life Is Uw.
For pain and death are only for Lore'* aake.
They wonkl M be if Lot* itsatf were ad.
And whoeolorea, to him they tiSsire Tew!
And nothing elee! Only tbM NfW may be
No mere delusion, ne mere nightmare dream.
Or dream of bttne. from which a man aball
wake—
Ah! thia ia why death la and town# U;
And dust and aahea ah all ha foe ail time,
As truly ae thia whole greatumvaco.
Truly ae God ia, who ia all Idm!
Not to create Love ia this world aaads fleeting;
Where there ia no wutM at all, Love would
exist.
But it would alumher; now Si wake* h glows.
It lore*, yet eeea no longer what it ess .
It ia the beet blind spirit # the world.
Which, all unscon itself, lovoa on forever.
After the Apple.
Behind me clang the golden door*
No strength of mine may ops again:
Before mo stretch th# wiki, wast* shores
These hands to harvest fields must nam
My last look, turning to the skies
Of Eden that I I,we to-day.
Sees but the hchunng* of your eyes.
Like flaming aworvls to bar the way.
You aland there, in your innocence.
A snared, indignant at such end:
J ndguig a paiuuon too intense
For unformed souls to Comprehend.
From you within to me w ithont
A distance as from sea to sea
Outlsroadens- the abyss of deals
'Twill dream ami wake ihal ueeda katsi be
Yet think not, howsoever wide.
That gulf shall not he spanned at last;
Nor fancy slier* less Jeops divide
The exiled ful are from the past.
The path aiy feet have irodbefore
Or soon or late you too shall tread;
1 may not walk your Eden more.
But you will come to me instead
For. various of ta-te. I www
That, since oar common nxxher * fall,
Hhaio fruit up ii that saU-saste hough
Hath t ipeued for the Up* of all,
And hang u low or hang it high,
AnJ be the flavor sour or aweet.
For yoa ia turn the lime draws ugh
To pluck the apple and to eat.
Till then peach an c lis weH yrsir eywa
Should scathe me with tbeir ignorant
Go shelter in your Paradise,
And leave me bars among the thorns.
But when yoa toe. without the gates,
Look, shudc.ei.rg, oer the desert I are.
Then tura -and pantos one who van#
To make a pathway for you there.
"IMViiXU t
(1(1 IRS FOR TWO.
"Smokes, does he! The abominable
wretch f* exclaimed Mrs. Volant to hor
friend, Mr*. Wash Burn, the young wife
who had just gone to housekeeping.
"He smokoa. bat he ia not an abom
inable wretch—l am aure he is not,"
replied Mrs. Washburn, a little startled
by the hard name applied to her hus
band, whom she both loved snd os
teon! ed.
" Not a wretch?"
" No, I am sure he is not."
" Yea, he is ; any husband. especially
one whs has been married only a year,
and won't let off smoking whan his wife
desires it must be s wretch.""
" No; yon overstate the case. He is
everything a husband ought to be—so
kind, so devoted, so indnlgent. But,
then, Ido wish he would not smoke." I
" You must break him of it—the
cruel monster."
"Nay, do not call him snch hard
names, I love him with all my heart,
though he does smoke."
" Well, I suppose Ton do ; young i
wives nre apt to be foolish."
" Foolish !"
•' Yes ; he seos, I dare say. that yva
ore him, aud ao ho takes advanUgv of
Ton."
" Why, Mrs. Volant, don't TOO IOTC
▼our husband ?"
" Well, I suppose I do; there ia ne
need of telling him of it 1 make him ,
think I don't care anTtliing about him.
Why I can manage him as en*y aa I
oonki a kitten."
" I don't like that; I think there
cught to be lore and confidence between
man and wife."
"Pooh!"
" Yon cannot be happy with kim."
"I should cot be if I became hh
slave."
"lam not his slave."
' " Don't you believe it ? When yon
have been married a* long as 1 have you .
will get rid of s ims of theso seritimenlal
notions, which answer very well for tho
first year or ao, but become very incon
venient after that"
" For my part, I always mean to love
my husband aa mnch as I to now, even
if it is sentimental."
" See if yon do ! Hush nds must be
carefully managed or they will become
tyrant*. Now, my husband smoked j
the first year after marriage ; but then
he was a little careful about bringing his
cigar into the house, for 1 toM him, tip '
and down I wouldn't have it"
"I should supposed he womld have
rebelled."
"He did, but not at first. One night
about a vear after we were married, he
brought home a whole bundle of cigars
and put them on the mantelpiece. '
Taking one, he coolly lighted it and
proceeded to read the evening news
paper."
" That's the way my husband does." '
" I was downright mad at his impu
dence, but did not say a word. The
next day I bought a monstrous great
snuff-box, and filled it fall of rappee.
In the evening he lighted his cigar, •
aa before ; but no sooner had he done
so than I seated myself opposite to him,
and drawing out my snuff-box I took a
generous pinch, at the risk of sneezing
my head off."
" How funny!"
Mr husband did not think ao. He
looked at me with astonishment.
" You take snuff?" says he.
" I do; at least I mean to learn," I re
plied. *. * L i
" It is a filthy habit," said he.
" No worse than smoking," said I.
We debated the matter n long time. '
and at last he gave up the paint, and
promised to throw away hiaaigartill
would throw away my anuff.
" And he never smoked any more ?" ,
asked Mrs. Washburn. * I
"Yes; he began onoe after; hut J
took to the snuff again, and he gave it
np "
" Are yon sure he don't smoke wow?" I
" If he does he never lets me see
him. My sitting is not smoked I
np as yours is."
" It was a glorious triek.'.'
" That it was, and I advise you to try
it npon Mr. Washburn." .
" I couldn't take a pinch of snnff anv
more than I could swallow an
" Smoke, then. There are some little i
cigars sold at the apothecary's made on I
purpose for ladies. They are mild :
that they wouldn't make- you mok,
though even if they did yon wouldn't
mind BO they cured your husband of I
smoking."
" It seems too bad to play auch a 1
trick upon him ; he is always so kind;
and permits me to do just as I please,"
said tho. tender-hearted Mrs. Wash
burn. 1 *
" What else could he do ?"
" It looks kind of mean to me." i
" Not a bit." Mi!
" I don't know as it would succeed* •
"Nonsense! I am sure it would. 1
He never would let you smoke, for these '
husbands have an awful horzor of any
impropriety in their wifes."
" Then he says ho has always smoked j
and can't leave it off."
"Pshaw! The old story."
"I am almost tempted to try it." J
"I would." . |
"It seems so nnkind, though, that I
have hardly the heart te try it" I
"Yon are notional, my dear Mrs.
Washburn. When you have been mar
ried—" * '
The remark was broken on by the
abrupt entrance of the "abominable
wretch " himself. Mrs. Washburn rose I
as he entered, and, in spite of the
abominable edor that his breath Mast!
have exhaled, printed a kiss upon hie
tobooeo stained Japs, AO M
• * " *■
K I l\T/„ l\(htoru<l I'ropriotor.
VOL. VI.
Tito lady "who had beCn married
several rear*" was disgusted, aud after
a few m* mark a conce ruing the weather,
took her leave.
Mrs. \Yashliiuu was a pretty, affec
tions.:#, gentle-hearted wtfo. Her
whole existence waa bound up in her
husband, as uell it might W; for never
w* a Uflshatid more devoted to lua wife
hoaaa. To our mind she un* a
model wife, none of your stormy vix
ens, that set their hearts upon attaining
a point and will pull the house tlowu
U]w>n your head hut they will attain
it.
j lit her eye Mr. Washburn had only
otic fault, aud that was the villajuous
habit of smoking, which all her c!o
--ouenoehad Invn ixiwerlcsato overcome.
She didn't " put her foot tlowu," as her
friend, Mr*. Volant, had done; for
poor, gentle-hearted creature—she
could not tlnnk of provoking a tiuarrvl
with him, and had about concluded to
make tlio beet of it aud let him stuoke
in twaee.
But there was something so irresist
ibly funny about Mrs. Volant's plan
that aim determined to try it, aiul ae
-1 eordingly, on the afternoon of the next
day she sent t\e Irish girl to tho apotli
, ecary's shop for a hunch of "Bagdad
jcigoia." Disposing a few of them in
• hor work-basket, ready for the momen
tous occasion, her mind pictured the
' scene that would eusue when she should
' fipht one of them. It was so funny
that she laughed out loud at Rie idea.
Wouldn't he be surprised to see her,
who had teased hiui so much to leave
off, smoking herself. Would not his
! eyes stick out when he should see her
puffing a cigar at her sewiug, as he did
when he read the evening paper.
I Sii# was so pleased with the plan that
she eould have put it iuto execution,
even if it had been only for the sport
it promised, independently of any good
result which might dow from it.
i Wouldn't he be mortified, and would
the not win the day and glory over liis
defeat ? Wouldn't he be glad to promise
her that he wouldn't smoke another ci
gar as long as he lived ? She was so
delighted that she could hardly ooutaiu
herself.
Mr. Washburn came home to tea, and,
as usual, when he entered tho house he
gave her a kiss and tender greeting.
They were seated at the tea table ; Mrs.
Washburn was so full of mirth that she
cathe near scalding herself with the hot
tea when she poured it out. Her mer
ry, grhschiavoas laugh rang pleasantly
in her husband's ear*, who, poor fellow,
could have no idea of the terrible or
deal through which he was doomed to
jams.
When tea was over, the astral lamp
. transferred to the light-stand, and Mr.
Washburn had stretched himself into a
comfortable position in the large, easy
rocking-chair, with his legs lazily re
, posing in another chair, the everlasting
, cigar was produced, lighted, and begau
Ito diffuse its fragrance through the
room. .
Mrs. Washburn- could hardly con
trol her inclination to burst into a
tiugh at the* mere thought of what she
was about to tie. Seating herself at
the side of the table, opposite her hus
band, she took from the work-basket,
with an air as grave and solemn as a
' judge, one of the " Bagdada." Placing
the filthy roll between her ruby bps she
j glanced at her husband.
" Now, Mr. Smoker," thought she—it
would have spoiled to have said it—
! " we will see whether you dou't aliaudon
that nasty habit."
Mr. Washburn happened to glance at
her, bnt, oontrary to her expectation,
he manifested no suprise, and went on
. reading the Transcript.
"So so, Mr. Smoker," thought she
again, "you think I am joking, do
! wu ? 1 will-soon convince you ;' and
tha lady took a paper aud applied a
light to the cigar.
Mr*. Washburn was rather inexperi
enced in the modus operandi of lighting
a cigar, and she was unable to make it
,go". She lighted another taper, and
ivafled away with all her might; but
the Bagdad Was as resolute as the great
caliph himself. She persevered till her
1 extraordinary exertions again attracted
the attention of Mr. Washburn.
I " You are lighting the wrong end,
|my dear," said he, with the utmost
nonchalance.
| " How provoking he is!" thought
Mrs. Washburn, " why don't he remon
strate ?"
) " You should bite the twisted cud,
, and then put it iu your month," con
tinued the husband, turning to the
paper again.
Aided by these directions the ladv
t took another cigar, which she sneceed
'ed in lighting. The first taste of tlie
tobacco snu-ke was horrible, but ahe
1 determined to be a martvr for lier hus
band's sake, and takiug her sewing, she
j continued to'puff away as she plied her
needle, til] a certain uausc& compelled
her to abandon the experiment for that
1 time. Casting the Bagdad into the
grate, she liegan to wish she had not
listened to Mrs. Volant.
■ " What is the matter, my dear ?
Wasn't it a good cigar? Try mine ;
they are Minute Cliristos of the first
quality and the imperturbable Mr.
Washburn offered her the choice from
| hip case.
j " No, I thank yon, my dear; I will
i not arnoke anv more to-night."
y " But what a the matter, Mary ? You
are as pale as n sheet?"
"1 feel a little faint ; I shall he bet
ter in the morning. " And Mrs. Wash
burn was obliged to leave the room,
j p.jfir woman ! She was sick all the
] evening. Bnt the next dnv Mrs Volant,
who htwl called to learn the success of
i the experiment, advised her to try
i again, assuring her that it would not
make hex sick the second time,
t Mr. Washburn had a couple of his
intimate friends at his house to play a
game of whiat the next evening, and the
devoted wife resolved to try the effect
I of a smoke in their presence.
When the party were seated Mr.
Washburn handed around the cigar
case.
""Won't yon smoke, my denr?" asked
he, tending the cigars to his wife,
j, "A will ; but you know, Joseph, that
I never smoke your cigars, they do not
| suit my taste."
"Whew, that was cool."
! Mrs. Washburn lit a Bagdad.
"Ia .it possible you smoke. Mrs.
I Washburn ?" asked Sir. Barnes, aston
ished at tho singular spectacle of a
jjroman puffing away at a cigar, for all
1 the world like u loafer in a barroom.
"Occasionally, just to please my bas
eband," replied Mrs. Washburn, after
. ahe hud Mown out a long breath of blue
1 smoke.
"Yes, Barnes," interposed Mr. Wash
! burn, "it is more sociable you know, to
t have company when one smokes. We
j are generally alone in the evening and
; she is ao kind as to smoke with me.
Ah, Barnes, teach your wife to smoke,
lit is w pleasant to smoke with one's
, „ T .
The lady was thunderstruck. Was it
I possible that he had no more respect
1 for the proprieties of life than that?
i She smoke ? She had already acquired
: the reputation of being a smoker, with
out having produced any of the desired
Washburn threw the lighted
i Bagdad into the stove. She had almost
Otied with vexation.
"Not smoke, my dear?" aaid her hus-
Ibacd,
THE CENTRE REPORTER.
"1 think you enu bo sociable to-night
if 1 don't smoke."
"IKj smoke, my dear i it gives mo so
mnch pleasure to "see you enjoy u g<*o<!
eigar.'
"That's tH> had, Joseph.
Mr. Washburn laughed outright, and,
throwing down his esrds, cxp'atned
the event of the preceding evening,
"I will own up; 1 did it to break
him of the habit ; 1 give it up,"
When the gentlemen hail taken their
li ITS, Mix Washburn explained by
whose advice she had ailopteil the plan.
Mrs. A ohuit haa the reputation of
lieiug a perfect shrew, tier husband
is a laughing stoek for all State street.
She is a bail adviser.
"How slick you have turned the joke
u|*on ml MM Mrs. Washburn, htugh
iug heartily,
"To tell the truth, I overheard some
of vour conversation when the plot was
laid."
"Oh, ho, you did ; no wonder it fail
ed then."
"I did ; hut, Mary, are you so very
much against my smoking ? I love the
weed, but I love you more," anil Mr.
Washburn kissed her tenderly.
"Nay, 1 will say no more about it.
Perhaps 1 was selfish."
"Not selfish. 1 will leave it off, my
dear, for your sake.
"No, no ; 1 don't want you to do ao.
If you nre so very fund of smoking 1 ■
will" never *av another word almut it."
Aud Mr. Washburn has smoked hisj
: cigar in peace ever since.
A Dangerous Place.
A correspondent speaking of the
South African diamond mines, says
Foreseeing the tremendous amount of
labor that would be concentrated in
and about the claims, the surveyor*
made twelve roads through the kopje
to which each claim-holder gave seven
feet and a half. Si) between every two
lines of chums there was a road fifteen
feet wide. Of course this portion of
the ground was to remain untouched
until some future time, when, the rest
of the aoil being worked, these alone
remained to dig into. Put— alas for
the anticipations of the authorities and
the intentions of the diggera I—the
roads were not left intact. They were
undermined, gouged, aud encroached,
on, uutil tbev became to care in. Huge ,
slicea would "break away from the wall*,
nud with a dull thud, and surrounded
by a choking Uniy dust, would crush
into the pit below. Perhaps a faint cry
would be heard as the horrified digger,
looking up, saw his cud at hand; or
perhajw more likely his back was bent,
and, eager to see the sparkling gem ,
turn out before his gaze, he was cut off
from the living world without a mo
ment's warning. Another day a gaping
crack in the roadway is ominous of an
nccident. The diggers look at it and
say, " It's no wider to-dav than vcater
dav " Oh, it will stand are j
safe enough ami so they descended
the shaft, unmindful of their peril.
Ten minutes alter a heavy loaded cart
crawls that way, its great wide w heels
cutting deep into the ground. It
reaches this crack, a wheel enters the
seam, and a moment more tha digger
lelow and the driver abova meet in •
eternity, while a crowrd of Caffrcs make
a " lioorav" over the affair as they pull
their mutilated bodies away from the
coufused mass of wood, iron, and dirt.
Next day the claim ia wild, and people
forget the last accident in the still new
er horror* which accumulate. Tho dan
gerous condition of the mine haa caused
many to sell out and leave, for as it ia
at present worked (July 1H72), no man
can descend into the claims without
peril to his life. In the end the only
plan to work it safely will be to form a
joint-stock company to work it out niece
meal, for four or five thousand eon
. flictiug interests are ' unmanageable
when concentrated in the area of lour
teen acres.
The Teaching of Grammar not Allowed.
" I have been tend in'my J arte r Nancy
to skool, and last Fndav I w<*it over to
the skool to see how she vm gettin'
along, aii J I need thing* I didn't like by
no mean*. The ekool-master wa* Inrn
in' lier things entirely out of the line of
eddyration, and, n* I think, improper.
I art" a while in tha akool-bouse, an'
heered one class say their lesson. The
lesson that Nancy #'d was nuthin' bnt
the foolishest kind of talk"; the rdiehst
word she sed was ' I love.* I looked
right at her for bciu' so improper, but
she went right on and sed, ' Tlum lore
eat, and he love*.' And I reckon you
never lieered such rigmarole in your
life—love, love, love and nothin' but
love. Who sed one time, ' I did love.
Sez I,' Who did yon love ?' The akolars
biffed, but I wasn't to be put off, and
sod, ' Who did you love, Nancy?" The
skool-master sell he would explain when
Nnney had finished the lesson. This
sorter pacyfled me, and Nancy went on
with her awful love talk. It got wus
aud wus every word. Hhe sed. '1 might,
could, or would love." I stopj>ed her
again, and sed I reckon I would see
about that, and told her to wnlk out of
that bouse. The skool-mnstcr tried to
interfere, but I would not let him say a
word. He Bed I was a fool, and I nokt
him down, and made him holler in short
order. I talkt the strnte thing to him.
I told him I'd show how liede lnrp my
darter grammar. I got the nabors to
gether, ami we sent him off in a hurry,
and I reckon tlmrl he no more grammar
tcachin' in these parts aoon."
A Fortune Missed.
Colonel Michael P. Walsh died in the
Shasta county, Cal., hospital on the .list
of December last. He was born at
Waterford, Ireland, and was within a
few days of seventy-eight years old at
the time <4 his death. At the ago of
twenty-two he came to the United States
and enlisted in the militnry service of
his adopted country. Jn 1832 he went
to Chicago and purchased eigiity acres
of land, for which ho paid S2OO, This
he kept for one year, when, the new
town not coming up to hi* sanguine ex
pectations, and thinking It wis Trot a
very healthful nlnre, he sold the lot for
the amount lie uad pohl f<>r it snd emi
grated to n plaeoof more flattering pros
leets. He went to California twenty
years ago, and soon t<Kk up his abode
at Cburntowu, where he became en
gaged in mining. He was almost a
helpless cripple for the last fifteen years
his right arm having been rendered use
less by a falling tree. When Colonel
Walsh went to Chicago it was but a
mere outpost upon the western border
of civilization, containing less than five
hundred inhabitant*, 'flint eighty acre
lot is in the very heart nud centre of
that opulent city of 300,000 inhabitants.
Had he kept that piece of property he
might have counted his wealth by tens
of millions. While he was running out
the sands of life in poverty inthv Shasta
county hospital, the census of 1870
shows that trnct of land which ho once
bought and for S2OO represented more
wealth than all the broad acres of Cali
fornia from the mouth of Feather river
to the Oregon line.
If there is one thing we like more
than another, it is a simple, direct, in
telligible statement of something we are
interested in. How, then, enn we be
sufficiently grateful to Professor Agas
siz far informing us that " trilobitaiare
not any more closely related to the
phyllopods than to any other entomoa
racse, or to the isopod."
CENTRE H A EE, CENTRE CO., PA.. THURSDAY, MARCH <>. 173.
Noletl I'olsouers,
IVir I*U fvisoulns Mum - Sir Thorns* Over Kurr
Osur fkugij • Hui* La Spars-Ax** Tslsu*
The Msriluonru ile BiutriUuie.
One of the must terrible crimes, one
of the worst sorts of murder, is the de
struction of human life by secret poison.
There are shade* of guilt recognized
even by the law, but the taking of life
bv jkiisoiis, so slow in their operation
that the gradual ebbing awav of exist
ence rcaomblea the natural decay of
venrs, is usually uu*iisj>eoU)d, and must
he persevered in for some time, uutil
the fatal result be produced.
Tn a fit of pas*ion, or when under the
influence of auger, or any other tempor
ary feeling, human lifu may be sudden
ly taken ; lnt stx'ret poisoning indicate*
steady and reticent persistence in a de
liberate design -such a*, in fact, noth
ing but continuous malignancy could
have oven conceived. Happily, this
most terrible of crimes has declined
very much withiu the last two or three
hundred years.
It is rcjieatedly mentioned in the
(Sreek and I-atiu writers, but did not
become a regular art until th" seven
teenth century ; though in 1529, in the
reign of Henry VIII, the English l'ar
liameut passed a law declaring the em
ployment of secret poisons to be high
(treason, and appropiating boiling to
death as its peculiar punish merit. A
century later, m the reigu of James 1.
some cases obtsined an unuappy no
toriety in London
I The wife of the Earl of Essex, a
woman of great beauty, loose conduct
and bad heart, was offended bv some
reflections cast upon her by Sir Thomas
Overbury, an author and courtier, and
induced Robert Kerr, Is-rd Rochester,
who then was en far too intimate terms
with her, to remove him by secret poi
soning, which he did. Home time after
this, when Kerr loat hia favor at court,
he waa tried and convicted of the (mi
aouing, but received a pardon from the
king. It was believed that tins was
done to prevent his making some crimi
nal disclosure# against the king himself!
It was in Italy and France, however,
tluit this rrtnie was longest and most
effectually practiced. Throughout Ital
, tsu history, front the time of the middle
agea, secret poisoning casts s rrimaou
hue upon every page. Men who shrank
from assassination did not hesitate U>
employ |>oisoti to remove their enemies
or rivals. The Kouiiui family of Rorgia
uaed this so largely that their name re
main# associated with it. Ca-sar Rorgia
had a ring from which started s sharp
point, charged with poison, winch on
such slight pressure as shaking hands,
pressed itself iuto the flesh of the vie-1
tim, snd however slightly the skin
might be abraded, leaving only s slight
mark as if a inn had scratched it, the
poison enter.*! into the victim's system
snd death was the result, without leav
ing a sign or mark of the cause.
It will be remembered that Lord Lyt-
U>n iwho is best known in tins country
aa Lytton-Bulwer, the novelist) iutro- i
duccd a ring of this kind into hi# ro
mance of " Lucretia ; or, the Children ,
of Niglit," and by its use, tho criminal
i heroine, then not knowing his idetitity,
poisons her own sou. It may be added
that Cmaar Rorgia'a fatlier, a highly
distingnishtxl and greatly wicked man.
who wo* believed to have " removed "
nianv jwraons by foul means, invited an
old friend to sup with him, intending
to poison him by poisoned confection*.
The guest, however had s warning of
danger, aud made a point of seeing his
bust's carver, who confessed that it was
intended to destroy him, but consented,
for a bribe of ton thousand gulden dn
csts, so to arrange matter* that the box
! of poisoned confections was placed l>e
fore the master of the feast instead of
before the guest, and the deceiver boiug ,
thus deceived, the poisoner was poi- j
. soiled.
In the middle of the seventeenth cen
tury, the large and increasing number |
1 of young widow* in Rome led to suspi- '
eion and inquiry, and it was discovered
that the husbands had died suddenly—
that a secret wwuety of young wives em- !
ployed an old fortune-teller, named Spa- 1
ra, to supply thvni with a poison, limpid,
tasteless, and clear, which would destroy
life slowly or suddenly, at will. The use
of this poison continued through several
years, until at lost Spars and thirteeu
of lier fair clients were arresbil, tried,
convicted, publicly whipped, and hun£,
many others, of the highest rank m
Borne, being banished anil flfied.
Fifty vears after this, it was ascer
, tamed tliat a similar system of crime
was carried on in Naples, the chief pro
moter of which was an old womau named j
iToffiuiia, who largely manufactured the
Hparn poison, and aohl it extensively,
even sending it to various parts of Italy,
under the name of " Manna of St. Nice* '
la of liari " (.the title of a miraculous
oil said to cure rheumatism), bnt beat
' known, in our day, as the " A<|iin To
fana." On analyzatinn, it is said to have
consisted of crystals of arsenic dissolved ,
in water. It produced its effects slowly,
by the gradual weakening of the nppe
tite and the orgausof respiration. After
six hundred peroons hail perished by
this poison, Toffaniawas arrested, tried, |
■ convicted, and strangled, in 1710. From
that time, secret poisoning has hardly
been heard of in Italy.
In the reign of Jjonia XIV. secret poi- j
soning was carried on to a large extent
in France, the criminals being married
women, and the victims being in moat
cases tbeir husbands. The suspicions
of the Government being excited from
certain information, two Italians, named
Kxili and Gloaer, were sent to thri Bns
tile, charged with having made and sold
l the poisons, G laser died in prison, but
Kxili became acquainted there with
Seigneur de St, Croix, tlieu a prisoner,
and taught him how to make the poi- j
sons.
St. Croix was the lover of the Mar
chioness de Brinvilliers, s lovely and
wicked woman, and hadlieon sent to the
Hostile at the request of her father, j
who was pained at his daughter's dis
grnce, though, unfortunately, such oc- j
curreneea were very frequent, then and
there.
On his release, St. C'roix told Brinvil
liers thnt he had learned how to make
poison, whereupon she resolved to de
stroy her father, bnt first experimented ,
with thedeath dealing liquid on the sick
eoplpo in the hospital of the Hotel Dieu. (
She resolved not to lie detected, and
devoted eight months to the dosing of
I her father. No suspicion was aroused,
and therefore she removed her two I
brothers and sisters by the name means. j
Next she tried to poison her lltialmnd,
but he eaeaped by taking antidotes, sup
plied to him by Ht. Croix, who dreaded
that he shoald be compelled to marry
the widow.
St. Croix died, iu 1672, while he was
preparing poison. His mask fell off,
and he was poisoned by the fnmes.
Among his pspern were documents in-1
culpnting the marchioness. A domestic
servant, named (Jhanssce, who was in
their guilty secrets, was arrested, made (
a full confession, and was broken on the
wheel. The marchioness escaped to |
! England, bnt was eventnaHy brought
hack to Paris. On trial a "general eon- 1
fession," in her handwriting, found
i among bar papers, was brought Againat I
her; but aha declared it hod been writ
, ten during toe insanity caused by a |
fever. , I
Thg torture, freely administered two
j centuriepback, forced a full confesaiop
front Iter, aud aim wits beheaded, oil
July 10. 1070,
Louis XIV, established the " Oham
, bre Ardente," to try jmisoning cases.
Two women, named Lnvoisin and La
vigoreux, wlio told fortunes to young
hells and young wives, and secured
1 their fiililltui. Nt bv providinglliem with
"succession iMiwUcrs," were detected,
and burned aitve tu I'aris, in February,
aud fr.uu tlurty to fvrty of their
aoootU|>lioca were haugad in various
parts of France. But not until after
one hundred persons had died cm the
gallows, or at the stake, was tho eriute
wholly suppressed.— 7*r. If. She I tun
Mark, m it.
, Mining and Manufactures.
Tin niiuos are auid to have been dis
covered tu I'tain
There was recently discovered near
Staunton, Yo., s large deposit of red
hematite iron ore, probably thirty feet
w i.le and extending several miles.
The durability of asphalt aa flooring
haa Iteen tested in the Northampton
(England) cattle market, and the decis
ion is against it. it was found that the
treading of the cattle soon wore it away,
and that it would speedily become
necessary to replace it. It was accord
ingly decided to lav the floor of the
market with brick In place of the as
phalt.
A Itoaton rreliitcct has Ween in the
• habit for many y.-arw of bedding his
roofing slates tu hydraulic cemeut, in
j stead of haviug then; nailed on dry in
the usual way, which leavea them sub
ject to be rattled by the wind and to be
broken by any accidental pressure. The
cement soon sets and hardens, so that
the roof becomes like a solid wall. The
extra coat is ten or fifteen per cent., and
he thinks it good tconmav. It afford#
■ (grant protection against tire.
The actual east oI a sewing machine
ia from to f7, or with table and all
complete from $lO to fjfl. At retail the
price is 460 to §175, tho difference being
clear profit.
The Xatfonat Oil Journal draerihes
a yolcatiic well-burner for increasing the
I production of oil wells. The process
of using this volume well-burner is as
follows; A alow-burtung composition,
consisting of nitrate of soda, nitrate of
[totash, and eharooal, placed in suitable
cases, is lowered to lue bottom of the
well, and then iguited by electricity.
The part* of combustion which are not
carbonic pas are thrown out into the
well through proper venta, heating the
whole surface of sand rock, dissolving
the parafiine, and thoreughly reatoring
i the original poroaily of tle oil-bearing
ruck, thus Uriugiug llic well back to
nearly its first pnslucfiou. Thia pro
ccas is attended with no danger either
to |>erson or proptrty, as there is no ex
plosion.
Water-pipe# are now lined with glasa.
i A space l.etwtvai the metal and the
glass is filled with a layer of plaster of
I an*. Tho glass is thus protected from
breakage.
Sixty mauufacU>riee supply us with
j corks. The value of the corks used in
this country annually is estimsU*l at
42.250.00 U. *
It is proposed to mantifscturc the pro-
Jncts >f t lk* gas well* in the western
I (wirt of this State, Pennsylvania, and
Ohio into carbon black, and a patent has
i just been issued for s process by w
tins may he ocouomically done. If ail
the iuiiiicotr production of thia natural
gas can by a cheap process l>e converted
into an article of extensive commercial
nse, it will certainly be a large source
of profit to the oil regions.
A Bold Exploit.
The following is from the diary of the
late Mr. Adolphu*, the barrister and
historian:
"May Btli, IH4O.—We hail a dinuer
party, among them Mr*. Mathews ami
Curron, who told an amusing atory of
au agent to a nobleman in Ireland. It
wax known to *nme ritffianiin the neigh
borhood that he had collected a Urge
•tun for rent* da* to hia cmploTcr. lu
the middle of tho uighthc heard thieves
breaking into bia house. He jnuiiied
out af bed, and arming himself with a
carving-knife, stood behind the door,
and dosed it, xo thnt only one could
enter at n time, which one would lie
shows in the moonlight while he re
mained in the shade. Four of the
thievex entered and were despatched
one after another, thoae without not
knowing what happened. The fifth xuw
a g'eaiu of tho blade in the moonlight,
seized tho man, and a tremendous
scuffle ensued. The agent struck several
blows with hfs weapon, but made no im
pression. ITe was got down, and his
antagonist orer him, when, feeling the
knife, he fonnd the point was bent. He
had the presence of mind to prexa it
atmngly against the door, oo as to turn
it liadt, stabbed his adversary dead,
and, as be was jdone in the house alio
could have no assistance till the niorn
iug, retired to bed. 110 was knighted
for the exploit. Some one said to him,
' I wonder yon could go to bed while
there were on the floor the corpses of
five persons whom yon had killed ?' His
answer was, *lt did make me Terr un
easy ; 1 could not get a wink of sleep
for nearly on hour!' "
IVOBT. —The various substances in
cluded mnfef the term ivory are the tusk
1 of the elephant, the walrus, the narwhal
and the hippopotamus. To these we
' most add the fossil iv<>ry so often used
!in ancient carvings. This wss obtained
from Silierin, where the tusks of the
j mammoths am found slung the bauksof
the largo rivers. It is a euriou* fact
that the largest tusks of ivory now pro
cured would uot furnish pieces as large
as those used in the Middle Ages.
' There is every probability that the an
' rientw softened the ivory nnd could then
enlarge* the pieces. A fifteen century
i reci|ie in the British Museum directs
that the ivory should be placed in muri
atic acid, anil it will become soft as wax.
By beiug placed m whito vinegar it
hardens again. The Greeks used ivory
! to decorate thuir conchas, and nlsotheir
shields and arms. Greek sculptors did
not think it beneafh them to workinthe
j art.
A pocrom'S STOUT.—X good, but we
know not how reliable story, is related
of a venerable doctor of the experiment
al and eclectic school of medicine. It
was one of hfs rules never to have any
thing wasted ; and therefore when any
i prescript iota rrmsuiod after the patient
iuul died or recovered, he would empty
it into a bottle kept for the purpose,
that became the receptacle of a hetero
geneous compound that science rould
not analyse. A yonnger member of the
faculty noted this as a very singular
fact, nnd he naked of him the reason
for it. The doctor hesitated a little and
then replied that though in ordinary
eases he knew well what to do, there
were instaneea whereall his medical skill
failed. At anoh times it was his custom
to rooort to the big bottle, and leave na
ture and accident to accomplish the
cure, " Aod will you believe it," said
he, " some of my most brilliant success
es have resulted from it."
A Sap DISASTER. In Richmond, Ya.
a span of a bridge fell. At the time a
large nnnjhor of workingmcn were on
the bridge nnd went with it into the
water. Ten of the workmen went down
withthesfMin; three of these were never
seen to rise again, and are supposed to
liave been crushed by the falling tim
bers. Another f rid tea a short distance
down the river &|id soon sunk forever.
Kisns, the Child Murtkrsr.
It* Conbiwi le Itrml Mw4m. lal<lnf tk*
Jars* tn.iMi.aia its*.
Franklin n. Evans, who was tried,
oouvieted, ami scuteneed to be hung on
tho third Tuesday of February, IILI, at
Exeter, N. 1!., for the murder of Geor
gians Lovcriug last October, bss tnn<le
the startling confession that tlm last fif
teen years of his life ho* been almost
out) scene of butchery, all his victims
being children.
In IMSH he says that lie stole away and
killed a little niece in Derry, N. If ,
aged five years. In IthU hw assaulted
and cut tlio throat of a girl fourteen
years of age in Augusta, Me., for whtoli
another mau died iu prison; while the
■itoat startling of liis numerous crinn-a
is tho murder of Isabella Joyce, aged
fourteen, and her brothor John, a boy
of twelve, iu liusocv's Wootfa, near
Boston, iu 1M65. Tneaa murders, it
will be reiuambercd, ereated the great
est excitement all through New England
at the time. It was plain that tho girl
had been outraged, slid the whole coun
try was thoroughly searched for the
murderer. But at laat the old saying
that murdey will out is again realized.
It is also charged that on June 10,1*72,
Evans outraged a wouiau found dead iu
the woods near Fitcldmrg, Mass., and
during the year he outraged, mutilated,
and murdered Georgians levering, a
girl of twelve yeaiw, in Northwood, N.
H., for whose murder he is under sen
tence. His confession in regard t > all
the above crimes is brief snd indefinite
except as to tho Joyce children, which
wss made to IJepuiv Sheriff Henry A.
Drew, who arrested Rim and had himiu
charge ten days Iwdore he revealed to
him the seerct of the murder of Georgi*
ana liovermg. Mr. Drwwjuiya that after
Evans liad ooufessod uie murder in*
questioned him as to his whereabouts
for tbc last fifteen year*. "Finally,"
says Mr. Drew, " I traced him to Rhode
Island, and then to Roxbury, Massachu
setts. Mention of iioxbtirr, and the
similarity of the two murders suggested
to me for the first tuue that he might
have perpetrated the murder of the
Jovce rhildreu, of which I hail then hut
•a Jim rocollection, and of the circum
stance# of which I have now but
very little knowledge. I then in
terrogated him on the wubiect, and the
question* on my part snd the replies on
liis were deemed by ma of ao much im
portance that I immediately reduced the
substance of the conversation to writ
ing." The following csvers tho mam
points of the couleaion elicited in re
gard to the Joyce children;
(Jucation by Sheriff ljrew Well,
Frank what um tell me, you luuat tell
me now ; tell me all all about it; were
you in Roxbury or were yoti in Man
chester—tell mc iust as it is *
A. Mr. Drew, 1 was right there when
that boy and girl were killed.
Q. AVas he st abbed or not ?
A. Yes, he was several timea
Q. Did the girl make much ado f
A. Yea
Q. More than the boy did ?
\ Y('it
Q. Why did she ?
A. She* was raped ; don't ask me any
more, I have now U>W you.
ty. Wo* the set committed before she
was killed?
A. Yea, Mr. Drew ; I won't say any
more , I have told all about it now.
g. Well, Frank, 1 guess yon have;
but one tiling more: Was tliegirl braised
much ?
A. Yea ; I won't answer another ques
tion.
Mr. Drew—Well, I won't aak yon any
more.
Mr. Drew lUlei that Evens farther
Mid that the house where the rhildren
came from wax an the left-hand aid* aa
you went into Boston from Itoxbury,
sud was a two-story house.
Mr. Drew aaid to him, " Now, rrank,
it was a little cottage-ho use on the
right-hand aide as you go toward Boa-
Urn ?"
Evans replied: "It w* a two-story
house, on the left-hand side as yon go
into Boshm from lioxbury."
The following affidavit is corrobora
tive of Sheriff Drew's statement:
I, Azoriah Waldron, of Stratford, iu
the County of Stratford, State of New
Hampshire, depose aod My that I was
keeper over Frattkhn 1). Evans at Heury
A. Drew's hotiso ; that I hail a conver
sation with Evans in regard to the Joyce
children ; Evans said to me, " I hope
they won't bring that Up till I get
through with this ; if they do, what will
tliev do to me F* I answered, " Thev
will hang you twice." Kvau Mid,
" They cannot kill me but once."
A SARI AH WALDOO*.
Sworn and subscribed to before me,
Hknkv A. DREW,
Justice of the Peace,
Transit of Venus.
In the astronomical world, the coming
event, although yet nearly two years
distant, is the transit of Venus. Ex
tensive preparations are making to
utilize to tho utmost, for the advance
ment of astronomical acienee, this rare
and interesting phenomenon. The
transits of this planet lake placs at in
tervals of eight, one hundred and five
and one-half, nnd one hundred ami
twenty-one nuil one-half year*. The
last transit having occtired on the 3rd
of June, 1765, the next, after an inter
val of one hundred and five and a half
years, will greet the eyes of expectant
"astronomer* on the 4th af December,
1874. Venus is the larger of the two
plnneta having their orbs within that
of the earth, and appenrn to terrestrial
lieholders the most brilliant and magni
ficeut of all; the star par rjrcelfmrc of
beauty, poetry and love. But not aa a
matter of sentimental, romantic or es
thetic interest, nor yet with reference
to the fact thnt no human era now ex
isting has ever witnessed this phenome
non ; nor ss s matter of mere scientific
curiosity is the coming event so much
discussed and so much prepared for.
Accurate olmervation af this phenome
non will furnish data of the first im
portance to astronomical science, by
which the distances from the sun of the
earth nnd other planets, and their re
sjiective magnitudes may be precisely
calculated.
Tnr.MOBS CAI-SKD BY TOBACCO.—The
trembling which ia one of the usual
symptoms of acute, is alar a common
result of chronic moot sin. A very dis
tinguished Parisian physician lisd hands
which shook so much that he could not
write. Whenever ho remained without
tobacco for any length of time, these
trerablinga disappeared. Another cone,
mentioned by Blatin, is noteworthy: A
man of forty-five years consulted him
respecting violent nnd numerous attacks
of vertigo. When he felt one of them
approaching ho was obliged to lie down
wherever he might lie, in order to avoid
falling. In the country, where lie had
plenty of exercise, they were ICM fre
quent than in the town, where his occu
pation was sedentsiy. Cessation from
tobacco, and a tonic regimen, auickly
restored him. A physician of fifty-two
was afflicted with similar disagreeable
symptoms, and was also cured by absti
nence. Habit had become so strong
that he could not resist, at times, tho
temptation to slight indulgence. Find
ing that these returns to tobacco were
immediately followed by his old painful
attacks, he renounced it forever.
Terms: &2.00 u Yenr, in Advance.
No Friend#, No Home, No Moorj.
A U.srtl*** DsajkLf -Whz *of Mlis Oal las
TSrosT—Hi* TiwuMss
Roger Meehiui, who was found at tl*e
Grand CVuUa) Depot with his throat
eut, lies at Bellevue Hospital in a crit
ical condition. Mr. Mochau is over sixty
years of age, but is confined in ouo of
tho cells. The ugh suffering from weak
ness, with much exertion he related his
story as follow# to a re|orter:
Mr, Median married hia wife, who
was a Mra. Elizabeth Btirke, in Ireland,
23 years ago, nod emigrated to thia
country at that time, loud November
Mr. Median waa aick in Bdlevu*- Hospi
tal. While there las wife called and
teld him that her daughter by a former
husband, hail bought for her a house
sud three acres of land in Woolford,
Carroll county, N. H., and that she waa
going to tki their three children and
go there. The oldest child waa 14 and
the vouugeat 9 yoara old. They always
livej peacoahly together.
Mrs. Median a*kel her husband when
lie got well to follow her to Woolford.
Mr. Median, when he left the hospital,
went to work to earn money to enable
him to join hia family. He says he
worked Kurd, but did not have money
enough until Tuesday, the 4th iust.;
thenhe had saved fid ith that oatu,
on the night of the 4th inst., lie left New
York to joim his family. Thia he did
against the wishes of another step
daughter who reeidea in thia city. He
arrived at Woolford at H o'clock the fol
lowing evening. There he lraroed that
Mrs. Median livcl two milea from the
village, and he decided to remain at the
hotel for the night and meet bis wife
the next morning. On Thursday morn
ing lie starU-d for the home of his wife
before eating any br akfasl, aud wslked
there through tile deep snow. By some
means his step-daughter, a maiden of
31, whose name is Margaret Day, snd
who ia the servant of a wealthy gentle
man living near Woolford, heard of hia
arrival, auid got a man named Thomp
son to take her to her mother's house.
She was there when Median arrived.
He knocked at the door aud Margaret
oueued it. When she saw who it waa
she said:
" Yew can't eome in here ; this is my
house, and then slammed the door in las
face.
Meehan uv> he was amazed at such
treatment, a he coald not imarina the
cause. rvt he eat down on the steps and
cried. After sitting there a few mo
menta he again nipped at the door and
aakrd hie step-daughter if ehe wouid
please giva bim a glass of water. The
unfeeling girl replied to the entreaties
of the poor old man, earing, " You will
get no drink of water here ; go away,
and go haek where you came from."
Meehan says it teemed a if there
waa a fascination that held him to the
apot, and though he waa thnudcr-atruck
with her unnatural treatment, he could
not leave. Eighteen years ago he had
(laid the passage moucy which brought
this step-daughter, her brother, and her
nncle from the old country, and as he
could not remember having ever given
her any cause for inch treatment, he
felt heartbroken. While he was indulg
ing in surh reveries the man Thompson,
who had brought Margaret to the houae,
approached Meehan and aaid, "Come,
111 gire you a ride back to the village
in my sleigh. What is the use of your
waiting here?"
Meehan says he then felt, as he could
not sec his wife and children, he did not
want to live any longer, and aaid within
himself, ** I'm done. I'll never go back
to New York alive." He then drew
pocket knife and deliberately cut his
throat. The blood flowed freely from
the wound, ond he fell in the anow and
ice from exhaustion, at the threshold of
hit step-daughter's house. Thompson,
when he saw whattheold man
approached and wound a handkerchic.
around his throat, nearly choking him
to death. His wife came out and cried
bitterly, her cries attracting the atten
tion of the neighbors, who Ix-gan to
gather. The old man was still lying in
the anow and ice, and iwgging to be
taken into the house. The neighbors
standing near attempted to comply with
liis appeal, but the heartless Margaret
stood in the door and would not allow
him to enter the house. Finally the
people became indignant, and Meehan
was taken into a farmer's bouse, where
his wound was dressed by a doctor who
had been summoned.
Two of the farmers tried to induce
him to consent to go to the hospital in
the village, but he aaid as he could not
see hia wife and children be did not wish
to remain in the town. He says that he
wanted to conic to Bcllevae Hospital,
where they knew li ra and would treat
him kindly. As it was found he had
severed a prominent artery in his neck,
a wealthy gentleman volunU-cred to de
fray his expenses, and tako him to New
York. Meehau. with Mr. Barker, left
Woolford last Friday looming. Arriv
ing in Boston. Mr. lhrl er took the old
man in a carriage to the New York de
pot. He gave bim hi* supper; after
which, Meehan said he oould go alone
the rest of the wav. He says when he
arrived here, at 6 o'clock last Saturday
morning, he was so weak he became be
wildered, and knew nothing until he
found himself in Belle vac. He charges
that hia step-daughter has influenced
his wife hi desert him. and sobbing bit
terly, said, " I'll never see my wife and
children again ; I don't want to get
well."
At this moment Warden Brennan en
tered the cell and said, " How are you.
Meehan ?"
Meehan—Oodble&ayou. Wanton ; I'm
verv weak.
The poor old man then begnn to cry
*ii.l the reporter left him.
Warden Brennan says that Meehan
dwells upon hia troubles so much that
at time# he ia out of his head, and he is
eloaely watched all the time. He cut
hia throat in a terrible manner, and it is
probable that inflammation will set in
and deprive him of life.—.Wee l'ort
fhjar.
A Mermaid.
The Lou Angeles (Cah) hlrprr** de
scribee the "mermaid" now on exhibi
tion in that place. It was canght by
Captain Eastman, of the schooner Itos
coo, embalmed by Dr. Lyford, and kas
been exhibited at Han Diego. The
body i about three feet in length. The
eyed, in largo sockets, were pricked to
iet out the water, in the embalming
process. The mouth ia very broad,
with twenty-eight curved and singularly
shaped teeth. The nose is a combina
tion of the Roman and the snub. The
brow is deeply indented with heavy
brain lobea ; long and broad earn adorn
the queer-looking head, and short,
woolly hair covers the head and aides
of tha face. The cerebellum and Ad
am's apple are very prominent. The
arms are long and terminate in long
clawa, consisting of fonr fingers and a
thumb, with the sharpest of nails.
There ore eleven ribs extending around
the body and meeting at the breast.
Here the fishy portivin of the thing be
gins. It is covered with scales, the
spine having the dorsal fin, and the fish
continuing in the nsnal development to
the tip of the tail.
There ia great excitement in Salt Lake
City owing to the President's proclama
tion, and the Mormon leaders and press
exhibit considerable fear, while the
people ftjre quietly awaiting results.
NO. 10.
The Public iladrrgarteu In Boston.
Hit re hi a oliM-ming account from the
Huttt ou Ttat rllcr of the manner in which
the Public Kindergarten in that city is
conducted:—
Twenty lovely little children wore
i>Uring in • ring st s lire!/ play ; one
little lot was pussy, another s moose ;
*ud, sfter singing together s pretty
couplet or two, the cbsse IK GUN. Mom*
of the children who took turns in the
running wefe more sgile tbsn others,
and one little fellow had the wit to turn |
ami meet the mouse who was running ,
round and round outside the ring when
he found he wae a tittle too far behind
her to make it probable he ever should
catch her. It wae the occasion of some
pretty little storiee at*it mice, which '
were told after they all returned to their
seats to rest, and while they were taking
turns in a very orderly manner in taking
a drink of water for refreshment. The I
plsr showed by the discipline attending
it that the children were well in hand
by the teacher, whose very sweet voice '
was alone enough to diffuse harmony
among them. It wae the day for mould- j
ing in clay, and they were all eager for
the lesson ; but by accident the register
had been left open all night, so that the j
clay waa too dry ; and the explanation
of the fact waa accepted eery pleasant- j
ly, and a block lesson substituted. The
pt rrnmnt l of the school iaalaoaomewfud j
different from that of former year*, and
this is due to the correct views of the
teacher, who did not think it right to i
make a public school what is conven-.
tionally called select Bhe went into the
neighborhood herself, and induced the
arttaana and tradespeople to send their
children. A prettier set, or one more ,
easily managed, could hardly be found, ]
and the moral and social training of the j
kindergarten is eminently conducive to ,
refinement and self-government. These .
children have one advantage over those 1
of a wealthier class, that their ante- j
school education has not been given by j
nursery girls, but by mothers.
During the shrrt stay I made in the )
school the children learned the meaning j
of some expressions used in building, ■
and illustrated them with the blocks in >
their hands, so that they will doubtless j
he remembered always. They also.
learned aome self-government, without
any sharp reprimanding. They were
not restrained from speaking, but were
allowed the proper, child-like freedom
of giving utterance to their impression*, j
giving the teacher an opportunity to 1
correct their speech, and they were j
readily brought to silence by her gentle !
remark that it wae not proper to speak ;
when the U scher was speaking. The j
young lady's motherly, sympathetic (
manner wae quite charming to eec, and j
as I know she enters intelligently ae I
well a* enthusiastieilly into the idea of
the soul culture that ia to accompany
the pleasant tasks given to little fingers j
and minds, I enjoyed my visit very ■
much, and waa only astonished to sec ;
empty seats that twenty more children I
might occupy without crowding in this ]
large and pleasant room. It ta to be f
hoped that the exertions Miss Peabody ;
is now making to spread the genuine
schools of Froebel's system will enligkt- ;
en tlie apathy which has not yet been ,
overcome upon this important subject j
of early education.
The New Postage BUL
The following u a full text of General j
Farnsworth's bill to farther amend the ;
Ewtal lava, aa it passed the House of j
rprceentatives:
He it martrd, <fre., That on ami after j
the lat day of July nexton all mail mat
ter which is whullj or partly in writing, '>
except book, maaraaine, and newspaper j
manuscripts and corrected proofs pees- j
ing between authors and publishers,
and excepting also oorreapoudooce or !
postal carda, on all printed matter which j
is •<> marked as to convey any other or <
farther information than is conveyed by >
original print, except corrections of
mere typographical errors, on all matter j
which is stint in violation of law or reg
ulation of the Department respecting i
inclosnrca, and on all matter to which i
no specific rate of postage is assigned, j
postage shall be charged at a rate of two '
cents for each half ounce or fraction j
thereof, and this provision shall include j
all letters commonly known as drop, or j
local letters, delivered through post- j
offices or their carriers ; and magazine j
manuscripts and newspaper manuscripts
nrc hereby declared to belong to the
thinl-clssa of mailable matter.
SEC. 2. That from and after the first,
day of January next, under such regu- !
latinos and in such manner as the Post-1
master-General shall prescribe, postage
provided by law to bepaidttpon printed
matter or mailable matter of the second
class shall in all esses be prepaid and
collected at the offices respectively
where such matter shall be mailed, ana
the postage on daily papers not exceed
ing four ounces each copy in weight
shall l>e charged and collected at the
rate of fifteen eents per quarter; Pro
vided, that weekly newspapers within
the respective counties where the same
are printed and published, and none
other, may pass through the mails free
of pwtage as provided in the eighth
clause of section 184 of the set to revise,
consolidate and amend thestatuees rela
ting to the Postoflkw Department
toe. 3. That any person who shall
take any letter, postal card or packet
out of any postoffice or branch post
office, or from letter or mail-carruir, or
which has been in any postoffice or
branch postoffice, or in the custody of
any letter or mail-carrier, before it shall
have been delivered to the person to
whom it was directed, with the design
to obstruct correspendenee cr pry into
the business or secrets of another, or
shall secrete, embezzle or destroy the
same, shall, on conviction thereof, for
every such offense forfeit and pay a pen
alty not exceeding §SOO, or be impris
oned at hard labor not exceeding one
year, or both, at the discretion of the
court.
DEATH or A CLOW*. —The death of
Joe Pentland, the cirena down, in the
Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island,
present* one of the saddest of the con
trasts of this checkered life. Alas!
poor Yorick ! For years had Joe worn
the motley and played the fool in the
little garish world "whose sky was the
flapping canvas. His mild jests, al
most as rapid as the lemonade that
passed around the front row of seats,
delighted thousands of infantile minds
both old and young,and yet Joe's intel
lect, not overworked, one would think,
by the demands of his profession, be
came clouded and muddled, more imbe
cile it fact than it could eTer be in its
best days in the ring, and he died in
the gloomiest of all death chambers—a
ward in the insane asylum.
How rr is Doxx.—The man who an
swered an advertisement to the follow
ing effect says his curiosity is satisfied
now:
"If you would like to know how to
make home happy, send a postage stamp
and 25 cents to P. 0. box No. —, Cin
cinnati."
He did send the necessary cash, and
soon received the answer:
" If you are as big a fool as we think
yon must be for giving us your money,
yon can make home happy by leaving
it and going West yourself."
And yet that man is not happy.
Mr. Monkey, of New Jersey, who still
lives, invented the "monkey wrench,"
Items •f Interest.
" - Tie* iMraw gwt m
hand jg
no w Unjr & totfl iMt will
d iff n ant in Detooifwill
live him a dollar for a genuine
mm Bunker Hill.
The nailers' strike at. Wheeling, Weal
Vs., has ended, after several m withe
existence, and tiie nail mills of that city
have resumed operations.
An infsntehihl trf Mr. Jamee W <**!.
of LamiingbuJX. !t weok
from the bite of a rat, MHMUMI wwa*
it waa sleeping in its cradle.
Charleston papers itemise a resident
of that city wbnhws mstualW reed the
Bible all through. He did It for a bat,
, in a little over two days and i half.
The prisoners in the Miawwtn Peni
tentiary reosive a pound of tobacco
apiece every month at aa expense to
the Bute of between $3,000 and $4,000
a year.
It is reported that a number of
French residents entertain the project
of establishing s oniony of immigrants
from Alsace and Lorraine in 4be neigh
borhood of Hew York.
The Klieebstk Ucrald thinks an aged
couple of that city odd beesuae they ara
Imtn woQ educated, both get drunk,
and allow their pigs and bene to live in
the same room with them.
Hie question is being debated, "Why
not have Old Men's Christian Associa
tions f" That's so. Old men some
tunes shuad more ia need of controlling
j influences than young men.
Hydney Smith one# commenced a
charity sermon by saying: "Benevo
ieaee ia a sentiment oummoa to human
nature. A never sees B in distress
without aaking C to relieve turn.
A Baltimore physician, no* in Vienna,
has invented m instrument to cure cross
and squint eyes. It baa been intro
duced into the hospital at Vienna, and
is well received by the profession.
A Battiurrrmn who wae refused a
night'* lodging in • station-bouaa the
. other evening iiqpediately secured
the desired accommodation by going
out and throwing bricks at a railway
train.
The greet wrestling contest between
Homwhuif, o# New Toik, the cham
pion of America, and Lang Dolan, of
i Brighton, Mesa., for SI,OOO e aide end
the championship of America, took
place at Brighton. Them wee e large
, attendance. Lane was the winner in two
straight beats.
Whan Lee met Meade on the Phlin
Sunday of 188$, near Appomattox
Court House, he natd with trivalty no
common, amid crushing misfortune,
"Why, Meade, what are you doing
with gray ia ywwr heard F* " Toa have
have a gi**l deal to do with it, retorted
his conqueror with a short laugh.
A Newfoundland dog not long since
placed himself between Ms master's
child and the open grate toward which
it was crawling in Nashua, N. H-. and
remainded there, though scorched and
blistered, until persons earns into the
room and rescued the child. And somo
body poisoned that dog the other day.
Germany proposes a school reform in
the matter of using slate*. It ia urged
that they are noisy, hurtful to the eyea,
and halo to form a had handwriting. A
substitute is proposed—snelaatic, light,
paper affair, m wiueb ink can be itaad,
and iron which it com be removed eas
ily. That good, mo Car, bat eon the
ink alao be eaafly removed from the
h.nit, and clothes u{ the unskilled little
users?
A Peoria man arose the morning after
a storm and found hii dog kennel buried
under a drift M kigb m a church. H
worked for half on hoar to dig hie dog
out, and then went down town and told
kia elctks what be had done, oddir.
"A merciful man is merciful to lua
beasts." But after he had left home
the neighbors aaw hia wife and daugh
ter a hoveling path* through the snow,
and carrying in ooaL
A hint: A Hartford toper appealed to
' a merchant of that eity for the where
withal to bur u drink. The merchant,
1 being a temperance man, could not
oomplr with ais request; but the fel
low's imploring manner and condition
touched aim. *' Well," apid the per-
Hiotent fellow, " if you can't give it to
me, couldn't you tend that jrentlett.ia
ten cents (pointing to a clerk, ami ha
oould give it to me." It ia needkaa to
say that the chap got hie ten cento.
A t>qdqn farmer has devised a new
dodge, lie took a load of very poor
hay to the residence of a gentleman in
Ottawa, and informed that gentle
man's wife that he hod been directed to
i leave tlae hay in the yard and receive
from her S2O in peyment She sup
posed it waa *ll right; butthehuabaad.ou
kis return, was disgusted to find that he
, had a load of hoy that he did not wont
and had never ordered, and that hi.
wife had paid for it three timen as much
1 as it was worth.
Henry Boykin. colored, of Columbus,
does not rejoice in the beat of reputa
tions. His evidence in Court was im
peached, end several negroes swore that
he had an immense quantity of truth in
him, as he never let any out One
negro said he had heard another negro
sav he was "the grandest of liars;"
another, that "he wouldn't trust him
the width of his dooranother, that
" he was the Imr of Georgiaanother,
♦>,.* • his reputation for falsehood was
nationalanother, that "he was a'fore
day coon liar."
Routine end tarn (red) areas predem
inant in w>.Hfs, N. &, as elsewhere. A
lady of that citv desired the removal of
a dead cat Upon inquiry, she was in
formed that ahe must tell the senior al
derman of the ward, who would tell the
mayor, who would tell the health in
spector, who would tell a policeman,
who would tell the dead-cat man, who
would come and cany away the animal!
All this would take time, and possibly
the oat still remains upon the premises.
It would hsve been easier for the poor
woman to have buried it at once.
IV §eath of Ex-Go Termor Geary.
John W. Geary, whose sudden death
is announced, was born in Wistmore
land Co., Pa., in 1820. After serving
as a merchant's clerk he entered Jeffer
son College and after hit graduation he
became a civil engineer. Doling the
Mexican war he served as Lientenant-
Cotonel of a regiment of Pennsylvania
volunteers and was slightly wounded
at Chapoltepec, where he commanded
his troops. On the same day he com
manded the regiment at the attack on
Bel en Gate previous to the capture of
the city of Mexioo. After the capture
he was* made a Colonel and placed in
command of the city es a reward for
his gallant conduct. At the elose of
the war he removed to San Francisco,
where he occupied the offices of Post
master, Alcalde and first Mayor. From
July, 1856, to March 1857, he waa Gov
ernor of Kansas. In 1861 he raised
and equipped the Twenty-eighth Regi
ment of lVmisylvenin \aluuteers, was
made a Br oiler General in 1862 and
was appointed Military Governor of
Savannah when that city was captured
in December, 1864. In 1867 he wee
inaugurated Governor of Pt nnsylvania
and held that office until succeeded by
Governor Hartranft this winter.
THB Crass JJEKSCB.—TIie census of
Cuba has recently been taken, and Gen
eral Sickles, receiving the result from
the Spanish Government, has transmit
tal it to Washing too. The total popu
-1 ition of the island is placed at 1,399,811-
there being 768,176 whites, 238,927 free
colored, 363,288 slaves, and 34,420 Asi
atics. In 1867 the population of Cuba
was reported to be 1,414,508, so that in
the five vears that have elapsed there is
a decrease of 14,706. The insurrection
Sroba bly interfered with getting aoonrate
guree from some portions of the island
during the past year, so that we may
look upon the statement as only approx
imately correct.
If those young men had not continued
making love till after twelve o'clock, to
those sisters in Dunbar, lud., the other
night, the house, which has been set
a-fire by a lanatie, would have been
burned down, and perhaps many lives
lost So there is some good in levers
after 1L