HENRY A. PARSONB, Jr., Editor and Pcblisuer,
VOL. I.
RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1872.
NO. U.
HARVEST IN THE II1LI, COl'NTKY.
Bt MII.L1B W. CiRrENTEIt.
TUc dew lies heavy on the uncut gros:i,
Aud drips in bright drops from the bending
groin,
Aud from tlio vines through which the reapers
pass
With trampling lect along the cool, wet
lane,
The amaranth lifts its faiut, sweet flush
again;
Some Indian cresses flourish In the hedge ;
The poison-sumac lots its shame bo seen
In scarlet letters, where tho wood's brown
edge
Is brlghteucd with tho hemlock's tender
green.
These late red currants glow like ruby beads
In clusters tempting to thfl robin's tn6to ;
The yellow mustard sows its line brown seeds
Along the sod in rare excess of waste.
Meanwhile, tho reapers to their work make
haste,
Aud through tho pasture, where the red-oak
stands,
The Brawl gocswimpling 'mid the grass aud
ferns,
Where the tired field-boy luves his sun-burnt
hands,
Or in the shade a line of Homer learns.
Here, thou and I, O friend of earlier days !
May sit and listen while tho reapers sing;
About our feet the cardinal flowers blaze,
And honey bees go by on Bblnlng wing.
Out of our listening, music seems to spring;
And, floating softly on the clear sunshine,
These sweet and alien voices in the coru
Recall old tunes that echoed by the Rhine,
And jodels heard upon the Mattcrliorn.
Not much like these, dear frlcud, were those
tlrst days
Of freedom, when the wide world seemed
our own,
And wo went wandering 'long bewildering
ways,
From Grutll meadow to the Bois Boulogne.
Now all that sad, sweet folly Is outgrown :
Our work is done. Not much was it? for
those
Who were so strong, who saw so much to do,
Who felt so brave to right a whole world's
woes,
And tear the mask of vain conceit iu two.
The reapers sing'j tho saddened hours creep
on ;
The grain is garnered, sweot and clean and
dry;
The long, straight sun-shafts flicker laiut and
wan,
And primrose clouds slip down the western
We talk of common things the corn, tho
ryo:
You stand betwixt the sunlight, dear, and me,
With Bbaded eyes (a pensive, New-World
Ruth),
And. oh. vour face crows beautiful to see.
Crossed with these memories of our vanish
ed youth!
THE IUCHELOR'S MISTAKE.
1JY AMY RANDOLPH.
Squire Pophaui was short and stout,
with a shining bald head, and a nose in
clined to be rttromte which we take
to be the French for pug. All heroes
can't be tall, Greek featured, and named
Montmorenci : and our hero was mould'
ed after an exceedingly every-day sort
of pattern : nevertheless, there was no
inconsiderable spark of romance in his
soul.
Forty-five years had the squire dwelt,
inateless and forlorn, ia the world ; and
now, as he entered upon the forty-sixth,
it struck him that he was following up
a wrong theory. Some, people wake to
the great lnyBtery of their lives through
the glance of a soft eye, a beam of moon
light, a half-open rose-bud, a bit of
ribbon. Squire Pophaui was aroused
through the instrumentality of a tooth
ache !
" It's all very well for a man to be nn
old bachelor as long as he's well and
sound," grumbled the squire, dolefully
regarding the sold mustard-draughts
and clammy hop-plasters that bis land
lady had sent up after innumerable de
lays and excuses, " but when you begin
to get achy and shaky, a married man
has tho best of it. I'll be a married
man ! Ughl how cold these confounded
puddings are ! why couldn't Bhe have,
warmed 'em a little V Now the tooth
begins to jump why the deuce ain't I a
married man, with a little, soft, peachy
cheek to lay mine against, and hands
that know how to hold a hop-plaster
without losing three-fourths out of the
other end, right on to a fellow's black
velvet vest. I'll go to some watering
place or other and get married, as soon
ui this swelling goe9 down I will, as
sure as my name is Paul Pophaui 1"
And that was the way our squire came
to contemplate matrimony.
The Seaweed hotel was crowded full
that season, with old girls, young girls,
middle-aged girls, widows, matrons, and
old maids; in fact, the very multiplicity
of the article puzzled Squire Pophani in
making his selection.
' For I can't marry 'em all," argued
the squire; "and what between waltz
ing aud croquet, end the German, they
don't any ot 'em stand still long enough
for me to make up my mind. Perpetual
motion, indef d ! it's nothing to a live
woman I"
Now the Seaweed hotel wai a huge
brick building, with a colossal wing ex
tending out at right angles and enclos
ing a sort of court ; and the window of
Mr. Pophatn's room, the last in the main
building, looking directly into those of
Mrs. Martin, who occupied the first ad
joining, in the wing. So that, if there
is such a thing as having your next door
neighbor opposite to you, Squire Pop
ham and Mrs. Martin enjoyed that par
adoxical felicity.
Mrs. Martin was a widow a plump,
rosy widow, with red cheeks, pearly
teeth, and big blue eyes, full of wicked
glauces a widow who liked a joke, and
bad, at the same time, an exquisite ap
preciation for a bit of whispered senti
ment. And one day the business was
finished for Squire Pop ham by the deft
way in which the charming widow
taixed some salad dressing at the din-
' ner-table.
" I like that widow," thought the
sauire. holding his knife and fork admir
ingly in mid air as he watched the skill
ful operation. "I'll marry that widow
if she'll let me."
So that evening the squire sat at his
window with the newspaper for a flimsy
excuse, and looking unutterable things
at tho widow, who, pretending to be en
tirely unconscious, hemmed away at ber
dainty frills, or road small volumes in
red and gold, sending now end then an
electrio ray of her blue eyes to keop up
the flames in the squire's heart.
" I think I'm in lovo," said the squire
to himsolf. " I must be in love 1 I
never saw such blue eyes in my life ;
and as for lobster salad, they couldn't
get it up better at Delmonico's. Then
again a widow has hd experience she's
not like one of those girls who kuow
nothing but tho waltz and a pack of
Italian songs. I dare say she could
mako a delightful mustard-plaster ; and
as for watcr-gruel and milk-punch, I
Bee 'em in her eyes I Yes, I'm undoubt
edly in love."
Tho moon a full harvest shield of
mellow silver rose. The tquira ctill
smoked his cigar and ruminated on the
delicious possibilities in store for him,
until tho Widow Martin's kerosene lamp
glowed into brightness on the table.
Through the deceitful screon of the flut
tering muslin curtain he could see her
moving to and fro like a fair vision of a
dream I
" I wish I was a good hand at poetry,"
soliloquized tho squire. " know I
could get in something about a star be
hind a cloud. Crowd proud loud
hang it, they don't hitch at all. 'Star
behind the cloud ;' but it isn't midnight.
Shroud shroud might as well say
skeleton at once and dono with it.
Vowed how could a fellow lug in
vowed V ' Star behind a midnight cloud,
to worship thee I have vowed' some
how that eems to go limpety-catch.
Shades of the Nine muses ! I hadn't
any idea poetry put one into such a per
spiration. I think perhaps I wasn't in
tended for a poet ; but that idea of the
star behind ttie cloud was a pretty one,
if I could only have hit upon a rhyme
that didn't hobble on three legs ! Hallo 1
hallo ! what's that Bhe has in her arms '("
For through the floating muslin dra
pery which the tquire's fancy had iu
visted with the poetic fullness of a
cloud, he could see the bewitching little
widow pacing up and down the floor,
her brown ringlets drooping above her
face, and her dulcet tones murmuring
some sweet lullaby.
"'Pon my word!" jiculated the
puzzled squire. " It isn't her second
hu-sband unless he's a smaller man
than the average ; it must be a baby !
Deceitful enchantress, false as fair ! does
she intend to ps3 herself off as possess-
ing no incumbrance r Doe 3 sue mean
to keep the existence of her child a se
crt ' Good Cupid, how fortunate I am
to have penetrated her treachery before
before the fatal word was spoken I
Fancy me, Paul Popham, married to a
woman with a baby ! I'd rather live on
cold mustard-plusters and stewed hops
tor the rest ot my lite : Husb-sh-sh ! it
is asleep now ! what's that she is call
ing it ! Her precious darling, sweet
est pet !' Aha ! little does she know
who listens to. her honeyed accents!
Now she's putting it in its crib a
deuced unhealthy place to keep a
child, that unventilated closet ; but
suppose it would be discovered anywhere
else. She must dose it with Duffy's
iMixir and boething byrup all day, and
it comes out, like a bat, at night!
Heavens ; what cold-blooded heartless
ness ! Now sho has gone out with a
pitcher in her hand the opportunity is
here ; I'll investigate this thing, or my
name isn't Paul Popham ! Ah, Melissa
Martin ! who could ever have dreamed
this of thee!"
Squire Popham waited until the rus-
tie of the widow's half-mourning mus
lins had died away in the hall, and then
crept softly across the threshold of his
own apartment, entering hers with
noiseless, slippered tread.
The light burned with soft, steady
flame on the table ; the dainty, halt
hemmed frilling lay beside it, with a tiny
pink iionemian vase, in which bquire
rophaui recognized a bouquet 01 whit9
roses lie bad that aiternoon presented
with a pretty speech to the v. idow. And
close beside the big arm chair lay a pair
of tiny slippers, rosetted aud buckled,
and a white cambric peignoir, enough to
melt the heart of any bachelor into
whose nature suspicion had not entered
with its poisoned dart.
But Paul Popham, being forewarned,
was consequently forearmed, lie paus
ed not to linger round the bewitching
insignia of the femalo presence, but stole
on tiptoe, with bushed breata and Hps
apart, to the closet, where lay perdu the
secret ot the Widow Martin s inner lite.
Well, there were dresses, and shawls,
and round hats with saucy birds' wings
in them, and crinolines, and snowy rust
ling skirts, and even a twin pair ot In
dia rubber boots hanging to a peg but
no crio.
" Is there a trap doer through which
tho the baby has vanished r" the squire
asked himself, staring vaguely about the
closet. Halloo ! there comes the widow's
crinolino down on my head ! and by all
the powers, 1 ve kicked over a saucer ot
milk I A queer way she Has ot irovis
lomng her garrison, and
The squire uttered a short, sharp f jac
ulation ; in groping round the floor to
replace the overturned saucer, his hand
came in contact wun souieiuing warm
and soft something decidedly alive !
" It's the baby, by Jove!" he exclaim
ed, making a rush at it, but the next in
stant a short, shrill bark and the agon-
iziue sensation of sharp teeth closing to
gether over his epidermis dispelled the
brief dream of triumph, and a plump
little poodle, abandoning the invaded
fastness of the basket, rushed past him
out of the room and down the stairs,
howling at the top of its voice.
' Oulv a puppv-dog 1" reflected the
discomfited squire, rubbing bis wounded
hand ; " but it is just the season for hy
drophobia, and there's no knowing what
may happen. Serves me right for not
attending to tnv own business. But
I'm clad it wasn't a baby, and that Me-
lissa isn't a air&u after all. I'll propose
to that widow to-morrow morning if
I'm not running on all fours and bark
ing with hydrophobia 1"
As Sauire Pouham formed this men
tal resolution he was struggling to free
nimseii from the bondage of Mrs. mar
tin's crinoline, which clung with almost
human malice to his manly form. At
the same moment the sound of footsteps
reached the car.
" Sbo's coming back, as sure as my
name is .faul Jopham, she's coming
back I" gasped our hero, struggling
more wildly than ever, " and here I am
in her closet like a caged bear 1
lie shuliled halt way across the oom
with the crinoline clinging round his
ankles ; but it was too late Mrs. Mar
tin was almost on the threshold, and he
taggered bock, just regaining the friend
ly shelter of the closet as she entered
with the villainous little poodle in her
arms, and a young ludy following her.
" Come in, .Laura, chirpedtbe widow,
and then buried her plump cheeks in
tho dog's woolly hair. " Poor 'ittle Pet
y, did it get frightened and run away t
Never mind, its own, own mistress has
come back, so sho has. There, ho still
on tho cushion, like a darling mousey-
kins as it was, and bo good, Hire are
the poems, Laura," she added, changing
her tone.
" O, thank you," said Miss Vernon,
whose voice Popham recognizad from
his stifling retreat. " By the way, Me
lissa, do you know what has become of
your tat adorer f 1 haven t fr?en mm
on the piazza to-night.
" Do you mean that bald-headed old
bachelor. I'm sure I don't know, nor
care."
Squiro Popham broke into a chill
perspiration, notwithstanding the fever
heat of his hiding place. " Fat adorer!"
" Bald-headed old bachelor !" It was
enough to set any man's blood circulat
ing to hear himself miscalled in tuat ri
diculous manner.
" The idea of his presuming to ad
mire you, Melissa I" laughed Miss Ver
non. " Do contrive to secrete me some
where when be makes his declaration
t will be such fun. How Harry will
laugh when ho hears of it. By the way,
have you written to Harry to-night '("
" Harry, indeed I gasped bquire fop-
ham. "No, I don't think he will laugh
not if I know it."
Here the bachelor changed his cramp
ed position, and two or three pairs of
gaiters rattled about his ears, down on
the floor.
1 Mercy upon us, what is that ?"
bhrieked the widow.
" It's PopBy," soothed Miss Vernon.
No indeed, it's not Popsy, for he's
here on his cushion."
" Then it's a ghost I" screamed Laura.
"It's a burglar I" shrieked Mrs. Mar
tin, and Popsey added to the tumult by
barking furiously at the closet door.
" Help 1 Murder I Help I Thieves I
Help!" shouted Laura at the top of her
voice, while the widow clung round hc-r
neck cachinnating hysterically.
" ladies, allow me to explain, began
the squire, opening the door three
quarters of an inch, whereupon Popsey
redoubled his barks and the widow
screamed louder than ever.
"Villain! stand back!" commanded
Laura, dragging two rocking-chairs and
an embroidered foot-stool in front of the
door. " Oh, thank goodness, hero is help
at last. There, thtre !" she waved her
hand tragically toward the closet door,
the band ot desperadoes 13 secreted
there!"
The gentleman boarders gathered
round with all the pokers, tongs, pistols,
croquet-mallets and rulers they had been
ablo to collect at Buch short notice the
ladies stood back, shrieking in chorous.
' I'll open the door, Jenks," said the
landlord to the head waiter, " and you
be ready to collar the first one thii
rushes out. One two three and here
goes 1
But to tho surprise and to confess
tho truth, disappointment of the as
sembled boarders, nobody appeared save
bquire rophaui, in a flowered dressing-
gown and a very red lace, shrinking
back among the widow a silk dresses.
" Why, bless my soul I" exclaimed the
landlord, " it's Mr. Popham ! How came
you here, sir f
"Its its a mistake, btuttered the
miserable bachelor, creeping out with
sheepish countenance.
" It s a confounded queer-looking mis
take," muttered two or three of the more
belligerently inclined boarders. But
mine host good-naturedly interfered in
Air. ropuam s behalf.
" I am quite sure Mr. rophaui is no
burglar," he said. " Mrs. Martin, you'll
bear witness to it's being a mistake, I
am sure.
And Mrs. Martin, with " Popsey " still
barking irrepressibly in her arms, de
clared that " she was so sorry such a
misunderstanding had taken place."
" And 1 am sorry too, madam," Baid
the old bachelor, stiffly bowing as he
marched out between the lines of Bilent
and amazed spectators.
" My dear," whispered Laura Vernon,
" you may depend he has heard every
word we said 1
"But how on earth do you suppose he
came in there r
" I am sure I haven't tho least idea,"
said the puzzled young lady.
Nor did they ever discover a clue to
the mystery. Squire Popham resolutely
kept at bay the curiosity of the whole
hotel by obstinately reiterating his first
statement, " that it was a mistake," and
nothing more. And the next morning
be packi-d bis valise and lelt the Sea
weed House.
We are sorry to record the fact that
he is an old bachelor still, and likely to
remain so, bis first adventure in the ser
vice of the little god having proved s
disastrous that he will never pluck up
courage to hazard another ! Perhaps
iiiap year may do something tor mm
but it is a forlorn hope, at best 1
This is the era of, taxing luxuries.
and the constant demand is to raise the
tax on articles of this nature and abol
ish it on others. The province of
Quebeo responds nobly to this demand-
Heretofore the cost of a marriage license
in that region has been six dollars, but
it is now intended to increase the reve
nue from this tax by making it two
dollars higher, and the additional sum
is to be added to the publio school fund.
Truly a wise application of the money,
and evidently au appropriate one.
Strange Sights nt tho Mc-mion Tuber-
nnclo.
Tho San Francisco Chronicle says :
What a dense mass of humanity is to be
seen at the great Mormon Xabernacle on
a Sabbath morning 1 ino congrega
tions vary from three to ten thousand,
according to the bill of fare offered. If
Brigham is advertised to speak there is
certain to be a full house, and if the
times are lively and exciting, standing
room will be scarce. Next to Brigham,
Elder John Taylor, the best of the
Twelve Apostles, draws the best, and
then comes George Q. Cannon, another
of the Apostles. Orson Hyde aud the
Pratts were formerly big guns ; but of
late they do not take a very active part
in discussions at the Tabernacle. Tho
earnest saints in attendance never know
who is going to preach, except iu the
case of Brigham, and any other brother
present may bo called upon to make re
marks, which constitute the latter Day
Saints' sermon. The old elders and
fathers in Israel sit upon the ample plat
form specially built for them, aud it is
from their ranks that ecclesiastical ora
tors mostly come. Tho Mormon preach
ers never usa notes, as they consider
that " preaching from paper" is a sure
sign that a man's religion is his profes
sion, not his life. In taking their texts,
which they seldom do, the Old and New
Testament, the Book of Mormon aud the
Doctrine and Covenants aro the sources
of inspiration. They open them at any
given page by chance, and the text read,
they coustrue it in a material sense.
The listener, not knowing their style,
will be eager to know according to the
text, what tho preacher's views are re
garding the resurrection of the dead, the
immortality of the soul, the attributes
of God and the angels, or some other
hair-splitting theological problem. But
the listener is most gloriously fooled
when his ears are burdened with " re
marks" about building good roads, and
best mode of irrigation.how to herd stock
and run saw mills, tho prospects of the
cotton and silk trade of Utan, the beau
ties of pologamy in household economy,
etc.. and " all glory of God," as the
preacher enthusiastically exclaims. The
audience listeus with reverent attention
The sea of upturned faces is a remarka
ble sight. Anglo-baxon physiognomies
of all shapes and sizes, and expressions,
solemn and stolid looking, handsome
and homely, young and old, green and
withered, are to ba seen. All national
ities are represented the English,
Welsh and Danes predominating. Nor
way and Sweden come next. An occa
sional wandering Jew or renegade Celt
may bo seen here and there by way 01
variety. The men are mostly clad in
homespun, and the women, sme in fine
silk and others in coarsj garments. The
costumes of the European lower classes,
which have not changed in centuries,
are to be seen here in all their primitive
beauty. Many of the Mormon women
are dressed richly, and some of the young
8ainte3ses looks as pretty as peaches.
The old elders, who sit on tha platform
are a grave, earnest, solid-looking class
of men, whose countenances are stamp
ed with the mysterious force of fanati
cism.
Things We Like to See.
We like to see young ladies who are
bitter enemies kiss each other very affec
tionately when they meet. It reminds
us of a man named Judas who lived sev
eral years ago. We like to see a fashion
ably dressed lady promenading the
streets wearing a blue silk dress, trailing
a yard behind her in the mud it cleans
the streets so nicely. We like to Bee
young men very polite and obliging to
other young ladies, wno are scarcely
civil to their sisters at home it proves
that the lords of creation are void ot de
ception. We like to see little boys come
to church in the evening, and amuse
themselves by bticking pins in their
sleepy neighbors it shows that tbey are
not burying their talents in the earth 1
We like to see a man invariably throw
his newspaper, boots and hat on tho
floor for his tired wife to pick up it is
evidence that he remembers the promise
to "cherish her!" We like to see the
choir spend their time during the divine
service in whispering and telling stories
it helps us to appreciate the sermon,
and convinces us that they are capable
of singing " with the spirit and tho un
derstanding also !" We like to see young
lauies Keep their jaws in constant mo
tion, endeavoring to masticate a huge
ball of chewing gum it looks so lady
like I We like to see a man sporting
fast horses, while he owes the printer
and gives nothing to the minister it
looks honorable I Thera are marry other
things which wo would like to see, but
we forbear.
Death of Two Singular Characters.
The Foit Wayne (Ind.i Sentinel nar
rates the life and death lately of Archi
bald Leroy, who lived a hermit's life
for nearly half a century in a rude log
cabin in Wayne County, in the heart of
the forest. When ne was a youth ot
twenty he met a young lady to whom
he beoaine ardently attached. They
were betrothed, but on the eveuing prior
to her marriage she begged him to re
lease her from hr pledge, because she
did not love him. He complied, and
she wedded a lime man of the world,
whose money was his only recommenda
tion, and whose reputatiou was thatxit a
roue. Archibald Leroy thereuppn with
drew from society, built the house
where he lived, and across whose thresh
old he was carried on the Oth inst., iu
bis coffin.
He was a great student. The walls
of hi cabin are lined with standard
works, and all these bear the evidence
of frequent use. He was also an artist,
and iu his portfolio were found a num
ber of exquisite sketches of the beauti
ful scenery which surrounds his late
borne. Ue was in many respects a re
markable man, with excellent traits of
charaoter. as his neighbors testify, and
with a wonderful store of information on
every subject, no matter how obstruse
or prolouud lis Character.
.The Manchester tvt.i journal an
nounces the death of Oliver Elmore, the
"Hermit of Wanhall River," in that
State. He died from the effects of ex
posure laBt week, at the foot of Stratton
mountain, where he has lived for thirty
years in a hole dug in tho hill, with no
companion save his dogs and hens.
hen a young man ho resided in Con
necticut, and was driven to this strange
life by the death of the woman whom
he loved and was to marry. He had
many weatlhy and influential relatives
in that State among them a member of
Uongress wb have often tried to in
duce him to abandon his singular habits,
but without avail.
Surface Movement of tho Earth.
The old geological theory that from
time to timo the surface of our earth has
been changed by grand catastrophes,
which destroying plants and animals,
were, on an immense scale, similar to the
local catastrophes produced by volcanic
eruptions and earthquakes, has been
n.hfiiirlnT!i?rl hv ronann nf mir mm-fl p.nr-
u 1.. .1 t:jA l -1 .
if:..u: l i
making for many years. These obser
. . -
vations have proved that sudden catas
trophes aro always merely lecal; but
that all the great changes in the surface
of our earth, as the upheaval ot moun
tain ranges and the depression of val
leys and their ultimate change into lakes
and oceans, are gradual and go always
on, even at the present day. The moun
tains bordering the Pacifio Ocaan in
fact, the whole coat of California are
perpetually rising, and have probably
been doing so tar halt a million ot years.
while all the land containing in its
bosom our great American lakes is slow
ly sinking, with a probable correspond
ing upheaving ot the state ol Jieatucky,
ot southern Indiana and the surround
ing countries. Geological investigations
prove that once our lakes had their out
lets south, till by depression at the north
a new outlet was nm formed, about
forty thousand years ago, through
Niagara to the St. Lawrence River. The
division line of the watershed of the
lakes and the Mississippi valley has been
slowly travelling southward since that
time ; and when the city of Chicago re
cently turned the waters of Lake Mich
igan up the Chicago River into the Mis
sissippi valley, she simply re-established
the old state of affairs, which, if tho
motion in question continues, will be
more difficult to maintain in the future
that it is now. Fortunately this motion
is very Blow, and only a very remote
posterity, some thousands ot years hence,
will meet with the difficulties we now
foresee, when the bed of the Chicago
River becomes lower and lower at its
junction with Lake Michigan. It ap
pears, further, that the state ot iNew
Jersey is sinking, and this is even par
ticipated in by the city ot JNew York,
Brooklyn, Long Island, Sco, at the rate
of some sixteen or seventeeu inches per
century. This is insignificant, to be sure ;
but let it only go on tor a thousand
years and it is somo fifteen feet, so that
the new stone docks now commenced in
New York city at that time will be to
tally submerged; but then they will
probably not last so long, aud the soil
of the lower part of the city may be very
easily raised half a foot every thirty
years, it is evident that the most cor
rect date may be obtained at the sea
shore, as the main height ot the ocean
possesses a perfect stability. This main
height is, ot course, ootaincd by con
tinual observation of the tides under
different circumstance?, and if anywhere
the highest tides reach a higher level
than they did one hundred or two hun
dred years ago, it is a proot 01 depres
sion or sinking of the land.
This depression is going on along the
coast of Northern France, Belgium,
Holland, and northwest Germany, while
the cost of Sweden, along the Baltic, is
slowly rising, including the capital of
Sweden, the oity ot btockholm.
The latest scientific journals report
two very striking contemporary up
heavals in Spain, entirely authentic
M. de Botello describes them in detail,
and the most curious fact is that the
short time of scarcely a quarter of a cen
tury was sufficient to produce au effect
which has surprised every inhabitant
who observed the circumstances former
ly, and compared them with the present
condition. In the province of Jamora,
it is obsarved that from the village of
Villar don Diego, it is now possible to
see the upper half of tho church-steeplo
of Rinsfarze3, in the province of Vaha
dolid ; whereas, twenty-three years ago,
the summit ot this steeple could only
lust be perceived. The same thing oc
curs to the same degree ana unaer the
same circumstances in the province of
Alva, where, from the village of Salva-
tierro, the whole ot the village 01 bal-
duende can now be seen, while in 1847
the vano of the church steeple could
hardly be perceived. These four points
are on a line parallel to the s stem of
the Sanserrois Mountains, while the ex
treme points are one hundred and forty
miles apart-
All the movements we speak ot here
have nothing to do with volcanio erup
tions ; they are, of course, caused by
changed conditions of the inteior of the
earths mass, which by these facts is
proved not to be solid, the opinion of
some modern geologists uotwithstand
ing ; the earth, if not liquid inside, must
at least be-soft and plastic, in order to
make depressions in one placewith mm-
ultaneous elevations in another,
One other iuteresting fact we must
mention in this connection ; it is that
the highest mountains are not the oldest,
as one would naturally suppose, but
belong to the systems last elevated ; so
the high Swiss Alps are much younger
than the lower Jura, and the Catskills
younger than the lower Shawangunk
mountains. 2 he Manufacturer and JJuw
iter.
A substance called "Xylonite," is
coming into use as a substitute for wood,
ivory and tin, and is composed of oxide
of cine, kneaded up with collodion and
camphor, and then forced in a strong
press between hot metallio plates, into
the desired form. Caution is, however,
advised in regard to using this tub-
I stance, as it is extremely inflammable.
Romance of American History.
CHRISTINE OTI3 AND HER COMPANION.
Iu the valley of the Merrimao dwelt
in early times the Pennacook Indians,
who generally cultivated a tnenaiy in
tercourse with the whites, even amid
troubles which appealed strongly to
their feelings as Indians. In Major
Waldron, of Cocheoo, they bad great
confidence a confidence which he
abused cruelly, for, in September, 1676,
four hundred men, women, and children,
of the Eastern tribes, assembled at
Cocheoo to sign a treaty, but were seized,
several of the number.hanged, the rest
trurried off to Boston, and sold into
foreign slavery, sent to toil and die be
neath a West India Bun, far from their
native homo.
The Indiana smothered their resent
ment, and awaited the hour when they
emild nunish the treacherous act-
la 10S8, Andros seized and piunderod
tho establishment of Baron de St. Castin,
a French nobleman, who had settled on
the
Penobsoot, and by marrying a
diuifrhttr of the Chief Madockawaudo,
himaJF unfit 4hA Tnnife.na nt
Maino. Tho tribes in Maine flew to
arms, but before the news spread some
squaws, one stormy night, asked admis
sion into the garrison houses at locneco.
They wore admitted without distrust ;
but at midnight they opened the doors
to the braves, and the slaughter com
menced.
Waldron himself lodged in an inner
room, and, wauenea Dy tne noise, ne
leaped out of bed, crying, " W hat now I
what now I" and seizing only his sword,
met the Indians, and, old as he was,
with his white wrath blazing loftily
over the fierce devils, he drove them be
fore him from door to door, till ho had
passed the ti-ird. A9 he sprang back
then for other weapons, the Indians
rushed up behind him and stunned him
with their hatcnets, letiea mm, ana
dragged him to the hall, where they
seated him in an arm-chair, placed on
the top of a table, and, tauntingly ask
ing him, "Who" shall judge Indians
now '" left him to recover his senses
while they compelled such of the family
as they had spared to prepare them some
food.
Their hunger being appeased, they
returned to Major Waldron, had his
books, in which their trade had been
registered, and as each Indian s turn
came, he Btepped up, crying, " I cress
out mv account!" and with bU knife
drew a deep gash across the breast of
the old man. .
It is not recorded that Waldron ut
tered a cry of pain or an entreaty for
their mercy. " Oh, Lard !" he said, " oh,
Lord 1" and, spent with anguish and
loss of blood from the shocking mutila
tion to which he was further subjected,
he fell forward on his sword, which one
of the tormentors held ready to receive
him, and the vengeance that had brooded
and waited thirteen years was satisfied,
After setting bra to the mills and
houses, the Indians, having killed
twenty-two persons, and made prisoners
of twenty-nine, retreated by the light
of the blaze, so rapidly as to ba beyond
dancer before any other settlers were
aroused to a sense ot what bad been
done.
Among the captives of that night was
a little granddaugnter 01 .major vraia-
ron's. who. having been sent by the In
dians, while at their dark work in the
garrison-house, to bid forth those hiding
in another room, had crept into a bed
and drawn the clothes about her ; Bhe
had been found again, though, and had
been forced to undertake the march with
thorn, half-clad and on her little bare
feet. Sho was only seven years old, and
her trials were bitter. At one time her
master made her stand against a tree
while he charged bis gun and took aim
at her ; again, an Indian girl pushed
her off a precipice into the river, and
having clambered out, sue dare not ten
when questioned, the reason of her be
ing so wet ; once the Indians stole off in
the morning and lett her, covered oy
the buow, alone in the woods with the
wild beasts and hunger, and, tracing
them by their foot-prints, the poor little
thing went crying alter them through
the wilderness: aud at another time,
building a great tire, they told her she
was to be roasted, whereupon, burstm
into tears, she ran and threw ber arms
round her master's neck, bogging him
to save her, which, on the condition that
she would behave well, he promised her
to do.
Another, capture of more subsequent
importance was the wife of Richard
Otis, the ancestress of Honorable John
Wentworth, of Illinois, and of Mr.
Charles Tuttle, late of the Cambridge
Observatory. The unhappy Mra. Otis
had seen her husband killed as he rose
in bed, a sou share his father's fate, a
daughter's brains beaten out against the
stairs, and with, her little daughter
Judith, who was subsequently rescued,
and her baby of three months old, she
was led up through the White .moun
tain Natch to Canada. This infant of
three months became a personage of
great interest in her day. Baptized by
the French as Christine, on reaching
maturity, Bhe was married to a French
man by the name ot Lid rieau, who only
lived a few years.
Upon her husband death an inex
tinguishable desire to see ber native
land took control ot her, and not being
Eermitted to carry her children with
er, she left them iu the hands of friends,
upon the liberation of prisoners, and at
the losi of all her estate, which was not
inconsiderable, as she herself says, jour
neyed back to Dover. A few years af
terward she returned to Canada, where
she appears to have been greatly valued,
made an unsuccessful effort to recover
her children, and again underwent the
hardships of the perilous pilgrimage
home.
A large Arctic- owl, quite a curiosity,
came into the ben-house of a gentleman
in Sidney, Me., in broad daylight last
week, and, after killing a ben or two
was shot dead. The owl measured five
feet three inches from tip to tio of wines.
and was larger and altogether unlike
our native owls.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
A new style of shoes for ladies' house
wear, are a sort of half-high slipper, and
r-re called the Louis Quinze tie.
The dreariest prelude to pleasure in
human life, it is said, is the interval of
waiting before dinner is announced.
An uncle of George Trancis Train has
made oath that Francis is a lunatic, and
has asked to be appoint-d guardian over
him.
There are 30,000 head of cattle in
Solomon Valley, Kansas, and there is
not hay enough to winter 10,000. The
loss must be very heavy.
Miss Elizi Lyman Las contracted to
furnish all the lumber of the water
tanks and depdt-buildirg of a Vermont
railroad. She will " boBs" the job her
self. The latest Loudon announcement is a
11039 machine, by which homely noses
are pressed into the roost fashionable
shape, according to the taste of tho
owner.
A secret organization of thieves and
desperadoes is said to exist in the west
ern part of Wright County, Minnesota,
aloug tho line ot thebt. raui ana i-acinc
Road.
In the Tennessee House of Representa
tives last week, a bill was introduced
providing that " attorneys shall not be
allowed to charge in accordance with
amounts involved in suits, but be gov
erned by services rendered."
The New IIven PiOlad'rim mentions
this incident : A student in Yale who
is just now passing the term examina
tion, a few nights since dreanei that ha
should be called up the next day upon a
certain passage, the dream pointing dis-
mctly to the chapter and section. lie
thought nothing of the dream until he
entered the examination room, and was
surprised to find that the passage given
him to render was the i.ame precisely as
that indicated by the dream. All Yale
is now vigorously engaged in dreaming.
At Boston, at one of the engine houso
wires like bell pulls aro placed in vari
ous parts of the building, upstairs and
downstairs, connecting with the staoi .
When an alarm is sounded, by pulling
one of these wires the horsos aro un
hitched and the stable doors thrown
open. As tbo horses aro trained to start
fron their stable at the sound of tho
gong, it sometimes occurs that they are
in their places at the pole of the engine
before any ot the hretnsn can reach tue
machine.
Railroad companies aro likely to learn
after a while that tho travelling publio
have some rights that they are bound to
respect, and that they will not oe per
mitted to confiscate the tickets ot pas
sengers who neglect to obey all the re
strictions they undertake to impose upon
travel. A woman travelling on the
Grand Trunk Railroad had a ticket on
which was printed, "good only for this
train and the day received. Not good
to stop over." But she did stop over,
and when she attemptsd to resume her
journey she was put eff the cars. For
this the railroad company has paid tfouu
and costs.
The latest manifestation of lunacy is
a Spiritual Postoflioe, established by a
teiiow nameu runt, 111 new xora. xjei
tcrs from lunatics in the flesh directed
to spirits in heaven or hell as the caso
may be, are forward to Mr. Flint's post
office in New York, and he sends them
by express to their destination, ffnd
receives the answer. The postage is
rather binding, being two dollars per
letter ; but it must be rtmembered that
the department is new and the expenses
heavy. By and by e. movement will
probably be made in the direction of
cheap postage, as the facilities for inter
communication between the celestial,
infernal, and terrestir.l kingdoms are
increased.
It is common belief that " ballooning"
is an exceedingly dangerous busiuet-s.
Perhaps this is partly due to the fact
that many ascents are " unheralded and
unknown," but every accident is record
ed and spread abroad with amazing
rapidity. At any rate the Londou
Telegraph having asserted that one-hdlf
of the number of professional aeronauts
had been killed in the exercise of thur
vocation, Mr Coxwell, an aeronaut, re
plied, and denied the fact, asserting tht'
of the thirty-five hundred ascents made
in Europe and America, lit teen deaths
only have been recorded. This exhibit
is certainly a more favorable one than
the kerosene mortality list.
A gentleman visited New York, went
to one of the largest hotels, and took a
room. On going to bed at night, he
locked his door and placed his watch and
money under his pillow. It is probable
that nine out of every ten strangers who
visit New York would do the same thing
under like circumstances. On waking
in the morning, he discovered that both
watch and money bad been stoitn.
Thereupon he sued the proprietor of the
hotel for fifty dollars, being the amount
of money lost, and for the value of the
watch, about three hundred and btty
dollars. On the trial, evidence was of
fered in behalf of the defendant to shaw
that the notice had been given which
the law required. Th6 plaintiff obtained
a verdict in his favor for the full amount
demanded, and an appeal was taken
from the judgment.
When a woman makes up her mind to
have anything she is pretty sure to get
it. Probably that assertion will not be
disputed. At any rate an illustration of
its truth comes from Cincinnati The
good dame of a citizen of that place
could not persuade her spouse to get her
a patent clothes-dryer. So -she took the
pole out from her old-fashioned line the
other evening, and crouching down be
hind the fence screamed " murder." In
an instant her startled lord came flying
out of the house, was caught across the
throat by the clothes-line, and before he
could recover himself it had nearly
sawed his head off. The next morning
a sombre-looking individual, with his
neck all done up in oloths and bandages,
was seen patting up a patent clothes
dryer in that yard. How many divorce
suits might be saved by a like simple ex-
I pedient.