InHfikl# Baffle*.
Ob, not upon fortified hill or field.
W her* toemen mrrt with a*W an.l shield.
Are mightiest haul** fought'
Not amid werlaie'swfld alarm*.
In the roar o! cannon, tha elaah of arm.,
Are grandest victories wrought'
1 >ook abroad into the earth 1 * n.l homna.
Where force temptation stealthily cornea
Followad hp wan deepair;
Where aoul* are assailed hy aome uiercilsaa
toe.
By sin. by hollow-eyed want or woe.
And mark the conflict* there'
Only rtod and hi* angeU pure
Ever can know what they endure
Who cope with thn*. miM.n too
Only Heaven, with it* infinite tw
Oan control the pceoe ot the victor'* ermut
\t hen three perilous conflict* close
Watch words.
Through gathering cloud, and stormy sen* ,u
flvte
Two golden watchword, guide and eomtoit
me;
Toiling along my path, early and late.
1 eling to |xatienc and fidelity
In all the wears change* ot my day
1 strive to follow duty faithfully;
And when I taller, tainting by the sray.
With subtle influence |<atienee strengthens
me.
So onward, through what suffering tv! may
send.
I walk with iaith. and teat that .hall not
tire.
Trusting with patience, strong unto the end.
To reach ai last, oh, Uvd. my axil's desire
Hritn S. Ccs.ist, fg H ,
A Midnight Struggle.
In the car.y autumn of the year N;t,
about half an hour of sunset, I drew
rein in front of .1 '.*>ge double log house,
on the very summit of the Blue Ridge
mountains of Eastern Kentucky.
The place \\as evidently kept as a
tavern, at least so a sign proclaimed,
and here I determined to itemsnd ac
commodation for myself and *rcant
Bose. a dark-skinned BOM*
and 1 hail been playmates in child and
boyhood, and 1 need hardlv say lltat
the faithful fellow was attached to me
as I was to him. and on more than one
invasion he hail shown his devotion.
There had been a " slu>oling matcli "
at the Mountain House that day, and,
as I dismounted, 1 saw through the
open window of the barroom a noisy,
drunken, and evidently a quarrelsome
set of backwoodsmen each of whom
was swearing by all possible and im
possible oaths that he was not only the
best shot, but that he could out-tight,
out-jump, out-wrestle, run faster, jump
higher, dive deeper and come up dryer
than any oilier man "on the moun
tains."
" 1 say. Mar* Ralph." said Rose, in a
low tone, as 1 handed him my bridle
rein. " I don't like the looks of dern dar.
S'pose we givs on to the next house;
taint fur."
" Soosense. Base," ! replied; " these
fellows ari* only on a little spree over
their shooting. We have nothing to do
with them n<r they with us. Take the
hors> round to the stables and siv to
them yourself. You know they've had
a bard day of it."
And throwing my saddle-hags over
my suoulders, I walked up the narrow
path to tin* house.
I found, as 1 have intimated, the bar
room filled wi:h a noisy, turbulent
crowd, who one and ail stared at me
without speaking as I went up to the
bar ana inquired if 1 and my servant
could have accommodation for the night.
Receiving an affirmative reply from
the landlord, a little, red-headed,
cadaverous-looking man. I desired to be
at once shown to my room, whither 1
went, but not until 1 had been compelled
to decline a score of requests to " take a
drink." much to the uisgust of the stal
wart bacchanalians.
The room to which I was shown was
at the far end of a long two story struc
ture. evidently but recently added on to
the main building, which it intersected
at right angles. A gallery extended
along the front, by means of which the
rooms were reached.
I found mv apartment to be large and
comparatively well furnished, there
being, besides tlie lnai. a comfortable
cot, half a dozen " splint bottomed"
chairs, a heavy clothes press, and a
bureau with glass.
There were two windows, one along
side the door, anfl the other in the oppo
site end of the room.
The first mentioned door was heavily
barred with stout oak strips, a protec
tion. I presumed, against intrusion from
the porch, while across the latter door
was drawn a heavy woolen curtain.
Iu the course of half an hour {kw
entered ami announced that the horses
had been properly attended to, and a few
minutes later a bright-faced mulatto
girl summoned us to supper.
Sapper over. I returned to my room,
first requesting to be roused for an early
hreakta-t. as I desired to be on the road
by sunrise.
Thoroughly wearied with my <iny'-
ride. I at once began preparations for re
tiring. and had drawn off one boot, when
Bose came in rather hastily, looking
furtively over his shoulder, and then
cautiously clo-ing and locking the door.
" Mar- Ralph, dars gwine to be
trouble in dis house afore morning. he
said.
And I saw in a moment that some
thing had occurred to upset the faithful
fellow's equilibrium.
"Why, Bose. what is it? What do
you mean?" I asked, barely restraining a
smile.
"I tole you. Mars Ralph, we d better
trabbel furder." was the rather mysteri
ous repiv. " You see dat gal dere tole
me dar would be a muss if we stayed in
this old house all night."
By close questioning I elicited the fact
that the girl bad really warned liim that
four men whom I had noticed together
were a desperate set of villains, and
probabiy had designs upon our property,
if not our lives.
The girl had seen two of them at the
stable while I was at supper, and in
cautiously creeping into a stall, next the
one in which they stood, had heard
enough to convince her that they meant
mischief. Subsequently to this she also
saw the landlord in close confab with
the entire party, and from his actions
judged that he was urging the men to
their nefarious work.
" I tell you. Mars Ralph, dem people
ain't arter no good—now you heard me,
persisted Bose.
I had begun to think so myself; hut
•what was to la* done. The situation
was full of em harassment, and I felt that
nothing could be done save to wait and
watch, and. by being on the aleit, defeat
their plans by a determined resistance.
I found that from the barred window,
in which there was a broken pane of
glass, a good view of the stables could
be l:ad.
Then for the other window.
I crossed the room, drew aside the
heavy curtain, and, raising the sash,
looked out.
A single glance was sufficient to cause
me i thrill of surprise, and I gave a low
exclamation that instantly brought Bose
to my side.
Far below I could see the faint glim
mer of water, the low murmur of which
came indistinctly up from the depths,
while on a level with what should have
oeen the ground, I dimly saw the waving
tree-tops, as they gently swayed before
the fresh tfight breeze, and knew that
tlie window overlooked a chasm, the
soundings of which I couldonly guess
at In other words, the house, or that por
tion of it was built upon the very verge
of the cliff, the solid rock forming a
foundation more lasting 'than any that
could be made by the hands of man.
I leaned far out. and saw that there
was not an inch of space left between
the heavy log on which the structure
rested and the edge of the precipice; and
then I turned away with the full con
viction that if escape must be made, it
certainly would not be made in that di
rection. There was nothing especially
strange in this; there are many houses
so constructed —I had seen one or two
mvself— and yet wlc i I drew hack into
the room ana saw lie look in I* oß }' B
face, I felt that dan r quick and deadly
was hovering in tb< air.
Without speaking I went to my saddle
bags and got out my pistols—a superb
pair of long double rifles, that I knew to
be accurate anywhere under half a hun
dred yards.
•• Dar! dem's what I like to see! ex
claimed Bose. as he dived down into his
bag and fished out an old horse pistol
i
t
PHKD. KURTZ, Kditor and Proprietor.
VOLUME XII.
that had Iwlonged to rnv grandfather,
and which I knew was loaded to the
muutlc with No. 1 buckshot. It was a
terrible weapon at close quarters.
The stables in hieh our horses were
fetal in* eouldhe w at dual. and by event*
transpiring in that locality we would
shape our actions. I found the dior
could h# locked front Hie inside, and in
addition to this, I improvised a bar bv
means of a chair leg wrenched off and
tlirust through a heat y iron staple that
had been driven in the wall. It* fellow
on the oppoisti side was missing.
We then lifted the clothes press before
tha window, leaving just room enough
on one side to i learl* see. and, if neces
sary, lire through; dragged the buna*
against tlie door with as little noise a*
pos*ible v and felt that everything that
was possible had Iwn done.
A deathlike stillness rvigned over the
place, broken only once by the voice of
the colored girl singing as she crofted
the stable yam.
1 had fallen into a half dose, seated
in a chair near the window facing the
stables, w here Host- was on the watch,
when suddenly 1 felt a slight touch upon
my arm and the voice of the faithful
sentinel in tnv ear.
" Wake up. Mar* Ralph; dey's foolin
'bout ile stable doo' arter de horses,
shuah." brought ute wide awake to my
fee*.
Cautiously peeping out. I saw at a
glance that Base was right in hi* con
jecture—there were two of them —one
standing out in the clear moonlight. e\ i
dentiy watching my window, while tin
other—and I fancied it was the landlord
—was in the shadow near the door,
which at that moment slowly swung
open.
As the man disappeared within tin
building, a low, k<vn whistle cut the
air. and at the same instant I heard the
knob of my door cautiously tried.
A low hiss trom Rose brought me to
his side, fropi the door where I had been
listening.
" LVv's got de horses out in de vard."
he whispemi, as he drew aside to let uic
linik out through the broken pane.
"Take the door." I said. " and tire
through if they attack. I am going to
shoot that fellow holding the horses."
" Isirdy. Mars Ralph, it's de tavern
keeper, lie ain't no eount. Drop the
big man!" was the sensible advice, which
1 determined to adopt.
Noiselessly drawing aside the curtain
I rested the muzzle of my pistol on the
sash where the light had lieen broken
away; and drew a bead upon the tnl!i*t
of the two men who stood, holding the
throe horses.out in the bright moonlight.
The sharp crack of the W nap Ml Was
instantly followed by a yell of pain, :uid
1 saw the ruffian reel backward. and
measure his length upon tlie earth, and
t heu from the main building there rang
out:
"Murder! Murder! Oh. help!"
like lightning it flashed across my
mind. There Were throe horses out in
ihe open lot! There was, then, another
traveler brsiih s ourselves.
"A heavy blow descended upon tin
loor. and a voice roared:
Quick! Burst the infernal thing open,
and let me get at hint. The scoundrel
has killed Dave!"
" Let them have it. Rose." I whis
kered, rapidly reloading my pistol.
" The second panel."
With a sternly hand the plucky fellow
leveled the huge weapon and pulled tlie
trigger.
A (ii-afening report followed, and again
a shrill try of mortal anguish told them
the shot had not been wasted.
"Sabeus! how it do kick!" exclaim
ed Rose, under his breath.
The blow had fallen like an unexpect
ed thunderbolt upon the bandits, and a
moment Later we heard their retreating
footsteps down the corridor.
" Dar'll la* man* of'em lieah 'fore long.
Mars Ralph," said Rose, with an omin
ous slutkeof the head. "I 'spects dese
■'longs to a band, and if dey cotnes an"
we still heal), we gone coons tor shuar."
This view of the ease was new to me;
but I felt the force of it. I knew that
such hands did exit in these mountains.
Stunned for a moment. 1 turned round
tnd stared hopelessly at Bose; but be,
brave fellow that lie w.as, never lost his
head for an instant.
"Bound to Scab here. Mars Ralph.*' he
s iid. quiteconfidently. " An'dar ain't
no way gwine 'cept tro dat window ;"
and lie pointed to the one overlooking t lit*
cliff.
I merely shook my head, and turned to
watch again, hoping to get a shot at the
rascal on guard.
Rose, left to his own devices, at once
went to work. I heard him fu—imr
around the lied for some time, hut never
looked to sec what he was aAer until he
spoke.
" Now ih*n for de rope." I heard him
-ay, and in an instant I caught his
m<*nning.
He had stripped the bed of its cover
ing,dragged on the heavy tick r*.r.d the
stout hempen rope with which it was
" corded."
In five minutes lie had drawn the rojx
through its many turnings, and then,
gathering the coil in his hands, he drew
up the sash and prepared to take sound
ings.
It fai led to touch the bottom; but. no
wise dislicartcnid. he seized the cotton
coverlet and spliced on. This succeeded
and the cord was drawn up preparatory
u> knotting it in place of cross-pieces.
In the meanwhile the silence without
had bi-cii broken once. A shrill, keen
whistle, such as we had heard before,
was given by the man on the watch, and
replied to by some one seemingly a little
way off. Then I heard footsteps—soft ,
cat-like ones—on the veranda outside,
showing that the robbers were on the
alert at alljpoints.
At length Rose announced the •• lad
diT " rcaily. It was again lowered from
the window, and the end was held and
made fast to the bed we had dragged
over for the purpose.
"Now, den, Mas'r Ralph, I go down
fust and see if 'uni strong enough to
bar us."
And he was half way out of the win
dow ln-fore I could speak.
" No.Bose; you shall not," I answered,
firmly, drawing him hack into the
room. " You must—"
The words were lost in the din of a
furious and totally unexpected at'ack
upon the door.
The (lull heavy strokes of the axe were
intermingled with the sharp quick clat
ter of tin-hatchets as they cut away a*,
the barrier, and once in a while I could
hear deep oatliH,as though they had Is-en
rendered doubly savage by our resis
tance.
"Here, Bose, your pistol! Quick!" I
whispered, and the heavy charge went
entailing through, followed hy shrieks
and curses of pain and rage.
"Now, then, out with you! I will
hold the place," I said, rushing hack to
the window. Conic, Bose, hurry, or all
will be lost."
The fellow now wished to insist on
my going tirst: hut he saw that time was
wasting and glided down the rope, grad
ually disappearing in the heavy shadows.
The fall of one of tiieir numlier had
caused only a momentary lull, and I
heard them renew the assault with ten
fold furv
I dared not fire again, for I felt that
every bullet would be needed when af
fairs were more pressing.
It seemed an age before I felt the sig
nal from below that the rope was ready
forme; hut it came, and I let myself
down, pausing an instant, as my eyes
gained a level with the sill, to take a bust
look into the room.
As I did so the door gave way, and the
bloodthirsty demons poured over the
threshold.
I knew that I had no time for delib
erate movement. They would instantly
discover the mode of escape, and either
cut the rope or else fire down on me.
I lif.d taken the precaution to draw
on my heavy riding gloves, and my
hands, thus protected, aid not sufler as
much as might have been expected.
THE CENTRE REPORTER.
With my eye* fixed upon the win
dow, 1 slut rapidly down, and struck
f he earth with a jar that wrenched every
' bone in tnv body
Quick as lightning 1 was seised hy
Hose, dragged some naves on one side,
tuid close against the taoeof the cliff
Not a second too soon, for don u came
a volley, tearing up the earth about the
toot of the rope, where, a moment he
fore. I had stood
"Thunder, they will ittrspe! After
them,down the rope!" yelled a voice al
most inarticulate with rage.
And I saw a dark form sw mg out and
Ivgin the descent
"Now, Mars Ralph," whispered Hose,
significantly, and with a quick aim I
tired at the sway ing tigure.
Without a sound the matt released his
hold, and came down like a lump of
lead, shot through the brain.
Another had started in hot haste, and
was more than half way out of the win
dow. when suddenly the scene above
was brilliantly lit up by the glare of a
torch.
Again the warning voice of t he watch
ful black called my attention to the
tigur* now struggling desperately to re
gain the room. anil, as before, I threw
up rnv pistol, ami covering the exposed
side, drew the trigger.
With a convulsive effort the wretch,
springing far out into the empty \.>id,
turned once over, and came down ith
a rushing sound upon the jagged rock
that lay at the foot of the precipice.
A -ingle look to see that the window
\i as clear—we knew there could tie no
path leading down for a long distance
: lit her way. or tlicy would never have
attempted the rope, anil we plunged
headlong into tin* dense fon-sl that
clothed the mountain side.
We got clear, it i* true; but with the
ions of our animals and baggage; for the
next day. when we returned, with a
party of regulators, we found the place a
heat) of smoldering ashes, and no living
1- u! to tell whitlitr the robbers had
fled.
Little Johnny's I'hllosophy.
There was a dog. and there was a cat.
and there was a ox. l'he dog it sed to
the ox. the dog did :
" That's a mighty long tail you got
there, mister, with a nice tussle to thr
end. but you can't waggle it when you
meet your master." •
Then the cat it sed to the ox
" No. indeed, and you onl bio it up
I like a bloon when you git mad."
Then the lam it sed
" You ain't able for to twinkle it.
, either, wen you think of something
funny."
The ox lie thot a while, ami hirae hy
lic spoke up and sed his ownself:
I " t pl.*ule hooky wen 1 was a little boy
- > much that I'dident learn them vain
accomplishments, that's a fack. hut 1 got
a tniahiy good bisness edecashun, ami 1
ge— niebbe you fellers w ude have to cum
to mc for to hellep vou out if you hail to
j lii a order for ox tail soup."
Wen Mister Gipple was in Africa he
-•en sum natifs. wich is called llotten
tops, anil they likes their beef raw , like
■ dogs, and he set* cm cut it orf of the cat
: -s wile they was a life and bellerin.
, And sum ol the catties had ben cut up a
good di*ai that way. hut not ded. thie
iv the King of the Hot teuton* he sis*
Mi-ter Gipple, and lie sed. the King sod:
"Did you sx* any catties 'long the
road you cum? Cos mine have strade
j away, and 1 can't find 'em."
Mister Gipple he sed :
" Yes. sir, jest over bevonil that hill is
1 porter-house stake with one horn broke
orf. and 'bout a mile further 'long yule
find a rib roast eatin the wilers, and near
by 1 seen two houtches of bull titin -uin
-1 sip tiones. and onto the othi-r side of
1 :he spring I gess yuiescc a liver and sum
i :ripc a lavin in the shade and a cliowin
: their euds."
Rut Mister Brily. the butcher, lie nock
cut,onto the bed with axes and cut their
throte in a tninnit, and me and Billy we
-ay* hooray.
Cows is beef, and a calf it is veal, but
little pig* i* mutton.
One time 1 was in Mister Rrily's shop
and lit had cut orf a pigs bed and *et it
"Ti the top of a barei, and oh- Gaffer
I'eters he cum in and seen it. and he sed,
old Gaffer did:
"Mister Brily, your pig is a gitting
out."
Mister Brily he luked. and then he sial:
"That's so. Gaffer, you jest take that
-tick and rap him onto the nose fore he
! .-an draw it*in."
So Gaffer lie took up the stick and
-nook up real sli. and fetched the pigs
lied a regular nose wipe, hard as ever he
• ude with the stick, and nocked the pig*
ln*d orf the hari, and you never wt*n sech
1 stonish old man. Rut Mister Brily he
pretended like he wascnt lookin, ami old
iaffer he sed :
" Mister Rrily. you must xeuse me.
but wen 1 struck at that pig it dodged
nd cut its lied orf agin the cilje of the
barl."
It Is Itetter.
It is better to look up and take pleas
tire in contemplating the good . and
great, than to find happiness in low de
vices and mean arts. It is better to tell
the truth than to tell a lie; to do good
than to do nn*an; to save a reputation,
than to blast one; to have charity than
to Is* critically severe: to love your fel
i<>w* than to hate them ; better to lift up
the fallen than to null down those al
ready up; to speak Kind words than to
hiss out the gall of bitterness: to keep
pure than to reek with filth; to he on
the losing side of right than to be on the
triumphant side ot wrong; to be honest
than to cheat; to have honest piety than
lobe n flaunting hypocrite; to he indus
trious than to be an idle vagrant; to be
a fair and square human being than to
be an uncertain quantity. With your
virtue worship the true and you may at
tain unto greatness, hut you can never
do it in the eyes of justice bv trampling
upon, or by despising what is under you.
The poor have as bright eves and astcn
: der hearts as the rich. Thev are not be
low your consideration. Nature's wil
low will bend over them with the same
i grace and beauty they will over the
proudest son and daughter of earth. Con
cerning being true in life, Grace Green
wood says: "Never unsox yourself for
! greatness. The worship of one true
heart is I letter than the wonder of the
world. Don't trample on the flowers
while longing for the stars. Live up to
the full measure of life, give way to your
impulses, loves and enthusiasms; sing,
j smile, labor and lie happy. Adore poetry
for its own sake; yearn for, strive after
excellence; rejoice when others nttain it{
feel for your contemporaries a loving
envy; steal into your country's heart;
1 glory in its greatness, exult in its power,
honor its gallant men, immortalize its
mat' (lies* Women." lloW much better
to do tle se tilings than to go sulkingnnd
skulking through life like some dishon
ored cur! It is better and easier to do
right thaiftodo wrong. You go straight
forward to the right, hut you approach
the wrong by deviousanu doubtful ways,
j —Qtiincy Modem Aryn.
Where He Stored (lis Money.
A few days ago there died in the town
of Vernon, Winneshiek county, an aged
farmer named Carpenter, who leftu will,
bequeathing to his son an old cheat that
hail been an heirloom in the family. On
opening the chest the son was surprised
and incensed to find that it contained
nothing of value. He so reported to the
remaining members of the family, when
they persuaded him to make furthT in
vestigations, which he did in taking the
chest apart. In doing so, two cleats,
each half an inch thick and perforated
with auger holes, were discovered. Tear
ing off these cleats the young man found
that they were hollow, and that the
space bet ween the lid and the bottoms of
the cleats had been tilled with gold coins
hy the thoughtful pais-nt. llow long
they had been stored in such a singular
I manner in that old chest is a mystery. —
I lowa BCaie BegiaUr.
CENTRE HALL, CENTRE CO., PA., THUI
A IJI It It 111 MM SS.
The I'.line Hoarder* of flt.w luik ami
llotv llkcy arr ftrnrtl %%Hli lltelr
HaU—!'it(l!s of tfttr t•
A //rraftf reporter while inking lin
early morning n ' (> region <>i the
lll'Mtlfll Battel V Ilolil't'tl tl\ " il
ting like miniature caryatides, one on
each side of ,i wan ltouw', Iv |>ccr-
Ing itmund tin' wrner iuhl tavasiotially
interchanging a remark, which led him
to tin' belief that tin- cnl* loot some
spo itl I'bjivt in so -itt in 4 and Miiu'Tiiig.
A walk through Bridge, Stone,
Water, Pearl, Front, and other idi" nt
WMVliouar streets, ri'vralid 'Uine ita,
all evidently with soiui' ti xeil purpose.
Kitlt'U* Wi ff there. too, hut llli'l dis
played noin'ot tin' It* lily commonly at
tactual to youth. Each worn tin' solemn
aspect of hummer*. Siti.it- iy seated .tt
the front door* of their respivtive ware
house*. an if they were thcmselvi ■* tin*
proprietors, tin y looked up anil down
the streets a* if awaiting tin arrival of
tin* pottiuan.
Tlii' solid individuality of till' rat
family, wli > look' I alter tin' Wi'lfal ' ot
tin- groat lirilk building* intrusti-l to
tlu'ir charge, occasionally wa* intruded
upon by a strange cat, ot thr tramp kind
in fart, win'*'*i'" t showed *t_'lis of w> -ar.
hut who was of i-ourti' frowned upon
and driven away by tint more r>-pi- ta
bh - member* ot tin* at fraternity, who,
with hisses and other feline < •xplctive*,
expelled him from tin* in ighliot -
hood. All down town wa* aliv- with
t-afai. t'at* rrnwlial from .itt.<■ "lutuv
holt's indoors; 111U ouui' out from un
der iron gratings; fat* a>*cuihlcd from
neighboring housetop*. where they had
leen making night hideou* with their
-en-nade*. -tray rat*, who had tu-itln-r a
local hahitation nor a name, hut who
MH'nwd intfiit on -timet hing. vis ' d the
precinct: black rata, gray . .it*. M iltriM 1
rata, and every other valiety of tin- f i:in
family w as tvprrsvnti-d.
Thr inu-r was pre*. ntly apparent
A man in a biur riot ked -fiirt, with a
liravy liaskrt on his arm laden w itii
-mail pai kagi■* of uirat, came around a
'tirnrr At mire rvrry rat latin to thr
attitudr " attention" and *' pit *rnt*d
arms," and in many case# tail* toot
From this Iwiskrt thr man, on meeting a
rrgular Iniardrr, took a parkagr of tin i
wrapped in brown paper and handed 1. -
portion to iarh '.it. Thoo who were
not regular boarder* maih -pa-modi.- at
tempts in sotnr ease* to a--i*t tin tt _'u
lar iHiartlrr in thr consumption of hi*
fiKiil, hut as a ruir wrrr unsure* -ful.
The purveyor know* al. his > intoiin .
or ratio r hi* boarder*. llr know * that
the Maltese iiv<-s at No 1U "Mat. -tris t,
and if slir inquire* f-r lor breakfast it
No. 40 |r pu!ii*ln-s In r hy r- fin'> • to
givr hFr Iter rations. So. t •, In know *
that thr hug'\ lawny rat who "k- ift
thr interest of a jirk warehouse mi
Bridge tr'i't has no busitn ** in "-tone
street. He ha* studied hi* boarders,
" has tlirm down tin-." and n > at now
dares lr on any other premix - hut hi*
own at breakfast hour.
In an interview with the man for
whose coining the rat* so imiwiinntly
w ait. and whom they foodie, purr about,
and against whose eg* they ruh their
superfluous fur. said:
•• Well, I ha\ Wen in tli■ hii-lm**
severwl years. I manage to ninkr al>oul
*3O a week, the nt tu.il amount * trying
at different • -iisoiis of tin- y< tr. 1 ink
ottt atout one hundred and tift > i>>um!
of meat in the morning for deliver)
among my cat family, ami it' in tt\
hard work, for to say nothing of the
Job of lugging KTUh aroumi. ail tlie i.ib
in the eountry know me anil follow nie,
and I sometime* Itrtfl a- though I ;i<
father of the whole eat tribe."
Itrportrr—Whom do y<>u v with
cat's meat u-n- rally P
l*Urvcyor—There arc lots of store- in
tliis neighborhood wh>!*c * < upanti 1.i
in pork, clieene. ham- ami other eatab •
matter of that h- ription. Now
tln'w tor>> are mu-tlv vrry am! in
iV.t.! with rat-. • IS. tin* people win'
otcupy tin* vtorM have to keep plenty f
cats to keep tli>' nit- down. T!i*-
hare to IK- fed. I'hey ain't a-going to
rut ham to fml the rats, and ran don't
likr >:iit un-at anyhow, and on Sunday
there would tx-nooti'' hereto fed tin in.
So. a- I h:ui read one time how men in
lamdon went round with cart.- and fed
tin* caU, I thought I would go into tin
tni-ini— on a-mailer wale.
Reporter—What do you charge ;>• r
dav tor the '.loard of a rat?
Purveyo'—Fire cent-, and it'- tx>
cheap at I'iat. I huy mV meat away up
town, and hare to huv wrapping paper
to keep the -rparate pieces in; and.
what's more. I don't board my rat.- on
boarding-house ha-h.
Reporter- You don't mean to say you
feed them on tenderloin steak?
Purveyor—Ofcours- I don't give Vm
choice ruts; but I don't feed 'em on
poor gruh. I don't give Ym norutting
from dead animals, as they say they do
in ixindon and oilier plan-- w I lore rat s
meat men go round, hut I give 'em good,
fair, decent food, varying it from day to
day. 1 always give 'em ti-h on Friday.
There is always plenty of tish in tin*
market then, and it'- cheap rto m tluui
meat on that day, and rat- like ti-h any
how. A change of diet is good for rats
a- well as men.
The rat hi the daytime i rather agree
able and has it- u-es. At night, how
ever, the rase is reverse. Among the
down town warehouses, however.where
there arc few residents and the cat's
more tin pleasant peculiarities do not
make themselves so conspicuous as they
do in up-town yards, they are very
necessary. A down-town dealer in pro
visions said: "We (keen six eats here.
They goon duty when we lock up.about
six in the evening. It we didn't, the
rats would play high carnival, and eat
our stock -o that it would be utterly un
salable. The worst thing is the cheese.
Rats gnaw right through the Isixrs.
They seem to fancy it more than meat.
But we have sometimes other good- in
stork which, if it wasn't for tin* cats,
would lie speedily ruined. We used to
fi-ed them ourselves, but it was a very
great trouble, as we had to send to
Washington market for meat, and when
the man came round and offered to sup
ply them with food lor tivo cents a day
apiece we accepted the offer gladly. It
is cheaper to pay a couple of dollar- a
week than to have th* place overrun
with rats."
Tlx* meat man said, in response to an
inquiry whether he ever missed a eat
from the appointed plaee: "Oil, yes;
I sometimes rind them dead in front of
the store where they are employed."
" Are their situations filled at onee?"
asked the reporter.
" Well. I'm sure I ean't tell," said the
purveyor. "I leaves the ration
for the eat who is vaiting for 'em,
and don't feel called upon to sit as
a crowner's inijuest on the body of a eat.
All I look for is ven I puts in the bill on
Monday, is the color of the cat's master's
money."
There is probably a sort of guild
among the eats, so that when one of
them comes to a violent dentil by the
brickbat of a sleepless anil infuriated
citizen bis situation is tilled at onee.—
New York Herald.
Cruel Hence.
A new device for the worriment of
lovers was operated successfully by a
heartless young man on the local train
yesterday. A couple sat in the seat be
fore him. Tlie lady was young and
modest, and the swain wore very large
cuffs. One arm was thrown carelessly
along the bark of the seat, and Upon this
the evil-minded person rubbed some
phoiphorus. The affectionate perform
ances of that cuff, when the train was
rushing through the kindly darkness of
the tunnels, were beheld by all the un
fading and snickering occupants of the
car, whose cruel enjoyment was not a
little increased by toe demure and un
concerned appearance of the lovers each
time the train bounded again into the
1 light.— Virginia (Nv.) Chronicle.
I I'kjfilqis.
It has I wen. and Is with a large elites
of people to d iy, a generally received
opinion that Americans a* a whole are
delieieiil in pllj sieal development. The
ideal Jonathan, a lean and withal wirv
*|Hs-iiueti ot humanity. has liecn popu-
lai ly looted Upon as the typical Ameri
can cilixclt; hut let us see if (his theory
i> borne out by adequate evidence. A
distinguished lecturer connected with
the Harvard Medical School recently
stated la-fore one of his classes that, on
a careful compar son of the vital statis
tics ni seiiool children in this country
with those of the same class ill Kugiaiui,
h< found the Ainerieaiis slightly superior
to their English cousins in strength and
stature. This statement, coining a* it
does troiu so high an autltorily, must be
a surprise even to many scientific men.
The fact is there has Ih-cii a t asl change
in the physical condition of American
i-itisena during the past half century.
The statistic* of our army surgeons
in the late war show that our native
soldiers were taher and stouli't' than
their comrades from England, Ireland
or Germany. All our representative
linn of late years, with few exceptions,
have In ell men of lliagliilieent physique.
I'll' nieiuliers of our present Congress
are remarkable ill this respect, ami un
doubtedly affmd the fimxt spectacle of
phisiial del < lopni' iit to laf found among
• listing legislative bodies.
Mr. George M Beard, writing in a
recent number of the .-it/iin/ir concern
ing tin- future of America from a pliysi
• i. *l:inlpoint, rei-ord* very ai'i'Urntely
" ii- i aU*e* * liil 11 have led to llii—e
i haligt - l li'Tf an- thr-' imporlnnt f.i<
l"l*in the ph>.l al del I'lopllleUt or noli
dex > lopment of any nation, \ix., race
• iiiiate and surrounding*, i'erhap* the
iuo*t important factor of ail is climate.
It l* the difference ill climate lietwiin
thi* couuiry and Eurufx- which iia*
wrought such wonderful change* in our
people in *o short a time. To tlii*
i iu*i' alone may I* a*crilcd our teu
ib ticy to nervous di< a*i-, for such
tiling* a* nervous exhaustion and ner
\ on* ftn cr* w etvcomparatively unknown
during tin tirt century of thi* nation'*
exists'tiee. Our English ancestor*, com
ing to tin*'- then inlio*pitah)c *lion-s,
hrouglit with them their English tem
perament which hail been ilevelopetl
through > ''iituri' *ot residence in a moist
am" equable climate. Time wa* re
quired to bringahout a change, but from
the day the Pilgrim Fathers .anttcd on
tin- continent there has Im-.-h a gradual
evolution of s new race. The fevers in
cident to nrsiih-nce in a moist climate
have given {ilais- to thi- alarming train
•( n>-rvou affection* whi<h art- often
regarded a* njiUiiml ly litany who stiil
r> tain th< .Vngltt-Sn von temperament.
With tune a!*o, wraith hut increased;
people ;uv better fed, i*-ttrr clothed, bet
ter utile l> withstand t!• udi< n changes
• injurious to a fon igtwr. ami in this
a* cumulation and transmission of wraith
Mr. lieard aitu tindit tin* wliit li
an to allwkw mrow diiotJai, With
iti n-:v d prosperity coin<-s leisure, and
H itli !< iun* pin tit-al iniitruvrmrnt, and
tic ahovo-mentioned writer pictures to
himself an ideal at tie of society in which
the wealthy 1' w will Ite occupied in nd
\ airing the t<iM|>orai Welfare of lite
tU many. 11 summing un of the
r< -uft of not- evolution during the pant
history of tin- nation is, however, in
tin iy satisfactory . lie says "l>uring
tl ia*t two daadrt, the wcii-to-do
- - of America hare bt-n visibly
growing stronger, fuller, healthier. We
' igh more than our fathers; tin-wotm u
in a., our gr- a it ntcr* of imputation are
y-.iriy Ixx-oiuing more pluiuii and l-eau
tifu . and in the leading hrain-Working
0 ■ upalions our men are also acquiring
r*• Iu>tn >s.Jamp 1 itud<•. quantity of being
• >n all side* there is a rfiililt reversion
to the (letter physical appearand of our
1 -nd tierman an-'-stors. A thou-
uia l>\ • and girls, a thousand men in
prime *f years, taken by areitietil in
any of our large riU*. are liciiriir ami
nmre than were the sane
number of the t>.une age nn<l walk ol life
it•> twenty-lire y.ar :4"
Whence it ajij- ar* that the American,
in tplte of hi* much-derided want of <*n
tliui*Mti for athletic stand* even
now at the head <il the nation* in physi
cal development; n<i tin* certainty t* a
P.MMI omen for the future.— RtuUm Trtir-
Hypochondria.
Tin-re an- tnild form* of hypoeftondrfa
hich never last ive tlint specific nam"
from the doctor* who attend them, hot
m-vert heir* * give tlnir victim* much
trouble. The nervous tunn who is visited
with a pimple magnifies it into a maiig
n-nt paattife. and !ii* imagination tor
tups him with the morbid picture ol
th< -uffering and udden death which lie
will be . ailed to undergo. Manv js-ople
an- haiinte<l all their livi-s in this way
witlmut anything serious ever happen
itig, and when they roach old age have,
for -olc compensation. the opjiortunity
of congratulating themselve# that not
one ol the di-Agn-eab'te omen* they had
wi* e\ r realised, liu* after tlm hypo-
I liondriac i* cured of one of hi* un
healthy fancies lc issure, *oonTor later,
to a.ajtrfre another. A* Ih\ Maudcaley
joint* out in hi* "Kepon*ibility in
Mental I >i*ea.*e," though the patient
liinv miuUi go away entirely diiuihuied
of hi* sick fancies, they return to him or
are supplanted I>V Worse.
In very exceptional instance*, indeed,
the hypochondriac may take a new de
parturc and with a daily supreme cflort
of will shake off tile encumbrance that
weigh* upon him. But this is so sel
dom the case that statistics scarce make
mention of it : and it may generally he
taken tor granted that when hypochon
dria i* cured a change of surrounding
conditions i* more responsible for it t ban
i the direct exercise of will on the part
of the patie nt, his environment remain
ing unehanged. Few men thus afflicted
have the pcreverenee and the strength
of will nx-e-ary to lift off everyday the
incuhus which fasten* tlietn down and
to think and act like well men merely
because they cIIOOSC to do SO. —ActO 1 OTA'
Tele/ram.
Wrapping Food In Paper
It is a matter of daily experience on
the part of every one who purchase#
such common necessities of life as butter,
bacon, cheese, sausages, etc., that these
goods nv almost invariably wrapped^up
in printed or manuscript paper. Per
haps we might also say that provisions
for picnics and oilier liatnpeniarc stowed
away in similar coverings, and it will,
therefore, not lie atniss if we call atten
tion to the fact that danger has been dis
covered to lurk in tliese newspaper
wrappings.
In the ease of printed paper, the char
acters have often been transferred to the,
cheese or butter, and either they are cut
away by the observant eoog, or they are
unnoticed, and in due course iiecome as
similated in the process ol satisfying
hunger. It i* supposed that the ink or
the paper itseit may possibly by some
chance contain something deleterious.
Hut written paper is even inure likely to
he hurtful, inasmuch a.* in writing the
paper lias been in close contact with the
hand, wh'ch not improbably tnav bo
giving off a perspiration, that may enter
the pors of the paper and may there
ferment, tin* with advantage to health
in the event of any portion of the manus
cript being allowed to accompany the
food down unsuspecting threats.
This subject has called forth some
correspondence in Herman paper#, and
though we would not attach ahsurd im
portance to it. it may still he said that
clean unused paper is so cheap that
retail dealers have small excuse for
using either printed or written matter
for wrapping up their commodities.—
Exchange.
That's what I call "tripping the light
fantastic tow." said the boy, as Ins blonde
haired sister fell over the rope he had
stretched across the garden walk.—Ru/qt.
SI)AY, AUGUST 14, 187t>.
A Troublesome Prince**.
The New York Ihriild has a letter
i from Cairo, liny pt, giving an account of
j the depo*. d kh' dive's pi i niiial extrava
gance* The eorrespoudri.l till* this
story of the khislive's hart-tit: The
princess mother had a young girl who
. had hern left Ler by a very dear friend,
i to whom she had promised to lake i aje
jof her child A* tin girl grew up she
was atta' hi-d to the oldlad v. who finally
'•oneluded to marry In r off Applying
to her son she was informed that there
i was a eleyer voung tnigor at the young
I lady's disposition Aelunel F.tTendi was
I inforiuta! that the old princess, wishing
i to honor him, wouid give him in mar
riage one of her hand-maidens lie w as
promoted to the rank of lieutenant
colonel. The princes* pruv idmi a house
duly furnishisl, and everyiJiing looked
well for llie young couple. The proper
amount of feasting wa* gone through
with and the liri !e entered Iter new
home. She wus a high and mighty
dallie, duly imbued with an exalUal idea
of ail that wan due to her rank. After
the departure of tiie guests, when the
i gnsillt appeared site trealisi linn with
i great coldii' *s. refusing to allow iiini to
! *it in her presence or even t> touch her.
I Feeling aggrieved lie retired ti his own
ipiuirtnutils, wailing for sotue sign of
: contrition on her part. A day or two
1 later she .•ailed on her former mistress,
and. on Iteing questioned an to how she
1 iki-d her husliarid, hurst iuto U'ars, say
j ing that he wan a wretch, a hrute; that
he 11' 1 r came near her, hut hid himself
ill a distant corner of the house, pa**irig
hi* time n ailing foreign hook*. The
prinees* was justly indignant and sought
her son. The wretch, Acbmet Ik y, wan
unworthy the treasun- she hail U-stowial
upon him; lie had slightml her highness'
gifts, ami wa* unworthy sueh a mark of
favor So the unworthy husband wa* at
"lice exiled to the Sottdan. Naturally a
! divorce wa* al oni* ihs'lared. Had he not
J desertiil hi* wife?
Another mini wan promoted and mar
riid to llie same girl. The same scene
I passed this time; the orineess was high
i and mighty, and the husband that fate
had given tier was only the meanest of
| her slaves. Apparently he liad other
ciew s. Next morning he strolled over
to the palace of the queen mother.
Meeting the chief eunuch he casually
a*ki*i, " What sort of a girl is that they
have given me for a wife' The eunuch
wished to know why. The Bey could
only say that be wan under the impres
sion that tier l.ighni-** bail wished, a* a
mark of her favor, to give him a wife,
hut that In-1 ould not understand how it
mil* possible to iivc with such a high
awl mighty princess, who wihd to re
verse the natural onh r of tilings and
make hilll stand ill her p!*-*ence. The
i unu' h remembered tliat tliere bad le'n
some trouble alsiut that young iady
once before; that sin hail got Ad tint
Itcy into di*gnue. lie wouid *e her
bigbm *s. Whin the story was related
to the old iady she exclaimed in disgust.
" Allah' sin- • an't lie married to the en
tin* army. Go over and reason with
her.'' So off went the Kislar Ajlia. or
eaptain of the girls, with a couple of
satellites, arnn-d with sharp switches.
They argued the matter with her lady
ship—so niueh so that w hen her lord rr
apjH-an il she hn>ught him slippers and
-it at hi* f'-el Meantime his pmin imor
wan *pia ding southwanl in doubt a* to
whether it wra* exile or death that
nw ailed him. As he was an ofllcer of
great promise the governor to whom he
wa* consigned fell disposed to assist
him. So. l>eing called off to a di.dant
part of tire province. In- li ft Aebm*t Ih-y
.as hi* deputy. To Aelinn t's horror he
one day n* < Ived a letter from t'airo ail
itn-asiHl to the governor pointing out
that it wa* highly desirable that Achnn't
Bey should disapiiear at once—tli st he
hail la*'ii guilty of all manner >f crimes.
Ai hmct fcit in no miHal Pi assist in hi*
own taking off; so he replied to his
highness, pointing out that in the al
sence ot the got • rmr Achmet ltey wa*
doing duty a* lieutenant governor, and
that it would IK- extrenn iy in .>nvenient
to • X- ute the order- concerning hitn.
lie should therefore delay until the re
turn of tin governor or fresh instrue
tions from Cairo. He survived, and af
ter twelve vi ar* of exile returned to
Cairo. He had hem forgivi n tuid pro
motiil to very important post*.
flheatfleld* of the Borld.
In the .Vim l< ,nthCtnlur% Mr. Vernon
Smith presents to the Fngdsh peopii a
sketch of the wheat fie )ils of the I niled
Stati * and t anada which utterly shuts
out all hope of Great Britain ever again
recovering In r position a* a hn*ail-rai-
Sng o >untrv. and shows how utterly ini
poti nt will Iw the efforts of trnant-tanu
•r* in 1 hat country to compete with th>-
new fields of Ann ri> a. which aredeslinisl
to supply tin* world with bread.
Tin* area of territory which lie points
out a* the future empire ot wlient pnv
•tuction i* in that part of British Amer
ica lieginninc nt I.nke A\ innip'-g; it ex
tend* over the valleys of the l'pp.-rand
l/OWi r SaskaUlit wan. extending res pi e
tively 1.054 and I.OtW mile* west ward to
t lie Itoeky mountains; both of those riv
ers are navigable, and. with the Assini- j
Indue, Bed river and others, empty into
i-xke Winnipeg. The two Saskatehe
wnn* drain w hat is known as the " fer
tile belt," containing not !<•** than 00.-
000.000 of acre* of the finest wheat Land.
These rivers and their tributaries are
10.000 mile* in length, and are navigable
4.000 mile*. l.ake Winnipeg empt'es
through Nelson's river into Huoson's
hay. and the writer hs'k* forward to the
time when v- **el* will leave Winnipeg
hearing the wheat of that country to
Europe. This immense n gion. lying
just north of the American line, includes |
3.004,000 square mile* of territorv, while
tlie are a of the whole Cnited State* is
put down at 3,o33.ooosquare miles. In- ;
eluding the older portions of Quelaec, j
Ontario and other Dominion provinces. ;
Canada measure* 3.346,000 -qtiare mile*,
vrliile all Europe contains d.'.sto.tsto.
This wheat region, which i yet al- j
most unknovvn.it is claimed, h * a soil j
as adapted to wheat and * fertile as
that of Minnesota, and it* capacity for
production is almost unlimited. Once
peopled and put under cultivation, it
will l>e able to produce wheat in sueli
quantities and of >uoh quality as will
render wheat cultivation in Europe as
unprofitable as it has already become in
England, and as it i* rapidly becoming
in France and other western nation* of
Europe. This estimate of the wheat- ,
field* of British America, and of their
magnitude and productiveness, leav*-
out of view altogether the wheat-grow
ing districts of the United States.
Wheat-raising will of eoursc cease to he
profitable in all the States east of the
Alleghanics; Western wheat will be
; -old there cheaper than it can lie pnv
| iluoed in New York or Pennsylvania.
I Indeed Ohio finds it more profitable to
put the land to other productions. The
whcat-priHlucing field in the United
State* is moving westward, and in a
brief time will he confined to the States
of Illinois. Mhhlgtui. Wisconsin. Kan- |
sas. part of Missouri, Nebraska. Minne- j
ota. Dakota, with imrtlons of Montana |
and Wyoming, not including the State*
on the Pacific. The great area of Brit
ish America, whose drainage falls into
Lake Winnipeg, will, however, eventu
ally become the wheat-growing region,
capable of supplying the world with
bread. The picture of this territory and
of its fertility, and of its adaptation
to wheat, is not overdrawn. — I'hirayo
Tribune.
The Charleston (111.) I'lamdenJer says
that the farmers of that vicinity have
discovered a new cure for hog cholera
When the cholera appears among their
animals they cook attend one and feed it
to the others, and it rarely fails to effect
a cure.
The man who runs up large bills is a
man of some account.— YotUxrs Stale*.
man.
TERMS: $2.00 a Yoar, in A.dvanoo.
I.A IKB TELKUIAI'II 1.1 NUM.
I 101 l llbim mmd MUlmm.
The troubles cmumsl liy the tuiima
creation to telegraph line* in primeva
i countries, ami c|ki ially in the trouie*
are more varied and curious than linen
due to man. 'J'fn tcrmio-s or whin
ants, tiir curse of tln'se regions, ruin tin
wooden posts in a very short time, am
either posts impregnated with ereasoti
or poles ul iron have to lie adopted, al
though at a greater primary expense, h
Java the wires are carried on living
kapas lues pruin d of all tiu-ir hrani-hes
Such is the vitality of the tree that tin
trunk continues to grow, putting oui
Uorisoaial sprout* on the top, and tin
living |Mi|e is proof Imiili against dry rui
and termites. In India, the crows Imvi
In-en known t<i eollis t the odd ends o
wires cut off in erecting a line, and l>ulld
tiieir llesls liet ween tiie posts and wiret
with them, thus destroying the insula
t ion of the line. Similarly, wasps'iimts
offal dropped by birds of pr*y on tin
wires, monkey* playing at gvmuastii-s,
frequently muse a serious leakage of tin
* urrent; and freaky elephants, rejoicing
in the strength of their trunks, occasion
al.y feed their vanitv ly uprooting do*
ens of poles right oft On tlie plains ol
tin Far West, the shaggy bisons find ■
welcome scratebing-post in Ute poles ol
the overland iiin-s; and as bison* scratch
with extraordinary vigor, they soon
loosen the poll's, and level them with
the ground. An ingenious Yankee hit
upon the idea of driving sharp spike*
into the poles to keep the huffsloea ofi ;
hut what was his surprise when he found
tliat they ever afterward sc.ecied Hn
spiked post* a a eurryeonib. and left tl
plain ones alone The large number of
prairie hens killed by fiying blindly
igninst the wires has ofVen ii*en re
marked by travelers.
Though tin* foregoing toe* are at times
exei-edingly trying to the working power
of the tef graph, they are simple com
pared witii the ravages committed by the
action of the elements. Tln-ir influence
is ever at work slowly and tmpereepti-
Idy, or sudden and violent. The posts
rot away in five or six years even in dry
countrii-s. unless premwed by impreg
nated creosote oil or other preservative.
The wires rust in open air oiporially
along railways and in • ities. where steam
and a'id vajxirs corrode them rapidly.
In some situations a wire will ru*t
through in a few years; in others it will
iast for forty years. Line* along the sea
• •oast preserve well; but wires in warm,
humid tropics decay quickly. Gal<<* ol
wind often level dorms of poles at one
swoop, and tlie tangle of wire* tailing
across the railways has been known to
throw a train off the rails. During some
of the severe sleet -tortus of the northern
United Sta!<* and t'anada, the wires and
lodes, hurdem-d by tin- frown sleet and
-trained by the h.asl. hare given way
over a whole track ol the storm, and
rendered it necessary to re-erect 300 miles
of line. A mishap whii h i* too oft'Ci
brought alxiut by high winds in tlie
forest tract* of America, but which also
results from prairie fin-sand natural de
cay. is the falling of tree* across -tlie
win', which either breaks it or levels
the poh* to the ground. Generally,
however, tin-re is a track fifty feet wide
cleared of tn** and brush for the line to
run ilimugh. and the wire is loosely bung
in the insulator so tliat it will yield to
a failing tn<c and not break. In Brazil
this track n uuin** to be eighty feet wide
and constantly lopped clear.
The li*aM understooil source of trouble
to land telegraph Sines an- "lightning"
and '• earth currents," those ru-iit* of
electricity in the air almve or the earth
laneath u* Until n*ceni times * single
flash of lightning would destroy hun
dnds of tesegraph poll* in England ; but
now every pole is protected by a light
ning nal. which com eys tb- dangerous
fluid to the ground. In America, liow
iver. where they do not uniformly pro
tci t their poll* in this way, great num
bers are still sliiviTcd in piecw by the
discharge In India, iat' y. on a line
near (Vucutta on wiiicb lightning rsis
are not fixed to every i*>*t. some twenty
jsit * were destroyed. :uid llie solid por
eciain insulators wen sliatt<*ml by ths
llab in passing from the wires to the
{tosts. thus overcoming a n*istanec
■-juiraient to several million niiies of
tele graph win-. " Earth-currents," as
they an technically U-rmed.are always
traversing telegraph wire* in gn-ater or
le*er strength, hut they are usually so
feeble as not to interfere with working
telegraph instruments. They are some
time* caused by thunder clouds in the
atmosphere and sometime* by some eo
niical influence. They frnjuently pn
ciale or a-cisni{iany • artliquake*. the au
rora Imm talis, or disturbances of the
earth's magnitism. tin the evening
prior to the Indian earthquake of lb"*
" mini It. IKT3. the eartJi-cum*nt* wen*
m> powerful on some European lines a*
to stop all telegrafiflThc for
hours. / —> \
These earth-currents, even when thej\
ar" comparatively weak, play strange'
fn-ak* with the telegraph Instrument.
Signals made by no human hands arc
motioned; bellsrre rung.and inflamma
ble substance is Urnited by their myster
ious agency. VV lien very {towgrful, a*
for instance during thunder-stotms and
auroras, Uiey destroy the magnetism of
the instruments, or fu*e the metal-work,
and son) el inn ■ set fin* to the office. It
is not uncommon for the spark caused by
an earth-current to set fire to the cotton
tape of the connecting wires within the
office, and from this beginning the tire
spreads.
The saddest mishap of all which at
tend these intense earth-currents are in
jurie* to life and limb, which sometimes
take plaia*. especially in America. Thun
der storms are often very violent here,
and tt is the custom to cut the instru
ment out of the line circuit on the ap-
Ii roach of a storm, at the same time
■ reping the lightning protectors on the
line. These precautions are not always
taken in time, however, and sometimes
an operator gets a finger bnrned off by
tiie great spark from the signaling key,
or is blinded or deafened hv the shock.
Every now and again one hears of an
o{M-rator iM'inft killed outright hy the in
duced lightiiing-stivike proceeding from
their apparatus; and perhaps the most
melancholy of these was the case of Miss
Lixzic Clapper, a young lady operator of
Readville, Mass.. who. during a thunder
storm, was sitting at the window too
near her apparatus, when the lightning
leaped from the instrument to Iter neck,
a distance of about a fisit, and kilhxl bet
instantaneously—a painless yet dreadful
death. Thus we*w that tin-subtle fluid,
to whi h we give the name of electricity,
is an agent which, while it has Iwcn ren
dered subservient to man's convenience
and even to his safety, is. when unoon
trolled, fraught with terribly disastrous
consequence*.
The of All.
1 lonor the dear old mother. Time has
scattered the snowy flakes on her brow,
plowed deep furrows on In r cheek, but
isslie not sweet and lx-autiful now? The
lips are tliin and shrunken, but those are
the lips which have kissed many a hot
tear .roin tlie childish cheeks, and they
are the sweetest lips in all the world.
The eye is dim. yet it glows with the
soil radiance of holy love which can
never fade. All. vet. she is a dear old
mother. Thesanosof life are nearly run
out. but feeble as she is. will go further
and reach down lower for you than any
other upon earth. You cannot walk into
a midnight where she cannot see you ;
you cannot enter a prison whose bars
will keep her out; you can never mount
a scaffold too high for her to reach that
she may kiss and bless vou in evidence
of her deathless love. When the world
shall despise and forsake you. when it
leaves you hy the wayside to die un
notieed, the dear old mother will gather
you in her feeble arms and oarry you
home and tell you of all your virtues un
til you almost forget that your soul is
disbgured by vice. Ix>ve her tenderly,
and cheer her declining years with holy
de^votion.-— Exchange.
NUMBER 32.
FOR THK FAIR SV.X.
luhluM .1 OIM.
VcpUlilN are now seen on bonnets.
Lawn, of a pale green -ire fashionable.
Mexican filigree jewelry U the coming
rage.
Tin* lat novelty in fringe is made of
pn'k-Utroid.
t'an-fuliy-madc flies are worn aa ear
ring. and pin.
Linen *<-rg<- slippers are cool for home
wnw in hot wminer.
1 >re*mker* say tliat alpaca will be
much worn tliia fall.
Feather* prevail wherever they can
be u.il with propriety.
Tle yoke wai.U have leen superseded
; in Part* by th* fan waiat.
Silk ueu are mure popular than ever,
especially for young lad lea.
The costume* of grenadine over silk
, are uaually made with a polonaise.
Cover a Japanese fan with a bit of
I pr*tty ailk and it ia quite "chick."
High colored stocking* are the rage
1 atili, and eaperially lor young
A new aort of goods, Glace Mar
f guerete, of ailk and wool, it mueb worn.
Linen coatumea much embroidered are
worn for morning dreaa in the country.
A profusion of knife-plaited ruffle*
weigh, down the new theme cloth"
gown*.
ln**es are worn much shorter in lite
street* abroad than they are in thia
j country.
The flower that a lady weara at her
throat atioukl give the keynote of color
j in her dreaa.
Dreaaea of the aame material a* those
worn by theie motbera are made up for
><>onggirla. •
Kthliona with apotted .trim* are the
lateat im|ortati<n. and take the fancy ol
nearly ail tin- iadiea.
Imitation pearl Iteada are coming into
fashion thia fal.. and large importations
from Italy will be made.
Tidies made of pink and blue sikwia
and bordered with lace are considered
quite lite thing just now.
Pointed waist*, both hark and front,
are being revived, but are fag from being
a becoming style for the figure.
Barege dreaaea for young girl* are
trimmed with cascade* of fin-ton lace,
with loops of ribbon in each fold.
Imitation I-tale thread glove*, costing
but ten cent* per pair, are juat a. hand-
Mime a. tlic real, which fo.t ten time* a*
much.
Sim), walking suit* have long waiat
extending nearly U> t!- km* in front
These can be worn without any outside .
wrap.
Sewing bead* on black tscc would be
a profitable nmuw menu fr idle b< ur*.,
Headed lace i* to be fashkuabie in
the winter.
A Pari* idea i* to wear fl<*.h-colored
••locking* undr open-worked one*. •
Preposterous a* tbiaia.it ia Jashionable
on the boulevard*.
Velvet is more u*etl for trimming now
than at the la-ginning of the summer,
hut it i* placed on cotton materials
rather tiuui on woolens.
A new hat called the Princess lantifi*
ha made it* appearano in Ixndon and
New York, li i* of delicate straw and
turutd up one side and hack.
T Itruil ktwklngi.
A lady, who find, in the practice of
the home y art thai slie brings comfort
to iter family, gives these suggestions a*
to slocking-mending:
(liven a down pairs of woolen riblwd
socks. Select from them the two or
lhre pairs moat worn: cut nwv the
heels and to*a. and lav by the Iletter
part* for use in mending—well. yea, for
patches.
From the best hose retained to be re- j
paired, eut out the worn heel, and from
the patches cut a new heel precisely like
the old one.
First sew the bottom of the heel, then
sew it into the place made vacant. Use
soft cotton, or else the fine, soft mend
ing yarn, which comes, of all color*, on
spools.
"* w the raw edges " over and over."
about a* close as a nice overcast; so that
when the new heel is worn out, you
have only to pull the thread and insert
another.
The thread uiust not he no tight hut
that the seam will flatten and become
imperceptible to the foot. To f* in
•u.li heel will require about one
minute.
If the toe is worn, no that the new
damn seem to take from the oh', and the
rent in made wot>r. cut it off no far fO>m
the instep as it is thin.
From the top of the sook put aside,
cut a new toe like the old. Sew across
the end. and then around llie foot, oh
serving to make the seam, a* before,
flat and soft.
When statin worn out. repeat the pm
! ess. till the entire dozen, like the fabled
(lucks, have eaten one another up.
Saying* of t'elebritles
Dean Stanley says: *" Our leisure hours
are among those that have the most
importance in molding our characters.
Our working hours are very important,
hut our leisure hours are those tluit form
our tastes and our babits."
Lieutenant • Colonel Knollys says:
"That the ranks of the British army are
now tilled with immature boys is a fart
obvious to any one who will use his
eyes. Officers"deptore it, the press call*
attention to it and the authorities do not
attempt to denv it."
Sir Henry Thompson, the English
surgeon. says: " Persons who drink
water when "dining probably ei\j°>' food
more than those who drink wine. They
have generally better appetite and diges
tion. and thev certainly preserve an ap
preciative palate longer than the wine
drinker " _
Mr. Thomas Ituglms says: ' The ideal
American, as he has been painted for us
of lab 1 , is a man W!K ha* shaken off the
yoke of definite creeds, while retaining
their moral essence, and finds the highest
sanctions needed for the conduct of hu
man file in experience tempered with
common sense."
The F-nrl of Dunraven says: "Whether
in connection with this country (Great
Britain) or as independent, or as .mined
to the United States, or any portion of
them, that vast region which is now
called British North America will as
suredly some day support the strongest,
most powerful and most masterful pop
ulation on the ("ontinent of America."
Mr. W. K. Forster, M.l\. says: "In
dealing with the education of girls in
the training colleges it has been found
that they require little driving to work
compared with boys, and that they an;
more susceptible to influences of ambi
tion and a desire to succeed. The danger
in the faining colleges for elementary
schools is from overwork. There is no
fear that young women will not avail
themselves of the opportunities offered."
Air. Caird, the English agriculturist,
savs: "We are threatened with good
things from America in a profusion be
yond past experience. The cost of
transport from the rich corn lands of
the interior has been vastly diminished
and Liverpool is thus being brought its
near the center of production as New
York was twenty years ago. I believe
there is a serious competition awaiting
us from tliia cause, to which it would be
folly to close our eyes."
l>r. B. W. Richardson, the English
chemist who first made known to the
world certain tacts concerning chloral,
says that there are now chloral-drinkers
iust as there are dram-drinkers and
opium-eaters; that the disease which he
calls ell lot alism has become rather
widespread among merchants, lawyers,
doctors, artists, literary men, clergymen,
and that if chloral cannot be kept for
use within its legitimate sphere as a
medicine, it would be better for man
, kind not to have it at all.
Ballad af the Pre* .
(Prom a pose, by John W. Overall rsad at
1 Uw house-warming osJshratkm of tits Raw
York Prsaa Club.)
1* other day* with fiery hands.
The trnohsdonrs af story
(Par the lyra'a wild throhhing bosom
Poured heroic strains of glory;
They tell as how the knight* of aM
Brsvad tempest, sea and brsakor
bh tli# noofllnii Hanota
At Asealoo and Aoro.
Ws sing a song ot modern days—
Ol smoothing lar diviner.
The ballad o< the giant Prsaa
Creator and refiner'
Obedient to the will ol ihooght
It moves its steel phalanges,
And nations lend to natch Its breath
From Golden (rat* to (ianges.
Room lor the conqueror of the world!
The steel-clad Alexander!
Homo for the pee. f he sword eg mind
Which sweeps from grand to grander'
Room lor the teachers f their kind.
Who scorn the wrong's detunes
And proudly hear upon their eras'
The motto " Hell-reliance"'
ITKMS IIP IMTXIEBT.
\V lint art oarsman like*—" A real oo
I.me."
The total numlier of American patent*
extant and expired is more than illfi.OOf*
The muaquiui almost aiway* succeeds
in getting a speech from tlie person it
honor* with a serenade.
Next year will be a very prosperous
one for dealer* in smoked glass. No lea*
; than seven eclipses are advertised.
" Those whom the gods love die
i young." That's what la-onw* of all tlie
honest advertising agent*.— JHtddUiotru
Trnn*mvt.
A gas jet has ms-ntly been discovenvl
in the lake near liu< kliorn. Out. It is
•ituatol about a mile from the shore,
and lite water around it is greatly agi
tated It burr.* on applying a rue oh.
" Walter, do yau think the stars ire
Inhabited ?" she said gbtneing at him
i with aa expression 'that showed what
confidence she had in hi* superior wis
dom. "Clara," he replied, " your father
lonly allows me ten dollars a w.-ek. and
you can't expert any but a high-priced
clerk to answer that question. —An
drew's Bator.
A ghastly incident in the voyage of a
lUnelan transport ship with ?<IO Nihilist
prisoners for Nhanghaiia i* related by a
Paris paper. Th>- ship was so over
crowded thai 300 of the prisoner* died on
tite tuyage, and 130 more were landed in
a dying state. It b> araerted that tlie
prisoners were packed like cattle in the
bold of the ship.
Old Mrs. Cuir say* alt# lias always
noticed that in tite summer time when
it is not needed, tite sun is always as liot
as an oven, while in the winter, when a
warm sun would be very agreeable, it
is as cold as an ice-boose We have
noticed tliia, too. It must be the fault
of Uw aim.xi ac makers. .Vomafotro
Herald.
ctatausu.
The toy slewed on ths boraing deck
Wiieaee 11 but him bad fid;
And when they shmitMt. "Lravetlw wrarNt
He turned and buliy au4,
"I'm gcaa' down with thai 'are ship—
Hulk, me**, iibbuotn and Sfemkec. •
And, * hen I've made my briny trip,
You'll Aad Casa-by-anchor."
—jfst/nrs* Puatk
Geo. P. Unwell Ac Co.. in tire Jmrri
>ia Srtctpapi r Itinrtory for July, show
that tlie whole number of newspapers in
• the United Spates ha* increased since
January of the current year from 8.703
to 9,153. N'ew papers abound in tlieTer
• ritoric*. Suspensions have been fewer
than in any corresponding period for
•a-vera! years.
A London paper describes the assegais
used by the Zulus, slating that the name
" assegai * or " haaaagate " which is
nearer the native word—is derived from
the tree from which the wood used in
making those weapons is uaually taken.
This wood ha* peculiar properties, being
brittle and at the same time slightly
elastic, and spears made from it quivet
in their flight, a movement upon which
the accuracy of their aim and their great
j isctrating power depend.
Tite average of mortgages upon the
farming lands of France & about five per
ITBU In England it it fifty-eight. The
. United State* have but J. 000.000 pro
prietary agriculturists. France, with a
vastly smaller area, ha* fi,000.000.5.000, -
<IOO of whom are small farmers. England
lias but 250.000 landholders, and twelve
per cent, only of the people till the soil;
the rest are 'engaged in manufacturing
and other pursuit". One million are
paupers.
" Say. mister." said an urchin to a gal
.ant protector of the pear*, "there's a
fellow just Iraen struck with a beam what
fell a fearful way!" "Where is he?"
asked the excited peeler. "Just around
she corner'" And it wasn't till lie
rushed madly around and discovered a
man silling down and wrestling with
, the sunbeams with a pocket handker
chief that he took in the situation.
Meanwhile th* boy remembered Unit he
had been sent on an errand just tw*
hour* and a quarter previously.—Fins
kert Gazette.
Professor St. George Mi van saya: " It
i< now known that a variety of animals
habitually reproduce their kind, as
plant* so lanefy do. by a process of ex
icntal budding. This happens, for ex
ample. with the hydra and animals like
it. Animals may even be propagated by
cuttings. Thus, il a jydra or the com
mon M-a-anetnone (retina) be bisected!
each half soon grc.ws into the perfect
form once more, and many worms (such
as scvllis or catcnula). and many ani
malcules, called infusoria, habitually
multiply by self-made sections—that is,
by spontaneous division or fission."
* aiost uuxa tort.
Tbrm *rt so near and ret so tor.
0 dim;, pale inoaqaim bar '
In eilent walches oi the night.
When owlet* moan ami hat* disport
And rdi upon the wowhibed court.
We stretch oar lend* to thee no white
To (dock thee 'round u* all about.
1 eel fiie* hlaoplietumg find u* out
By dawning morning light.
Thou art *o neat and yet so lar.
Coquettish, v J n mowjuito faar!
Some nail hare c urbed thee on the floor
Perchance some hook upon the wall
Impede* thy graceful, ohettering tali ;
Yet when the dreary night is o'er
We find thee splattered on the bed
Entwined about oar feet and bead—
tl chnging. gauzy bore '
I>r. EnwardG. Iring speaks in Hor
ptr's JlafiaMbm of persons not taking
proper care of thctr eyes a* follows:
Whatcvet an ounce ol prvvention may
bo to other mcmliers of the body, it cer
tainly is worth many pounds of cure to
the eve. like a chronometer watch,
this delicate organ will stand any
amount of use. not to say abuse, but
when once thrown off its balance, it
very rarely can lie brought hack to its
original perfection of action, or, if it is,
it becomes ever afterward liable to a re
turn of disability of function or the seat
of actual disease. One would have sup
posed front this fact, and from the fact
that modern civilisation has imposed
upon the eye an ever increasing amount
of strain, both a to the actual quantity
of work done and the constantly in
creasing brilliancy and duration of the
illumination under which it is per
formed, that the greatest pains would
have been exercised in maintaining the
organ in a condition of health, anu the
greatest care and solicitude used in its
treatment wheu diseased. And yet it is
safe to say that there is no organ in the
bodv the welfare of which is so persis
tently neglected as the eye."
A Prophecy.
Whole liooks of latter-day prophecies
were once founded on the similarity of
tlie names of N'apoleon and Apollyon, or
A poleon .the dark angel; and one F reneh
Republican, by writing and analyzing,
produced the following:
NAPOLEON.
APOLEON.
PoLEON.
OLEON.
LEON.
EON.
ON.
Which being arranged in the form of a
sentence, gives " Napoleon on oleon lean
ton apoleon poleon ." This is the Greek
for "Napoleon, being tite lion of the
people, was marching on, destroying the
cities."
Among the passengers from Sitka,
Alaska, in the steamer California on a
recent trip to Portland, Oregon, was
Miss Sallie Ball, who is probablv the
Soungest government officer in the L niteO
tates. Although but twelve years of
age, she la the postmistress of Sitka.