The record-union., 1896-09-20

had numerous samples confided to his
care by his faithful and loving wife.
He repaired to the nearest muslin coun-
ter and watched patiently as a hand
some. black-eyed girl went through the
stock, matching the samples he pro-
duced. The process was almost COM
plete when the lovely maiden bore down
upon him with a gracious and winning
smile. He smiled in return and thought
many things. She said sweetly:
Here are two pieces which exactly
match the last sample. This one is a
bargain, sir, if there is enough of it. 1t s
marked down from 81 to 53 cents-on
account of the fall in the price of sill
ver." she added, not knowing what she
did.
The thoughts in the mind of the Man
fed. He also. Grasping his packages
with a firm and resolute air he eibowed
his way through the crowd of women
with the look of a man sick yet deter
mined not to succumb.
EVEN THE WOMEN WILD.
He remembered an address which he
kept in a book which was kept in a
pocket that his wife did not visit.
Gracious smiles greeted his entrance.
The Man felt better.
'Oh. I'm so glad you've come" she
said in a glad way, as she greeted him.
You are just the man l wanted to see.
/ want you to explain something-about
all this u-call-it-everybody
is discussing it. you know, and 1 feel so
ignorant. Please tell me what is all this
fuss about sixteen to one
He was staggered. He arose, clutched
the mantelpiece for support and started
to say in nervous way: why, don't
you know, it means-it means that If
you get SIG in silver instead Of"
He got no further Il think feel i'll,
he said, in a confused sort of way.
mo no. he added. hastily. II won't
lie down. / think a little turn in the
air would do me good,'' and with a
maddened, baffled mien he escaped
from her dazzling, smiling presence.
rs there no relief-no spot?" he mur-
INJURED. And he sought his room.
Hours afterward he awoke. Hastily
recalling the events of the day he
bent fleet steps in to the twilight and
gained the nearest bicycle shop. "Ah, -
he repeated to himself, IF the bike will
cure rheumatism and melancholia and
all the ills that afflict mankind per-
chance it will be of avail even now"
The slender CLEAN of a miniature
headlight cut the darkness like a long
flash. Now he gained the boulevard
and then the drive and the soft air that
famed his perspiring brow seemed
bringing back his wOnted calm. The
winding roadway was deserted. Only a
pair Of lounging lovers were to be seen.
Suddenly a glare Of light crept around
the corner and a huddled group of
scorchers bore down upon him. Turn
ing just in time to save a collision as
the wild mass swept swiftly past his
startled ears caught the broken sem
tences:
Maintained the parity. Can't you
see that if a silver dollar is worth
only
had come, the Man leaped from his
wheel. He turned quickly and even in
the darkness he numbered the flying
forms.
"Sixteen!"
1t was more like the cry of a hunted
animal than the voice Of a human
being.
"Sixteen,"
And he was only one.
That night the body of an unknown
man was found floating in the river at
the foot of Seventy-second street, where
the moon cast a silvery sheen upon it's
troubled surface. Despite the intelli-
gent and earnest efforts of the police,
nothing could be learned save the fact
that on the previous evening fearful
shrek had been heard along the River
side drive and a couple wandering
along the parapet had seen a dark
form rush madly down the bank and
a few moments later a splash was
heard from the depths of the river be-
low. The letters on the dead mans
body had been so thoroughly soaked
that he could not be identified, and,
owing to the lack of further informa-
ton, no motive could be ascertained
as to the cause of his act.