The Old Church Tew! Yt. I nm a White Owl. or r..i.-n Owl j or t'i'iTci h Owl: call mo wliicli of th ; yon like. sr Ions? ns j on do not vUnt I to your he.Mhcr.ii'h superstition nnd de. Bcril o me aa a bird of ill-omen. I mil tin owl of venerable Age, nn1 may rr ar-oiiably expect that you wilt pay attention to my whim. Moreover ! the whole of my life has been passed i here. In the precincts of this antique, picture sque, tumble-down church which, nlas! the new rector seems ful ly determined must soon be. what h rnlla l'fatmwl Tlr flnnr nM rflfJPV.i will have to Rive place to some hlni ! art invention In way of ft celling; and j the high-backed, dark-oaken pews, sc endeared to us through sacred memo ries, will 1e supplanted by new ones ol pale yellow wood. I heard them dis cussing It In the vestry the other day nd I hissed and snapped for more than an hour after, until I nearly chok ed with rage and mortification. I could tell you ft story concerning eaoh of these quaint old pews, only I dare say you'll find one enough. So. as twilight Is coming on, I'll fly down beside you, and porch upon the reading desk; then you need not strain your ears to listen. If the same to you. I would rather choose rhe pew with the ragged red hassocks, about half way down the. middle aisle. There are three shabby looking prayer books, with brown leather backs, lying on the ledpe. one a little smaller than the others ah, you see It now. Well. I had Ju.st come into the world when the owners of the two large prayer boolfs first made theli appearance In that pew. My poor deat parents, now dead and gone, have de scribed them to me with much minute ness, little guessing what the sad se quel might be. They were a young couple of most prepossessing exterior or, at any rate, the happiness which shone in the eyei of both gave one that impression. He was the village carpenter, and Just married to the girl he had always lov ed, pretty little Rose, the innkeeper's daughter. My father and mother brought me up to take a friendly interest In every In dividual belonging to our congrega tion; but more especially did they watch, with pleasure, the weekly de votions of these two young creatures. For they were regular church-goers and every Sunday saw them In their accustomed seats until an event hap pened to add a new sweetness to the peaceful sameness of their days. I was already a promising young owlet, and sufficiently intelligent to un derstand something of the ceremony when they brought their tiny infant to be baptized, down there, over the old Btone font. A fine little fellow, nnd how he screamed when the rector a splendid type of the regular out sn3 out gentleman he was, and quite dif ferent to our last importation tooit him !n his arms, and sprinkled tha holy wster on his miniature rosy visage. How proud the young mother looked ft she tries to hush his shrill cries: My parents were so highly ednei by the spectacle that they took ms out cn a glorious mousing expedition that very night In the farmyard which lies to the right of the village pond, and which has since been one of my favtr Jte haunts. Ah, well, time crept cn, end the little bnbe whom I had last seen ami heard in his christening robe no longer de tained his mother at horn", lint trv old enough to accompany her and ilia father to church. At the beginning we entertained ev ery hope that the boy would prove a blessing to the fond parents, to whom he was so evidently all in all. I3ut, alas! I was the flrsi to note that as tho childish precocity quickened nnd developed within him the evil instinct seemed to predominate, and waa ever ready to extinguish the gool. Ho used to turn round ilnrirpr the service and make faces st tho school children, then he would take hi? mar bles out of his pocket an.1 count them over when his parents were not look ing. The Lear old hymns that my owls alwa'3 delighted to hear possess ed for him not "an atom of attraction. Notwithstanding tht he had learned to read at the village school, he did not even trouble to follow the words, though I doubt not that through con stantly hearing their, some of the lines must have entered ami, perhaps un consciously, become engraven on his brain. After a few years had thus elapsed his parents came one Sunday alone, and I ascertained that the boy, devel oping a taste for book learning, had been apprenticed to a bookseller in the neighboring town. Occasionally he re turned home for a short holiday and accompanied his pnrc-nts as usual to the eld pew on Sunday morning. But, alas! hU behavior was even less ex cusable than of yore. He would either Bleep through the sermon, or, on the ely, dip into a took v.'.iioh he held con cealed with a dirty yellow cover. After this, owing i:, many sad fam- 1 distracted by personal sorrow to oc cupy itself v.i'.l: ti.o misfortunes of o'hrrs. Fl:t, my fu.hrr died of asth ma; and my poor mo'her, heart-broken at his loss, did not long survive him. TLen mv onlv brot.ei- wn imfm-tn. rattly caught In a trap, placed In the1 church, I believe, by -or.ie rural n:itur-1 alist. Unable to reload the poor fel-' low. who screamed r.vut piteous!;.-, I ' had in silence to behold a strange- looking man come an 1 carry him away, I nnd have never succeeded in obtaining ' the smallest tidings of him since. J Still a solitary bachelor, having Leen always too difficult to please in my choice of a mnto, I now became sub- ; Jcct to such depression of spirits that ' my hcal'k began to give way. In short, ' 1 must have eventually succumbed hao , It not b?en for the kindness or a friend, who persuaded me to go end j pay n lonrc-defcrred visit to his home In a hollow tree cm the adjoining eo-' tjte. Thliher I accompanied him. and owing to his sympathy and genial com pnilor.ship became gradually recon ciled to life as It was, Instead of as It might bS. I It la a lesson we have most of us to learn, my friend, even we owls; anil If It oniy helps uo to grow more lov ing, mora bumblo, and more thankful for what we have, why, then, corue what may, we shall be In the right spirit to receive It. But I am digress ing from my Bicry, au3 must not weary, you. When I return; d r.t lei'sth to the old ; haunt, all my tcin-jr interests revived! within me, nnd anxiouniy. when Sunday arrived, did I nan the familiar faces j and note the changes that time had : effected during my long absence. The light In our church, ns you may have observed, Is always a subdued one partly owing to the dark glass window there above the altar so that by frequently moving the nictitating membrane of the rye I nm enabled to nhonn-a m-liof naiici nrnMtt nlnoi-lu I Well, to mv surnrlse. tho old ' new about which I nm telling yem remained mat tsay empty, nnn remembering tne.r previous regularity, I 8rew more nnd mnr nnnrrhcnal v n In whit might have befallen Us Joint occu pants. However, on the following Sunday morning I soon discovered that my favorites were there. But, alas! how altered from the blithe and light hearted couple whom I can even yet recall. Clothed In- black, and with heavy, downcast eyes, their lined and barrassed faces bore evidence to some bitter anguish within. I at once conjectured that their eon mit be dead. But, no, I was mistak en. From scraps of talk let fall by the sexton in the vestry. I gathered that he had been tounrt rullty of a crime, and had been condemned to penal ser vitude for several year. Tisat Inno cent babe, whom I saw baptized at the sacred font, had attempted to commit a murder had tried to kill a man! I was not astonished now at the striking change produced In his par ents; nor tiat after thle they seemed to wax older and feebler every Sunday, their hair turning whiter and their frames more shaky, they were among the saddest sights that It has ever been ny Jot to witness. At length there came a Sunday when the eld man appeared alone, and from his deep mourning and woebegone as pect I knew that hie wife must be dead. Her funeral took place the next day, and the old man was there. But, as I had anticipated. Judging from my own parents' case, he was not long in fol lowing her to the grave. Three Sundays later his place was also vacant, and the pew stood deso late and empty. The old couple died about a year after the conviction of their son, and It was some years later that I witnessed the end of my story, which I will now relate. It was New Year's eve, and there had been evensong at the usual hour, for our good old rector was getting too Infirm to undertake a midnight sen-Ice. How well I remember tho sermon that evening! It was one of the most eloquent that he ever preach ed. The ground was white with snow, which was lying deep and still falling, oh, so fast. The church door was standing partly open, the sexton being busied in the vestry. The lights were burning low, and all was very calm and still, when I saw and heard a man creep softly through the door and Into the church. Bowed, attenuated nnd ragged, with hair cropped quite close, Rome Instinct told me thai this could only be one man and he once the little boy with the curly hair and bright blue eyes, bo like what his mother's had been when she was still pretty Rose. I watched him intently as he stole up the aisle cautiously and slowly, un til he reached the well-known pew. Then, when he had stood there some minutes, I observed by the shaking o! his shoulders for his face was turned away from me that the man wa.i weeping. He did not venture to scat himself therein, but hesitatingly, and with feeble gait, he again moved up the p isle and toward the altar, ju.jt be neath the beam upon which I v,23 perched. I saw that he was gazing up at the painted window, where the Crucifixion is depicted. In the dim light of the church the surrounding figures were nearly lost; the cross alone tood out vividly dark against the white land scape beyond. Then the man crouched lower and lower, until he reached the ground and lay there prostrate on the chancel steps, close to the altar. Suddenly the lights were turned out. I heard the sexton go away, locking the door behind him, and it became certain that the man was shut la for the night. It seemed to me that hours must have elapsed before the man slow'y raised his head and stared blankly rrr-und him, as if he had forgotten what were his surroundings, and waa vcncVrlng how he had srot there. Then hlu eyes were attracted by and rested on the black cross thrown into relief by the background of pure white snow. "All blood!" he gasped breathlessly, "filood. blood everywhere blood!" He threw back his head with a fren zied action, and I could Imagine that his countenance must be fearful in its te rro.v Still apparently under this aw ful hallucination, he writhed Into a kneeling posture. Involuntarily his hand were extended upward to the rroES, with a gesture o' frantic plead ing. Then a great sob echoed through the church. "Though your rhis be as red as scar let, they shall be white as snow." Was it a voice or a whisper? Or was it a wave of soft angelic music that came floating ro'.ird the altar, as If a part of heaven Itstii? I know not to this clay. But surely the man also heard it, for his attitude had changed. The pt rained muscles relaxed In ihelr rigid ity, the whole figure collapsed. A low, long sigh rgain broke the stillness a sigh of glad release, a sigh of Infinite peace. The man lay stretched upon the ground; and though the bells rang out a Joyous peal to welcome In the new horn year, he neither moved nor stir red again. In the morning they found him dead. Household Words. 1 hi Itrason Why. First Summer Boarder They say it fsn't so long since wild animals were plentiful around here. Second Summer Boarder Left on account of the mosquitoes, I suppose. Puck. Kctlrliiq; VnU. nty. She always shrank from bathing Within the ocean blue, For every time she did so Her bathing suit would, too. ., , , - Judge. THE COLUMBIAN. F.-st Facing And Ko Friver. Unique Racing Methods consin Mare. ot a Wis- A beautiful MooJcil mare that pares against time ami records on ordinary courses, without driver, riJcr or prompting of any kind, and yet follows every regulation of the race track, is Ihe latest marvel of the spott ing world. The mate is named i Marion Mil! and this entirely new departure in racing methods lias just . been successfully introduced bv Mr, j G. w. Athearn, a wealthy resident of ' v. j Oshkosh, Wis. It is only recently that Mr. Athearn conceived the novel idea of having his mare go through her pace alone. He took her to the race track at Oshkosh for a trial, and the first mile was traveled in a manner which convinced her owner that his scheme would not be impossible of accom plishment. In each subsequent trial she improved in speed and smooth ness of performance. The exhibition is simpler in detail than one might sappose. There is no pacemaker, no guiding, no whipping, no urging, no interference or prompting of the mare in any way. She knows her lines and goes through them without faltering and with every evidence of full confidence in her own knowledge and ability. She is led to a point about a hun dred yards from the wire, and is in perfect action when she receives the word " Go" from the starter in the judges' stand. On getting the word the handsome animal quickens her speed, and around the track she goes as though running away. She keeps close to the inner rail, seemingly through instinct, though she never leaves the track, whether it be inclos ed or not. Kvery mile is paced with out a break and as evenly as though she were steadied by a skillful driver. The novelty of the performance and the dashing beauty of the intelligent animal win admiration wherever she appears, and the finish is always at tended with enthusiastic cheering. A notable feature of this unique performance is that the last quarter is always the fastest, and no demonstra tion from the grand stand ever makes her lose her stride or even slow up. After passing the wire Marion seems to know that her task is completed, and her bright eyes search the track for tiie groom, who stands reaely with cooling blankets a short distance up the stretch. When blanketed she is returned to the starter for recognition, and views the applauding grand stand crowds with an air of conscious pride and evident satisfaction at their ap preciation. " Just to see how his wife would cany on," William McCurdy, of Pittsburg, took a dose of poison, and died before he could note the effect of his condition on his wife. The ex periment was a failure. Constipation Causes fully half the sickness in the world. It retains the digested food too long in the bowels and produces biliousness, torpid liver, Indi- InloOrfS gestlon, bad taste, coated nBk m tongue, sick headache, In- I JJf II 4 soiuuia, etc. Hood's Pills I I I S cure constipation and all its " results, easily and thoroughly. 25c. All druggists. Prepared by C. I. Hood & Co., Lowell, Mass. The only Pills to take with Hood's Sarsaparilla. For Your Prukctioi we positively state that tills remedy itoi-s-not eontnln Duireury or nny other It Jurloiif drug. r. iyy'S CREAM BUM Cleanses the Nasal l's;!i9. Allays In miimuutlftn. llenlsthe Sums, l'lftects the Mi nibnne from I'olils. Uestoies tlii- Sense ol Taste and Cmell. IATARRH it will cure COLD 'N HEAD A particle Is appllel uireeiiv Into me insii.ig Bin! Is ogieeiible. Price SO t-t nla ut DiuijLlsts or by mall. ELY UKO i ll Kits, 56 Wurrcu Slreet, New York. Grocers can tell you whv those whobuy SELLIG'S keepcominy back for it. You can't keep on selling o poor thing to the same people. are saved by using Seel- itj'S because you cun buy cheap "coflee and nu.j : delicious bv a llitlie 01 this admixture. u 10 H Dln.ln Aches ana ? 1 v IT TOUCHES THE v SPOT: BLOOMSBURG. PA. !Uvjii otjii tarn vwum Scott's Ej Stubborn mulsion cough when ordinary specifics fail. It restores strength to the weakened organs and gives the system the force needed to throw off the disease. f i. 50c. and $1 at B. F. Sharplkss, rres. N. U. Funk, Sec, C. II. Campbell, Treas CBLOOMSBURCO LAND IMPROVEMENT COMPANY. Capital Stock, $30,000. Plotted property is in the coming business centre of the town. It includes also part of the factory district, and has no equal in desirability for residence purposes. CHOICE LOTS are offered at values that will be doubled in a short time. No such opportunity can be had elsewhere to make money. Lots secured on SMALL MONTHLY PAYMENTS- Maps of the town and of plotted property furnished on ap plication. Call upon or write to the Secretary, or J. S. "Woods, Sales Agent, or any member of the Board of Directors. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. B. F. SiiARrLEss; J. L Dillox. C. W. Neal, A. G. Briggs, Dr. I. W. Will-its, Dr. II. W. McReyxolds, N. Tj. Fcxk. " ' ALEXANDER BROTHERS & Ca DEALERS IN Cigars, Tobacco. Candies, Fruits and 'Huts SOLE AGENTS FOR Henry Mail lard's Fine Candies. Fresh Every Week. IFtsris-E Goods jl. Specialty, SOLE AGENTS FOR F. F. Adams & Co's Fine Cut Chewing Tobacco Sole i seats for the following brands or Cigars Henry Clay, Loadres, Normal, Indian Princess, Samson, Silver Ash Bloomsburpj Pa. fMde Iow and Good Wofk. For the finest and best stoves, tinware, roofing, spouting and general job work, go to W. W. Watts, on Iron street Buildings heated by steam, hot air or hot water in a satisfac tory manner. Sanitary Plumbing a specialty. I have the exclusive control of the Thatcher steam, hot water and hot air heaters lor this territory, which is acknowl edged to be the best heater on the market. All work guaran teed. to IRON STREET. SHOES We buy right and sell right. OUR SUCCESS IS BASED ON THIS FACT. Houest trading has won us hosts of customers but we want more. We are selling good shoes, so good you ought to see them. Drop in and we will make it pay you. ComiES Iron and Main Sts. IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF CARPET, UlATTIIVO, or Olff, CJL.OTII, YOU WILL, FIND A NICE LINE AT -W. IE. BMOWEE' 2nd Doer above Court Ilotibc. A large lot of Window Curtains in stock. A6K FOR THE BSfcKLET 0N1IGHF AND Barn GIVES fBEST LIGHT IN THE tT7 Will Cure a Stubborn all tlrugglsia. W. W. WATTS, Kloomsburg'j Ia. KVSf-ly SHOES W. H. floore. WofUS A.HM9iyrELY5f 2 Fine PHOTO GRAPHS and CRAYONS at McKillip Bros., Bloomsburg. The best ,are the cheapest. TIIE MARKETS. BLOOMSBURG MARKETS. COKMCTID WIIILT. BITAU fIOH, Butter per lb $ Eggs per dozen .jo 4 .08 3 ,06 .07 9S 3 Lard per lb , Hani per pound Pork, whole, per pound Beef, quarter, per pound, , . , Wheat per bushel Oats " " Rye " So Wheat flour per bbl , 0 nay per ion u to $14 roiaioes per Dusnei .30 S So .20 4i .to .10 ,07 .05 .10 .IS 3 1 OS .80 7S .50 1.00 .90 1. 00 1 00 .c8 .08 .10 .08 Turnips " " Onions " Sweet potatoes per peck Tallow per lb Shoulder " " Side meat " " Vinegar, per qt Dried apples per lb Dried cherries, pitted Raspberries Cow Hides per lb Steer " " , CalfSkin Sheep pelts Shelled corn per bus Corn meal, cwt Bran, " Chon " Middlings " Chickens per lb new " "old Turkeys " " Geese " " Ducks " " COAL. No. 6, delivered t.6o " 4 and s " 3 85 " 6 at yard a.jj " 4 and s at yard. j.6o Bring the' Babies. INSTANTANEOUS PROCESS USED. Strictly first-class guaranteed photographs, crayons and copys nt reasonable prices. We use exclusively the Collolion Anstotype pa pers, thus securing greater heantv of finish and permanency of results. CAPWELI, MARKET SQUARE GALLERY. Il-ii-ly. Over Ilartmnn't Store. The Leading Conserratorr of America t abltsn. Director. roondrdin Itlibf Send (or Prospectus (nrint full information. f-" FnANir W. Hill Frank W. Hal, Gtneral Manager. Peirce 3'inil Year. t9 A representative- Amerlrnn liimi-fr-i Si-Uool for both sexes, founded i by Tiiov.as May Pkihck, A. M., tl I'ii. O. Couple )-tl-mllo bust t.t training Willi a practical, y-1 Humid and uvulul EnyiihU eJuca j J tli'ii. It orrcrii three full courses: lii-.Mncs, XMor'.liund and Typo Q n-ritliif, KngllKh; tlio whcls cou V' sn:iilinun Uk-ul combination. J j (Iru'l'.Mtes uro cheerfully assisted to positions. fl l'otli li;y and Nlaht Reifiona are J.j i.i.w linii'liis. KtuJonU revelved ill ny time, f) n m k ! riimii, uiT-msckHtui si., muua. . 1 lt.,ri! IMI.!:y. NEW DINING ROOnS. A I.AUCK nnd well furnished dining room has been opened lr iTinnv ITinitin on the second floor of his HA lull AlUiAflD, r e g . laurant. Meals will be served nt the regular dining hours for 25c. nnd they can also be obtained at any time. The table' will be sup plied wilh the delicacies of the season and the service will be first-class, Entraccs Ij dcor between Bistanrant an Malfalera'i grocery store. CHARLES NASH PURVIS, WILUAMSPORT, PA., Collections, Loans, Invest ments, Sales Agent and Real Estate Private & Banker. Deposits received subject to Draft or Checks, from nny part of the Wuild, money forwarded to any place ; Interest nt 3 per cent, allowed on depo.-its with us for one ye.ir or more ; ninety days notice of with drawn! inu.-t be j;ivei on all inierest-lnring deposits. 969-iCMy Proteet your trteai: thMr mar brlug you woalia Wrlta JOHN Wk.l)DKHbl'KN A CO., Patent Alt. Bo.i WaslilnKtoii, I). c. fur Ihelr i.fkio irU uOaf aud lut ut two bunorad Uif cniloua rwtt.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers