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HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIL. DEfiPERANDUM. Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL, VII. ' MDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1877. NO.
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At the Itar.
"Who speaks for tins man?" From the groat
whito throne,
Veiled in its rasoato clouds tho voice came
forth ;
Before it stood a parted soul alono,
And rolling east, and west, and south, and
north,
The mighty accents summoned quick and dead:
"Who speaks for this man, ere his doom be
said ?"
Shivering lie listened, for his earthly life
Had passed in dull unnoted calm away ;
IIo brought no glory to its daily strife,
No wreath of famo, or genius' fiery ray ;
Woak, lone, ungifted, quiet and obscure,
Born in the shadow, dying 'mid the poor.
Lo, from the solemn concourse hushed and
dim,
The widow's prayer, the orphan's blossing
rose ;
The Btrugglcr told of trouble shared by him,
The lonely of cheered hours and softened
woes ;
And like a chorus spoke the crushed and sad,
" lie gave us all he could, and whet he hnd ;"
And littlo words of loving kindness said,
And tender thoughts, and help in time of
need,
Sprang up, like leaves by soft spring showers
fed,
In some waste corner, sown by ehnnce flung
seed i
In grateful wonder heard the modest soul,
Such trifles gathered to so blest a whole.
Oh yo, by circumstances' strong fetters bound,
The store so little, and the hand so frail,
Pe but the best ye can for all around ;
Let sympathy be trnc, nor courage fail :
Winning among j our neighbors poor and weak
Some witness at your trial hour to speak.
Maggie Warren's Dowr
l'r.
J
It wns a cool and roomy mansion, and
stood gleaming white and diRtanfjthrongh
the bonding orchard trees around. The
old Warren homestead was a pro-revolutionary
building, and its owners had
ever been noted lor the persistence with
which they added broad stretches of
meadow and woodland t their already
largo farm. At the time our story opens
the Warren farm was the pride of the
district, and boasted that it could coaut
its acres by the thousands.
The present owner was an old lady,
called by the people who served her, uud
by the neighbors, Mistress Warren.
One grandchild, the daughter of her
iir.ly son, lived with her, and made the
old mansion full of light and music, for
Maggie Warren was as sunny and beauti
ful a a bright June morning.
Mistress Warren had been tho mother
of two daughters, though where thev
were was a mystery in Durham, and as
she never referred to thein, no one alluded
to them when she was near. She held un
disputed sway over the estate, and could
will it to whom she pleased, so that it
was to one of the Warren blood; and as
Maggie was lier only companion, and
was watched by her with a love that
sought to make life one long dream
of joy, the supposition was that she
would be the next mistress of the noble
farm that ran over hill and dale, and
circled the old homesteud with a domain
indeed palatini.
Of course this made her the object of
pointed attentions, and even when a
schoolgirl, her friends were many, and
tho suitors for her childish smiles and
favors not a few.
She was a wise, clear-headed little
thing, and show did not dazzle her. Her
sweet disposition kept her from making
enemies, and so her childhood flowed
smoothly on, and merged into a brighter
womanhood.
In the choice of her companions she
was left entirely free.
" You are the one to be with them,
Maggie," her grandmother snid, "and
so they are clean and honest, I care not
from what family they come. "
So Maggie gave a party and invited all
of her old schoolmates, and by every act
that she could, conveyed to them the
knowledge thut she was their friend
still.
Having entered society, suitors began
to flock around her, and one by one
withdrew, ns they saw thut- she could
give them friendship only. Two alone
remained. Haring Durham, the son of
the rich banker, whose father was the
founder of the place, and whose estate
ranked in value above the Warren farm,
though the latter possessed the most land;
and Paul Green, son of old Peleg Green,
the village cobbler.
Everybody said that Haring was just
the man for Maggie. He was stylish
and good-looking, and had been through
college. Ho held a position in his father's
bank, and had all the money and horses
and time that he wished, and laid assidu
ous siege to Maggie's heart. As he could
spend as much timain bestowing his at
tentions as he chose, he had the advan
tage of Paul, who was busy learning a
trade in tho large machine shop t.mt
had grown to be the great enterprise of
Durham.
Paul was a ready worker, one vlio be
stowed both labor und study on his toil,
aud left no effort to advance untried.
He was advancing, for uu earnest spirit
always will do this, aud month by month
showed that he would leave his mark on
bisprofession.
He was good-lnimored and flue-looking.
Both Haring Durham and lie had
been schoolmates of Maggie's when they
were great boys, and she a toddling little
thing. They had been friend then, and
were so now, though they knew that they
were rivals.
"There is no use in your hanging
round Maggie Warren," lua fellow work
men would say; "young Durham has
the money and will win."
But Paul would only laugh, and in the
evening seek the Warren homestead and
have a nice chat with Maggie.
Thus matters went on for a year, aud
then Mistress Warren was laid to sleep
with her husband, and Maggie followed
her to the grave the only Warren
mourner there.
Curiosity to know the old farm's own
ership ran high, but Maggie had the
reading of the will delayed until her
grief had been softened by time: then
the old lawyer, who transacted business
for Mistress Warren, was asked to bring
a few witnesses ana read the will.
One of the people he brought wasjthe
banker Durham, and when the party
had been seated long enough to grow
quiet, the will was produced, and wiping
his spectacles, Mr. Perkins, the old law
yer, read tho usual preamble, and then
came to the bequests.
"I give to my granddaughter, the
daughter of my son, the Warren home
stend, the-orchard that lies around it,
and which is inclosed in the high paling
fence and all that is in the house or on
the ground mentioned; the same to beat
her disposal and hers alone.
"The remainder of the Warren farm
aud the stock and the implements be
longing thereto I give to my grandsons,
Hobart Ward and Parke Manning, the
only children of my daughters Sarah and
Margery, to be equally divided between
them."-
This was all tho will said, and as it was
known that the Warrens had bought all
the land they could, and had always paid
for it, it was not thought that there was
any more to dispose of.
" Bather hard on Maggie," said the
banker, as he walked away from the old
house. "Well, Haring is bound by no
promise, and therefore he is all right."
And Haring was all right. Of course-
the news of how Mistress Warren had
disposed of her property was soon known
and many were the condolences sent out
to Moggie from souls that had tested her
kindness, and these seemed to be with
her aud comfort her.
Paul Green called to see her that eve
ning. Ho was free now, and his knowl
edge made him the recipient of good
wages, so that he had no fear of the
future He spoke bravely and hopefully
to her, and his manner showed very
plainly that she was the same to him now
as she had always been.
The nest day Haring Durham came
and stayed a little time, but he appenred
ill it ease, and talked as though he was
performing a necessary, but disagreeable
duty.
Many people had thought that now he
would immediately marry Maggie, and
take her home, but Haring never called
again. Maggie had too much true wo
manliness to regret his absence. His
last call, with its mournful and embar
rassed words, had left anything but a
pleasant memory, and she was glad to
see the hopeful and smiling face of Paul
Green when she answered a rap at the
door tho next Sunday evening.
He was a frequent caller after that,
and when three months had elapsed from
the burial of her grandmother, asked
what she intended to do. .
"I have hardly made a decision, but I
shall keep the old place just as it was
given mo. Dear, old grandma. People
say she treated me wrong, but she did
not. John says the fruit and poultry I
can raise here will bring me in nearly
Ave hundred dollars a year clear of ex
pense, ...id that is plenty to support
me.
"Yes, that ia quite a foi-tnmand
Maggie, I'm going to ask you to share it
with me."
" What ?" said she, wouderingly, look
ing at him.
He smiled and went on: "Whv. I
wish to share your income. To put it
more plainly, I love you, Maggie, aud
have loved you for a long time, but was
not situated so that I could tell you this.
Now, however, I am ; I have learned a
good trade, and my income is large
enough to afford mo a wife, so I ask you
to be this, for I have ever held you
deorest and best. "
Maggie's eyes grew moist as she lis
tened to these words, playfully spoken,
out thrilling witli a strength of love
that made them eloquent. For a little
time she sat silent, then she took his
hand and said :
" I can only give you the answer you
wish, for I love you, and shall always
love you."
It had been a very quiet love making,
for they were people of strong feeling,
but now that they belonged to each
other, the floodgates of their hearts
opened, and a holy ecstasy filled them
and made them eloquent.
Maggie's cousins had come on and
taken possession of their property. They
each tried to purchase the old homestead,
but she refused to sell it, and six months
after Mrs. Warren had gone to sleep
there was a quiet wedding in the quaint
Earlor, aud Paul Green clasped to his
eart as sweet and true a wife as ever a
man could have. They did not go od
on a wedding tour, as Haring Durham
and his bride did, but settled down into
aquiet life, Paul working steadily at
his trade, and as steadily going ou up
ward, and tho old home was a bright
and happy homo to them.
Some months weut by. Haring Dur
ham had brought his bride home, and
settled into a partner in the bank, Paul
Green was working patiently and brave
ly in the machiue shop, aud Maggie
went singing through the whole house.
There were many quaint apartments
in the house that were seldom entered.
Ihere was no need for them, as Paul
and Maggie could be content with little.
Paul had made a work shop of a long
wood room next to the kitchen, which
formed a straggling offshoot to the
house, and here worked on some model
he was making whenever he had leisure.
The kitchen and a little sitting-room
with a cool and airy chamber formed
space enough for them, and in these
they passed many happy hours.
One bright October day the machine
shop was forced to rest that the engine
might be repaired, and so Paul could
stay home, and .he worked some time in
his special sanctum and then came into
the kitchen where Maggie was just
finishing her morning's work.
"I would like to take a look into the
library, Maggie," he said, "we have
never explored it yet. "
"Sure enough, and there are the par
lors and garrets to rummage, and the
large chambers."
"We will go through the library first,"
and they passed into the large hall that
ran through the main building.
A few steps brought them to the
library, a great, square room, with heavy
cases of walnut. Maggie opened the
broad windows, and the mellow light
streamed in, and lit up the backs of
many volumes, some somber with ages
of darkness, others bright with gilding,
and rich with color.
A noble store," said Paul, who was
a good student, as he ran his eyes along
the titles of the dookb.
Maggie was deep in the midst of a
cabinet of curiosities, and widking on,
Paul came to a large secretary. It was
shut, but the key was in the lock, and
turning this, he opened the long-closed
writing-desk. The drawers and com
partments were full- of papers ; the
largest drawer had a lock with the key
in it, and he opened this, and took up a
paper. As he ran his eyes hastily over
it, he was surprised to find that it was a
large share in a thriving manufacturing
company.
He picked up another paper, and
another, and found that they were all of
equal or greater value.
"Why, Maggie," he cried, "do yon
know what this desk contains ?"
" No, what is it ?" she answered, look
ing at him with surprise, his voice was
8o excited.
' What is it ? Why,- a fortune 1 See
here," and as she came and stood beside
him he showed her the papers and ex
plained their value.
" Whose are they?" she asked.
"Yours, I think."
"We had best send for Mr. Perkins
and ask him.
" Yes, that will be best; I will replace
the papers and send John for him."
John was Mistress Warren's old
gardner, who had begged to remain
with Maggie, and who made himself use
ful in many ways. In a short time Mr.
Perkina arrived, and on being told of the
discovery, rubbed his hands violently
together, and nodded his head so fast
that Maggie felt sure that it would come
off.
" Stocks, eh ? I always thought it was
strange she should only leave Maggie
the house and contents, and the orchard,
but I understand now. Whose are these
stocks? why, yours, and I'm glad you
found them. Come, we had best see
how much you are worth," and he fol
lowed them to the library.
A complete examination of the desk
and drawers of the library revealed not
only stocks of great valuej but bonds
and mortgages, bank bills, jewelry and
coin, and when it was computed, Maggie
Green found that she was indeed an
heiress.
Mr. Perkins was intrusted with the
mangement of the stocks and papers,
and soon was ou his way back to the vil
lage, for he said the transfer must be at
tended to, and the premiums collected;
and while the two young people were
planning what their new lives should be,
Mr. Perkins, who had overheard Mr.
Durham's remark concerning Haring's
not being promised to Maggie, dropped
into that gentleman's office, where fath
er and sou were seated, and told his
news.
"The lowest computation makes it
over half a million," ho said, chuckling,
as he rose to leave, "and when the
premiums and interest are counted in,
why it goes way bevond that. I always
thought Mistress Varreu dabbled in
stocks, but she Juever told me," and he
went slowly out ,
- "TUitfcjaiion ! Kuld Iht! elder Dur
ham, when his astonishment let him
speak.
" And I only obtained one hundred
thousand with Miss Lanuoy," said the
younger, biting his lip.
And while Mr. Perkins was goiug on
to his office, Maggie said: "Now you
can finish your models, and buy the
shop, Paul, for I know you would never
remain content unless employed."
"Yon are right, Maggie," and so it
was settled; and when Mr. Perkins told
Maggie that there was seventy thousand
dollars subject to her check in Mr. Dur
ham's bank, she gave it to Paul:
Their money did not keep Paul Green
and his wife from being useful. In fact.it
made them more so than before, and
Maggie's dowry has brought joy and
comfort to many homes that needed
such.
A Man Who Never Told a Lie.
Yesterday afternoon an old oil man
wi.h crude petroleum dripping from his
clothes and legs inclosed in high boots,
entered the Derrick office and said:
" Want an item ?".
" I've got the biggest item you ever
heard tell on. I struck an ile well on my
lease Monday, an' she flowed a stream o'f
ile one hundred feet high straight up for
half an hour. Then she kinder died
down one of my drillers was standing
over the hole, when she suddenly
spurted up again, and if it didn't take
that driller right up with it. The stream
was a powerful one, you see, an' he went
up a hundred feet. You've seen those
little balls as dance about on the top of
those little spurting fountains such as
they have in the cities ? Yes, waal that's
the way this ere thing acted, an' there's that
air driller right up on the top of that
hundred fut column of crude ile, an' he's
dancin' about like chaff in a fanning mill.
What do you think of that un V
" How long has he been up there ?"
" About four days and four nights."
"He must be very hungry by this
time. Doesn't he come down to get
something to eat?"
" Why, we 'uns lust put a plate of hash
in this stream of ile, and it takes it up to
him, you see. An' it's mighty handy, as
he finds his victuals already greased, an'
he doesn't need any butter."
" But he must have frozen to death
before this time. "
" Why, man, we ve sent him up on the
same stream, bed and bedding, a small
stove an' wood, an' we're goin' to build
him a small house, an' then he can live
there as comfortable as a prince.
His face was as innocent of deceit as a
piece of tanned leuther, aud when he
asked to have his name put down as a
deadhead subscriber for information he
had given we didn't have the heart to
hurt his feelings by refusing. OU City
Derrick.
The Convict's Pet.
A convict in the Richmond (Va.)
penitentiary has a rat which he has
tamed and domesticated until he will
oome to him when he whistles, and
follows its master about like a dog. The
little animal sleeps by the prisoner's
side at night, and will never be away
from him longer than he can help,
When the man goes to his work in the
morning, it matters not what portion of
the prison lot jt may be, this faithful
little pet will certainly follow and re
moinnear him. The animal kuows all
of the prisoners, and doeb not exhibit
the slightest fear when any of them ap-
E roaches him, but will dart awav into
is corner iu his master's cell at tho
Bight of any one who ia clothed different
ly from the inmates of tho prison.
SOLDIER LIFE IX RUSSIA.
How the Warrior Rpend Ihetr Time In
Camp.
The following ia an extract from a
letter received by a Russian gentleman
in New York from his brother, who is a
volunteer soldier in the Ninth regiment
of Dragoons of the Russian Danube
array. The letter gives interesting de
tails about Russian camp and soldier
life, such as it is nt present, since tho mili
tary reform of 1874, and clearly shows
that the barbarous military system of
former days, with all its tyranny and
cruelty practiced on the soldier, has en
tirely disappeared, givtog way to a
rational discipline, mostly tempered by
mutual confidence between officers anil
Erivates. The letter is dated from tho
ivouae of the regiment near Slatina, a
small town on the railway between
Bucharest and Krajova :
" We are still here, as you see," says
the correspondent, "at Slatina, and do
not know how soon we are destined to
move onward, or else, to say the truth,
we know a great deal ; but it would be
useless to write to you about it, as I am
told that our letters are perused at tho
post-office of the regiment, and the least
allusion to future military movements in
carefully suppressed. Therefore I must
naturally content myself with giving you
such particulars of our daily life as are
sure not to be considered suspicious by
our military argueses. This life of ours
is, to say the least, rather dreary and
monotonous. Only think that during a
whole month I have not seen one single
newspaper and would have had altogether
nothing to read if one of our officers had
not lent me a few books. Nearly every
moment of the day is taken up with
drill watches or some other military
exercise. I now am able to understand
the longing every soldier, even if he be
not enthusiastically devoted to the cause
he has to fight for, feels for the moment
of action, despite the uncertainty and
danger the latter naturally brings with
it. 1 or the monotony ot campaign lite,
while it is yet undisturbed by the enemy,
is so great and so tedious, you feel so
keenly, that every hour of day aud night
is dominated by one idoa, one purpose
that of getting ready for the bloody
work that you finally get annoyed and
impatient of the delay almost be
yond endurance, and come to regard the
time when the hour of battle strikes as a
deliverance, as tho accomplishment of
the very purpose of your existence. If
such is the case iu every war, you may
judge for yourself how very much more
it is m the present one, which has kin
died so genuine and so powerful an en
thusiasm throughout the whole Russian
nation. To returu, however, to our
camp life. At daybreak the reveille ia
sounded, and the toils of the day begin
by the watering and currying ot the
horses : then holfan, lion: is. given tor
urciuaast, which generally consists of
kasha (a sort of porridge, cooked of
rye meal) and water, sometimes milk or
tea. After this frugul meal we are all
drawn up in squadrons, aud drill, moueu
vers and military exercises .of all kinds
take up the whole morning until eleven
o'clock. This is the hardest part of the
day on account of the dreadim heat wi
have to endure. Every possible precau
tion has been taken by the commanders
against its effect on tho men. The heavy
cloth uniform has been virtually abol
ished and replaced by a light linen
blouse we wear on the skin without a
shirt ; the kipi . is covered with white
linen and furnished with a shield of the
same material falling bock on the neck,
and yet scarcely a day passes without
some of the soldiers dropping from their
horses, faint and ill from the intense
heat, which oiteu reaches 23:30 Roaumur
(about 110,115 Fahrenheit). At noon
wo cook our dinuer. Stchy (cabbage
soup) meat and kasha are cooked in
large kettles aud distributed in equal
lots among each tent. After dinner our
only occupation consists in lying on our
backs under the tents as naked as pos
sible, sheltered from the merciless rays
of the Roumanian sun. Tho camp
seems to die out, and you might fancy it
deserted by its inmates if here and there
a pair of thick, nailed boots did not pro
trude from under the white covering or
the tents. At five o'clock the heat be
gins to abate ; each of us springs bare
footed on the back of his horse and rides
to the one-mile distant Aluta river, to
enjoy together with the horse a refresh
ing bath in the troubled waters flowing
fresh and rapid from the distant Car
pathian snows. Between seven and
eight the officers make their rounds of
inspection, examiniug each tent, horses,
ammunition, etc., and inquiriug into the
wishes and occasional complaints of the
soldiers, and with this the work of tho
day is done. Speaking of the officers,
I must say that their behavior toward us
is such as only could be desired full of
tact and attention, maintaining the
strictest, unflinching discipline, and yet
never snowing us ino least trace of
arrogance or assumed superiority.
Every eveniug our baud plays on some
open spot iu camp. ii,ven now 1 can
write with difficulty ; my pen seems to
swing iu cadence with the "Chorus of
Conspirators" of "La Fille Angot."
Officers, soldiers and peasants of the
neighboring villages lounge around,
forming picturesque aud lively croups.
Then the band touches the first notes of
the " Kaniarinskaia, the younger sol
diers spring forward, and tho merry
dance begins, with its usual accompani
ment of whistles, singing and
exciting cries. The others form a
circle around it strong, stalwart, Bin
burnt figures, with thoir short clay
pipes between their teeth, and watch
with a serious eye tho merry making of
the younger generation. In another
part of the camp the chorus of the regi
ment assembles. (In the Russian army
each regiment possesses one or several
choruses composed of soldiers ; on the
march they generally precede the regi
ment aud enliven the ureary road with
their songs). One after another our
national airs, with thoir wild mirth or
pathetic sadness, ring through the still
evening air, and their quaint melody
flows as freely over the Valachian plain
as it did not long ago at home, hundreds
of miles away, over the broad expanse of
our own steppes. Many a Biui, serious
thought of the past and the future is
conjured up by these Hound, anj if ft
were not for the shades of Might rapidly
fulling, a tear might be e.eeu hero uud
there rolling down a brown, tawny check
and losing itself in th t grizzly whiskers
of a veteran soldier. Then the watch
fires are lighted, and the coolness of the
air becoming more intense, groups as
semble around them, listening to some
story of an old soldier about former bat
tles fought and feats of valor achieved,
and dreaming aooui tue luture wmou
lies m store for na beyond that river
flowing through the plain before ns.
One hour later and all is quiet ; only
the drawling, sleepy cries, Slooshai I
(hear) of the sentinels disturb from time
to time the profound stillness of the
night. All these are pictures and im-
pressions, the remembrance of which,
as I have said above, will never die out ;
hardships and dangers shall be forgot
ten, but that quaint, wild and pathetic
poetry of soldier life will remain one of
the fondest memories ot my ute.
Be Something.
Man was not made to rust out his life.
It is expected he " ehonld act well his
part." And is it not the duty of every
one to assume some part as actor on the
great stage of life ? Many think they
can vegetate, as it were, without being
anything in particular. This is a great
mistake, and one very common; man has
a work to perform, which it is his duty
to attend to he must be somebody. It
is a principle in the creed of the Moham
medans that everyone should have a
trade. Is a man to live upon the wealth
acquired by his ancestors ? Is he to pass
through life as an automaton? As a
citizen of the world has he nothing to
perform ? A man who does nothing, is
useless to his country as an inhabitant
he is a mere cipher, he does not fulfill
the obligations for which he was sent
into the world, and when he dies he has
not finished the work that was given him
to do. He is a mere blank in creation.
Some are bom with riches and honors
upon their heads, but does it follow that
they have nothing to do in their career
through life ?
Bo something. There are certain
duties for every oue sent on this earth.
Don t live like a hermit and die un-
gretted.
Be something. Don't be a drone,
You may rely upon your present posses
sions or on your future prospects, but
these riches may fly away, or other hopes
may be blighted, and if you have no
place Of your own, in such a case, ten to
one you will nnd your patn ueset wuu
many thorns. Want may come upon
vou before von are aware of it. and hav
ing no profession of any kind, you find
yourself in anything but an enviable
condition. It is, therefore, important
that you should be something. Don't
depend upon fortune, for she is a fickle
support, which otten tails when youiean
upon her with the too greatest conudeuce.
Trust in your own exertions. Be some
thing. You certainly have a part to act,
ud the honor in performing that part
depends upon yourself. " Everyone is
capable of learning some " art, trade or
mystery, andean earn a competence for
himself. Children should be taught to
be something; to know how to provide
for themselves in case of necessity, and
to ajct well their part they will reap the
honor that therein lies.
Tree Poisoning.
A ease of alleged poisoning by tin
ailantus treo has been reported to the
New Haven (Conn.) board of health.
The victim is a girl of twenty, and claims
to have been poisoned while lying on a
lounge near an open window and lookiug
at the tree, distant some four yards. The
eruptions nearly closed one eye and coy
ered ono side ot her face and body. This
side was uppermost. The side sho was
lying on was not affected. Regularly
every time tho tree flowers she breaks
out, and sometimes tho eruption takes
place when the leaves are shooting. The
odor of the tree is not stronger than
usual. The patient is not feverish, and
has .no increased pulsation. Her temper
is not affected and she has a good appo
tite. The irritation is only on the eur
face, and she has no other sympton of
poisoning. Professor Brewer, in the
course of the discussion which followed,
said that, as a rule, persons once poi
soned by a plant or tree were ever atter-
wuru especially sensitive io it. iie nau
T .'11 !! a -i TT 1 t
seen in the newspapers cases of poison
ing by the ailantus tree, but had never
kuown of a case in his own experience,
The tree had existed in England about
130 years, and in France 120 venrs. It
has existed in this country for a long
time, and thirty or forty years ago was
spread by the desire for a quick-growing
tree to take the place of the elm, which
was subject to ravages by worms. In
Brooklyn an enormous number of these
trees were set out, but afterward cut
down. The result of the discussion was
a vote directing the owner of the tree to
remove it, and ordering investigations to
prepare a basis of action to be taken
next year before the trees bloom.
Elephants in a (juicksand
On the river Ganges, says a military
journalist, there are many quicksands ;
and during our expedition a somewhat
distressing scene happened. An ele
phant incautionsly came within the vor
tex of one ; first one foot sank, then
another ; and in endeavoring to extricate
himself, matters became worse : no por
tion of either of his legs was at last visi
ble, and the bystanders had given up
the poor ammai as lost ; being, fortu
nately, unusually powerful, he three
several times, with what appeared to all
supernatural strength, drew a foot from
the closely-clinging earth, placed it
where, by sounding with his trunk, he
found the most solidity ; not until the
imru nine uiu me ground bear his pres-
Dure, wucu un gruuuaiiy released hiin
sen. curing the. whole period of his
irouDiesms cues were exceedingly do!
i,iU,..i, migni nave Deen heard a
couple of miles : his rrnint when thw
were at ull end, was equally indicative of
satisfaction. The internal application
of a bottle of strong spirits soon dissi
pated hn trembling and restored his
equanimity. Many unfortunate - ele
phants are lost m these treacherous
Bauds, when large quantities of grass or
branches of trees ore not at hand to form
Oil fiunilnltlrt ......... L r i ...
... ..uiauio oupputt jor luem. Alter a
certain time the poor beast becomes
powerless : und th A IkWIlUV Ann
look with Borrow at the gradual disap
pearunce of hi, uoblo umuial. mid
lament
the pecuumrv losn l.
suffers,
thereby
for ull Imm.iii ; l
futile.
uey uuve been known to bt
hours before outirely biukiug.
twilve
A RIDE IN TEXAS.
The Cattle Trnde-Im Dimension nnd It
Nerds.
A correspondent who writes from Fort
Worth, Texas, saya: My ride has been
through eighteen of the western and
northern countiet) the great pastoral
region. The grass is long, thick and
nutritious. The streams come purling
in such frequency that the herds do not
need to be driven to obtain water, as is
the case in Kansas and Colorado. The
climate is bo mild that the cattle graze
the year round. A little snow falls in
midwinter in the northern counties, but
only enough to swell the streams after
the next day s Biinsnining. xne grass
dries in November, and the stranger
would suppose that it had lost much, if
not all of its juice. But appearances de
ceive; it is as sweet and nutritious as in
June, and the truth is now confessed the
world over that mesquite-ted lexas
beef is the finest and purest food.
The cattle trade of the State is already
immense, although the herds have to be
driven hundreds of miles before obtain
ing transportation to the North and
East. The western and northern coun
ties are capable. I do not doubt, of sup
plying not only our own continent, but
Europe, with beet, and the demand tor
American meats in England is only the
small beginning of what must become an
immense inter-continental traffic. The
only objection offered to American beef
on the tables of London and Liverpool
is that when brought over in refrigera
tors it is already slightly deteriorated
and must be cooked immediately. The
causes of this deterioration are not far to
seek. The herds must now be driven
thousands of miles over the plains, in
some sections, and are weakened by tho
inferior grasses aud scarcity of pure wa
ter procurable on the journey.
They are prodded in this exhausted
state into badly ventilated cars, in which
they are so crowded that they canuot
breathe comfortably, or even stand at
ease, aud it one falls he is trampled or
homed to death, or dies of suffocation.
The yards along the railroad routes are
not numerous euough; cattle should be
unloaded for fodder, water aud reBt at
least once in eighteen hours; on the con
trary, they are now kept thirty-six hours
and even forty-eight hours in their
poisonous and enfeebling prisons. The
law whoso passage was sought with so
much earnestness by the Massachusetts
Humane Society, requiring the moving
of cattle trains at a speed of not less
than eighteen miles an hour, prescribing
the intervals at which they were to be
unloaded, fed and watered, and pro-
habited the detention of cattle trains on
side-tracks during unseasonable periods
and for trivial causes, is a dead letter,
just as the other statute is forbidding
the inclosure of more than a certain
ntwalrGi ill car if jiavfoiii dimcublOilH.
Laws are very good in their way, but
thev do not enforce themselves. The
men who have charge of cattle in transit
know very little and caro less about ani
mal hygiene. Not that they intend to
be brutal; they ore simply ignoraut,
thoughtless aud reckless. The evils of
cattlo transportation, of which we heard
so much five years ago, have beeu very
slightly modified, and the result of com
bined carelessness, neglect and wanton
brutality is the wretched condition in
which the beasts reach Boston and New
York. They are killed while overcome
by starvation, thirst and fatigue; the
already deteriorated beef is hastily
packed iu refrigerators, aud, of course
the meat is not ot tho very best quality
when reopened, for it was not of the
very best when packed.
A Prairie Minuet.
Charles E. Whitehead, in the course
of an article in &'cribncr, says : One
autumn day, watching for ducks while
ensconced on a muskrat house in the
great Mendocio marsh, which extends
back many miles from the Mississippi
river opposite Clinton, I noticed some
objects moving on the summit of a
knoll. By careful watching I discovered
they were prairie-fowl, and, moved by
curiosity, carefully approached them.
Aa I drew near I discovered fifteen
prairie-fowl apparently dancing a minuet.
They were scattered about on the short
turf, twenty yards apart, nodding their
heads at oue another, and presently two
would run out and perform the figure
which in a country dance is known as
"cross over and back to places," all the
while uttering a soft noto of "coo-cooe,"
the last syllable being much elongated.
Then would follow " salute your part
ners " and " dos a dos." This scene of
merriment was sustained for half an
hour and until a shot from a neighboring
gun caused the birds to run into the tail
cover of the weeds. The bright sun
shine of autumn and the conspicuous
group of native birds impressed the
scene vividly on the spectator a mind. A
neighboring farmer to whom the circum
stance was mentioned, said:
" ies, them same birds skye around
there mostly every day."
The other varieties of praine grouse
indulge in the same kind of amusement.
The Instinct of Mosquitoes.
An exchange savs: The mosquitoes.
it has been discovered by a learned pro
lessor, are possessed of great powers of
observation and penetration. Down at
the seaside we notice this fact ourselves,
W hen a big trunk was landed from an
express wagon into the entry of a hotel,
the nimble insects usually made for it
and crawled through the keyhole for the
purpose of taking notes. Lf the clothes
within betokened that a fat person was the
owner, the mosquitoes would stay within
ana ue cameu up to tne room, wnere
they would lay for the fat person until bed
time. If the garments belonged to a thin
person the insects would pile through
that keyhole in double-quick order.
She Knew the Dodge.
Thev broucht her his hat and hia fish-
inar rod. and with tears in their eyes told
her they d iounu tnem lying ou tue euu
of the pier; they must be her husband's.
She put ner arms okiiuoo over tne
washboard, she did, and looked em
straight in the lace. mis is me miru
time that donu iieuvy u piuyeu vuw
thing on me. .This means he'll be home
by ten to-mgut urunn us u iwu. xioue
of your sympathy here." And the com
mittee beat a hasty retreat at the end of
a broomstick.
Items of Interest.
The United States in 1830 contained
12,700,000 inhabitants.
Clergymen, like railway brakemen, do
a good deal of coupling.
Now they tell of a drug (coca or cuca)
that will cure bashf ulness.
It cost about $7 to send a ton of wheat
from Chicago to Liverpool.
Virginia and West Virginia combined
cover an area of 64,000 square miles.
You can always get trusted at the
telegraph office; they send messages "on
tick."
American shoes are now being largely
sold in Germany, Switzerland null
Franco.
" What did you get ?" asked a wife of
her husband on his return from a hunt
ing excursion of several days duration.
"I got back," he sententiously replied.
Spicer is anxious to know if the mer
chant who advertises " full lines of un
derclothing " is connected with the party
who walked off with last week's wash
from the back yard.
"Madam," said a certain nameless
one to Mrs. Brown, the other day, "you
are talking simple rubbish." " Yes, sir,"
replied the ever-crashing lady, "because
I wish you to comprehend me. "
Yet another warning. Joseph Bates,
of Vermont, falls dead while carrying in
an armful of wood. Show this para
graph to your wife. Nay, cut it out and
pin it to the woodshed door.
"MissC ," said a gentleman, one
evening, " why are ladies so fond of
offioers?" "How stupid!" replied
Miss C ; "is it not natural and
proper that a lady should like a good
offer, sir?"
Before they are married she will care
fully turn down his coat collar when it
gets away, but after that she'll jerk it
down into position as if sho was throw
ing a door mat out of the window. OU
City Call.
Spilkins came down town with a nose
gay in his buttonhole. " Hullo I" said a
friend; "why, Leander, you look as if
you'd just come out of a greenhouse."
"No," replied Spilkins, mopping his
fevered brow; "but I passed the night
in a hot bed."
One test of a great mind is its instanta
neous availability in an emergency. The
boy who can drop a paper-bag of eggs
on the sidewalk, and pass on without
chanorinor his crait. interrupting his whis
tle, or looking at what he has dropped,
has a future before him.
Lightning struck a hive of bees in
Kansas the other day. The painful
story is soon told. The misguided
lightning came out of that hive quicker
than it went in and shot off into space
with its tail between its legs. Moral
JNever pick a quarrel when you are not
acquainted with the folks.
A poor tailor, dunning for an old debt
the other day, wrote as follows: "Dear
Jim, this littlo account has been stand
ing for seven years, and I think it is high
time it was paid." To which Jim re
plied, on the same sheet of paper, while
the boy was waiting: "Dear Sam, I
don't; and may a difference of opinion
never niter friendship." What a splen
did diplomatist Jim would have made 1
A literary gentleman, wishing to lie
undisturbed one day, instructed his Irish
servant to admit no one, ond if any one
inquired for him to give him an equivo
cal answer. Night caine, and the gentle
man proceeded to interrogate Pot as to
his visitors. "Did any ono call?"
"Yes, sir; wan geutlemau." "What
did lie Bay?" "He axed was yer honor
in." " Well, what did you tell him?"
" Sure, I gave him a quivikle answer,
jist." " How was that ?" " I axed him
was his grandmother a monkey."
TO A SEAMSTRESS.
Oh ! what bosom but must yield
When, like l'allas, you advaneo,
With a thimble for a shield,
Aud a needle for a lance ?
Fairest of the stlching traiu,
Ease my passion by your art ;
And, in pity for my pain,
Mend the hole that's iu my heart.
" Ahem," sho said, " 'tis ueedles-s, sir,
This question, to dis-pusset.
Why seam sew earnest iu your suit?
Take care my crimp don't muss it"
Sound Sleep.
It is wonderful how much may be done
to protract existence by the habitual res-
torative of sound Bleep, ljate nours un
der strain are, of course, incompatible
with this solacemeut. On this topic Dr.
Richardson says it has beeu pamtul for
him to trace the beginnings of pulmon
ary consumption to late hours at "un
earthly balls and overling parties," by
which rest is broken aud encroachments
made on the constitution. But, he adds:
" If iu middle age tho habit of taking de
ficient aud irregular sleep be maintained,
every source of depression, every latent
form of disease, is quickened and inten
sified. The sleepless exhaustion allies
itself with all other process of exhaus
tion, or it kills imperceptibly, by a rapid
introduction of premature old age, which
leads directly to premature dissolution."
There, at once, is an explanation why
many people die earlier than they ought
to do. They vioiwce tne primary pruici
-i i-i.:.. 1 .,:!... T
pie Ul MI&.11JH a xrguiui lliUl a lean,
If
they sleep it is disturbed. They dream
all sorts of nonsense. - That is to say,
they do not sleep soundly, or for any
nsenu purpose; ior ureamiug is uuiumg
more than wild, imaginative notions
passing through the brain while half
sleeping or dozing, in oreanung mere
ia no proper or restorative rest.
Florida Snakes aud Mosquitoes.
They do occasionally have some mos
quitoes on the St. John's river, Florida,
and sometimes they are bo ravenous aa
even to interfere with the religious
meetings. During the late session of
the presbytery at Palatka a minister,
while occupying the pulpit, was so
forcibly attacked by the mosquitoes
that he was compelled to pronounce the
benediction and dismiss the congrega
tion rather hurriedly. They became bo
numerous that the ladies could scarcely
protect themselves wi'h their fans, and
eveu the lamp chimneys were stacked
with them. - . .
The Sumter -Advance contains an ac
count of the destruction of a rattlesnake
nine feet long, and the crawling forth
from her mouth of eighty-two juvenile
serpents.
J