Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-18

bridegroom Then he asked the girls
name. "Maude Adams she timidly re-
sponded. The justice nearly fell out of his
chair, but recovered when Informed that
the pair lived in a suburb of Hoboken.
Then he tied the knot, pocketed his fee
and kissed the bride.
Like another pied piper of Hamelin, save
that his followers were cats instead % rats,
Chief Piccolo Player Weller Westinghouse
Donnelly, Of the United States cruiser Ra-
leigh, wooed a cat mascot back to the ship
in presence Of 200 comrades. Incidentally
he charmed such a large colony OF stray
cats from a lumber pile on the Cob dock
that his pipery had to be suppressed and
the %gangplanks pulled in.
Ofhcers as we'll as the men had been wor-
ried by an absence of twenty-four hours
Of the cat Portsmouth from the ship, re-
ports the Herald. The animal had been
shanghaied from a quiet farmhouse in New
Hampshire. 1t was thought that he had
not taken kindly to ship life and had de-
serted.
Chief Piccolo Player W. w. Donnclly
volunteered to find the cat on the dock. He
had played to 1t many a time in the glory
hole Of the Raleigh, and he had reason to
believe that his efforts had been appreci-
ated. While his doubling comrades lined
the decks he climbed on top Of a big lumber
pile on the dock and began playing Home,
Sweet Home" on the piccolo.
The sailors laughed. There was no sign
Of the cat. Unabashed, Donnelly drlfted
into Come Back, My Bonnie, to Me-" and
Come for Your Coffee Now, Boys" Still
there was no response. but a commotlon
began underneath the lumber pile. The
- 49,. H. C--A1A Hawai-
again. Immediately thereafter he started
the strains of THE Star Spangled Banner"
and every sailor stared, for Portsmouth
appeared crawling to him up the woodpile,
with tail proudly erect.
At the same time nineteen other cats ap-
peared. Donnelly placed Portsmouth on
to his shoulder and returned to the ship,
while the stray cats in the file followed at
his heels. A master-at-arms saved the
day by hauling in the gangplauk.
This year New York State taxpayers are
asked to contribute SIS, 900 for the euconr-
| agement of the beet sugar industry, as
against $50, 900 last year and 100000 the
| year previous. OF this amount 1t is pro-
posed to expend 5000 in instructing the
farmers In beet growing; out Of the re-
mainder the sugar manufacturer Is to be
paid a bounty of half a cent a pound for
his production. The beet sugar production
in the state fell off more than one-half
last year from that of 1901 and 1909 in
consequence of less acreage being con-
tracted for and unfavorable weather con-
ditions, It is explained by the COMMISSIONS
Of agriculture. That official recommends
that more acreage be contracted for by
the sugar mills. When there is a largo
| appropriation the business of the sugar
mills seems to expand. and when there is
a small one their operations shrink ac-
cordingly.
A gang Of Italians are under arrest in
| New York for ~swindling life insurance COM
papies out Of a large sum, said to aggre-
gate 81, 900, 900. The plan has been to Sc
cure policies on men certain not to live
long by having the insured person rep
resented by a man in good health. An un-
! dertaker, two physicians and others were in
the scheme, which is said to have been In
operation for ten years. There is reason to
believe that some insurance companies are
| often swindled in that way.
New York has a magistrate who every
now and then rises up to the dignity and
wisdom Of a Daniel, chief Of the governors
over all the wise men OF Babylon" He has
displayed a righteousness and a fearless
ness on the bench that almost excite won
der in this day and generation. His hand
is always uplifted for the prosecuted. Here
is a fair sample of him: When three Bow
cry shop keepers were arraigned before
him for selling collars to policemen in pro
hibited hours, he Numbered: Discharged
II you fellows had sold whisky instead OF
collars you would not have been molested!'
The New York Press says that when John
d. Rockefeller, jr., swore the other day
that he had debts Of $40O. 900 he performed
a surgical operation on his conscience for
the removal Of a personal tax assessment.
The same paper adds feelingly that the
poor young man deserves a great deal OF
| credit for the brave show Of courage which
he has been making in public during these
many years, when all the while he has been
harassed by numerous creditors, yet
avoided the bankruptcy court and Ludlow
street Jail" e
Colonel John ]. Partridge, former police
commissioner. addressing the Woman's Re-
publican club In New York a few days ago
said that in 1902 he had made more than
800 appointments land they did not cost
the men a cent" The former commissioner
added that, according to the computation
OF a friend. based on the alleged previous
custom Of e~xacting payment for appoint
ments and promotions, he had thus thrown
away s7s2 900"