Flown Away.
f m lbs bars, brown bought before m
In the softly falling rain,
Raato a bluebird . now, upstarting,
gas bow tnddenlr she's darting.
Far tway across tha plain.
It was but a dash of color,
Shown against a stormy sky ;
Only two blur wings uplifted
Whare the gray clouds slowly drifted
Bat they bora a song on high
She is lost ta misty darkness ; .
Will ahe pierce beyond the gray *
Will the reach the blue behind It 7
Will she pause when she shall And it ?
W ill she know tt ? Who can say ?
Hoes RVTii Oooiki ', in .VribarT.
Come Unto the HIUs.
Come up unto the hills thy strength is there
Oh, thou haet ltngen>d long,
Too long amid the bower* stut blossoms (air,
With notes of sumnur song
Oh, son! ' why lam their What though the
bird
Pipe matin lu the *'*,
The ploughboy whistle to Ihe Kutering herd
As the red daylights fail.
Vet come uuto the lull*, the > id >*roug hilla.
And leave tha stagnant plant
Come to the gushing of the r w horn rill*
Tha: sing uuto the aiaiu.
And It)on with drnisena of p■*!■ shall dwell
Beyond demeaiung care .
Cowp.etd ujkiu lu- itxk. tuiJ stoim nd fell,
Tue eagle sha! l<e there.
Come up unto the hills - the -Littered tree
Still oiiugr unto the nci.
And thngvih out his Inuclira eadfast, free.
To bide agaiu the stuck .
Come where no (tar :* Sr-sit ihe sea-bud's
nest
On the old hemlock *auig>.
And than Shalt taste the gladness of uureat.
And mount upon thy wings
Come tip uuto Use hilts tha ntuO of old,
Thev of undaoulud >H.
Oiww jubilant of hi a .1 -t :jjai d .
On tha enduring h;
Where caiur the Svmudlng of the -e\ afar.
Borne landward to tha car.
And nearer grew the moon an J miJ.nght star.
And God himeeif wore near.
A"!!ltlirPl l WieS * :■
My Rich Uncle from China.
"My dears." cried Mrs. ChiJleigh,
hurrying into the morning partbr, where
Berenice and I sat, busy m i blue and
pink tarlatan candy-bags, the charity
fair, " I've news I r you, the very best
of news."
It wa> the day beiore Timcksgiving,
and the fair WHS to be hf L.I that evening
at tnv ar it's bouse.
"Whai is it?" Berenice,
aeatteriv. her cand' -* ' H .at Mr. Ever
leigh spoken at last V '
My auv.t flushed and bit her Up.
"Myd-ar Berenice," - he said, "you
.should not be so out-ej • kin ! To htar
yon, one would fancy you were exceed -
logly ai xious abont Mr. Everleigh. "
" Well, aren't we?" • terrapted Ber
ry, saacily. toeing lur blonde hair.
" I'm sure we've leeu expecting him to
speak for the las! month, and hoping
for it, t HI. Where's the harm in saving
what we feel ?*'
Aunt was silent. I laughed, as I fill
ed a bine bag with piuk bon-bons.
" You seem to take it for granted.
Berry," I said, "that when Mr. Ever
leighi doea speak, it will be to propose
for yon. Now, you forget ma Who
can tell, which he may chooee ?"
Berenice curled her red lip.
" Hell not be likely to choose yon,
Meg. at any rate," she said, with a
sneer.
New, I knew this to be quite true. I
was a poor orphan, my father died, pen
niless, a ,Vw years beiore. We lived in
a small cottage, with only four rooms,
that had hnce been the gardener's-cot
tage. and which had been granted to us
rent free, by Annt Mary. In fact, wt
were, more or less, dependents on her
bounty. Mother eked out our scanty
living by taking in plain sewing, and I
earned a little by fine embroidery; but
I hail not mucb time of my own for
this kind of work, for my aunt was
sending for ur, continually, to do this
and that; and I did not dare to re
fuse. 1 was. in short, a kind of maid
of-al'i work, up at the "great house,"
as we called Aunt Mary's residence.
Sometimes, 1 tlmngbt, with a sigh, of
the difference between mamma's lot an 1
Aunt Mary'g Then I remembered that
the latter had sold herself for money,
marrying an old man, who was twice
her age, and Beth jealous and exactiug.
Fortunately, he had died, at last. But
Aunt Mary had. lor.g since, paid the
penalty, by growing harder-hearted and
more selfish daily, when my own dear
parents, who had married for love, had
bete supremely liappj ; at least, while
lather lived. I WHS net sqre, recalling
all this, that, in spite of our privations,
we ongbi to complain. Yet Berenice
was i-orrect, of course. What right had
I, a dependant, even to think of Mr.
Everkngh, who was rich, fashiouable.
and a favorite everywhere ?
Bnt I was human, after all, and this
tan nt roused me.
" I can't see why ha shouldn't marry
even me, if he loved me," I retorted".
"He's a free agent, at any rate."
Berenice tossed her head, till her ring
lets were in a shimmer.
" What a little fool von are," she aaid,
"for goodness' sake hold your tongue.
Mammo. leva," and she turned her back
on tue, " den't you mean to tell na your
good news? "
" Assuredly, when you are polite
enough to hear it. I've been waiting
now. some ten minutes. Are you and
Meg quite done with your absurd dis
cussion? "
" Quite, mamma ! It was Meg who
start*-d it; she's always chattering non
sense. But let us hear the news."
Aunt drew a letter from her pocket.
"A letter," cried Berenice ; 'then it
does not concern Mr. Everieigh, after
all"
"My dear, no. No one mentioned
Mr. Everieigh's name, but yourself. I
really wish yon would try and be a lit
tle more guarded. The letter ia from
your nncle in Bbanghae. He ia coming
* home."
Berenice and I gave a simultaneous
exclamation. Since the earliest years
of our childhood, "our uncle in China "
had been the center about which all our
romance had revolved. He was mam
ma's brother, and Aunt Mary's also.
Years liefore, when I was a mere baby,
he had gone abroad, become soldier and
sailor by turns, and flnall had amassed,
wo had heard, a great fortune. Once in
a long while a battered box that smelted
of camphor and foreign spices came
over seas, a reminder that Uncle Hal had
not quite forgotten either mamma or
Auni Mary. But generally the gifts
were to my annt. "Those on whom
success shines," says the old homily,
"arc successful in all things."
" When your uncle comes home from
Qhica, Berenice dear, we will do thns
and so," was always on my annt's
tongne; for, rich as she was, at least
comparatively, she was always wanting
more.
And now he was coming! Berry
screamed with delight.
" I shall tell Everleigh," she said, al
most instantly, and a little spitefully,
" I dare say he'll speak now."
"It doesn't at all matter whether he
speaks or not, my daughter," said my
annt, loftily, " when your uncle arrives
-and we mavlook for him any day next
Week— you will feel, mv dear, that your
position in life is doubly secured.
Even Mr. Everleigh would hardly be a
match for yon ! So now yon and Maggie
go on with yonr work. I'm glad oar
cbaritv fair comes off to-night; we shall
be busy hereafter preparing for your
uncle. "What a pity he couldn't be here
for Thanksgiving."
Having said this, my aunt sat down to
write out invitations and directions for
the charity fair. A devout church
member, and something of s philanthro
pist, was annt.
FRED. KURTZ. Editor and Pr< vpriotor.
VOLUME XI.
•• Mamma, mamma, I aay," culled
Jack, Berenice's hopeful brother, a lad
some doaeu summers tiki, thrusting hi*
cnrlj head in at the door, " Have yon
get any stale victuals, or old elothea, or
anytlnug to give away ? " ,
Sty aunt put down her gold jw n, ami
threw hack ihe point-lace lajija t* of liar
breakfast-cap, with an air of annoyance.
Jack waa such a tormeut !
"Why, Jack?" demanded Berenice.
"'Cause there's a beggar out here.
He h>oka awful huugrv ; and ain't got
no overeodt. I say, mamma, can l give
him that cold turkey in the larder ? "
Mamma leaped to her feet.
" Xol 1 want that turkev to make
ssudwiohe* tor the fair ; donH dare to
touch it. Send the beggar away ; you
kuow 1 won't have trumps about the
place. Send htm away, this minute ;
and go straight np to the library, and
write ont your l,atiu exercises."
Jack turned from the door, a cloud ou
his aunuv face. Looking out of the
window, 1 saw an old man, iDsuflicieutly
clad. Our big dog Carlo was suarling
at his heels. The beggar was so close
to the window that he must have heard
every word my auut said ; and he looked
crestfallen enough iu consequence.
"It doesn't seem quite consistent,"
1 remarked, for once letting mv indig
nation get the lieiter of my love of
peace, "to have the house about one's
ears, getting ready for a charity fair,
ami a starving beggar walking from the
door unfed."
" A thieving tramp," cried mv auut,
hotly. " Keep silent, Meg. and don't
interfere. It's uoue of your business,
anvhow."
1 was pmdeut enough to make no re
ply, bat my blood boiled, nevertheless.
Hail I remained much longer, I should
have lost my self-control, ! fear ; so I
got np directly, and saying thai I had
promised to go home soon, left my
aunt's.
Our oottage was at the edge of the
■rood, just ontaideof the great gates;
but the aveune was lia!f a mile long,
and before 1 reached the gates, I ha 1
almost overtaken the beggar, ne seem
ed not only old, but feeble, and walked
with difficulty; he ws probably deaf
also, as he Jul net seem to hear my foot
step*. Just outside the gates, he met
my little sister, Kitty, who was return
ing from the wood, where *he had beeu
to pick np sticks for onr fire.
" My dear," said tbeold man, address
ing her, " cau you t* II me where I can
get a bit of supper and a night's lodgiug ?
I am old and poor, and haven't tbe
money to go to a tavern. Yon look a*
if yon had a kind heart, Ood bless it!
I've just been turned away trom tbe big
honse here; but perhaps you are not so
hard-hearted as the mistress there.'
Kitty's honest littie face showed the
pity that she felt. But she was only a
chiid, and shrink from responsibility.
"I don't know air," she said, diffi
dently. " I thmk mamma will give yon
something to eat; and maybe we can find
a bed for yon; that is, if sister Margaret
and I sleep on tbe settee; for you see
onr house is small. Bat, oh, here comes
sister herself,** she cried, as she discov
ered me, " and she'll tall you all about
it."
My heart was still hot with indigna
tion "at the brutality w-itli which ttiy
annt aud Berenice bad treated the old
man. and I hastened to rep'7. warmly:
*' Yea, I will undertake that yon shall
have supper and bed, although neither
may be an good as what they could have
given von up at the great house. Bat
what little we have, you shall share.
Stav. let me carry your pack for von."
He hail a small one strapped on hisVack.
" Indeed, indeed, I am fitter to do it
than yon."
" Thank yon," he said, slowly taking
a long look at my face, and t hen scru
tinizing that of Kitty's. "Yon seem,
both of you, as if yon were good children;
and your offer to take my pack proves aa
much. But I'll carry it myself, still.
Little one," and he turned to Kitty,
" what have yon got those sticks for ? "
"For mother's fire, please." she said,
dropping a little curtesy. " I have just
been getting them in the woods."
" My annt," I interposed, " wbo lives
in the great honse here, kindly allows us
to pick np loose bite from under the
trees. We are poor, aa sister says, and
so every little beips."
"And you are duly thankful, I snp
pose?"said the old man, sarcastically.
"Beggars must not b chooser*, you
know, aa I heard just now myself."
1 blushed scarlet with shame for my
aunt. " Indeed, indeed," I cried, "YOU
trust not judge Aunt Mary too harsfily,
for I see, from what von nay, that you
overheard her. She must have beeD out
of sorts this morning "
" And 1 suppose that a veiee which
answered her, and which I think I
recognize," he interrupted, looking at
me keenly again, " belonged to name
one who was not out of sorts, eh ?"
Before I could answer I heard the
qnick gallop of a horse, and my poor
weak heart gave a great bound, for 1
reoognized iu that elastic footfall the
step of the thoroughbred that Mr. Kver
leigh rode. In my embarrassment I
stepped quickly asiife, though of course
there was no danger, and in stepping
aside my foot slipped on a stone, my
ankle turned, and with an unconscious
crv of pain I sank to the earth.
Ybe rider was off his horse and at my
side, and bad lifted me in bis arms, even
before the old beggar who stood so close
to me conld stoop to assist me. "It is
only a sprain," I stammered, trying to
free myself, yet feeling, oh ! so happy,
in those strong arms. "lam sure I can
walk." '
" Bnt I know you can't," said Mr.
Everleigh impetuously. ' * How shall I
ever forgive myself ? It was my rapid
gallop that made you start."
" No, no," I cried, " I was talking to
this poor old man, and it came on me so
suddenly—you are not a bit to blame—
only I have been foolish. But do let
me try to walk."
My earnestness, joined to my strug
gles induced him to yield. He release.)
me from hia arms. Bnt the instant I
put my foot to the ground, the agony
was such that I almost shrieked. I bit
my lip till the blood came, however,
and kept silence.
Mr. Everleigh snatched me again into
hla arms. " I knew it would be so," he
cried, " and now yon must let me carry
you. John," and be called to a groom,
who had been following him, "ride at
at once to Dr. Landor's. We must, my
dear Mies Chidleigh, have the foot ban
daged without delay."
" And I will lead your horse to the
cottage," interposed the old beggar,
" and tie him there. Gome on, little
Kitty, you and I will follow."
When we got home the house was
filled with the smell of crullers, which
mamma was baking for the feast
that was to be given, up at Aunt Mary's,
after the fair. Poor mamma, she looked
tired to death ; and when she saw me,
she fairly gave up for a moment ; but
Mr. Everleigh, in a few, kind words,
put her fears to rest; and long before
the physician came, my injured foot was
swathed and bandaged, so that Dr.
Landor declared he had been " regular
ly taken in."
When evening came my foot was ever
so much better; so much so, that, when
Mr. Everleigh returned with a carriage,
and insisted that we shonld all go up to
my aunt's to the fair, as we had prom
ised, 1 was only too willing to consent.
For the first time in our acquaintance,
> there was something in Mr. Everleigh's
: manner that made even me, humble aa
THE CENTRE REPORTER.
I waa, think that i waa not without a
charm ftir him.
The lieggar had crept, unobtrusively,
into a corner while my foot waa Iteing
bandaged, but Kitty, rcmeiutieruig htm,
left me when ahelotind the hurt waa not
serious, •• Poor old man," ahe said,
"we had i(ally forgotten you. Ton
must be hungry. Here, eat some of
these crullers, ami when mamma has
finished with Maggie she will make yon
a cup of tea."
The cup of tea was made iu due time,
and a substantial supper act before the
mendicant; in fact, all the cold meat we
had iu the house. When Mr. Ever
leigh returned, and we proposed to go,
the old beggar rose to hi* feet;
" I am a stranger to you. ma'am," he
•aid, addressing ummma, " and natur
ally you will uotjwish to leave me here tti
your house. 1 will wait outside till you
come back."
" Wait outside?" cried mamma, "aud
m the cold ? No, your face is an honest
face, if there ever was oue. Hit down
again, here bt the tire, and stay, and
sleep here to-uight and take dinner with
us to-morrow. It will be a homely meal
for a Thanksgiving one, but such as it
is you will be welcome to it."
"God bless yon, ma'am," said the
old man, with a sbakv voice, ami I
I thought I saw tears in his eves. I aui
sure 1 heard him murmur, as he turned
away to hide his emotion : ' Of such is
the Viugdom of heaven."
The charity fair, a* the reader, by
this time has understood, was to be
held in HIT aunt's spao.otis apartments.
Everybody wan to be there. The gov
ernor even, who was ou a visit to hia
brother, a near neighbor, van expected
to attend. One of the senators for onr
State was also to la' present. It was to
be a most brilliant affair.
So, when the dining-room was all
a-ghtter with lights, and echoed with gay
voices, and shone with handsome dress
es, and beheld the presence of the most
distinguished society of the county ; and
was tilled with --tails of pretty thing*,
the big, chintz covered chair was
wheeled into the hail, and I, my sprain
ed foot resting on a cushion, sat in it,
with a table of pretty knick-knack* be
fore me ; and Mr. Evsrleigh by me.
My aunt did nut look in a good hu
mor, however, though her fair could
not have been more of a success, and
though everybody praised her philan-
Berenice, too, wore a scowl,
that spoiled all her blonde Inanity.
Somewhere abont ten o'clock, wheu
bnsiueHs was at Its briskest, there came
a rl! of wheel* on the drive and bustle
at the door. Presently, Jack, who had
gone to see what was the matter, rushed
back, his grav eves dancing.
"Oh! lterry, I say," be cried out,
stifling a burst of laughter, " Yon know
tbe beggar ? The old man we turned
off this morning? Well, he's back
again; here at the door, and, oh 1 mv
burtons, bnt he's our uncle from China."
My aunt, in her black silk and point
lace, stood behind a stall of cake* and
ices. She turned sharply at Jack's
words. He saw her look of consterna
tion. and screamed with lanpliter again.
•• I say, now, mamma, it is true.
Don't you wish you'd let me give him
the cold tnrk.-y. instead of making it
into sandwiches?"
My anut did not utter a word. But
she htirruM to the door, and Berenice
followed.
There he stood, onr long-expected
nncle from China, a little, weather
lieaten old man, with a pinched, pale
face. A wicked twinkle lit his eyes.
My annt ruabed np to him at once, and
would have smothered him with kis*es.
But he merely gave her the tipsol hi*
yellow finger*.
"I made acquaintance with your
niece, this morning," he said with a
dry,chuckling iaugh, tnrr ug to me, as
be came in, " and the littie girl there,
too," indicating Kitty. "She is poor
Marian'* child, eh ? She's got her
mother's fair face, and good heart.
She gave the In-ggar a welcome, which
some others, I know of, didn't. Ah,
well, I suppose its tinman naturj. But
I'll make it np to her, all the same.
Never turn a needy mau from joar
door, Mrs. Chidieigb. Yon kuow what
the good book says about entertaining
angels unaware* ?"
Poor aunt? Tbe look ou her face wa
too ludicrous? lu spite of our relation
ship, I laughed tili my sides actie-1.
But Berenice went to her room and
cried herself to sleep.
Well, there is little more to tell. It
really was our uncle from China, who
had chosen to come to us, wearing the
guise of a beggar ; aud if only tay aunt
had been consistent in her charity, her
long cherished expectations rnigtif haTe
been realized.
As it was, the gieat China fortune
went to me aud Kitty and Jack; and
Berenice got never a penny. And,
moreover, when Horace F.vcrleigh did
•qvoak (he had spoken that evening be
fore our nncle declared himself), it was
me he asked to be his wife.
Berenice takes it all bitterly to heart,
and my annt is inconsolable; but I, be
lieving that in this life and in the life
which is to come we get only our just
deserts, have nothing to say.
" Yes," remarlw my nncle, "Maggie
and Kitty aud Jack shall inherit all I
have. • They were kind to me when they
did not know who I was; that's the sort
of people I believe in."— Pclrmon
l.lfe in the Arctic Region*.
Dr. John Roe recently delivered an
interesting lecture on tnis subject in
Dublin. The lecturer, after having
stated the necessity of those taking part
in the Arctic expeditions being previous
ly accustomed to oxjxisuree to cold and
privations, gave a vivid account of two
voyages which he made to-those regions.
He described how the Esquimaux built
lints of blocks of snow in which they
lived perfectly warm, how the seals are
killed by a harpoon being suddenly
plunged by the hunter into the breath
ing holes they make in the ioe, and re
lated several amusing anecdotes showing
the sagacity of foxes Home of these
animals he bad known to scrape away
all the snow which covered the traps set
for them, and then approaching at the
l>ack, steal and eat the bait. He bail
also known a fox to scrajn* a trench by
the side of a piece of bait and then get
ting into the hole pull the meat down
and so dischaige the gun, to the trigger
of which a string one end of which was
attached to the Bait was tied. Having
thus avoided the shot and defeated the
intention of the hunter it would eat the
irnit. He did not agree with Mr. Ro
manes in that gentleman's opinion about
animal intelligence; but he believixl
that some of these foxes showed that
they possessed something more than
mere instinct. Having -eferred to the
sufferings of Sir John Franklin's party,
he mentioned some of the privations to
which he (Dr. Rao) and his men were
subject. They had to sleep in the snow
houses together in their clothes, and
were unable to wash, being only able to
rub themselves with snow. At. times
they depended npon their hunting for
food, and they were so hungry that they
devoured the whole of the birds shot
except the bill and claws. Their drink
wag tea, water, chocolate, etc., but they
took no grog. In conclusion, the leo
tnrer mentioned that on his return he
and Ills party, consisting of eight, were
given the $50,000 granted by govern
ment for the discovery of the remains of
those forming the Franklin expedition.
CENTRE HALL, CENTRE CO.. PA., THURSDAY. DECEMBER 12, 1878.
stnr !• Thnr W hit rr Mahlm
larta<l % (r Ihe llni'ft
Just u word or two about tin* matter
of Christmas. M>wt of the reader* of
the 7Vl6tin< are *ic, practical people,
who kuow the value of fun and charity,
and hourly devotional filling, and meau
therefore to keep the day which bring*
these thing* into their houses, and the
heart* of their lntya slid girls. Bilt the
majority of Tribum reader* are uot
people whose estates ruu tip into seven
figures, or who can deal gorgeous gifts
around aiuoug their friend* aliil |xor
neigtilxirs, with no more trouble than
it oot Aladitiu to rub hi* rusty
lamp. A* a rule, they measure
the outlay of dime* pretty sharp- 1
ly, and play a perpetual game of
fence with their monthly bill*. They
mean to keep Christmas and to give
Christmas gifts, but they have in *ll
probability about one-half or one-third
u* much money a* they could afford to
give to the purpose in former year*.
The wisest plan to follow, as it seems to
us, in these oiroumstauees, is
1. Lot the atiutiug and hardship, it it
must come, (all on the grown people ; ,
keep it oat of sight of the children on
tin* day a* mti' h a* possible. If they
have been nsed to a tree, go without
your cigara or new Ixiunet, but let it
rise for them on this Chntma morning
with all It* old splendor. The middle
aged can weigh a sacrifice st it* insig
nificant value, and they have phiioaopbv
to meet it. But we question very wueli
the good effect* of the discipline of pov
erty at any season upuu youug children.
At all events spare it to thcui, if possi
ble, in this grscmus time when they
think that al! good gifts and gladness
come straight from Him whose birthday
it i*.
11. Cut off your wealthy friends wilh
tho cheai>eet alitl trivial offering*.
They will have sense enough to under
stand why you do it. and if they have
uot, they are uot worth keeping a*
friends. Put more thought, care and
aeutitueut into your little koepsuke* for
them, aud you will have more money
left to put into gifts for those who need
substantial offerings.
111. " Komenilx.r the poor, not by
•ending a turkey to one hungry family,
or a ton of ooal to another, and then
dropping the wtiole ola* out of your
tmnd for the reel of the holidays, but by
actually takiug thought how to help
them substantially.
IV. Don't pay half your week's
•alary for a bit( clois une to give your
rich neighbor, whose cabinet# are full
of such useless stuff, but take a photo
graph of his baby to the |xor artist
around the corner to paint, so yon
shall scatter real pleasure with
both hands. You know a newly cousin
to .whose housewifely anxious soul
a set of embroidered napkins or
handkerchiefs would seem a most
proper gift, aud you know a needle
woman starving for work : make
them Ikitli happy, (live the children's
half-worn coals and shoes to the poor
seamstre-s aud • •bibltr to bind and
patch, betore you give iht-m to thou*
who are still po >ret tuau thev. >et the
children to w<wk to menu their broken
toys aud to drvna tb-tr little trees, and
lei them be themselves the Christ ehil
or-u who shall carry them out and give
tiiern away. Ho it -hail not l*> a tinsel
ed tree which yon shall plant, hilt a
habit of chanty, of kinJlluees, of love
winch shall bear fruit their lives lung.
Use yonr influence as well as your
money to scatter hope and help. Don't
begrudge un hour's letter-writing or a
mile's walk to tlod a situation for that
i>oor clerk or teacher out of work. Don't
lie ashamed, either, to call IU co-opera
tion in your kindly schemes. Yo j can
yourself only afford logivt an occasional
nu-al b> tl# j-'or widow in the back
street, with her hungrv brood, but with
the help of your fellows iu the office
or shop you can set her up in some
small business, which will give her daily
bread the year round.
Our liiuta are bt uiely, but we are
talking, we hojx, to homely, practical
people. lantiv, aud al*ve all, let tia
id I remember iu Qnwhni- weak, before
we give a dollar awnv, to pay every dol
lsr of our debt*. We have no right to
give to rich friend or to starving seam
stress the money which actually lielougs
to other people.. If we cannot be honest,
let ns attract un false credit to ourselves
by pretending to be generous. We shall
not lie likely to deceive our neighbors
any more then God ; ...el money honestly
earned and honest'v j ward, is twice as
live and useful as u. ev given in alms.
New York Trtbun'.
( iirioii-. Norman French Custom.
The Xouif Utile dc /loumm gives some
particulars of a case of " crying baro "
which has just come up in Jersey. Duke
Hollo's administration centuries ago in
liis duchy of Normandy was rigorously
j n „t—indeed, it is claimed that the in
stinct of order and obedience to law
then implnnted among the Normans has
never been lost. In case of any aggres
sion the *ubjvt wa won't to call on his
ruler's name : " Ha, Hon ! ha. Hollo!"
an appeal that never was in vain. The
custom anrvived under other dukes, and
became known as " Haro," or the
"clamour of Haro," a procedure abol
ished in Normandy in 185 d, but still
perpetuated in ttie channel islands, or at
least in Jersey. In the middle ages the
cry was often accompanied by the wind
tug of a horn. At present the haro ia
not er.ed in criminal ruses, but it is re
sorted to as a Hjieedy method of obtain
ing redress for civil torts. Three or
four times a year tha royal court has to
jn< Ige one of these esses. Two gontle
men, Messrs. Hobiu and Dickson, are
the parties to the latest snit on record.
The latter, finding that a road laid out
by the former was alrout to interfere
with his right of way, cast himself on
1 is knees, and baring his head, cried,
" Haro, haro, haro, and three times
haro! To my aid, my prince ; I am
wronged!" The workmen at once
dropped their implements where they
'stood and withdrew—not to have done
no would have been to incur penalties
its criminals, and the affair instantly
came lx-fore the courts. Home years
ago, when the railroad company waa
i about to trespass upon the public
slaughter-house property in Jersey, M.
de QueMeville, known ss " the Duke of
Normandy," because of his devotion to
, old traditions, cast himself on Iris knees
iu the name of the town of Ht. Hellers
and raised the cry of haro, with the
effect of instantly stopping SOO laborers.
The Galveston (Texas) Netvn says the
remarkahio specimen of meteoric iron,
resembling Bteel, picked np in the Mo
hau desert and carried to Fort Yuma,
a short time ago, is thuH described:
" It weighs about a pound, and carries
free gold, of which nearly a dollar ap
pears on the snrface. It is not mag
netic, and has successfully resisted sim
ple and compound hatha of acid. In
this respect it resembles specular iron,
bnt in no other. One of its surfaces
shows a fracture that reveals a crystal
line structure, the color of which is a
steel gray, tinged~witti yellow. It has
defied the best cold chisels in the black
smith shop, and has not broken or chip
ped under heavy blows. If its composi
tion can be imitated, it will produce
the hardest and toughest alloy known,"
t HKIsIM ts HINTS.
A Meteoric Story.
TIMELY TOriUS
1/etters from persona deairiou* of
adopting orphaua are pouring into Mem
phis, Tenn.
A Paris worker lu uietals finds himself
with a head of green hair from some un
known chemical cause.
The latest invention re|*irtd in Eu
rope i a phosphorescent |>|*r, wnLug
or pruit on which can t>e read iu the
dark.
New discoveries of gold have been
made iu Hitiena, near Hie source of Hie
Kounisar ; and a nugget of gohl weigh
ing 147 iKtnnda, the largest ever dis
covered in Hussia, and probably in the
world, ha* lieeu found on the (tanks of
the Upper Toiiugouska, ner tlie river's
month.
Twenty vears ago a girl wa* born
in l'lemingslmrg, Ky. tier parents re
soivod to begin froui bur birth ami da
iHmit ten cents a day iu bank for her
lieueflt. Hhe is now twenty yeara old,
and the sum amount* to $1,461. The
young man that marries her will enter
tain a secret wish that they had made it
twenty ceut* a day.
Ihwton poh.Twen are cuinjxdled to
wear leather collars, the inteniiou leiug
to make them hold up their heads in n
soldierly mauuer ; bnt the leather nibs
their chins, aud the restraint grows i
--ceettiuglv lrkisune after a few hours.
The |silicemen complain loudly, but the
emiitasioueru say Uiat something is
necessary as a cheek on the tendency to
•loveliness.
Hauittei Williams began his oarei-r in
the Uuited StaU-* *a a runaway from his
Kughsh home, having obtained money
by forging hi* father's name. He be
came professor id languages aud applied
science* in the University of Virginia,
and was rated high aiuoug college
savants, hut lias just fiuuhod hi* career
a* a jNuddler of apiU in the streets of
Dallas, Tela*, druukeuness having
ruined htm.
Robert Darker, an engine-driver, of
Chester, Kngland, was a steady mau,
while his wife waa of intymperate habits.
One day las! July, as he lay on a sofa
with hi* gun behind him, she came
home drunk, attuck huu, aud there was
a struggle for the gun, which went off,
fatally wounding her. The huslMtnd
shot himself, but did not cause mortal
injury. When they lav on the floor te •
gether the man **id, " It was your own
iaalt, now forgive me." lie at the aaiue (
time held out bia hand, but the wife
would uot take it, aaymg. " You're shot
me snd you'll have to be hung for it.
On trial the jury acquitted Parker, amid
much applause.
The king of Dahomey, on the African
coast, whom Eugiand lias been trying to '
civilize, has relspwwl into his old ways, i
He recently attacked a village, to the
windward of WLydah, and brought in a
great nntubcr of human hernia, and also
•uany women and children eantivi-s. H
has iwrricl off a I'ortnguee merchant,
Ignatt" Mayrattraee, and a* now detain
ing iu custody the Portuguese oousol
and seven >'ldiera. 110 obliges the
soldiers to go through a variety of mlfi
tary maneuvers daily for his amnCMUMit. I
The king lias re-established hia grand
customs of annaal human aarntJoee, and
within the past month over 500 persons
have Iw-en slaughtered.
How Voting People are lade Near
sighted.
The eye is an organ which ia soft, as
it were, when the child is born ; it is
plastic- -it i in a couditi u to be change.'
in its shape, and its tissues are in condi
tion to lw moved, that is, the tisanes
which go to made UP the organ can be
molded in various shape* on pressure.
Ordinarily the child goes on until it has
reached the age of eight or ten years, or
perhaps a little older, when it isoliserved
tbarit is obliged to hold the object at
which it is looking a little nearer than
liefore. An examination reveals the
fact that the child is near-sighted. This
condition usually progresses more ra
pidlv between the ages of teu aud twen
ty-six. But we know by means of the
..ptlialmosenpe, and by in examination
■jt the body after death, that the near
sighted eye is changed in shape from
the spherical to an elliptical or ovoid
form, and that progressive near aighted
new is always marked bv a change in
the shape of the eye. A- the eye is made
up of healthy tissue, and it is constantly
undergoing waste and repair iu use, you
readily perceive that the quality of its
repair is going to be determined very
much by the character of the tissue
binding <|nality of the |>artteulr child,
and by the way in which that child uses
its eves. Parents at home are verv often
at fault iu not teaching their children
how to use their eyes. I have often en
tered the dwellings of many people and
soen little girls curled tip on a sofa or in
a chair, with the head down in the lap,
the vssel of the forehead turgid with
blood, remaining in that situation lor a
greater or less time ; and often, before
the child can read, some object, like a
doll with its wealth ol iutricate clothing,
or some other plaything, the child hold
ing the object mat it* eyea—using her
accommodation and focalizing her eyes ;
and all the time waste and repair are go
ing on, because there can be no use of
the eye without alterations of tissue, and
the child will go blind because the pro
per nourishment of the eye is interfered
with, and the tissues cannot lie repro
dnoed as the wasting progresses. If the
child uses tho eye for a long time or too
closelv at any partienlar form of work,
the tissue canuot bo reproduced or notir
! idied as it should be. and the pressure
of the muscles upon the eyeball and the
difficult act of tho child in focalizing,
means that the tissne of the soft aud
pliable eye is undergoing alteration,
which will leiul to ft lamentable form of
the disease. Then tho child goes into the
school, and there is put into forms and
cliut*oft, aiul oftcnlimcft in made to do
work on slates and copy-books which,
perhaps, might be better done on the
hlack-lmard, and thus the eye is strained
until the mischief is perceived in U* ef
fects.— /V. Affnrw.
Words of Wisdom.
We must have n diet of oompohy, *
well as one of bookk.
Even the weakest man is strong
enough to enforce his convictions.
Few persons have courage enough to
seem as good as they roally are.
Grant graciously what you cannot re
fuse safely, aud conciliate those yon
cannot conquer.
AH WH njiini an account of ov
cry idle word, so must we likewise of
our idlo silence. .... .
Logic is the essence of truth, and
truth is the most powerful tyrant; but
then, tyrants hate the truth.
children have neither past nor fu
ture; and, what scarcely ever happens
to us, they enjoy the present.
I hate to see a thing done by halves;
if it be right, doit boldly; if it be wrong,
leave it undone altogether.— GUjAn.
Truth is the most powerful thing in
the world, since fiction can only please
us by its resemblance to it.
The most phlegmatic dispositions of
ten contain the most inflammable spirits,
as fire is struck from the hardest flint
A Hlier Filled with Sharks.
loitering Hlisrk river we noticed the. ,
light of Dr. Harris" boat ahead, and we
made fast to her stern. The entrance to
Hhark river can easily IHI found by ob
serving the following directions: North
west It out mirth Oaj>e Hablw, about four
miles, will tie noticed s heavily timber
ed rape projecting into the gulf; round
ing Una fmint, and keeping the timber to
the right haiid, the river will be dia
coveted. Asa heavy northeast gale waa
blowing, the captain of the doctor s
craft had anchored a few hnudred yards
from the entrance, where we were pro
tected from ths storm by the giant man
groves.
We have wandered oouaiderahiy, aud
sailed over many oceans, but never saw
even an approach to the number aud
•due of the sharks at tins point. Their
mnveineuta in every direction rendered j;
the water luminous. Until we retired
for fhe night lliey were visible, here,
there ami everywhere. They were
dashing hither and thither with a rapid
ity that surprised me. Ttiey would
dart like lightning aud double np uu !
thuir truck* with an ease that astonished
me. Their movemeut* and *ixe could
be determined bv the phosphorescence
of the water. Mallet pas* into the
rivers with the tide and ont with the
ebb, giid it i probable that the shark*
were enjoying a fried of these toothsome ,
fish. "Ilia water was eighteen feet deep, <
anil looking over the aid* of the boat, |
fisshee of light not larger than the <
hand could Ih* noticed, probably pro
ceeding from these inornatec* many feet ,
below the surface, . j
About eight r. w. one of the brutes
atruek the tinw of the Ixst a severe blow ,
in <me of his rushes to capture bis prey, < j
and 1 dauouuitod hi si for hi* stupidity.
Although 1 hail beat across Florida i
bay in a severe gale, my boat was com
paratively tight, and made bat little I
water. For another hour I enjoyed my i
pipe and watched the voracioua mon
ster* aa they forwarded four, ehaaaad and
turned corners. At nine r. m. 1 ar
ranged tny bed and stretched myself for
a auoot*. * 1 was just about to bid fare
well to this world, and exclaim with '
Sal.oho I'anxa, " Blessed la the man '
who invented aioep, for it wrappeth one
like a cloak," when bang came one of
the monster* against the starboard aide
of the boat, and the dory trembled
from atom to stern. that the
U*i had received some injury 1 turned
out lit ray lamp, and examined the well
to aecertain if the Last waa leaking. I
made a hasty examination. and fancying
that all was right turned in. I awoke
at 4 A. M with a sensation of moiatneas
abo tit my hip*, and found that the boat
waa leaking badly, and that the water
was over the floor. I attributed the
leak to the butting proclivities of bis ,
sharksbip. and sn exsminstiuu st a later \
date develojied the fact that the blow
had started a plsnk.
Josh Hilling** I'rwierb*.
Truth ix sed to be stranger than ficX j
al.un—it is, to must pbolk*.
The best tiling i kno ov ix a fnat rate
wife, aud the mill beet thing is a uekond
rate one.
The wprld *U praxe the philosophers,
but toM !l?elr penny* into the cap* ov
the rmmkey*.
Tliare ix '2 thing* in this world for <
which w are never fully preposwd, and
that in—twins.
T'aare ix one .long that kan be sod m
favour ov lite Uato— they make s man
forgit all hi* other sorrows.
I never question a snckcess enny more
than Ido the right ova bull dog hi lie
'in hi* own gateway. No I don't.
Yung man, set down, and keep still,
yoa Will hsv plenty uv ehaneee yet to
niakew pMi*i ov ynreself before yu die.
How kan yu cxjwkt to find two peo
ple in this world who are alike when YU
kant ever, find one who ix alike haff the
time ?
Whenever yu cum akroat * man who
distrusts everyboddy, TO bav found on*
whom it 1* safe f"f everyboddy to dis
trust.
If yu undertake to hire s man to lie
honest, yn will hv to raize hi* wage*
every morning, and watch bun dredpbull
clua# beside*.
It if. a wise man who profits hi bizowu
experience— Imt it iz a good deal wirer
oue who lota the rattleeuaik bite the
other phellow.
The reptitaahun that a mail gel* from
liiz anaeators often want# az mutch alter
ing to fit him az their old clothe# would.
It ta truly thus.
I bav finally cum to the konkluahnn
that if I laid prove a thing without bet
tiug .1 dollars on It, the tiling hax got a
dndpLul weak spot sum* hare.
Cauaahuu iz a good thing for a man to
liar, but when be has got m, rauteb ov
it, that he i* aftade to tutcb a kaat iron
lion, for fear it will bite, ignorance ix
what's the matter ov lrim.
Tbare ain't nothing so cheap az >ad
•ptjUin, aud if it i autcli an element of
suckers* as sum shrewd knticks bar dia
koverwd, thev owe it to their airs, and
aasinea. to adopt it at once, aud bekum
riteh and fanius.
The things that i kant prove i beleave
the most; i beleave that one apple is
sour, and another oue sweet, but l will
giv emiy highlv eddikated man a span
or matched mules who will tell me what
makes them so.
4 Colorado Bonanza.
A Colorado mine operator and a
rauohtuan disoovered a large deposit of
uarhouate of lead and zaic blend, near
the South Arkansas river, about seventy
miles sontli of Leadville. A dispute
arose between them, and the ranchman
agreed ID sell out to his partner for
jtf ftnn. if the wliole amount of money
was paid within eight months. The
mine operator actually stiuted himself
and lnurily the common necessaries of
life to get the roouoy, and paid $4,000
out of the $6.f00, but haviug a large
number of unpatented mines to work
out the annual assessment required by
law. could not meet the laat payment in
time. He went to Ht, Louis, and tried
for three months to raise the money by
offering one-half the mine to any good
i business man that would join him and
pay tlu S',SOQ that the entire share
when fully paid would ost, but failed
to raise the money On hia return to
Colorado his ranchman partner coolly
told him that Iris time waa np, and it
would take jnst about $1(10.000 to get
hi* shore in the mine. During the
miuer's atiaenoe in Ht. Louis the ranch
man had worked a few feet further into
the miue and uncovered as great a de
posit of carbonates of load with silver ss
has yet been discovered. Those gen
tlemen now hold their property at the
snug little sum of a half million of dol
lars.
A carriage comes suddenly upon a
flock of geese on a narrow road, and
drives straight through the middle of
them. A goose was never yet fairly
run over, nor a dnck. They are under
the very wheels and hoofs, and yet
somehow they contrive to flap and wad
dle safely off. Habitually stupid, heavy
aud indolent, they are equal to the
emergency.
The item being circulated throughout
the country, that Christine Nilssou lost
eight thonsand pounds in two months,
is believed to be an ingenious advertise
ment of the Anti-Fat man.
TKRMB: a Year, in advance.
PkltM, UAltllK* A.tU HOI HEHOLU.
( •ra, M IMI as* Wlf.
It ia gleaned from the curreut report
of the United Htate* department of agri
culture that the products, acresge and
value of the corn crop in the ten lewd
ing coru-productng Htate* for 1877 waa
as follows:
MM SAli. A—m. rIM,
, lllU.nl. ,'Jft '.UMi.UCIO ,*•,lit fTft *0 .ISO
1 !..* ... iM.eu.iua i.H ,uw
UiMuur] 10*,(**>,Ul 3.M1.7J4 J,MU,UUU
Kuiau . C*.H W.ISS.K*)
• Hilu rt.uouunu *,!> *,*••
lu.ii.!,. sa.auu.uuo ,*, s-!,se>,w
Kmiiu-Hv * M ■. t.MBMM is.uss.usu
TUIW ftU.ftUU.UU* ijm.WO 'JU.MO.UUI
i>l. j (MI,AN u, <NO,
l.j4A,utu 3b,*?t,W
in the average yield* of corn JHT acre,
ouly one ooru-pnaluciug Htate (Nebras
ka) report* a larger average than Kan
sas. The yield per acre in Kansas ia
given at 36 & bushels; Nebraska, 36;
lliuioia, 29. I< va, 32 6; Missouri, 29;
Ohio, 31.5; Indiana, 30; Kentucky, 30.3;
Tennessee. 35; Texas, 24; Pennsylva
nia, 83; Michigan, 31; Wisconsin, 'IH;
Minnesota, 29; California, 30, Oregon,
26; Arkansas, 24.
The rank of the eleven whest-nroduo
ing Htate* for 1877 is placed as follows,
with the product, acreage and value of
the crop:
AS#. Willi. Arf— I '•!•#.
n>a... . *l,lu,ueu ftai, *,<
MHi lire .1# Sv.KM.SftS l.tll.Slft SM.Wft 1M
IUIU<>I%. AIMWU,UV X.UUS.TT*. >4,*JU,WJU
(Huu j,MU,iou |, u,.*o.i'
lu<iwa* M,o.(*e I.SM.UI JT.I -s.io
. At.tMU, ifj l.lftfc.SeT *i,iSß,lu
r !!f..rni I'i.iO". *U l.ilft,Tie S.ftO(Ml
M., USA . xi.ssu.iuu I.MU.M: at, TS .auu
Mieiurt au.i-u.uuu MXs.tTl *i,uun.ii
fV!it.#*lv*liU 1 • l.ft'Si.UOli M.ifta.oou
Xfttswa |.*UK,IU> t.Uftft.ftftf U,MM,(MU
The product, acreage and value of the
rye crop in the ten leading rye-produc
ing State* i* as follows:
Sei. WSil*. 4tw > .111
t-sbiiMliaklft UftKU.!** 1 MI.UUS tl-ft*/.,'*"'
Sm lurk >,•, r>. oou n .ai&,su*
tliluul* T.S*.U Ifts.OU" I,4JJ.W
VVIM-vk.il ft, 7 ** ll **' IT*.UUI> l,ftu*.SUo
K.IIKI 3.11U,0.H> isu.OAB aftl.ftuu
Krulwk) I.iXft.lUU SS.kSk ttfl.UBU
MiMuurl nu.SSS ,ftl S* .!
\ 11(111. ft ft.uuu il.ftH. 3*6,llft*
luil lan. ftftu.OUU 3ft.ua XXftUt
Nr. Jotm ; ftftft uuu M.ST 3 SftT.ftue
in the average yield of rye per acre
Oregou ranks first, producing 22 bush
els; and Kansas ranks second, produc
ing 20 bushels. Then follow Illinois,
Vermont, Wisconsin and Michigan, in
the order named.
Week la lb* liarftn.
The garden demands attention in
vinew, haulm, leaves and other refuse
waiting to be cleared away, and in
the growth of weeds almost crtain to
p|M-ar m abundance st this season.
These last by many farmers are catted
off to the compost heap, where, after
sufficient h'stmg gnd decomposition,
the vitality of their seed is destroyed :
but it ought to be borne in mind and
acu-d upon that alight fermentation
does not always suffice to accomplish
ilns. and there is danger of returning
to the soil in vegetable manures the
very seed it is desired to keep it free
from. Unices, therefore, troublesome
growths are not to be thoroughly in
corporated in a compost heap which ia
to undergo complete decomposition, the
safer plan is to born them on the
ground.
Hnch portions of the garden as have
been visited by cut worms and other
jceu, or the entire plot if it be of stiff
Hay suit, may be fall plowed with ad
vantage ; throwing the earth jip in
ridgra exposes insects in their transfor
mation state to the weather and affords
the soil an opportunity of becoming
ameliorated by the action of the fnat.
Tina ta aio a good time for laying
garden walks, espt-cuLly if tbeae are to
be finished with coal sidiea. Tender
plants should now be protected or re
moved. as the latitude calls for. Hmall
fruit bushes and vinea ahoold be
mulched, and all plants that are gruas
fetderm liberally supplied with manure.
Indeed, the entire surface of the garden
will take kindly to a top-dreaaing after
it ha# been cleared off and raked oxer.
Not a few cultivators contend that
manure spread at this season is produc
tive of greater U neflta than when ap
plied at any other.
Garden era ambitions for a succession
of early vegetables in the spring will
soon begin the *• >wing of aeejs in some
protected spot, which is to be continued
at intervals for a succession of trans
planting#.—Aw York World,
Sr<-s, Hr,i la Ik# kllsak.
Most people have observed. no doubt,
that self-sown -<ed, that is, seeds that
have droppr I from the growing plants
of the previous season, sometimes pro
duce the strongest and moat healthy
plants, that bloom the most freely.
This is true of severs! kinds, and par
ticularly of those that suffer under ex
posure to our midsummer suns. The
reason is that self-aown seeds get s very
healthy growth in the spring, vegetating
as soon ss frost is gone, and are gooj
-Bized plants at the time we Usually put
seeds in the ground, even if they Jo not
start iu the fal. They thus mature and
flower during the cool weather of spring.
The clarkias and nemophilaa and annual
arkspnrs are noted examples. There
are also several varieties of hardy an
nuals that do well with spring rowing
that will bear autumn sowing in the
open ground, and reward us with early
spring flowers. Sweet alyasum and
white candytuft will give us" an abund
ance of white for early cutting, if sown
iu the autumn. In a aandy roil the
portulacca may be sown in autumn with
good success. Seeds of biennials and
jH-rennials, if sown early enough to pro
duce strong little plants, will flower the
next summer ; and pauniea and Chinese
pinks, though they bloom the first sum
mer, if aown in the spring, will make
much stronger plants and flower more
freely and earlier if young plants are
grow'n in the autumu.— Tidl's Floral
Guide.
Urts# taitlu*.
A correspondent asks for the best way
to make grape cuttings. It ia very sim
ple. Select wood of the current year's
growth, cut to three eye# each, from
straight-jointed wood; tie in small bun
dles; set them on the larger ends on a
dry soil, or where uo water may stand.
Cover all with a mound and they will
winter uicely. Plant as early in the
spring as the soil is in condition, six
inches apart in the row, at an angle of
about forty-flve degrees. Bark the
earth firmly about the bottoms of the
cuttings and leave the upper eye of each
cutting just aliove the surface of th
ground.— Prairie. Fanner,
Decorating a I,azy Son.
A singular atory is told of the way
in which the crone of the Legion of
Honor wan bestowed upon the French
artist, Meissonier. He was to receive
the insigu'a from the hands of M. de
Cailleux, director of the mnsenm. Out
of consideration for Meisaonier's lazy
habits the director appointed a late hour
in the morning for the oeremony, but
the artist slept over for several morn
ings. When he at length appeared at
the Lonvre M. de Cailleux had given,
him up and was hard at work in his
atndy, attired only in his shirt. Never
theless, having secured Meissonier's
presence, he was determined to prooeed
with the ceremony ; and calling to his
attendant for his coat and sword, he put
on the ooat, and without shoes or stock
ings, invented the artist with the order
with all due solemnity.
1 think the first virtue is to restrain
the tougue; he approaches nearest to
the gods who knows how to be silent
even when he is in the right— Onto.
NUMBER 50.
The I oiled Mate* librATf.
Readers who ore eager for stntietten
may seek to know *umath trig of toe
pecuniary value of the cotleMon yf
Looks which the peopl* owlt at Wash
ington. The expenditure upoo the libra
ry of the government. if cornpsred with
iw extent and value, hae not been goat
Tho inn total of tho ppropriMiona of
CututitMM for book* from WOO u 1878
hae not exceeded §640,000, and thia ta
inclusive of the ooet of ail the vulnmea
destroyed in two conflagrations. The
British murom library, which number*
1,100,000 volume*, le .uppoaed to have
ooet about §3.000.000 (A680.000); but
ia oot only thlft collection, but nil Ui#
groat government librariee of Europe,
are rich in rare and early-printed book®,
a® well a® in manuscripts, anJ many of
them in ouatly engravings. there can be
no just baai® for • oomparison between
them end a collection eo modern in ite
origin an well a® its principal content* as
lour own. The library at the British
museum, moreover. ISM enjoyed for more
than a century the benefit of tbe copy
tax, bringing in free uf coat all the pub
linalions of tbe British end colonial
preaa. Tbe libmrr at Washington,
though founded m the tiegtiining of the
century, really dates from 1862, when
only 20,000 volumes were saved from
the' Uamea. Quite unreasonable would
it be to expert that an American nation
al library should rival those of the
old world in those collections of incuna
bula end precious manuscript* which
oenturiea of opportunity here enabled
them to assemble. There ere now twelve
librariee in Europe outnumbering tbe
library of Congreaa in the books upon
their shelves; yet tbe growth of our
national library has bees so rapid ea to
have twice doubled the numeric*! ex
tent of tbe collection m fifteen years.
In 1868 tbe library of Congree® coo Min
ed 72.000 volumes; in 1867,166,000; and
in 1878 the collection had risen to 340,-
000 volumes, besides pamphlets. The
hobton public library alooe among
American collections approximates it ia
site, and even a little exceeds it, if we
eount the book® oontained in ite seven
braucbea in tbe suburbs of Boston,
which, however, are duplicates of tbe
parent collection. But the numerical
standard ia far from furnishing an ade
quate test of the true value of any col
lection of book*, nave in the presump
tion it furnishes that tbe largest collec
tions will contain tbe beet works printed
in every field. It may be said of the
library"of Congress that in the main ite
stores have becm selected with * view to
i tbe highest utility, and with some gen
eral Han of unity. It bee net, like the
British museum library, tbe Boston
public library and some other large in
stitution®, been the recipient of exten
sive donation® or bequest®, which, while
greatly enriching the oollectiotu, tend
also to the multiplication of duplicates.
It were to be wished that all author* of
books, and especially of pamphlets,
should bear in mind that thia groat col
lection at Washington is the representa
tive library of the country, and by plac
ing in it copies of their productions,
whether protected bj copyright or not,
secure to their thought a place where it
will be sure of transmission to that
posterity which may care to examine
it. All pamphlet* coming to this libra
ry are treated with the same honor as
book®, acknowledged, catalogued, separ
ately bound < instead of having toau
identity merged with others in incus
gruouh volumes), and classified in their
proper relation upon the shelves. —A.
ft. Spofford, in International Heritor.
" He Playing hhe**(l Collegek
The night of the performance is al
ways one of excitement to the 44 young
women." The nimble finger® of a dress
ing -maid are needed. "Tom, lace mv
corsets; don't dull 'em too tight C*
44 Bill, hook the of my dresa I" and
the like orders wAid sound strangely
to the uninitiated ears. 44 Confound
that pin!" 44 Hang that string!"
44 I've forgotten whether this is the
front or the track of this blank thing,"
and 44 Which is the top and the bottom
of these corsets 7" are no infrequent sen
tences. Rut habit and care conquer,
and with skirts gathered about his limbs
he rushes serous the college-yard to the
society room®, the passing proctor bare
ly turning, fully understanding that
44 she " M a 44 he." It is not until tbe
dressing-room is reached that the hand
some wig is put ou, the rouge and lily
white aud the line for the under eyelid,
and all tbe little arts which unite ta
making the fair and interesting. A
good make-up is nre of a good recep
tion, and tbe words 44 You look stun
ning " will give a fellow more encour
agement before his entrance than can be
described. The eager plaudits of a col
lege audience, no one who has received
it ran forget. Besides tbe smell of the
foot-lights, there is the aroma of alma
mater good-fellowship in the reception.
Then, the actor's audience is above the
average intelligence, and patch e® every
point, seconds every witticism, and ap
plauds every good bit of acting. And
> after tbe play, when 44 Company I com
pany ! company !" brings tbe ctor# and
actresses with a scurry to the front, it ia
uo wonder that they who have success
fully simulated gentler characters than
their own, should feels particular pride.
It is worth while to hurry to one's room,
doff the skirts, corsets and et-ceterae,
and don tbe male attire, and with pipe,
cigar or cigarette in month, to re
turn to the assemblage and meet the
audience. The graduates and older
classmen pay the highest compliment
possible in not recognising the actress
in the uouchalaut young man ; the pro
fessors smile aud nod benignantly, and
your own classmates say, 44 Jolly ; oM
follow—tip-top 1"— 44 You've doue your
aelf credit!"— 44 Pretty as a picture !"
44 You never did better in your life,
Raster l"—srribncr't Magazine.
The Sunset Bird.
While in Dominica, Mr. Ober, an
American naturalist, heard of a bird
which the natives called the " aoleil
concher, or "sunset bird." He oonld
find nobody who had ever seen it, bnt
every evening, at about half an hour
before sunset, ite solemn, weird Lote
waif beard in the mountains. The sound
was of a soft, tlute-liko nature, and
plainly syllabled the words, "aoleil
concher, soleil concher." A vast amount
of snporstition is attached to this bird.
Among other things, Mr. Ober was as
sured that it existed only in song, and
had no visible body; that it was, proba
bly. the voice of a departed spirit Mr.
Oi>cr started to search for the mysteri
ous songster, and hunted for two weeks
without success. He, too, heard the
Xte, however, and it was always his
..mal to prepare his camp for the
night for in those latitudes there is
little or no twilight, darkness succeed
ing sunset almost immediately.
At last he saw the bird, and after
some careful maneuvering managed to
ahoot a specimen, It belongs to the
same family as the king bird, but is of
an entirely different species. It has a
back of drab color, and a breast of sil
pbur yellow. On its head is a crest,
. which it can erect or lay flat at pleasure.
Mr. Ober afterward shot four other
, specimens, and 6ent them, with most of
liia oolleetioua; to Prof. Lawrence and
Prof. Baird of the Smithsonian Institute
to be named. Soon afterward he re
ceived the information that the institute
had named the species after its dis
coverer, calling it the " Myiarcbns
Oberi."
Wtiter Tin#.
rj mm ■ rm nrrrw
I ting UM marry winter Urn® •
DM mm sis* una.
H Dm frown Hit*.
Dm bar* brown wood* of winter tin*
; JksMgMaadefcMry wtatar tiros.
tVe boar-frost'® rims,
'*"Tbs (%MaMflU>n,
TIM gilttrtng iter* of winter tims.
Tlm roMy (Mi of wtslar tiro# i
DM tinkling bUa,
The Marking Mb,
The ringing skates of winter Una.
* DM ton* ®rt®e nigh*® of wtotsr UEM
Tbs wlvary now.
DM grateful gtow
Of Magtog heart® of wtatar Urn*.
I tc., Me., ote.
m on Tin,
I stag UM gkmaay winter time i
Th® piiuaWa bill®,
DM dreg® and ptlla,
And IAM tad 01a of winter Urn®.
The eleoty riroet® of wtatev MM •
DM OPA and downs
And broken erowrn.
And ilnafc and drifts of winter time.
DM howling wlada of wteter time i
Th® failing ®gn,
Tito Hun !ITI if kiirt,
Th® ihirYtng poor of winter ttm®
The melting®* o ** of winter Una
Tb® "basted " pipe®.
DM mn®h-iM®d - wipe®,"
The leaky roof® of winter Una.
P. 8. -And other disagreeable thing® too
numaroa* u> ®>nUo®.—Aferrisfe>— Jirrald.
■■ ; - - - -
Item* ef Interest.
Kidnapping— Infancy in elumber.
The qnention of tbe hour—What timn
is it?
Uneasy aita (he youth aetride the fire!
■Uk
Farmer® duba—Broken pitchfork
handled.
Never kick a doee of medicine when it
ie down.
Patient wait*re — Phyaiemn® without
practice.
The king of Hiam hue 8,000 wives.
He W bald.
A brillicnt future—When we have the
electric light.
Edison* light to the eyee ie the light
of future done.
There ere .two printing offleae in the
whole of Siberia.
If there wpe anv talk of rain it baa fal
len to the ground.
It ooet §75,000 Id net up Cleopatra e
Needle in London.
Heritable apartment for a eeatle in the
aire- A brown study.
Eentuoky a coal fields contain thirteen
thouaand square miles.
Cletcra are worn long—if not, what
makes them threadbare I
The find printing preaa in tbe United
Htatm was introduced in 1629.
The first chimney* were in trod need
into Borne from Padua in 1868.
Thia ia the season of tbe veer for de
fective flnea—and defective flies.
Deer horns increase in sine each year
until old age. and tben diminish
There is more active fun in an ounce
of kitten than in a ton of elephant
B. EL. Stoddard, the poet, write* with
hie left hand, the other being paralysed.
Itahr prodeca® 718,286,000 gallons of
wine uid 87,179,400 gallon® of olive oiL
Prance supplies her entire home con
sumption of sugar from tbe product of
tbe beet
Starvation, yellow fever and smallpox
are sweeping off the population of north
eastern. Brazil.
A nuptial tie: When husband and
wife have both married for money, and
neither have got any.
" I don't like winter," said one pick
pocket to another. •' Everybody bee
' bis bands in hie packets.**
It has never been ascertained tow
much old ocean measure* ri-und her
gray and melancholy waste,
t The New lock Wraui telle of "an
American lady of eighteen spring*.
Probably her name is Sofy.
After tbe four great powers of tbe
world oome tbe hind powers, as illus
trated by the kicks of a mule,
' How pleasant it ia to see other people
happy with little, when yen are com
paratively miserable with much lees.
There were no draft or pacs animals
in Mexico. They appear formerly to
hive had no beef or mutton, benoe they
ate dog*.
Tpadenti, Michigan, is one of the few
t of the immortal American towns that
oant't poke .fun at tbe Afghanistan war
names.— Oil City Derrick
There is a lAwyer out West ao exces
sively honest that he puts all his flower
pot* out over night, o determined is he
, that everything snail have its dew.
Among papers of the socialist belief
,in Germany are the Fbnrard tbe
, Storm-Mast, the Martyr of Capital,
the Petroleum Can and the Iron Ham
mer.
A ggoddooking young lady was caught
the other evening smoking a cigar, and
gave as a reason for the act " that it
mmo* it amell as if there was a man
around.
Tbe improvement in roads during the
sixteenth cautery was very marked in
England, ami was owing mainly to the
system of tolls, which was found to
work admirably.
Whales are becoming so numerous in
(be Pacific ocean that they are crowding
ashore on tbe California coast, and the
newspapers there have e chance to be
about their length and sum. •
The value of the fruit crop in the
United States this year is estimated
at §133,218,700, and sometfanee a boy of
eleven years old thinka be would be will
ing to* give every oant of the entire
crops to the poor, if he had only died
} before he surrounded a whole water
melon.
A solid or cubic inch of gold weight
10.15 ounces troy, and ie worth $209.84.
A cubic foot of flue gold is worth $d62,-
; 600. United States ooin ia nine tenths
fine. A cubic inch of this in gold weighs
a little more than nine ounoee troy, and
is worth §lB9 28 ; a cubic foot of this
standard gold is worth §292,500.
| 44 In my airly day*," remarked the
old man, as he shoveled ooal into the
eohoolhouse bin, 44 they didn't use ooal
to keep us school young "uns warm, I
kin tell you." 44 What did tbey use ?
asked a boy near by. A sad, far-away
look seemed to pass over tbe old man s
face as be quietly responded : " Birch,
my boy, birch."
to a r®sTß-rOT.
Oh, potent aid to editorial pan,
Twin-blessing of the awv-owapslling shear®
How much we owe
To thee, to thee!
With shear® alone we might well cut
J / And come ajriiii ;
Bat whAt were tfc&t.
Withoat fee power to fix. ta stick?
What were it worth to unruar® the cooing
dove,
The chicken plump, at night from neighbor
i roost
halt lamp without
Wi! host cropped wing ?
Then hail Uiee, gMte-pot, hail! preserver
Of what (hear® rWan! Thou mightisr far than
peu!
—Boston Transcript.
Pith and Point."
What is the peculiarity about wed
look ? The connubial combination, to be
sure.
It is a perfectly safe business to swap
flre-proofs daring a big conflagration.
There was, no doubt, considerable
mourning when the sunburst, but where
\ did the day-light ?
Charley Tradollar swears he never
carried concealed weapons in all his life,
bnt a girl lately accused him of wound -
i ing her feelings.
Gushing intimacy is a quickly heated
; vessel and soon boils over, but true
friendship is the sturdy bark that
outrides the roughest weather.
| "Aha f I've got you on a string," as
the boy oonfldentially remarked to the
oat-fish.
When a man warms with his subject
he can dispense with artificial heat,
New York New*-