HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.
NIL. DESPERANDUM.'
Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL. XI.
HIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA.; TIIUESD AY, NOVEMBER 10, 1881.
NO. 38.
Utile Dancing Leaves.
Little danci'Dg leaves
In the garden bower,
Which among yon grieves
Not to be a flower?
" Never one I" the light leaves say,
Dancing in the Bun all day.
Little dancing leaves,
Roses loin to kisa youj
From the cottage caves
Nestling birds would miss yon
We should tire of blossoms so,
If yon all to flowers should grow I
. Little dancing loaves
Grasses, ferns and sedges,
Nodding to tho sheaves
Out of tanglod hedges
What a dull world would remain
If you all were usoful grain t
Littlo dancing leaves,
Who could do without you?
Every poot weaves
Borne sweet dream about you.
Flowers and grain awhilo are here;
You stay with us all the year.
Littlo dancing leaves,
When through pines and birches
The great storm-wind heavos,
Your retreat he searches;
now ho makes the tall trees roar t
While you only dance the nioro !
Little dancing leaves,
Loving and caressing
Ho most jny receives
Who bestows a blessing.
Dance, light leaves, for dancing made,
While you bless us with your shade I
I.uvy I.arcom, in St. JVfcAcIcin.
THE KEEPER'S DAUGHTER.
A lighthouse on a rocky coast. Out
side, thunder, lightning, wind and rain,
and greitt black waves dabbing up against
tlio rucks at the foot of the tower. In
side a winding flight of stairs leading to
an octagon-shape d room containing the
plainest furniture. The occupants, a
girl of eighteen, tall and lithe, with
black hair hanging iu massive braids to
her waist, and luminous gray eyes under
straight black brows. Her dress of gray
waterproof cloth was short and scant,
and hung in wet folds about her limbs;
and strangest of all girdles, a coil of
rope encircled her waist and trailed one
end on the floor. By her side a boy of
fourteen years, with his blue blouse
open at the throat, and a faded plush
cap-on his dark curJs. These two were
bending over a man who lay in all his
magnificent length on the floor. A
picturesque-looking man, with fair haii
clinging in dripping masses to his fore
head; a curling golden beard and a
virile firm throat, and one mfrbt be
persuaded that the clot-ed lid J with theii
Inn si fringes covered a pair of steel blue
eyes.
" Kf kin he's a goner, Liz," said the
boy, us he paused in his vigorous rub
bing of the man's hands.
The girl was forcing some liquor from
a tin cup between the blue lips, and did
not answer directly; but when their
patient gave the faintest possible sigh,
she exclaimed, joyfully: " See, Neddie,
he breathes I Now work fast," whereupon
they both fell to rubbing him at a great
rate.
When Allen Mclntyre opened his
eyes be looked about him confusedly.
The odd lhtle room, the girl with her
black braids, and the boy looking so
like her that oue would at once recog
nize the relationship; the drenched con
dition of all three, and the strange
langnor through all his frame what
di 1 it mean I He closed" his eyes
wearily, and then the boy spoke up in
this biulf fashion:
"You came near going under, cap'n,
but L zzie pulled you cut."
Then Mclntyre remembered all, and
languidly raised himself into a sitting
posture.
"It is too wild a night to be afloat
. in a little craft like that," said the girl,
nuking a gesture seaward, where a tiny
boat had broken up an hour beiore.
"It was fair when I left the shore,"
replied the man. "I ventured further
than I intended. Then the wind went
down, and I could only drift until the
storm arose. I have a recollection of a
fierce rush of wind and wave that upset
my boat, and a blow on my bead, prob
ably from some part of the boat as I
went over."
" Yes," said the boy, 11 there came a
flash of lightning, and Lizzie and I,
looking out, saw tho boat capsize. So
Lizzie caught a rope and ran, and I
after her."
"We're used to that sort of thing
eh, Lizzie?" Lizzie nodded, and the
boy continued, animatedly: "You see,
my father keeps the light, but he is sick
now, so Lizzie and I tend the light we
always do when father is sick or gone
to the mainland and we've pulled out
more than one fellow more than half
dead. Why-"
"Never mind that, Neddie," inter
rupted his sister, gently, and the un
spoken repioof in her voice had the ef
fect of making the lad look somewhat
shamefaced as he went back to the
first part of his story.
" Well, sir, we ran down the slope at
the side of the cliff out there, where the
waves were tearing up like 10.000 wild
horses. And every time, it lightened
we could see you bobbing aroundout
there like a piece of cork. We were
afraid of your striking against the
ledgos, so Lizzie fastened one end of
the rope about her waist and I held the
other while she went straight in and
6truck out for you."
. Mclntyre uttered a low expatriation
and turned his gaze from Neddie to
Neddie's sister. The boy wagged his
head proudly.
" Ah," said he, with gleaming eye,
" that's nothing for our Liz to do I She
caught you, and I pulled you both in.
But you're monstrous heavy I I thought
we'd never get you upstairs."
3 MclnfyYe laughed as he rose rather
doubtfully to his feet.
" I feel a trifle shaky," he said ; and
then, " It. is easy to see that you are
brother and sister. I am Allen Mcln
tyre, at your service, Miss Lizzie," and
he oowed in a fashion that gave the lie
to his . declarations of ehakiness. "Of
course I realize that you and your gal
land brother hero have rendered me
a great servioe one for which you
shill not go unrewarded, although I
can never hope to fully recompense
you." .
Lizzie raised her head haughtily.
" Sir, such work as we have done to
night we do not for wages. If you feol
strong enough, I will walk with you to
the house. I think the storm is passing
over. We live a quarter of a mile from
the light. Our accommodations are
Elain enough, but there is no other
ouse on the island."
" Oh, I am as good as'new, now," said
Mclntyre; "but will you leave this
boy here all alone."
She smiled.
" Ned is not afraid, and he can tend
the light as well as I."
" Very well I will go with you."
He waved a smiling adieu to the boy,
and followed his guide down the narrow
stairway.
Two days later a small sailboat put
out from the island, which, when it
returned, brought Mclntyre's luggage.
Lizzie's father, who was laid up with
an attack of rheumatism, had taken a
fancy to the young man, who expressed
a desire to spend a few weeks there at
any price they might charge. Captain
Clyde straightway ordered Neddie off
in his new boat to the mainland for the
gentleman's traps. Tho youngster
obeyed this order with alacrity, for the
good-humored ease of the stranger, to
gether with his evident appreciation
of "our Liz.," had wrought favorably
on our Neddie. Even the maiden aunt,
who kept the house, smilei frostily at
the prospect of this pleasant addition
to their family.
Mclntyre, who had been wandering
about three or four hundred miles from
home in search of a quiet place to
spend the summer, congratulated him
self on having drifted to the very
place.
" Although it was an expensive stylo
of drifting," he remarked, with a smile,
as he inclosed a bank note in an envel
ope, to be sent to the owner of the little
craft which had slipped him out into
the waves abreast of the lighthouse.
A week later, as he sauntered shore
ward, there came to his ears a wildly
sweet strain of melody. As he listened
in amazement, for he had seeri no musi
cal instrument about the place, ho be
gan to realize that it was a part of
Strauss' artist life waltzes that he heard
a strain that he often whistled. He
stepped round the jutting of the cliff,
ami there, leaning against tho granite
wall, was Lizzie, her chin dropped care
lessly on a little red violin, as she diew
the bow across the strings. She flushed
bke a guilty thing when she saw Mc
lntyre. " You whistled that the other day,"
she faltered, " and I liked it so much
it haunted me all the time."
Ho stepped forward.
"Why, Lizzie I Is it possible you
play like that without notes '?"
"I don't play much now," she said,
drawing her dark brows over her eyes.
"A party of ladies and gentlemen
came here to visit the lighthouse once
and overheard me playing. I heard
one of tho ladies say : 'The idea of a
girl with a fiddle !' So I thought per
haps it didn't look well."
"Not look well, indeed!" and he
laughed in merry scorn. " Why, child,
did you ever hear of Camilla Urto ?"
"No."
" Well, she is a lady, and she makes
the most exquisite music on a fiddle
and thousands of people go to hear her
Why, Camilla Urso herself would listen
with pleasuro to your music, Lizzie,"
said Mclntyre, extravagantly. " Who
taught you to play V"
"No one. This violin belonged to
my father, and ho learned me how to
tune it. I pick up tunes that I hear,
but I never heard anything half so
beautiful as the tunes I hear you sing
and whistle."
Mclntjre smiled; his repertoire of
music consisted of snatches of operas,
waltzes, redowas and German airs,
which had dimly associated in his mind
with nights of brilliant gayety; and he
wondered dreamily how this pure
minded, healtuy-souled girl would look
upon the elegant dissipation carried on
by the set of which he was a favorite.
A sudden glow wormed his heart as he
thought that not one of the fine ladies
who hud swung languidly through the
mazes of that very waits of the great
composer's could have rescued him so
bravely from the jaws of death as Lizzie
had Lizzie, who stood there so quietly,
with her little violin hanging from her
breast, and her fingers straying lovingly
over the strings.
" Tell mo about Camilla Urso," she
said, presently. " Did you ever hear
her play ?" .
" Yes, indeed I I have a paper in my
trunk containing a little sketch of her
life, which you may read for yourself, and
which will tell you better than I can of
her talent."
For a moment Lizzie's eyes met his
own, a look of shame and distress gath
ering in them.
" Mr. Mclntyre, that will be of no
use I cannot read."
" Lizzie I"
Her violin slipped from her grasp and
would have fallen to the ground had
not Molntyre caught it, and she cov
ered her face with both hands.
"But Lizzie," persisted her com
panion, in some perplexity, " I do not
understand. There are good tmblia
schools in the city, and surely your lather
must nave Known that it was his dutv to
give a girl like you an education, to say
nothing of ffeddie, wno is growing up
such a splendid young fellow."
" It is very kind of j ou to say such
things of Neddie and me ; we are com
mon people, and ours is a common life.
Neddie did spend two years with our
uncle who lives in York State. Ho went
to school there. But father doesn't
think much of book learning. Aunt
Jane never had time to help me, and
Neddie is too restless to keep still long
enQugb, l suppose."; cue oonttnued
quaintly, "You who" live out in the
world look at these things in a different
way ; but I know of many who are just
where I am. Why, there is a whole
family on that island, pointing to a
tiny speck away to the eastward, " who
cannot read or write. Once in three
months, perhaps, they go to the main
land. I scarcely ever go. I suppose I
shall always live here, and I am con
tentedI think," and a look ot doubt
gathered in her eyes ; V at least I was.
But lately I have wished so muoh that
I could read and had books for it is so
lonely here in the winter."
"Well, dear child," said the young
man, gently, this gives me the priv
ilege of paying my debts, doesn't it?"
"Your debts?" echoed Lizzie, in sur
prise. " Certainly. Did you not fish me but
of the water a week ago? Well, now
you shall put your six feet of driftwood
to some service. I will teach you to read
and to write." '
After that Mclntyre proved the roost
faithful of teachers, and his pupil made
steady progress in her lessons. Neither
was the violin any longer in disgrace.
Lizzie played to attentive ears while
learning a deeper lesson than either at
first realized. Mclntyre was the first
to wake up. He was a man of the
world, and understood himself, or
thought he did, thoroughly. Accord
ingly he started one morning for a stroll
along thw beach to think it over.
" As the case now stands," he solilo
quized, as he lit a cigar and threw away
the match, "it is either Lizaie or the
world; and I confess the. world has
charms for me."
His gaze wandered absently over the
swelling waves; and lingered on a far
off sail that dipped and rose, dipped
again, until it sank below the horizon.
His lip curled involuntarily as he
thought of tho delicate ladies in his
set, and how wretched they would make
the poor girl's life in their own high
bred fashion. Ho but would they,
though?"
A faint amusement lingered in" his
face as he recalled Lizzie's rather
sta-.ely carriage and stately dignity that
redeemed her from being common
place. He laughed out.
" It would be fan to see her among
all those peacocks. Poor Lizzie I What
a shame that she has been neglected I
If she had received half the advantage!
of any one of my acquaintances she
would have surpassed them all. Well,
well, it is high time I returned home.
I have been here six weeks. Yes, I will
go away to-morrow and forget her, as
she will forget me."
So saying, Mclntyre threw away the
end of his cigar and started into a brisk
walk i long the shore, coming directly
upon the object of his thoughts,
who was pacing to and fro, drawing
primitive music from her violin. She
wore a scarlet jacket over her gray
dross, and a white handkerchief tied
over her head and under her chin. His
heart throbbed faster at the sight of
her.
"Fooll" he muttered, "to think I
could leave her. Now, then my man,
" ' lts all for love, aad tha world woll lost.' "
Lizzie greeted his approach with a
mile, but played to the close of the
strain before she spoke. It was a
little German air that he had taught
her.
" Is that right?" she queried, as she
finished.
" I cannot tell you."
Then, meeting her look of astonish
ment with his own earnest gaze, he
said:
" Lizzio, will you care very much
when I go away from here ?"
Her eyes dropped, the red blood
dyed her cheek and brow for a moment,
and then faded away, leaving her quite
pale.
" I think it will be well for you to
go," she said.
"And why, Lizzie, will you tell me?
You need not fear to tell me anything,"
he added, as she hesitated.
She looked away from him, and her
voice was almost inaudiblo as she an
swered: " Because because Oh, I cannot
tell you I You know "
"I have thought of going, Lizzie;
but I realized to-day that I cannot leave
you ever again, dear."
He put one arm about her, but she
drew away from him, trembling from
head to foot.
" Don't, Mr. Mclr tyre I I want to
remember you kindly, and I cannot it'
you use such language to me."
" For heaven's sake I" he cried, in as
tonishment, " tell me, have I said any
thing wrong to you? Is it wrong to
love you ? If that is a sin, then I am
the greatest of sinners "
" I do not forget that you are a gen
tleman, and I but a poor, ignorant girl,
who knows only what you have taught
her "
"But, Lizzie, I ask you to be my
wile, and you have not answered me. I
do not boast when I say my suit would
not be rejected in most families of high
standing where I am known."
"Ah, that is the idea," she exclaimed,
hastily ; "if, as you say, you do care for
me" she stammered a little over the
words, "you would soon grow weary of
my stupid ways. I should shame you
every day of your life, and your grand
friends would wonder at your choice,
and I should die of homesickness."
" With me, Lizzie ?"
"Yes, even with you!" smiling and
blushing as she met his eyes.
He laughed he was so sure of win
ning her and kissed her mouth.
" Well, sweetheart, I will live here
then, and turn keeper of the light after
your father. Will that suit you V"
"Don't deceive yourself, Mr. Moin
tyre. We would not be happy together,
and think bow terrible it would be
bound together forever."
He laughed exultantly and with a
great deal of amusement.
"Faith! I think it would be a
mighty pleasant thing. Come, Lizzie,
you can deny mo no longer. Do you
not see that your own happiness de
pends upon your answer? Now kiss me,
dear, and tell me that you will take the
life you were so brave to save into your
own keeping."
He drew her gently toward him, but
she facei him suddenly, with great
tears trembling on her long lashos.
" Do you think it costs me nothing to
refuse you you who have made my life
so beautiful these few short weeks ? I
am rude and ignorant such a wife
would burden and disgust you in time.
It is for your good that I refuse to ac
cept what seems like a heaven to me."
And then, swift as a deer, she flew
along the shore, leaving Mclntyre to
struggle between anger, amusement
and wounded self-love.
- All that day he tried to speak with
Lizzie alone, but she gave him no
opportunity. At last, in very despera
tion, he tapped at the door of her
father's room. Captain Clyde was
again suffering with rheumatism, and
the young man found him in the easy
chair, while Lizzie hovered about him.
" Captain Clyde," said Mclntyre, as
he blocked the doorway with his broad
shou'ders to prevent Lizzie from escap
ing, ' I wish to say a few words to your
daughter in your presence, since she re
fuses to grant mo that privilege else
where." " Say on, my lad, she would be proud
to hear whatever jca have to say to
her."
" Well, Lizzie, I will go away from
here to-morrow, and stay as long as you
bid me. When the time is up I will re
turn to claim you for my wife. You
shall see that this is no idle, passing
fancy."
His eyes, grave and sad, rested on the
girl's flushed face, and the bluff cap
tain's eyes widened in amazement.
" Speak out, gal," he commanded.
"Have you anything to say to this
young man, who woes you like a gen
tleman ? Shall he come or no ?"
And Lizzie answered, with downcast
eyes: " If he comes one year from this
time, and still cares for me, I will be
ready."
" And is that all, Lizzie ?" he said,
stepping toward her with outstretched
arms
"No, I'll be bound!" said the old
man, with a sly twinkle in his eyes.
" When I went courting, my little girl
used to kiss me." And reaching over
he gave Lizzie a little push that sent
her into the arms of her lover; where
upon they all laughed, and Lizzie, after
kissing Mclntyre, shyly slipped from
tho room.
A whole year passed by, and not un
happily to Lizzie, who had faithfully
endeavored to improve herself. She
spent the winter " on the mainland,"
with some friends. She studied, read,
watched the people about her, and,
never coarse herself, despite her com
monplace life at home, she fell easily
into tho new groove. Although not un
happy, the girl's cheek was paler than
of yore, and her eyes held a wistfulness
that had grown in them since parting
from her lover, for occasionally this
thought crossed her dreams for the fu
ture: " He may not come at all he may
forget."
But Alien McTr.tyre was truer than
most of his kind; for the early fall
brought him again to Lizzie's house.
While he waited in the old-fashioned
sitting-room, tho door was opened
hesitatingly, and who was this before
him?
Allen had left a young gypsy, magnifi
cent in her way, witk coal black braids
aud flashing eyes, etscarcely the figure
for a drawing-room h her short gown
and thick coarse shoes ; a daughter of
the sea, sun-browned and fearless. But
this was this Lizzie? A graceful
woman in trailing robes, and the shin
ing hair braided and coiled about her
h 'ad, resting in a coronet a queen might
envy, above the low broad brow. Paler
than of old, her eyes downcast but
shining softly through their happy
tears, her month smiling triumphantly.
Was this Lizzie ? Why. not a woman
in all his brilliant throng he remem
bered could comparo with her,
Every sunnier a handsome gentleman
and his dark-haired wife visit the light
keeper's home ; and every fall they
return to their stately home in a far
away city, where the lady doe the
honors of her grand house with a grace
that charms all.
And yet Allen Mclntyre laughingly
accuses his wife of " fishing for him."
Preparations lor a Scandinavian Mar
rfage. Preparations for a wedding feast be
gins weeks beforehand, and are so ex
tensive that M. Du Chaillu was utterly
amazed at the quantity of solids and
liquids that ho saw stored against an
approaching marriage feast. Invita
tions to weddings are sent out woll in
advance of the happy day, so that the
guests may prepare for two or three
days' absence from home; and the
poorest person invited is never without
a weading garment. The happy couple
eat, drink and dance with everybody;
and it seems never to have occurred to
the people to inquire how they do it.
There is a limit to the endurance of
the native head and stomach, and this
generally is found on the third day;
then the guests, on bidding good-bye
to the bride, tender their wedding pres
ents, which always consist of money,
and are deposited, without being ex
amined, in a box which the bride wears
at her side. How many American girls
will wish only to themselves that a
similar custom might prevail here can
not easily be estimated, but all of them
will understand why there are but few
bachelors in the land of the midnight
sun. Long as are the wedding festivi
ties, those of Christmas far exceed
them, for feasting and fun are industri
ously kept up from Christmas-eve to
Twelfth-night, and quaint and charm
ing are some of the attendant ceremo
nies. Harper's Magnr'ne.
Twelve Good Recipes.
For preserving the complexion Tem
perance. To remove stains Repentance.
For sweetening the breath Truth.
Eaiy shaving soap Ready money.
For improving the voice Civility.
For whitening the handd Honesty. .
A beautiful ring The family circle.
To keep away moths Good society.
For improving the sight Observa
tion. The best companion to the toilet A
good loving wife.
To become prosperous Advertise
your busines in your home paper.
To get to heaven Always pay the
printer's bills promptly.
FACTS AID C01MENTS.
In view of the number of land slips
which have lately taken place in various
parts of Switzerland, it is proposed to
organize a Swiss Land Slip commission,
with subcommissions in every canton,
whose duty it will be to inspect locali
ties where land Blips are likely to occur,
to devise means to prevent their occur
rence, and to warn persons whose lives
may be imperiled.
The late Dr. Holland, the author,
would seem to have met the usual ex
perience which authors undergo. His
"Titoomb Letters" were refused by
two prominent Boston publishers, and a
New York publisher refused even to
look rit them. He carried them to Mr.
Scribner who asked him to read speci
mens from them. At the end of the
third he agreed to take them, and they
attained an issue of 60,000 copies.
To 'discover spurious greenback or
national bank notes, divide the last two
figures of the number of the bill by four,
and if one remains the letter on the
genuine will be A; if two remains it will
beB, if three, C; and should there be
no remainder, the letter will be D.
For example, a note is registered 2461 ;
divide sixty-one by four, aud you will
have one remaining. According to this
rule, the letter on the note will be A.
In case the rule fails, be certain that
bill is counterfeit or altered.
The agricultural distress in England
has in a curious way led to the discus
sion of the Biblical injunction against
work on the Sabbath day. It has so
happened that several Sundays have
come as pleasant days, preceded and
followed by days of inclement weather.
The crops were in such a state that
every hour counted, but so strong was
the Sabbatarian feeling among a large
number of tbe people that tens of
thousands of farmers conscientiously
refrained from work ' on Sunday,
although by so doing they sacrificed in
the aggregate an immense amount of
money.
It was only in 1830 that the first
cheese from America crossed the Atlan
tic From September 1, 1880, to Sep
tember 1, 1881, the quantity of cheese
sent across fiom New York has been
127,311 boxes, but the gradual diminu
tion of the export for the last four
months has caused great uneasiness
among the hotel keepers and restaura
teurs of London. Of late years, rows upon
rows of gigantic American cheeses
might be seen piled up on the shelves
of the dining hall of every great Lon
don dining house. More there than here
clerks and commercial men are cheese
devourers, and the bread-and-cheese
lunch and bread-and-cheese supper are
the ne plus ultra of epicureanism to
these classes of consumers.
In one of the surveying parties of the
Macon and Brunswick extension in
Georgia there were nine boys Of tlieso
eight were graduates of some university
with diplomas in their pockets. They
were working for about 81 a day, and en
gaged in the hardest of manual labor
cheerful, ambitious and rather proud of
tbeir hard and rough work than other
wise. " This group of boys," remarks
the Atlanta (Ga ) Cnnntilution, " is oue
of the signs of the times. Snch a thing
it would have been impossible t) find
in the olden days. The sons cf rich
men graduates of universities wore
then seldom found at manual labor. At
last, however, labor is made honorable
in tin South, and no man stands higher
there than the man who lives by the
sweat of his brow."
China seems to retain a monopi ly in
Chinese tea and canton matting. The
late commissioner of agriculture be
lieved he could enter the United States
in the race with tho former, but so far
the success l not promising. In re
gard to canton matting, an enormous
amount is shipped to tbe United States
every year, with no attempt to make
any of it in the United States. Indeed,
it has been' difficult to ascertain pre
cisely what plants are used in the
matting manufacture. It has at length
been found that it is made of a kind of
galingale, or sedge gnus, another sedge
being used for finer work. These sedge
grasses are gathered wild from swamps
or damp places, by the poorer classes,
and sold to the factories. The yellow
coloring matter is made from the flowers
of Sophora Japonica, a tree now com
mon in Amerioan gardens. The blue is
obtained from a sort of wild buokwheat.
It is not yet known what plant they use
for the green dye, though its vernacular
name is "Lam lip.
Mr. Scoville, the brother-in-law and
counsel of Guiteau, the assassin of
President Garfield, wrote to General B.
F.Butler.requesting his assistance in de
fending the prisoner at the forthcoming
trial. Owing to previous engagements
General Butler was unable to accede to
the request, but in his letter of declina
Hon speaks as follows: " If the trial
was set for a time when I could possi
bly devote myself to this case, 1 should
very carefully weigh your application
before I refused it. . I hold it to be a
part of the chivalry of my profession
that no lawyer within the circuit whore
he praotloes ought, without good cause,
to refuse to stand for a man whose life
is in danger before a court of justice,
whether his. personal belief might be
that the accused was innocent or guilty;
and, of course, tbe amount of compen
sation in the case ought not to beoime
a make-weight in the question. The
admirable example set by Otis, one of
the Sons of Liberty, in faoe of popular
prejudice, defending the king's ofil
cers for shooting down the citizens of
Boston in King street (now State
street), has been the rule ol my pro
fessional life and ought to be the guide
of every lawyer."
The governor of Michigan, following
the lead of Nebraska and other States,
set apart the 28th day of April as a time
for tree planting in that State. The
growth of this enterprise on the part
of State governments, says the Christian
at Work, must be looked upon as an
encouraging sign, indicating as it does,
a new interest in the subject of tree
planting and growing. It is indeed
high time some such measures were
taken to keep the supply of val
uable woods from being entirely
consumed. A few years ago we seldom
heard a word to the effect that not only
walnut, but even maple, hickory, ash,
etc., would be scarce. Unless proper
protective measures are taken in a short
time they will be entirely unable to
supply the demand. It has been ascer
tained that a forest of mixed wood on
medium soil grows about a cord cf
wood a year on an acre of land. If
much more than a cord is removed
from an acre in a year, the production
is reduced. But to keep the production
from diminishing, it makes all the dif
ference in the world what trees you
take away, whether you take those
which are beginning to decay, or those
which are in the rapidest growth. It is
only by the best judgment in thinning
out that the capital of growth can be
kept whole after a forest ha3 become
well established.
SCIENTIFIC LSOTES.
The'precision of modern engineering
is forcibly illustrated by the recently
accomplished feat of picking up a long
unuRed ocean cable from a depth of
2,000 fathoms. The scientific engineer
ing which locates a fault with so much
exactness and so readily finds a mere
thread two miles under the sea must
add much to the security and value of
ocean telegraphio property.
In his address at the York meeting
of the British association Professor
nuxley predicted that fifty years hence,
or in the centennial year of t he associa
tion, whoever undertakes to record the
progress of paleontology will note tbe
present time as the epoch in which the
law of succession cf the forms of tbe
higher animals was determined by tho
observation of paleontolgical facts.
Experiments by German scientists in
ascertaining the peculiarities of the
electric light, establish the fact that it
is not only healthier than other
methods of illumination in leaving the
air purer, but that it increases tht
power of the vision in some respects,
especially in distinguishing colors.
Red, green, blue and yellow are made
much more distinct and marked under
this light than by daylight.
When the earth in which a plant
grows is much warmer than the air the
plant grows very thick, ceases almost
altogether to increase in height,
and finally shows deep transverse rifts
which make further growth an impossi
bility. These effects were produced by
M. Prilleux, who used a large dish of
earth, in which he planted tho seeds,
and kept the earth ten degrees warmer
than the moist air of the chamber.
The Moniteur Indmlriel, in an article
on tho influence of temperature on the
resistance of steel, states that it is the
presence of phosphorous which is the
main cause of tho variation in strength.
Iron, whih contains none ef it, main
tains the same breuking strain in various
temperatures, and gave only a blight
variation of the limit of elasticity. It
follows from this that one of the best
means of avoiding the breakage oi
wheels, tyres i-nd axles of cars and loco
motives is tho employment of pure
steel free from phosphorous.
On a Diligence Road to Mexico.
In Mrs. May Hallock Foote's " Dili
gence Journey in Mexico," in the Leu-
lury Mngminti (recently Scribner), occurs
the following: Thus far we hud met
no vehicles except the two-wheeled
carts drawn by oxen wheels wi hout
tires, hewn out and showiug the eepa
ratestrokts of the ax, but mauy humble
travelers on foot, trotting into Mexico
with back-loads of market stuff. Fruits
and vegetables were carried in a four
sided hamper or cage called a hu-ieni.
made of osiers; often it was filled with
live fowls, the tail-feathers of the cock
gayly fluttering through the bars of the
cage, or was divided into compartments,
wiin eggs below and fowls above. Y
met huge masses of pottery ineeu
iously wcven together with the cords
of the agave, and towering perilously
above the bearer's head ; rolls of matting,
wooden trays, bundles of sugar cane,
caniotn ta kind of sweet potato), and to
matoes wrapped in green leaves. A
pair of live bens never came amiss.
swinging by the legs from a disengaged
hand, or tied to an available coiner of
the load. Whole families were en route,
even to the laby, rolled in t ne end of
the long cotton scarf which the Indian
mother wears over her head, or bus
pended in its folds at her back. I do
not think a stranger procession could
be met with on the high-roads of this
century.
Steadily climbing, the country grow
ing poorer andwilder, we pass many
heaps of stones supporting the fatal
cross the place of a murder making a
mate appeal to the traveler to pray for
one cut off in his sins. We enter tho
mountain passes, dark with pines and
firs, and ascend to the battlefield of
Las Cruces, on the divide which sepa
rates the valley of Mexico from that of
Toluca. We pass the monument to Hi
daleo, and I ask with shame who was
Hidalgo, and am answered: " He wts cur
Washington this is our Bunker Hill ! "
It was hereon the 80th of October, 1810,
that Hidalgo with his Indian insurgents,
armed chiefly with slings, bows, clubs,
lancea and machetts, met the troops of
the Spanish government, under Colonel
Truxillo, and drove them back upon tbe
capital. The loss of th Indians must
have been frightful; in their ignorance
of the nature of artillery, they charged
Truxillo's guns and " tried to stop the
mouths of them with their straw bats,
until hundreds hod perished by the dis
charge." After the battle a sad train
of Indian women went up on the moun
tain to bury their dead, and the many
crosses that were raised by their hands
gave the spot its name.
Life has its compensations : A deaf
man never bears the evil that's said
about him. . . .
CONFIDENCE MEN.
How They Opnrnte lli-lwcrn New (York
nnil Pbltndelphta.
A Philadelphia letter to a New York
paper says: J. he bunko men wno
operate between this city and New York
have been reaping a harvest of late.
The leader of the gang has in foar
instances represented himself as a
nephew of Anthony J. Drexel or a
member of the well-known banking
bouse of which Mr. Drexel is the head.
One of the victims was Mr. Evan Ran
dolph, an experienced business man,
whom ho swindled out of $110. The
second was Mr. Hazlehurst, a leading
member of the Philadelphia bar, whom
he caught for 82 4(10. The third was
Mr. J. A. J. Sheets, a prosperous
lumber merchant, who lost $2,900 by
his confidence in the scoundrel. The
fourth victim is no less a personage
than the Hon. George Sharswood, chief-
justice of the supreme court of Penn.
sylvania. In the latter case, however,
the amount involved was only 810-
The story of this operation was given
to your correspondent as follows :
As I was strolling up uroadway, in
New York, a well-dressed young man
addressed me by some name not my
own, which I do not recall, and seemed
both confused and incredulous when I
told him that ho was mistaken. He,
however, apologetically said that I bore
a striking resemblanceto the gentleman
who he supposed me to be, and that he
wouid be grateful if I would tell mm
who I was. I cave him my name, and
he left me with every mark of courtesy.
I had not gone much further when an
other gentleman, youthful, well-dressed
and of remarkably pleasing manners,
crossed the sidewa'k toward me, and.
extending his haiid, addressed me bj
name and professed to be delighted to
have met me. His face did not seem
unfamiliar to me, but I could not re
call his name, and I supposed my puz
zled lock led him to relieve my mind,
as he said: ' Ah, I see you don't remem
ber me. I am v. A. Drexel, Jr. i nave
been studying art in Paris, and returned
only last week.' He then asked many
questions about the welfare of promi
nent Philadelphians, with whose names,
occupations and social standing he
seemed thoroughly familiar, lie also
conversed very interestingly on
art matters abroad, mentioning
incidentally that he had been an
extehsive purchaser for the account of
his uncle's as well as himself. We
walked uptown, chatting thus pleas
antly, and not a suspicion that my com
panion was not what he represented
himself to be entered my mind. At
length he mention u that be bad just
received a very expensive painting from
Paris one for which Belmont s and
Vanderbilt's agent had bid against him, .
but which ho had bought for DO.UUU
francs. 'It was a very steep price, and I
don't know how father and Uncle Tony
will like it,' he said. He then invited
me to look at his treasure, which, he
paid, was only a block or two away.
Nothing was occupying me paotioularly
at that time, and I consented. Taming
down one of the cross streets we came
to a handsome brown-stone house, into
which we entered after tinging the bell.
While we stood on the steps my com
panion told me that he had drawn the
grand prize, 11,000 francs, in a lottery
designed for tbe benefit of some Pari
sian art association, and was only wait
ing in the city for the mom y to come
to hand. Ho then would go to Phila
delphia and visit his relatives. The
door was opened by a liveried porter,
and we were admitted to a saloon parlor
that seemed to have been turned into
an office. Mr. Drexel introduced him
self to the gentlemanly individual who
occupied the desk, and said that he had
brought me,mentioning my name, to see
bis famous picture. The gentlemanly
individual was sorry that the picture
bad just been sent to Philadelphia, and
he showed the express receipt in con
firmation. Apologizing for the disap
pointment, my companion made a move
as though to go away, when the gentle
manly individual, after a brief consulta
tion of what seemed to be a book of
entry, suid : 'Mr. Drexel, 1 received the
remittance of your giand prize, 11,000
francs, this morning. Here is the
money,' and he counted out what
seemed to be that amount. The gen- -tlemanly
individual then suggested
that it would be well to take some tick
ets in another lottery drawing for the
benefit of some other art association. ,
Drexel was willing. He said he patron
ized such schemes for the benefit ot
art, and always turned his prizes over
to deserving artists. I had scruples
against such methods, but he insisted,
and I handed him $10. Then they
brought out a numbered chart, and
gambling implements. I saw at onoe
that the whole thing was a trick and
device, and I repossessed myself of the
10 which I had given my companion,
and which was lying on the table, and
made my way out of the room without
opposition. The pseudo Drexel came
along, and agreed entirely with me in
my estimate of the character1 of the
place. I still had confidence in him,
losing it only after suits hod been
brought to reoover money falsely so
obtained."
The World's Shipping.
From statistics recently compiled in
regard to the shipping of the world, it
appears that, omitting vessels ot less ,
than fifty tons measurement, Europe
possesses forty-two tons to every 1,000
inhabitants; America, forty; Australia,
seventy-nine; and Asia and Africa only
two tons per thousand. Liverpool, with '
a tonnage of 2,647,373, ranks as the
most important port in the world; fol
lowed by London, with 2.330,688; nan
gow, 1,432,304; 'New York, 1,153 670
tons. The nine leading ports of Great
Britain have a tonnage of 8,724,123,
while the first four ports of this coun
try have only 1,076,940 tons. Twenty
years ago this country carried sixty-ux
per cent, of its foreign trade in Ameri
can built and American registered ves
sels, but it has gradually declined until
now it is less than righteen per cent.
The gross tonnage of Great Britain and
Ireland amount , to about 12,000,000
tons, and including that of the colonies
the British flag proteots 14,000,000 of
the world's tonnage of 27,000,000.