The record-union., 1896-03-09
Have You Seen
the new PozzoNI PUFF Box? 1t is given
free with each box of Powder. Ask for it.
A DESPERATE REVENGE.
The Statesman Was Too Much for tn
RTroIar.


1t was an inclement night, but the
gloomy looking man who stood in the
doorway of the little town hall and
looked out at the pelting rain did not
blame it entirely on the weather.
The gloomy-looking man was Web
ster Shukks, leading citizen and promi-
nent debater of cambridge Township.
He had come to Spiketown, pursuant
to announcement, to deliver an address
on '"The Crime of '73,' and only three
persons had turned out. one of them be-
ing the janitor of the building.
The other two had heard the orator
once or twice already.
1t was decided to postpone the meet
ing. The lights were put out and Mr..
Shukks, buttoning his overcoat about
him, turned up his collar and pulling
his hat brim down all around, went
forth into the storm.
Oppressed by the burden Of an un-
spoken speech, he wandered aimlessly
about the little town for hours, regard
less of the rain that soaked his gar
ments and the mud that spattered and
stopped as he wended his devious and
uncertain way through streets whose
broad sidewalks and well-built cross
walks were yet in the future. Bitter
thoughts of the apathy of the people
he had come to enhghten Surged
through his mind, and at times he felt
an almost irresistible impulse to let
them slide on to their ruin without
making any further effort to save them
Finding himself at last opposite the
village hotel, where he had engaged
lodgings for the night, he went in.
Climbing the stairs softly, in order not
to disturb the slumbers of the other
guests, he proceeded to his room.
Through the partly opened door he
saw a man slipping quietly about with
a dim lantern in his hand.
Webster Shukks grasped his heavy
cane firmly, slipped noiselessly inside
shut the door behind him, and spoke in
a low tone:
"Stop right where you are! If you
make a single movement I'll brain
you'
Taken by surprise, the intruder
threw up his hands.
Nov, you scoundrel," said the
statesman of Bainbridge Township,
with the same low, tense utterance, Il
don't know who you are or where you
come from, but 1 know what you're
prowling around my room for. You
are here to steal something!"
'T-I''- began the baffled burglar
"There is nothing you need say" in
terrupted Webster Shukks, with
gleam of vengeance in his eye. open
your head again and I'll drive you
down through the fioorl Listen to me.
We have met this evening, my fellew-
citizens, to consider as calmly as we can
the great crime comitted against the
people of this country in the year 1873
at the bidding of an organization COM
posed of a few London and New York
bankers crime so dastardly so
fiendish, so monstrous in its conception
and heartless in its execution that hui
manity as well stand appalled, at the
mere contemplation of it! Let us go
back to the beginningl In 1892 my fell
low-citizens, Congress passed a mint
and coinage law by which gold and
silver, when coined, were declared to
be the primary money Of the Republic.
The unit of value was the silver dollar
of 371% grains of pure, or 416 grains of
standard, silver. The legal ratio was
declared in this Act to be, until other
wise provided for, 15 to /. 1t was en-
acted that any person could take either
of the two metals to the mint and
have them coined into money, free of all
charge. In its sovereign capacity, fell
low-citizens, the founders of this great
country laid down the broad principle
of the free coinage of silver
There was a hoarse, gurgling sound,
and the helpless villain, who had been
standing in a corner OF the room with
his hands above his head, sank in a
heap to the floor.
Nature had come to his relief He
had fainted-Chicago Tribune.