During the last trip I took over the Pacific Railroad I noticed that after we left Omaha the man in the seat in front of me appeared to have something on his mind. He would scowl dreadfully for a moment, then he would gaze with a faraway look out of the window. Then he would draw a huge bowie knife from his coat pocket, and after strap ping it on his boob he would run his thumb along the edge. After scowling a few minutes more he would take out a revolver, examine the chambers to assure himself that they were loaded, mutter a few vigorous sentences, and put it away again. I watched him a day or two, and at last he saw me looking at him. He said : " I reckon you think I'm excited about something? Well, I am. I'm going up to Salt Lake to kill a man." " Indeed ! How terrible ! What's the matter ?" " Well, you see— by the way, do you know Jim Stephens ?" "No, no! I think not." " Well, this is the way it camo round. Twelve years ago, Jim and I were friendß, and when I got married Jim made me a pre sent of the most splendid silver cake-basket you ever saw in your life." "That's nob what you are going to kill him for, is it ?" "Of course not. And I felt so grateful that I took him by the hand and said : ' Jim, I'll get you a cake- basket as handsome as that whenever you are married, as sure as my name is Jonathan Lockwood.' Made him a solemn promise, you know." " Did he marry subsequently ? " "Marry? Oh thunder! Let me tell you about it. About a year after he went to Utah and became a Mormon. Within a month he sent me cards for his wedding with Hannah Wat3on. So I went out and bought a sublime cake-basket, and forwarded it by express. Two weeks later, be wrote to say that Hannah's sister had been sealed to him, and he aaktd me out to the wedding."

"Did you go?" "No; but 1 sent him another cake-basket. 