tit
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HENRY A. PARSONS, Jk , Editoe axd Publisher
A'Wi COUNTY TUE REPVIillCAN PARTY.
Two Dollars fer Annum,
VOL. I.
RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1871.
NO. 12.
MA IT-FLO WEItlr
BT LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON.
Ifyou catch a brcalli of sweetness,
And follow the odorous hint
Through woods where the dead leaves rustle,
Aud the golden mosses glint.
Along the spicy Ben-coast,
Over the desolate down.
Ton will find the dnlnty May-flower
When you come to Plymouth town.
Where the shy Sprlnjr tends her darlings,
And hides them away from eight,
Pull off the covering leaf-sprays,
And father them, pinli and white.
Tinted by mysticnl moonlight,
Freshened by frosty dew.
Till the fair transparent blossoms
To their pure perfection grew.
Then carry them home to your lady,
For flower of the Spring is she,
Pink nnd white, and dainty and slight,
And lovely as lovely can be.
Shall they die because she Is fair,
Or live because she is sweet 1
They will know for which they were born,
But you must wait at her feet.
ROB AND FA SSI
A Railway Adventure.
"Perhaps this gentleman I am al
most sure it is his. Ask hiin, Bob do."
The words, earnest and excited, were
uttered in a voice so sweet and musical,
that, involuntarily, I turned my head to
gut a glimpse of the speaker.
She was bohind me, upon the railway
platform, at C , where we had been
temporarily detained, waiting to take
our places in an incoming train. She
was a neatly dressed, modest looking
woman, quite pretty, and evidently not
more than twenty years of age. She
leaned upon the arm of a man some four
or rive years her senior, as open-countenanced
and prepossessing in appearance
as herself. A newly-married couple, I
set them down at once, on their bridal
tour, perhaps. The gentleman held in
his hand an open pocketbook, which he
had apparently just picked up from the
platform at bis feet, and which I saw to
contain, even with the cursory glance I
cast upon it, a number of bills, some of
a large denomination.
He glanced from it to me, as I turned
at the young lady's words, seeming de
sirous, yet doubtful of the prudence of
making known his discovery ; and, com
prehending his dilemma, I set his mind
at rest at once.
" If you are seeking an owner for an
article just found, you must look fur
ther, sir; I have lost nothing."
Ila looked around with un expression
of vexed admiration.
What shall I do with the thing ? It
evidently contains a large amount of
money, though I have not as yet exam
ined it thoroughly. I do not want to
take it with me, and yet I cannot spare
the time to hunt up an owner for it ;
besides, I am afraid it' I were to proceed
hurriedly or incautiously in the matter,
some swindler might get it from me, in
spite of myself. Stop ! I know what I
can do," he continued, briskly, after a
momentary pause ; " I will run back to
the ticket office, and leave it in charge
of the clerk. I can take his receipt for
it, you know, to niako sure that he con
ducts the thing squarely. It is pretty
sure to be inquired for there, or, if not,
it will be advertised, and he can attend
to the business, and pocket the reward
for his trouble. Fatiny, dear, would you
mind my leaving you one moment r"
She looked as if she should mind it
very much, as she glanced timidly
around at the noisy crowd who sur
rounded her ; and he, too, after he had
spoken, seemed reluctant to leave her
without a protector. Upon the strength
of my grizzled beard and fifty years, I
took the liberty of again addressing
them.
" If you will trust the lady to my pro
tection, I shall be happy to take charge
of her until your return."
She looked up at first a little doubt
fully, but her face brightened as she
caught my eye j with childlike quick
ness of perception she seemed to have
formed her estimate of my character at
a single glance."
" Thank you, sir," she said, simply ;
" that will do nicely. Run, then, Bob,
and hurry back as soon as yos can."
She took my proffered arm with mod
est confidence, and the gentleman, seem
ing equally well satisfied with the ar
rangement, hurried away, and I was left
with my pretty charge, feeling not a
little fluttered at the confidence which
my appearance had evidently inspired.
I addressed a few remarks upon gene
ral topics to the lady, who responded
frankly, though timidly, to my attempts
at sociability. One remark led to an
other, and soon we were chatting to
gether quite freely and unreservedly.
As 1 had surmised, she was a bride bad
been married just a month, and was' now
returning from her wedding-tour to her
home, in Baltimore.
Upon informing her that I had a
daughter, about the same age as herself,
also recently married, she seemed to
consider the coincidence quite a remark
able one, and I could not but be amused
at the eagerness with which she ques
tioned me concerning the age, appear
ance, disposition even the toilet of the
bride. On my part, I was ready enough
to discuss the subject. The wedding had
been of such recent occurrence that it
was still fresh in my mind, and I loved
too well to talk about Hattie, and all
belonging to her, not to enjoy the chat
as much as my fair companion seemed
to do.
Thus it chanced that we were in the
midst of what was to both of us a very
interesting conversation, when " Bob "
returned; and " quite regretfully," as I
laughingly assured, her, I was obliged to
relinquish my charge to her natural pro
tector. The acquaintance thus commenced,
naturally did not terminate here; we
were still detained some minutes longer
upon the platform, and so long as we
stood together, the conversation contin
ued, becoming, of course, more general
by the intervention of a third party.
When we at last entered the car, we
were fortunate enough to obtain nd
joining seats, and, as I occupied mine
by myself, I offered to give room upon
it tor some ot the bags ana baskets per
taining to my companions. The offer
was accepted, and, at the lady's in vita.
tion, I turned my seat so that I could
sit tacmg them, and thus continue un
interruptedly the conversation into
which we had fallen.
This arrangement proved, to me at
least, a very pleasant one, and the three
hours' ride which followed was the least
tiresome of any I ever spent upon a rail
way. I learned that the name of my
new acquaintances was Fry, and that
the lady herself was the daughter of
Henry t ltzmorton, or JJaltimore, a gen
tleman well known to me by repute. I
had spent several years in Baltimore at
an earlier period of my life, and it was
very pleasant to inquire after old ac
quaintances, many ot whom 1 tound Mr.
rry was also well acquainted with
Thus, enjoying alike the intelligent re
marks of the gentleman, and the lively
Bailies of his wife, the morning slipped
away, and I was obliged to glance at
my watch to satisfy myselt that noon
had really arrived, when the train
stopped at Junction, and the con
ductor, passing through, announced :
" Twenty minutes for dinner 1"
Of course we alighted, and of course
I kept near my young friends during
the meal. This proved to be excellent,
and was heartily enjoyed by all of us ;
so much so, indeed, that the warning
whistle sounded just as we arose from
the table, and we were obliged to join
in the general scramble usual in such
cases, to settle our bills, and resume our
seats in the cars, in about half the time
that should have been appropriated to
the purpose.
Mr. H ry and his wife were immedi
ately in front of me, and as we came to
the door, where the landlord stood col
lecting his money from the passengers
as they passed out, Mr. Fry banded him
a five dollar bill, for which the landlord
had some trouble in making the right
change.
hue we were waiting, 1 drew forth
my pocketbook, to have my money
ready when my turn came ; but, as is so
often the case at such times, I found, to
my great annoyance, that I, too, having
nothing smaller, would be obliged to
present a five dollar bill. Mr. iry s
quick glance over his shoulder caught
my annoyed look, and guessed the cause.
" Dinner for three, landlord, out of
that bill," said he, quickly ; and then, in
an aside to me, " It's all right ; let it go
so. 1 don't want to wait for him to
make change again."
I had no time to remonstrate, or, in
deed, to do anything more but to bow
my thanks, intending, of course, to dis
charge the debt at the first opportunity.
" A remarkably free-hearted fellow 1"
was my inward comment, recalling also
the careless ease with which, in the case
of the pocketbook he had found, he had
passed over the probable reward to the
ticket clerk. Such little incidents as
these, trifling as they may seem when
recorded, have a strong effect in deter
mining character, and Mr. Fry's will
ingness to pay my hotel bill, though I
had not the BlighteBt intention of profit
ing by his liberality, increased very ma
terially my good opinion of him.
Our seats resumed, the train, a mo
ment later, moved slowly onward ; but
we had gone but a few rods when it
stopped again. To the noity cries of
" What's wrong ?" arising from various
parts of the car, was at last elicited the
reply that something had given way
about the engine, and that we should
probably be detained some time, waiting
for the necessary repairs to be made.
Mr. Fry aDd 1 were endeavoring, by
questioning those who seemed to know,
to find out more particularly what was
likely to be the extent of the detention,
when a little cry of dismay from Fanny
recalled our attention at once to her.
"My handkerchief! Oh, Bob, my
handkerchief is gone i"
" Nothing very alarming in that, is
there i" he replied, smiling.
"Indeed there is!" she cried, discon
solately ; " not alarming I don't mean
that but very, very vexatious. It was
that fine hem-stitched one, with my
monogram embroidered in the corner ;
don't you remember '( It was my wedding-present
from poor cousin Lou, who
hem-stitched and embroidered it herself ;
there was hardly a present I received
that I would not rather have parted
with."
" Perhaps it is still bbout you some
where ; shake out your dress and mantle
you may find it, he said, sympathiz
ingly, for she was evidently seriously
distressed at her loss.
She shook her held, the tears rising to
her eyes as she spoke :
"It is of no use ; I have not had it
since we left the hotel. I remember
having it in my band during dinner,
and of laying it beside my plate upon
the table, and that is where I have left
it, I am certain. Poor, poor Lou !"
She turned away her head to hide her
tears ; and her husband, in an under
tone, explained to me :
"Her cousin Has ama since we left
home ;" then, aloud, he continued :
" Come, come, Fan ! the loss is not
irremediable. Banish those sober looks.
We are but a few rods from the hotel,
and the train is likely to wait here for
half an hour or more ; I will run back
and see if I cannot regain your trea
sure.
Her face brightened up in an instant.
" Oh, Bob ! that is so good of you I
But " a shadow of doubt suddenly
crossing her face " I am almost afraid
to have you go. suppose we cars snouia
go off and leave you I"
"No danger" he replied, gayly; "though,
if they did, it would be nothing worse
than a temporary inconvenience ; you
would have to stop at the first station,
and wait until I joined you by the next
train. I leave you in good hands; I
know Mr. Savage , would not let you
oome to grief." -
" She should be well taken care of, I
guarantee that," I replied, as he glanced,
laughingly at me ; ' but there is no
likelihood of my being called upon to
assume the responsibility. If I am any
judge of the matter, you will have time
enough to go to the hotel and back
again a dozen times before we leave
Junction."
" I left the handkerchief on the table
by my plate, Bob, I think" she said, as
he turned to leave us ; " but I cannot
be positive. I may have dropped it in
that little room where I washed my face
and hands ; or it may have fallen while
I was going from the hotel to the cars.
As long as you are going back, please to
look for it everywhere, for I do so hate
to lose it.
" I'll do my best," he said ; and bound
ing off the train, in a moment was gone.
" I know you must think me very silly,
Mr. Savage," she said, turning to me,
with a pretty little deprecating tone
and glance ; " and very selfish, too, per
haps, to give poor Bob so much trouble,
just for a handkerchief; but, indeed, I
do value it so highly I Your daughter,
perhaps, would feel just as badly if she
were to lose her most valued wedding
present."
" I have no doubt of it." I said. " I
assure you I shall draw no uncharitable
conclusions from conduct and feelings
so natural. I remember that Hattie
seemed better pleased with .some of her
more trifling presents than she did with
many that were of a far greater mone
tary value."
" That was just the way I folt," she
continued, eagerly " particularly about
the handkerchief. (Jousin Ijou was
poor, and in very delicate health ; and
the little gift, which she had spent
many wearisome hours in preparing,
seemed to me more truly a love-offering
than anything else that was given me
except, of course, Bob's present," she ad
ded, quickly, a pretty blush suffusing
her ingenuous race ; "he gave me a
cluster diamond pin. Wait 1 I will show
it to you ;" and, after a momentary fum
bling at the collar ot her dress, beneath
her mantle, she drew forth a small pin,
set with very pretty brilliants, which
she exhibited, eager as a child, for ad
miration ot her treasure. " is it not
pretty ? I do like jewels so much, par
ticularly diamonds. I noticed your
ring almost as soon as 1 saw you. It is
a real diamond, is it not r
It was a diamond indeed a solitaire
of first water valued at seven hundred
dollars ; and of which, old as I was, I
was almost as proud as little .Fanny of
her pin. I had bought it of a friend
who, by unlucky speculations, had been
reduced from alQuence to poverty ; and,
at the time, 1 had taken it rather to ac
commodate him than because I cared
for the jewel ; not having any immedi
ate need tor the money thus invested,
however, I had been content to wear my
diamond until now. I should really
have disliked to part with it.
Amused by my companion s naivete, i
held up my hand so that the light might
fall upon the stone. She gave a little
cry of ecstacy :
" I never never saw anything so
pretty ! Would you mind letting me
look at it in my own hands V But, per
haps," Bhe added, coloring at her own
boldness " perhaps you don't take it
off ? I would not take my rings off for
the world ; one is my engagement-ring,
and the other my wedding-ring ; Bob
gave me both."
1 laughed outright.
" Excuse me, my dear young lady,
but it seems laughable enough to a gray
bearded old fogy like myself, to hear
you gravely imagining any idea of sen
timent could be attached to a ring I
wore. Examine it, if it pleases you ; I
have not the least objection to take it
off."
I handed her the ring, and she slipped
it on her own tiny forefinger, holding
her hand in various positions to view
the effect. As she thus moved to and
fro, in raising her arm quickly, there
fell from beneath her mantle a small
white article, which she caught up with
an exclamation of mingled annoyance
and delight. It was the missing hand
kerchief, which had bien all the whilo
clinging somewhere about her person,
and had thus unexpectedly come to
light.
" Un ! how glad I am to think it is not
lost " sho cried ; " but poor, dear Bob !
what will he say when ho lands what a
fool's errand I have sent him on ! Dear
me, what a pity ! I wonder whether I
could see him anywhere ! I will lower
the window, and look out ; if I wave my
handkerchief, and be can see it, be will
know what it means."
She made an attempt to lower the
window as she spoke, but, as is custom
ary with car-windows, it proved refrac
tory, and I leaned over her to assist her.
The window was very obstinate, and it
was some moments before 1 succeeded in
lowering it. Sho leaned out when I
bad done so, but nothing could le seen
of Bob.
' lie has not been able to find it," she
said, uneasily ; " and he will look in
every likely and unlikely place for it,
questiou the servants and landlord, and
give himself no end of trouble. I can
not forgive myself for being so heedless.
Oh, dear 1 I wish I could get out and go
after him. Do you think I could i"
and she glanced with a look of childlike
appeal at me.
" By no means," I said rising,' " you
are in my charge, you know, and 1
could not think of allowing you to take
such a step. I will go myself, if you do
not object to remaining here alone."
" Oh. I don't mind that at all." she
answered ; " but I cannot bear the idea
of putting you to so much trouble."
1 saw, however, mat, in spite of ber
polite remonstrances, she was really very
anxious for me do as 1 had offered ; so,
with a nod and smile, 1 lumped out of
the car, and started off briskly in search
of Mr. Fry.
I did not meet mm as i bad hoped I
should, nor could I find him at the hotel,
though I looked through dining-room,
wash-room, and even the kitchen in
search of him ; and after spending fifteen
or twenty minutes in this fruitless search,
I turned my steps again toward the car,
foroed reluctantly to the conclusion that
we had by some means passed each other
on the road.
I reached the still waiting train, after
a leisurely walk, in which I expected
every moment to see him coming toward
mo. I entered the car, and, to my un
bounded astonishment, found there not
only no Bob, but no Fanny either.
For a moment I believed that I must
have entered the wrong car and turned
to leave it ; but no, there was my um
brella a huge cotton one, which I had
bought a few days before when caught
in a shower lying in the hat-rack over
head ; that only of all that had occupied
those two seats when I left, remained
there now. In stupid bewilderment I
turned to a passenger reading his news
paper in an adjoining seat.
" Can you tell what has become of the
lady who occupied this seat a few mo
ments since '(" I asked.
IIo looked np, pausing for a moment
before he spoke, as if to recall a paBt
event, of which, at the time, he had
taken very little notice.
' The young lady, -with the blue veil
and black silk travelling suit '(" he asked.
" Oh, yes, I remember. She got up just
after you did ; gathered up all her bags
and parcels in a great hurry and went
out at the north end of the car."
"Did she leave by herself? did no
gentleman join her either before or after F"
" Not that I saw," replied he, resum
ing his paper as if weary of the inter
ruption. " She went down to the carriage road
off yonder," said an old woman who sat
upon the opposite side of the car and
heard my questions. " Somebody met
her down there with a carriage, and she
jumped in and was druv off."
I clapped my hand to my watch fob ;
it was empty. To my trowsers pocket ;
my wallet was gone. At last I under
stood the situation ; I had been the dupe
of as clever a pair of swindlers as ever
rode in a railway car. Money, watch,
and diamond ring had all gone, tke two
former, doubtless, cleverly picked from
my pocket while I was leaning over the
confiding Funny lowering her obstreper
ous window.
Of course I telegraphed to all adjacent
stations and set the police to work as
soon as possible, but I accomplished
nothing by my trouble ; I never heard
of either Bob and Fanny or my stolen
property again.
I had the curiosity to telegraph also to
the clerk of the ticket office at C
concerning the pocketbook consigned to
his care by Mr. Fry ; I learned, in return,
that he had never seen or heard tell of
any such article.
I cannot say the information much
astonished me.
Taking Care of the Teeth.
A good authority in dental matters
ways that the various tooth-washes and
tooth-powders do the teeth more harm
than good, promoting their decay instead
of preserving them. Poor teeth, like
every other disease, arises from taking
unnatural lood into the mouth. It we
would have our teeth good and sound.
we must learn a lesson of the animals ull
around us. The cow, the horse, or the
dog, never have decayed teeth, because
they will not eat what nature did not
intend them to. Tobacco, alcohol, hot
drinks, and a thousand other hurtful
things taken into our stomachs to keep
up the hres ot the system which we are
continually wasting by our fretting,
feeding of passions intended for use in
stead of abuse, and other means of ex
hausting vital, nervous force. And it is
beginning to be more generally acknowl
edged that too much meat is eaten by us.
If we had teeth like the wolf,, the cat,
and the tiger, there would be some ex
cuse for every twentieth man keeping a
slaughter-house to feed our carniverous
appetites; but, if we eat meat, why
should not the cow, the horse, and her
bivorous animals whose teeth are formed
like ours ' When people follow nature
more directly, they will have fewer ail
ments, and doctors and quack-medicine
venders will be compelled to turn their
attention to some other method of get
ting a living. The teeth were never in
tended to be pearly white. Every in
telligent dentist knows that the whiter
the teeth are, the sooner and more cer
tain they will decay ; he also knows that
those teeth are the soundest, last the
longest, and are the most useful, which
have a yellowish tint ; then why provide
powders to take off this yellowish sur
fuce ' The teeth should be washed once
a week with white soap, making the
mouth as full as possible with " lather,"
so as to be close to every particle of
every tooth for a few minutes ; because
the tartar on the teeth is the product of
a living thing, which is instantly killed
with soap suds. A few persons have
another living thing about the teeth not
affected with soap, but which is instant
ly killed with salt ; hence each person is
advised to wash the teeth with white
soap once a week ; and once a week also
with salt. Every morning, on rising.
the teeth should be washed with a stiff
brush by dipping it in the water, and
rubbing the teeth slowly front and rear
from side to Bide, and finally twisting
the brush so that each bristle will act as
a tooth-pick at the joinings of the teeth,
so as the more thoroughly .to dislodge
anything which might remain in the
hollo ws between the ridges. The water
in the brush combines with the saliva of
the mouth, and, by its great softness,
makes one of the best solvents in nature
for any extraneous Bubstances about the
teeth. The teeth should be brushed im
mediately after each meal with a soft,
old brush, with plenty of water, twisting
it up and down as before. After each
washing, the brush should be placed far
back on the tongue and turned from
side to side, so as to clear off the tongue ;
this does much towards freeing the teeth
from the odor of the last thing eaten.
If persons would brush their teeth well
immediately after the last meal of the
day, instead of putting it off until bed
time, the teeth would be clean for four
or five hours more in the twenty-four,
which is not a slight advantage.
Two tailors in Louisville had a fight,
and one stabbed the other with a pair of
6b ears. When he has killed eight more
tailors they are going to try him for
manslaughter. - - t t i , w .
Silver smelting furnaces will soon be
added to the list of Pittsburg industries.
Sorrow Gauge Railroads.
The subject of narrow gauge railroads
of late years has attracted much atten
tion in this country. In the mining re
gions of this State some experience has
already been had on the narrow gauge.
Grades and curves have been attained
which a few years ago were deemed
wholly impracticable. During the pres
ent session of the legislature a number
of charters has been granted, and a
strong necessity already exists for a
liberal system of general legislation on
the subject. While the rapidly advanc
ing power of railroad monopolies has
caused the deepest despondency in the
minds of some, others, who are accustom
ed to look at the bright Bide of the pio
ture, witness the organization of mighty
elements for successful resistance.
Among these elements is an enlightened
public sentiment, which while subduing
unjust prejudice against railway corpo
rations, at the same time is convincing
their owners and operators of the neces
sity of pursuing a juBt and liberal policy
towards the public.
Another mighty agency in the work
of reform will be the narrow gauge.
This ie the angel that is coming to as
sist in the redemption of the people
from the oppression of monopoly. Sci
ence is introducing a great competitor
into into the railroad field, which will
compel selfishness to abandon the con
flict. The whole railroad policy of the
country will be revolutionized. Begin
ning with the vertebrae, trunk roads
will be reduced to the narrow gauge,
and then competition will dissolve the
power of monopoly. Narrow gauge
roads will penetrate regions of country
hitherto deemed inaccessible, and by
their cheapness will be multiplied with
marvellous rapidity. The pernicious
policy of conferring vast grants of lands
upon railway companies will be neutral
ized by a new system which, expanding
year by year, will fill the West with a
teeming population. The next genera
tion will not witness, in all probability,
the power of the great railway kings of
the present. The Vanderbilts and Jay
Goulds will not transmit their Bceptres.
But this consummation must be assisted
by enlightened and liberal legislation.
We have before us a very able report
of a joint committee of the Massachu
setts Legislature on the subject of nar
row gauge, which shows that the period
of doubt and experiment has already
been passed. The first of these experi
ments was a tram road in the Festiniog
Valley, in Wales. Its gauge was one
foot eleven and a-half inches. It had
curves of 132 feet radius, and grades of
70 feet to the mile. The engineer, Mr.
Spooner, whose name deserves commem
oration, determined to apply the locomo
tive to this line. The rail used weighed
30 pounds to the yard, and the engines
weighed seven tons. The passenger cars
were 10 feet long and five feet wide, and
cupable of Beating twelve passengers.
To-day trains over 1,000 feet long run
over this little road at a speed of 15 or
20 miles an hour, with as much safety
as upon any in England, and at a cost
below that of roads much more favora
bly constituted of the ordinary gauge.
The freight cars on this road carry three
tons. In one year its tonnage amount
ed to 136,132 tons, and its passenger
business in the same year amounted to
6,807 passengers per mile.
Another railway of about eight miles
in length has been made in Wales with
a gauge of two feet six inches. It has a
nearly uniform grade of about 70 feet
rise to the mile. Two light engines
have worked the traffic of this road for
more than five years with three passen
ger as well as freight trains running
each way daily. Each engine carries
threo cars with 70 to 00 passengers and
twenty slate cars.
In Germany there is a small lino con
necting with the Cologne and Geissen
railway which has a gauge of 2 feet
7 inches, curves of 121 feet radius and
planes of seventy feet rise to the mile.
The rails vary trom 11 to zh pounds to
the yard. The engines weigh 12. tons
and haul 36 cars each loaded with 5
tons. The cost of the line per mile in
cluding rolling stock, has been about
$8,000.
In 1861, Mr. Phil, an engineer in Nor
way, constructed the Thondgham rail
way upon a gauge of 3 feet 6 inches.
Their country was too sparse in popula
tion, too poor in resources and too rug
ged in its topography to justify the
building of a road ot the ordinary gauge.
The engines were about 12 tons weight,
and the other rolling stock in proportion.
Mixed trains of passenger and freight
cars were connected, and in six years of
operation the road has proved a perfect
success. Passengers receive every neces
sary accommodation, and are transported
as Bafely and as speedily as upon any of
the older roads having similar business.
Other narrow gauge roads have been
built and are now being built in Russia,
Norway, Australia and South Ameiica.
The Unaio Yalenciana railroad is 15
miles long, has grades of 169 feet rise to
the mile, and curves of 2o5 feet radius.
It has been some time in successful oper
ation. It' has a 40 pound rail, and its
engines weigh 10 to 15 tons. Its passen
ger cars afford comfortable accomodation
for 30 persons. Mixed trains traverse
this road at a speed: of 18 to 20 miles per
hour, and passenger trains at 30 miles
per hour with as much safety as upon
first-class roads of ordinary gauge.
These are all short lines connecting
with trunk roads, but they demonstrate
the complete success of the experiment.
In Colorado the Denver and Rio
Grande railroad is about to be com
menced. It is destined to extend from
Denver City, along the Rocky Mountain
plateau, to El Paso, a distance of 850
miles. The gauge adopted is two feet
nine inches, and the estimated cost per
mile is (8,000. In Australia 250 miles
are built, and 250 more are projected of
the narrow gauge.
The report from which these state
ments are taken, contains much other
valuable information on the subject of
narrow gauge, to which we shall take
a future occasion to revert. These re
late to cost of construction and feasibility.
The grade of two feet nine inches has
been agreed upon by the majority of
: " mi.; I l i j'o: "n-
cugiueria. luero asv eg4 uiuiuuiucs
in the way of the success of narrow
gauge railroads, which are not so form
idable in other countries. The struggle
will be to procure the right of way from
the legislature, and that issue must be
met. This country cannot be kept in
the rear of progress by legislative re
striction on the right to construct rail
ways. Wherever competent parties with
sufficient capital are willing to test this
system, the legislature should give them
liberal enoauragenfent. Competition
thus produced will relieve the publio
from the thraldom of monopoly. In the
mining regions, for which the narrow
gauge is peculiarly adapted, and where
the oppression of capital is most severely
experienced, competition in carrying
would greatly benefit the miner and the
consumer. Railroad combinations, such
bs that which exists at present, would be
rendered difficult, if not wholly impossi
ble by the construction of rival lines.
The expense of construction is dimin
ished by half. Regions of the State will
be penetrated which have hitherto been
considered inaccessible by engineers, and
the benefits of the railroad system will
be diffused all over its surface. Harris
hira (Pa.) Patriot.
Murdered by Request.
Last night we were summoned to lis
ten to one of the saddest stories ever
told. But a few days since was an
nounced the death of Daniel E. Hedden
by his own hand. We had every reason
to believe it was so. Last evening, how
ever, came a startling disclosure Hed
den murdered I
Captain Dutcher was called to the
Cedar Rapids House. He went. Cora
Clinton wished to see him. When in
her presence she says : " Captain, I have
something to tell you. You would nev
er think it, but I shot Hedden I"
This waa indeed something to tell, it
was a startling announcement. She
said she had carefully thought over all
the consequences; knew she had to go
to jail, and probably to the gallows.
Yet with all that staring her in the
face, she wanted to make the confession
tell the true story.
In the jail at 11 o'clock, the reporters
met the unfortunate woman. " 1 make
the confession that I killed Hedden."
" Why did you do it ?" " At his own re
quest," was the reply. "I went up
stairs and found him, as I thought, dy
ing. He asked me to shoot him. He
wanted this Bin off his soul. He took
the pistol from his pocket, cocked it and
placed it in my hand. He held open his
coat and I pulled the trigger. I thought
there was more than one ball in the pis
tol, and intended with the other to kill
myself." The prisoner in her confession
says there was no malice ! She fired the
pistol at his own request, and then in
tended self-murder. But an empty pis
tol prevented her. She was excited, and
didn't think what she was doing. In
brief, the above is the sad story. It is
to be remembered that Hedden bought
three bottles of laudanum the night of
his death, and upon his own confession,
through the testimony of Cora Clinton,
drank the same.
Sunday evening Cora Clinton con
fussed that Bhe took chloroform with in
tent to take her life ; and it is feared
that she will, by some means, yet suc
ceed. There is scarcely a doubt that su
icide has been determined upon, in her
mind, at all hazards. Omaha Itcyulli
ean. Increase of Wealth in the United States
la Ten Years.
The following table is compiled from
the official report made to the Census
Bureau, and represents the total valua
tion of real estate and personal property
in the States and Territories named for
the years 1860 and 1870 :
1800. 1870.
Stated. Total estate. Tntnl extato.
Calllornia (130,664,607 (269,644,088
Delaware 39,767,233 64,787,223
F.OIllla 6S,929,68 91,167.464
beoralu 618,232,387 202,61)3,567
Illinois 889,207,372 764,i87,000
Indiana 411,042,424 063,455,044
Iowa 2115,166,985 308 009,165
Kentucky 620,212,698 43,7041,000
J,ouituanu 435,687,265 250,588.510
Maine , 154.380.38S 202.690,310
M OHsachusuttS 777,157,810 1,381, 169 403
MichiKall 163.533,005 2112,908,8 '.
Minnesota 32,018,773 84,100,368
MUaiasinnl 500,472,91'J 154 535,527
Missouri 2t0,935,651 652,728,032
NubruHlm 7,426,040 55,710.432
New Jlaiupahlre 123 010,080 128,468,630
New Jersey 206,082,402 024,868,071
New York 1,300,463,6 IS 1,040,070,379
North Carolina 202,207,602 132,040,301
Ohio 9o9,r67,10l 1,612,438,880
Orexon 10,024 Sit 31,708,610
Pennsylvania 710,253,335 1,171,657,000
Rhode Island 125,104,305 218,800,402
South Caroliua 489,319,12s 104,409,401
Tennessee 382,405.200 313,740,771
Vermout 84,758 C19 93,244 047
Virginia 607,021,356 350,244.82$
West VlrgluU (Included In Virginia) 124,555,442
Wisconsin 156,220.100 3:13,447,500
Columbia 41,084,035 74 271,093
New Mexico 20.838,780 17,784,014
I' lull 4,158,020 13,109,930
Wasllllllfton 4,304,735 10,187,81$
Wyoming 6,610 743
Arizona 1,285,29)
Colorado 17,022,086
Dakota 2,814.629
Idaho 6,292,146
Montana 12,3il,350
A Skunk on Ills Travels.
A trap was set for a skunk in one of
the suburban towns ten miles south of
Boston last November. The trap was
an ordinary steel muskrat trap, with a
spring so powerful as to require both
hands and feet to set it. This was tied
to a neighboring tree-root, with a cord
which had proved of sufficient strength
effectually to detain a large woodchuck
only a few nights previously at the same
place. At eleven o'clock that night the
trap rattled violently ou the stones in
the bottom of the ditch, and the prox
imity of the aforesaid skunk was an
nounced by him, in the peculiar fashion
of bis tribe, with great emphasis. This
continued for several hours and then
ceased. Iu the morning his enemies
found, to their chagrin and disappoint
ment, on approaching the ditoh, pistol
iu hand, with great care and circum
spection, not to say circumnavigation,
that the visitor had cut the cord, packed
up his traps', and departed in search of
a more congenial locality. . .Nothing
more was heard from him until this
spring, when the same skunk got en
tangled in a fence in a town ten miles
the other side of Boston. How he man
aged to survive four months with a trap
on his leg, and he twenty miles from hu
starting-point, is an interesting question
for students of natural history.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
A green grocer one who trusts. ,
A spoiled child the one that played , ,
with the kerosene can. , (
A poultry raiser in California owns
ten thousand hens. ...
A white hedge-hog twenty-two inohes
in length, has been shot in New Hamp
shire.
The drying of grapes for making raU t
sins is becoming a large industry of Cal
ifornia. One of the most prolific of novel-wri- ' '
ters is Louise Muhlbach, who has just
laid before the reading publio of Gcr- ;
many the one hundred and first volume
of her novels.
A showman in the State of Maine '
wanted to exhibit an Egyptian mummy,
and attended at the court-house to ob- ,
tain permission. " What is it you want
to show i" inquired the judge. " An
Egyptian mummy more than three
thousand years old," said the showman.
" Three thousand years old !" exclaimed
the judge, jumping to his feet ; " and is
the critter alive
A Wisconsin editor is published all
around as in the biggest kind of luck, -because
he happened to be on a train
that was smashed up, had his leg broke,
and draws nine dollars a week from a
life insurance company.
Since two shots were fired through
the windows of an editor's sanctum at
Albany, the editors go around with iron
breastplates in their pantaloons, and
earthworks of boiler iron are being
thrown up outside the windows.
The party of Japanese, twelve in
number, who recently arrived here, are
all intelligent young men, and form a
portion of the corps sent out by the
Japanese government to receive collegi
ate education abroad. Six of the num
ber will enter English universities, three
will proceed to Belgium, and one to
Germany. Two of the party will prob
ably enter some American college.
Black caterpillars have made their
appearance in some portions of Tennes
see in such droves as in one instance to
stop a train of cars. This is almost
equal to the stories of the ravages of
locusts in the East, where it is not un
usual to see vast regions swept utterly
bare of vegetation, the destroying horde
climbing hills and even surmounting
high walls in their resistless march.
The following programme for the ob
servance of wedding anniversaries seems
to be generally adopted throughout the
country ; First anniversary, iron ; fifth
anniversary, wooden ; tenth anniversa
ry, tin ; fifteenth anniversary, crystal ;
twentieth anniversary, china; twenty
fifth anniversary, linen; fortieth anni
versary, woollen; forty-htth anniversa
ry, silk ; fiftieth anniversary, golden ;
seventy-fifth anniversary, diamond.
The following is a Western instance of
the " ruling passion strong in death :"
Squire W was very fastidious in his
notions of propriety. At weddings and
funerals he was quite officious, and very
particular that everything should be
done decently and in order. In due
time he was taken ill fatally so and
relatives and friends were gathered
around his bed, sad and weeping. One
of these, more thoughtful than the rest,
asked the departing Squire if he would
like to have a clergyman called in to
pray with him, to which he replied:
" Well, yes ; I think it would be appro
priate." Professor Winchell, in a late magazine
article upon the climate of Michigan,
adduces figures to show that while the
July climate of Michigan is cooler than
that of Wisconsin and Minnesota, the
growing season begins on the western
side of the State thirteen days earlier
in the spring than it does at Milwaukee,
nearly opposite, and continues from five
to eight days later in the autumn ; a
still greater contrast being appreciable
if localities in the interior of Wisconsin
be selected. The lowest temperature of
Grand Haven, Michigan, is 14 higher
than that of Milwaukee, the difference,
according to Professor Winchell, being
all that distinguishes between a fruit
bearing region and one in which fruits
fail.
The Bridgeport Farmer tells a remark
able story in regard to what, not many
years ago, would have been" considered a
miracle. It says that in the " old Divis
ion street graveyard" at Bridgeport
there is a marble slab marking the grave
of Robert Linus Backus, who died on
the 10th of February, 1834, aged 12 years
and 9 months. On the reverse of the
stone is a stain which represents a wo
man grasping a club with which she is
in the act of striking ; all attempts to
obliterate this stain by scraping are in
effectual, and " we are told that this is
the fifth stone which has marked the
spot, the preceding ones having been re
moved on account of their inveterate
tendency to represent the same scene.
The legend connected with this singular
circumstance is that the child was killed
by its mother.
Domestio matters in some of the West
ern States, are managed in a very practi
cal, off-hand way, but one which u like
ly to lead to social complications very
difficult to straighten out properly. ' For
instance, in Missouri, some years ago,
George Bruner went off to Idaho to
hunt for gold, leaving bis wife to wait .
till he got back. One Mr. Rains came
along and asked Mrs. Bruner to be his,
which she promised on condition be
would give her up if George should
come back at any time. She was ac
cordingly married to Rains, since which
time there has been nothing but sun
shine, until a short time ago Bruner
turned up again with his u pockets full
of rocks," and demanded bis wife. She
was willing, and Rains was reminded of
the uncertainty of his own : tenure ac
cording to the contract He admitted
the claim of Bruner to be good, and the
two proceeded to secure a re-adjustment
of the matrimonial noose, Rains apply
ing for a divorce and Bruner aiding ui
the proceedings, c The Judge j of the
Court said that the caa was rathe a
curious one, and refused to dispose of it
until next term,