What Mj Uf* H Like.
Mr life i* like the mmm roaa,
Blooming naath the morning sky,
Thai whoa the shade# of evening otoee
It fade* and fall* hnt not to die ;
Tor o'er that rose'* hnmhle Ixyl,
Lingering fragrance etlll t* ehed.
That breathe* of swwt life yet to he.
And *nch, I know, way ome to mo.
My life w like the ocean main.
That roll* it* ware* on Tampa'* etraud
The riitig flood will ehb again.
And lnare t<ehind the ahimng aaud ,
And a* that ebbing tide ahall pour.
Rack to the warcleee quiet oa.
So, when life'* troubled dreatu it o'er.
A holy ealm will oorne to me.
' (iood Times."
Twp happy word* lite far-off chime#
Sound cheerily to wwi. "Hood Times."
Half-hushed In diftai ee t' Ottgh they *m,
Their calls Iwck hope gone astray.
And eing* of help not far away—
A daily trust, a nightly dream.
Ah when, ah how. shah he fill tilled
This deep desire, of <V d instilled ?
Mock not the yearnings of our race.
The forethought of some Sinai good
Whi.-h first flah<sl into human ui.hx!
When sword tlan.es blanched the first man •
face !
For jioet, warriiir saint and king
Hare served those chimes " tKx>d Times" that
ring.
In strength of deed and song and prayer
And shall we say that. aerpwnt-Uke,
, Man on himself must turn and strike
The fangs of death, in last despair ?
Paapairmg that the earth should know
An ending of the reign of woe?
Nay. hearken' Still that ong, •' Hood
Times" 1
Through a'orm and shine, from sea to sea,
Tliat music, wrought iuviaibly.
Floats still, to fill all land* and clime*.
like bells of churches bailt for Christ
The me<-k. rejected, sacrifices!.
The Promised and the Piotmser—
like holy bell*, this glad refrain
Shall greet the coming year again.
And set foud hearts with joy astir.
Yet dream not that the goal is won,
A thousand course* round the sun
Hare steeped the world in broader light;
But woe is iue 1 —look baek. look baok:
The fairest seasons in our tmck
Are but dead leaves, aiu! dim as night
And lo' where echoing spires arise
And kiss, to-day, the morning skies.
To-night the sha;<e* of wrong and shame
A <iuiok.v*n<i shoal of faces- paa*
And wither from th. glare of gas
Back to the wild haunts *h> uoe they came.
What though the wheel* of trade go round
And streets are filled with jocaud sound ?
The weather-rane of w. rk and play
And gnsty grief can make no law;
But One long since the plan foresaw
And fashioned bright or dark our day.
Ah ' man. your church-bell and your praise
And all your fortunate-seeming ways
Shall scarcely bring you to the mark '
Of truth of book and goofi of gold
Whs! worth, unless your heart shall hold
The eierlaati&g morning spark ?
—ft ' > i* Atlantic MouAly.
Bill and the Widow.
" Wife," said El. Wilbur one morn
ing, as he sat stirring hi* ooffec with one
hand and holding a plum cake on hia
kn >e with the other, and looking acroaa
tbe table iuto the bright eyes of hi# little
wife, " wonhln't it Ik- a gixxl joke to get
bachelor Bill Smiley to take Widow
Watson to Bimnm's show next week ?"
"Yon can't do it. Ed.; he won't ask
her, lie'- awful shy. Why, he catne by
here the other morning when I was
hanging ont the clothe*, and he looked
over the h-nce and spoke, but when
I sljook out a night-gown he blushed
like a girl and went away."
" I think I can nsnage it." said Ed.;
" but I'll have to lie jnst a litUe. Bat,
then, it wouldn't be much harm nnder
the circumstances, for I know she likes
him and he don't dislike her. but jnst
as you say, he's so shy. I'U just go over
to his place to borrow some bag# of him,
and if I dont bag him before I come
back, don't kiss me for a week to come,
Nell."
So saying, E>l. started, and while he
is mowing the flelds, we will take a look
at Billy Smiley.
He was a rather good-looking fellow,
though his hair and whiskers showed
some gray hairs, and he hail got in a sqf
of false teeth. But every one aaid he
was a good old soul, and so he was. He
had as good a hand rexl-acre farm a# any
in Norwich, and a new house and every
thing comfortable, and if he wanted a
wife, many a girl would have jumped at
the chance, Hke a rooster on a grass
hopper.
Bnt Bill was so bashful—always wa#
—and when Susan Sherry bottle, whom
he was so sweet on, though he never
raid " boo" to her, got married to old
Watson, he jnst drew hi# head in Hke a
mnd-tnrtle into biß ahell, and there was
no getting him ont again, though since
she had been a widow he paid more
attention to his clothes, and had been
very regular in hi# attendance at the
the church the fair widow attended.
Bnt here oomes Ed. Wilbur.
" Good morning, Mr Smiley."
" Good morning, Mr. Wilbur ; what's
the news yonr way ?"
" Oh, nothing particular that I know
of," said Ed., "only Barn am'* show,
that evervbodv is talking abosit, and
everybody and his gal are going to. I
was "over to old Bockrider's last night,
and see his son On* has got a new
buggy, and wa* scrubbing np his har
ness. and he's got that white-faced colt
of his a* slick as a seal. I understand
he thinks of taking Widow Watson to
the *how. He been hanging around
there a good doal of late, but I'd just
like to cut him out, I would. Susan i*
a nioe little woman, and deserves a bet
ter man than tliat young pup of a fellow,
though I wonld not blame her mnch
either if she takes him, for she must be
dnadful lonesome, and then she ha# to
let her farm ont on sharea, and it i*n't
half worked, and no one else seems to
have the spunk to Bpeak to her. By
mo, a I was a single man, I'd show
you a trick or two."
So saying, Ed. borrowed some bags
and Btarted around the corner of the
barn, where he had left Bill sweeping,
and pat his ear to a knot hole and lis
tened, knowing the bachelor had a habit
of talking to himself when anything
worried him.
"Confound that yonng Sockrider I"
said Bill ; " what business ha# he there,
I'd like to know ? Got a new bnggy,
hag he 1 Well, so have I, an.l a new
harness, too; and hi# horse can't get
sight of mine, and I declare I've half a
mind to—yes. I will! I'U go this very
night and ask her to go to the show
with me. I'll show Ed. Wilbnr that I
aint sueh a calf a# he thinks I am. if I
did let old Watson get the best of me
in the first plaoe 1"
E<l. oonld scarcely help laughing out
right ; but he hastily hitched the bag*
on his shoulder, aud with a low chuckle
at his success, started home to tell the
news to Nelly ; and abont five o'clock
that evening "they saw Bill go by with
his horse and buggv, on his way to the
widow's. He jogged along quietly,
thinking of the old singing-school .lays
—and what a pretty girl Susan was then,
and wondering inwardly if he would have
more courage to talk up to her—until
at a distance of # abont a mile from the
house, he came to a bridge, he gave a
tremendous sneeze, and blew his teeth
out of his month and clear over the
dashboard, and striking on the plank,
they rolled over the side of the bridge
and dropped into four feet of water.
Words cannot do justice to poor Bill or
paint the expression of his face a# he sat
there completely dumbfounded at his
pieoe of ill-luck." After a while he step
ped ont of his buggy, and getting down
on his hands and knees, looked oyer into
the water. Yes, there they were, at the
bottom, with a crowd of little fishes rub
bing their noses against them, and Bill
FRET). KURTZ, Ktlitor and Rroprietor.
VOLUME XL
wished to goodness# that his nose wm* as
close for otic second His Iwautifnl
teeth had cost him so nmch, aud, the
show coniilig on and lio time to get an
other set—and the widow and young
Socktider.
Well, he mast try and get them some
how and uo time to be K>at, for some
one might come aloug and ask him wlnft
he was hailing around there for. He
ha<l no notion of shilling his clothes by
wadiug in with them on ; and, beaidea,
if he did, he could not go to the widow's
that night, so he took a look up and
down the road, to see that uo one was m
sight, and then quickly undressed him
I self, iayiug his clothe# iu the buggy to
keen them clean. Then he nan around
l the bank and waded into the almost icy
j sold water, but his teeth didn't chatter
in his head—he only wished they couhL
lyuietly he wailed aloug so as not tir
I the umd an, and wheu he g.d to the
5 right pi>t lie dropped nuder the water
and came out with hit teetii in his
mouth. Hut liark ! What noise is that ?
A wagon, au>l a dog barking with all his
might, an I his horse is starting.
•• Whoa !. whoa ! Stop yon brute,you,
stop I"
Hut stop he would not, but went off at
a si>ankiug pace, with the unfortunate
I bachelor after huu. Hill was certainly
iu a capital running costume, but though
; he strained every nerve he could not
touch the boggy or reach the lines that
| were dragging mi the ground. After a
while his plug hat shook off the seat,
1 and the hind wheel went over it. makiug
lit as dat as a pancake. Hill snatched it
as he ran, and after jamming his fist into
j it, stuck it, all dusty and dimpled on his
. head. And now he *aw the widow's
| house on top of the hill, and what, oh
i what will he do? Then his coat fell out
I and he slipped it on, and then making a
' dreperate spurt he clntcheil the liack
i of the seat and scrambled in. and pull
ing the buffalo robe over his legs,
stuffed the other tilings beneath. Now
the horse happened to be one he got
' from Squire Moore, and he get it from
the widow, and the animal took it into
his head to stop at her gate, which Hill
had no power to prevent, as he was too
. busv buttoning his coat np to his chin
to t)iink of doing much else.
The widow heard the ruttliug of the
wheels and look.xl out, and teeing that
, it was Smiley and that he didn't offer to
get out, she went out to see what he
wanted, ami there she stood chatting,
with her white arms on the top of the <
gate, and her face towards hun, while
1 the chills ran down his shirtless back
clear to his bare feet tx-neath the buffalo
robe, and the water from hut hair and
the dust from his hat hail combined
to make some nice little streams of mild
that came trickling dowu his face.
She asked him to come in. No, he
was in a hurry, he said. She did not
offer to go. He did not ask her to pick '
up his reins for him, because he did not
know what excuse to make for not doing
so himself. Then he looked down the
road behind him and saw a white-fared
horse coming, and at once surmised u
was that of tius Six'krider ! He resolved
to do or die, and hurriedly told his er
rand. The widow would be delighted to
go—of course she would. Cat wouldn't
he come in ? No, he was in a hurry, he
said; and he would go ou to Green's
place.
" Oh," said the widow, " you're going
to Green's, are yon ? Why, I'm going ?
there myself to* get one of the girls to
help me quilt to-morrow. Just wait a
second while I get my bonnet and shawl,
and I'll ride with yon." And away she
skipped.
What a scrape." said Bill, and he
hastily clutched his pants from between
his feet, and wriggled into them, when
a light wagou drawn by the white-faced
horse, ilriven by a boy, came along and
stopped" beside him. The boy held up
a pair of boots iu one hand and a pair of
socks in the other, and just aa the widow
reached the gate again, he said:
"Here's your boots and socks, Mr.
Smiley, that you left on the bridge wheu
you were in tnere swimming."
*• You're mwtaken," aaid Bill; " they
are nat mine."
"Why," said the boy, "ain't you
the man that hail the race after the
horse, just now ?"
"No, air, I am not. Yon had better
go on about vonr business."
Bill sighed at the loss of his Sunday
boots, and, turning to the widow, said:
"Just pick up those lines, will yon,
please? This brute of a horse is always
switching them out of my hands."
Tae widow complied : he pnlled one
corner of the robe cautiously down as
she got iu.
"Wiiatalovelv evening," she said;
"and so warm I don't think we want
the robe over us, do we ?"
You see she had on a nice new dress
and a pair of new gaiters, and she want
ed to show them.
" Oh, my," said Bill, earnestly,
"you'll find it chilly riding, and I
wouldn't have you catch cold for the
world
She seemed pleased at this tender care
for her Lealth, and contented herself
with sticking one of her little feet out.
As she did so a lung silk neck-tin showed
over the end of the boot.
" What is that, Mr. Smiley—a neck
tie r
"Yes," said he; "I bought it the
other day, and I must have left it in the
buggy. Never mind it."
Then they went on quite a distance,
he holding her band in his, and wonder
ing what he should do when they got to
Green's; and she wondered why lie did
not say something nice to her as well as
squeeze her hand, why his coat was but
toned up so tightly on such a warm eve
ning, and what made his face and hat so
dirty, until tbev were going down a little
hill and one of the traces came unhitched,
and they had to stop.
" Oh, murder !" exclaimed Bill,
" what next ?"
" What is the matter, Mr. Smiley?" ,
said the widow, with a start, which cams (
very near jerking the robe off his knees.
"Oneof the traces is off," answered
he.
" Well, why don't you get out and put 1
it on again?"
"I can't," said Bill. " I've got— that
is, I—l haven't got—oh, dear, I'm no
sick ! What shall I do ?"
"Why, Willie," said she. tenderly, 1
*' what is the matter ? Do tell me !"
She gave his hand a little squeeze, and |
looked into his pale face; she thought he
was going to faint, so she got out her
smelling-bottle with her left hand, and
palling the stopper out with her teeth,
stuck it to bis nose.
Bill was jnst taking in breath for a
mighty sigh, and tbt pungent odor made
him throw back his bead so far that he |
lost his balance, ana went over tbo low
back buggy.
The little woman gave a low scream
as his bare feet flew past her head, and
covering her face with her hands, gave
way to tears or smiles—it is hard to tell
which. Bill was up in a moment, and,
leaning over the back of the seat, was
j humbly apologizing and explaining,
when, Ed. Wilbur and his wife and baby J
drove up behind and Btopped.
Poor Bill felt that he would rather
, have lieen shot than had Ed. Wilbur
catch him in such s scrape,* but there
was no help for it now, so he called Ed.
to him and whispered in his ear. Ed. 1
i was likely to burst with suppressed
: laughter, but he beckoned his wife to
draw up, and, after saying something to
her, he helped the widow out of Bill's
buggy and into his, and the two women
went on, leaving the men behind.
THE CENTRE REPORTER.
Hill lost no time in arranging hi* toilet
ss well as he could, and then with great
persuasion Kit. got him to go luune with
him, and hunting up alipj>era and soeks,
and getting him wished ami oouilkxl,
hail liim quite presentable wheu the
laities arrived.
1 need not tell you how the storv was
all wormed <nit of bashful Hill, and hew
they all laughed aa they sat around the
tea-table that night ; but w!l conclude
by saving that they all went to the show
t>>getiier, and HUI has uo fear of Gus
Sockrider now. Peter's American
Monthly.
Interesting Statistics.
K uisa* l.rels every State iu the I niou
in the yield of corn per acre, being
forty-throe and live tenths bushels.
New Hampshire coiuo* next, with a
vield of rorty-two. Vermont follows
. Willi thirtyuuio ; Ohio, thirty-six and
seven-tenths ; Wisconsin, thirty four ;
Indiana, lowa and Nebraska, thirty ;
Mahigan, twenty - nine; Missouri,
twenty seven and eight-tenth# ; Minne
sota, twenty-Ave and four-tenths ; Texas
and Illinois, twenty-six each.
Illinois takes the lead iu the oat crop,
growing -Ait,7eri.t,v*Ml out of the total
iS2.in7.ISP bushels.
lowa produces the largest spriug
wheat crop of any State, the production
of the Tinted States being 112.549,533
bushel-*, and thai of lowa 28,707,312
bushels, while Wisconsin nuiks next,
I with 2-t.B7i.Aas bushels.
Ohio raises the most winter wheat,
27,628,759 of the 175,195,193 bushels
produced in the I'uited States, and also
more than half the flax produred in the
oountrv. The wool yield of the State is
one-fifth that of the Tnited States and
double that of California.
Pennsylvania supplies one-tiftli of the
rye produced in tius oountrv, or 8.5J7,-
(ill bushels out of 16,918,795.
California produces the largest barley
crop, or 8,783,490 out of a total <if
20, .61,306 bushels, and also niue-teutha
of our uative silk cocoon*.
New York i* the largest cultivator of
buckwheat, raising 3,904,1180 of a tidal
of 9,821,721 bushels.
Mississippi takes the lend among the
cotton-growing States.
Kentucky grows more than half the
hemp crop of our country.
New York produces more than one
flfth of tlie hay crop, or nearly twice aa
' much as PeuaaylVWtia, which fumishea
the next largest figure in that line. New
York furnishes, also, more than two
thirda of the hop crop uf the country.
South Carolina wtppllea uearlv half
the rice produced iu the country.
Georgia is next, or 7,000,000 pounds
ahead of Louisiana. Nearly all trie rice
comes from these three States.
1 K the 272,734.341 pounds of tobacco
* produced iu the country. 105,805,828
pounds are grown in Kentucky. Vir
ginia comes next, with 33,086,364
pounds.
Louisiana contributes nearly all the
sugar and mclawse* from enne, ami Ver
mont nearly one-third of the sugar of
maple, while New York produces one
fourth the sugar from maple.
Ohio and Indiana produce each une
eighth of sorghum molasses
New York grows one-fifth of the whole
potato crop. North Carolina produce*
more sweet potatoes than any other
| State.
New York raises one-flfth of tlie na
tional supply of pea* and bean*.
California produces more than one
half the native wine.
A Menagerie at Auction.
Tiie paraphernalia and animal* com
posing Montgomery Qaceu's circus and
, menagerie were knocked down piece
meal to the highest bidder in New York
recently. The Wot Id says : The sale
was occasioned by the financial emlmr
ranunenta of Mr. Queeu during the last
season, resnlting in a total wreck' of hi*
establishment and a handsome lurtjme.
The affair drew together a large crowd
of spectators, as well as quite a number
ot aliowrmen from abroad. It was not
until the animals were reached that the
general interest lieoame intense. The
bidding was slow at first, but afterwards
lieeame quite spirited, and when a little
com|H<titiou was indulged in some one
would sing ont, *'(10 in there; don't
let tlie East get away with the West,"
aud other pleasantries of a similar
nature. Tlie relative value of the ani- |
:ua!s seemed to have no effect upon the
price* offered. An African cloud
was sold for 8205 to Mr. Hurr Bobbins,
who bought a white deer for 820, a
i leopard for spotted hyena* for
884. three kangaroo* for 8240, a hippo
potamus for $l9O, an Esquimaux wolf
for SIOO, a Htriped hyena for $37.50, a
, xehn or sacred cow for $32. Mr. W. W.
(Joie bought a zebra fors23o, an African
lion and lioness, performing animals,
three years old, for S2OO, a wild l>oar for j
S9OO, twelve cockatoos for $l5B, two
monkeys fur SO2, an emu for SIOO and an
elephant for $1,600. Mesar*. Bells
Brothers bought a wild gazelle with
silvery feet for $25, a gnu for $675, a
royal Bengal tiger for S6OO, a two
horned rhinoceros for $3,600 aud six
camels and two dromedaries at an aver
age of 8102.60 each. The Bt. Louis
Geological Garden bought n pair of
gazelles at SSO, one pair of tiger cat* at
S6O, and one pair of California lion* at
S3OO. Altogether the sale was an ex
ceedingly interesting one, and while tlie
prices realized were not one-fifth of
the actual valne, yet, under tlie circum
stances, it could hardly be exj>octed to
be greater.
Old Bridges In Villus.
The most remarkable evidence of the
mechanical skill and science of the
! Chinese at an early period, i* to tie
( found in their suspension bridges, the
I invention ot which in a**igned to tne Hani
ilynaaty. According to tlie current testi
mony of ail their historical and geo
graphical writer*, Haugleang, the cwtn
-1 mander of the army under Kaon-taoo,
the first of the Hams, uudertook and
I completed the formation of road* through
, tlie mountainous province of the Hhetisa
to the west of the capital. Hitherto, it*
lofty hills and deep valleys had rendered
communication difficult acd circuitons.
With a body of 100,000 laborer* !*, rut
passages over the mountain*, throwing
the removed soil into the valleys, and
where this was not sufficient to raise the
road the required height be constructed
bridges, which rested on pillars or ahut-
I ments. In another place he couceived
aud accomplished the daring project of
suspending a bridge from one mountain
to another over a deep chasm. The
bridgos, which are called by the Chinese
writer*, very appropriately, flying
bridges, and are represented to be
numerous at the present day, are some
times so high that they cnunnt be tra
i versed without alarm. One still exist*
in Hhensa, stretching four hundred feet
from mountain to mountain over a uhasm
]of over five hundred feet. Moat of these
1 flying bridge* are so wide that four
horsemeff can ride on them abreast, and
balustrades are placed on each side to
protect travelers. It ii ly no meant im
probable (as Mr. I'autbeier suggested)
that as tlie missionarie* to China made
known the fact over a century and a half
ago that the Chinese had suspension
bridge*, and that many of them were
made of iron, the hint may have been
taken from thence for similar construe
>tipn by European engineers.
\iX>e m "
CENTRE HALL, CENTRE CO., FA., THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1878.
SPOJITAJiRM'N VtlMHl STIU9.
Haw Itamaa Hrlaa* %rr lowarJlr ll.irsrS
lu Hrath.
t'a*c of human lantig* who have sud
denly died from the effiM'ts of internal
I cotubuatnm arc very siugiilar. i'he fol
' lowing caac 1* a very remarkable one.
1 It ia that of Grace Pitt, the wife of a
fishmonger m the parish of St. Clement,
Ipswich. She was sgeil alrollt sixty,
ami ha.l i\>ntroetixl a habit of iviuiug
dowu froui her Iredos'iu every night,
half dressed, to smoke a pq'. tin the
, night of the 9th of April, 1744, she got
up froui taxi as usual, ami her daughter,
who slept with her, did not notice her
absence until next morning, when on
going down into the kitchen, she found
hsr Stretched OOt oil her right side, with
her head toward the grate ; the Ixxlv
cltcmhxl on the hearth, with the leg* ou
the flixir, w Inch was of deal, ami it had
the appearance of a log of wood which
had lux*n consumed by a Arc without
apparent tlsme. The girl, on noticing
her mother's Ixxlv, rau and got s couple
, of vessels of water whulli she poured
UiMin the Uxly, ami imtuxlistcly*s fieti-l
ixlor and smoke was given off which
very nearly sin- >thercl the ueighlx'rs
wh • hail ixime t. the girl's assistance.
The trunk was ut some messurt' iniuner
' atxl and resembled n heap of <oals cov
ered with white ashes. The brad, the
arms, and lower portions of the Ixxly
hod al-*j Ixx'ii par.iallv bumod. The
woman it was aanl hod drank a large
quantity of spirituous liquor the night
liefore ill cxuistxiueuix* of being overjoved
at hearing of the return of oue of her
daughters from Gibraltar. There was
no tire in the grate from winch the cot
ton gown she wore could hsve Iteeu ig
uited aud tlie caudle had been burmxl
entirely out in the a*'ket, while near
the consumed Ixxly were found several
articles of clothing and a paper screen,
which hail sustained no injury by the
fire.
And still another rase is found in that
of Madam Millet, who kept a hxlgtng
house at Khetins, France, ami who gut
intoxicated very iioarlr every day. This
woman was found consumed at a dis
tance of a foot and a half from her
hearth, on the morning of the iKMh gf
February. 1725. Only a part of the
head, a little of thsextremities and three
or four vertebra* were left of the body.
The flooring under the Ixaly was oon-
Kunied, but articles of clothing ami w.xxl
near the laxly were still lutact. Jeau
Millet, the husbaui of the .tccossed,
stated that his wife had !>eeu unable to
sleep the prtxvxliug nigtit, and hod gone
iuto the kitchen to warm herself ; at
about two o'clock iu the morning he was
awakened by a stroug and infectious
odor, and having rut) to tiie place found
the remains of Ins wife in the condition
described. Inquiry into the cause of
Madam Milict's death wo* pro*ecut*xl
with tiie most untiring diligence. It
was unfortunate. for M. Millet that he
' had a handsome servant girl in the es
tablishment, for he was charged by In*
prosecutor* with having oouoerled with
the girl to put Madam Millet oat of the
- way, and La.l studiously arnotfed the
above details to avert auspice >n fr-cu the
real cause of his Wuly's deih. He was
<>uivic!ed, lwit a sup'Tuir csirt, to which
he ap|>ealrxl, dtclarvxi the combustion to
' have leen the result of natural causea,
anil to have leen spoutsneons, ao that
the male Millet catuc off victorioua.
It is a notable fact that in nearly all
case* of spontaneous combuata>u mm a*
victims an* oaispiruou* by their absence;
a case, however, is given by Dr. Mac
Niah.— St. Isnii* Po'.
A Four Uajr*' Bear Hunt.
The Orange (N. Y.) Prest say#: A
Sullivan county Nun rod, who resides
near Falisburg, was out attending to
hia *ap trees, when he descried s Iwar
near one of the *ap-bnoket*. He ran
home with all tbe spetxl he oonld pos
sibly make, and summoning his neigli-
Ixirs, told them of the immense lnar he
had aeeu—Uio largest ever known in
that section. In a short time a party
wa* organized, and off they started.
They kept on hi* trail all that tlav, and
spent the night in a neighboring honse.
The second morning they were early on
the war-path, and, althongh they were
still on his track, they did not see the
tiaar. On the third day Uiey had a simi
lar experience, and, although the traces
were fre#h, liruin still ketd out of their
sight. On the morning of the fourth
day they separated somewlmt, and male
the hnnt more comprehensive. About
ten o'clock tbe party heard a gun. and
rushing in the direction ot the sound,
they saw a valiant hunter climbing a
tree as fast as possible, with his nnlood
ixl gun at the resit of it, and, hxikiug in
the other direction, they saw the bear
getting off at hi* best gait. Tlie shot of
the hunter had wounded the animal in
the foot and he waa limping badly. Tlie
frightened hnntor was persuaded to come
down the tree, and the party got off and
finally surrounded the lienr. Several
well-directed volleys at point-blauk
range brought him down, and they
gathered about the dea I bruin t > take a
look at their prize. He hail dwindled
from a monster, a* at fir*t repotted, to a
small, half-starvrtd animal, weighing
about 150 pounds. The animal had not
hybernated as is their cn*tom, and was
terriblv lean in consequence.
rotal Card Trouble*.
P<istal cards arc very handy to use
and withal a groat convenience, bnt the
chances that one of them wiil fail to
reocli its dealination are much greater
than in tbe ease of a lotter. This is
not because of any fault on the part of
the Department tint the result of care
le**nes* on the part of Uie sender.
There being no privacy to the card*, and
the tne**ages they hear being generally
of minor iupartanoe, lead* the post-office
officials to treat theni with little con
sideration when once they go astray.
" Boahels of them nre burnt every
month in this city,"said a clerk in the
Boston post office, nwntlr. "Wo
make no effort to return them to rend
ers, but simplv throw them aside."
Tlie alips whieh will consign a jxwtal
card to Uio limbo of the unredeemed
are many. Anything (except n stamp)
stock to either aide ; failure to put the
address on the aiilo designated for it,
and the writing of anything oxi-ept tin
address on the stomped side, are among
them. A good plan ia to first address
the card and then write the message.
Large number# of card* are daily re
ceived at the various offices with no
writton or printed nddre** in theprojier
place.
Food a* Medicine
Dr. Hall's view# in regard to the effi
cacy of food a* medicine, when discrim
inatingly nsod, seem to be reasonable.
Ho relate* the case of a man who wa*
enred of bilionaneoa by going without
his nupper and drinking freely of lemon
ade. Every morning this patient rose
with a wonderful sense of rest, refresh
ment, and a feeling h* though the blood
hail been literally wiuthe.l, cooled and
cleansed by the lemonade an.l fast. His
theory is that foo.l will be used a* a
remedy for disease* auooeeofully, For
example, he iu#Untly cure# the *pitting
of bltxid by the u*e of salt, epilepsy and
yellow fever by watermelons, knlney
affections by oelery, poison by olive or
Bweet eil, erysipelas by pounded cran
berries applied to the part# uffeoteJ,
i hydroplioqia by onion*, etc. Bo tlie
thing to do in order to keep in good
; health i* really to know what to eat, and
| not what medicines to take.
The sterj uf sn Imrnlliin.
It may not be generally known that
an ini|Hirtant invention iu ouiueotiou
with the niaiiufiu'ture of earjiet* origi
nated mm follows: An o|ierative weaver, in
oue of tlie largest estnlillHlilnullts in till*
country, wa* engaged iu wealing a ear
|M-t that iu it* flnt I stage would ap
pear tut a velvet pile. At that period
thin detu'ritdiuu of oar|'t was woven
much ui tiie manner of Hnuuw-la, the
loo|M being afterward cut by hand -a
*|ow and ixwtlv jiriH-ea*. These loops
are formed by the insertion of wires of
the requisite thickness to form the loop;
they are tlieli witiidrawu. This weaver
whether bv cogitation or as the resul
of a bright thought— catuc to the conclu
sion that if theae w ires were ao construct
ed as, on being withdrawn, to cut the
ltM>|M, (litis instantly completing the
foriuatiou of the pile, it would be a great
saving of Ul*>r and time, and a great
economy- Taking one of tlie rials, he
change.) its form to the riaiuirixl shaje,
ground a kllife edge upon it, took It to
his harms, and inserted it in the web—
ull the while maintaining strict secrocr
—aud with some degree of excitement
watched its weaving down until the
moment for its withdrawal. This came,
the rod, w-oa drawn out, the loops were
out, aud the experiment was a |n<rfect
suiveas, the pile being cut with great
oveuuosa.
The weaver, with a shrewdness often
wanting in iu venture, doubltxl up the
rxxl sud hid it away, wove down the line
of cut loiqia u|xiu the roll,then " kuock
cd off," or stopped hia loom, and pro
ixxxltxl to Uie uftiiv of the mill, where he
demanded to S4X< the |iriucqial. The
clerk demurred to tin*, asking if he him
] self oonld not do all tliat was required ;
I but no, the weaver i>ejai#bxl. Then the
manager tried, with the some result ;
only the priunpal would suit the weaver.
The cmjdoyer was informed of the o|*<r
ative'a |K-r*iteuee in determining to Lx
. him ; ao he at otjoe ordert*! him to lc
idwittcd. Tin* wa# done, and the weav
er *tepjxxl int> the well fnruishtxi and
lisndsomelv carjwted offiiw of the manu
iacturer. Hia employer him :
" Well, John" (for so we will call himt,
) " what is it you want ?" " Well, maiater,
I've get ten a'uuinut yo man licv," re
plnxl John. " Wodn tyo hke a war nt
luakkiu t' hxim cut UT velvet pilref"
continuixl the weaver. " Yx! that I
would !" employer; "and I
will reward any man handsomely who
brmgs me a plan uf d>iing it," a'eied he.
1 " A Win yore mull, then," x:ud the opcra
i tivc. " Wod'U yogi' uie ?" he further
aaktxl. AfU-r some furUicr conversation
i hai gain waa * truck, and a suui agreed
UJXIU, which the Weaver should le en
titled to claim in the event of hia plan
' for automatically cutting the pile of the
oarpet leing a Huoceoa. Arrangeuieuta
were matte it* trial ; the weaver made
hi* pre]oration* ; Uie master, tlie tunu
iger, and one or two couttdeutial in
j plovrxi* gathertxl around the loom ntxm
which the ex|erimeut hod '• • Ik nunle,
all oUier* lieing sent outaid< the range
! .if oha>rvatiou. Tlie new form of wirea
were inserted, woven down, and with-
Irawn, liavng a well cut pile n(*'U Uie
face of the carpet. The weaver hml won
his reward, far it was honorably paid,
.in annuity of jEIUO wa* m-ttiixi u|*>n htm,
which he coutintied to enjoy until wiUiin
% recent date, and for anything we know
to Uie exmtrary may Ik* enjoymg yet.
He retired from the weaving ahixi, d*-
t<rmin*<l to apetsl the rest of hia day* m
) ease and comfort. Hu employer se
cured by jiatent Uie benefits of his ui
veutioQ, it Iwing one, lunoug several
• itiier*. which cootrihutdl t' place Uiat
uiauufactunngcatabluihmeut in the fore
most rank iu the trade, wliile it* owrnera
' attained wealth and social eiuineucc a*
the rewanl of their prudent entcrpriMj.
Tcrtih Manufacturer.
Mining Fl*h Out of the Ire.
The Oarson (Nev.) Appeal has tlie
following: In the general freeze which
ha# owiverted the lake into a *ra of ice.
Emerald hay has tiecn frozen solid. It
; i* one vast ledge <f ice from the surface
j of its transparent waters to the Ixittom.
i More than ever i tliat leantiful bay a
i " gem of purest ray serene," crystalized
; a* it is and firm ret witinn its rock
l*>un<l shore*. From aome caure b.st
known to themselves, Uie fl*h, cw|Kxuslly
j the trout, have fairlv swarnxxl there.
When the great am) sudden freezing
came it imprisoned them by hundred* of
I t.m* all over the lay. There Uiey are
j fixed, like a lice in a drop of am!>er. Of
course the fl*hermen of the Rubicon
and its neighborhood are reaping a rich
and novel harvest. Tlie present abund
ance of fish in Uie Corona market i* due
to Un* remarkable occurrence. Monk
rays that the bay prewnit* a wonderful
aplaraire. He say* in all truthfulness
that Bailor Jack and some associate
have ret nail V sunk n winze in the ice be
tween the boat landing and Captain
Dick'* island, and that by dint of tuunel
f ing and sinking in the solid iee they are
actually mining ont the imprisoned
trout by tbe cart-load. Hank rays he
has an interest in one of there extra
ordinary "claims," and that he has
every reason to expect prompt and nu
-1 mcron* dividends. This cls* of nheuo
mena occnrs only at rare intervals. In
1846, Back Cove, an arm of Oaaeu bay.
waa a arena of snrb freezing as this. All
sorts of salt water fish, snob a# frequent
the more shallow bay* and estuaries,
smelt, torn-cod, eels and flounder# were
frozen in and captured by the million.
Tlie tom-owl, when thus frozen, may be
thawed ont in cool water and restored to
life. For thia reason this small mem
ber of Uie finny trilie ia known a* the
" frost-fish."
Hard to IMgest.
At a certain l*nrding house in this city
is a yonng man whose occupation i# the
"art preservative," and whose labor*
oocnpy him during those hours when
the majority of mankind i* asleep.
Of course he got* hungry, an.l is aoens
t< unod to get a lunch when he start* ont
for hia nightly toil. Thia lunch ia done
up in a paper and placed on a table in
the hall of the lioarding house, from
which the yonng man takes it when he
goes out. One evening this week a* he
went out, he saw two bundles lying
upon the table and unthinkingly took
the one nearest and carried it away.
About midnight that unfailing monitor,
an empty stomach, warned him that
lunch time had arrived, and with high
hope* and a keen appetite he took out
hi* bundle and opened it, but was struck
all aback to find instead of lii# coveted
food n small package of neatly folded
handkerchief ~ which bad bean place.]
ujHin the table by the lanudrvman for
on# of Uie other 'boarders. Language
fail* to do justice to the denouement, and
so we draw the curtain. — New Hertford
Evening Standard.
The Farmer's Independence,
i During these times of business fail
ures, wheu men suppowid to lie million
aires, by reverses have become bank
rupt, none is so free and iudei>endout aa
the owner and ooonpier of an unincum
bered farm. Financial panics and de
pressions may come and go without
seriously affecting him. For tlie pro
ducts of the soil there mnst be, nnder
all circumstances, a ceasele*H and re
munerative demand. Out of the numer
ous business failures throughout the
country, but a small per oeutoge nre
those of farmers, who, as a rule, go on
! prospering despite all monetary vicissi
| tudes aud fluctuations.
SOIK 9E(n YOKk UCEIA
TUr tlrrllMM brlwrrn lis Will I Union
as* JSs Mmniin.hi Usui InrrsSlSlr
VtluMaSlii •( ssi. Vlarala Nasi.
it la it notable fact Uiat the ttuiat
detenuiunt du> 1 of which 1 have any re
cord, says a writer 111 the Philadelphia
/Yotrs, wan fought >U New York Htate,
ami very near Lite metropolis of thsl
name. The incetlug Wus bet wen De-
Witt Clinton and John Swart wont in
1802. it appears probable that if the
dispute in which this duel originated
had taken its natural course the most
famous duel many history that bet ween
Hamilton and Hurr —would have been
omitted. Clinton and lluir hail a very
tierce uml truculent political dispute,
which tlnollv lux-sine jx-ruoual. Before
it hud fairly come to an issue, John
Swart wout Itecame involved in it, taking
Burr's place. He challenged Clinton,
who accepted. Ou the fleld Clinton re
marked " that he wished he had the
principal (Hurr) lieh.re him." If his
w.ali hud besu gratified there is little
doubt that his fatal precision of shot
would have put Hurr where he could
not have killed Hamilton three years
tutor. Mr. Hwartwoiit insisted that he
should have an apology, and prepared
oue that he hinisUx! Mr. Clinton should
sign. Mr. Clinton, of course, declined,
and the parties went to the field.
Mr. N. B. Smith, who aa* H wart wout's
second, suvs : The gentlemen took pol
--tiona and nrtxl without effect. At Mr.
Biker's request, 1 asked Mr. Swartwout
if he was satisfied. He replied :"I aw
not," aud the third shot was exchanged
without injury. 1 then asked Mr. Bwat
wout, " Are you oatiafhxl, air?" He re
plied, "1 am not. Neither shall I lie
until the apology is made which I have
demanded. Until then we must pro
ceed. " I then presented a paper to
Mr. ltikcr for Mr. Clinton's signature,
contaMung the apology demanded, ob
aerving that this paper must lie signed
or we would proceed. Mr. Clinton de
clared he would sign no pajx-r on the
subjix't ; Ui at he had no animosity to
Mr. Bwartwuut, and would willingly
shake hands and agree to meet on the
sixire of former friendship. Mr. Bwart
wout insisted on the signature of the
a|M>logy, and Mr. Clinton derluiing,
they sWxxl at their pimts and fired a
( •urth shot. Mr. Swartwout was wound
ed in the left log. about Ave inches be
low the knee. Being aakrd if be was
satisfied, Mr. Swartwout replied; "It
is useless to r-peat the question ; my
dcterminatioti i* fixixl, ami I leg we
may proceed." Mr. Clinton repeated
that he ha<l no animosity against Mr.
Hwartwout ; was sorry f r what had
(taaiMxl ; pro|xsMxl to advance, shake
hands, ami bury the past in obliviou.
During this conversation, the surgeon,
kneeling at his side, extracted Uie tmll
from Mr. Swart wout'a leg. Tim fifth
shot liemg fired, Mr. Kwartwout re
ceived a I tall in tiie lrft leg. altout five
inches above the ankie. Still, however,
standing at his |xml perfectly ix>m}xsMxl.
At the request of Mr. Biker, I asked :
" Arc you satisfied ?" He forcibly an
sacred : " No, sir; lam not. Pro
ceed," Mr. Clinton then quit hi# post,
declining the combat, and declared he
w.mld fire no more. Sir. Swartwout ex
pressed himself surprised that Mr. Clm
tou would neither apologize rnu give the
sstisfsi-Uou required, and, mldreaaing
me, said : " What shall I do, my
friend ?" I auswerixj : " Mr. Clinton
decline* making the sjxilogy rtxiuired,
refuses taking his position, and pom
tivcly declare* he will fight no more ;
hi* second npjxianng to acquiesce in the
disposition of his principal, there is
nothing further for von to do now hut
to have your wotuni# dressed." The
surgtxmx attending dreaat*! hi* wounds,
and the gentlemen returned iu their
respective barges to the city.
One of the most widely-known men of
any time i* Oapt. Martin Scott. Martin
Scott ws*. from hi* earlier days, a re
markablv fine pistol and rifie slmC
While plowing in the field one day he re
ceived a letter which enclosed him his
coumnssion as enaigti in the United
Stati-* army. He had never applied for
this jxiaitioQ, and to the day of his death
never knew how it came to be tendered
to him. He accepted it, however, and
wan aoon fnmoun throughout tlie whole
aruiy a* the Itesi shot of his day. Upon
!u- authority of Col. B. B". Marcv,
Cnitod HUUw army, i will give a namplc
of tlii* shooting. A playing card, with
a spot *bout the size of a dime, was
tacked upon a tree seventy-five yards
distant Oapt. Scott then took a inuz
rlcdoading squirrel rifie and nroixia<xl
to s*xi h<<w qmcklv lie could loa<i and
fire three time*. He l>egan, and in one
minute and twenty *■ couda hml lumleil
and firxl thre time*. Of course this
van very quick work, allowing hardly
any time for aiming. The firing was
almost instantaneous. Wheu Col. Marey
went to eiamine the target he found one
hole exactly in tiie center of the hull's
eye. He remarkxl, however, that the
other two shot* had missed the target
entirely. Oapt. Smith stnfled, called
for an axe. aplit the log, and found tlie
three balla imbedded in the aingle hole.
Theae aliot* were all off-hand. OoL
Miuvy aaya that lie ha* seen officer* who
vouched for the truth of the following,
having aeon Oapt. Soott do it : He
would take two potatoes, and throwing
them into the air successively, would
put a pistol ball through both of them
** tbey crossed iu the air, one going np
and the other coming down.
The first duel in which Capt. Scott was
engaged wa* under tlie following cir
cumstances ; He ws* stationed on the
frontier, at a military pot of Council
Blnff. The officers were, the m >*t of
them, fond of a social gl*s*. aud addict
ed to card playing, and tlier considered
a man who abstained entirelv from like
indulgence* as wanting tiie proper
spirit. Capt Scott, never drank n glass
of liquor and never played a game of
cards, aud while he wns very liberal in
hia intercourse with liia brotfier officers
he wa* exceedingly parsimonious iu hi*
own jveroonal expense*. The officer*
around him took umbrage at this, aud
gradually withdrew from all interoouree
with him, until he wa* abaolntely imt
into ooventry by all save three of hi*'
associates iu arm*. He submitted for a
long time to the insult* and jxwaecu
tion* anil then held a council of war with
his three friends to determine what was
host to be done. They told him that
ouly two alternative* were left him—one
wo* to throw up hi* commission and the
other wa* to challenge the first man
that should insult him. He readily
chose the Ist tor course, ami hia determi
nation became known throughout the post
Hia skill aa a marksman and hia un
doubted nerve protected him for a go<xl
while, no oue caring to needlessly risk
an encounter with hun.
At length, however, an officer from a
neighboring post, who wa* a celebrated
shot, and bad brought down liis man in
about half a dozen duels, was sent for.
He took the first opportunity to iusult
Capt. Scott The inmilt aw given at
mea* table, and a challenge immediately
followed. In telling of the duel after
ward, Capt. Scott said that he went to
the ground considerably agitated. Be
ing utterly opposed to dueling, lie had
determined to throw awny hi* fire. Jnst
about that time he oocidetrtly overheard
his antagonist say that he had a very
disagreeable job on hand tliat morning,
viz., the "shooting of a Yankee." This
raised Capt. Scull's indignation, and lie
determined from that moment to punish
his opponent. When the word wa*
given the men fired together. Oapt.
TERMS: a Yoar, in Advance.
Scott received a alight flash wound, and
sent a ball whizzing through hia opno
neut'a lungs. It is mentioned, aa a fact
that thia shut saved the luau's life. He
had cousuiuptiou Imfore the duel and re
covered afterward. 1 hesitate, however,
to recommend Una aa an inevitable cure
for the consumption. It is a remedy, how
ever, that is apt to either cure or kill.
What He Wanted.
The bolt ou Uie back door had needed
replacing for a long time, but it waa only
toe other night Uiat Mr. Throoton hod
| the presence of mind to boy a new one
and take it home. After aupt>er he
hunted up hia tools, removed the old
bolt, and measured the location for Uie
new one. He must bore some new holes,
sud Mrs. Throoton heard him roaming
around the kitchen and woodshed, slam
ming doors, pulling out drawers and
kicking furniture around. She went to
Uie head of the stairs, and called down :
" Richard, do you want anything ?"
" Yes, I do !' f he yelled liock. " I
want to know where Uiat corkscrew is ?"
"Corkscrew, Richard?"
"Yes, corkscrew! I've looked the
house over and can't find it!"
" Why, we never hail oue, Richard."
"Didn't, eh? We've lnul a dozen of
'em in Uie last two years, and I Imught
one not four weeks ago. It's always the
way when 1 want anything."
" But you must lie out of your head,"
site said aa she deaoendea the stair*.
"We've kept houae seven year* aud 1
never reiueuilwr seeing you bring a cork
i are* home."
"Oh, vea, I'm out of mv head, I an!"
he grumbled, a* he pulled out the sew
ing machine drawer ami turned over the
•xmtcuta. " IVrhapa I'd better go to
the lunatic asvlum right away I"
"Well. Richard, I know that I have
never seen a corkscrew in thia houae."
" Then you are a* blind aa an owl in
daylight, for I've bought five or six.
Tlie house ia always upside down, any
how. and I never can find auTthing 1"
"The house is kept as well as any of
your folks con kxq> one t" she retorted,
growing red in the face.
" I'd like my mother here to show you
s few Uiitiga," he sonl, aa he stretclnxl
ilia uix-k to look ou the high shelf in the
pantry.
" p'erhaps she'll boil her spectacle#
with Utr potaUxw again !" anawered the
wife.* 1
" Do you know who you are talking
to?" he yelleil, as he jumped down.
" Yes, I do!"
" Well, you'll la- going for York State,
if you don't look out !"
" I'd like to ax" myself' When Igo
this house goes!"
" Look out, Nancy !"
"I'm afraid of no nun that lives."
" I'll leave you !"
" And I'll laugh to see you go!"
Going close np to her, he extended
his finger, ahook it to emphasize hia
words, aud slowly ai<l:
" Nancy Tlirocton. I'll *PP'y a di
vorce to-morrow ! I'll tell "the jndg*
that I kin.lly an.l lovingly aake.l you
where the gimlet wo*, and you said we'd
never hod one in Uie house, which is a
bold falsehood, as I can prove!"
"Gimlet ?" she exclaimed.
" Yea, gimlet!"
"Why, I know where there are three
or four f You said ogkacrew!"
" Did I f" lie gaaixxl, sitting down on
the corner of the table. "Well, now, I
lielieve I did."
" An<l you went and abused me like
a slave I wouldn't say a gimlet
wa* a corkscrew I** she sobbed, falling
on the lounge.
" Nancy, ** he *sid tenderly, lifting her
up.
"Oh, Richard!" she chokingly an
#we.rxL
And that household ia so quietly luq>-
| pv that a canary bird would sing its bead
off if hnng up m Uie holL— Worcester
Gazette.
Haw Bancroft Write* Hiatarj.
A Washington letter give# the follow
ing : Mr. Bancroft's method of writing
his hintory, the result of the experience
of long years, is pemliar and interval
ing, and' he think* it gives him a grasp
on those conflicting conditions in literary
work—eompreheusiveneM and compact
ueaa. He ha* two secretaries, a " refer
ence" secretary and a " writing " secre
tary. They do tbe work, while he does
the thinking and dictation. When he
Iwgins a new volume he lays out a plan
for it as minute and detailed as an archi
tect makes the plan of a house. First
be decides upon the time which it shall
cover, then the epochs of important
event# which it shadl include. A large
volume of blank paper is then taken,
ruled, and dated like a diary, aud under
each date are entered, with Uie precision
of an accountant, all the occurrences of
that day in every corner of the globe
which relate in any way, near or remote,
to the American republic. This duty is
performed by the " reference secre
tary," and for a aingle volume require*
tbe labor of years. With each record
are references to the authority upon
whieh the record ia based, and the cir
cumstances in detail under which the
information is obtained. Every existing
work, document, and paper i# consult
ed ; every history of tradition of anv re
liability "is carefully gleaned. This
diary being completed, Mr. Baucroft
takes what lie calls a " topic book " —a
large blank book, hke a banker's ledger,
which i# classified under different heads;
for instance, during the Revolutionary
war, a page would be assigned to everv
military or official character, and such
heads a* "Army," "Finance," "For
eign Affairs," " Campaigns" " Legisla
tion," are scattered through the book.
Urnler these heo<la ia compiled all the
information contained in the " diary,"
relating to each particular topic; ao
when Mr. Bancroft wiahee to write a
chapter, for instance,about the " military
campaigns." of the period to which the
volume ib devoted, lie has all the fact#
that can be gained from every possible
source, condensed and classified in their
chronological onler. When the work is
completed Mr. Bancroft familiarizes
himself with the content# of the " topic
book," marking passages of importance,
makiug crosa-references and commeuta
for hia own guidance, and indexing die
events in the order in which he inteuda
to treat them. Then he dictates to hia
" writing secretary " a fnll and complete
narrative of those'events, which i# laid
away to "season," —sometimes for
years. This description of his method
will give the reader an idea of the vast
amount of study, investigation, and
thought each volume of " Bancroft's
History of the United State#" repre
sent*. " Mr. Bancroft is now engaged in
the examination uf the archives of the
stab, department iu anticipation of his
next volume, which will comprise the
history of the first twenty years after
the organization of the government, and
brings his record up to the war of 1812.
A little fellow ha* jnst begun going
to tlie public schools. His mother, to
stimulate him to the attention of his
lessons, said to him the other day:
" Cliarley, if yon study hard, you may
some day become President of the United
States, like George Washington. Who
knows?" "Don't talk to me about
being President 1" he exclaimed; "every
body's going to be Preaiilent When we
go to sehtxil. the first thing the teacher
does, she calls the names of all the little
boys, and they all say • President.' I
don't want to be President."
NUMBER 13.
FARM, UARDEX AMI HOI'MEHOLD.
HTOMH r*F Ttllees.
Hand, unlike clay and muck, has no
port* for holding water. In send the
water ia held Iwtween the particles; in
clav and murk it ia held both between
ami within. This is why muck and clay
shrink by drying, while sand does nob
A soil to be in lbs best condition for re
ceiving and holding the proper quantity
of water for plants abcmid bo naturally
compart, but light at the surface, ami
firm beneath. The old custom, taught
by early writers, of stirring the surface
soil in dry weather to make it take in
water from the atmosphere, is all wrong,
for aoils do not abaoro water from the
atmosphere except in the form of dew.
When a crust is formed upon s soil by
rains, it should be broken np to prevent
evaporation, which is very active
through such a crust. But the soil
should be stirred very shallow at such
times ; stirring deeply sad often with a
cultivator in dry weather tends to dry
the soil by exposing large portions of It
to the drying influence# of the atmoe
pherc, but a shallow stirring after a
crust is formed is like cutting a lamp
wick just above the oiL The connection
is broken in both oases. The heat soil
for conserving moisture is that made of
materials which within themselves fin#
tubes from the top to the bottom,
tli rough which the moist are low down
nan be earned for the use of plants. The
poorest soil for holding moisture is thai,
with a flue surface, capable erf great
evaporation, overlying a loose, coatee
sand, incapable of carrying up water to
the surface soil ; though snob a wfl can
not dry quite as rapidly after rains as if
the bottom soil had a greater capacity for
sucking down capillary moisture. Hulls
need plowing and cultivating to keep
these capillary tubes active and in order.
A dormant soil, like that of an old mow
ing field or pasture, is acted upon by
every rata* like mason work under the
mason's trowel. The chinks in the soil
are constantly filling. We should plow
to break up this mason work, and to
multiply these water tubes.— Professor
S. It*. Johnson.
Ufc aaS Psi< WSM ef Vswta.
In marketing fowls the question some
times comes up as to the most profitable
mode for selling them—whether ahve or
dead. In order to test this to my own
satisfaction I have at diffrraut times,
through several years, ascertained and
recorded the facts bearing on this point.
The table below gives the result:
o f.iiO bow rw "W
U* f< lor tllel* rflel"
wtaksfct- ttaftat oaat£.iSM mmsta*. ■■■kmc
ibn cm JtM we it*
1. .. < I 6 I 4 W 15-4 *-
1 6 12 S 11 4 10 14 • 81.4
IS 7 5 6 2 5 8 IAB M
... 7 o 6 is 4 is isi aa
5 .10 0 a 11 7 11.8 87.8
7..61554S 118 Stkß
M 11 S I SB 8 It.l 881
These fowls were all of the light
Rrahma Tarictv, and moat of them young
nooks. The horn in dressing for market
was probablv somewhat greater than ia
usually the case, as the heads were cut
off iu order to avoid the bar baron mode
of throat sticking, and the wing and tail
feathers were also stripped off. At six
i teem recta per pound alive they would
have brought B*. 43. To bring fhia nam
dressed, they ahouU! sell for 18.56 ocpts
per pound, with nothing fa* the work of
picking. And dri—rd, drawn, etc., they
should bring a very small fraction over
twenty-two cents a pound, also without
pav tor the extra work. Three figures
will be useful to aome person* who do
not raise their own poultry for the table,
aa they can, by their light, make a pretty
clone estimate whether it ia cheaper to
bur chicken* "oo the hoof " tor their
tab!**, or buv of the market men dressed
-that ia, with heads, tails, en trail* aod
wing feathers all thrown in. Dressed in
this way, which ia the fashionable way,
the loan in preparing them for cooking
will be more than I have figured it—aay
1 at least thirty per centum instead of
about twenty-eight and one-half, and it
mar eveu reach thirty-three or thirty
four.—Letter to (htmfrp floifltewa
IUMTMI tliata-
FINOEH Manna.— Finger mark* may
be removed from varnished furniture br
the use of a little sweet oil upon a >wft
rag Patient rubbing with chloroform
will remove paint from black silk or any
other material.
To REMOVE SPOTS or Bnacwiwo mow
OmrxT —Spots of blacking may be
taken from carpet* with a mixture of one
ounce of powered borax, dmaolvml in
one quart of boiling water and n small
piece of soap, about the aiae a# a walnut,
cut fine and dissolved with the borax ;
Uittle this np, and use to take spots
from carpets or clothe*.
Foa PRETARIJUI LAUD TO KxEPTHaoroH
THE SrMMKB. —To one gallon of lard pat
one onnce of sal soda, dissolved in a gill
of watej. Do not fill your kettle* more
than half full, for it will foam and perhaps
txhl over. No other water ia required
•han what the soda is dissolved in.
When it is clone it will be very clear,
and will keen two year*. Strain through
a coarse cloth and act away.
SOAP. —Dissolve three pounds asl-eoda
in two gallons of water ; alack in a firkin
three pounds of good quick-lime ; ald
to it the sod* solution ; stir the whole
thoroughly with a stick, and add two
gallons of boiling water ; stir again and
let it settle ; pour ofi the clean liquor in
s clean iron boiler placed on the fire,
and stir into it aix pounds of olanfled
grease and one pound of powered borax;
let it boil slowly until it geta ropy,
(about ton minutes boiling) nd pour it
into a tub or tight box; thie makea a
good hard soap for family use ; after
drying a month or so in a dry room, and
cat into bars, it is fit for use.
Fashion N'stes.
Ashe* of rouM in a revireJ oolor this
spring.
Button roses will be the favorite roaea
this spring.
The new beige oolor is a grayish,
greenish brown or drab.
The popular color this spring is beige
in numerous shades.
Poppies and honeyauokle buds are
favorite artificials this season.
Bonnets are trimmed with shaded
moire and satin-faoed ribbons.
Roman pearl beads are used in quanti
ties for trimming spring bonnet*.
Pearl fringes and galloons are
seen among spring millinery goods.
Ombre, or shaded moire and satin
faoed ribbons, are very fashionable.
Roman pearl beads are made in shaded
colors to match ribbons and other trim
mings. |
Velvet striped and plash striped grena
dine gauzes are used in trimming spring
1 bonnets.
Very high Spanish combs in Bilver
filagree, ivory, coral, jet and shell are
very fashionable.
Low necked sleeveless princess dress
es, with long trains-and very square cut
pompadour corsages axe mnoh worn this
ball season.
The Meroedes coqueterie is a beauti
ful improvement on the false fronts
which have become ao indispensable
among the toilet effects of ladies.
Ostrich tips, with marabout ends
tipped with pearl beads, and with the
central stem ornamented with tiny sea
ahella, are among the novelties in mil
linery. |
11MM ef Istarnt
Wiry chape—Telegraph opeesk**.
The Doomiaf color o# Ibo Turks w
fatea
A good ear fer shin mnmo-Tbe mo
tion-aer.
The man who would Ilka lo ••• 7° n
Tho blind man
Boston con tains Iho only ejrmhul fao
tory in iho land.
A Lecture Fiold thai no man lass yoi
taken—Kate Fiold.
A good, heavy farm horse is Bootland
ia worth V 100 in gold.
Do not entertain visitor* with your
own domaatio trouble*.
Motto tor tho Ona,ma- "Strike till
the last armed too aspires t"
Thieves in Qoobeo steal the fur oapa
from the heads of the pssasra-by.
" Oh, mamma t H said a little one, "I
eat so mnofa it spoils my appetite."
The man who takes the most interest
in his business--the money lender.
The great dfißouHy in skating is to
maintain unanimity among jour fast.
Oolcead embroidery is sppsaiing on
the broad caffs mid eollaru for spring
wear.
Napoleon believed that whoever pos
sessed Constantinople oonld govern the
world.
A shoemaker advertises "Medicinal
boots." The virtue is supposed to be
in the heal.
" OKI Kink " is none other that Niekr,
the dangerous water-demon of Hoandi
uavian legend.
At the funeral of Hury Maigga, in
Pern, 300 carriages and lO.OiO people
made np the procession.
There is now ea establishment in New
York ty devoted aolaiy to the bnsiness
of hiring ont dress easts.
The rat* in an Ohio bam roaa in their
might and killed the dog that had been
sent in to exterminate them.
There is a pariah ia Wales, near the
fanions tubular bridge, named Hlanfair
pwllgwagwillgogerbwliJjsilkigoga.
There will be an international show of
breeding stock in conjunction with the
universe! exhibition at Pans in 1878.
There are uow 851 manufacturing m
uWitl.mwita ia San Fraactaoe. whose #
..rgregato products amount to 882,838,-
lirsat Britain has 154.584 warm in or
chards, 38,857 acres in market garden*.
12,042 aeree in nurseries, d 2,187,078
acres in forest.
The Ashtabula aoufMiteoat fee Lake
Share and Michigan Uitahera railway
i c impaay $488,840. and all Use claims
uo amount of the awilorit have been
MtHd
The worst we ever heard—What • the
difference between a man fftraek with
amassment and a leopard's tad 7 One ia
rooked to the ■*>*, and the other ia
■spotted to the root.
Ha—"By Jore, yon know—opoo my
word—if I were to see a gboat, yon
know, I would he a chattering idiot for
the rest of my life." She—" Haven't
yon seen a gho^tf"
The British government has entered
into a contract lor tha supply of a large
number of telephones, and the intaodoc
ti<n of the new invention into the postal
nervine promises to beoome general.
John Bbodea, an English suaer, living
at Hoonalow, died raaantly at the age of
eifhty. leaving 8500.000 to various
i Lmdon chanties. He drmaed like a
, tramp and aystematieally starved him
aelf.
Cm ros SumnmaaxEsa.—Eat an
onion or two pawwna to retiring at
night. Also a apemOe for all iiaaaaea
>f the kidney aad bladder, if tndnlgnd
m freely for some time, where other
remedies have failed.
Bad lock is simply a man with hia
liaoda in Ma pocketa, and hia pipe in hia
> month, looking on to nasdiow it ia com
ing out. Good look ia a man of pluck,
with hia sleeves rolled up, and working
to make it oome out right.
" Reduced to 87," remarked Jonce. as
be ]>ased a fashionable tailor # atore
and read the above statement prcani
t nmtlv displayed on aa overcoat.
" That's nothiag; I am redacted to a
much smaller asm than that myself."
You oaa aeU TOUT ee* for tan dollars
in the Black Hi 11*. It will oost yon
eightv-flve dollars to get ont there with
the oat, and get home again, bat then
TOU will be ru of the cat, and that ia
worth one hnndr&d and twenty dollars
to any one.
TSS rot am
i I s a oarakws potato, and car* not a pin
Boar tutu xiaUno* I eama;
1 If UM* planted aw drtß-wst or dibbled ma
To aw U* exscilj the asms.
Tba baas and the pas say mora k>ftßy tow
Bat I oar* not n tantton tar tan .
Dtaanes 1 nod Uh baantifnl tow .
When the earth ia boed rny stam.
Th ben van tno of ladia is sometime*
found to jreel out ao as to show with
ooe parent trunk three hundred end
' rtftT items descending, end egein taking
root in the ground, each stem equaling ■
large oak tree, while there ore thousand*
iif smaller ones. Thia tree is so expended
as to form a small forest ol itself, where
in 7,000 peraoua could stand.
An Arkansas shot-gun is sometimes
more merciful then an Arkansas hus
band The other day a ruffian, deem
ing his long-time bed-ridden wife an
incumbrance, undertook to shoot her,
but the weapon refused to explode.
Then eoifing >t by the muxxie he was
about to dash out her brains, but the
stock struck on the head-board of the
lied and the contents of both barrels
were lodged in the brnte'a body.
A singular discovery hs been made
on board the Irvine, a full-rigged vessel,
recently in drv dock at Rotherhithe,
London. The ship had recently arrived
from Peru, at which place the body of a
woman was foundimbedded in the cargo,
which consisted of sods. The body is
in s good state of preservation, and is
supposed to be Ihst of a victim of an
earthquake which occurred many hun
dred veara ago in Pern. Rings are in
serted in the ears.
The Edenburg (Pen 11.) Herald relates
a storv about s commercial drummer
from f*ittsburg, who, considerably un
der the influence of liquor, mistook bis
route and drove his team upon the trea
tle-work of the Edenburg, Summit and
Clarion railroad, supposing it to be the
wagon road. The trestle bridge ia sixty
feet up from the ground, and about the
same length, but the horses made the
crossing, feeling their wny in the dark
ness, step by step, every foot striking a
tie securely, until the distance was trav*
ersed and thev stood ia safety on the
other aide; and just in the nidi of time,
too, aa the night express came thunder
ing by in five minutes after the team
had left the track.
Statistics lately made public show the
sheep in the various countries noted be
low to be as follows: In the United
Kingdom in 1876, there were 32,252,579
sheep; in Russia, in 1870, there were
48,130,000 ; in Germany, in 1873, there
were 24,999,406 ; in Austria, in 1871,
tliere were 20,108,395; in France, in
1872, there were 24,589,647; and in
Spain, in 1865, there were 22,054.967
—showing a total in Europe of about
190,000,000. 111 Australia in 1875. there
were 62,000,000; Cape, 16.000.000;
River Plata, 60.000.000; North Amer
tea, 50,000,000 ; aud total, 385,000,000.
Turkey, North Africa, Persia, etc., say
65,000,000 ; India ana' Chins, ssy 35,
000,000. Grand total, 484,000,000.
The Louisville, (Ky.) Argte* recalls
this about the stalwiurt new justice of
the United States supreme court:
"The suooees which has attended the
practice of General John M. H&rlen is
largely due to his physique and endur
ance. In the great Pullman palace car
case he wss employed on short notice as
one of the counsel. He Hhd but a %iay
to post himself and study up the author
ities, but be undertook the task. Look
ing himself pk bif oflhe.gi#* Judge
Loohrane, of Georgia, ax;a Mr. peorge
M. Pullman, he examined them thor
oughly upon it, grasping all the points,
and collecting ana arranging Ms cita
tions. POT twenty-four hours, during
which time his companions alternated
between sleeping end dispensing infor
mation, he studied the case, sad at the
end of that time ha had every point at
hie ilum—l' g||ls.jpdwaaaa fresh aa a