Demortaii ald
Bellefonte, Pa., Sept., 18, 1891.
In
A CONTRAST.
Two men toiled side by side from sun to sun,
And both were poor;
Both sat with children,when the day was done,
About their door.
One saw the beautiful ia crimson cloud
And shining moon;
The other, with his head in sadness bowed,
Made night of noon.
One loved each tree and flower and singing
ir
On mount or plain;
No music in the soul of one was stirred
By leaf or rain.
One saw the good in every fe'low man,
And hoped the best ;
The other marveled at his Master's plan,
And doubt confessed.
One, having heaven above and heaven below,
Was satisfied; .
The other, discontented, lived in woe,
And hopeless died.
—Sarah K. Bolton, in Boston Transcript.
SANDY: A VAGABOND.
BY W. 0, HIBBS AND EDWIN TARRISSEE.
“Say, boss, I hear yer wants a boy.
Is dat 80 ?”
Mr. Whittington looked up from his
desk at the intruder. Before him
stood a small boy, ragged, unkempt,
with a dilapidated hat in his hand,
and a dirty face that was brightened
by a pair of sharp gray eyes and a
rin.
“No,” said he, turning again to his
work; “I don’t want a boy.” He
was not favorably impressed with the
lad’s appearance. There was a mo-
ment’s silence.
“Sure yer don’t want er boy ter run
arrands and do work round yer offis?
Better take me, boss— I won't charge
much.”
Mr. Whittington smiled and looked
up again. “What is your name?” he
asked.
“Sandy—Sandy Mertin,” replied
tbe little fellow, briskly.
“Where do you live? Have you a
home?”
“Naw, ain't got no home.
up anywheres.”
“What doyou do for a living?”
pursued his inquisitor.
“Qh, I sells de papers sometimes—I
kin read and write a little,” he added,
as if he thought his value might be
enhanced by this evidence of superior
education. :
“Yes, but don’t you do anything
else ?”
Sandy hung his head for a moment-
Then looking around cautiously, and
coming up close to Mr. Whittington’s
desk, he said confidentially—
“Say, boss, I'll jest tell yer the
truth about it. I've jest kim from
New York—rid on er freight. I run
away,” he announced, impressively.
“Ran away,” echozd Mr. Whitting-
ton.
“Yes, sir. Yer see, I've been with
two fellers what cracks safes and robs
houses, yer know—regular crooks—
and dey used ter slip me thru de win-
ders 80's to scout ‘round and see how
de lan’ laid, den let 'em in. I didn’t
like de job, an’ dey used ter beat me
awful sometimes, an’ I got tired of it.
Didn’t fancy this business of gittin’ 1n-
ter people's houses at night an’ takin’
what b'longed ter dem. So last night
when day was "round de corner ter de
saloon I jest 'cluded ter run away. I
didn’t want dat no more, so I skinned
out. I wish you'd gimme a job,” he
went on. “I'll be honest wid yer, and
do de square t'ing.”
Mr. Whittington was a little startled
at first. But as he noted how steadily
the boy's clear, gray eyes met his
scrutiny, he felt that he was telling the
truth.
“So you want to be honest, now?”
“I ain’t never did nothin’ ter be er-
shamed of cept whatdey made me,” he
said, ‘an’ now I've run away from
dem. Yer'd better try me, boss—I'll
be square,” he repeated.
Mr. Whittington wantfa boy to look
after his real estate office. The lad he
had dismissed the day before was un-
tidy and persisted in keeping the office
smelling of cigarettes. Mr. Whitting-
ton detested cigarettes. He was chary
about taking this chap for obvious
reasons. Stull, if the boy was telling
the truth he might prove trustworthy
if only given the opportunity to lead a
better life; it might be the means of
his growing up right, and—well, Mr.
Whittington had a good deal of belief
in human nature, and something whis-
pered to him that if he took this boy
he would be doing a charitable thing,
and one. that he would not regret.
Yes, and he would take him home,
too, where he might the better watch
and teach him.
So Sandy was duly installed in the
honorable position of office boy, at
three dollars a week, and went home
with Mr. Whittington that nighe. It
wae. epough for Miss Whittington,
who thought that everything her
brother did was right, for him to bring
ithis boy into their pretty suburban
home near Philadelphia. As she was
gifted with a good deal of the milk of
human kindness, she took Sandy to
her heart in a little while, and in time
he became invaluable in the office
and around the house. He was so
ready and willing to work, and had
such a shrewd way about him, child
that he was, that Mr. Whittington’s
interest in him iucreased, and he be-
gan to think that there might be a
good future for him.
Miss Whittington took great pains
to teach him neatness and courtesy,
and spent much time with him over
his books at night. Sandy’s life in
the metropolis had developed in him
that shrewdness and alertness that one
marks in the gamin of the street. He
had a good memory and manifested
much originality in his opinions; al-
ways tinctured with a worldly practic-
ality that made Mr. Whittington
smile and afforded him considerable
amusement in quizzing the little fel-
Jow. ]
Two years went by, and Sandy had
Jest put
become an institution in the house and
office: Mr. Whittington raised his
salary and trusted him more and more
in his duties, without putting tempta-
tion in his way. Sandy had become
devotedly attached to both his employ-
er and Miss Whittington, and that
lady often told her brother that she
had no fears for Sandy's future or any
doubts of his honesty if put to the test.
The bad influence of the boy's former
associations had seemingly passed
away.
Late one afternoon the settlement in
a transaction about some property was
made for a client who lived in the lit-
tle town where Mr. Whittington made
his home. The payment was in cash,
and the client, a finicky old woman,
had insisted upon it, and it was neces-
sary, so Mr. Whittington said, that
the money be carried home that night
and locked up until Monday morning,
when it might be delivered to Mrs,
Adams. Mr. Whittington knew that
he would be delayed in town late that
night, So he went with Sandy to the
depot and put into his hand a small
satchel.
“Don’t let that satchel out of your
sight for an instant,” he said to Sandy,
as they stood for a moment alongside
the train. ‘Remember, there's ten
thousand dollars in it. Put it in the
panel. I will not be home until near-
ly morning.”
Sandy nodded in his quick way, and
boarded the train as it moved out. As
he swung himself onto the platform,
a man stepped out from behind a pillar
of the station, followed him, and turn-
ed into the next car. Something in
the individual's figure struck Sandy as
familiar, but the car door had, closed
and he disappeared ere the boy could
look again.
Sandy left the train at the little sub-
urban station and started off briskly
for home. Once as he sped through
the street he though he heard foot-
steps behind him, but on turning he
could see nothing, for it was dark. He
attributed this 1dea to the fact of hav-
ing the money with him, which made
him apprehensive,
He reached home and found that
John, the servant, had left supper
waiting. He took the precaution to
see to the fastening of the doors and
windows before gitting down to the ta-
ble—alone, for Miss Whittington was
away on a visit to New York. He
put up the satchel in front of him, for
he did not wish it out of his sight un-
til be had safely placed it.
The house in which Mr. Whitting-
ton lived had stood for many years,
and had been owned by an old miser.
In it there had been discovered a pan-
el in the wall of the library, closing
quite a deep orifice. It had been
found when the button for an electric
bell had been put in just a little to the
side. This was what Mr. Whitting-
ton had referred to in his parting in-
junction.
Going to the library the boy found
the spring and deposited the satchel in
the orifice. Then he breathed a sigh
of relief. He did not fancy being bur-
dened with ten thousand dollars.
Try as he would that night, he could
not sleep, and two o'clock found him
wide awake and tossing restlessly. ~All
sorts of uncomfortable thoughts flashed
through his mind. He wished Mr.
Whittington was home. Nonsense!
What had be to fear?
Hark! What was that? Sandy
sat bolt upright in bed, his heart beat-
ing furiously. He listened, but heard
nothing. He left the bed and stole to
the head of the staircase. His sharp
ears detected steps below, and the
sound of a voice in a monotone.
Sandy’s blood was up. He forgot the
danger, and began to descend the stairs
like a cat. The sounds below ceased.
The boy crept down to the foot of the
stairs; all was dark. He took a step
into the library, In a moment he
felt a hand at his throat, and before he
could realize it, he was lying on the
floor. A lantern was flashed in his
face, and a voice, which he recognized
at once, and which painfully thrilled
him, muttered,—
“Umph, it's Sandy. I knowed it
when I saw yer to-night. Don’t hol-
ler or I'll shut off the air. So yer gin
us the slip, didn’t yer? Smart feller,
but yor Syed into our hands this
time. Now, since yer hev kim down
here ter make us a special visit, 8’pose
yer tell usjhow ter git dat money yer
brought wid yer. Speak quick, ‘cause
we've got er pressin’ engagement in
another direction arter we leave yer.”
Sandy was badly scared and made
no answer. “It's all up with me
now,” he thought. He was trying to
gather his wits. The man lifted him
to his feet. He glanced furtively at
his captors and saw that they meant
business. He knew what these men
were, t00. They were waiting for
him to speak now. He must gan
time somehow.
#Come, hurry up now and git ter
business,” said the elder of the two
men, wha seemed ta da all the talking,
“We've been foolin’ ‘round long
enough. We're onter yer, ’cause we
seen yer put dat money in de hole.
We've been lookin’ fer it, but de com-
bination’s too much fer us. Guess yer
know it. So jest open her up.”
Sandy’s courage was slowly return.
ing. He was in a tight place, and he
was racking his brain for some means
of getting out without losing the
money. He tried to temporize. The
burglars grew impatient.
“Yer little idjit,” eaid the spokes-
man, making a movement as if to
choke the boy ; “wot’s de matter wid
yer? Can't yer open yer mouth?
I—"" then suddenly he changed his
tactics.
“Say, my boy,” assuming a wheed-
ling tone, *“ 'tain’t no use yer tryin’ ter
beat us, we've got yer dead. Come :
now, we won't harm ye, if yer'll do the |
squa’ t'ing by us. Let us inter dis
panel business, an’ we'll scoop de
boodle an’ take yer away wid us. !
We'll give yer a good share of the |
stuff. It's cash an’ we'll git away
wid it easy. Come now, yer don't git |
gach a chance like dis offen.”
An idea struck the boy. He must
appear to give into this man’s offer, if
he hoped to do anything. If he did
not they would half kill him, and per-
haps get the money after all.
There was but one chance, and our
hero seized it. As the older man
made a step toward him his eyes glit-
tered angrily. Sandy backed off into
the corner and put up his hands.
“Hold on, gimme a show,” he ex-
claimed, dropping into the old street
vernacular. ** ’Tain’t no use ter fuss.
I'll show yer de place. I was kinder
scary at first, but I s’pose yer mean
what yee says. De panel's right here
in de wall,” moving across the room.
“I'll find it for yer. Yer couldn’t find
it ’cause yer didn’t ketch de button
what opens it.”
Poor little fellow. His voice was
unsteady, and he was afraid every mo-
ment that one of the men would strike
him down. He stepped a little to the
lett of the panel. He was trying to
gain time,
“Say, fellers,” said he, turning
around : “no funny business wid me
now. 1 wants yer to play square wid
me.’
“Look here, Sandy,” spoke the
younger burglar, “stop yer gab an’
git to work.”
“All right,” replied the boy. His
voice was a little steadier now. Turn-
ing about again he began to fumble
along the wall with one hand, while
with the other he pressed firmly
against a spot about the height of his
chest standing close against the wall.
After about two minutes the men grew
impatient again.
“Say, boy,” exclaimed the man in a
hoarse whisper, “if yer don’t open dat
hole instanter 1'll choke the lite out of
yer! What's yer game now? Open
up there !”’
“Hold on, Jim, wait a minute,”
whined Sandy. “It’s kinder hard ter
find wid nothin’ but er lantern.”
“Yer blamed idjit, does yer want us
ter light de gas?”
Sandy’s quick wit had reminded
him that the electric bell in the ser-
vants’ quarters, which he had just set
ringing for two whole minutes by press-
ing the button in the wall with his left
hand, might by a bare possibility at-
tract attention at such an hour from
some one in the street or across the
way. It was a slim chance, but the
only thing that could be done. There
was no sound without. The first at-
tempt had failed. Now for the second,
and Sandy pressed again to the wall,
fumbling with his right hand, and
again pushing the electric button iu as
far as be could. He could not hear
the bell Lut knew it was ringing
loudly.
“Look here, fellers, don’t rattle me,”
he pleaded. “I'll find itas soon as I
can. Dis panel 1s very nifty and yer
can’t find it as easy as yer can open de
outside door.” He moved his hand
hurriedly over the wall, as if for the
spring that would open the panel.
His heart beat almost to bursting.
He grew disheartened. What if no
one came to his aid, and he should be
forced to hand ever his trust to these
rnffians? Never! He closed his eyes
tight, and gave the button five quick
pushes. He listened intently.
Some one was pounding on the low-
er door. Quick as thought, to avoid
the blow that he telt would come,
Sandy threw up his hands and with a
scream for help, fell backward. That
instant the front door was burst open,
and there came the rush of heavy feet
up the stairs. With muttered oaths
the two men leaped for the door, over-
turning the two policemen as they
passed through it.
Sandy was on his feet now. He
dashed down the hall after the men.
They were making for the side win-
dow through which they had come.
The smaller man bolted through.
The other tried to follow, but Sandy
was upon him before he could get out.
As he stumbled and threw himself
into the opening the plucky boy
jumped for the sash, and bringing it
down on the struggling wretch, pinned
him fast for a moment, until he was
joined by the policemen. The distin-
guished leader of the nocturnal expe-
dition was then secured, and marched
off, growling.
At the station Sandy recounted the
circumstance of the attempted robbery
and received many compliments for
his pluck and cleverness, “Just the
barest chance in the world, me bye,”
said the tall Trish sergeant, as he pat-
ted Sandy on the back. The other
burglar was never caught,
Mr. Whittington, on his return - that
Sunday morning, was of course much
astonished at what had happened, and
much pleased with the part Sandy had
played in the little drama, He confi-
dentially informed his sister some
time afterwards that this new evidence
of the boy’s honesty and faithfulness
had so impressed him that his -future
was assured so long as he remained
with him.
And now five years later, Sandy is
Alling the position of confidential man
to his employer with much ability.
His future is indeed bright, and it will
not be surprising if in another year or
go the sign over Mr. Whittington’s of
fice door will be changed for another
that bears two names.
Whenever Mr. Whittington catches
sight of that little old satchel he
smiles to himself and wonders if the
burglars, bad they been successful,
would have appreciated the fine quali-
ty of manilla paper he had locked up
in it.
However, Sandy, the quodam vaga-
bond, is none the wiser.— Yankee
Blade.
TrE SympaTHETIC CROOK. —Burglar
-—Your money or your life.
Victim (from bed)—When T explain,
i sir, that my wife and three daughters
have gone to a fashionable hotel to
spend a month——
Burglar- -Enough; I'm pretty hard
up myself, but here's a doliar for you.
(Exits weeping.) !
——Hood’s Sarsaparilla has a steadily
increasing popularity, which can only
A Little Journey Through South-West-
ern Virginia.
Beautiful Cumberland Valley Veiled in
pitable
tain Scenery—Grottces That Rival
Flattering - Reception at Roanoke—
Everybody Turns Out to Welcome the
Pennsylvania Scribes—Salem, a City
of Phenomenal Growth—Roanoke’s
Industrial Activities— Pennsylvania’s
Contribution to Her Prosperity—
Combined Effects of Northern Enter-
prise and Southern Hosputality—
Pleasant Remewbrances of the Twin
\Cities— Delights of the Homeward
Ride.
On Monday, August 24th, what is
known as the Juniata Valley Editorial
Association left Harrisburg at 12.10 for
were among the unfortunate few who,
on account of the Williams Grove
travel, arrived at the Union station just
in time to wave good-bye to the first sec-
tion of the excursionists, we are not able
to describe the beautiful Cumberland
Valley as it appeared to the knights of
the scissors and paste-pot in their special.
‘We can only say that by the time we
came to make the journey nature was
shedding so many tears in behalf of the
oor deluded railroad officials and hotel
eepers who expected to make their
fortunes out of the party, that the whole
country was blurred and dreary through
the shifting gray mists. However, as
we neared the end of our day’s ride the
clouds broke and a more beautiful sun-
set never brightened the hesvens than
the one we were favored with on that
ride through the Cumberland Valley.
After a pleasant rest of three hours at
Hagerstown the journey was resumed in
far better spirits than it ended, for on
our arrival at Shendun at four o’clock,
Tuesday ‘morning, the obliging hotel
clerk met us with “he wassorry, but
the best he could do for us was rocking
chairs.” It took some time to gather
up the tattered remnants of a once nice
temper, but with a beautiful sunrise and
the cool fresh air, as enjoyed on the
hotel porch, that early morning, both
acting as restoratives, we were able to
announce, with the breakfast bell, that
truly Shendun was a worderful place.
It is one of the thriving new towns of
Virginia, situated in a rich agricultural
region on the Shenandoah division of the
Norfolk & Western railroad. The whole
valley being surrounded by mountain
ranges containing inexhaustible stores of
timber and mineral wealth, Shendun is
bound to become in the near future some-
thing more than a boom town or a noted
summer resort. :
After breakfast Major Hotchkiss,
President of the Shendun Land Com-
pany, not only welcomed us most kind-
ly, but gave quite an interesting talk on
the geography, history and geological
formations of the great Shenandoah
Valley. A few yards trom the hotel
are the famous grottoes, better known
as Weyer’s cave, ‘that rank with Mam-
moth and Luray as the noted caverns
of the world, and members of our party
who had visited both said without hesi-
tancy that they were second to neither
| in the beauty and variety of formations.
An attempt to describe the grottoes
would simply be impossible and we will
leave that to “Shendun Illustrated,”
which we hope to publish soon. The
natural attractions of the place and the
hospitality of its people will, we are
confident, so favorably impress travel-
ers that it can be but a few short years
till its wildest anticipations are re-
alized.
The ride from Shendun to Roanoke,
a distance of one hundred and ten miles,
was an instructive object lesson to one
member of the party, at least. We who
live in Central Pennsylvania are apt
to imagine that our mountain scenery is
unsurpassed and our railroad systems
unrivalled. Hera we saw higher and
more majestic peaks, deeper ravines and
more Freautifully shaded streams but
not the well kept, productive farms that
throughout our own State testify to the
energy and push of the Pennsylvania
farmer.
Our reception at Roanoke was most
flattering ; in fact so much so that it was
embarrassing. Barnum and Forepaugh
combined could not have attracted a
larger crowd. A remark overheard by
one of our party, ‘“‘poor things, it is their
first outing,” made us feel, indeed, as
though it was our first experience. Two
thirds of the men of the town were down
at the station to—Ilook at us. Whether
they were the standing reception com-
mittee, self appointed, we know not ;
neverthelesswe felt that the ‘specialties’
(See foot note, 365.) had been well ad-
vertised. Formally met by members
representing the city council, Virginia
Press Association, and the Board of
Trade ; cordially welcomed that evening
at the Hotel Ponce de Loon by represen-
tative citizens; entertained by instrue-
tive and complimentary addresses,do you
wonder that our heads were turned, or
that we went to bed imagining ourselves
MzClures or Smiths in~the estimation
of the Roanoke people ?
‘Wednesday morning our first impres-
sions were made in mud, black and
deep ; however, as it was not many hours
till we learned that the suecessful man
in Roanoke was the man who dabbled
in real estate, it mattered little that the
ir pression were erasable.
At 2:30 we left Roanoke to accept the
hospitalities of beautiful Salem, the
county seat of Roanoke county, seven
miles west of the city of that name, con-
nected with it by a dummy railway line,
and on the Norfolk and Western. It
is not a creation of the hoomer’s imagina-
tion, but a well built town of 5000 in-
habitants, whose history dates back to
1882. Its educational opportunities are
excellent, Roanoke college being situat-
ed in the eart of the town, and its nat-
ural advantages are unsurpassed. Sur-
rounded by picturesque ranges of the
Alleghenies and Blue Ridge, with a cli-
mate mild and healthy, in the midst of
fertile farm lands, with a good supply of
water, and so near the .greatiron and
coal deposits of southern Virginia, who
can question the future possibilities of
the pluce as a great industrial center ?
The rain interfered somewhat with
our sight seeing, but not with the suc-
Shendun, Roanoke and Salem. As we |
Hotel Lucerne by the progessive men
who have made the New Salem. With
the kindest feelings for the delightful
people whom we had met, and with
Viist and Rain— Attractwe and Hos- | many hopes for Salem’s continued pros-
Shendun— Unrivalled Moun- | Perity, we turned our faces once more
| toward Roanoke.
Thursday morning we saw the town,
the World's Greatest Wonders—A i visited the furnaces and the many in-
dustries of the place, gazed on the Roan-
oke machine shops that employ 1700
men, drank at the spring that rivals our
own beautiful fountain, admired the
cozy and stately homes that are there
without number, agreed with them
about the fine hotels, criticised the
width of the principal business streets,
and listened to the almost fabulous tales
of the growth and development of a
city of 20,000 souls which less than ten
years ago was “Big Lick,” a country
village of 400 inhabitants.
If we were a well paid agent for one
of the many real estate men we would
rave about the railroad facilities, the
gas, electric light and motor power
companies, the manufacturing plants,
the many churches, the advisability of
investing in Newtown or Riverside
Park property, and surely we would
mention the macadamized roads. But
as we were only a sight-seerer out on a
vacation,the bit of Roanoke that charm-
ed us most was the Mill Mountain drive
and the magnificent view from the sum-
mit,
Pennsylvania seems to have contri-
buted her full share to the success of
this New Eldorado. At every turn
one has pointed out a Pennsyl-
vanian who helped lay the foundation
of its prosperity and growth, and who is
now being repaid. These men with
their energy and enthusiasm, combined
with Southern warm heartedness, have
built up a city in which any one might
well be content to live.
After all, what is more interesting to
man than man? Some one has well
| said, “There is no force so mighty as
the force of sympathy.” Our interests
can gather about a thing, but the thing
must have been realized if our hearts
are to go out afterit in attachment or
desire. We can grow enthusiastic about
a place, but it is only because associa-
tion links it with some pleasant memory.
The pleasant memories we can grow en-
thusiastic over in connection with this
visit are many. The drives, banquets
and receptions only in part tell of the
kindness that were received from the
people of the Twin Cities.
Southern people have always been pro-
verbial for their hospitality, but charm-
ing as may be the courtesy of these
noble sons and daughters of the South, it
is, after all, a combination with the spirit
and vivacity of the Pennsylvanian that
can lavish such tangible pleasures as
make our remembrance of Southwest-
ern Virginia one to be always recalled
with pleasure.
“Ships that pass in the night and speak each
other in passing,
Only a signs] shown and a distant voice in
the darkness;
So on the ocean of life we pass and speak
one another
Only a look and a voice, then darkness again
and a silence.”
At 12.50, Friday, we started for home,
In two hours we had passed the Natural
Bridge, where all but the conductor
were anxious to stop; on by the beauti-
ful James and into the historic Shenan-
doah Valley; lunched at Shendun;
recognized the Luray Inn by the fast
deepening twilight; arrived some time
during the night at Hagerstown ; amus-
ed ourselves from that until morning in
trying to sleep and kill mosquitoes;
waited patiently for two long hours at
Harrisburg on account of a broken en-
gine; enjoyed the ride up the Susque-
hanna and through the clear, sweet at-
mosphere of the Buffalo Valley, and
welcomed with gladness familiar land-
marks just as the sun was bidding the
hilltops of our own town good night.
Our journey was done. We had been
on a most enjoyable excursion to Shen-
dun, Salem and Roanoke.
Resolutions of thanks were tendered
to George W. Boyd, Assistant Puassen-
ger Agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad;
to S. M. Prevost, of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, for furnishing two passenger
coaches for our entire trip; to H. A.
Riddle, General Passenger Agent; to C.
G. Eddy, Vice President; W. B. Bevil,
Passenger Agent; Joseph H. Sands,
Vice President and General Manager,
and Col. Frank Huger, Superintendent
of Transportation of the Norfolk and
‘Western, for the many courtesies and
kindnesses so liberally extended to the
association.
Also to Major Jed Hotchkiss and Cap-
tains Frazer and Morton for the hos-
pitable reception and liberal enter-
tainment so lavishly showered upon us
during our stay at Shendun Grottoes.
Also to the Board of Trade and Real
Estate Exchange ot Salem ; its Mayor,
W. T. Younger, Esq.; the ladies and
the people of Salem in general; for their
unstinted friendship and hospitality.
Also to Mayor Evans, the ladies and
the people of Roanoke, for the many
courtesies extended us while in that
beautiful and progressive city.
Also to James A. Pugh, Esq., of the
Roanoke Times and President of the
Virginia Press Association, for induc-
ing us to visit Roanoke, and for his
ceaseless and successful efforts to
make our visit so pleasant and enjoy-
able.
And that we most cordially commend
to the traveling public the management
of the Hotel Ponce de Leon at Roanoke,
and the Hotel Lucerne at Salem, both
of which are admirably conducted and
excellent in appointments.
Mr J. A. McConnell, the generous
Superintendent of the dummy railroad,
was formerly of Altoona, this State.
We did not get to see Mr. J. M. Kep-
hart; so long a resident of Fillmore and
well known throughout our county; but
were glad to hear from his daughter,
Mrs. 8S. Dickerson, that they were all
much pleased with their new home.
Mr. L. A. Frazer, the manager of the
Shendun News, to whom we are indebt-
ed for the invitation to visit the Grot-
toes, was at one time a resident of Houtz-
dale, Clearfield county, and a member
of the Association,
Among other Centre countians of
whom we heard spoken kindly, and who
have been successful in Roanoke, were
Mrs. Payne, nee Miss Mollie Long, of
Bellefonte, and Mr. J. M, McCartney
formerly an engineer on the Snow Shoe
be won by an article of real merit. Give cess of the reception and banquet that | road, and whose sixteen year old son so
it a trial.
was tendered us that evening at the
ably filled the pulpit in the Methodist
RR A TE PE OR
church in this place recently.
The three things we will always asso-
ciate in our minds with Salem and
Roanoke are their beautiful roads,
horses and drives.
L.
R. M.
Old Sol’s Insignificance.
The Sun Is a Small Body Compared
With Arcturus.
Th ere are three well-defined classes of
stars, judged by the quality of light they
yield. In the first class are the clear
white and bluish white stars, like Sirius
and Vega.
These are supposed to be the hottest
suns and the most luminous in propor-
tion to the extent of their surface. Then
there are the golden yellow or pale
| orange stars, of which Arcturus and
Capella are fine examples.
These have begun to cool. Finally,
we have the deep orange and red stars
Aldebaran and Antares. These have
advanced still further in the cooling pro-
cess.
Now the spoetroscope informs us that
our suu belongs to the orange or Arctur-
us type, and if we could view it from
distant space we should see a lovely star
of pale goiden yellow. =
The question arises, then, how fur
would our sun have to be removed in
order to shine with a brightness no
g reater than that of Arcturus ?
According to Mr. Maunder it'would
have to be removed to 140,000 times its
present distance, or about half the dis-
tance between us and Alpha Centauri.
But Arcturus is 11,500,000 times as
far away as the sun, and if our sun were
placed at that enormous distance its
diameter would have to be eighty-two
times as great in order to give a light
equal to that received from Arcturus.
I hesitate to present such figures, im-
plying magritudes far beyond any to
which we have been accustomed, yet
they are but the logical deductions of
observed facts.
In other words, upon Mr. Maunder’s
reasonable assumption, Arcturus must be
a gigantic sphere 550,000 times larger
than our sun, with a diameter of 70,000,-
000 miles, or more than large enough to
fill the entire orbit of Mercury.
To make this contrast clearer let us
institute a simple comparison. Jupiter
is larger than all the other planets and
satellites of tha solar system.
The sun is a little more than 1,000
times larger than Jupiter ; but Arcturus,
if our information is correct, is 550,000
times larger than the sun.
By the side of such a majestic orb our
sun, grand and overwhelming as it is in
our own system, would dwindle to an in-
significant star.
Contemplating a world so vast, en-
dowed with such mighty energies and
rushing with such resistless force through
the great deeps of space, we cannot re-
gist the questions : Whence came this
blazing world ? Whither is it bound ?
‘What is its mission and destiny ?
Is it simply a visitor to our sidereal
galaxy, rushing furiously through 1t like
acomet ? Is it being constantly fed and
enlarged by tbe worlds it encounters
and the meteoric matter it gathers up in
its wonderful journey ?
‘What would be the effect if it chanced
to pass through the nebula or a star
cluster ? Was the new star which sud-
denly blazed forth in the nebula of An-
dromeds in 1876 due to a similar cause ?
As this mighty aggregation of attrac-
tive energies sweeps along his celestial
path, thickly bordered with stellar
worlds, how many of those worlds will
yield forever to his disturbing forces ?
How many will be swerved from
their appointed courses by his irresisti-
ble power ? How many will plunge
into his fiery bosom and will be swal-
lowed up as a pebble is swallowed up
by the ocean ?
Why Ice Floats.
Did you ever wonder why it is that
ice, being formed of congealed water,
floats? And why, on some still lakes,
it begins to form at the bottom before
it does on the surface? Scientists ex-
plain these enigmas this wise: Ice is
specifically lighter than water just
about to freeze, and therefore floats on
it. This is one reason why the forma-
tion of ice usually begins at the sur-
face.
Another is its peculiar law of expan-
gion. The general law is that cold in-
duces expansion; this law holds good
with water to a certain print. When
water has cooled down to within 7.4
degrees of freezing it ceases to contract
ag before with increase of cold and be-
bings to expand until it freezes,
This expansion causes the colder
portions of the water to rise to the
surface. The formation of ‘ground
ice,” or “anchor ice,” as it is some-
times called, is the only exception to
the rule given above. :
——1In Bodiga, Cal., not long since,
a man lassoed a wild cow, he being on
horseback, when the animal broke the
lariat and made a dash for liberty. Not
far off there was a large house, with the
front door wide open. She rushed
through the door, up the front stairs,
through 8 sarraw kall@ay, inte & bed-
room, out of the window, on to the roof
of the porch, from which she leaped to
the ground, striking with such violence
as to break her neck.—San Francisco
Chronicle.
A New Use For THE EMBLEM.—
“Hullo! where is your engagement
ring? Is your engagement with Harold
offi?”
“Oh, no, indeed! He took me out to
get some ice cream last night, and we
had to leave the ring as security for the
cream. Harold didn’t-have a cent.’’
OVERHEARD AT THE BRANCH.—
“Ah,” said Chappie, gleefully ‘this
sea air makes me feel as fresh as a
daisy.”
“Are you sure you weren't born so,
Mr. Hapkins?”’ asked the Summer
Girl, who was beginning to long for a
change.
EE TRA
——1 was troubled with catarrh for
seven years previous to commencing the
use of Ely’s Cream Balm. It has done
for me what other co called cures have
failed to do—cured me. The effect of
the Balm seemed magical. Clarence L.
Huff, Biddeford, Me.