OF Two bids lying on the
counter, had jerked BIS bll back iEto his
sleeve, seized the woIaa's ticket AID
change and made OF with II quickly losing
himself in the crowd
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
GREAT BEND MEANS BUSINESS.
GREAT BEND. Kan, Feb. Is, 1889.

GREAT BEND. Kan, Feb. 10, 1889.
To the Editor of the Eagle.
The large lobby of the Grand Central
hotel of this city was crowded tonight
by our leading business men in their first
meeting of the permanent organization
of the Great Bend Business club. Our
president, Mr. Flanlcy, late of Brooklyn,
n. Y, presided in manner that in
stilled confidence in our citizens, and the
earnest and vigorous consideration of
questions before the meeting was ample
evidence that Great Bend had just be-
gnn in our great commencement. The
general good feeling and unanimous sat
isfaction with our future, expressed by
everybody present, was gratifying and
was subject Of general remark. The
general prosperity of our city and coun-
ty up to the present time, without or
ganized effort, is phenomenal.
The organization of the club was
brought about through the necessity to
prevent collision of business intesests,
from which we have not little suffered.
and 1t will no doubt contribute largely
to our rapid growth and early recogni-
ton as one Of the first cities and coun-
ties in the state.
Committees We're appointed to con-
slider proposed industries and new rail-
railroad connections; method will here
after prevail in the valuable acquire
ments to our city. Provisions were
made to secure suitable club rooms, and
hereafter visiting business men will be
received and entertained in manner
commensurate with the taste and culture
of our people.
The favor with which we have been
dignified by prominent eastern interests
is highly gratifying and would cause an
egotistic roar from the less modest cities
Of the state that would indicate metro
politan greatness. 1t is our firm deter
mination to be substantial in all things
and that our claims, when investigated
will be convincing. L.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
IN THE GOOD oLD.DAYs.
Pittsburg Dispatch.

Pittsburg Dispatch
This was in the good old days of Meth
odism when the solemn congregation
was not supplied with hymn books. and
in all probability could not read them if
they had been.
At Wellersburg, quaint old country
town in the heart of the Blue mountains.
along the Maryland state line, the min
lister, as had been his wont for full forty
years, arose to read a few lines of the
hymn from his solitary book, when it
was the duty of the worshipers to sing
the lines and await their cue from the
next.
The good and holy man appeared
somewhat nervous on this especial Sab
bath morn, but even his nervousness
could not cause him to deviate one sim
gle infection in his sew-saw cracked IN
tonation as he leaned forward, as he had
done many time and oft In giving the
opening hymn, and said with the old
time drawl that seemed forever lost:
My eyes are dim, can not see,
l left nv specs at home
The quaint, simple, faithful congrega-
ton dutifully sang:
Nav avs aw deem aw cav nav saw, etc.
This slightly ratified the dear old
relic, and his voice trembled some
what on the rising infection, but not
enough to create suspicion in the minds
of the slow-thinking congregation, as he
said:
l did not mean that you should sing,
l only meant my eyes were dim,
Away went the congregation again to
the sweet tune of "Old Hundred"
Aw deed nav meen thaw yaw shaw saw,
etc.
1t has now been many years since the
little ehree-cornered plot of ground back
of the old church has held the revered
form of the faithful pastor, but even to
this day there is a legend in those
mountain wilds that the quiet, holy man
had once laughed outright in the pulpit,
and for no apparent cause.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
AMENDMENTS RECOMMENDED.

The interstate commerce commission,
after an investigation at Chicago, an
nounces that it feels itself constrained
to recommend that the act TO regulate
commerce be so amended as ~ to define
what shall be considered excursion and
Communication tickets, and to so restrict
their issue in interstate commerce as to
prevent the abuses now so common. (2)
To prohibit all payment of commissions
on the sale Of tickets for the transporta-
ton of persons by railroad in interstate
commerce, and all sale of such tickets
except by the regular agents Of the car
riers. (3) To require the carriers TO pro-
vide for the speedy and convenient re-
demption of THE whole or any parts of
coupons of any ticket or tickets
which they may have sold as the pur-
chaser for any reason has not used
and does not desire to use, at a rate
which shall be equal TO the difference be-
tween the price paid for the whole ticket
aud the cost of ticket between the
points for which the proportion of said
ticket was actually used. The commits
sion also deems it proper in this con-
nection TO repeat what it has said in its
second annual report, that the provision
in the act TO regulate commerce against
the Sudden raising of rates without
notice ought TO be clearly made apph-
cable to rates jointly made by two or
more carriers, and that notice of inten-
ton 10 reduce any rate which any car
rier subject TO the act makes or joins in
making ought to be required to be given
specified number of days before the re-
duction should have effect"
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
BOOMERS AND THEIR OPPONENTS.

A special dispatch from Washington,
d, c., to the Globe-Democrat. says:
Among the principal Oklahoma BOOM
ers here, in addition to those who came
tonight, are Hon. Sidney Clarke, of
Lawrence, Kan: Eugene Ware, of Fort
Scott; Editor Marsh NJ. Murdoch and
Judge Ii. c. Sluss, of Wichita; Emmons
Blaine, of the Chicago, Santa Fe & Cali
fornia railway, Norris l.. Gage, of To-
peka; Captain ". L. Couch, of Yelling
ton, Kan; Hon. George D. Orner, of
Garden City, Kan; Judge David L.
Harvey, of Topeka, and Ex-Governor
Crawford, of Kansas. Among those
arrayed against the bill are Dele
gates Bushyhead and Harris, of the
Cherokee nation, and Major John
F. Lyon, of Fort Gibson. The Creek
delegates, Porter, Dodge and lspabecha,
remain neutral since their agreement to
sell Oklahoma.
The Kansas City delegation in the in
terests of the Oklahoma bill has reached
Washington. Hon. T. B. Bullene, Web
Withers, j. A. Graham and d. B. Dyer
are at Wizards. Judge John F. Phil
lips is at the Ebbitt. and Milt w Rey-
nolds is at the National. Ex-Mayor
Allen and Editor Morrison Munford are
expected in couple of days. This dele
CATION considerably augments the force
of Oklahoma boomers" now In the city,
and it is proposed to conduct vigorous
campaign in favor of the bill now pend
ing before the senate committee on terri
tories
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
BLACKSTONE JUNIOR.
How Rising Young Lawyers Oyerwor
Their Gigantic Brains.

How Rising Young Lawyers Oyorwork
Their Gigantic Brains.
Nobody can possibly have any idea how
young lawyers, particularly young lawyers
in the city courts, overwCrk their brains,
unless he goes to the cross-examination OF
witness by young member Of the bar.
1t is worth paying admission to hear.
The witness, says tho Detroit Commercial
Advertiser, has given in his testimony, and
is turned over like lamb to the slaughter,
or rabbit to the tender mercies of an ana
conda There is hushed stiffness as the
anaconda prepares to throw its voluminous
folds around the trembling victim, crush
its bones, and then swallow the shapeless
mass 1t is perfectly awful. The brow be-
comes corrugated with deep thought; the
glittering eye is bent on the guilty wretch
of witness who seems conscious OF his APP
preaching doom. Slowly and solemnly, ike
the supreme head OF the church promul-
eating officially some entirely new dogma,
the words reverberatlng like minute guns
at sea, the coming Blackstone says:
sDid-you-not-swear direct
examination - that-your name - was
Pete Srooks?''
The witness said he did.
Then the lawyer buries his massive brow
denly running his fingers through his hair,
he fixes his gllttering orbs as if they could
see the buckle on the back Of the witnesses
vest, and asks:
Now, sir, ! viii ask you on your oath to
tell this court aud jury, without any hem
ming or having, giving categorical an
swer to categorical question: ask you
now whether your name is not Peter
Shocks instead of Pete Shocks, as you
swore it was moment agol"
Witness-"My name"
"Haltl May it please your honor, the
witness is triaing with this court and jury.
He is evidently trying to hug in hearsay ev-
idence. According 70 second Greenleaf,
page 2s6J'
"The witness will proceed" said the
court, yawuing.
aYour honor, during the whole course of
my long and extensive practice
1.-The witness VIII proceed"
"Your honor viii please note my excep-
ton. intend that the Supreme Court shall
pass on this case"
Wltness-"Yes."
"Are you resident of this cityf"
WItness-"Yes-n
1.-THE city Of De.roitr'
Witness-"Xes-n
Iasn blafEstones II, wa11s BACKWARD
and forward, lis brow as hunky with
though: as 81 old vashboard- TIE ana
conda is abop; 10 spring again
'Courty of Wagner
"Yes"
Estate Of Gichigsnr'
sYes"
ave rest the case, may Il please -FOUR
honor"
And the planets keep right On around the
sun as IL nothing lad happened
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
PROTECT OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.

Are there not enough fathers in the
Kansas legislature who are personally
interested in the boys of this state to
enact laws for their protection against
the cigarette craze? If they will pass a
law prohibiting the sale of such vile
narcotics to youths they will not only
save them from the injurious effects of
the habit upon their physical body, but
will also protect them from the obscene
pictures that accompany each package,
a lot of which can be found in the pock-
cts of many of the boys and lads. espe-
cially in our cities. Our state canlboast,
we think, OF the finest and most prom
Using lot of youths and young men. NOR
ally, Intellectually and physically of any
state in the land, which promises for
Kansas in the next few years higher
order of civilization than is enjoyed by
any other state. Honorable gentlemen,
look out for our boys and strengthen
rather than remove whatever barriers
of protection the laws now throw around
our girls.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
A SRREWD SCHEME.

That is a very ingenius scheme of
Senator Henderson to force woman's
suffrage upon the country in spite of
itself. The little bill he introduced in
that body Wednesday providing that
all citizens of the United States having
the requisite qualification for electors in
the most numerous branches of any
state or territorial legislature shall be en-
titled and allowed to vote at any cleo
ton for representative or delegate to the
congress of the United States without
distinction of SEX" ETC., is an innocent
looking sort of a thing on its face,
but the effect of it will be,
if enacted into law, to force
every state and territory to adopt it
as matter of self defense as soon
as it should be adopted by any one or
more, for the reason that every state
thus extending the elective privilege
would of course get the benefit of its in
creased vote in the apportionment Of its
representation in congress. The advo-
Gates of this departure have labored long
and resorted to many ingenious schemes
and devices to accomplish their ends,
but none of their articles, so far as we
call to mind, has been equal to this in
adroitness ard plausibility. If congress
should, in its wisdom, determine to ex-
tend the privileges of the ballot to wo-
men let it do SO directly and once for all,
and not by indirection, as is proposed oy
the Henderson bill.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
Care Of Crat,relIzA.

Umbrellas VIII last much longer II, when
they are wet, they are placed h4ndle down
ward TO dry. TIE moisture falls froa tie
edges OF the frame, and the fabric dries
uniformly. II stood handle upward. Is is
commonly tie case, the top CT tie umbrella
holds the moisture, owing 70 The linGsg M
dernes;h tie ring; II consequently taxes q
lcng time 70 dry, ard injures the SIX o.
o.aer fasrsc with which IT II covered It's
Is the man cause CT The umbrella wearing
ont 50 scoa q. the top Umbrella cases arc
responsible fer tbs wear Of tie SIX To
Constant friction causes taEy holes tia: sp-
pear so p-ovokungly early. When BOT IN
Use the umbrella should be eft loose arS
wssl wei LEI, locse "a drL
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15

The state senate has agreed, in COM
mittee of the whole, TO enact a bill
which, as we understand it. abolishes
the office of county auditor. The meas
ure, as introduced, proposed to limit
county auditors to counties having over
$4,000 inhabitants, but it was amended
to repeal the law creating the Office.
Less than half dozen counties in the
state come under the operations of the
law, Sedgwick being one of the number.
The duties of the Office are important to
the citizens, the taxpayers, and must be
performed by some. However. as far as
Ibis county is concerned it will probably
work no serious Inconvenience or injus-
tice, inasmuch as the present incumbent
of the auditors Office viii continue to
serve until the expiration OF the term
for which he was appointed. and the
commissioners will. if the bill now
pending before the legislature fixing the
salaries of officers in this county be-
comes q law, be authorized TO make
proper compensation for the additional
labor imposed upon the officer whose
duty it shall become TO perform the
work now done by the auditor.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
OUT AMONG THE SUCKERS.
To the Editor of the Eagle.

To the Editor or the Eagle.
spent last week in central Illinois, in
the neighborhood of Springfield and
Lincoln. and noticed the wheat looking
remarkably well. met number of
farmers owning from one thousand to
ten thousand acres of land, and they all
stated the wheat never looked better. AS
the winter has been very mild and dry
there has been no heaving of the ground,
and did not hear s:Hessian fly" men
toned.
Many of these farmers are feeding
from eight hundred to one thousand
head of beeves each, some of which
were bought in our own Sedgwick
county. Cattle have done remarkably
well, owing to the mild winter, but
prices are not satisfactory, and feeders
are feeling blue. Corn was abundant and
selling for IS cents per bushel. All that
section of Illinois if underlaId
with fifteen feet of coal, which is extern
sively mined and sold at the shaft at 70
cents per ton.
1 had the pleasure of meeting "Pri-
vate Joe Fifer" at the state house and
found him bright, unassuming, bust
ness man. The legislature was wrestling
with the Chicago sewer question, the
Peoria people strongly protesting against
any more sewage being emptied into the
Illinois river, which not only spreads
sickness and death along that stream,
but spoils the water for the manufacture
of whisky, of which industry Peoria is
the great manufacturing center of the
north, paying into the .. S. treasury, l
am told, $4,000, 900 last month.
The state house at Springfield contains
a very large, well arranged and COM
plete CO Election of the geological, min
eral, natural history, and archaeological
productions of the state and nation.
Our own state is sadly lacking in this
respect. J. r. NJ.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
Mr.. Coke Of Texas.

Galveston News
In spite of the phenomenal unanimity
of Mr.. Coke's reelection it was preceded
bv "a deep fund of opposition. He Is one
of those rare characters of blended vigor
and astuteness. caution and impetuosity,
daring and circumspection, who must be
opposed with tremendous energy and
matches skill to be opposed success
fully. 1t happened that the opposition
in his case possessed no sue elements Of
success. Eclipsed By an overwhelming
prestige, confronted by foregone con-
clusion. it wisely made no sign, uttered
no voice. After serving twelve years as
United States senator Mr. Coke
is now returned. as on the whole
the mos. popular and most represen-
tative man Of Texas, TO serve
another term of six years This Is about
equivalent TO voting him life tenure.
1t is especially gratifying as an implied
rejection OF an idea that threatened
TO become BY force OF pre-
cedent vicious tradition of Texas poll
tics. 1t signifies, let US trust. that the
doctrine of rotation in office. and hmita-
tation of service In the governorsnip or
the senatorship 70 couple OF serms-a
doctrine so accommodating to scheming.
dickering. slate-raaking politicians-will
be at length. completely supplanted By
the common sense and statesmanlike
rule of assured permanence CT tenure
for capable incumbsncy and acceptable
service.
Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15
Wrongly Convicted.

State Journal
Governor Humphrey has granted an
unconditional pardon to Edward Brewer,
of Pratt county, who was convicted OF
rape in October last and sentenced to
two and one-half years imprisonment.
The crime was alleged to have been COM
mitted on January 10, 1898, the prosecu-
ton witness being Ida Bishop a 12-year
old school girl. The board of pardons in
their report say: "There is absolutely
nothing in the evidence to sustain the
charge, outside the testimony of Ida
Bishop, and this is directly contradicted
by the testimony of the two boys, Frank
Hiatt and Albert Shuman, and by that
of Brewer himself, and indirectly by
nearly all the witnesses, and by the
circumstances The board further
finds that the prosecution was wrong
and malicious and that the accused was
wrongly convicted.