Year: 1876

short time ago. He was geutcelly dressed,
and professed to be tired. Having taken re-
freshments, he said he would take nap
for an hour To sleep he went, in very
busiuesslike style, in his chair, and long
nap he appeared to enjoy. Before it ex-
plrcd the usual smoke-a- pipe company be-
gan to drop in, and among others two
strangers made their appearance One of
the company remarked that it was unpleas-
ant to have man sleeping in public room
with valuable property about him, such az
the sleeper, who had fine looking gold guard
chain displayed on his waistcoat, and APP
parently connected with watch in one of
his pockets. To this remark one of the
strangers replied "Pooh that's 10 gen
tleman. I'm sure, he's more likely one NV
them swell mob as is always of takin' peo-
pie in. | dare say he has no watch at all
but I'll soon see. Suiting the action to
the word, the stranger drew forth out of
the sleeping mans pocket at piece of wood,
round and about the size of watch.
Il thought so, said he, ''thats pretty
watch for you" holding it up that the COM
pany might see it; aud then returning it
to the owners pocket


BY and by the sleeper awokc and called
brisbly for a glass Of brandy and water.
He assumed quite patronizing air among
the farmers, which soon raised a desire to
put him down. Accordingly one of the
seniors desired to be informed of the time
of day.


''Why," said the gentleman, II had
drop too much last night, and forgot to
wind up my watch"


"Just so r calculated the senior, "vou
forgot to wind up, did you" You'd be
puzzled to do that, dare say, wouldn
you now?


"Well, sir, you seem to take more notice
of such trife than there is any call for
but the truth is, have not a watch-key
about me, and mine is rather peculiar
watch.


Here burst OF laughter ensued, and
number Of jokes were passed about the
very peculiar style OF the watch. At last
one of the company roundly told him that
he had no watch at all about him; where
upon the amazed individual hastily clapped
his waistcoat pocket, after having previously
declared that, unless the watch had been
taken in the room, he had one. Satisfied,
apparently by the external application to
his pocket, he said 'It's all right; my
watch is here. thought you had been
playing trick upon me"


''I'll bet you 60 as you'v no watch" d."
baWled out one of his tOrmemtors another
offered to bet him E1O and one of the
strangers said he hadn't 60, but there were
two sovcrcigns which he would like to-
double that way.


The awakened sleeper looked at Them
with astonishment, and asked them if they
were serious they all stuck to it that he
had no watch and then he took out his
purse and produced five and ten pound
notes equivalent to the bets offered against
him. The stakes were posted; and the
| then thoroughly awakened sleeper coolly
pulled out the piece OF wood, at which a
horse laugh rose against him, but the laugh
ter was soon on the other side, when. touch
inc a spring in the bit of wood it flew open
and displayed very handsome gold watch
snugly encased within it. The gentleman
gave plUsible reason for preferfing so odd
! looking case for his watch, with which
his dupes might either feel satisfied or not
He had received their money to the extent
of go and they had bought knowledge
of ''the time of day"


! OF course the very suggestive strangers
lost nothing by the business they, in fact,
were accomplices of this clever sharper





Real estate in Easton Is cheaper than for
many years past.


In Turkey young man must obey his
parents till he's twenty five.


Law is like sieve you may see through
! it, but you must be considerably reduced
before you can get through.


There are investments of 100000 900
in the railroads of the United States that do
not pay dollar of income to the holders
of tho stock and bonds.


When the war of the Revolution began
there was but one man in Massachusetts,
who was worth more than thirty thousand
dollars there are now forty FIVE worth.
more than million


There has been discovered a mine of ex-
cellent bituminous coal on the middle fork
of the Coquille river, Oregon, about four
teen miles above tide water One vein is
seventeen feet thick


Some of the business firms in certair
towns in Pennsylvania have adopted a
credit check, which system, it is said, is
working very well. The checks for So are
sold for ST 70 cash, or FIVE per cent off,
and are so ARRANGED with fignres that uno,
! purchasing an article the amount is punched
out, requiring no book keeping or store
book.


At the Alabama State election, last
week, the Democratic ticket, headed by
George S. Houston for Governor, succeeded
! by some 10000 majority. The Legisla-
ture is very strongly Democratic. The
Republicans in that State have wasted their
strength in internal dissensions, and have