4 iiiiiftt 1 ii '4 B. P. SCHWEIER, THE OOI8TrnmOI-THE UHOI-AID THE EfTOEOnCEST OP THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. XXXV. MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1881. NO. IS. !L -c NA.AA; THS IRRI5G. Think frent'y of ths erring ! Ys know not ot the power With which tli dark temptation csma. In soma unguarded hoar. Ye may not know how earnestly They struggled, or how well. Until the hoar of weakness rams. And sadly thus they fell. Deal gently with the erring ! Oh, do not thoa forget. However darkly stained bj tin. He ia thy brother yc t Ileir of the self-same heritage ! CLild of the self-same God ! He hath bnt stumbled in the path. Thou hast in weakness trod. Speak gently to the erring ! For is it net enough lbat innocence and pcaoa hare gone, Without thy censure rough ? It sure must be a wear; lot That sin-crushed heart to bear. And they who share a happier fate Their eludings well may spare. Speak gently to the erring ! Thou yet may'at win them back. With holy words and tones of lore, From misery's thorny track. Forgot not thou hast often sinned, And sinful yet must be Deal gently with the erring one, As God has dealt with thee ! Miss Lawson's Monty. Clark, there's been a robbery at 84 G , street,' said my chief, one morning June, 1S72, as I entered tie office. "I want you to go there and see about it at once. There's a reward of $ 1000 offered. ' 1 )f course 1 lost time in starting for 84 G . street, which I found to be an unpretentious-looting little cottage, standing in the midst of quite a large and unculti rated garden. I was shown into the par lor, and a minute later was joined by a short, stout, elderly lady, who introduced herself as follows : '.Mr. Clarke, the detective, I presume. I am Miss Harriet Lawson, the owner of the house, and the person who sent for you. Suppose we proceed to business at once.' I fcignified that such was my desire, and the oM lady proceeded in her abrupt man ner: Of course you want to know all I can tell you about the robbery, WelL it is not much that I know it's all a mystery to me. Yesterday afternoon I drew the sum of six thousand dollars from the sayings bank. I locked it up in my safe, and when 1 went to get it this morning, for the pur pose of paying a note which fell due to day, it was gone. That's all 1 know about it.' V hat sort of a safe have you got?' I asked. You can see for yourself,' replied the lady. "Step this way.' 1 followed her to an apartment on the floor above. 'That is my room,' sbe said, as she openened the door, and there is my safe in the corner.' 'It has a patent combination lock, I said, 'and bears no marks of violence.' 'Just so,' interposed Miss Lawson, "and that's what puzzles me. Last nigh. I set the lock at a new 'combination, and I slept in'that bed, right in sight of these all all night, with the key under my pillow. I am a very light sleeper, and 1 don't see how any one could have possibly removed the key and opened the sate without wakening me. Did any one beside yourself know the combination !' 'No; but well, 1 hate to confess I was such a fool but the trata is, I was afraid 1 might forget the combination,- and so 1 wrote it on a slip of paper, which 1 put in my top bureau drawer.' 'Unfortunate. WelL Miss Lawson, who lives in the house besides yourself V I asked The old lady looked me steadily in the eye. '.Nobody in the house took the money. I will cot allow such an idea to enter my head. That is not an answer to my question, Miss Lawson.' 'Mr. Clark,' said the old lady, 4,but two persons besides myself slept in the house last night. They are my servant, Bar bara, ajd my companion, Miss Alice Trafton. Neither of them knows anything of the matter.' Still 1 would like to examine both,' 1 persisted. 'I will not allow it 1' exclaimed the old lady, angrily. 'Barbara Heath is an old, trusted servant, whom I have had for many years, and Alice Trafton is the daughter of a dear, deceased friend, has been my companion for two years past, and wili be my heiress. They are both above suspicion. I will not permit you to ques tion ei'-her of them.' 'Then, madame, I throw np the case. I will bid you good morning.' Stop I' she cried, as 1 was leaving the room, "what do you mean I' I must conduct the case in my own way, or not at all.' Miss Lawson reflected. 'I suppose you must have your way,' she said, 'but do not let either of them think they are suspected for a moment. If you will step down to the parlor I will call them.' T wo minutes later Miss Alice Trafton and the servant, Barbara, stood in my pre sence. The former was without exception the most beautiful girl 1 had ever seen a blonde, with a wealth of shining, golden hair, and a pair of glorious blue eyes that iun an eleetrir thrill thmmrh mv frame as 1 looked into them, Her companion was a tail angular, miaaie-agea woman, i stared at me with manifest displeasure. I first questioned the servant, who an swered my inquires with great promptness. She heard no noise during the night, and know nnti.inirnf the affair except what Miss Lawson told her that morning. This , , v t . 1 was her testimony, alter nearwg wuiui dismissed her, and turned my attention to whn oeemed to be laboring under great embarrassment. The color came and went on her oeauuiui laco as j questioned her, and several times she seemed on the point of bursting into tears. PnMMitlv T asked hen You were in the bouse all night, were yau hot, Miss Trafton I' a f tor . immmt'. limitation, she an swered in an almost inaudible tone of voice: 1 mra a nnw air I' 'Why, Alice, exclaimed Miss Lawson, starting to fier feet, what do you mean r '1 will not attemDt to deceive you, said the irnnno- irl- ! u absent frODS the house between the hours of ten and twelve elrwk 'After I supposed you were abed and asleep I myself !' exclaimed the 01a jaay. IVhere were win t' That,' said'Miss Trafton, 'I cannot tell you, aunt.' Cannot tell me!' gasped Miss Lew-on. And you will not tell met' I asked. Ho, sin was the gentle but firm re ply. 'That will do, Miss Trafton.'! said "You may go. When she wss gone, I turned to Miss Lawson and asked: 'Was Miss Trafton aware of that mem orandum in your bureau drawer !' Yea, sir, she was.' replied the aid lady; but do not, I beg of you, think of suspect ing her. (she is incapable of such a crime. Rest assured she has some good reason for refusing to tell me where she was last night some reason which she will divulge to me when we are alone.' I made no reply, but as I arose to take my leave 1 said : X will commence work at once, and will communicate with you immediately when I succeed in mHng any discovery.' "No matter what your suspicions may be. promise me that you will not let Miss Trafton know them until you are abso lutely certain of her guilt,' pleaded Miss Lawson. She shall suspect nothing if I can help UVIaaid. All that aay, while I was at work os the case. Miss Trafton's beautiful face haunted me. Do what I would, I could not drive the thought of her from my mind. In all my life I had never seen a woman to whom I felt so strongly attracted. But I resolutely steeled my heart against the softening influence of her lovely face, and determined not to let it stand between me and the conscientious performance of my duty as an officer. Three days passed, and the afternoon ef the third day, as I sat in my office sum ming up the results of my investigations, who should rush in but Miss Lawson. 'Mr. Clark,' she said, dropping into a chair and beginning to fan herself violent ly, I could not wait for you any longer,so here I am. Have you discovered any thing? 'Yes, madam,' I replied, 'I have dis covered where Miss Trafton went between the hours of eleven and twelve that night. She has not toldjrou yet, I presume f ' 'No, sir; despite my pleading, nay, my commands, she has refused to tell me. Where did she go I' She went to the corner of Broadway and Eighteenth street, where she met a man to whom, under the light of a street lamp, she paid a sum of money.' Good heavens 1 are you certain of this!' I have it from the lips of an eye-witness.' And who was the man !' '1 don't know, Miss Lawson. That's what I am trying to find out.' 'Have you a description of him !' 'A rather vague one. lie was described to me as tall, slim, and wearing a black moustache. Uave you any idea who it was?' Not the slightest. Oh, this is terrible 1 Mr. Clark, I would have staked my life on the virtue and integrity of that girl. And even now I will not believe her guilty. Per haps she can explain it all. But, sir, I have news for you. I've had more money stolen.' 'More, madam ? When ? Two hundred dollars last night and the same amount the night before. Both sums were taken as before, from my safe. Now, Mr. Clark, I have a proposi tion to make to you. I want you to keep a watch on my house to-night. At eight o'clock this evening I will send both Alice and Barbara out upon errands, and while they are gone you can come. I will con. ceal you in the spare room, which is di rectly opposite my t part men t. You can sit there in the dark, unseen and unsus pected, and watch, and I am confident that your vigilance will be rewarded by some discovery of importance.' At the appointed hour that evening I presented myself at Miss Lawson's cottage. 1 wasat once ushered into tne spareroom. &i nine o'clock Miss Trafton and the servant returned. Half an hour later the entire household was in bed. The place was still as death as I sat there, a dark lantern by my side, watching and waiting. The clock struck ten, and 1 had seen or heard nothing to excite my suspicions. At eleven ray watch was still unrewarded. I had but little faith in any desirable result from my vigil, and looked forward to the long, dreary night which was before me with anything but pleasur able emotions. But I was destined to be happhy disappointed. As the halt bom- after eleven struck I heard a slight noise, and a moment later Miss Lawson's door opem d and the old lady appeared a loose wrapper thrown over her, a lamp in her hand. Her eyes wore a strange meaningless stare, tehe did not, as 1 at nrst expected, enter my room, but proceeded with noise less tread alone the passage-way. In stantly, a suspicion of the truth entered my mind, and 1 arose ana loiiowea ner. She went down to the lower floor, then turned into a passage-way, walked the whole length of that, opened a door and descend a flight of stairs into the cellar. Arrived at this apartment, she proceeded to one corner where a number of boxes and barrels were stored, and knelt upon the ground. She then drew from her pocket a roll of bills, which she placed in one ot the boxes. Then rising to her feet, sbe began to retr.ee her steps. Of course the reader understands by this time as clearly as I then understood, that Miss Lawson was a somnambulism As she reached the foot of the cellar stairs, I stepped forward and awoke her. For a few moments she seemed at a loss tn mmnrehend her position, then, as she gradually recovered the use of her facul ties, she said : 'Why 1 have I been walking in my sleep again? I thought I was cured of that trick long ago.' That's iust what you ve oecn uouig, madam.' I said. 'But don't go up stairs yet Look here,' and I stepped to the corner, where she had knelt, drew lortn the box and displaved the contents before ker 'Whv here is every penny 01 tne missing nnnevl' ah PXClaimeO. D,W UUUC " V r,nt it there. Miss lAWSOn. 1 ou hm hmn robbing vourse.f all this time.' For a moment the old lady stooa irane- a .at then she cried : F.xaetlv 1 1 see it all new I I have been so worried about the safety of my money, that the idea has preyedupon my mina wnue I slept, and this is the result. " eu, luaua t,aan it i all exnlained now. I knew Alice could not have had anything to do -m.it Anri now she must explain about .k.f m.n rit have her up at once and v. her tell me all about it, I Cannot uia.. .lnnnlil I knOW SU.' mv remonstrances. Miss Lawson n..heH nr. stairs and knocked at Miss WWVU "1- - Alice Alice, put on your wrapper and oome out here at once. J wan. TIn a moment, aunt,' "aid the wonderful voice of the young girl. .,..., I would have withdrawn, but Mass Law- Karl me remain. 'I want you to be convinced, as I am cer tain you will be when the truth is known, of my poor Alice's innocence," sbe said. In less than a uuuute Miss Trafton emer ged from her room, wearing a loose cash mere wrapper, and looking more beautiful than ever. In a few moments Miss Lawson exp'a'n ed the situation to her, and then asked. 'Now, Alice, who was that man you met that night I' 1 would gladly have kept the truth from you, dear aunt,' said the young girl, her voice trembling with emotion; 'but as you know so much now, it is better 1 should tell you all. W hen, at the death cf my mother, you rescued me from poverty and misery, and gave me a home in your house, I did not tell j ou that 1 bad a brother who had gone astray who was even then an inmate of the state prison. You were so good yourself, and your ideas n such mat ters were so strict, that I thought it best to keep this a secret. Hut 1 have from time to time secretly communicated with my brother, and last week, upon his release irom prison, 1 had an interview with him, at which he told me, to my horror, that an other warrant was out for his arrest on a charge of which he swore was innocent. He begged ot me to raise him some money so that he could leave the eountry, and be gin life anew in a foreign land. I had saved nearly three hundred dollars from your generous allowance, dear aunt aunt, and this I promised to give to him on the night that your money disappeared, lie was the man that I met on the corner of Eighteenth street and Broadway. He is now far away from New 1ork. Now you know my secret, Can you forgive me ?' t or answer, the o:d lady clasped Alice to her breast. Hew I envied her! I now took my departure, first receiving a cordial invitation from the old lady to call again. I did call again, and welL Alice and I were married six months from that night. Cos Field ( Ua tt-rld. The coal fields of the world, so far from being in danger of exhaustion, as alarmists are fond of asserting, have in fact as yet barely been touched. The couth Wales coal field is, after that of the Clyde Basin, the largest field in Bntain, and contains almost as great a vertical thickness of strata as any coal field in the world, amount ing to upwards of 10,000 feet. Of this to tal depth only 120 feet are pure coal. As the lowest coal bed must have at one time been exposed to air or water for the growth of the plants which formed the coal in their decay, the South Wales coal field testifies to a subsidence of the earth sufficient to have brought come of the highest of the Alps to the sea leveL The time required for so great a transformation 1 estimated as 640,000 years. It is only, however, to a depth of 4,000 feet that, having regard to the increased heat of the earth as we de scend, coal can be obtained; but, even with this limitation, the supply left in the veins of the district is sufficient to supply con sumption at its present rate for 1,600 year?. Great Briain will more and more cease to supply an extraneous demand in addition to that of her own manufactuies. Not only has the splendid mining region of Pennsyl- vania been developed, but in India, in Cui us, in Australasia, and at the Cape vast supplies of fossil fuel have, been discover ed. Economies in manufacture or dimin ishing the rate of growth in coal consump tion, and any increased use of electricity as a motive force tends to make the same quantity of carbon go much further in ef fecting mechanical results. Steam coal set to drive an engine which produces the electric light will result in illuminating power which exceeds a hundred fold that produced by a Use amount of gas coal heated in retorts. The thickest bed of mineral fuel is in Kussian Poland, and coal of various qualities black, brown, anthra cite, etc crops up not only in .Belgium and the north of France, and along the Prussian Rhine, but in Saxony, where it is the foundation of the wealth of Chemnitz, in Westphalia, Hanover, Bohemia, Silesia, Moravia, in the Astunas and elsewhere in Spain, in several governments of Uussia, and in Nova Scotia, Brazil and Chili, while native anthracite is worked as railway fuel in Switzerland, Savoy and Italy. The an nual produce of the world is 289,000,000 tons, of which the British Isles furnish 134,000,000, the United States and Oer- many coming next with 50,000,000 tons apiece. The production of Bengal in 1879 was 523,097, that of New South Wales was 1,444,271 in 1877; but in each case the merest fringe of the coal district has been reached; vast accumulations, readily accessible, remain behind. I'm hleepr. A gentleman of high social and business standing in New York, was making a trip on one of the Sound steamers last fall. when he was approached by quietly dressed and soft-spoken young man, who made a few general remarks and then asked: 'Are you open for business to-night I Yes; I'm always ready for business,' was the reply. Thought so. Your clothes are all right, and you talk political economy like an orator, but your face gives you dead away. spotted you as soon as we leit dew York.' The gentleman was dumbfounded, and while in this condition the other queried : Shall it be an even whack up f ' 1-1 ' 'I think we are certain to strike sugar in this crowd.' My friend, I fear I am ignorant of what you are driving at. What business is it you wish to talk over ?' Come, don't try any 01 that on me. I'm willing to make a fair divide.' Of what 1 There's my caro, sin and 1 should like to see yours.' The stranger took the card, looked it over, gave the merchant a close inspection, and then answered : Well. I'm beaten for the first time in ten year I Are you going back on this line? Yes." Then vou should have some one along who can swear to your identity, and you'd better hand vour card to every man who comes within six feet of your nose 1 Good evening I'm sleepy I It was two or three days bciore the gen tleman could make out what it all meant, and it is said that he is now trying to change his facial expression. Ore fc Cleverness. When Dcmades, the orator, remarked that the swords of the Spartans were so short that they could be swallowed by con jurors, Agis, the young lung of that name, replied: "We find them quite long enough to reach the enemy.' This is attributed by him to Leotychidaa, son of Ansto: "A snake having twined itself around a key. which was declared by the years to be a portent, Leotychidaa remarked: lt would have been more of a potent if the key had twined itself round a snake.' " In passing sentence on two rogues, Philip of Mace- don ordered one to leave Macedonia with all speed, and the other to try to catch him. No less astute was his query as to a strong position he wished to occupy, which was reported by ue scouts to be almost impreg nable. "Is there not," he asked, "ev n a pathway to it wide enough for an ass laden with goldl TEK GOLKS LINING. Life to-day is dark and dr.ary. Badly we sit repining; But the clouds will roll away And show a goldea lining. Though they now obscure the sky And sadly drops the rain. If our faith is placed on high The sun will shine again. Sad misfortunes and great losses Hide the sua, behind them shining. Bat ere long they'll roll away AnJ show a glorious, golden lining. They are for the best, you'll find ; God baa caused, them for a warning ; They make np the nights in life fery night must hars its morning. Klch for One Day. Charles Jones lived in Bunkers ville. He was strictly honest, and he was poor. Jones had, v many poor men have, a large fam ily, and when winter arrived it found him eut of employment and almost out of bread. By doing odd jobs, however, he manared to keep body and soul together. One morning be arose in very low spirits ; he was to eat bisRst crumb of bread lor breakfast. "What must I do I" he cried. "Trust in Providence," answered his faithful wile, breaking in upon his solilo- elL I will, i ll go down the street and see if I can get an odd Job or two " - He had scarcely gone a square when an acquaintance coming toward him said : 'Hallo! Jones, looking better than usual this morning ; no wander, though ; I believe I would feel jolly, too, were 1 in your place. Allow me to congratulate you, sir." Poor Jones was completely staggered. Formerly be had received only a cool nod of recognition from Mr. Williams ; now it was a kind word and a hand offered to shake, and congratulated, tool And for what ? He could only stammer ; 'Mr. Williams, I I really 1 what do you mean ?" Oh, of course I Expected you would be proud and stuck up," explained Mr. WUliam ; adding, "Give you two weeks to get over that." And with tins lucid explanation of his conduct, Mr. Williams passed on. "He is crazy 1 exclaimed Jones. While looking ia amazement at the re treating form of the supposed maniac, a hand lightly touched his shoulder which caused him to turn and face Mr. Graball. 'How are you, Jones? Ulad to see you,' said Graball extending his hand. I am pret pretty we well essayed the astonished Jones. Of course you are,' continued Graball. 'And how modestly you assume your rew roU 1 I'll tell you, Jones, you know you wanted to borrow twenty-five dollars of me the other day; I didn't happen to have it just then, but yesterday I collected my rents; so this morning, when 1 sat down to make out your check, I thought 1 might as well make it fifty instead ot twenty five.' Thrusting the check into Jones' band, he was about to depart, when he added: I forgot, Jones; my wife savs you must dine with us next Sunday. Be sure to come and bring your wife and children.' As Graball whisked out of sight, Jones tried to collect his thoughts. After a mis erable attempt, he determined to go home and consult his wife; she might solve the riddle that puzzled him. Arriving at home, amazement was only to be succeeded by wonder and surprise, for, in passing through the hall into the kitchen, he found his wife unheading a barrel of flour, and his daughter putting away a lot of beef. 'Is it you Charles?' said his wile. '1 don't know, Mary; lust stick me with a pin, till I see.' No, indeed, I shall notl But just think 1 of it, Charles! The grocer sent up this barrel of flour this morning that he refused to trust you for last wee K, and the butcher's boy stopped with some meat, when you know he has refused us all along. When I asked him what was the matter, he only winked and said we could settle at the end of the month. Mrs. Stingy, our neighbor, sent in two pounds of butter, saying she was sorry she didn't have it yesterday when we wanted to borrow a cupful, but as her butter man had just come, she could spare us two pounds.' And 1 ve got a check for fifty dollars: And Jones, overcome by such muni ficence, sat down and gasped for breath. 1 wonder what it means?' faintly in quired Mrs. Jones. Give it up!' shouted Jones, despairing of ever solving the riadle. Suddenly a loud knock was heard at the front door. 'If that is any person with a corner house and lot, refuse it! Tell them we won't have it!' yelled Mr. Jones at his wife, as she rushed to see who it was. Oh, it is you, is it?' he said, in a relieved tone, as Miss TeUail, the village gossip, was ushered in. Of course it is! But, law me! I won t get mad at that, I told brother James that I expected you would be kind of fussy like and excited; almost every one is that has a fortune left them.' 'What fortune, madam?' demanded Jones. Yes, what fortune?' added Mrs. Jones. You don't mean to toll me you don't know that a fortune has been left you? Well, I'U read it to you." Miss Tellall then pulled out the "Bunk ers ville Beacon," and read as follows : "We are glad to know that our friend, Charles Jones, has come into a handsome fortune, left him by an uncle who recently died in England. Good luck could not have fallen upon a more worthier man. We congratulate him." "That was what Williams wanted to do, but I thought he wes crazy," moaned Jones. "This accounts for it alL then," exclaim ed the practical Mrs. Jones. ' "Miss Tellall this is a great mistake.; I have had no fortune left me," said Jones. "And further, I never had an uncle ia England; it's some other Jones." "Law me I do tell 1 Well, I'll go home and tell the folks, so they won't worry about you. You see they thought you might be nek, and would need careful nursiLg. But if you haven't got a fortune you are not sick, are you? No? ell, then, good-by V "I knew it." laconically exclaimed Jones, as Miss Tellall departed. "Knew what ?" asked his wife. "That there was a power behind the throne." Charles," said Mrs. Jones, "hadn't you better go down and see tae editor of that paper ? Perhaps he can explain." "A wise suggestion, ray dear, and one which I will immediately improve." The next morning the Bunkersville He aeon contained the following correc tion: "1b yesterday's Issue, we said Charles Jones had come into a fortune. That gen tleman called upon us and wanted to know when it was. We told him it was a mis takea typographical error that was alL It should have been Janes. We appealed Mr. Jcnes disappointment by giving him the paper free for one year, but would say this is the only case in which we shall de viate from our rule of two dollars a year in advance." "He needn't have spoken of his charity so prominently," commented Jones, after leading the paragraph. "Certainly he shouldn't," replied Mrs. Jones. "But then we can't help it now. Well, IH send that bitter of Mrs. Stingy's home." "Yes ; and you had better tell her that we appreciate " "What! The butter? No, Charles, its altogether too strong." "if you would have allowed me to finish, I would have added that we appreciated the motive which prompted her to be so kind ' "Iw me!" interrupted Mrs. Jones. "You can take it yourself if you want a person to be so very fine. "Never mind; we won't quarrel about it.'' Jones, after he found out the reason of all his excessive kindness, went to Graball and offered up the check which had been given him. But Graball saw that he had been caught by his own cupidity, and thought the best way to get out of it with grace to himself was to make a present of the money to Joues. Hut Jcnes wouldnT listen to that ; so it was settled that the money was to be loaned, and Jcnes was to take his own time to pay it. After paying the batcher and grocer, he had a neat sum left wldch served for all present necessi ties ; and soon after business picked up aad Jones obtained a permanent situation lie and his wife often laugh over the time when he was rich lor a day. done and (he Baby. 'It seems to me,' said Jones to his wife, who was walking around the roonu with the baby in her arms, that wouiau makes great deal of unnecessary fuss about put ting a child to sleep. Now, 1 would chuck him into bed, and let him squall it out.' it seems to me, 'said Mrs. Jones, quietly, that all men are born idiots.' Jones couldn't, for the life of him, see what the fact had to do with putting the baby to sleep, but he wisely held his peace. The next evening, Mrs. Jones came nto the sitting-room, where Jones was reading the market reports, and said : 1 am going down to mother's after that recipe for yeast. Baby is asleep, but, if he should wake, I presume you could put him to sleep again men are so handy with babies.' 'All right ! I'U put him te sleep in less than no time; tin along, mv dear.' said Jones,cbeerfully. Airs. Jones vanished, and Jones resumed his paper. fcoon after his wife's departure. Jones heard a little premonitory grunt from the Vicinity of the bedroom. liullo! what's that ?' exclaimed. Jones. as he assumed a listening attitude. tie soon found out, for the juvenile mem ber of the Jones family set up a series of yeils that would have done credit to a prima donna. Jones dropped his paper, rushed into the bedioom, seized his offspring, and car ried him wrong end up back into the sitting-room. The suddenness of the attack, and the unusual position, so astonished his baby ship that he forgot to scream for a few seconds, but when Jones righted him up, and offered him a pair of sleeve-buttons for playthings, Johnny shut his eyes, opened his mouth, and began again with renewed vigor and determination. Jones abandoned the sleeve-buttons, and tried to "cuddle" the baby up after the maternal fashion, but baby sternly re fused to "cuddle;" and, with degree of energy for which Jones was whollv un prepared, and which evinced a total lack of respect for the "author of his being " Johnny grabbed the paternal whiskers with both bands and howled louder than ever. Jones released himself, smoothed his cherished whiskers, deposited his heir on the sola, retreated to a safe distance, rub bed bis face carefully, smiled in a vague kind of a way, as if te didn't know ex actly where the fun came in, and wonder ed "what the dickens Maria would do un der similar cirenmstances.' Baby put his fist into his mouth, and looked as if he wondered what his paternal ancestor would do next. There, now,' exclaimed Jones, im mensely relieved, "he is papa's pitty ittle sonny, so he is.' Sonny, promptly resented this bv a long drawn yell that struck terror to the soul of his dismayed parent. Jones was at bis wit's end: He rrew recklecs. He whistled to that baoy; he sang; he made faces; he cut a series of an tics that would have driven a ballet-dancer mad with envy; but all tone purpose. Baby had evidently taken a contract to furnish so much yell in a given time, and was bound to do the square thing. n hen Airs. Jones returned, she found a demoralized looking man wandering around (he house, with a baby on one arm, while with his disengagsd hand he wiped the perspiration from his maniy Drow with the tail end of the baby's nightdress. 'It seems to me.' remarked Mis. Jones. as she took the baby, that men make a great deal of unnecessary fuss about put ting a baby to sleep. Now, I' the front door closed with a bang Jones was on his way down the street to see a man.' Throwing the Hatchet, In the fourteenth century the situation of public executioner to the city of Flor ence became vacant, and as it was a place f considerable emolument there were three candidates. A day was. appointed for public display of their several abilities. The first candidate, with a knife, cleverly separated the head of the victim from the shoulders. He was outdone by the rapid stroke of the second, whose glittering broadsword struck terror into the hearts of the surrounding multitude. The third and least promising held in his hand a short hatchet, and when the victim was extended with his head on the fatal block, approached him, and in a low whis per inquired if he could swim well. On being answered in the affirma tive, he desired him to spring on his feet and cross the nver. The executioner then put on a fierce look, swung his weapon round his head, but, instead of making it descend on the devoted creature's neck, struck it with great force into the block! Shouts of execration rose from the crowd, and the trembling w retch, astonished at his wonderful escape, had nearly gamed the opposi'e bank ot the river before any steps were taken to pursue him. He had scarcely, however, gone ten yards on dry land, when the executioner, taking steady aim, threw his hatchet with such effect that the body continued running tome time after the head was off! From this rather improbable incident the common phrase of throwing the hatchet ia said to be Afnved. Horton'a Disk Four years ago, said Henry Norton, was in Dead wood. I had returned from an expedition up the Yellowstone river and published a book on my research. Dead wood was at that day what Lead ville is at the present time all life and fire, glitter and riches. There were no beggars in the streets and every man was the possessor of gold, mining sock or unlimited credit. was at the Dakota House end passed my evenings, in the main, at the theatres. At one of the theatres a woman whom 1 had known in Detroit three years hefore was singing ballads. She was too noble, a woman to tread the boards of anv stage. but, like many others, gifted with a sweet mezzo-soprano voice, she found in the variety stage an easy avenue to a livelihood. Sbe was a woman, every inch, and was always accompanied by a young sister to and from cities and their Michigsn home. Being an old friend, she felt perfectly at home in my company, and we were to gether much of the time. No man in Dead wood, except myself, would she per mit to act as her escort, and the conse quence was that it was not many weeks until I was envied by half the men in the camp. On one night I refer to, after the theatre, I went down to the barroom of my hotel for the purpose of taking a drink be fore retiring. While pouring out a glass of whisky a stranger walked up and accojted me, saying: ' You are Mr. Norton, I believe ?' " I answered him in the affirmative and invited him lo drink. He hesitated a moment and then called for a lemonade with 'a light stick,' and asked me te accompany him out to the street. You are a man and a gentleman and I am the same. 1 love Miss (men tioning the name of my actress friend) and she could love me, I am certain, were it not for you.' " I raised my hand to strike him down. but the muzzle of a revolver, the butt of which was in his hand, deterred me. I stepped back a couple of paces. 'I have thought this matter over,' he continued, lowering the revolver, ar.d have determined that one of us must die. 1 could have shot you down any night and one would have been the wiser, but I am frank enough to make you a proposition.' " But I shall oHer no objection to your marrying Miss ," I said hurriedly. "She is nothing more than a dear fnend to me. Go ahead and win her, man.' 1 thought him crazy and believe to this day that he was not in his right mind. 'No,' said he slowly, with determi nation, 'this world is not large enough for us two men. I will kill you before this night is over, or you will have done me the same favor. You are armed and shall have an equal chance for your life ; we will go up the valley a little ways and there settle our quarrel like men. If 1 kill you, none shall ever know whether the cases were right or wrong, and if I fall it will be with no malice toward you.' ' He took my arm and we walked up the street together. It seemed like a duel to me, and yet there was the man anxious to murder me at my side. 1 began te grow nettled and was sufficiently reckless before we reached the Bismarck stage road to have fought him with bowie knives had he de manded it. Then, too, I was angry at the free manner in which he bad spoken of Miss . Up the valley we strode. Presently my strange guide and enemy baited and said : ' You will stand here and I will step ten paces further on.' ' I obeyed the directions "He paced off lia strides and, removing his hat, faced me, revolver in hand. Hold on," said L "if your mind is fully made up to shoot me, at least let me know your name. 1 hat makes no difference to you, said he. 'it's as good a one as you can boast of. Please be ready to fire when. I count to three." "I am a clever shot with the pistol and can shoot the spots from the cards at twenty yards, and felt perfectly confident, no matter how good a shot was my an tagonist, that I could kill him at ten paces. I drew my derringer and cocked it care fully. 1 was standing with my back to the moon and he w&s a little above me, and the n oon shone full on his broad brow. He leveled his weapon and began to count. As the fatal words were slowly pronounced 1 raited my revolver and at the word three' pressed the trigger. We fired at the same instant and I felt the wind of his bullet by my head. He sank to his knees without a struggle and fell upon his face in the snow. My being in the shadow a utile below him and the moon's rays on his pistol barrel had, even at so short a distance, disturbed his aim. I walked forward, turned over the body, which was still warm, and looked down into his face. My bullet had sped true. There was a small, bluish-looking hole, from which the blood had not yet sprung, in the centre of his forehead. If any one heard the pistol shots they paid no heed, and, not wishing to be arrested and charged with murder, I walked down the valley over the hard beaten snow 'and re turned to my hotel. After a minute s pause Harry Norton re lighted his cigar, emitting a cloud of smoke through his nostrils and continued : ' The following afternoon I saw quite a crowd assembled at the city undertaker's. I elbowed my way through the crowd and asked an acquaintance standing near what caused the commotion. " 'Some cuss got sick of the camp, went up the valley last night and committed sui cide. Xhe wolves were hovenne about and picked his bones pretty clean before one of the men from the Homes take mine came down town and found him. "He might have been murdered?" I an swered in a questioning tone. "No, he committed suicide.' was the reply. His revolver was found in the road and one chamber had been emptied. He just got homesick and went up there and ' called himself and the wolves had a good meal and he can't be identified. He wss not murdered, for over $200 in bills were found scattered around."' "1 walked away and shed no light on the mystery. In Dead wood where people came in ana aeparted by hundreds every day, mysterious disappearances were rarely reported. I am in ignorance as to the name of the man whom I shot down in that strange duel, and though I remained in the Black Hills for some time afterward. I never paid another vkit to the theatre where my lady acquaintance was playing. That is all." Tht amount of losses iu 'the United States by fire during 1879 as reported u insurance companies, was )il,,9S,-. u; aaa to this the uninsured iosiei that are reporteJ, and it will falf ,pii little short of the (100.800,000 trial frW as the aunual lose in this eeun Canada is not included in these itv " "I kivsk did see such a win storm," said a man in a coffee- "And, pray, tlr," Inquired a v be wit, "since you saw the wind ' storm, wnat might the eolor be?' "The wind blew and the s. rose," was the quiet rejoinder There are only three fire In all Pari.. Droll Blander. By the insertion of one letter in place of another, a newspaper, not long since, re porting the danger that an express train had run, in consequence of a cow getting upon the line, said ; "As the safest way, the engineer put on full steam, dashed up against the cow, and literally cut it into coffee." A ludiaous story is told of a bailie, whose studies in natural history seem to have been rather limited. The following case came before him one day : "A man who kept a ferret, having to go to the country, left the cage with the ferret in charge of a neighbor till he should return. The neighbor in cautiously opened the cage door, and the ferret escaped. The owner was very angry, and brought a claim against his neighbor for damages. The following was the decision of the learned bailie : "Nse doot," he said to the man who had been left in charge, "ye was wrang to cpen the cage door ; but," he added, turning to the other, "ye was wrang, too. For why did ye no clip the brute s wings ! It is also told or a certain Glasgow bailie that when visiting Paris as one of a depu tation from Glasgow to Louis Philippe, the king said, when showing the party through his library, where he had many of the English classics : "You know Milton very well?" "Oh, bless you, yes; bless you, yes," said the bailie, cheerfully, delighted that something had been mentioned that he did know. "Yes, your majesty, I know Milton very well" (Milton is a little place in the neighborhood of Glasgow :) "we're just building slaughter-houses there." By the bad arrangement of clauses In composition, ludicrous blunders are some times made. A Wisconsin paper announced that the board of education had "resolved to erect a building large enough to accom modate five hundred students three stories high." In an English paper an advertise ment appeared, under the heading of "To Let," of "A house for a family in good repair." Punch noted this, and conjec tured that "a family in good repair" must mean one in which none of its members were cracked. "The brooches would have been sent before but have been unwell," was a note of apology sent to Dean Alford by his jeweler; and "Two sisters want washing was an advertisement which ap peared in the Manchester Guardian. An amusing style of blunder is the ' bull. lor which the Irish get most credit. It was an Irish editor that exclaimed, when speaking of the wrongs of his country : "Her cup of misery has been overflowing, and it is not yet full! ' It was an Irish newspaper that said of ltobespierre that "he left no children behind him except a brother, who was killed at the same time. Irish also was the cornet who, when writ ing home from India, praising the much- abused climate as really one ef the best nnder the sun, added : "But a lot of young fellows come out here, and they drink anil they eat, and they eat and they drink, and then die; and then they write home to their lriends, saying it was the climate that did it!" The first Lord Lyttleton was very absent minded. It is declared of him that when be fell into the river by the upsetting of a boat at Hagley, "he sank twice before he recollected that he could swim.' A New Vork paper gives the following story in illustration of the absent minded nes of the great Johnathan Edwards. When out riding one day, a little boy very respect Villy bowed and opened a gate for him. "Whose boy are you, my little man ?" he asked. "Noah Clark's boy, sir, was the an swer. On the return of Edwards, the same boy appeared and opened the gate for him. fie thanked the little fellow, and again asked : "Whose boy are you?" "Noah Clark's sir the same man's boy 1 was a quarter of an hour ago, sir." Some blunders arise from misapprehen sion. A bishop of Oxford sent round to the church wardens in his diocese a circular of inquiries, including the question : "Does your officiating clergyman preach the gos pel, and is his conversation and carriage consistent therewith ?" The church war den of Wallingford replied : " He preaches the gospel, but does not keep a carnage. " A doctor who had one day allowed him self to drink too much, was sent for to see fashionable lady who was ailing. He sat down by the bedside, took out hu watch, and began to count her pulse as well as his obfuscated condition would permit. He counted : One, two, three , then he got confused, and began again : "One, two, three, four.' Still confused, could not do it. Thoroughly ashamed of himseir, be hut up his watch muttering : 'Tipsy, I declare tipsy!" Staggering to his feet, he told the hviy to keep her bed and take some hot lemonade, to throw her into a perspiration, and he would see her next ilay. In the morning he received the following note from the lady, marked private." "'Dear Doctor : You were rii,ht. I dare not deny it. But I am thoroughly ashamed of myself, and will be more careful for the future. Please accept the inclosed fee for your visit"(a tea-pound note), "and do not, I entreat of you, breathe a word about the state in which you found me." The lady, in fact, had been drinking too much, and catching the doctor's murmured words, thought they referred to her. He was too far gone to see what was the matter with his patient, and she too far to observe that the doctor was in the same condition ! The Rev. Mr. McDougaH, of Paisley, used to tell the following story : One day he was taking a simple friend from 'he country to see Garthavel ; but passing the exchange on their way to the asylum, he took him to the door to look in. The man, who thought they bad got to their destina tion, stood behind Mr. jlcDougaU, and staring eagerly over his shoulder at t(je merchants stepping up and down and fath ering in eager groups, exclaimed w;iQ sur prise, not unmingled with awe ;- "1st safe, man? they re V loose! ' roll7 ITity-r. A parrot was prese-nt on board ship dur ing very bad weather, when-the sailors knelt on deck in a circle to pray for deliv erance. The rparrot watched their move ments, no. dorubt, for he correctly remem bered the cvrcumatance. It is said the cap tain came up irom ue cabin, where he k I been V examine the chart, while t'' wepv at prayer, and cried aloud: ' Leave off praying, youli'V yb the pumpat we're near f)a arriving in port clergy man, and it" in the vicar ' ing afteK' "a.r NEWS IN BRIKF Iowa's butter and cheeFtf product last year was worth $19,000,000. There are 23,000 feminine farmer In Great Britain. A Philadelphia cacdy factory uses seven tons ot clay per month. Twelve bodies have thm far been cremated at Washington, Pa. The decrease of the public debt iu March was $6,192,819 14. The public schools of the United States cost $S9,529,0O0 per year. Papier-mache buttons were ma le in 1773. There are In Great Britain and Ire land 22.936 doctors. Gold in the Bank of England amounts to 15,50O,C0O. Bottles ef glass were first made iu England abou' the year lioS. The first United States Congress met in New York, March 4, 17S9. The New York street cars csrry annually a hundted million passenger. Shoe pegs require annually for their manufacture 100,000 cords cf tim ber. It Is said thai Col. Thom-s A. Soft of Philadelphia is worth about twenty millions. The celebrated Italian embalwr, Paolo Gorini, lately died at Lwll, a. e l sixty-eight. Canada has 6,4o9 sailing ves.eU and 913 steamers. with a groes tonnage of 100,159 tons. About 1C0.0U0 bushels of hemp seed are annually consumed lor bird food in the L nited State. St. Louis acknowledges a Imis municipal dt-bt of 15.J7.0O0. It w?n 12,S79,000 In 1874. George AMrulge. one of the sur vivors of the "Lifcht Brigade," U no v running an omnibus. The destructlo bv fires in the i-itw- of sew Y'ork last year averaged about (2t3,7S8 per month. The first tame sheen in the United States were brought from England t- v irginla in 1U09. There was ia Germany in 187 S 10 paer mills which .together produced 3,600,000 cwt. of piper. The number o'f Roman Catholics In England is estlnri-ed at one million ; in Scotland, at 320,010. The butter, cheese, ess. and milk business ot this coun:rv are etlhirel to be worth T80,C00,0i."0. A city of London official stimitei the gross annual income of that city's charities at (22,300,000. The paper wheel oa the new car of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad cost $110. The rresbytenan church In Csna.i has a membership of 107 T1. Tiwr- are 1,350 churches and station. Accordion te the late census. California, with a population et St4.- 690, has only 75.02S Chinese. The London Sundav School Union has issued a call for universal praver for Sunday schools Oct. 17th and 18th. The British Government spends $700,000 annually on its. Consular ser vice and the United S:at? onlv $300.- 080. Switserland was visited, according to statistics collected bv the AlDlne Clnb of Italy, by 1.400.0J0 tourists la is. . The ebiect of KInsr Kalakaua'a visit to Japan Is said to be to propose a scheme of emigration of naaives to Hawaii. The total value of metals and m'.n- ' erals produced In Great Britain and Ireland In 1879 was sliifhtlv over 000.000. The silt used by the packers and butchers of San Franciseo is obtained by solar evaporation from the water j of the ocean. The annual number of death throughout the world is at the rate of 97,790 a day ; that of births is at the rate of 104,800. There Is a tax noin wedding r!nfs in England of 17 shillings an ounce. and the revenue therefrom Is about per year $100,00'j. The National debt reduction dur ing March was $9,192,819, and the min tage of metal $13,038.1(11. neirlv $11.- 000,f03 of which was gold. The tonnageot English sailing ves sels has decreased by about 500,000 ton si use 1870, but steam tonnage has Li creased by about 1.400.000 tens. Vinton County. Ohio, has a famllv named Reynolds, whose combined age amount to 979 years. The father ninety-one, the mother eighty-eight.' The nammer with which John Paul Jones nuiled the historic tW tothemast of bis ship is owned bv a gentleman In Indiana, Pennsylvania In Hungary it is said fullv 600.000 children of school age do not eo to school at all. while those who do bo r . 1 . .. . . rcqueuuy sutv oniy inree er four years. The English gold coin the en'.nei was so called from the fact that it was made from gold brought from the cnat of Guinea, in 1673. it was then worth thirty s'lUlir.g. President Elliot, of Harvard Col lege, is about to build a summer resi dence at Northeast Harbor, Mt. Desert Bishop Doane. of riiiladlnhi. win also build in the same locality. In the last agricultural inpn..r Great Britain the growth of woods and loresu is snewn to be going on very fast, and in tbt iVrf-Jv je.rs has In crease bv half a mill en acres. in 1871 the nsus Vive Great Britain 31,804,063. , An estiiVtte based on births and death last JuT gave a population of a mi:-lio-i moreA The pre sent centus will, ft Is estimaVej .give Great Brrain .OOV.OOO. There are now i use in Ne T Ztt land alone Ter 5,601 reaving-mac4inJ irom loom w to 59 a team, piougn;, team-harrows, tog"Jr with cvrr 1,000 thrashiu -ma.-h Viea, of which 74 are worked bv ste"- ,wer, I J
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers