lfilcPlKE, Editor and Publisher. 1 HE IS A FREEMAN WHOM THE TRUTH HAKES FKKK, AND AXI, AKB SLATES BESIDE.' Terms, S2 per year, In advance. EBENSBURG, PA., FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1877. NUMBER 48. jPAPEB ISOX nnu .. .liinff ( out rai ts can T mnA y .tin - 2 t0I. w li. Just pub- ; r,v I la ' ueld. l in.". ;" ., ,', C ;:; profusely illus ra. . ' ""'i. '',..' n;i' idem re by . ri Imr-; " ' i.v r a, n ol iis beamy and ; ;;;: . r o".. pihitsiied i-eirttr j :' '..:. ...r t! r warts of the present ( ,;" i an r M)Mim: terirs n ii fir V . "'i::. ii t.. .I. tt. STOUD4KT I , s:rot:. Philadelphia. . - ui u town. Terms and $i out T Vi'-1-1 : it .V Co., Portland, Me. ff3 WASTED FOR HISTORY 3TER-L EXHIBITION ,i: ,i. ' '" '' "'' ' Oll AMlt . r -I.: ,v Th's i the only nutlicn---.'fi j"ji)!:5li-il. Send torour National I'ublisiiisio ,(,, j' !.-ti. Agents wanted. Oatfit . ; Tiii t: Co., A uusta. .Ue. vlrfir l!i!tilH--'l So SiaL EXPOSITION ; U' A-vO UXUSU'IUTIU, -. : i r::K ' t its HisiOtiv. r.RAM) !'..!: . I I. r XBWtlTS. CCIlioSlI IKS, , . (rlll-'lv i 1 Ills t ill t 41, , I if v clii'o. f sijf ntf . 3.. to. Mil ITS wnntnl. Send for Hi i fiieclMiicr nrna ' t. 'i-t t!." ;!. reliable history, v. 1 r1-,.. 73:5 .".nom M , Phils. hssnr tiivki tkd by riiF.Ji ATi'ns ... ;i i! i-i". ti : nir to be oth-ial," -. ... , en in Acei'St and Skp- 'Oil i?:!1.t-l r!, with name, IO c'.s ' . ..i. L. :-S x W., Xnssau. X.V- ;-W:.iAj't.!s. Snm.1s FliKE. -''Ko. ViCii-LV, Auijusia. Maine. , -... ( ,r , Samplr worth $5 y'.r-!. 'ti? :.i.S'.v, fortlnml.Mtt. little Rock and Fort Smith RAILWAY - 0 ?n S A Xj 23 "4 r.r.:. Tru't I.flnl.' ' '! L :. Wfuvl f.:ind.4 ome t'ra! . i i. in !!. -intl t pl.Tnd'. on trriti six w r int. iatcresi ca der " ' T ti - rr iTf. Ji.v.unt for ciJi'' ;n.'i and Tr?nndilp5. iiprdr !. Iiud Ojuiinisfioner. LiLile v. rT".". vi cts. Samplf f"T 'i .-. 5! i.ii t (.. N'asiau. N J. .1 1 LU I. MM KI) I AT EI i lei .-in I w !n';n io learn -'j.. villi, r-uu.i'ion ar'.iar- Trr r .r i. v v r o i. v. i.i. u Q v A K 1" r. a r, r k a w. ' i .!. Iu-1 January 2.1677. "v i 1 1.OTTKRY COMPANY. . i rc i. r-eii! .r! v incorporated by '' " : ;!.' s;. i-. ,;r ; !a.;.iti.,n;il ptir T 1 i t.'ii-.'a! o! 1 . 00. to triiicli HM-rn Inn I of 3 O.tKlO II V' "m"-f I'tawmiis wiU take p-a.- - t i- n 1. 1 ii;; uem with the lol- lb:TAL PRIZE. $15,000. . i Hutzi 5,ooo ' s. AstorxTiso TO ftJ,6. Ij.i)0 I l. ki-... r0.G DOLLAR EACH. - A .s a. ( ' r, , 4v- 4i- 0r4ttlrUiTlKAn on Feb-y4. 'iii.k.li ITiZe ui (1 .11 NOTICE. On Dee. 'f -ii f A. V. MaiUf r, 'r r ('.-.iniiria '')iintT np "d :iudiior. to rpnnr'. ilit ri. 1 t ie ii.in.is vt Chnrles itux- i ' r:vii tr Iowis licii. ' -''in i v h'i flr.'l fiorount.) " I' r:i.. j I'Tiinifd to receive I he '-'';' !') all par.iei in 1 ' ' ' i." i! u: ii-! ol s lid ' ' ' '" n K'-r.bnru on Ten- I'. !-77. llt ii-,:ik-;. p. M . '. :' 1!-','J4-;Uieri.l. or be doliarrod '" . v. ovT.xr.VN. An l!ir. N)TirJErTlie mi- "' 1",ti at-p'iiiiifil Am. ".. ' "'i'n I'ieiw r,f Camttria :ui: nn 1 1,,. ,M.S ,, K i. ' '" Zaiim .4 xbown 'i T-"i,nnr. b?rd irivi.n no- 'I i 'i' '.' iri J.:itn4l,urx. n d A I A It Y Ili-xl. at I wl!'-ra! pnriifs having 1 fi ! a 'ii. inoiu, or ie iieoar- : 1 lU'i I r KtRR, Auditor. NOTICE. The , ' ' ' T if-exist ma bed tveeu - t'-.eroantiio busincM was v.'-ta on the p.rctly .( v.. ; ' id other .-'ecouiits of 1 .-. ''tin tie bands ol the i , ''.nnd at ihe KMcns ,v .. wt"Tr all in lrhiMi are re . uc .u-ipy ail,j BelUlriK tlie -,.t:t' du n'. J; L; 'Ft. BAXTER, ::llvron-s NOTICE. I." ,t 11 . . ;( UAKT I'OKD, l'C'M. ii.v, ,r!1' I'fr.sbip. ;ambrli -a i ,1 15',""1 t the under- ,. f 'oitilvinir ail nere:ia " "''t p.'yment mas b3 harinir elnlms their own Interente J- in,p m iy amlieiiiioated J? oLAni;R. Administrator. yT(nv$ .notice. V ,.f 1..,.. . - - .J llvrue Ar.'A :lTy"- the ettatn oUJenj.-inilil - n t- , niiiTTi cinniy, ,ii r"'1 tnxhn onderftiKnl, , ' l":Tn indebted to md made lorihwlih. ,nd fi, l -'"'"t the hifle will nfnt I ' 1'Ji'T. i f, ---- - , - - ; Jl ill v V. ' ement. i ticca or. ri.,V. i ' " A Tf.F.V, O'il. f 'I' J..k ' vQtininnntry on -lliCV. l.lA A 1IA..1.AK.. . "y. lt ol AII.,Un f ilcceapwl. the undcr- u,-,, '" 11 pc Sons Iniiebtcd to ,;'-v"""1t without delay, nnd a, ',,'""t ,he " should pre- - Il!l::iv l ..,,,- ?Abl:- Atl'rney-atrLaxv, ' ''Irgm nu0"06 Cenire street. WEEKLY POST M.h. ,r' ;nrP Wf-rfcJy rem! ror 1877 ?. ' "ny nnd p.diticHl J.nirni.1 put.Iiphed In .niS',""",y' M ' "i'8 J.it.ir udd, nnd Bll respects "P,OVe,,1Cnt OVcr for,nt:r Tn ln The GIIEATEST POLITICAL CRISIS Tlint ever tbieaH norl our Insi ifntfons is rtrnr iipfti HMindin tlio liU-t'lioi fir the peoplo le-i-CMd upon n i tiei, utitmniiiiLlf.l uml onispi.kon .N. fp -per Pri'M. it !.- to tl- Ini. roslof all that tbpy HiiMitin nn1 xup.rt It nnd Hf thp mmv ttim; put tlit-iiiiHvrSiii pofsesf ion ol thrtt know ftonl lucn anil current events. p. ts-ntinl to lnti iHifi-nt. iiftinit mi the p;ir of five m'ii cxorelsintr th ir.estimalilti bk-3Siii of tbe tlee tive rruticliisiv AMONG THE LEADING FEATURES miii'l'1'' 'HJ bulove iln renders mny be enuin- I. All Hie current news of tno rtav froTi all qaar- tvrs of the world, by mail and'teb itrapli, care fn.ly condPtised. nrrnmrcil and edited. II. tull reports ot tbo proffe.linzs ol .'onerf4s with Special t:orrff.p, ndence Irom the Nation al t.npitnl. Ip.M Lik;$!hIuc Reports, nnd the mot i-nnipiete ir4!unt-irion of all the current event' in eonn. ction w th the great Preilen- . tial struyrlo wliich bus been transltrreU to tne balls of i.mitfrr?s. III. Ckirre'-iiondeni.e from various points, and from Iik-uI forrrsondvn.s in 1 f m.jvlvania. Ohio and elsewhere, on matters of lJcal news and ' local Interest IV. Choice literary matter for the borne circle n.id tires t. aa.i ail that class i f topics so es fential to the instruction ana uiuuseiueot of tbe housvhol I. V. 'Hie latest; tul!et and mopt reliable Market Reports irnr.i all tiie eumnicrelal rent res whi e a rpei-ial fniure wi'I be niadeoi the liveStoc1 jMarkeis. in whudi everv dinner is interested VI. Ivlitoriais in every suhjeet of interest that mjy tr inspire, as wll as many oilier loaturcs suKifCfLed by events a3 ihcy occur. IN ALL POLIT.CAL MATTEPvS Tim Pf ist will Hfv.rvife th- pi iiu-pl.'s of tbe Democratic party, ns tiie only ini-au filtered lor treii'.i:ue , lii.otiuyh. pi rleet uml Listing Re form. It will it.i!i.ute u M-nifx-t n liiiiec up"'i tlw oriiriiiiil principles ff imr poliiietil MtU?m s tbe only s'liind i.xsiot hII neeie! i ii pri vi r.ients tbeieiti: :ni iin(aiterinr tcvo:inii io 1'n; f.'onsittiitj.i!) and the Union, a scrupulous fidelity to tiie spiri' ns well as the letter of odr litws, nnd u 8leetles vijil nice in aiuiiituiiiiiiar tiie ifreut t;il eu tnls of CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. It will cock to miiik' ite uml r.ot to nxzrnvate the e4 i!3lnsep:irat.le Ironi Party (invi-rntiient i:inFiee Countrj: toprntnoip (rood nnd not ijl leel iiur aiitir 4ur Irih w o-iiiz-n of nil creeds nnd c mi , siciioiiM uud tect.i : and to advance both by iis precej t mid I y its pie fjepss Mud by its example the reimi ol IteHjort iintlol' IiNW iivtr Prejudice nnd Passion in nil our euh:ic actiuii titid in tbo discussion ol ail plibJiC aHair?. rXlie aVTTTfT TOST None of tho brt dally puMlcatlr.ns irt Pitts-liurj-b, isn-1 is the only' DeinoQratic daily ptili iiylicd in Western Pennsylvania. It Is a live pnp'T iinrl contains all the latest newj froai every quarter of the G lobe. OUU TERMS,. (WITH IVISTAOIC PAID.) Tltr. O ATT.r TOST, v-ryrhr.. . -iro HI! WHKKLY I'OSI', p,rvar gM K OLL 'i.--JK t'lVK UK OVtlt 1 60 Money mnv be sent lv Drat la. Post-oilier Or Jere, or by Uitfistered l.efter. , JAS. P. II RR & CO.. I'itt.-btjrb.ra. KEDUGTIOHJH PRICE! CEEAPESTarid BEST ! D&ILaitbWEKLY PATRIOT FOR IS77. To all new subscribers nd to all present sub scribers renewing tlieif subscriptions Will be sent at the following rates : 1 copy. 1 year, pi slue prepaid.. $ 7 fO 'i copies (in duo), postage prepaid 1' 00 5 . a i B -7 ,vi i) " .. 60 OU 1 copy durinir the session of tbe I Ki-la- . I:tnr.' 2.C0 1 copv. I vear. tied 1 cony. 1 year, f either HAHPtii'.4 MojiTiii.r or Hahpeii's IIa ZAU, poMfce paiJ 011 both 0 25 Tlui Woolil.v Ziii-iot Will be pent nt f ho following; rates: 1 copr. I y ar, postage prepub! 2.00 4 copies, " " " CHI pi . " 10 00 15 B,j 1 c.-,,y to ertler up of c'uh. 1.. l.i.OO 25 conb . 1 year, poslaxe p-ep iid. uud 1 copv top-.-tter iiool'cluo 2 '.50 1 t-orv. 4 t'ir, ntid 1 copy. 1 yur. of i'll"i'f H Aiii-F.n Monthly or II aupbii'.- H- ZAii. poBtnire prepaid on boih 4. SO - Tbo subscription price of If. a R pkr's Mo.vrnLT .m.l Hakpki'.'s 15a Zai: is 4.0 eacli, I tins securing the put'scribcr a copy of the Wpkki.v PAtittor for ftO eeuts in ndiiition to what he would hare to pay for cither of M.irper's public oion. All orders taunt be acftoni unie 1 by the ca?l), cither bv chTk ir pot-ottice order. No-. ii tbe time to su'ttcribe. (iet. all the news and the best of raa liu matter Bt lets cost than nnywiicrec! by sen I In.; y 'ju - suhsnripUor.s to the V MLY and Wkk.ki.y Patihot Addrws. , PATitlOr PU1L,ISII1N CO., 11-22. -4t. llAua SDfuo, Pa. FlfTrOiSPLAY OF ELEGANT : HOLIDAY dOOBS! . AT .Wattles & Slicafcys, Fifth Av near Wood St., Pittsburgh, Pa. WE rrw ftfTer the HOLIDAYS the most com plete stock of fluo Jewelry, ninninnrJs, Pearls, Opals, Stone yttneos, (tni.v ami ' Pearl Goods WATrnf axd rrtATN?. SrEHMNt HLVKII WARB. FRENCH AM VIENNA ilAXi'V GOODS, HROXZns, &C. A t the fda-n of I be BIO CLOCK" on the sidewalk. All it-oods bought rti trrl from manulacturers at lowest au't prices, and will be sold rrtorr thnn tKtr. . ' ' U2-a.-lin.l-- CAUTION. Whereas my wife fr intpvTi vfc I'housk Ii. left my hifl anl board without Just eauso or prtwooa I ion I , hereby enn'on nil per-ons salnsl hnrlmrln r or trusting tier on tnv account ns I an determined to i.ny no debts stiotnay contract unless compelled to do so by law. JOHN tliOl SL, j Chest Springs, Dee. 15. lS7.-Ct 1 j IiEX. TA IT, M D., PnTsiciAN Uxn SUROEOW, of CHrrolltovrrt,) row located at St. Auirustlno. Cambria county. . r-'lht calls pliould te uma1 at Ul Posb-OiQ. I Jly 14, lvre.Hf, J GOO P11V TIIK POOH The wil.l rushing wings of the tempest are sweeping Tbe frost-fettereil land like a spirit of Tvi-atli ; The fierce, icy lireath with keen arrows is piercing Tbe breaMtH of tbe wand'rers who stand in lis path ; Tbe c.nrib in a trance lies enshrouded in silence, Tbe storm king knocks loudly at window and door ; Th prayer of the pitiful fervently rises God shelter tbe homeless and pity tbe poor ! God pity the poor who are wearily pitting By desolato hearth-stones, cold, cheerless and hare, From which the last ember'a pale flicker has faded. Like Hope dying out in tbe midst of des pair; Who lofik on tbe wide world and see it a desert, Where ripple no waters, no green branches wave, Who see in tbe future as dark as the present No rest ltit the death-bed, no boiue but tbe grave. God pity the poor when the eddying snow drifts Are whirled by tbe wrath of tbe wiuter win. la by, Like showers of leaves from tbe pallied star lilies That float in the depths "of tbe blue lake on high ; For thoujih they are draping the broad earth in beauty, And veiling jiome flaw in each gossamer fob I, That beauty is naught to the mother whoso children. Are crouching around ber iu hunger and cold. Ood pity the poor, for the wealthy are often As hard as the winter, and cold as its snow ; While fortune makes sunshine and summer around ll.em. They care not for others nor think of their woe ; Or if from their plenty a trifle be given. So douhtiiip, prmlningly, often 'tis doled. That Io the receiver Ibeii "cliarily" seenici h More paii fill than hunger, more bitter than cold. God pity tbo poor! for though all men are In others. Though all say "Our Father," not mine, when they pray, Tbe proud oues of earth tnrn aside from the lowly, As if they were fashioned of different clay ; They see not in those who in meekness and patience Toil, poverty, pain, without mnrmer en flu re, The image of Him whose first couch was a utanger. Who chose for our sakes to he homeless and poor. Yoxtrig Crusader: THE DEAD LETTER ROMANCE. A TRUE STORY. It was very long ago as far bnck as 1S33, if the old cleiks in the Jcw Vui k i'ust ofHce remember correctly that sbe hist bean to come to tbe gcneail delivery window a modest, platu-clad luiy, with a sweet, sober face, and a gentle manner. Hie whs as regular as tbe moon, and like tbe moon came monthly, generally on tbe tir.-t (Saturday of each month, and always found a letter awaiting ber, folded in the same sort of an envelope ; always addressed in tbu same crumped, angular hand, to . j MARIA II. RUSSELL, j ; Ktw York Fostoffice. r : : It was alwnys a "drop letter," one of the many thousands thai lound their way tbiougb '.he little device iu the wail daily, and no one ever knew who bioiiubt it; al tbottgb, vvlieu (be legiilaiily ot her viMts began to all: act attention, I be unknown correspondent was carefully watched lor alioul ilis liist Friday of eveiy month. liuV it vvnS never known who brought that strange yellow envelope, nor did anyone ever grt a glimpse of its contents, although its outside; was examined with cuiiosity a gieat many limes. And the mysterious letter pasM-d along like tbe thousands of daily messages of love ami hate, of mortifi cation and plcasute, of good cheer a '.id evil bidding Ihu duns, lcmitlauces and promises to pay. Yeais passed. The delivery clerks were changed one after another ; some of thetii died; others were promoted : some went to olhcr employment; but as each left lie) told the stoiy of the strange woman lo bis successor as a part oi tbe instructions of the ofKce, ami lite new cluiks soon become 'familiar with be Visits as the monihs went by. iShe was often questioned ; inquisitive glances were often cast into ber face, ami several times she was followed by curious fellows; but noone ever discovered whence she came fir whither site went. Une day a new cleik who bad concieved a scheme to discover ber identity told her be was not sure the letter belonged to her, as l.e knew other ladies in tbe city of the same name, and staked ber if there was not soti.e one iu the neighboibood wboiri site could call to identify her. 'l am a stranger iu this part of the city, sir," was her quiet, digndietl reply, 'but. i have been beie a good many limes and never before was asked to prove my identi ty. If it will be any aatislaclifiii io yori I will desci ibe the appeal ance of tbe let ler I expect but wait; 1 am quite sure it will correspond with this one" and she took from a little reticule she always can ied the one she had icceived a month before. A whole generation had passed away. Men and women bad been bout and buried, but slid the queer letters came, and were called for by the queer woman. '1 be clerks in the postollico imd heard of ber Iroirt those who bad preceded I hem, and ber mystciious appearances bad gained A ro mance with age, and strange sloiies that bad been invented by the clerks lon be fore weio fold of bor as true. Her face was smooth and round and placid when she first came, but it was gel ting wiinWi-d, and her liair was getting gray. One lime, only once lor twenty vnrss an nearly na could be remembered, bho Tailed to come, nnd one, two, three letters were waiting for her in tbe pigeon IhiIm. The dark did nut advertise them nor send them to the Dead Letter Oilice I with tbe lest, for lie knew il .Maria itnsseu was living she would come for them iu liuap, and if alio was dead, ootbiug could I be gained by hurrying them off io tbe great morgue where all unclaimed letters . go. But after four months ber famil'ar ' face appeared at the window again, and tbe clerk was aa glad to see ber as if she bad been an old friend. But it was not the face be used losee. Its calm smooth ness was shrunken ; its fullness was wasted : there were deep drawn lines around the , mouth and eyes, and the fresh Hush bad i I nt iud to a wan paleness. A friendly j greeting was on t lie tongue or tbo cleilras be turned to meet ber; bur, when he saw how pale she was, bow wasted. And how the calm expression of Hie face bad been erased and covered with the autograph of! I. ......... a . i -, , .. . I I'mii, no nuj'i esseu uie coroiai woros inai weie pushing bis lips open, and simply re marked : ''You have been sick?" "Yes, I have been sick," she said, and gathering her letters iu ber band she left tbe window, and, like a snowflake in tbe sea, melted away into the surging waves of humanity that was roaring iu the stieet outside. After this she came regularly again, but tbe paleness never left ber face, and the wi inkles lengthened aud deepened instead of growing less. The cleiks began to talk of her changed appearance, ami concluded that she was siiiicring from some cause, they could not decide just what, although there were plenty of reasons suggested, nnd it was concluded at an informal meeting behind the wall of lioxes in tbe pfistofnce one day, that tbe next time she came it was their duty to find out if she was needing any thin that they with their ill filled purses could supply. So when she crime the clet k who happened to bo at the window held her letter in his band a moment to delay ber, and said with a great del of trepida tion for the mystery of her life ami the distant self-possession of ber manner dis- j contngnaaiiy inquisitive attacks. "I pray you to excuse me, madam ; but I thought that if you were iu auy sort of need " "I am very well cared for, thank yon," she intennptcd. "You have a letter for me, I see." And she was gone again. Tbe clerk went back to bis fel'owp. and being a person of pi ide, related tbe iuci dent with some details that were not sup plied in the occurrence. He said lie bud tendered tbe lady iu their name, as deli cately as possible, any aid that she might n- ed, explaining to her that they bad learned from long association Io feci an interest, in ber. and hoped if she was in want of any of tbe necessaries of lif-, or if she needed assistance of any kind, that they would assist her to tbe extent of their abilities. Tbe cleiks applauded the deftness with which their fellow had performed the duty and inquitcd anxtoii: ly for ber reply. "She told me," bo said, "that she was in good circumstances, and was not just now in want of any assistance, but, with our permission, she would remember out kind oiler, anil if ever in need would not hesitate to call upon us." And if she had been a heroine formerly she beeamo a goddess from that hour out a goddess in an old-fash ioncd. shabby leghorn bonnet, a rusty brocbe shawl, ami a i iticnle like the fine their grandmother carried. But she was as divine tj those habit-haideucd ixistoffico cleiks as ever was St. Cecelia to the tone poets of the mediaeval, or i?r. Agatha to the suffering women of tbe cbuicb. The gray hair of tbe gfiddess had grown much thinner in tbe last few years, her eyes were sinking back under her temples and glowing dim, and the bands that clasped the letter as each month came around were getting very guant anil shriveled. The war came on, the mails were laden down with messages of sorrow'and bereave ment ; tbo clerks were bin l ied off as sol-diei-s, and the widows and sisters of those whose places thev wnt to fill camo into the postoflice to do the public service : but the wan old woman came just the same as ever, ami the yellow wiappcd letter was always wailing ber there. Tbo war was fiver ; the clerks who went, out to tight came back limping and arm less, to inquire after the mysterious friend. She was st ill coming, but soon after, in March, 1305. she was seen for the last lime. The letter came as usual, mm of tbe liist days of April, but noonc called for it. Tbe clerk, who was a lady, then putjit aside as if it was too good fur its company, and kept if near the window, so that it would lie ready when Maria llussell camo. An othei month went by, and another letter came, which was put away with its mate. Two more months anil two more letters, and four oft hem were lying there iu a pile waiting for tbe queer old woman "the mysterious woman of the delivery window" they called her now to come for them. How trten fh'ose letters were examined. How closely the address and the seal were scanned, how they were held np to the light so that, maybe a word of their con tents might be discovered. What a temp tation they were. Tbe chief of the delivery office ordered them advertised. "Xo," said the cleiks. "She will come fori hem. She know they are here. She must be sick or something. She has come for them for thirty years, and they nevei have been ailveri istd yet. Let them wait another month."' So I hey waitetl another month, two more, and still the queer old woman didn't come. And they bad not been advertised. On a long list in the newspapers, near the bot tom, under the bead of "Ladies' letters," were theso words : Russell, Maria II., 6. People glancing at them almost every body looks fiver the list of advertised let ters losee if by some chance one belonging lo them bad strayed in among the vaga bonds, and the people remarked : "I wonder who Maria llussell is; she has six letters ad vert ised." To the cleiks in the iostoffice it seemed a shame that old Mr, or Miss (pet haps she was an old maid) Russell's lei let s should be advertised, ami stuck off into a dirty corner with a lot of soiled envelopes, aud there was quite an indignation meeting he h! over tbe matter. But still tbe queer old woman did not come. "Perhaps slie is dead," they paid, "poor thing. Perhaps she is dead." But if there were wliispersof displeasure when the letters were advertised, there was a storm of wrath when the clerk an nounced that they must be sent to tbe dead letter office. The postmaster was appealed to. He was a man of business, aud uido't care oiucb for romance,' so be said the letters must go, and the rules of . the department carried out, and that Ibe .co in h iici which u,iu uoiiie in since lug six were advertised must go with them. Cut through all tho sorrow there was gleaming the sunshine of relief. At the dead letter olEco it would bo found out what these mysterious envelopes contained. And the Hdy who mnde np tbe packages for the tlead-letter office pinned ibis note to Maria Russell's seven letters : "These are very peculiar letters. They belonir to a woman who has been coming to tbe postoflice regularly every month for thirty years ; but she has ceased to come, and we think she isdead. . Whoever opens these letters will confer a great favor by informing the clerks of New York postoffice of their contents, as we have a great curi osity to know who Maria Russell is, fir ' was, and Something about the peison who has been sending ber these letters regularly for so long." This note was submitted to a convention of clerks and dcclaied unanimously to be the proper thing. A reply was awaited anxiously. Before it came two more let ters had followed their fellows in, and were waiting for Maria Russell ; but she never came to get litem, and they were sent off like the rest lo have Iheir secrets revealed at the great mail morgue at Washington. Finally theie came addressed to "I he clerks of the New Yoik postotDce." and it was fiened by the first person included in bat category into whoso hands it came. That person read the inclosure hurriedly through, and culled a convention, to which he read tbe following : "Although it is directly against tbe rules of the ofiioe, I take the responsibility of gratifying your curiosity. Xine letters addressed to Maria II. llussel have come to my bands. Each one contains a brief note, calling attention to an inclosure with out date or hign.it lire. Each inclosure was a five dollar bill. We have a great deal of cuiiosity ourselves hereto learn something about this strange matter. Won't some of you write us what you know? and if any fuilher disclosuies nie made we will inform you." Here was a romamce, indeed. Nine un signed noU-8. each with a similar inclosure 01 money. Was it possible, they thought, that for thirty years these same sort, of letter, with tlio same inclosure s, had been coming to .Maria Russell. And whydidn't they stop, if since she was dead, as she certainly mut be. The w hole pivsf office was excited and perplexed in its tfivrts to Add a solution ofthis mystery. But there was no clue to Mrs. or Miss Russell; no clue to I C;' mjsteii us correspondent. I can not re 'eat the many theoi ies that weie ad vanced, fr the many speculations that were put. out to explain tbe matter; but each was a diffluent one, and each had as good ground for believing his the true one as any til her, because' none ff them bad any ground at all. To add to the mystery, someone brought in a daily paper which Contained the lollowiug advertisement ; Peuson Ar Any p rs-m hv!n any knowt ci'ku or Hie whercii bouts of Maria II. H;iss ll, who lias been a resident of this city forthirty ye.os, will re.ievi- n leirinle anxiety t j- eom iniuiicaliiiif with C. 11. It., Ptistolli-e. What a sensation that personal made in the Postoflice Department. Here at least was a clue lo the unknown correspondent who was wondering why he bad received no acknowledgement to his letteis for nine months; and to add to the excitement another letter, in the same pale-yellow sty le of envelope, atldrcsed in ibe same similar chirography, was tossed with hundreds of others to the distributor's table, w here it came to light. Fifty letters were addressed to "(J. B. R.," each of which stated that they bad iniiortaiit in formation concerning Maria H. Russell ; but before many of them were mailed it leaked out that tbe peisonal was put in the papers by one of the clerks who Imped to reach iu advance of his fellows a clue to tbe mystery. But nothing sat isl'.ictoiy resulted even from the personal. Several Maria Russell's turned up to answer it, and were very much dis gusted to tind they weren't Ibe persons wanted ; but it brought no clue to the cm ions old lady aud her curious corres pondent:. Four, five, six years went by, and each month brought as regularly as tho inou'.li came around a letter for Maria II. Russell. Tho reverence wilh wh;cli these letteis were treated was a new feature in the post office depai tineiit. It was a satisfaction even to handle them and feel of the thin, iimsy inclosure, and with what agony of interest they were advertised, ami finally sent away to the Dead Letter Otlice each thirty days to be deposited with tlieothcts, jiir-t like ibeiu that had gone before. One tlay nearly two years ago a clerk in the postoflice told a friend who was con nected with a newspaper of the circum stances, and a lu ieT statement of facts was published. Tho paragraph was widely quoted republished in almost every pa per in the Utnierl States. Ami with this pub lication the letters stopptd coming, The last one was post mat ked March 4, 1S75. It is thought that the mysterious corres- Mndeut saw the paragraph, and knew iu that way that Mai ia Russell was dead for she must be dead, or sue would have called for her letters in i lie years that had gone since she got the last. But it may be asked why tbe unknown correspondent doesn't send t:t the Dead Letter Office and claim his money the money he sent so faithfully each month to Maiia Russell, even for ten years after she was dead ami gi tie. A huge number of claims have been marte for the money since the publication last year, and a variety of singular stories have been told to account for the manner iu which the correspond ence was coml uct'd. One man wrote to inform tbo postoflice department; that be was tbe person who had been sending tho money to Maiia Russell theso forty years agone, but as bis manuscript was in every way dissimilar from that in tbo original letters be was at once considered an imposter. A man in Siurgis. Michigan, has told the strangest story and put in the strongest claim. He savs that he is one of a family of five childien, four brotheis and one daughter. . In 1335 his father and mother separated, thd father taking tbe boys and the mother the girl, and the father agree ing to pay $.1 a month for his dauKlUer's support as long as he lived, but to have no communication with her'in any way what ever. He says, tin man in Michigan, that his father used to Rend the money in thoj manner described as long as lie lived with him, but having some) differences about 18tfi, they, the father and son, separated. the latter going West, where he has resided i ever siuoe, wit hoc t bariog beard ooce from ' the lest of his f;:m'ty. He said be w as in no need of tbe money, but would like veiy much to know if the strange correspondents were his father end sister. lie could iden tify the writing, he thought, if they would send him one of tbe letteis. Mr. Russell's letter was strongly indorsed by seveial prominent residents 4,f Sturgis, who bore testimony to bis good character and general woithiuess. Mr. Dallas, the Superinlendant of the Dead Letter Office, replied that while bo greatly desired to oblige Mr. Russell, it was not permitted to send any of the letters out of tho office ; but if Mr. Russell was ever in Washington ho would be glad to give him any information iu his ower,' and show him any pa pel s in the depart ment relating to the case. Tbe law re quired that these lette.-s and tVeir contents bo reclaimed in three years. At the eud of which time tbe money enclosures i evert to the U.-.ited States Treasury, from which they cannot be recovered w ithout a special act of Congress. On a recent visit to the Dead Letter Of fice I saw the silent, inauimated relics of this strange mystciy. A pile of plain, yel low envelopes, marked with some hierog lyphics peculiar to the dead letter men, indicating their reference to the books of the bureau. If they could talk what a s: range Hory they might tell. What a theme foi romance aie these dead letteis dead in every respect. Forlorn, tin), tbe speechless wanderers, with neither their writer nor their intended lecipieot to re claim them, I opened one of them thero was no date, nosiguatuie ; and written in the centre of a page of blue note paper, with p;lu ink, iu an old fashioned band that apiieared to have been uncertain with age, were these few utisuggesl i ve words : "I enclose you the money as usual. I will send more the first of next month. You ueed not write." Tuxjth Stranger Tiiak Fictiox. A week or two since a gentleman whoieside iu this vicinity went to Philadelphia and put up at a hotel, and while resting alter tea in the i fee pi ion loom, ovcrheaid two gentlemen conveising iu regard to a trial then in progress before one f the courts of that city. Our neighbor learned from this Conversation that a man had obiaim-d money upon bis wilVs pnqierty, the wife giving a mortgage. The money was spent in dissipation, Ibe wife, became a laving maniac, ami was confined in the asylum, wheie she now is ; the husband died, and that the childien of this unfoi Innate couple were furnished with a gu.iidi.in by the com t, who was maintaining the suit then being tried, against the holder of the mort gage on the ground that the wifo was not of legal age when the instrument was exe cuted. Tho gentleman then recollected that a niece of bis, who left this vicinity when a child, had married a man of the same nam as the one mentioned as having squandered his wife's patrimony, and con cluded lo investigate. He matlo bis way to tbe court bouse fn tho following morn ing, and to bis intense surprise and e rati fication was tbe very person needed to establish, to a certainty, the age of tbe un fortunate woman, ami save to ber worse than orphaned childien property valued at $2,500. Did the God tf the fatherless nnd tbe orphan, ibe fiiend and helpmate of the poor and oppressed, direct our neighbor to the city of Philadelphia and caue him to appear at the proper t line, or w as it chauce blind chance ? ATuney Luminary. The First TIk'd Heard About It. A blacksmith, having failed in business, a fiieml, to enable him to start again. loaned him some it tin, which a ci editor attached at the forge. The fi iendly owner sued in trover for his iron. Rnfus Cboate appear ed for him, and pictured tbe cruelly of the sheriff's proceeding as follows : "lie arrested the arm of industry as it fell towards the anvil ; be put out the breath of bis liellows ; he extinguished the fire tioii bis hearthstone. Like pirates in a cale at sea, his enemies swept everything by Ibe Imard, leaving him, gentlemen of the jury, tint so much not so much as hoiveshoe to nail upon his dooi post to keep the witches off." The tears came into the blacksmith's eyes at this affecting description. One of his friends, noticing them, said to him, "Why, Tom, what's tbe matter with you? What are you blubbering about?" "I had no idea," was the reply, in whim pering accents, "I had no idea I bad been so much a-a-a-abnsed !" Nor had he, till Cboate told him. DrrHTHERTA asdChocp. Diphtheria is more frequently mistaken for croup than for any other disease, and as this is tbe sea son when both diseases are prevalent, the following hints, which are found in an ex chauee. w ill not prove amiss, as show ing the difference between the tao diseases: Croup is ushered in by cough ; diptheiia by a chill ; croup is most frequent when there is great humidity in the atmosphere and east wind. Dipt hei ia does not depend upon changes of the weather. Croup is not contagious; diptheiia certainly is. Croup comes on suddenly ; dipthei ia may be tardy. Croup is known by the croaking sound ; diptheiia is known by the patches of membrane on the throat. Croup must be iclieved. Diptheiia is tardy in its res olution. Croup il'ies not affect the system; dipthoria is very prostrating. Pronpoccurs most frequently in childhood ; diptheiia occurs at. ail ages. Croup is apt to occur often in the same case ; rlipiheria may oc cur moie than once, but the patient is not so liable to a second attack. Widely Distributed Asimat.5. The family of rats is found in neatly every quarter, and bats in every quarter of tbe globe. None of the larger miimals are so widely distiibnled. Among biids, tbe most extensively found are swallows, king fishers, pigeon, falcons, owls, rail, sui ., plover", herons, ducks Culls, petrels, eli cans ami grebes. All of these are found iu each of Mr. Wallace's regions and also in each of their subdivisn ns. Crows and swifts are universal except iu New Zealand and Ibe cuckoos except the noith of North America. Among reptiles snakes may lie mentioned as nearly cosmopolites being found everywhere except in New Zealand and the tropical islands of the Pa cific ; while geckoes or wall lizards i absent only from the north of North Amer ica. Toads are dispersed over the whole world except Madagascar, New Zealand, and tho Pacific Island ; and frogs have the same area with the addition of Madagascar. Chamb4r' Journal. r.X( LAW .4 To It I At church Int within her pew. O Pew ! But there 1 beard j4o pious word I saw alone bor eye of bine ! I saw ber how her head so gracious, O Gt scions ! The choir sang. The oruati rang And seemed to fill the building spacious. I could not bear the gospel law, O Law ! My tut urn Pri.le Whs by my side I found all else a mighty bore. And when pesded forth the organ thunder, O Thunder 1 I fixed my eye In mute surprise On her, whose tieauty was a wonder. To me tLat maiden was most dear. O Deat ! And she was mine, Joy ion divine For human words to picture here. Her love seemed like a prayer to bless rno, O tilesn me I Ttefiire she came My life was lame. My rarest joys could but oppress m. The service dont, we sought the shore, O Shore ! And there we walked, And sadly talked More sadly talked than e'er before. I thought she waf the type of gotdness, O Goodness ! But cn that day I heard her say Plain worils.w hose very tone was rudeness. We strayed tievond the tide-mill's dam. 6 Dam ! She jilted tpe. And now I se) That woman's lore is sill a sham. Lining Jlocm Magazine. The Jirave Little Skater. Notable among tbe pretty stories that history bands down to us is the saving of the little town 4f St. Geniet, fii the Upper St. Lawrence, by a boy aud a pair of spates. The town was besieged by Indians, auJ the few settlers, hardy Frenchmen, tooic refuge iu the block-house fort. For days and flays Ibe besiegers held on, worrying their victims where Ihey might, well know ing ihat hunger must at last force them to surrender. But still the Frenchmen kopt their li.ig flying, meted out their provisions in scant rations, and hoed and prayed for help. To get out and attack tiie Indiana was certain defeat and death ; to surreucer was no better. They must wait and starve unless succor came to them from tbo Biit ish fort, twenty miles below. So Ihey w ail ed and wailed, but no help came. J uld Ihey but eet a message to the fort I bey were saved. But the redskins surrounded them on all sides, and to show bead or foot beyond tbe wails of their narrow prison was to couit death by a poisoned arrow. Every day their provisions grew less till at length their only choice seemed lobe be twecu death by hunger or massacre. Men were weak and dying from starvation; women and children wereciying for bread. The last ration bad leen given out, and all hope was gone. Nothing to cat; ammu nition nearly exhausted, and no help from the but. But just then the wiud veered round to the north and it began togior cold. Every minute it grew colder, and a gauzy film of ice farmed oil the surface of the St. Lawrence. In an hour the film had turned to a sheet ff glass. When the sua went down the i iver was covered with Laid, spriucy ice. Then a brave little French boy, whose name history has forgotten, but whose no ble deed will be remembeied forever, said that he could save his countrymen. The block house fort stood on the iiver bank ; the British fort was within gunshot of the shore, twenty miles below. He had skates aud knew bow to use them. At midnight, when Ibe ice bad thickened, bis father should lower him with a rojie from the rampart o the ice below, and well-aimed should be the arrow that would harm him, in bis speed through tbe darkness. W hen his mother protested that be was rushing into certain death, that the river bank was line; with bosti'e Indians through all the dangerous mute, "Is it not better," be re plied, "that I should tiie trying to leacli the fort than that we all should stay here and starve?" So he went. At midnight be droptied quickly down the rope, with skates already snapped to bis feet, and almost before bis friends knew that be bad touched the ice be was flying down the dark, dangerous river. On be went, over the slippeiy ice. Now and again quick strokes were heard on the shore and a lau dom arrow sped after him. Flying over thin places narrowly escaping one obstruc tion after another as il came in his way, on he flew. The fierce wind was at his back and helped him on bis voyage for life. The moon, as if to shield him from danger, hid herself behind a big, black cloud, till, exhausted and panting, be reached the fort, aud then she shone out in ail her sliver glory in honor of bis heroic deed. Iu an hour, through darkness and danger, he had made the ti ip. Before the sun shone again Ibe King's red-coated men, equally swift in their mission of meicy, wetc at tho block house fort. St. Genteie was saved. Tbe brave boy aud the Urt&ty skates had done their woi k. Old Si went to the theatre to see the magici.m performance the other night. Next day we asked him: "Did ycu see that man handle that money last night?" "I did, fer a fact?" "He made it nng and go in all sorts of ways?" "Your.g boss dat man's powerful stick wid si 1 ber muniiey." "What do you think of hi.-n, Si?" "Dat man he fooled 'rouud dar wid dat ntfliiney tell he 'mused op my 'sL-ish-ions, be did." "Suspicions of what?" "Hit teks lots of practiss fer to make a haf dollar 'poar and dis pear in d.t stile." "Of course." "D.U's what makes me bab a 'spishun dat dat white man wuz one t ime de casheer ob a freed men's bank, an' I jea want to h.iunel him a few minits, sLo'syoa born." This is the time of year when the young man with a bundle of mixed candies sits in the oold extension room, waiting for his sweet heart, while the stands "primp p'tng" before the looking glass in her com fortable chamber for three-qnarters f an hour, ntteily oblivious of the rich coloring that the fnt flrcd is uttiuj ca ber ador er's a cm. IV-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers