RATES OF ADVERTISING. ! All advertisemenUi for lees thai. 3 months IS cents per line for each insertion, Hpeei* 1 notices one-half additional. All resolutions of Associa tions, communications of a limited or individal interest and notices of marriages and deaths, ex ceeding five lines, 10 ets, per line. All legal noti ces of . very kind, and all Orphans' Court and other J udieial sales, are required Vi.'l law to be pub lished in both papers. Editorial Notices 15 cents per line. All Advertising due aflc : first insertion. A liberal discount made to yearly advertisers. 3 moots. 6 months, i year One square $ 4.50 $ 6.00 SIO.OO Twe squares 6.00 0.00 16.0(1 Three squares - 8.00 12.00 20.00 One-fourth column - 11.00 20.00 35.00 llalf column - 18.00 25.00 45.60 One c01umn......... 30.00 45.00 80,00 JfewsrvrKß La 'vs. —We would call the special attention of Post Masters and subscribers to the [xqiriKKß to the following'synopsie of the News paper laws: 1. A Postmaster is required to give notice ijr •ctter, (returning a jiaper does not answer the law) when a subscriber uoes not take his paper out ol' the office, and state the reasons tor its not being taken, and a neglect to do eo makes the I'osim.is ter rtpatmtible to the publishers for the payment. 2. Any person who takes a paper from tbel'ost office, whether directed to his name or another, or whether he has subscribed or not is responsible for the pay. 3. If a person orders his paper discontinued, he must pay all arrearage*, or tlie publisher may continue to send it until payment is made, and ollect the whole amount, whether it be taken from the office or n <r. There can be d, legal discontin ucnce until the payment is made. 4. If the subscriber orders his paper to be stopped at a certain time, and the publisher con tinues to send, the subscriber is bound to pay for it, if he take* it out of the Poet Ofier. Tbe law proceeds upon the ground that a man mast pay for what he uses. 5. The courts hare decided thatrefusing to take newspapers and periodicals from the Post office, or removing and having them uncalled for, is prima facia evidence of intentional fraud. •frofaSiStoaal & sante. ATTORNEYS AT LAW. AND LIBOBKVKI.TPK, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, BKBVORD, PA. Have formed a partnership in the practice of tho Lav, in new brick building near the Lutheran Chnreh. [April 1, 1869-tf jyj. A. POINTS, ATTORNEY AT LAW, BKDFORD, PA. Respectfully tenders his professional services t<. the public. o!3ee in the Ixqoinnßuild ing, (second floor.) jacr-Collections promptly made. [April, I'6B-tf. V3SPY M. ALSIP, I S ATTORNEY AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA., Will faithfully and promptly attend to all bnsi ncis entrusted to his care in Bedford andadjoin ng counties. Military claims, Pensions, hack pay. Bounty, Ac. speedily collected. Office with Mann A fipaftg, on Juliana street, 2 doors sontb of the Mengel House. apl 1, 1869.—tf. T R. DURBORROW,- fj . ATTORNEY AT LAW. BEBroRD, PA., Will attend promptly to all business intrusted to his care. Collections made on the shortest no tice. lie >i, aiao, a regularly licensed Claim Agent an lwil give special attention to the prosecution 'lir.s against the Government for Pensions, Back lay, Bounty, Bounty Lands, Ac. Office on Juliana street, one door South of the f-i.;uirer office, and nearly opposite the 'Mengel House" April 1, 188'J:tf S. L. RUSBBIX. J. H. LOXCEMCKEU RUSSELL A LONGENECKER, ATTORNEYS A COUNSELLORS AT LAW, Bedford, Pa., Will attend promptly and faithfully to all busi ness entrusted to their care. Special attention given to collections and the prosecution of claims fcr Back Pay, Bounty. Pensions, Ac. 3Sf~o2ice on Juliana street, south of the Court House. Apri 1:69:1yr. M'D. SHABPE E. F. KERR OIIARPE A KERR, 0 ATTORNEYS- AT-LAW. Will practice in the Courts of Bedford and ad joining counties. All business entrusted to thoir care will receive careful and prompt attention. Pensions, Bounty, Back Pay, Ac., speedily col led' 1 from the Government. ' See on Juliana street, opposite tbe hanking house of Reed A Schell. Bedford, Pa. Apr l;69:tf W C. SCU AKFFEII ATTORNEY AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA., ' fficc with J. W. Dickerson Esq.. 23prly PHYSICIANS T 1 YI- B. F. HARRY, Respectfully tenders his professional ser vices to tbe citizens of Bedford and vicinity. Office an 1 residence on Pitt Street, in the building formerly occupied by Br. J. 11. Hofius. [ApT 1,69. MISCELLANEOUS. JACOB BKENNEMAN, U WOODBERRY, PA., >l RIVENER, CONVEYANCER, LICENSED CLAIM AGENT, and Ex-Offieio JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, Will attend to all business entrusted info his hands with promptness and despatch. Will remit mon ey by draft to aay part of the country. 17sely OE. SHANNON, BANKER, . BEDFORD, PA. BANK OF DISCOUNT AND DEPOSIT. Collections nr-ade for the East, West, North and Si'iith, and the general business of Exchange transacted. Notes and Accounts Collected and Remittances promptly made. REAL ESTATE bought and sold. April 1:69 I \ ANIEL BORDER, JLf I'ITT STREET, TWO DOORS WEST OF ia* BED roan HOTEL, BEBFORD, Pa. WATCHMAKER AND DEALER IN JEWEL RY. SPECTACLES. AC. He keeps on hand a stock of fine Gold and Sil ver Watches, Spectacles of Brilliant Double Refin c I Glasses, also Scotch Pebble Glasses. Gold Watch Chains, Breast Pins, Finger Rings, best quality of Gold Pens, nc will supply to order any thing in his line not on hand. [apr.2B,'6s. [A W. CROUSE, • DEALER IN CIGARS, TOBACCO, PIPES, &C. On Pitt street one door east of Geo. K. Oster A Co.'ji Store, Bedford. Pa., is now prepared to sell by wholesale all kinds of CIGARS. AJI orders promptly filled. Persons desiring anything in his line will do well to give him a call. Bedford April 1. '69., ti N. HICKOK? VDENTIST. Office at tbe old stand in BANK BUILDING* Juliana st., BEDFORD. All operations pertaining to Surgical -and Mechanical Dt ntistry performed with care and WARRANTED. Amretkrtire administered, tchen deeired. Ar t- ill teeth imertcd at, per eet, SB.OO and up. ward. As I am deteimined to do a CASH BUSINESS or none, I have reduced the prices for Artificial Teeth of tbe various kinds, 20 per cent., and of ! Gold Fillings 33 per cent. This reduction will be made only to strictly Cash Patients, and all such will receive prompt attention. 7fcb6S WASHINGTON HOTEL. This large and craurodtoas house, having been re-taken by the subscriber, know open for the re ception of vititurp and hoarder.. The room, are large, well ventilated, and comfortably furnished. The table will always' be supplied with the best tbe market can afford. Tho Bar is stocked with the choicest liquors In short, it it my purpose to keep a FIRST-CLASS HOTEL. Thanking tbe public for past favors, 1 respoetfully solicit a renewal of their patronage. N. B. Hacks will ran konstantly between the Hotel and the Springs. uiyl7,'6:ly WM. DIBERT, Prop'r. ITXCHANGK HOTEL, Hi HUNTINGDON, PA. This old establishment having been leased by J. M<>Rl:l SON, formerly proprietor of the Mor rison House, has been entirely renovated and re furnished and supplied with all the modern im provements and conveniences necessary to a first claM Hotel. The dining room has been removed to the first floor and is now spacious and airy, and the cham bers are all well ventilated, and the proprietor will endeavor to make his guests perfectly at home. Address, J. MORRISON, KXCBASGE HOTEL, Jljulytf Huntingdon, Pa. Wbt fßeMwd Jitmilrer. JOHN LUTZ. Editor and Proprietor. §nquim SO!UWIL RJO ADVERTISERS: THE BEDFORD INQUIRER. PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY MORNING. BY JOHN LUTZ, OFFICE ON JULIANA STREET, BEDFORD, PA. THE BEST ADVERTISING MEDIUM IN SOUTH- WES TERN PENNS TL VANIA. - CIRCULATION OVER 1500. HOME AND FOREIGN ADVERTISE MENTS INSERTED ON REA SONABLE TERMS. ' A FHIST CLASS NEWSPAPER. TERMS OF SUBSCRIITION: 12.00 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE, j JOB PRINTING: , ALL KINDS OF JOB WORK DONE j WITH NEATNESS AND DISPATCH, AND IN THE LATEST A MOST APPROVED STYLE, j SUCH AS POSTERS Of ANY SIZE, CIRCULARS, BUSINESS CARDT •WEDDING AND VISITING CARDS. BALL TICKETS, PROGRAMMES, CONCERT TICKETS, ORDER BOOKS, SEGAR LABELS, RECEIPTS, ud'IAIJ BLANKS, PHOTOGRAPHER S CARDS, BILL HEADS, LETTER HEADS, PAMPHLETS, PAPER BOOKS, ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC Our facilities for doing all kinds of Job Printing are equalled by very few establishments in the country. Orders by mail promptly filled. All letters should be addressed to JOHN LUTZ. & local anb Stncral *fictospapet, Dcbotcfc to politics, ©bucation, literature antJ Morals. GENERAL NEWS ITEMS. WHISKY and cards were the cause of the late disaster on the Mississippi, by which over 200 people were sent to their long home. There is a temperance lecture in that, which it would be well for all to heed. A COLORED lawyer in South Carolina having horsewhipped a white member of the State Government for insulting his wile, the Legislature appointed an investigating committee. The committee reported that "the flogging was thoroughly and hand somely done.'' IT is now a law in Ptussia that a male can. not be considered to have arrived at bis majority until he is 24ireare of age. The Prussian authorities are discussing a bill which declares every male Prussian to be of aire when he arrives at his 21st year. THE portrait of Eliaabeth St Leger, the ouly female Mason, is in every lodge-room in Ireland. She made a peep-hole through a brick wall with a pair of scissors, and was not detected until she knew so much about Masonry that is was thought necessary to initiate her. v BROWN, who was in love with a young lady, asked permission to call her by the I explicit name of some animal, on condition that she should have the same privilege. On leaving, Brown said "Good night, dear." "Good night, bore," said she. Brown has since given up the company of young ladies. INFORMATION has leaked out at the Na vy Department that within a short time it has been discovered that four naval paymas ters are defaulters to the Government to quite a large sum of money. One paymas ter, stationed on the Pacific, is short about S4<K),OOO. The amount the other three are short is not known. MEDICAL statistics in France have devel oped two facts which are of great impor tance to ladies, namely, that tbe mortality of thr female sex ha decreased in the ra tio of eighteen and oue-half per cent, since corsets have gone out of fashion; and, sec ondly, that brain fever has increased among the ladies seventy-two and three-fourths per cent, since they wear chignons. A MAN introducing himself as "Rev. Mr. Wheeler, of Charleston, S. C.," has been detected in New Jersey in a new and origi nal swindle, that of soliciting donations of old school books to bo sent South, and then selling them to a paper and rag dealer in New York. He has been engaged in the business for three years. A HEROIC BOY.—A little boy six J-ears of age aod his two sisters, five and three years old, respectively, children of Mr. Lewis, of New Orleans, wandered into a swamp in the Second district, a few days ago, and lost their way. When night came on the heroic little fellow stripped himself of his own clothing and wrapped it around his sister, and they all lay down on the ground to spend the night. When found in the morn ing all were insensible. Tho youngest has since died. THE progress of Minnesota in the prodnc tion of wheat is among the agricultural mar vels of the age. It is estimated that the surplus wheat of that State tho present year will be fully fifteen million bushels, while but a little of the great grain plateau em braced witbin its limits has been brought under cultivation. One farmer, the past year, harvested one thousand acres, with an average yield of forty bushels to the acre. This seetion, while much of it is too far north for growing corn, will evidently be come the Odessa of America in the produc tion of wheat. MINNESOTA was lately the scene of a mar riage with a romantic origin. A lady who had been a teacher in that State married a missionary and went out to India, carrying with her photographs of friends and ac quaintances. A young British officer of her acquaintance was looking over these pictures one day, and was struck with the appearance of Miss Jennie Shaw of Lake land, Minn. He opened a correspondence with her, and they were at last engaged without either having seen the other. He has since come to this country, visited the lady, and they being mutually pleased were married a few weeks ago and ha#e gone to Europe. A SPIRITUAL PLANT.—A specimen of the wonderful plant, "the flower of the Holy Ghost," has been suceeasfully raieed in Nor wich, Ct. The flower is a creamy white cup, nearly as large as half an egg, and extremely beautiful, and its wonder as a natural floral growth is the fact that in this flower there is a little pure white dove, with pink bill and eyes, and its head turned as if looking over its back. Its wings, feet, bill, <tc., are as absolutely perfect as those of the living dove, whose counterpart this wonderful mimic vegetable is. TUF. CHOLERA ON ITS MARCH.—It is re ported that the cholera is raging with sever ity at the city of Kief, in Russia. This city is on the Dnieper, one of the rivers of the Black Sea, up which in 1831 2 the Asiatic thence to the British islands, auu uTeuro across the Atlantic to Quebec and New York. Perhaps the dreaded monster of Ilindostan may be again progressing through Russia on a similar raid. If vigi lautly watched, however, his march may be ehecked. FEMALE SKILL.—It is announced that six teen of the most expert female money counters in the Treasury Department at Washington have been sent on to New York to verify the cash balance stated in General Buttcrfield's accounts as United States As sistant Treasurer. When Butterfield's pre decessors went out of office, a large number of clerks from the prominent banks in New York were engaged at this work for two or three weeks, laboring day and n.ght. The appointment of these sixteen ladies is highly complimentary to their skill and business capacity. THE State of Connecticut is stocking its small lakes and ponds with the fine game fish the black bass of the St. Lawrence, .Gristes Nigricans Agassis. Mr. E. S. Woodford of West Winsted, who has given much attention to the cultivation of this fish, has, under the direction of the Com missioners on Fisheries, stocked about 20 ponds during the present season with 2,000 bass, one, two and three years old. For the proprietor of the Cattskill Mountain House, he has stocked his ponds on the Mountain with 125 bass, and for the Com missioners of Maine, several ponds near Bangor. The wonderful fecundity of this fine fish will soon produce a great amount of delicious and wholesome food. BEDFORD, PA.. FRIDAY, NOV. 28, 1860. §oet rg. TARA'S HALLS. BY THOMAS MOOSE. The harp that once through Tarn's halls The soul of music shed, Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls As though that soul had fled. Thus drops the pride of former jears ; Thus glory's thrill is o'er; And hearts that once beat high lor praise Now feel that pulse no more. No more for courts and ladies bright * The barp of Tara swells ; The only chord it breaks at night Its tale of ruin tells ; Thus Freedom now so seldom wakes The holy chord gives. Is when some heart indignant breaks To tell that still she lives. For passed away is Tara's charm To help poor Erin's woe ; Dissensions broke the Irish arm, And gave her to her foe. And now that haughty foe looks down, That lord of all the Isles, And meets entreaty with a frown, Or coldly, proudly smiles. Lie still poor harp ! perhaps again, Thy chords may yet be strung, When tyranny shall end her reign, And right results o'er wrong. Then may once more thy chords awake Tbe deathless strains of yore, And ireedom from her fetters break, And Erin smile once more. §LI!SAUATTEOUJ*. THE BROKEN HOME. ••TRUTH STRANGER THAN MICTION." In San Francisco, on the north side of Folsom street, overlooking Mission Bay, stands a palatial residence. The interior of this house is even more beautiful than its exterior, every apartment being in its way a gem of magnificence and refinement. The library especially realizes tbe most perfect ideal of an elegant aud cultured home. And yet, at the moment we look in upon him—one August afternoon, as he occupied his library—the proprietor of all this wealth appeared of all men the most miserable. He was Mr. Morton Preble, for many years a leading banker of San Francisco. It was in vain that the broad bay window at the south end of the room had been opened, giving ingress to the sunshine and the fragrance of rare flowers—in vain that the walls were lined with richly carved book cases and paintings—in vain that soft couches and luxurious chairs had been gathered around him. He was wretched. He lay on sofa, in the depths of the great bay-window, the wreck of a once powerful man. His figure was thin and guanf; his face white as marble ; his eyes having an expression of wo ful apprehension, of harrowing anxie ty, of dreadful expectancy. It was evident at a glance that no merely physical ailment had made hirn what he was. By what withering secret, by what destroying affliction, had he been thus agonized? thus haunted? thus hunted? he so noble and good! he so wealthy and distinguished 1 As he moved restlessly upon his lux urious cushions the pretty clock on the mantel-piece struck five, every stroke seeming to fall like a hammer upon the heart of the nervous invalid. He aroused himself, struggling feebly to a sitting posture. "Oh, will this fatal day never, never pass?" he murmured; "nor bring us relief?" Noticing with a nervous start that he was alone, he touched a bell upon a upon a table before him, and called : "Helen, Helen! where are you?" Before the echoes of his voice had died out a step was heard, and his wife entered his presence. "I left you only for a moment, Mor ton," she said, advancing to the bank er's side. "You were dozing, I think. I wished to send for the doctor!" Shewasa beautiful woman of seme six and thirty years, graceful, with broad white brows, and loving eyes, in which the brightness and sweetness of a sun shiny nature were still perceptible, un der a grief and anxiety no less poig nant than that evinced by her hus band. "The doctor!" he echoed, half re proachfully. "Yes, dear," she said, in a calm and cheerful voice, as she drew a chair to the side of the sofa, and sat down, stro king the corrugated forehead of the in valid with a magnetic touch. "He will be here immediately. Your last me. You msv Mr. Preble bestowed an affectionate look upon his wifo, but said despond ently : "The doctor ! He cannot 'minister to a rnind diseased ! ; Oh, il these long hours would only pass ! If I only knew what the day has yet in store for us!" "Look up, Morton!" enjoined Mrs. Preble with a reverently trustful glance upward through tho ojien window at the blue sky, and as if looking beyond the azure clouds therein. "Let us ap peal from the injustice and wickedness of earth to the goodness ar<l mercy of Heaven!" The banker gave a low, sobbing sigh. "I cannot look up, Helen," leans-! wered, with a passionate tremor m his voice—"only down, down at the grave j that is opening before me!" Mrs. Preble continued to stroke his 1 forehead softly, while she lifted her pale face to the sunlight streaming in to the apartment. 'Look up, Morton—always look up!' she again enjoined upon the invalid. "During all these fourteen years of ag ony, I have not once doubted either the goodness or the justice of Heaven. 'Blessed are they that mourn ; for they shall be comforted.' I believe that we shall yet rejoice more keenly than we have mourned, and that we shall come to a glorious day of joy beyond aU this long night of sorrow !" The face of the invalid lighted up with an answering glow, aud ho mur mured : "Glorious faith! My wife, you are indeed a blessed comforter! Perhaps, after all, you are right J" A knock resounded on a side-door at this juncture, and the next moment Dr. Hutton, the family physician, for whom Mrs. Preble had sent, entered the room. He was an old man, portly in figure, with white hair and beard, but with a fresh and ruddy complexiou, a pair of shrewd blueeyes, and with an exuber ant boyishness of manner that sat well upon him. He had a kind heart and a clear head. He approached the sofa, after greeting the husband and wife, and lifted the thin restless hand of the invalid, feeling his pulse. "Quite a high fever," he said, after a brief pause. "Worrying again, eh, Mr. Preble? You are wearing your self out. Medicine will do you no good so long as your mind is in its present condition. I must give you an opiate—" "Not now, doctor," interposed the lanker. "I cannot—must not—sleep 10-day! I need to be broad awake now, lor I cannot tell at any moment what fhe next will bring forth. lam look ing for the culmination of all my years of anguish—for the crowning agony of the whole. Perhaps even now— Ah, what was that ?" He started up wildly, and then, as the souhd that had disturbed him was not repeated, he sank back again on his cushions, pallid and panting. The doctor looked at Mrs. Preble with an anxious, questioning glance. "It is the anniversary," she replied to his unspoken inquiry—"the anni versary of our loss." 'JAh. yes," said the doctor. "I re member." "Yes, it is another of those terrible days," cried the banker, in a hollow whisper. "Sit down, doctor, and I will tell you the whole story. I can think of nothing else to-day, and am almost wild with apprehension and anxiety. Sit dowu." l>r. Hutton drew up a chair and seated himself, his face expressing the double solicitude of a friend and phy sician. "You knew us fourteen years ago, doctor," said Mr. Preble. "We lived where we do now, in a cottage on the site of this great mansion. There were but three of us—Helen and I, and our three-year old Jessie. And it was fourteen years ago to-day that our lit tle Jessie was stolen from us." "I remember it," said the doctor softly. "Yet might she not have been lost, Mr. Preble? She went out. to play in the garden, if I remember rightly, and was never seen by you a guin. She might have strayed away—" "So we thought for a whole year, doctor," interrupted the banker. "We never dreamed that she had been sto len. We searched everywhere for her, and offered immense rewards for her recovery. I employed detectives, but all to no purpose. When our little Jessie ran down the steps into the flow er garden," and he pointed to the front of the house, "as if the earth had opened and swallowed her up, we nev er saw her again." "She must have found the gate open, and wandered out," suggested Dr. Hutton. "She might have strolled down to the waters and been drown ed." The banker fixed his burning eyes upon the physician's face and whis pered : "I said we never saw the poor child again. I did not say we never heard of her. She was lost on the 9th of Au gust, 1854. For a year we thought her dead. But on the anniversary of our loss we received a written message con cerning her." "A message!" cried Dr. Hutton, starting. "A mere scrawl—a single line in a hand evidently disguised," said the banker, "Here it is." He produced a dingy scrap of paper from a drawer in the table, and held it up to the view of the physician, who read as follows: AUGUST 9,1855. Jessie, ha, ha ! Jes sie." Dr. Hutton looked, with a puzzled air, from the scrap of paper, which he turned over and over, to tho counte nance of the banker. "I can make nothing of this," he de clared. "It is merely a date, with the name of your lost daughter. It tells me nothing." "Nor did it us, at first," said Mr. Preble. "Then that name and that date, t \Kithuo Wh JWi£. ""A" WiASkS year we agonized over the dreadful problem, aud then we received anoth er message, which you shall see." He thrust a second slip of paper, i dentical in shape and appearance with the first, before the gaze of Dr. Hut ton, who read it aloud : "AUGUST 9, 1856, Your Jessie still lives." The physician started, as if electri fied. "Ah! this is something definite something decisive," he muttered. "It convinced you thsK your daughter was still living." "Yes, doctor," said Mr. Preble, "aud every anniversary of that day has brought us some message. The dis appearance of the child, mysterious as it is, does not seem to me half sostrange as that the vallain who took her away i <ould contrive to communicate with us # I tvery year since, aud always on a par ticular day—the anniversary of that on vhich she was stolen—without our be iig able to discover who he is. And a still greater wonder to me is what cm be his motive. It seems incredible. lit was stated in a novel many peo |le would not believe it. But •ruth is stanger than fiction.'" Mrs. Preble drew From her husband's Feast-pocket his note-book, opened it b the proper page, and presented it to be physician. Dr. Hutton adjusted his spectacles, ganccd over the page, and then slow ly read the group of entries aloud.— The entry the first year is as follows: "AUGUST I). 1855. Jgssie, ha, ha ! Jes sie /" And the next year it is— "AUGUST 0, 185. Your Jessie Hill lives." And the next— "AUGUST 9, 1857. She is in good hands I" And the Dext— "AUGUST 9,1858. She is well as ev er'." And the next— "AUGUST 9, 1859. I saw her yester day !" And the next— "AUGUST 9, 1860. She's growing rap idly !" And the next— "AUGUST 9,1861. She continues to do ■well!" And the next— "AUGUST 9, 1862. I've seen her a gain !" And the next— "AUGUST 9, 1863. She's becoming a woman." And th£ next— "AUGUST 9, 1864. Your child is thir teen !" And the next— "AUGUST 9, 1865. She's lovlicr than ever !" And the next- 1 — "AUGUST 9, 1866. She's really char ming!" And last year it is— "AUGUST 9,1867. My reward is at hand And what shall we get to-day ? The physician looked up and fixed his thoughtful gaze upon the bereaved husband and wife. "How did these messages come to you ?" he demanded. "Invariably by post," replied Mr. Preble. "Usually to the house, but sometimes to the office!" "And you have never seen their-au thor?"* "Never !" "The last of them is dated, I see a year ago to-day!" "Yes, yes," faltered the banker, "and the time has come for another mes sage. This is the 9th of August, 1868!" "I see," said Dr. Hutton. "And this is the secret of your terrible excite ment. Y T ou are expecting to receive to day another of these strange messages!" Their was a brief silence. Mrs. Pre ble's hand fluttered in its task, and her face grew very pale. The banker breathed gaspingly. The physician re garded them both in friendly sympa thy. "We shall hear of her again to-day," said Mr. Preble; and what will the message be ?" The mother averted her face. Her bravo heart faltered as that question echoed in her soul. "The writer of these letters is un questionably the abductor of your child !" said Dr. Hutton. "Have you any suspicion as to bis identity?" "Not the slightest," said Mr. Preble. "We have puzzled over the problem for many years, but we cannot guess who he is." "Think," said the doctor. "Have you no enemy ? I do not mean peo* pie with whom you are not friendly— every stirring man has plenty of these —but a downright enemy! Is there no man whom you knew in the East who hated you ? No one against whom you were called upon to testify —no one whom you possibly injured ?" The banker shook his head. He had asked himself all these questions re peatedly. "I have no such enemy, doctor," he answered with sincerity of voice and manner. "And Mrs. Preble?" suggested the doctor, turning to her. "Have you no rejected suitor who might be revenge ful enough to desolate your home ?" "No," said the lady. "I was mar ried early. Morton was my first lov er !" "This is strange—very strange!" muttered the doctor. "You are not conscious of having an enemy in the world, and yet you have an enemy— a hidden foe—a fiend in human form— who is working out against you a fear ful hatred! Aud you have not the slightest suspicion as to whom hets?" "Not the slightest," declared the banker. "Not the slightest!" echoed Mrs. Preble. My husband had a step-broth er who might have been capableof this infamy—but he is dead!" "The handwriting is not familiar?" "No. It is merely a rude scrawl, as you see," said the banker. "It sug gests nothing—except that it is evi dently disguised !" ißv.it; woa u juuiuuuu aucuwe. "Our child would be seventeen years old now," at length murmured Mrs. Preble, her voice trembling. "She Is on the threshold of womanhood. No doubt, during all these years, she has yearned for us, wherever she may be, as we have yearned for her!" "But where is she?" asked the phy sician—and now his voice was broken by his deep sympathy with ttfe ago nized parents. "Where can she be?" "Heaven only knows," answeredthe mother. "Perhaps in San Francisco— perhaps in some rude hut in the inte rior T with some obscure farmer, and under a name that is not hers! I think her abductor would have carried her to some lonely region of the interior, among the valleys and mountains. Yet I never see a young girl in the streets without turning to look at her. I never hear a girlish voice without listening eagerly, half fancying that it may prove the voice of my lost Jes sie!" "Oh, pitying heaven 1" sighed Dr. llutton, dashing a flood of tears from his eyes. "Will this long agony nev er be over?" "We hope so, and even believe so" answered Mrs. Preble, with the firm ness of an unfaltering trust in God's mercy. "The last message we receiv ed from our enemy seems to point to some kind of a change." "True," assented Dr. Hutton, look ing at the message in question. "It is VOL. 42: NO 44. unlike the others. It says that his j 'reward Is at hand.' He means either | that he intends to marry your daugh ter, or that he intends to demand money of you for bringing her back— or both." * "We shall soon know," said Mrs. Preble, with forced calmness. "To day we shall have another message, no doubt. What will it be?" The banker turned restlessly on his sofa, and his face grew paler. "Whatever it is, let it come!" lie murmured. "Anything can be borne better than this awful suspense. Let it come!" As if his impatient words had pre cipitated a crisis, a step was heard on the walk at this moment, and a ring at the front door followed. "Another message!" breathed the banker. A servant soon entered, bearing a letter, which he extended to Mr. Preb le, saying : "The bearer is in the hail." With an eager gaze, the banker glanced at the superscription of the missive. "It is from him /" He tore the envelope open. It contained a slip of paper, of well known shape and appearance, upon which was scrawled a single line, in an equally well-known hand writing, which the banker exhibited to his wife and the physician. This line was as follows: "AUGUST 9, 1808. At six I will caUr A shock of wonder and horror shook the three simultaneously. "Will call!" cried Mr. Preble, smart ing to his feet, and glaring wildly a round. "Is coming here?" cried Mrs. Preb le, also arising. "It seems so," said Dr. Ilutton, his eyes again reverting to the message, "He will be here at six o'clock, and see I it is six already!" Even as he spoke, the clock on the mantel-piece commenced striking the appointed hour, and at that instant heavy footsteps resounded in the hall, approaching the library. "It is As!" cried the doctor, also ri- j sing. As the last stroke of the hour re sounded, the door leading from the hall again opened. One long and horrified glance cast the banker and his wife in that direc tion, and then she fell heavily to the floor. Her senses had left her. The above we publish as a specimen chapter; but the continuation of this story will be found only in the N. Y. Ledger. Ask for the number dated December 4th, which can be had at any news office or bookstore. If you are not within reach of a news office, you can have the Ledger mailed to you for one year | by sending three dollars to Robert ! Bonner, publisher. 182 William street, New York. The Ledger pays more for original contributions than any other periodical in the world. It will publish none but the very, very best. Its moral tone is the purest, and its circulation the largest. Every body who takes it is happier for having it. Leon Lewis, Mrs. Harriet Lewis, Mrs. Southworth, Mr. Cobb, Professor Peck, Mary Kyle Dallas, Fanny Fern and Mis 3 Dupoy will write only for the Ledger hereafter. Mr. Bonner, like other leading pub lishers, might issue three or five papers and magazines; but he prefers to con centrate all his energies upon one, and in that way to make it the best. One Dexter is worth more than three or five ordinary horses. One science only can one genius fit, So vast is art, so narrow human wit. AMERICAN GIRLS ABROAD. We have never been to Europe, nor do we expect to get there shortly; but we do not despair of some day treading the soil and seeing the wonders and beauties of which we have heard and read so much. Our desire to accomplish this is greatly in tensified by the thought that we shall have an opportunity of beholding with our own eyes—what so piany have gone into raptures about—the robust, rosy-cheeked girls of Merrie England; the dark-eyed Castilian maidens; the gay and vivacious French grisettes : and the buxom lasses of Germa ny. We want to see these various speci mens of feminine humanity upon their na tive soils, and contrast them with the girls of our own native land, for be it known, we have a vague impression that in all that con stitutes an earnest, lively, dashing and ac complished female, the American girl stands at the head of the heap. That we are not alone in this opinion is shown by the follow ers to s^Y stated whether the writer is an American or a foreigner. If the former, his admira tion of his countrywomen is pardonable ; if a European, the compliment is the greater. "I Jo not wish to undervalue English beau ty which is most satisfactory and enduring, and most of which will wash. But I con fess that Americau beauty from New York to New Orleans has spoiled my eyes for any other. I fear you do not half appreciate them at home. Here they admire and envy them —that is, the men admire and the wo men envy. On the, Continent they rave about them. Half a dozen American belles send a whole German town distracted. It is not only their beauty and grace, but their wit, spirit, and happy audacity. The con tincntal customs favor their triumphs. No girl over there ever dares to say her soul is her own, let alone her body. An American girl, on the contrary, asserts her freedom, goes wherever she pleases, talks with every one she cares to talk with, says du to a German at the first introduction, and orders him about just—just as she would do at home. He is overwhelmed and astound ed, but all the more delighted. He tells his friends that the beautiful girl he walked with said du to him, and told him to bring her a glass of water, which sets them all crazy to be introduced to her, hear her say duo them, and be made water carries likewise. Next day the whole town is talking about her, and staring at her. The women are in a rage; but the result is the conviction that America must bo a great country.— Evatiug Star. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS, AC The IcqsieKß i published eicry BXIDAT morn jug be following rates : One 'YSAB, (in advance,) $2.00 " " (ii not paid within sixmos.)... $2-50 " H (if not paid within the year,)... $3.00 All papers outside of the county discontinued without notice, at the expiration of the time for which the subscription has been paid. Hinglecopicsof the paperfuinUhed,in wrappers, at fire cents each. Communications on subjects of local or general Merest, are respectfully solicited. To ensure at tention favors of this kind must invariably be accompanied by the name of the author, not for publication, but as a guaranty against iinposition. All letters pertaining to business of the office should be addressed to JOHN liUTZ, Beuroao. I'a. THE FUTURE OF PENfiiXVLVAJIIA. It has been calculated that if the vrhcic republic were peopled as densely as Massa chusetts is at the present time, it would have 618,000,000 inhabitants, an aggregate far transcending even the vast multitudes of China, and making the greatest empire of ancient or modern times. This would be at the rate of an average of one hundred and seventy-three persons to the square mile, which is by no means large. In the State ; of New York the average is about ninety four to the square mile. According to the estimation, made loqg ago, of a population of 100,000,000 in the year 1900, the average would only be twenty-eight persons to the square mile. • There can be no doubt that ail these re sults will be reached in due time, and we quote them in support of our assertion that Pennsylvania caQ and will, in time, sustain with ease, a population of thirty million of sou'.s, to all of whom Philadelphia will be a natural metropolis. Hence there is really no exaggertion in our estimates of the fu ture of this city or State, and all that seems to be needed is tha% as regards the State, we should go ahead to open up and improve its boundless resou?ccs of iron, coal, petro leum, salt, marble, lime, limestone, turpen tine, &c., to put the forests that clothe our mnuDtaips to their true uses for lumber and bark for tanning ;to multiply industries; to stimulate wool growing and woolen manu factures ; to convert our hamlets MiLo vil lages, our villages into towns, our towns into cities, and our cities into places of wealth and power. The railroad is our civi lizing agency, and with the railroad our progress must go hand in hand in every cor ner of the Commonwealth. Free traders have reproached us with our devotion to coal and iron; let us show them jin earnest what coal and iron can do. They know already somewhat on that head, but not a tithe of what they may and should be made to see. Iron is a necessity the wide world oyer. The cannon of the conqueror, the ship of the merchant, the plow of tho farmer, the machinery of industry, all alike Ae of this mighty agent that lies imbedded so richly all over Pennsylvania, and the possession of which gave strength to the national cause in the civil war. Sixty per cent, of all the iron made in the United States is produced in Pennsylvania. They are hunting everywhere for rival mines to build up some formidable competitor against us. Let us all put our shoulders to the wbeel and show them that it is not so easy to bend the old Keystone State. Seventeen millions of tons of coal are produced annual ly from our soil, and we supply alike tho valley of the Mississippi and the seaboard and the lake region. They are stimulating competition against us, threatening to re peal the protective duty in order to invite foreign coal, and, in fact, seem to be all aim ing to bring us low in the dust. But we arc not of the stuff to bend to such a storm. The held is ours. Let us hold it by main strength. Let us open more mines, produce more coal, build more steam coal transports, and defy rivalry. A great deal has been said about railroad monopolies, yet it is chiefly by the indomitable energies of tho great railway corporations that so many branch and tributary iines have been built and have proved profitable ; that more re gions have been opened to industry and trade, and that the treasures of the mines, long ! neglected, have been brought to light and use. These companies are still doing their uiighty work, and if they retain aconfidenee they will cheerfully toil on.— PkiL M Amer ican. MARRIAGE. Marriage is a woman's one career, let women rebel against the edict as they may; and though there may be word rebellion here and there, women learn the truth early in their lives. And women know it later in life when they think of their girls; and men know it, too, when they have to deal with their daughters. Girls, too, now acknowl edge aloud that they have learned the les son, and Saturday Reviewers and others blame them for their lack of modesty in do ing so—most unreasonably, most uselessly, and, as far as the influence of snch censors may go, most perniciously. Nature prompts the desire, the world acknowledges its übi quity, circumstances show that it is reason able, the whole theory of creation requires it; but it is required that the person most concerned should falsely repudiate it, in or der that a mook modesty may be maintain ed in which no human being can believe! Such is the theory of the censors who deal heavily with our English women of the pres ent day. Our daughters should be educa ted to be wives, but forsooth ! they should never wish to be wooed! The very idea is but a reuiDt.nt of the tawdry sentimentality of an age in which the mawkish insipidity of the woman was the reaction from the vice of that preceding it. That our girls are in quest of husbands, and know well in what way their lines in life should be laid, be"taug'bFVdlrecbgniife'Fri&lPffifi as%K69 themselves, and we shall cease to hear of the necessity of a new career for women.— From the November number of Lippincott's Magazine. HAVE YOU ENEMIES? —Go straight ahead and mind them not. If they block up your path, walk around them, and do your duty regardless of their spite. A man who has no enemies is seldom good for anything. He is made of that kind of material eo easi ly worked that every one has a hand in if. A sterling character, one who thinks for himself and speaks what he thinks, is al ways sure to have euemies. They are as necessary to him as fresh air; they keep him alive and active. A celebrated charac ter who was surrounded by enemies used to remark: They are sparks which if not fan ned, will go out themselves. Have courage, and you will live down the scaldal of those who are bitter against you—lf you stop to dispute, you but do as they desire, and open the way for more abuse. Let the poor fel low talk, there will be a reaction if you per form your duty, and the hundreds who were once alienated from you will flock to you and acknowledge their error. A DEAR little girl, on being told that God made the fruit and the flowers grow, aad sent all the good things she enjoyed, said, in her gratitude: "Then I'll send a kiss o God." HEBER G. KiMBALbTan out of names IK> forc he acquired all his children, and two of the fot tyfuine have the namei if bcrah M-
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