brought by Mr. Wilkins against the city
did not succeed, and the inquiries which were put on foot as to the
antecedents of the Wilkinses fairly frightened them out of the city.
They turned up a month later in Detroit, where the weather was still
cold, and much snow had recently fallen. There were still 16,000 dollars
to be made before the industrious pair would have the whole of their
desired 50,000 dollars, and it was decided that Mrs. Wilkins--who had
changed her name to Mrs. Baker--should fall on the icy pavement and break
both arms. This, it was estimated, would be worth at least 8,000 dols.,
and it was hoped that the subsequent judicious breakage of two legs on
the premises of a Canadian railway would bring in 8,000 dols. more, after
which the Bakers intended to retire from business. Early one morning Mr.
Baker took his wife out and had her fall on a nice piece of ice, where
she broke both arms. Unfortunately, she fell more heavily than was
necessary, and, in addition, broke her neck and instantly expired. The
grief of Mr. Baker naturally knew no bounds, and he sued for 25,000
dols., all of which he recovered. He had thus made 59,500 dols. by the
aid of his fragile wife, and demonstrated that as a source of steady
income a woman who breaks easily is almost priceless. Still, nothing
could console him for the loss of his beloved partner, and he is to-day a
lonely and unhappy man.

--_New York Times_.

TAKING HIM DOWN A PEG.

A guard of a railway train, upon the late occasion of a _hitch_, which
detained the passengers for some time, gave himself so much importance in
commanding them, that one old gentleman took the wind out of his sails by
calling him to the carriage door, and saying, "May I take the liberty,
sir, of asking you what occupation you filled previous to being a railway
guard?"

A REMARKABLE NOTICE.

On a certain railway, the following notice appeared:--"Hereafter, when
trains moving in opposite directions are approaching each other on
separate lines, conductors and engineers will be required to bring their
respective trains to a dead halt before the point of meeting, and be very
careful not to proceed till each train has passed the other."

FLUTTER CAUSED BY THE MURDER OF MR. BRIGGS.

My vocations led me to travel almost daily on one of the Great Eastern
lines--the Woodford Branch. Every one knows that Muller pe