THE COLUMBIAN AND DEMOCRAT, BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA.
t.im imsointoiM or m hmco.
A mv!ihg win held nt Chickering Hall
nwnJly, nt wi,c, jrr. Alfred Conk.
He read n paper on " Mexico i IlcrPhyn
intl Geography and Itowurcon." Having
had occasion to visit Moxico on business
during tho early part of tho current yenr,
the lecturer tnndn a very oxtonsivo tour
throughout tho country, devoting otpocinl
attention to tho mines. Tho nroa of Mox
ieo Is 7,'10,0'JO square miles, or Rixtocn
timet tho sizo of tho Stalo of Kow i'ork.
A prolongation of tho Ahdoa of South
Amoricn traverses tho republic, nnd boars
tho namo of tho Sierra Madto. Four
ptsiks, having unpronouncablo Aztec
lmvnort, riso nbovo 15,000 foot, nnd nro
covered with eternal snow. They foi 1
lh highest laud In North Amoricn, Thu
lecturer described hit ascent of tho gr-at
voloano'ot Popocatepetl, tho lyftireit peak
in tho country. Owing to tho nmbitioa of
Coring to do- 'lop tho mineral wealth of
Kov Sp"'- Tieulturo did not receive
nny co. ii'- slinro of nttoution f-om
tho Spauiaids. So brilliant has been
Mexico's record in tho production of tho
procioua inctnls, that tho public Booms to
havo underestimated, if not entirely over
looked, tho vast vegetablo resources of
that country. In tho low country banana,
oranges, and many oilier fruits aro easily
cultivatoil Several of them thrivo with
out tillage. Mexico 1.3 capablo of grow
ing Buillcent eofieo for tho entiro consump
tion of tho United States which amounted
to tt.'i.OOO.OOO poundt in 1883. Sugar,
tobacco, cotton, vanilla, and cocoa aro
also rnisod in largo quantities.
Two crops of wheat and com aro grown
in many portions of tho republic, nnd hi
somu States threo crops of Indian com nro
cultivated in n singlo year. One-half of
the oxisting stock of Hilvor in tho eultrc
world has been extracted from Mexiemi
mines. Besides silver, iron, copper, lead,
tin, nnd other ores nro undnnt Pctro
loum occurs oxtcnsively near tho sea coast.
Tho nortliern tablo-laud is well adapted
to stock-raising. Tho native.! nro good
herdsmen, and tho mildness of tho Winter
is fuvornblo to cattle. The lecturer closed
his remarks by nn elaborate description
of tho new linos of railway, which, whim
comploted, will reach a total of about
10,000 miles. A serio3 of Btoreopticon
viows wero then shown.
novi:l-i:i:ai)Inc atADi: onions.
A hitler wng, mado angry by tho over
increasing output of novels, has devised n
now and malignant antidote for tho appo
tito for romance Ho declared that ho
will wrilo n supplement to ovory modern
lovo story, to bo oold nt half price, setting
forth tho matrimonial adventures and ex
periences of tho hero and heroine. Tho
sweet aud pathetic maiden with tho mild
blue eyes nnd tho golden hair is to bo de
veloped into tho fat and ruddy shrew with
a tondonoy to quarrel with her husband
and row her servants. Tho gallant gen
tleman with tho long mustache, and tho
silver voico is, ou his part, to bo ruthlessly
pictured marching up and down his bed
room hi airy nttire, with a squalling baby
in his arms, redolont of sour milk aud
catnip. Tho will of tho rich old undo,
which brings wealth and happiness at tho
end of tho first volume, will bo proved a
forgery in tho second." What with tho
upsotting of every pretty conventionality
' aud tho disclosure of tho inevitable condi
tions into which no well-bred novelist
ever follows his characters, this cynio
hopes to mako novel-reading nauseous
and novel-writing as unprofitable as it is
a dark industry.
now vrnoiiKX spools Ann made.
Tho bin''. :' Irst sawed into sticks four
or fivo 4 ft long and soven-eigths of nn
inch to tnrco inches square, nccordhig to
tho sizo of tho spool to bo produced. '
Thoso sticks are thoroughly seasoned.
They ore sawed into short blocks nnd tho
blocks nro dried in a hot nir kiln. At tho 1
timo they nro sawed a hole ia bored
through them. Ono whirl of tho littlo ,
block against sharp knives, Bliaped by a I
pattern, makes tho Bpools at tho rate of
ono per second. A small boy feeds tho
Bpool machine, simply placing tho blocks 1
in n spout and throwing out tho knotty or
defectivo stock. Tho machino is auto
matic, but cannot do tho sorting. Tho
spools nro revolved rapidly in drums nnd
polish themselves. For boMo purposos
they are dyed yellow, red or black fdioy
nro made in thousands of shapes and sizes.
Whon ono sees on a spool of thread " 100
yards" or "200 yards" thoso words do
not signify that tho thread had been
measured, but tho Fpooi has been gauged
and is supposod to contain so much thread.
Whon a silk or linen or cotton firm wants
a spool made, it sends n pattern to tho
spool-maker. This pattern gives tho sizo
and shape of tho barrel and tho head and
hovel. Thoso patterns dotorraino tha
amount of thread that tho spool will hold.
C.UISO 11Y NIOUT.
- At ovcry fifty yards or so blazo hugo
bonfires of sulphur and tar, ono instant
lighting up tho street clear as day, ns a
mass of flame shoots into tho air, nnd
leaving it dark ns pitch in tho next, ns
fresh fuel is thrown on nnd volumes of
Bulphurous smoko roll forth. Tho town
Las a desertod look, and fow peoplo nro
soon about tho streets. Hero n couplo of'
Arabs with their long falling robes movo
eilontly along, thcro n patrol of English
polico mounted on thoir big English
horses, clonk down tho ccntro of tho road.
At tho door of a Brasserie or cafo Bits ono
of tho waitresses, exchanging n few words
with somo French or Italians.
EAIIXY IlELiaiOUS DISPUTES.
To us many of tho metaphysical points
connected with tho Trinitarian controversy
and tho nature of God aro unintelligible,
ns they nro untrnnslatablo into English,
or ovon Latin. Tho endless disputos
about tho meaning of the words "Father, " i
"Son," "begotten," "unbegotton," of a'
liko naturo "Homoiousios," nnd of tho,
samo naturo "Homoousios," raged in
every littlo publio house in Alexandria
Men wore moro eager obout it than the
nro about Popory, or ritualism, or nny
other ism of our day. Gregory or Nyssa
records how, when you went to nsk tho ,
price of bread, tho baker Boomed quite off
Ills head, and would nnswer, "Tho Son I
aroso out ef -"thing." Or, when you in-,
quired if ' ic inth was roady, the bowil
dercd slave would observo tlint tho "Sou
" was subordinate to thoFathor." Mobs went
about tho Btreou, shouting for tho " Hon
otousiou," audbroke tho heads of the
mobs whom thjjy met shouting for the
" Homoouflie1- " Tho Emperor's statues
wero thrown douoi, und tho peaceublo in
habitants complained bitterly to tho con
stabulary that brenchoH of tho pnico took
placo, with impunity, nnd that quiet folk
ouiild hardly go about unmolested.
From a largo number of x,i-j-. u" j
with tho nnlcmuo of ius.fotj, Mr. U. J. .i.
Porter is lod to coucludo (l) thut thu an.
teniae nra not tho organ of nny nno or of
any combination of what wo call tho flvo
Boiisoshenriug, wwlug, Hmelluig, touuli.
ing, and fasting ; () that the jmiwht of
'direction (km nut lie in thn mi-Wiijio.
and (U) that tliy Rntaiiu -e tK ,,.., , .
some souse not potwu - us.
mni:tv.six
VICTIMS.
To thoso who heliovo that tho practice
of Thuggee has boon completely put
down in India, tho story of Sharfit, whoso
career of crimo has just terminated by his
ijoing sentencou to transportation fun lifo,
will como as an unplo.nant rovelntion,
Sltnrfn was tho son of a butchor In
it mnall village in tho Punjab, and whon
yet n boy ho devolopod a mnrkod tasto
not only for gambling, but ovon for card
sharping. At tho ngo of 18, having quar.
relied with his father, he left his liativo
villngo nnd attached himself to n party of
horso doalors. Ho thou joinod tho Baroilly
polico, but was Bhortly afterward son
t'ncod to fifteen months' imprisonment
! i injuring his wife, tho daughter of
Tliakur whom ho had abducted. In the
l!.vreilly jail ho camo Into contact with
Tikka llnni, the. hoad of n baud of pols.
on-'M In tho northwest proviuco3. Oh
Ih ir recovering their liberty they ro
turned operations together, making tholi
headquarters in llio town of Agra. After
Ri.x years' work of undetected crime, of
which tho dotails havo not been rovoalod,
tho two fell out, and Shorfii joined tho
polico forco again, only, howovcr, to bo
dismissed in a fow months.
It was after this occurroueo that ho re
sumed his operations as professional
poisoner on his own account. His modo
of working was simple Disguising him
self ns a well-to-do nativo of Onde, ho
used to waylay nnd enter into conversa
tion with thoso natives of tho province
who happened to bo returning with their
nuvings. His favorito hccuo of operation
was on the Grand Trunk road. Onco ho
had struck up u companionship with
tliero unsuspecting travellers it was an
eaty matter to tako food with them, and
Sbaifu rarely failed to iutroduco the
opium or Mat- a needed to drug his vic
tims, whom ho speedily relieved of their
savings. Most of tho30 unwary persons
recovered when pursuit was useless, but
many of thein. died. His operations bo.
tween tho years 1807 nnd 1872 wore par.
ticularly numerous and successful ; nnc
ofl'.cinl rcporta reeoguizodtho extent tc
which Thuggoo provailod in tho Punjab
during that period. In July, 1831, his
secret was revealed by Tikka Ham's wife,
with whom ho liad boon living for four
teen years ; and ho had only just tmfll
cient warning to mako n hurriod retreat
into Bajpootann. Thoro ho renowed his
old practices, nnd placed his services nt
tho disposal of thoso who had inconven
ient relatives to get rid of, and who would
pay handsomely for the daugerous work.
Ho long balllod tho pursuit of tho officials,
nnd it was not until tho prosont yeor-thatj
ho was discovered, through tho instru
mentality of Tikka Ram, undergoing n
short term of imprisonment in Agra jail
under a different namo.
Brought up for trial at Loodiana, ho
odinittod his guilt hi ninety-six cases of
murder or drugging, and was sentenced
to dentil, which was afterward modified to
transportation for life. Sharfu's long
impunity bIiows tho groat difficulty of
detecting crimo in India, at tho samo time
that it reveals tho oxtensivo organization
which criminals havo formed in tho Pun
jab at all events. Much light has recently
beeu thrown by Br. Leitnor on tho argot
which thioves in the Punjab havo framed
for thoir own use and of which Govern
ment officials nro nbsolutcly ignorant
TIIK COI.OK or WATER.
Two theories aro advanced to explain
tho bluo color of water whenseen in largo
masses, one, held by Professor Tyndnll,
being that small solid particles suspended
in tho water do not reflect tho lower or
red rays of tho spectrum. According to
the other theory, tho color is duo to tho
absorbent action of tho wnter itself on
tho whito light beforo nnd nfter reflection
by theso parti.'.,.-.. Tho results of exper
iments made by .Mr. John Aitkin, and
presented to the Royal .Society, England,
show that tho latter theory is probably
tho moro correct one. The groater tho
number of whito reflecting particles tho
greener tho water appears to be, nnd
hence tho gradual deepening of tho green
to bluo as tho shoro is left. Tha waters
of Lako Como owo their dnrknoss to tho
nbsenco of reflectiug pnrticlos, as Mr.
Aitkon ingeniously proved by scattering
finely-divided chalk in tho centre of that
,lako, thereby producing a very brilliant
blue. The brilliancy dopends on tho
color of the partielos, aud is greatest with
whito particles. Among coral ' reefs,
which aro gccrally strewn with whito
Band, tho water also takes a very bril
liant bluo or green. Tho dull tinge
of English river waters is duo to the
dingy character of tho suspended silt j
but springs havo often a bright color,
owing to tho whitenoss of the chalk sus
pended in thorn.
metai.iz.vtion or WOOD.
This process, which has lately been in
vented in Franco, consists in soaking the
wood in eaustio alkali for two or three
(Lays at :t tomporaturo of from 107 degrees
to 10 1 degrees Fahrenheit At tho expira
tion of this timo tho wood is placed in
another bath, of hydro-sulphate of calcium.
.to which is ndded, nftcr twenty-four
hours, a concentrated solution of Biilphur.
In forty-eight hours tlm wood is immersed
in a third bath, of acetate of lead, at n
temperature of from 03 degrees to 123 de
grees Fnhreiihoit, for thirty to fifty hours.
When it is quito dry, it is capablo of ro
eeiving a wonderful polish, and looks liko
a metal minor. Wood treated in this
way is practically indostnictiblo and never
decays with damp.
COMPANIONAl'uA:"ri!oT'I.Ii
In ovcry society wo find tlutt tho poo-
pie wno aro called companionable aro
thoso who have n knack of making light
of their tribulations aud vexations, and n
habit of putting them out of sight ; who
do not entertain their acquaintances with
tho recital of o bad baking, a leaky pipe,
tho children's measlos, tho shortcomings
of tho servants ; who know how to koop
thoir melancholy, if thoy havo any, out
of tho conversation j whose nerves do
roiMiNr.n or
not furnish them with material for a
morning call j who nro not nlw.ays on tho
outlook for a draught, or n ohango of
weather, or a slight ; who do not lamont
their povorty aloud, and mako us fool re
sponsible for it and uncomfortable amidst
our plenty. Tho companiouablo peoplo
never seek to mako us dissatisfied with
ourselves or our belongings j thoy talk
nluut tho thhi 'I'M liko to hear and arq
Bilent upon tho unbjocls on which wo
diagroo ; they do not differ from us for
tho sako of differing, and do uot on
nouueo their opinions ns if thoro woro no
nppoal therefrom.
lteoant experiments in flormtm schools
):uvo shown that tho difficulty of reading
black lettoin on a whito ground compared
to that of reulingwhitoonnblaokground
bins 121 to 401, and, thuroforo, tho slato
nud tho bl lo'.board will probably fall into
diuo iu tli, i empire.
Tho Nooolui' lilandan havo such a
ru wluu for til!, v'litnluU with a blaok
ti ,.'i.l tlutt tnuUin who visit with them
c ,)eaaU' if this headgear instead
' 'fiakafat twunlly layr to tho noble
. i.iopiiipijf .1.(011 hat is from
i t.-tUotobixty-Hvoooooannta. . .
H.VIltTS Or SIlll.lttANS.
Many of the habits and customs of theso
peoplo aro vory singular. Along with
much rudonoss nnd simplicity, they havo
a high degroo of ingenuity. At night, for
Instance, nn Ostalk can toll tho timo very
accurately by judging tho position of thn
Great Boar j nnd ns this oiistollation in
constantly varying with tho soason, tho
operation involves on tho part of tho
Ostalk a calculation of somo magnitude.
In common with nil barbarous nnd semi
barbaric raoos, thoy manifest groat dex
terity in tho uso of weapons. In shooting
small animals such as squirrels, hares,
etc., for tho sako of thoir furs, caro is
takou that tho animal shall bo struck on
tho hoad only s nnd in this thn natives
seldom fail, ovon though thoir rillos nro
very clumsy in construction. With tho
, , 1,14, 4, "'I, l'4.U44,44', 44II4144J1, I4I44UIII. iVJi 4 it I I lit 1 1 11 1
bow anil arrow, which is tho weapon most, jyy yidtay laud for hay and paMungo,
In use, thoy aro equally dexterous. ,.th ,,.mdmi00 0f living water for
Thoir method of catching salmon, as do-
wnbod by n Cossack officer who witnessed
it is peculiar, In marching through tho
country at tho hoad of a detaohmont, ho
encamped ono ovoning on the banks of n
rivor j nnd on tho following morning ho
observed ono of tho natives walk to it
pool near nt hand, into which ho wadod,
and then Btood inotionlojt ns a stttuo,
his spear poised aloft nnd his keen oyo
fixed on tho water boforo him. Not n
movement indicated that lifo inhabited
tho figure, until, with lightning rapidity,
tho spear w,vs launched forward and ns
quickly withdrawn, n flno salmon quiver
ing on its barbod point Throo timoi in
twenty minutos wai tho operation per
formed, nndoach timo a fish rewarded
tho nativo's skill. And yet thoir dlcvor-no-ti
is but nlightly applied to tho aits of
lifo. Tho Tuiigooos, for instauco, uso
bear and reindeer skins to form thoir
beds j but as ihoy havo novor discovered
tho art of tahuiug, theso nrticles when
not in uso aro buried beneath tho snow,
by which moans tho hair is prevented
from falling off. This Rnmo tribe, too,
aro remarkably improvident ; they will
consiimo uatrly n wook's provisions in
ono night, nnd go hungry tho remaining
six days. Over agaimt this, ':howover,
must bo placod thoir dotostation of rob
bery, which is rogardod by them 03 nn
unpnrdounblo sin.
WINE THOJI ltAISINS.
Tlio bovcrago mado hi Franco from
raisins aud sold as tho juico of tho grapo
has boon bo harshly condotnued as a pois
onous docoction that it is plcosaut to bo
told by n writer in tho Itepubliquo Fran
caiso, who Booms to possess nccurato
knowlodgo of tho subjoct tlutt it is in
fact a harmless, and ngrooablo bovcrago.
Tho fruit comes dircotly from tho Grecian
Archipelago or Asia Minor. It is placed
in wooden tub3 with water heated by
steam. Fermentation begins nlm,ost im
mediately and lasts from eight to ten
days. At this stago of tho process tho
liquid is of a light color, liko Mosello
wino j and n good deal of it is sent into
tho French dopartmonts of tho Muertho
and tho Vosgps .where, after having j
simply been filtered, it is sold ni tho wino
of tho country. At; tho next stage of
manufacture it is passed through a closely
woven cloth to froo it from impurities,
aud a littlo alcohol is added. , It is thou
colored with somo harmlois proporation,
tho ono moslj.usod being mado from tho
I033 of fresh grapes. It can bo sold
wholesalo for about fiftoon conts n gallon,
and w no doubt much bettor worth.drmk
.,' . , . . .. , 4. ,
ing t hanome of tho decoctions for,which
peoplo nro willing to pay much higher
price, suppoung them to bo tho. pura
juico of the gr.ipo.
ANCIENT PlllCi; or LAllOIt.
Tn the yenr 1092, 25th Edward III., tho
wagos paid to haymakers woro a penny a
day. A mowor of meadows threepence a
day, or flvepenco nn acre Reapers of
oom in tho first week of August two-
ponoo ; in Uio second tliroeponce n day j
- W44.UWJ4U44WO 4. 4444J ,
and bo on till the end of August without
meat drink or other allowance, finding
their own tooK For throshhig a qunrtor
of wheat or rye, twopence-halfpenny; a -"'"i'i'"t"eagoouiiiriy-quarter
of barley, -beans, peas or oata, ' nme; hfte t lfc i1 KO'l-sond; and the
three-halfpence A master carpenter, ' CO,nfo hlh hlm- together with tho
mu3tor mason, fourjieiico 11 diayj other
masons, threepence, and thoir son-ants
tbrco-halfpcnco a day. Tilers, tlireeponco
aud tlicp' "knaves" (. , bborors) thrco
halfpence Thatchers, threepence n day,
and thoir kuavea three-halfpence. Plas
terers and other workers of mud walls,
and thoir kuavo3, in liko manner, with
out moat or drink, and this from Easter
to
i Michaelmas j nnd from that timo loss, '
.... . .'. ,, .
acci
u.uujh lu vuo u,. m mo J-,
tices.
ANECDOTE Or DOltE.
It is Bjud tuat Uustnvo JJoro, many
yoars ago, while on a tour in Switzerland,
happened to loso his passport. Arriving
atLuoorno, ho asked to" bo allowod to' tll otucr en" 18 a number representing
speak to tho Mayor, to whom ho gnvo his character. The clerk receives a mos
name. " You say that you aro M. Gus- -'Sa iu numbers, and takes tho blook of
tavo Dore," replied the Mayor, "and I ch number transmitted and Btamps with
boliovoyouj but" ho nddod, producing' tllQ opposite end tho proper Chinose char
n poneil nud n piece of paper, "you can' nctor on tho message form. Thus n Qu
easily provo it." Doro looked around . noso message sent in figures is translated
him and saw somo womon soiling pota- into Chinoso characters ngnin and for
toos in tho street With n fow touches' warded to its destination. Tho Bonding
ho reproduced tho scene, nnd putting his' cerk, of course, requires to know tho
namo to tho sketch, gave it to tho Mayor. numerical equivalent of tho charaoters or
"Your passport it perfectly in order," 'mVQ lom found for him.
remarked that official, "but you must
allow mo to koop it as a souvenir nnd to
offer you in return ono in tho ordinary
form."
Ono forgives everything to him who
forgives himself nothing.
.Although tho existence of korosono oil
in sevorol provinces of Japan is said to
havo boon known for 1200 yeans, tho Jap
aueso did not know how to roilno it until
about ten years ago. At prosont, how
ever, refining establishments nro ppring
ing up rapidly, and its manufacture is
becoming nn important industry.
Ono of tho novelties in Loudon is tho
literary bracolot- It is mado of twolvo
tiny books (silver or gold), attached to
each other by n double chain. Each lit
tie book hairs tho euamolled namo of n
favorito poet or novelist Tliero nro nho
musical bracolets of tho same model, only
thoy of courso hnvo tho names of operas
or composers.
T. R. Peek fltato3 that thoro aro impor
tant difforoncos in tho composition of hot
springs of Jcojand and of Now Zonlnml
Thu hot mud wells of Iceland contain so
ir nch copper that sevoral companies havo
been formed to work them commercially,
whilo tho Now Zealand mud HpriuKH nro
bo full of infusoria that iu times of fam
ine tho natives sustain lifo ou it d ot cm
sisting chiefly of mud.
Iu 1881 Mr, Frank Berry, of Kasloy,
S. O., pioked und pocked a'bahi of uutt m
nt his gin mid placed a noto inside th
bale, requesting tho man who manufiio.
turcd tho cotton to inform him what he
made of it, ote Recently Mr. Berry re
ceived a lettor from Franco in which ho
was informed that his note had biu
found and tlutt tho cotton had boon nrvla
into twist 'llio manufacturer request.) I
Mr, Berry to writo nnd inform him how
much ho received for tho cotton h're,
mid whether.it wai of tho first or Btoomi
picking. ' - '
TUI3 OLD MOIJOC WAKUtOI.S.
Travelers over tho Vinltn branch of 1'ia
'Frisco Railroad will doubtlimi remem
ber tho littlo village of Seneca, noslld in
ugly ravines, nbout SI 10 mllet miulhwoit
of St Louis, nnd lying immediately on
llio lino dividing Missouri from thu In
dian Territory. Within four miloi of ilia
depot now ro3ido nil that nro left of iho
Modocs. They arrived nt O.inip Modoc
(as their reservation was named) ten year i
ngo, numbering, n'.l told, 115(1 souls. For
eight years thoro as n small nnnunl do
orcaso in thoir nui'nbers until thoy fell
below 100, counting men, women and
children. Their present strength ia 10(1.
Tho reservation consists of 4 (h)() ncroi,
surveyed into forty-acro lots. Takon at
n whole it is a Una tract of laud, 0411. rac
ing prairio, thnbor, upland for farming,
stock, good well water whorover u-ih
havo boon dug, aud ntono sufficient for
Iho ueccsflitios of tho tribe Tho timber
is ntao heavy enough for sawing and htm
boring purposos. Gamo was formerly
plentiful, but is latteily growing scitrco
and wild. Princoss Mnry, sister to the
notorious Capt .Tack, is tho only living
blood relation ho now has nniung tlu
Modocs. All his children are dead. Olio
of his wives is now here, an old, ill-favored
squaw, childlosi, without roLtlircs
or tho slightest tribal influence.
Scarfaco Charley is n medium-sized
man of about fifty, quick and nervous in
manner. Ho was working nt thosnwmill,
rolling logs to tho carriage nnd spring
ing about ns lively on a cricket, talking,
grinning hnd o biting n flno How of
nuimal spirit 1 is now chief of tho
tribe, nnd not u i tlo proud of hi i pro
motion. Tho ofl'co exists mainly in name,
however. Tho young men no longer re
spect tho authority of a chief, and Char
ley wisely nttempts to oxorciso none. Ho
is scrupulously honest in his dealings
with whito men, has a fair knolodgo of
figures, aud can computo tho vnluo of a
load of corn or his purchase at n Btoro
readily and accural ely.
.Steamboat Frank is perhaps tho most
notable man among the Modooi. Ho
lives in n good two-roomed frame hou :o
toward tho north end of tho reservation.
P is well finished, painted nnd furnished.
Outaido ou n block stood n clean, bright
tin wash basin and a piece of soap Tho
school has an enrollment of seventeen
scholars, thoso being all tho children of
school ngo in tho tribe Botwcon thirty
nnd forty Modoc3 have ombrocod Christi
anity, nnd nvo doing ns well ns whito peo
plo could iu their condition. Tho experi
ment of assisting tho Modocs hn3 proven
ono of tho most satisfactory in tho history
of tho Indian Department
INCOMES or OEKJI.VJf POETS.
Wioland had reached tho midiUo point
of a long lifo.boforo ho received tho ap
pointment which mndo his fortune Ho
bail tbn bnnnr nf linlnn Mmonn 1... 41,
Downger Duchoaa Amalia to bo tll0tutor
of tho young Dnko, then in his flftconth
year. During tho fow years in which ho
held this post ho received tho salary now
attainablo by a woll qualified assistant
master in nn English board-school nbout
X!i0 n year. And after his work had boon
accomplished ho wasBOcured by a pension
of nbout 23 ngainst bringing discredit
on his honora by destitution. But lot us
not judgo tho microscopio glories of last
" uiiwuKaijiw guinea oi last;
coutuiy8 Germm courts by tho stantoJ
of COIltcmpomr , Ninct
pouiuls was, if not afiluenco, nt nny rate
n handsome compotency in tho Weimar
of Karl August Schulcr declared that
on an iucomo equal to 00 a family might
bo maintained in respectability nnd com
fort Poetic finnnco is not usually trust
worthy ; but when wo learn that for a
wngo of 18s. a quarter, in addition to
board mid lodging, a Bervnnt might bo
lin-ed eipalile of doing secretary's work,
1, -. Ml
'"-""" " umnpossiuio mat
nuiy ol sober
(..v-.u. i4.viu. v.imo, tmuu IT 1UUUU IU-
f.1n.i4i.:nn:i ii.ii mi . .
no doubt, to prolong his lifo to eighty
years.
ih.ythi:n ciiinee TEtEOK.vrn.
Owing to tho peculiarity of thoCliinoso
characters, each of which represents n
word, not n letter, as in our Western
n?,, C " .rTI"
I"10 "teat Aortbcru) working tho now
Chinoso lines have adopted tho follotvi
ioptcd tho followine;
device There aro from 5,000 to 0,000
characters or words in tho ordinary Chi
nese languago,, nnd tho company have
providpd a -vrooden block or typo for each
of thoso. On ono end of this blook tho
character is cut or stamped out, nnd on
Tho great momenta of life nro but mo.
ments liko the others. Your doom ia
spokon iu a word or two. A single look
from tho eyes, a mero pressure of tho
Hand may decide it j or of tho lips, thougli
thoy enunot speak.
Froin tho observations taken at Colon
by tho engineors engagod on tho Panama
Intcroceauio Canal, M da Lessops finds,
according to his pnpor read beforo tho
Academy of Sciences, Paris, on Nov. 20,
that tho groat earthquake wavo caused by
tho recent disturbances at Java .would
npponr to havo mado its way across tho
Indian and Atlantic Oceans, round tho
Capo of Good Hopo, to the east coast
of Coutrtd America in nbout 30 hours.
" Science," says tho editor of tho Amcr
ioin Naturalist, " is becoming widely pop
ularized iu tho present generation, aud
tho fruits will bo soen in tho noxt But
iu a country liko ours, tho Government
alone need uot undertake tho task of
creating a body of scientists j that work
idiould bo dono by tho pooplo and for the
people. 'Tiio timo is coming when our
peoplo will bo loss materialistic, and
when thoso who nro well-off nlready will
0J.W0 trying to ncouiuulato more wealth,
but turn their attention to 'rolling up'
iho intelloctual and sciontttlo capital of
our domain,"
"If," saysW. Mattiou Williams, "
wero liviug iu tho midst of Loudon, Birm
ingliam, Manchester, or nny other largo
city, I would recklessly disfigure my
premises by removing a pane of gloss
lrom tho window of ovcry room, or knock,
ing n holo through the outer wall, and
placing in tho oi ening tliero created
frnmo of scrim gauzo, with a glass door
for closing, or partially closing, it iu ex
tromely cold weather, and I heliovo that
nil the inmates would thoreby oscapo
Bomo of tho spoclal ills to which residents
iu largo towns nro liable
THE AOE Of OVSTEIIS.
Tho mturnl lorni of tho oyster's lifo is
not knovTii, but tliero in reaion to heliovo
that it may extend to twonty years or
more An oxcellont nuthority, Profoisor
Moblus, it of opinion that most of tho
nd till Schleswig oysters nro from soven to
ton yoars old, nnd that, though oy3ter.i
oier twenty yearn of ngo nro rnro, ho h.it
met with occasional specimens which had
attained botwocn twcuty-llvo and thirty
fairs.
Oyntors brood long boforo thoy aro full
grown, very probably In tho first yoar ot
thoir ngo, certainly in tho second. Their
productivity npponrn to reach its maximum
at flvo or six years, nnd nfterwnrds to do
clino j but much further observation ii
needed beforo nny definite rulet can bo
laid down on this subject
I buddoso that when tho sanld nnd dlin.
pery morsel which is nnd is gone, li) on'
iia m oi gustatory summer lightning -glides
along tho palate fow peoplo iuiag
itio that thoy nro Bw.allmviug a piooo of
machinery (and going machinery, loo)
greatly moro complicated than a watch.
lint so it is j tho oyslor possesses repre
sentatives of all tho most important organs
of tho higher animals, nud is endowed
wilhoorrespondiugfiuictioiis. Tho "loves
of tho oyster " may bo mythical, nud wo
mny oven bo sceptical as to its parental
tenderness j but no parent ean tako greater
etro of its young. And though tho oys
tor scorns tho typo of dull nuimal veg
etation in its ndult condition, it p.assoi
through a vngnbond, if not a stormy
youth, between tho timo in which it is
sheltered by tho parental roof nud that in
which it "ranges itself " ns n grave aud
sedentary member of tho oyster com
munity. rEKILOltS LEAPS,
Curious ns it may seem, it is not gener
ally known by theatre audiences that tho
"perilous leaps," "terriflo Bcaling of
precipices," and other similar feats which
fall to tho lot of tho horo or heroine of tho
play aro in almost ovory euso performed
by a dummy. Thus, it is not tho prima
donna, who, in "La Sonambula," wallw
in her sleep ncro3s the bridge nt tho back
if tho stage, nor in tho "ltomancoofn
Poor Young Man " is it tho leading man
who takes tho flying leap from n tower,
but hi each cason carefully drossed dummy
whoso bones nro not particularly precious.
Thoy tell this story of n " M.izoppa" per
formance in tho old days, which shows
how this theatrical trick sometimes results.
A celebrated star was playing tho piece,
and had n circus rider mado up to look
liko him to do tho riding. Of courso tho
audience supposed tho rider to bo tho
star. In thoso days tho rims up tho
mountains wero elaborately arranged, nnd
tho flight of tho -wild horse was a startling
incident Ono night tho horse fell with
the rider, crashing from tho flics to tho
stago. Tho curtain was rung down, nud
presently tho star was lod beforo it, Btag
gcring as though badly injured, nnd said
that, in spito of tho fall, ho woidd endeavor
to finish tho play. And ho did bo, amid
frantic applause Tho poor circus-rider
lay in tho hospital four wooka.
.,
THE AL.VSKAN VOLCt.NO.
A gentleman who is greatly interested
in science, and who has given considerable
attention to tho subject of ntmospherio
phenomena, states that tho recent peculiar
sunsets ore, without much doubt duo to
the Into volcanic eruption in Alaska.
tVshcs from that eruption havo been car-
riod all over Japan and boyond, nnd sim
ilnr coloring of tho skio3 has boen observed
there During tho eruption in Java sun-
ilar coloring was oxhibitcd in different
parts of tho world nnd ns far cast as Pan-.
nma. Tho oenuty oi many ot tho Italian
sunsets aro held to bo duo to ashes from
tho desert Our own sunsets, therefore,
are supposed to havo boen caused by tho
particles of ashes coming from tho Alaskan
oleauo. Thoso aro carried m tho upper
currents of tho nir, und form, ns it wero, a
canopy. In tho ordinary position tho
sunlight passes through this stratum with
out producing n vasiblo effect j but when
tho light is below the stratum, ns nt buii
riso or sunset and tho rnys striko tho
under surface of tho ash-laden current
tho solid particles form nn oxtendod re
flecting surface Tho sunlight is thus
thrown back upon tho earth, and causes
tho beautiful sunsets which havo boen so
much admired.
Scientific,
A London steam boilor company lights
up tho interior of boilers in such a way
that tho littlo cascades, currents, nud
whirlpools in tho water in tho courso of
steam formation may bo all observed.
During tho night of Nov. 17 tho biiow
in tho valloy of Storolvdal, in Central
Norway, (between 01 nnd G2 degrees
north lattitudo,) was covered with a layer
of black and giay dust of probablo vol
canic origin.
Tho Bulking Xeies, speaking of tho
results of tho researches of Schlicmann,
says that tho Greek story of Bion accords
with tho discoveries at Hissnrlik, and tho
conclusion is inovitnblo that tho Homeric
Troy could havo been on no other Bite
Dr. C. H. Yelvington nsseits that tho
copperhead never bites whon coiled up,
but will tlirow thu middlo of his body into
long, almoat rectaugular, curves, aud
with his head and nn inch or so of tho
neck slightly elevated nbovo tho ground
is ready to defend himself.
As nn inducement to tho greater utiliza
tion of buttermilk in bread making, it is
stated that it contains four to fivo per cont
of muk Bugar and J por cont of minora
salts, and that after settling for choose
making it also contains ono per cent, of
uitrogcneous matter and nearly ns much
of butter fat
At tho last mootiug of tho Paris Acadomy
of Sciences it was stated that a person
who for the past two yoars has boon ox
periraenting near Nico with Biilpho-car-bonalcs
and sulphur, us a remedy ngainst
iho phylloxera, ntatos that in fivo hectares
of iufectod win oi it is no longer possiblo
to find any phylloxera.
Iu an article on tho protoctlou of iron
from rust Van Xoitrttmt't Mayazlnt Bays
dint iron to bo buried in damp oarth may
bo coatod with a mixture of 100 porta of
rosin, (uolophony,) 23 parts of guita
porolia, und 60 parts of parnfflno, to
winch 20 pail's of magnosla and somo
.ni'.icr 1 oil havo been ndJeih
M. Renard, of tho Royal Academy of
ISrusHcls, has mndu u minute examination
of tho ashes of tho groat eruption of Km
Uatoo, which full at J lata via on tho 27th
if la-it August Thoy consist for tho
oiost part of glassy particles. Tho rook
vhich had beeu blown into this volcanic
.lust contained n very largo proportion of
ulica.
A writer of mathematical bent, says tho
Sctetitljic Anurlkin, finds from tho cousus
returns that tliero nro about 17,000 don
lists hi tho United States, who, ho esti
mates, pack into tho tooth of tho Ameri
can pooplo a ton of puro gold nnnually,
Continuing his speculations, ho predicts
that in tho twenty-first century nil tho
gold will bo huriod in the graveyards.
"A 1IOMKT
IV-pllo tho popular opinion Id tho con
iwry, families rarely join tho Mutual Ad
miration Society as to ouo nnother. In
vliat Miss. Bromon calls so beautifully
li i Iiiuermost, peoplo nro npt to bonny
h'lig butherocsnndhorolno. Ral.illvoS
.iiow nuoiutomod to oaoh other's charms
iml t.tlenti, nnd wo bollovo Sir Charles
' iraiulison, tho horo of a uovol wrltte In
"to days of Franklin's apprenticeship,
i-i p -rhaps tho only brothor, ovon of
!. it date, who constantly Informed his
liters that "thoir charms wero only
quailed by thoir sensibility." Usually,
at home, .Vpollo Bolvidero would not bo
considered particularly handsome, nor
'id imon much wiser than nnybody olso j
nd porhaps.Tob might bo Bpokon of ns
.living mado quito enough fuss nbout
upii boils of liis, nnd nskedif ho could
y to bo moro pntioiit. In fact, if poo-
! wnnt to bo ndmirod thoy must oxliiblt
u-'imelvia to stratigerj. "Our folks"
'i-i hot the pooplo to flatter vanity to any
rent degree Yet af tor all, homo is the
o.ily plaiso tyhero lovo dwells, wkoro poo
plo really earn whothor you llvo or dio.
where you havo help nud sympathy h
roal trials. Though tho world should
ring with your namo, tho aimouncemonl
of your death would bo read without n
fllgh, between two mouthful) of toast, by
your most ardent nihnirers j nnd thoso
who eall you charming or delightful, who
r.ro "ho happy" to boo you, who nro hon
ored or flattered by your notica should
you nchlovo somo reputation, would per
haps bo chiefly interoste'd in tho fact that
through somebody's indiscretion . thoy
had ucMiully found out your full ago;
whilo those, w ho novor flattered you would
lament you forover. There is,' nftor all,
no pk.uo liko home.
A POISONOUS PLANT.
"Tolonchi," says Fnnnio B. Wnrd, in
n letter from Mexico, " grows oveiywhero
in Mexico, but lnoro thriftily in tho trop
it'.d lowlands of tho term caliente It is
n ii.uiilloiolookini? plant much rosomb-
liu ; northern milk-wood, nnd quito too
d iiigorously convenient iu a land where
ipichiu rulos mid ji alousy amouuts to
Juoss. It doei uot kill, but nets im
;.i.idLat".Iy upon the bruin, producing
l.mt violent iu lanity and then hopeless
iib my. It is whispered that poor Car
! n.ii had hardly laudod at Vera Cruz, on
li t Horrowf ul mission to this country, -befoul
somo of it was administered to her,
.mil hoi- deploiublo fato is citod ns ouo
among many iustancos. Of all tho dan
gem in Moxico this is ono of tho most
appalling. Any political enemy, or jeal
ous riv.il, or oll'cudod servant, may thiw
rovetigo himself iu a moro fiendish mau
ner than with tho stiletto, and without
fear of detection j a fow drops, of tiiis
tastcloss whito fliud, mixed with milk or
other food does its diabolical work with
inoxorablo certainty, and can only bo de
tected by its gradual results."
lVlI.lT THE DIVER SEES.
Tho first sensation in descending un 1"r
water in n suit of nrmor is tho sudden
bursting roar iu tho ears, caused by tho
air diiven into tho hclmot from tho a'..
pump. Tho floxiblo nir hoso has to bo
Htroug enough to bear n pressure of
twenty-fivo to fifty pounds to the nquaro
inch. Tho drum of the ear yields to tho
strong external pressure, the mouth opens
involuntarily, tho air rushes into tha
tubo nud striko i tho drum, which strikes
back to its normal state with n sharp,
pistol - liko crack. Poeriug through tho
gogglo oyos of glass in his helmet, tho
diver sees tho stinugo beauties about him
clearly, and in their own calm splendor.
Abovo him is a puro goldou canopy,
whilo around him nnd besido him nro
tints nud shimmering linos, including nil
colors, which nro indescribably olagaut.
Tho fioor of tho sea rises liko a golden
i-urjiuij, maiming genuy 10 llio Hliri'ico.
Tho chango of familiar objects aro won
derful. Tho wreck of a ship seoms'stud-
ded with emeralds, glittering in lines of
gold ; piles of brick asaumo tho appear
ance of crystal j a ladder bjcorao) silver,
every shadow gives tho iinpra.sipn of n
bottomless depth.
Items of Interest.
Oscar Wildo tells thofo.r peoplo who
listen to his lectures on Ameriet that'
Sau Francisco was built by tho Cliinoso.
Itusiui borrows mouoy at six por cut,
Greeco at llvo per cent, whilo tho, United
States payd but throo per cant, per an
num. Enormous quantities of onrogos aro
produced iu Paraguay. Thoy are sold tt
fifty conts a bushel, nud fed to pig.a and
eattlo, and nro used for distillation,
Sinco tho yoar 18i0 sixtoen baronet
cies nud thirty-four knighthoods hav.i
been conforred upon tho physician t nnd
surgoons of Groat Britian mid IruWd,
Investigations of tho statistics of s.ii-
cido bIiow that hanging ii. tho method
most commonly chosen by self-murderers,
drowning noxt and shooting and stab
bing next
Tho Great Pyramid contains 2,!100,OOD
stones, weighing on nu nverngo two and
n half tons eaoh. Tho granito beams of
tho kings' chamber 'weigh botwnou fifty
and sixty tons.
Chewing gum is now mado from wax
obtained from petroloum. Two hundred
pounds of wax, thirty pounds of sugar,
and somo flavoring will mako about 10,
000 penny eikes. ,
At Werdon (WastphalU) an aged pris
oner was at his urgent rcquost granted
permission to bo taken to tho railway
station hi ordor to boo a looomotivo aud
train for tho first time
Tho bread-fruit troa grows vory slow.
Tho specimen nt Kow Is but n foot nnd n
hnlf high, although it is eighty yeirs
old. Somo of tluno found in the tropics
are forty foot lugu nud thirty foot m . di
ameter. Aquatic birds outnumber tho land
birds, becanso their food never fails, not
beaiusQ thoy aro more prolific, Tho ful-
mar-petrol lays but ono egg,, yet It is bo
liovod to bo tho most numortms bird iu
llio world.
In tho wholo Rusiian Empire of uoarly
100,000,000 porsous thoro nro only 770
journals nnd periodicals of nil kinds.
Eighty-two of tha-o aro Government gaz
ettes nnd forty-four nro organs of tho
official cecloiuntioil nuthuritios.
Lombard street, London, was named
for certain usurer t who ev.no to England
iu 1211'J to lend monov to convents, coin
niunitiei nnd private persons who wt-ro
not niiio to pay thoir tenths, which wer
collected vory carefully that year.
During the last Hoyon years man hai
Killed nuoiu i id.oo;, wild heists in ludi?
and the wild bensta hnvo killed 28.000
men nud 15.000 cattle As thu wild mil.
mnh incroaso miioh faitor than mou tho
referenoo is uupletitnutly obvious.
It has boon found that oltlot nro roally
inueii warmer man tuo open country nenr
them, nnd that it is not ultointlini- fnai,.
ion nor tho iulluonoo of imagination
wiuuii Bunas puraoni into tho country
hi
tho summer aud etlh them back to tow
iu tho Autumn.
STATIONERY
Vi
ii Life s
WEBDmO
Woodcw, Tin,
INITIAL WRITING PAPER,
Printed to order in gold, silver,
or amy color desired.
CafiliBBg- Cards,
Children's Toy Books,
Albnms,
&e.
sii ' i.
iPocket Hooks.
INVITATIONS.
Crystal, Silver.
Over 50 Varieties.
&e,
&e.
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BlooniHtmrg, Pn.
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