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fables for good old boys and girls.
81
The American Hotel. Meals at all Hours.
The Shades. No Smoking.
Boats for Hire Cheap. Union Prayer Meeting, 4 P. M.
Billiards. The Waterside Journal.
The A 1 Barber Shop. Telegraph Office.
Keep of the Grass. Try Brandreth's Pills.
Cottages for Rent during the Watering Season.
For Sale Cheap. For Sale Cheap.
For Sale Cheap. For Sale Cheap.

At first it seemed to the Professor that this was a signlanguage, and that each word was represented by a distinct sign; further examination convinced him that it was a written language, and that every letter of its alphabet was represented by a character of its own; and finally, he decided that it was a language which conveyed itself partly by letters, and partly by signs or hieroglyphics.

He observed that certain inscriptions were met with in greater frequency than others. Such as "For Sale Cheap;" "Billiards;" "S. T.—1860—X;" "Keno;" "Ale on Draught}}." Naturally, then, these must be religious maxims. But this idea was cast aside, by and by, as the mystery of the strange alphabet began to clear itself. In time, the Professor was enabled to translate several of the inscriptions with considerable plausibility, though not to the perfect satisfaction of all the scholars. Still, he made constant and encouraging progress.

Finally a cavern was discovered with these inscriptions upon it:

WATERSIDE MUSEUM.
Open at all Hours. Admission 50 cents.
Wonderful Collection of Wax-Works, Ancient Fossils, etc.