The Centre reporter. (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, September 04, 1879, Image 1

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    He Paid Hit Own Bill*.
Ot mar SST inane a hittwr thing.
Oh, world, whan I am gone, gnn* tar away
To that dim land where ahinee no light ot
day.
Sharp wa the bread tor my soul's nourishing
TAhieh late allowed; and bitter wee the
spring
Of which I drank and maddened, eren aa
they
Who, wild with thirst at eea, will not delay
Rut drink the brine and die ot ita keen ating.
Not gentle we* my war wdh chance, and yel
I borrowed no man'a sword—alone 1 draw
And gave my alain (It burial out ot view.
In aeoret places 1 and aorw* met;
So when yon count my nine, do not torgei
To aay 1 taxeo not any one ot you.
Pkutp flcarka .Varthat
lieserted Fifth Avenue.
Be inrly csndle light I w nn.ler teitli
I pen Fitlh avenue and the adiotinng streets
How silent, how dissertod are these tuarhle
halls,
The homes of wealth and luxury.
Scarce the glimmer ot a chain hw light is accii.
Hie purloin alt tunerally clossd.
Pie tolks are out ot town,
Ihe tissementa only show sou.* signs ol ble.
\- Ann and Rndgel. Lett to keep the house.
Pier* loiter at hour ol early eve.
To breathe tr sh air and gossip
With Komwlsnian No. 7.652.
V rat with stealthy traad
teals o'er the way,
■ ntent on theft or commune with sunt o:!.rt
cat.
Ha! Who are these'
so stealthily |w>epiig turth
\s though in tear iU lias outside in ambush,
eh' sitting well ensconced within the hall.
In dreeaw .lark and somber.
Theee * T K i* is the family.
Who tor strong reason
Have stay ed m town this season.
\V Ih> timidly a* night utihar the diior
t'Uv-tsf iu the -lay. and tti deserted outwarvt
look
V'lUitenqxvraneous with the rest
1 turn away my head.
I know their |win.
They wish not to tw seen ivt men.
They're theoretica.ly out ot town.
I will not e'en spy ivnt their number.
This is true charitv .
—Arr Fort llraphu.
The Little Old Woman and Her
Cows.
A STOUT FKtMC OVtK THE SEAS.
Oudeiuwlc is a town in the Nether
lands; perhaps the guide fxwiks sped it
Audiuante. hut long ago, when she livetl
there, thr country was known as Flan
ders. and the name of the town begun
with A). They were times of trouble
then on account of the wars. The men
were nearly all off lor soldiers whether
they wanted to go or not; and the towns,
winch all had high wails round them
for defence, fell first into the hands ot
one army and then of the other, and
fighting was the chief business.
This woman, whose name was I'etro
nilla, lived just off the road between
Oudenarde and Ghent, which were
twelve miles apart; but she belonged to
the former place, though she lived a
good way outside, and never went ther*
now; for not only did she feel too o'.d
for the walk, but the town had a garri
son of soldiers in it. and was in danger
of being attacked s.ny day. and she had
seen trouble enough without going to
seek it.
She was more than seventy years old.
and lived alone except for her cat. And
she was so poor that she had a.uic-t
nothing but two cow-, and those -It
would not have had long it the soldiers
had thought tliem worth driving off;
but as they were not much more than
skin and lione. she vva- left in peaceful
of them.
Being a pious woman, when she said
her prayers at night she never forgot to
sav that the cows were a great deai to Is*
thankful for. On the lew pints ol milk
they gave, and tin . • barb y bn ad, -he
managed to live, and also to keep her
cat in got*! condition.
The cat—his name was Solomon—had
belonged to her son I'eter. So had tic
cows, which he had raised from calves
visa they had a nice farmstead of their
own. and ail was prosperous with them.
Now the farm was gone, the hot-s
--and the cattle, all but the cows. She
hail only them and the eat.
Her husband was dead: and I'eter wa
lost. lie had ! '-en foreed into tin- wars,
and now for eleven vears no tidings of
him had ever reached her.
But she always prayed for him as if
he was alive, and never gn-*e over the
hope that he might come back —a mother
nev*r does.
That was why she still lived near
Oudenarde". be* -au-c if die went away,
and lit* should eoni? hark, how could h*
ever find her? Could he anyway, for
her old neigh ors were all gone, and
the war had eh .nged everything?
She had found shelter in a little, old
hut with a thatched roof. The walls
looked ready to fail down, and the
thatch had rotted so that it let in the
rain: hut she kept it sweet and airy.
In fair weather the door always stood
wide open, showing the clean, clay floor,
a small fireplace with the dinner-pot,
which had nothing in it. hanging on th*
crane, two wooden benches, a table and
a bed. a brass lamp, some pewter and
wooden dishes, and a ru-ifix ar.d
picture of the Virgin. Tlcie was a
square window with latticed bars acros.-*
it in checkers, and on the ledge wa
always a mug of flowers, and beside it in
sunny days usually sat the eat. which
was salmon-colored and immensely
large.
This was how the house looked one
Septem IST afternoon at sunset. I'ttro
nilla had just milked the cows, and
boll: of them were safe for the night in
a little yard at the end of the house.
She stood, in the door looking first at the
small quantity of milk in the wot den
dipper she held in her hand, anil th<*n at
the cows, and saw that they were leaner
than ever. Th'*r h" gazed off upon the
dusty, dried-up Heads, on who*** out
skirts they had picked up their scanty
living, w I tile she sat by watching tliem
with knitting-work in h*r hands; tle re
was almost nothing left for them; what
should she do?
Then she thought of the great meadows
along the river toward Oudenarde;
broad and green she could see them far
away this side the town. There the
grasses grew rank and high : and in this
time of fear no man cared for them, or
would dare to cut them. A force ol
soldiers had just gone into garrison
tlipre, the gates were kept shut and
guarded.the inhabitants dared not stir
outside; and at any moment the men of
Ghent might march down and attack
them.
It wr-s no trespass to gather grass from
the river valley.
The longer she looked the more she
felt that she could get some, and that she
ought to do it.
When she had made up her mind
felt easier, and her face showed it. It
v s a good face; brown, because she
lntd been out of doors so much, wrinkled
in a row of furrows clear across ber
forehead, and wrinki"d about her eyes
and chin, but it was kind and p. ' ! ent.
She tied a dark handkerchief over her
clean white cap, and tucked her small
checked shawl closer about her neck and
crossed it on leer bosom outside of her
brown woolen gown, then she put a
strong cord into her pocket which she
wore hanging from her belt, and took
her stall' from behind the door, and set
out: but just before she crossed the
'threshold she looked down at Solomon,
who sat there and said, "Solomon, you
keep house till I get baek. It won't be
before midnight/' Women who live
alone' with cats are apt to confide, things
to them. „ ,
It was a lonesome walk, ana a weary
one for a woman of her years, but the
thought of her poor cows kept her up.
The >'ht was beautiful, the air was
miid, and the starlight so clear that she
could easily find her way. and yet it was
not bright enough to betray her to any
one who might he wandering about,
which indeed w s a very unlikely
ttnng to happen, fo everybody, except a
few stray cottagers ike hem 'lf, was safe
within the walls of the town; and as
for the enemy, tiny were twelve miles
off in Ghent.
Besides its own strong defences Oude
narde was further protected by great
ditches, deep and broad, along the mead
ows, so that it was considered safe from
attack on that side. When Petronilla
FRED. KUKTZ, Kditor and Proprietor.
VOLUME XII.
reached the outermost of these ditohea
siie was much surprised to find that
there wjts no water in it. but being
anxious to gather her hundie of grass,
she fell to work, pulling it ui by long
handful*, until she had secured as lnucii
as she txMild carry, and had just, tied it
with the cord, when a strange thing hap
p< tied, ami site soon cariosl something
terv important about the ditch
Titough her hearing was mt as gvaxl
as it once had luvn. she was sure that
two or three person* were talking not
far awa\. and that they were coming
nearer. She instantly palled off bercnp
that its snow \ whitem-* might not at
tract attention. muffled herself to the
eyes in her kerchief, and crouched low
among the tufts of reeds
And none too soon, for tuen Iwgan to
pass close hv her. earning long .adder.,
which nearly swayed against her, so
near were tin > She dared not stir, and
could not raise her eyes to -cc higher
than their knees; but as the feet went hy
her face. vine pair after another, she
counted; and there were four hundred
men.
What was the meaning of she gath
ered qui* k.v enough, tor the u aders '.a.k
loi t r their t an> tuoal over her head.
They were Ex*. the men of Ghent,
come at midnight after long marching
to surprise Uudenarde.
They said tliat most ot the garrison
and the great officers were away, feeling
that all was safe—thev had sent -pics
wlio found this out —and that the town
was careless'.v guarded, and what was
worse, that the inhabitants had drawn
the water out of the diteh<"s to get the
fish, ami along these channels the enemy
could now approach vcn to the walls,
and by means of their scaling-ladders
cliiub over.
As soon as the men had all gone by.
lVtronilla, though shaking with terror,
hurried as best as her leet could hobble
hy a short path she k|iew to the
just where the mptiid ditch would give
them a place of advantage.
The sentry was going his rounds, and
tiinling all was well, would soon have
passed out of hearing, but she hegnn to
nroan ami cry as it in distress, ana hear
ing her. he came back and asked her what
was tlie matter.
Then in a quavering voice she told her
storv. which he knew not what t<> think
of; being only a poor sentinel obeying
orders, what "should he think when an
old woman started up before hiui at
midnight lagging him to alarm the g vr
rison. when the commander had felt
secure enough to leave everything just
as it was?
But he was humane. <o he treated her
kind's , anil asked her to stop and r st
herself, but she said ;
"No; if 1 don't hurry away 1 ihall W
a dead woman."
When she had gone, the thought earn*
to hint hosv trite and kind her voice
was. and what an honest woman -he
seemed.
"She made me think ot my poor
mother, who has been dead thi -o many
yeaps. I fear."
Because of this, he s-tid he would g"
and from the highest place and
watch and listen, which he did; but not
a sound broke the t illness except the
cry of a night-bird on the nt' idow;
nothing was stirring, even the old wo
man was nowhere to lie seen.
Indeed, she luui made haste to get
back to the plate where she saw tin
men. who remained as sh>- had left
them, all hut four, who were iu<t I* ing
sent onward with orders front their
leader not to speak, not t> cough or
sneeie, hardly even to breathe, but to go
as near the walls as possible without
startling the watchman. r lonnoiter.
and bring back word.
This they did; and I'etronilla waited
to hear the report in dread and sorrow,
for she was sure there was not a light
burning in ail the town and that the
people wi re sound ase-ep in their b' ds,
never dreaming of danger: and when
the spies returned, their words only
added to her misery.
They did not see so much as a lighted
candle, they said, and they belief* it that
tin -entinei had liectt his rounds and had
gone to tied; and now it was proposed to
prepare for a start, enter the ditch :.nd
move on to the walls.
Then poor tins! old IVtroniiln -tai :<■ i
again, and npp*ared once more to tie
astonished watchman, who w .- -till
keeping a -.harp lookout, and toul liiin
all she liad jut heard, and that it was
the last lie would see of her that night.
" Hut," she said. " if evil do* s eotue to
the town and you es -atie. tuy hut can
shelter you from harm. It is the tirst
on the road to Call* nt
She told him this because he had a
civil, pleasant way. which made her
think of her dear boy. l'eter.
And now the man. fully alarm* d. went
round to the gate that was tlm-stemd,
where he found the soldiers of the guard
crowded about a dim light playing dice,
with three or four flasks oi wine U side
them: they wete his superiors ie rank,
so he addessed them as "Gcntdiien!"
and a-kisi if th> ir gn!* and harriers
were all secure, because an old woman
had been to liim and told him that a band
of men were on the'r way to take the
town.
"Oh, ho!" they cried, "our gates ar>
fast enough. A bad night to the old
woman who has come at such an hour
to alarm us! l'rohahly she saw soim*
cows and calves that had come untied,
and stie fancied they were men ot Ghent
coming here. They have no such inten
tions."
Meantime. Petronilla, leaving her
bundle of gra-s where it lay. wearily and
sadly plodded horn** that she might he
take herself to bed while she was aide to
get there; and the cows went without
any supper.
While she lay awake, for sleep she
could not, the terrible tiling she feared
came to pa-s. The guard, careless at
their post, who scorned her message,
were surprised at their game. The four
hundred had come over the walls by
their scaling-ladders and gained tie
market place, where they were heard
shouting:
"Ghent! Ghent!"
The startled people sprung in horror
from their beds, only to sec that it was
too late to save their town, even if tin ir
own lives were secure.
It was an awlul night of fighting and
pillaging: and the sight which tin* next
morning's sun looked upon was of
streets full of armed men, houses hrok< n
open, confusion and destruction and
death everywhere; and out through the
now open gab* a multitude of women
an<l children, in th clothes tlicy sltep
in, barefoot and half-naked, fleeing for
their lives before the men of Ghent, who
were driving them as if they had been
cattle; and the poor fugitives, glad to
escape on any terms, went running off
on every road except tic- one to the
enemy's city: and in the end found
refuge ia other towns, where the hus
bands and fathers of some of t hem after
ward joined them, but the most were
the same as if they were widowed and
orphaned.
There was only one nerson who dared
take the road to Ghent, and he crossed
out to it over the fatal meadow, hut left
it as soon as he saw at one side the lean
ing cottage, with the little cow-pen be
side it. where Petronilla lived. Tlic
sentinel had escaped, witli his outer gar
ment torn away and a gash across his
shoulder; hut he had kept safe sewed
within his leathern doublet a pouch of
gold which he had laid by for his old
mother's support, if ever he should come
back to Oudenarde.
Since he came lie had heard that she
had been some years missing from the
farmstead, which had l>een ruined by
the wars, and that surely she must be
dead.
lie thought that perhaps he would
give this gray-haired woman some of it
now for lus mother's sake. llow anxi
ous she had seemed, wnat a faithful
soul she was to do so much, how old she
was to have walked so far, and how
kind her invitation had been!
This was her hut, then! How poor it
THE CENTRE REPORTER.
was And those tw > cows looking over
the fence and lowing mournfully how
lean and starvivl the. Were ' the holts*
door w is open, aii<! a eat eatue out,
salmon colored Where had he ti
such a cat of that queer tailor? Shi
growled ilid put Up lii i bin k arid stal led
in, .hen stopped and h- -ked around in
dismay as he culled "Solomon' 'solo
tuon' It IS IUV very eat. Solomon'"
Then something else happeinal, for a
toll e el led from the Ixd W llliill
■•Ob. IN 1.1 ■
Yes. I'l tielli seeping '.ate after !l'l
night's adventure, divanuat oftheenti
lii .. alld IVtel - wotd- awoke tli'l *A
>UI> as sfie was I'etrollli.a, lie w i- I'eter
\Y bat tuorc is tin !i 1 I" tn.ii Why,
that they lioth agna-d that it was henl
to get aw av from thtdsnarde as last aa
their feet could carry thetu. l'he house
might si r*a as -!n-.ti rUI -nine pout lu.-i
live, l'he dinner-pot they would nave
with souyelxidv who In wlu rewitlial to
buy a dinner to cook in it And tin
lew |n>—--ions of tlie departing house
keeper should be lett for her -uen—uv
But So oniiiii tin v tiMik w itli tliein in a
bag. and the two sorry-looking eow*
the\ drove In fiei- thvui to a more fertile
a- we!, a- peaceful iar.d " IK-I-IUI-I-."
-aid i'eter. "if it had not Ix-cti for the
.to*-, we never should have found each
other )\mth's (WHPINIUII.
A Zulu Artist.
M. Kttanda writes to tin Art IttUr
1-Ao'n.a- from Zululaiul as follows 1
will give you the hi-torv of one Zulu
artist that I knew. His name was
I'qonqota. [Hlea.sc sirike the mot of
your mouth twice with your tongue,
making a noise like a small hammer and
tln-n you wii! get the pronunciation of
his name.] lie tied to Natal with bis
wife, to escape the sentence of death
which AYty wayo had passed on him for
being suspected of witchcraft. 18-spent
his time in carving wooden and ivory
spoons, snuff-boxes of many curb tie-,
made of vegetable ivory, ete., and al-o
from reeds, all painted and ligund.
Bead work lie exec.led in , .-o modern
pillows with liligri-e carving, wooden
milkpails. ivory and bone perspiration
-crapei s with a -nui! -;-oon . end
and bone comb- that looked .ike three
titled l'.g-k-. With these fork- th-y
dre-s the hair in fantastic de-igns
Wh.-n an ox i-ki*d in rib- ar- tasen
•are of to make tin -, u-efn: ti •■-. 1
inu-t tell you Is fore 1 forget ihat I pm
pitn was also a noted poet and -ang hi
ovvn compositions as be earvi-d or painted
the -nuff-laixes and tnu-ica reeds, lb
could draw very well considering he
never had a le--,in, and hi- silhouettes
were made with the sp< ar red hot, burn
ing the tigures very evenly h.aek though
they were hideous representations. 1
regret not having a few copies tor the
cup and -aueer fainter- of New York to
i-opy. for they would have admired them
hugely-
Thi- Zulu artist was indeed a vi ry
original character, lb- often paid us a
visit to see the sewing ninehine, and
would solemnly exe'aim. "The white
man wii -o<>n "find the iftedieine to cure
death." He tried to imitate some of our
tiling-, and showed mueh taste for pie
turi-s. Hi- pottery was nmre graceful
and the ornamentations looked lifelike.
By liis great industry in ait In- -oon ae
■juired a large fortune, namely, three
wives and a kraal fuil of -attie. calve
and goats; but he did not n tire from
business; he would psl.lle his armlets
md leglets, necklaces, spoons, spear-,
•tc , far and wide over the eountrv At
last he ha<i filled an earthen !•-. fu of
Kuglish moni-y. and he thought hecou.d
n--i titer the Zulu country unknown, to
buy more cattle. t buy uiore wives, to
la* a greater aristocrat, when lie un
cxpectedly met one of t Vty way o's jaiiie.--
inen who was watching for runaway- to
Natal, and a sjx-ar too wc.i aimed fc..el
him to the ground.
A Thumping Fish glory.
Kstimatcd by tin ir game ,pi cities and
the difficulty sometimes experienced in
s.afely landing them, the larger sixvi
luens of >ur mountain trout w* igh like
■i sturgeon. This fart i- * -tabiished
whenever the trout, hooked in a i>oi
with sufficient depth undspr* ad of water
can bring to bear in hi- native el*-until
the full r* listing force of hi* remarkably
strong and active tail, 1. ustritive <*:
this, a story is told of the experience of
two professional fishers who r*■*■■ ntly
went out from Helena to the Hig Black
lotif. one a doctor and the other a iaw vcr.
In a very brief time th > had a la-kt of
Iwauties for th* ir pains, hut tic fascina
tion of the sport kept tlcin tossing tin ir
flies into tic clear water- of the magnifi
cent stream. Finally on*' man hooked
a " liouneer." one on which he had most
vt arned to try his-kill. The pool was
deep and broad. .and. work and tin* -*■'
is the doctor might, tin* trout In Id to
the water. The fnw\ r, n-sting his com
panion. tried his strength and tact, but
with no better luck The trout warned
quite master of the -ituation. m>r could
tie bo towed or tuckered out. The con
test finally culminated in a most exciting
-.•one. Determined to secure the priz*',
and forgetting he could not swim, the
valiant doctor, throwing aside coat ami
IMM*t S, jumped into the depths <>f the
stream. It was a rash act. and to save
him tic lawyer was forced to plunge in
after him. A fair swimmer, lc r* a. h* 1
his struggling companion, and holding
on to the pole and tackle with one hand,
lifted with the other hi- companion's
lead above water. But the lawyer
found lie roulil not bring his burden to
shore, and only by superhuman effort
could he k'-ep himself and companion
from sinking. On the very point of
drowning the trout came to the rescue,
traightened out the line, and after a few
portive pranks battled tic two men out
of the pool to shallow water. Grateful
f<*r the service thus obligingly rendered,
the lish was permitted to disappear over
the riffle down stream. This story i
eonfirncd by the testimony of loth the
gentlemen concerned and by the trout
itself, which has since been seen towing
the tackle up ami down the waters of
t.e Blackfoot.— Helena (Montana) llrr
nUl. _______
Fruits for Food.
Henry Ward Beerber says there i no
sense in the old familiar motto. "Fruit
is gold in the morning, silver at noon,
and lead at night." His reasons for
this opinion lie thus states:
Because, with a limited experience,
people perceive that some folks can eat
fruit at onetime tnd not at another,
ticy lay down this rule for ail. The
caw s win re fruit is unhealthy at night
are the exception
It is Inn that in tropical climates,
heavy ruit, difficult to digest, ought
not to he taken at night.
But the fruits thai are on our North-'
•♦i farms are all healthy, as a rule.
Among the excellent small fruit are cur
rants, gooseberries, raspberries, stinw-
Icrrics, grapes, mulberries—tlcsc last
are a very much neglected fruit; then
is no Is'tter fruit tree for children than
the Downing'* ever-hearing mulberry.
One of them will ts-ar fruit for eight
or t< n weeks steadily, constantly ripen
ing, and pleasing all the fowls and tur
keys, children and old folks. I would
rather have this mulberry to-day than
a strawberry.
The common mulberry is flat and
sweet; hut this has a tine sprightly arid
taste, as finely combined as lemonade.
As you go up, you l ave the apple,
which is the patriarch, or the Ahraliam,
of all fruits. If I had to choose hut one
fruit out of all in the world, I should
decide for the apple.
For uses of every kind, early and late,
| winter or summer, cooked or raw, ap
ple is king. Then comes the < berry,
then the pear, then the plum and the
peaeh-
I have not mentioned oranges, because
they are not raisable in the North; hut
they ought to he eaten at the right time,
which is all the time from getting up in
the morning till you go to lied at night.
The man with whom they disagree is
i t he exception.
CENTRE HALL, CENTRE CO., PA., THURSDAY, SEPT EM HER 4, 1870.
TIIUUtS BLANCH t KU.
111, Intfllat ol WacNlnr* fot Turslsi
IrrrguUt tovm*.
A brief biography of ('homos Blaneh
arvl, tin inventor of the mechanical com
I.inatioii foi turning irregular forms,
who di.-d at I tost oil ill I s '-• b.* JU*t
IK. II rioted I'll, writer, \-tll \N al r*.
snv* that a.though the name of Tholiias
If.am-hard t* not o popuiailv known a*
many oiln-rs who have achieved f.atiie
froin singl. invention*, the writer l>o!dly
a*<Tt* that "it may be questioned
w hetlier another inventor can be named
in thi* country or in Kuroiie, during the
ia*t century, who ha* protiu.etl so maiiv
ditb it til tbot -iv ing luachim *, applies
hi.- to *u.-li a great variety of u*< * ami
which have contributed *.• largely to the
cotiitmui tiet-i **it i. s, comforts am! econ
omics of life Thi* language may seem
■ \ti av agaiit, but it lUUst It. r. in. nils-fed
that not an armory > \i*t* in thi* .nun
trv or in Kngland where gun* are made
hardly a human b< ing that weai* IKMII*
or *hoe- - it ttely a vessel that *aii* ujmn
the ocean not a school w here slates are
u*ed not a carpet laid down, but that
ow. * tribute to the genius of I'homas
It itichard tor pniducing article* chca|K!
an '. tn tit r Ihe -am. mav In- aid of
carriage wheels, plow*, shovels ami
v ariou* article* ol furniture, l-atterly.
Iti* tuaehine* hav. be. n app.ietl t) .-arv
ing. to architectural tit-sign* ami even to
*;atuary—much to the surprl*e of arti*t*
In-leert, tht-r- *eem* to IH- no limit to tin
u*.-* made of It lane hard * inventions, ami
it i* impossible at prt*--iit to enumerate
them, t hie can iiarvlly go into uiiml
*llop. a machine shop, or a Workshop of
in* kind, vv> dor iron, where motive
pow • i" i* us. d. in w liich In- w ill not find
more or i ** of Hlanchard's in.* liann ai
motion*.
itlanchartl wa* a native of Suttoll,
Ma.** . and vv •.* born June -,'t, ITtv* Hi*
father, Samuel, vv* a fartm r. ami iv.al
on a tHwir. remote strip <>f land, where
there was ahsttiuit y nothing t<> *ugg.*>t
a tut chanieal motion. While t-n tlw
iarni Thomas gave little if any protni*.
of tin- latent power* within him. There
was nothing HI hi* surrounding* to e
>'ite them. He vv a* mi*plae>at; nehooi*
wa re remote ami he seldom attended.
:■ rhe w .is adliclcd with a peivi*. im
pediment of >lH**-11. so lliat the ln>y
. ill.ti him " Staiuniering Tom " At:
age of eighteen he vv a* ••ngaged by hi*
ler brother, Stnlmi,to a-**it him in
hi- tat k mill, which be had jut .tartil
in Wist Mi.ibury Young Thomas'iluty
vv :t* to In id the i ick* ill a vice, with a
' hand hammer. ine by one. t >m*• in a
mechanic shop hi* dormant getiiu* began
to wake up. Kre lie had spent many
month* tieading lat k*. one riy one. lc
had tl**igued. constructed ami tut in
operation a machine which wou.d cut
and head them at one motion tw ice a*
fast a* the tit king of a watch, ami better
linidied than tin.*.- mode by liand. So
TH-rfeet was it in design ami con*truc
•l. ii it was continued in u- more than
twenty venr*. It i said t> IH- still in
• \.itence. nml expert* who have s,-. n it
-v no e*eniia'. improvement ha- ever
a.-en made upon it. The reputation of
the IHIV'S SUCCESS in his brother's tn. k
.. t. a v -tl Mr. A- a Water*, who had in
the *.uue town of Miilbury an armory,
whero he manufa*-tumi arms for th
goveriiment, to send for the budding in
ventor, and. tlu-re young Itlonehanl. at
ainiost a glance at the old proe.-**e* for
shaping gun-barrel*, sttgg. *t<al an Itn
provement bv which the irregular butt of
the barrel could 1" tunnal by tua hirn-ry.
on! afterward produced a ma -bine lor
• timing out the gun-stock Tlie germ of
:lu- stocking ma him- lay in that .-aim
motion, ami it wa* tln-n and there, a* In
tllerwnnl said, that the idea of hi*
world-renowned machine for turning ir
r-guiar forms tir-t flashed through Iti*
mind, although it r- qui rial some month*
tt> e.atHtrate ami bring it out. lt.anrh
-ird was afterwanl cai..-ti to the Spring
tielil armory, where hi* machines w. r
introduced ami atlopt. d hv the govern
ment. Hi* machine for prtwlucing ir
regt. ar form* was appit- d to a vat nutn
r of speei . pun•*•••■ I'nlike manv
lu r invention*, thi* wa* really tln-tli*-
..vcry <>f a new principle in mechanics,
whereby the machine i inatie the otmdi
tit. faithful servant of man. to work out
hi* designs after any given model, lie it
.Mttml "r square, crooked or straight,
however irregular, ami made to re pro
duee the original shape exactlv. every
time. This perfect uniformity of Illoncii
ard's work suggested t lie itlea of having
i ! the parts of the guns made at the ar
morli * perfectly uniform. *<> ns to in
tcivhiuigeahie Hitln-rto they hod IH.-H
urt'd *. parat'-lv. like Swiss watclu-s
and carefully lettered or numbenai.
Thi* i* t he method in all our workshop*,
even to tin holts of a t-arriageor a rotn
itioti lu-dsti-ad. and •.• to him whomis
plaee.l me. It wa* It onchard who tir*t
r mi.-red nossillle the nt-i-omplisliiiit-ntof
thcdesiretl r.--ult with f pe<-t to arm*,
and to him the writer gives the eredit of
the origin of the "uniformity system"
which lias revolutionised mechanic pro
ct***t-s iii all our workshops; js-rfected
ami greatly cheapened mts-lianl.- pro
duct*. ami tlrivt-n front use the old sys
tem ol numbering.
Blnm-hard realized hut little pecu
niarily >n hi" patent", fur they were <o
pirated upon that h<- h:ut t> sjtend many
thousand" <>f dollar* in defending hi"
right.* in the courts. He lurrifilitl in
getting an extension of hi" patent for
producing irregular fortii". hut at the
end of the extension he h:ul made prn -
tieallv nothing on it. and began to think
of trying for a second extension; hut
such a thing was unpreeedented. and
Blanc hard, knowing that great opposi *
•ion would he made to nnotln r renewal,
thought In- would resort to a little strata
g' tn. He fitted up a machine for turning
busts from marble block*, took it to
Washington, obtained piaster easts of
the beads of Webster, Clay, Calhoun
and others, and exhibited the bust* in
t lie rotunda of the Capitol. The mem
ber* were qjite astonished when they
found that these hu*t* were wrought
out by a machine, and that they were
more exactly like the originals than any
human hand could make them. It pro
duced a great sensation. They all sup
posed it a new invention. Blanehard
said. "No; not a new invention, but a
new application of an old one of mine
from which I never realized much, and I
want the patent renewed."' A resolution
was introduced in the Senate by Web
ster to renew it for a term of years, and
it was rushed through without delay.
Win n the news was first proclaimed
from Springfield <f .1 machine which
turius! gunstocks. ims-hanics mine float
ir>if frmn near and far to eo it. Antony
those Httrarted Were two members of
tlie British Parliament, then traveling in
tlii< country. When they Plumed to
England they reported the wonderful
invention of Blanchnrd, by wldeh the
Americans were getting greatly in ad
vanee 1 f tliein in gun nianufaeiu p e, and
moved a resolution for the pup-hase <.f
similar machines. A true John Bull
memher then arose anl ridieuled them
unmercifully for being *0 badly "old and
played upon by the running Yankees.
"The vet v idea of turning a gunstork is
absurd on the fare of it, as a]] must
know who ever saw one." Finding the
resolution would fail the two members
withdrew it and moved for a committee
to go to the I'nited Stales armory and
report Upon the fact*. Tile committee
came over, examined the workings of
the m whine, returned and reported the
farts to bona at first stated. 'I lie douht
ingThonias rose and said the Americans
might have got un something to work
their soft woods, pine and poplar, hut it
would never stand the test of "our
tough English oak and hickory." I'pon
this, doubting Thomas himself was
chosen a committee to go over and ex
amine. lie was not to he imposed upon;
he would expose this humbug. Select
ing three rough stocks of the hardest,
toughest timber he could find, lie went
to the Springfield armory incognito,
brought his stocks to the stocking-room,
and inquired of the overseer if he could
grant him the favor o turning them.
" Certainly, sir. lake a sent." Without
making the least alteration of the inn
chine. the I'Vi-rmi-r run tin* stock*
through in lew minutes, and tin -it w mi
on with hin work as though nothing
utiusuai hiul happened. I ln- Kitgiisli
lilnli riiuuiiml the stock*. found tln-v
writ) lurunt nil llir hrttrr for lieing of
hunt wood, nml he wa* completely
dumbfounded Aft i-1' roUninß awhile.
In- frmk v ••out' "•><•<! who In- win, win
In* cniue, nml hi* thorough t onvit*tion of
tin- utility •> the machine. H.lorc In
hft tin- fit > In- gavt- nn ortl" r in In-half
oftln* British government for thin aittl
tin* accompanying machine*. sotursix or
right, with h amounted to woiut- forty
thousand dollars I In* machine* were
built at t 'hioopec. shi|>|tt-tl to England,
ninl liavt- In-FU ill UM- iln-re from that
itay to this.
The Latest Thing ut In High l ife.
T'lie recent discovery nintie by tin- *1 i
tor ot the t'iiieiiio tii Tliw that every
until h:t a delightful suiuiuer resort Oil
the root of hi* house has ea*>t a giucin
along the enlirt -• ashore. " I have nl
was* heltl." said the editor of the An.rr
to a rejHirter, "that nnyltotlv who has a
root to < >*. r hitn can pass hi* time there
more pleasantly than in the heated
room* he low ■ 1 trust 1 am tto mere
theorist, mni it vou w ill eoun- with nn- 1
w ill show you the practicability of 111i
tiling."
The tepoftt f accompanied the t<citif
to the latter'* boarding-house, over tin
tioor of which was tin legend, "Koyal
meal* ten vents," and followed him up a
. nliter ti the roof. " 1 hi* rtnif i* not a
flat a* it *hould be."ubst rvetl theetlitt.r,
"hut it will s.-rve to i .ju* trni my idea
tint crawling on hi* hands ami knee* In*
wo* MHH. sal> > astride the comb "Just
vs easy a* riding a gentle horse." said
In-, taking hold of the shingles in front of
him to make his >*'t more secure. •* In
the tirst plaee." ObltTttd the editor. " 1
wouhl recoiuiuend that rtsif* that nr.
tint steep *hou!<i he planed .low ti to the
prowr level. This, you see, will open
upon entirely m-w ti.*ll f industry to
out idle miiliods. I in- editor slun.k tin
kink* out of a!■ it on . itln-r *IOIM- of the
t.Mil, and continued a itli delightful en
thusiasm
" i'lea.*.-observe the magnificent view
one has from this point. And tin genii.
!ir<*< /<-' How it fan ® on * fevered brow
and invigorates his whole Is-itig'"
" It's a iittle to warm. in't it s '' *ug
g. *it tl the reporter, as he noticed that
the shingles were about reatly to take
tire.
" A trifle w arm. i-thap*."said the ed
itor. "but 1 wouid remedy that -so,"
and up went in* uuibr* ... "How's
;I.at, young f. .low t'ou.d anything l>e
• iiupnr? 1 re< k.<n not. I would pro
vide each member *f tin- family with nn
umhrena, ami have one or two in reserve
for company. That would not only in
-ure \ou ngaint *un. but against rain
tin! hail aw. Simplest thing in tie
world, you .-(■ "
"The children might fall off. mightn't
they'"
" Not ne.f**ari'y. That i*. not unies*
you wanted Vm to My I an i t* have
what might . a..-d a family hitching
j. .*i ■ t in the center f the roof. th a*
many chains atla. lied to and radiating
therefrom as volt have children, ihe
chains w i 111*- just so Song, anil no longer.
You catch th>- i.b-a' Win n n cli el is
*• ur< .1 at the end of a ehailt. It will I*
long < tioUgh— the . haili w ill—to allow
the child to *il on the edge of the r<K>l
ami dangle its feci ot er. or look down on
the !*** fortunate children on tin- hoi
lrvt* IM-'IOW Couldn't plea*, the iitte
dears Iw-tter."
" You would have your twK.k*. paper*'
gold fish, canary, etc. on the naif. 1 *up
iwete?"
"Certainly. Make it a* attractive a*
p(Sihi.'. \>' lettT piace on the hlo id
tinivf r*.- to n-.-ui and write than jut
hero." and the editor drew forth a hunch
of pai-r and | n. il, and. qui k.v throw
ing up hi* kltte for a wri'ing de-k. began
tn scribble vigtirousiy. "S- how tin
o d thing work*, young man." r. marked
the editor. glancing tn> p.. :i-antly from
his mantpwript. " 1 am riling a
double-leaded editorial and writing it
with if** wear ami tear of hrain-ti-*u.
than I would writt a -ing • leaded arti
1<- in tnv library or office.**
Just tin n a lump ol *ot a* big a* a
frit kbat came *:ii.mg along ar.d lamhal '
upon tin- elegant no*, of tin editor
"Ofcourse, there will he a lew di* ul- '
vantages to overcome." *aitl h<*. kin- k
illg the *oot off of Ills m>*e; "but they
cannot ln< met suc<e**fu. v until tln-v
]ire*<*nt them*elven." anil he glanced
down his nroho*4-is, which mu-t hav.
lH:k. .1 to hint like a -tack of b.< k ■ at*.
"Thi* little trouble of coal oot will t
jM*-tliiy OVeretime by the adoption ot
smoke-consumer* or removing a short
ilistancc in tliewuntry. lien- you will
observe I havewtitt- n seventeen page*
in less than as many minute* a good
hour's job when shut up in a hot room
downstair*. I'p here, ahovi the rattle
of the town, where tin air i* bright and
clear a* the eyes of tile girl you love,
one's thoughts flow as free as a tnoun
tain stream. No sluggishness, no dead
eddies, no—"
Ihre a sudden breeze lifted the edi-'
tor's umbrella and carried it over a
do/en blocks of houses in tl e direction
of Miiloreck bottoms. In an endeavor
to secure it. seventeen pag"- of the
double-leaded editorial were eatight up
and distributed by the four winds of
heaven. The (alitor secured his hat by
buttoning it on the inside of hi* coat,
and (snc i uiha!:
"My scheme is not yet fully developed,
hut this will serve to show you the drift
of thing" Saratoga i* nowhere." said
he, crawling carefully toward the lad
der. "and, a for Coney Island, I
wouldn't have it mentioned on the same
day—l wouldn't, hy gracious!"—Cinetn
miti Enquirer.
I'ueblo Indians InConrt.
A novel scene was presented in < 'liief
Justice Prince's court at Sati'a Fe. New
Mexico, a short time since, hive of the
*o called "Indian*" from the Pueblo
of 1/tguna were brought into curt for
trial. The Pueblo Indian* of New-
Mexico are the only remnant sti I exi*t
ingofUncivilizedalxiriginal Am- rieans,
whom Cortez found on hi* arrival in
Mexico, living to-dav exactly a* they
did 400 years ago; and those of I-aguna
are especially advanced in agriculture
and mechanical arts. They are a quiet,
industrious, honest and law-abiding peo
ple. having their own municipal got em
inent. and seldom, if ever, coining into
the I'nitcd States courts. On this oc
casion alKiut thirteen were in attendance,
live having been indicted for driving a
large thick of sheep into their tillage. It
appeared, however, on th<-1 ri;' tha' tiie
sheep were trespassing, ami w cVe driven
in by direction of tlo-ir governor, and
with no ill inten* The Indians wore no
la-ad covering, and all hail long. j< t blink
hair, except two or three very old men,
whose hair was white as snow. The
l.ieu'.eiiant-t lot ernor of the Pueblo had
a i" (I handkerchief arranged around his
head like a tiara; and wore a curious
targe green shell suspended from his
neck. Their dresses were various in
color. Several were in white; snine wop
blouses of rod cotton, others green, and
othet striped pink and white. All had
high ton-heads, ami intelligent faces with
prominent noses. While they have boon
at peace with all mankind formany years,
yet among their oflleials whom they still
annually elect is a " war chief," and he
wits among those present. As their wit
nesses understood no Spanish, a vener
able Puehlo wits sworn a.* interpreter;
and the questions, first propounded in
English. were translated into Spanish by
the regular court interpreter, then into
the I.aguna language by the old Puehlo;
and the answers similarly translated,
first into Spanish and then English,
making the examination a slow one.
The language is a peculiar one and full
of very prolonged consonant sounds and
aspirations. The word for "yes" for
instance. could he*' be spelled,
" H-h-h-h-h-ah."
I It>ll k* OF IM FM'IO>.
< ,11 l.„lltr. ~r 111, It r VVltltll.il>. Mr •• f
tfttr I tills ti Mali full ill Olflt
The t v per lent* of the last si* years
show * that hard limes stimulate rntlo-r
than obstruct American inventive
getiiu*. Thi* remark i* verified hy thr
record of inv etition and i* not specula
tive. More applications for patent
right* have ben hied 111 the United
"stnt. - I'atclit Dtfi. . at WoshiitgVon since
the great financiat panic of |h?3 than
were received by the office during any
twenty years of it> previou* rtiitiins.
Since the I 'lgalli/.at tun of the I'alelit
Dflic . brought nlmut by the great fire
• d |a3i, morn than two hundred ami
eight) < n thousand patents hav® been
issueti to iloinestic anil foreign iuveators.
1 lo re are now on the records of tin-
Talent Offiee in the hands of aspiring
inventors throughout the country more
titan Iwo thousand patents lor devices
i lor the coupling together of raiirond
cats. Hie *oli- object ola Very great ma
jority of W 111. h i* I)i provide lor the uu
lolntili. eolMiection ol tip- tar*, ami thus
obviat. tin-ni*ce*-iiy of tin brukeuiau's
going !t t w .a-ii abutting car* in the . oup
ing pro.a-** ami the eoitsetiuent danger
.■I hi* IH ing mashed through the lailure
t in<--t oi the giving way of drawhead*
.* tl. vchi>.c> mutually exhaust their
iiiotii. ntuiii UJHIII eiu h other. And yet
ot thi-. two thousand ami odd inven
tion* onlv t w oare in general use in the
I titled state*, nml wertainly not more
lliaii four have proved to he worth the
sheepskin and )>a|M-r they are written and
printed on'
I JHIII *e*al planter* there are to date
more than tiv.- thousand four hundred
patents, t>l thi* groat nutulier of plan
ter* not a tithe - an plant more than two
row* a to** tic !i. id at onee— lH- tin
*t tsl com, t oltuti ol b. ait excluding,of
our*c, th> itt ichine* for the tli'|.o*fiiiig
of the smaller c.-reals, which a ! classed
in the Talent I •ffita- a* " sa*d-*lriliillg
machines."
til :ir. • - -apt patint* Iherv are a It-wi r
HUIIIIM r b.-cau*., prin< ipally, devices of
thi* kind at. of a comparatively recent
• late. Tlcn i* no other cias* ol inven
tion.* *. a most wiiony tlu< to the exoite
■uent ami tletnami ot lie hour as litis
one. Kv. ry great fire brings to the
i'atent Office a great, r rr smaller num
ber of inventions tor the rescue of people
iini t>rq*-rt} from burning bu'.idings.
ilc tl. *tru- ti.ui of th. ltrxHiktyn th. at. r
and tin ixiliMqtl.m dreadful IOSM of a
short litin ago w as worth a great deal of
money to the Patent Office, and prolia
hly not 1 ** than seventy-live patents
wTe i.*ut ti in tuns, quence of it. The
Chicago iir<-. a little farther hack, was
a.ot a gtval stimulant to inventors of lire
apparatus, a* wa* also, in a amitid de
gre<-. tlie burning of the St l-oui* hot.,
in win h the actress hate Claxlon come
mar losing for ,ife The dates of these
three i veiits are distinctly trai-eahle in
the m-ords ol the office. Many of the
... awkward ami iiupraa-tit*al,
white some are little short of absurd in
tin ir constru tion ami .application. It ).
*af- to say that more than a score of the
(our hundrtsl Otld dev i.a-s to enable |**s
pie to rtimh out of the windows of n
bunting house and -a/ely tlests-ml to the
gtaiuiid ar. as r< li.ahlt ami convenient as
the out ami -.-risible *lyle of tying .a tope
to tin lsljH*t and letting one's self
tlow ti Kami ov.-r hand. There ore said
tots at tin* present time a tsnaldernbie
number <■ f anplieations (ending in tiiis
c!a**. .and it i* manifest tfial the device
which *trik> tin- mean Intwern utility
anil economy lias not yet ln**n plnond
In-fore tlie country.
V .-a*, which i* not in the liri--ccaiH
line, but w ... It may. like the cooes
that lim . IH- considered of the *p:i*mtHl|c
orvlt r. Wa- recently disfKSMal of hv the
granting of a potent. It was to a I to* ton
.adv. and was a novel mechanism for
holding I tack tin ear- of children ami
pn*v . tiling fhetu from standing out o!>-
truively to tlie prejudice of ginni at
p- aram-e. Thi* device is peculiarly
appli able to childr H witli abnormallv
..ar ■ .ir flop • ar*. The inv. litres* dhe*
not *|H*-if> vv !i< tie r or not the demand
for her invention is peculiar to Boston.
Tie- pat nlability of a ib-vi.-e i gov - i
.-rntal prim-ip.aiiy by two things. It
iuu*t 1 < ith- r an- wd vic<- or a combi
nation of either new or old ones. "The
offi • . \ercisi-s It* discretion in deciding
upon tin- practical utility of inventions,
but i! i* iib. raily di*JH>*. .l toward appli
cant* in thi* respivt. ami to a great ex
tent permit* them to judge of tin- practi
cabi itv of their maehin. * and process*-#.
A g.MMI illustration of tlii# idea in-eurn-d j
not ).>ng ago. Two Mississippions be
came imbueti with an odd notion that
there was a groat demand for means of
prov cnting the tl. struction of hou*> * by
tire, anil thev si t alvout jointly to supply
tlie demand in a manner that is ctmiie.-u
enough. Tin ir plan is to oave which
ever part of th< building may IH- the
least aff.,-. teil by the flame-, bv roi'ing it
away from the other |Hrtion of the
structure on wheels, running upon an
im iintal track of suitable length. The
theory i* that the greater number of
tire* originate in the kitchen or cooking
department of the house, anil statistic*
are mailt- to do duty in substantiation of
the theory. The entire practicability of
the plan is shown by the fact that very
-ooti alter the kitchen tak<* fire one of
two rope* employed for boiling it up
*nug)v against the main portion of Un
build ing will burn in twain if not .H>ner
cut with a knife or hatchet, ami the
kitchen vvill then, hy the attraction of
gravitation, roll away to the lower end
of the plane. The rop- *. it must he un- .
d.-rstood. arc to he so disposed about the j
kitchen that a tire cannot burn HI any
part of it more than five or ten minute
without reaching one of them. Tlo-in
vention is described as also applicable,
with some ni'f'-**.-iry modifications, to
*mall cotton ginning -*tablishments. A j
patent wa* a110w..!. It is a noticeable
fact flint tin- patents grant.*l to men
It.-tiling from tlie south of Mason and
Dixon'* line relate almost exclusively to
tie planting, picking.ginning and baling
of the great Southern staple.
\n another but not ouiteus good illus
tration of tie liberality of the Patent
Oflloe toward inventors is found in the
recent allowance of a patent to a man
living in California for a combination
churn ami hath tub
Among t lie remarkable inventions that
have been patented within the last
month are a pocket umbrella devised hy
a New Engfnndcr. and so constructed
that it can lie folded and placed in an or
dinary pocket without seriou* incon
venience; an automatic music machine,
nvented by two Boston men, which is
designed to wholly supplant tin- orches
tra at hall* and automatically call oft" the
square dances, such a* quadrilles and the
lancers; a device for blinding a runaway
Innse with spring curtain*, and bringing
biin to stand, planned by a New York
man; an exceedingly elalmratt* niet<oro
logira , instrument, conceived md per
fected b\ ticneral Albert ,!. Myer, tie
chi< I of the government Signal Service,
which, it is thought, will materially c\-
pdit- the work of forecasting the
weather: a process of making orna
mental out tons principally from blood
and pulverized horn, united by an adhe
sive substance, the result of the experi
ment of a Jersey fit y genius; an electric
light apparatus, designed to solve the
gn at problem of the practical subdi
vision of the electric current, by a New
Yorker- \. Wilford Hall; an educa
tional appliance for use hy classes in
rhetoric and grammar, by which sen
tences are mechanically separated and
analyzed, the different parts of speech
being illuminated in varying colors—as
nouns in black. v< rbs orange, adjectives
yellow, adverbs blue, etc.. and a steun
i.pi rated machine for shearing sheep and
clipping horses, hy a Bay City (Mich.)
inventor.
"~11. r. after no recruit is to he enlisted in
the I'nitcd States army who cannot see
well, at 600 yards distance, a black center
three feet in diameter on a white ground.
TKRMB: a Year, in iVdvanco.
The Timber Itafls of the Black Forest.
The Bauer (peasant) is primarily and
, by nature a woodman; and a very large
proportion of the Bim k |*on*t jieople.
will! number atmut JUO.OHO. are employed
ill the cutting and transporting, hy roar!
r ! and water, w tliis chief product of tln-ir
huid. Formerly ail the timlier was
flouted down the various streams into
the Hhitie. V-ry luudi of it i now .<on
i veyed by road and railway; but, fort U
uau-ly lor lovers of the picturesque, the
old method in not w holly out of use,
1 aiid rafting—Holx-Klowwtvi, a* it 5-
ealled still forms forthe strang-r one of
the most attractive features of Black
Forest life. The pities, having
An Wi -doff a little almve the n a its, are
! slid down tlie mountain or hillside where
they have grown, into the never-falling
stream, wliicli lows rapidly over bouid
era and amid rapids, through the valley
Here they are pierced at mrll end ami
tiel witii wilhiw roots, in rows of from
(MHJ to tat, acctinling to tlie width of
the stream. To this roughiy-construcp-d
raft a similar also tied with
willow root*. To this another ami an
otJier are added, until, je-rliap*. as many
as thirty lengths of tail pine tr**s have
lieen joined. To the foremost a sort of
lotigb bow—a hollowed tree trunk —is
usually fixed, ami tlie last section of the
raft i titled with a rudder formed of a
stripling pirn*. The frail, extraordi
nary-looking craft is now * launched
on it* rapid voyage. A man
stands at tlie bow to steady it.
the water dying up bHween tlie
trees ami drenching hitu at every yard.
Another in at the In- in Ail along the
raft, men furnished with poles or oar*
move rapidly from section to section,
guiding here, rc-trainiug lh< re, ami at
litiien basing to use all their strength to
cling on. liable to I** swamped at every
moment as the raft rushes ttiadlv along
with the im|H-tuou torrent, (lashing
over rapids and through narrows, ami
over boulders, twisting and curving a* it
to.low - the Intricate windings of tlie
stream. " like a tiling of life"; not pre
cisely after the fashion in which we ordi
narily apply the term. hut rather in (lie
term of a huge, black, wriggling serpent,
wliicli seems to swim,rather through
than upon the surface of the stream,
sending a rolling ware tn-for* it. which
surge* up and through the tree-lrunss
tn a thousand hissing eddies. As may
well IK- believed, the navigation of the*'-
rafts n quires no little skill, care anil
knowledge of the locality: and tlie ex
treme rapidity with which they arc cor
real over the seething Water seems to
the uuinitiated on-looker simply a mad
career toward destruction. As a matter
of fact, however, the stream* ar*- so *ha.-
ow that liuir real danger exist* Wltero
the narrow mountain stream flow* out
into the scarcely less rapid river, the
l.aft* are widened and joined to others,
until in time, when the broad and stately
Ithine is reached, they are built up into
ttio*e floating village* which may IK* U
often observed upon tin- rivt-r. some of
them, it is said. TOO feet long. These
constructions are very pevu.iar. They
are formed of ser. ral layer* of tr<*-s
placed on.- on the other, and pinnked
ovrr with rough deal so a* to form a
deck. Upon tiii* are erected various
small huts ami cabins; for the Khine
raft carrie* often a population of not
je* than three or bur hundred per
son*. tie* Itoatmen l-ing accompanied
hy their wive* and families, while
cows, fowls at.d tig* are also carried
for the use of tlie crow; and we
are assured that the domestic economy
of nn Kat Indiaman or an Kngiislt
man-of-war could hardly h • ntoro com
plete. A well-supplied Indler is at work
night and day in the kitchen; the<l inner
hour i- announced by a basket stuck on
a pole, at which signal the pilot givi*s
the word of command and the men run
from all quarter* to receive their ra
tion*. while the consumption of pro
*i-ion* during the voyage is stabs! to le
almost incredible, it fia* ing le-en calcu
a led that from the time of the i-ontruc
tion of the rafi until it i* sold no l<-*
than f.'i.OH) pounds of broad. 30,1X10
pounds of meat. 15.000 jxtund* of butter,
lo.ttito p-tund* of > h'*-*e. 50i tun* of U-er.
i iglit butt* of wine. :uui other provisions
iti profKirtion at tii-|.*ctl of. Tlie raft*
are navigated to Holland, when- they
are sold, producing from SIOO,OOO to
$150,000 each. The raft* are very fro
quently the property f a company
known a* the S. liiffcr-ticsells. haft,
which <lat< - from the sixteenth century*
and which unite* a vast number of mali
for*-st proprietor*. This com pan v, to
gether with tlo- government ami the
I'rincr of FursJcnberg. owns the gn-at)-r
part of the Him k Forest. The timber
■ xported from the fore*t* of the SchifbT
< i.-selis -liaft alone is estimated at over
s>.'*tU.ino yearly, and altogether Holland
i* a con*um r of liiack Forest tiniU-r to
the amount of s*.'o.ooo per annum.
fin Wheels.
F.very middle-aged person knows
what a great change hoc taken place
in the carriages in ordinary use in the
ia*t thirty or forty years. When 1 was
a IHV. family earring)*, and, indeed,
vehicles of ev rry kind, except omnibuses
and carta—l believe there has not been
much change in them—wi re very heavy
and unwieldy affairs, when compared
with those now in u*c. Not long ago I
*aw- at the permanent exhibition, in
Philadelphia, the carriage in which fo-n
--eral Washington used to ride. You
could not get a Trosident of the t'nited
States to ride in such a funuy old conch
nowadays, and I doubt verv much if
any on.-wouid take it as a gift if they
w ere obliged to use it. Yctit is far bet
ter l<H.kiitg than some of the carriages
were thought good enough for kings
and queen* ittintlrod years ago. But
we cannot go very far hock in making
comparison* of carriages. Previous to
the sixteenth century there were many
hundred* of years when carriage* were
•earcelv known at all in Europe.
In the old Roman days, there had lrvn
handsome chariots and wheeled vehi
cles of various kinds, hut when Rome
declined, chariots and carriages disap
peared, and people ( cither walked, or
rode on horseback, or were carried hy
men in sedan-rhairs and similar con
trivances. There was a good reason for
tiii* change. The old Romans made
splendid roads, but the nations thai
afterward ruled Europe did not know
how to make good highways, or did not
rare about such things, and were content
to ride their horses over such road* as
tiiey found. Even in England, where
wc might suppose the people might have
known better, tiii* was the case. The
print ipal highways were so hat! and the
mud was sometimes so deep, that even
horsemen found great difficulty in get
ting along. So the? never thought of
using wheeled vehicle* on these wretcht d
thoroughfares. But when they liegan to
make good road*, carriages followed, as
a matter of course.—St. Su hoUu.
(hi Driving Ont Mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can bo driven away from
roams by the smoke of ln<*cnse powder
burned on a hot shovel. \\ hen it is not
easy to get tire, put a hit of gum cam
phor in a shovel, light, and thegum will
catch as quickly as alcohol; then sprinkle
a tnblospoonful of insect powder
(pyrethrum) on the flame, let it take fire
and blow out the blaze, close the win
dows and let the smoke rise lor five
minutes. It will not injure walls or
furniture, and does not harm human
beings, though obnoxious to insects.
Hanging a cloth on which a teaspoonful
of carbtdir acid is poured at the head of
the lied, will keep mosquitoes away, and
the writer has repeatedly gained a good
night's sleep by this means when others
failed. Take care to place the cloth or
sponge so that there is no danger of
touching it with the face or hands in
the night, as the acid burns like caustic.
It is not generally known, as it ought to
t>e, that the remedy for burns by car
liolie acid is Canada tir balsam, spread
on the part attacked.
NUMBER 35.
TIIF.LT TOPIC#.
Tibln prepared at Washington gl v
tli** aggregate production *f ill* - thm
great agricultural taple of lb*- South
ern Siic lor I*7B it* follow* (lutbrn,
VVoo.uuo tm!<n; iurar, 812,000 boghead*
hdaovo, 478,000.000 pound*. In AC7
thi* production * Cotton, 4."11.423
hair*; sugar. 197,733 boghead*; lolmmco,
too,ouo,uuv pound*
I 'bar!** Read* i* outdone in lb* *lorv
which Nathan G. Sayle#, of Golden,
Col., telle of hi* own experience a* a
cnutT men. Ili ptwdilari were hi*
wife end daughter, who would la* I "-ne
ttled hy hi* dying intestate. He nay* on
oath that they induced a jury of *lx of
lii* anemia* to pronounce him inline,
hire:! a brute to keep him on hi* farm,
revile*! him wlieti. in an effort toewwpe,
lie wa* lasaoed ai d hm! a leg and a hip
broken hy hi* jailer, and finally stole hi*
property. The mau U vouched for a*
entirely *ane.
The French originator of the gigantic
<*nt<-rpi i*e ol bridging the KugiUh chan
nel *ay* that he mean* business and pro
to operation* at on<*.
lie haa been inking lit* plan* before the
I harnber* of Commerce in Frame and
lielgium for the purpone of *e> uriug
tuna*. and will Mm make an ap
iK*al to the British government,
lie ha* already aecured tue iadrffsa
ment of eighty-tour comraen ial or
ganisations in France and itelgium.
and he eat i 111 ale* that seven luohth* time
am! SIOO, OOO will suffioe for theeiperi
mcntal alage and detuorialraJe the (••* i
hility of hi* enterprise.
Imitation mearscliaum |>ip** are now
manufactured from potato**, in France.
A peeled potat*i it placed in *ulphuric
acid and water, in the proportion of* ight
part* o< the former to 100 ot the latter.
It remain* in thi* liquid thirty-*!* hour*
to blacken, i* driei with hhitting paper,
and euhmitle*! U a certain pnwsure,
when it become* a material that <-an ta
r*-a*)ily rarve*!. The counterfeit i* aii
to t>e excellent. An imitation ivory
Hulfn-iently hard for billiard bail* <-an
lie made by nil! greater pressure. A re
**-rablance of coral is obtained by treat
ing carrot* in the same manner.
The race of white people which Major
Pinto, the Portuguese explorer, ha* dis
covered in South Africa i* name*! ( W
■luer. and is whiter than lite ( 'aurasian*.
Small tuA* of verv *h<trl black wool
take the pla**e of hair <in the head, while
•mallne** of eye* and prominence of
cheek l*>n- constitute a resemblance to
tlie Chinese. The men are extremely
robust, and both men and women are
entirely nomadic, wandering in group*
of from four to *ix families each, and
living on .root# and on tin* results of the
chase, I n lew, lh***e fail tJi* m they have
no intercourse with their hia* k neigh-
Ikh-* Tiny are the onlv people in
Africa that do not cook their food in
pota.
The latest "fastest " o -ran steamer is
the Arixona. which is the steam
er now in service and which reached
tjuecnstown in seven days,ight hours
and eight minutes from N>-w York, beat
ing her previous trip, which was also
her first one. by one hour and a ijuarter.
The speed of ocean voyages docs not
necessarily increase thedangerof them,
for it is the perfection and excellence of
the machinery used which enable the
newest steamers to outsail the old ones.
For people who spend ocean voyages in
the agonies of sea-sickness the quicker
the trip is made the lictter they iike it,
ami provided sifrtjr he not sacrifita-d to
*|xssi. the taring of a day in < lovsingthe
Atlantic is an object lor travelers of all
clauses.
In relation to cotton production and
consumption the I'nitrxl StaU • FstmomiM
gir Ultln showing that for eleven
years. ending with the crop of |N6O. the
total production of the country was 37.-
410.687 lisle*. The annual average
yield 3.400.873 halo*. For the fourteen
year*. ending with the crop of |67>. the
yield. v 50,758.16s hales. t!ie yearly
average b< ing 3.615.318 liim*. The
<->>niing crop is put at 5.300.(100 bale*.
The pens nlage increase is, for the three
yrat> ending 1656. t4 per cent.; tor the
three years end in* 1858, 7; far the two
year* ending 1661. 30: for Ihe three years
ending 1671. 46; for the three years end
ing 1676, II j: for the thn-e vear* ending
167". 17: for tlie two years ending I*7B.
15f. (luring tlie first eleven years fol
lowing the war. the production reached
36.310.861 hates, an average of 3,300.088
per annum, against 37.410.607 for eleven
years ending 1661. an average annual
production of 3.400.873. The average
crop for the last fourieen vear* cxm-isis
the average production for the eleven
years ending I*6l by 315.000 Itaiea. The
crop now coming t. ntarket, if current
estimates of it he correct. exceeds the
largest crop prior to the war hy 377,000
hales.
Tiirough China.
We passed through hy-roads and fields
of millet ten feel high, and could not see
a ross the country unless where the har
vest was cut. The stooks of the large
millet looked like wigwams. We heard
sad tidings of the famine: yet here there
was abundance, so much that this one
province could supply all the famine
strieken A measure of millet will sup
js>rt a Chinaman for a month: hut there
is no enterprise about getting the millet
to the hungry, and the port was soon to
he closed bv the winter. There was al
ways tome one on the road, though the
houses and villages were few. Now it
ww the (Mtstman. white .nail-bag slung
across his shoulders, his hand* swinging
vehemently a he went. Then it was
travelers on horse hack, armed with
formidable gpears with which to frighten,
not to tight, the robbers that infest the
roads of the road*. Peasants were trudg
ing to mark't. a farmer was going over
his land. Figures in white came near
the road to watch us pass, and we knew
it was a family in mourning. Some
Indies crossed hy a path over the Jields
to pay a visit to a neighbor's house; a
servant followed them, and they stole
shy looks at tlie foreigners. Here the
reapers were at work: and if it wa the
large millet, they cut down only one stalk
at a time, and then Kiund them labor*
iously in gigantic sheaves. A watch
man. staff in hand, was patrolling the
fields to guard his master's grain against
the inroads of the poor. Then we saw a
threshing-floor—the hard, beaten circuit
of ground, the ears with only a
short straw spread over them, and a
white and lazy mule dragging a stone
round and round. Sometimes the grain
was lashed, hut never thrashed with the
flail. Where roads met tin re was al
most always a small shrine of mud. a
few feet high, rnisisl to some local god.
a shabby superstition that contracted
wilh the comfortable look and intelli
gence of the people.— Good Wardf.
The Small Hoy in a Torn Uin.
Frank, n twelve-year-old son of Joe
Williams, hail a new experience Satur
ilay. The youth was up in the new ele
vator utter pigeons. Looking at the
i large hopper through whieh the shelled
torn passed through into the ear, it oe
eurretl to him that it would he a pleas
ant trip to ride down with the corn. He
jumped on and was soon covered up in
the rushing grains of corn. Dan Bush
man, observing that the grain hail ceased
now in g. ran his hand in and felt the boy's
feet. They had to break the spout to re
move him. 11c was almost smothered
to death and black in the face. They
blew in his nostrils, worked the chest,
and chafed his hands; ami they were re
warded tor their efforts by a slight pulse.
On his removal home medical aid was
summoned, and the youth will survive
his spouting experience.— Eldora (la.)
ledger.
Heltagang.
Hrimgamg' So th* tier awn paopla
Wkiapar when they hear the bell *
Toiling Iron *o*ne gray ok* aUMpia
Oaath'* laimluu- tale to tail.
When they hear the organ dirge*
Swelling oat train chapel dome
And the aingeni chan tin" nngae
" Hnmgang f He is going boron,
Hrimgn *yWe am all no weary,
And the willow* a* they wave.
Softly nghing. sweetly dreary,
Woo us to the IranqttU grave.
When the golden pitcher** broken,
Kith its dreg* and with it* Mam,
And the tender word* are spoken,
" Hnmgang We am going home.
—J. J. H. Dt iyeaa-.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
There is not a single national hank in
Mi**iippi
Japan hag forty-three Christian
eliurchfl*. Seven year* ago it had non*
The manufacturing huainem i *o du i
in Kngland that t*u mills do not make a
cent.
W hen a man u**a hi* cam- to help him
walk rapid 1 j it bcoom** a hurrycane.-
hiwril Coaritr.
Tlte Japan*-*- think paradl* i* on
i bated by a high Iwara fenoe; and no
docs the email boy in watermelon time.
The boy who ha* a love for swimming
and a nervous mother 1* one of the mo-i
unhappy being* on Uie fa** of tlie cot.!
We hear of men aowing wild oat*, bdl
who ever heard of a woman sewing
anything but tares?—Sl. Ixmit Tunc
Journal.
The Krnpemr Alexander, of Russia, i*
devout, well int-ntion*-d. and physically
very weak lie iivtwsimply and Is given
to long walks.
The total production of <**al in IB*7
wiu estimated at 1t05.*,J7t gross tons.
Germany produci-d to SD.iMi,
ouo for toe I'nitcd State*.
The water in a well at Washington,
which was supposed to b i impure, i
found on analysis to tie mineral water,
valuable for medicinal purpose*.
Tlie I'nited State* haif-eagie con tain
lift grains of pure gold, equivalent t
$&; tlm British sovereign. 113 grain*,
equivalent to $1.87 of I Suu. -
mney.
The ice-cream n-udied at some of the
down town restaurant# i# fearfully and
w.m*lerfully made. If the frost could
lie got out oi it it might be sold for cot
ton flannel.
Tbe ex - Khedive to Sew York: " Sine*
! in rule you a present of tbe Egyptian
obelisk " I have foiled in business.
C<uiiti't you allow me #3O or s*o for
it?"— ('inrtntuU* Enquirer.
A young man went into n restaurant
til*- oth*r day, and. remarking tha'
"Time i* money."" added that as be bst
half an hour to sjare. if the proprietor
was willing he'd take it out in pie.
Always *om- hitch about it—a
barn*-**. —.l inrric ih S'unck. Always
come iu-h about it—a mosquito* bite.
—Monthly t'num Always sum switch
atajui it—a girl'* train.—AVie Tori:
Peoflr.
A Xorristown man wlio was advised
to go to the Hot Sprii g* for tbe benefit
*if his hcaltii, *aiu hianx-d if be wi*
going to do it. as it wa* a sou! as much
:i he could do to worry through the hot
lummm.- SorrisUnrn Herald.
The old saying that lightning does not
strike twi<* in tin- same place will not
always hold gtaid, for on the farm ol
Alexander Isouttks, of York. I'a., is a
walnut tree that ha* I*** struck no lea*
than five limes during a single season.
We are told that not on- American
woman faints to-day where Jiirty year*
ago twentv-five fainted.—Boston Herald.
Nothing tike variety! They got tired
fainting in the same place, probably.
Men are not so easily fatigued by it.—
Boston Courier.
A British army captain and two
lieutenant* have licen fined f6O each for
break in c into the bedroom# of two
other officer* and "prinkring pepper on
Uie carpet* in order to make them sneeae
lunniiy when they returned. Tlie <-oni
plainan' wa* the landlady, whose furni
ture liaii laa-n damaged.
One of a series of Indian mound*,
twenty-five f*et in dtameh-r. hat* been
unearthed by tbe Albany (IU.) scien
tists. Curiously carved drinking ves
sel# of ton- wi re discovered, and skulls
and bone*, evidently belonging to an
unci en l race of mound builders, were
found in profusion.
The blind pacer. Sleepy Torn, slacken*
hi* speed toward the end ol each heat
at soon a# he li.-ars the crow.l yell, tor
lie think# lie has finished- Thi* ten
dency has to be met by talking and with
the whip, and even then count# seriously
against liia suooeta, although be has
made the best time on record.
Some rrramnivrou* animal* will eat
many plant* that other# do not appear
to reli#h. Ij-innwu*. tin'di#tingui*bed
ixttanist. iv offering fresh plants of the
ordinary kind# eaten by animals, found
that horse* ate ?7S specie# and refused
•ill . horned cattle and reftnwd 218.
Sh**ep ate 3M7 and relHaod only HI.
Here i an incident of railroad travel
in Hungary. A mail train came to a
sudden stop in a tract <>. open country.
The passengers thrust their tu-ads out of
the window* to sv what hail happened.
A pig had leaped from a van and was
-kurrving away. The train employee#
joined in a tiruit. and the fugitive wa*
hotly chased for twenty minutes. Then
all rcturn.d to tlie waiting train except
the official who had charge of tlie hag
gage voucher*, and the delay wa* pro
.onged. hut in vain, for him to come
hack At the end of tlie journey the
passenger# could not get their trunks
until next day. when the voucher man
arrived.
.Some time ago the Xew York Erpreu
irnve an account of an attempt which was
made to rob a luuik. The newspaper
got it* information of the cashier of tbe
hank, who it ms implicated an inno
cent p'rson. The person suiii and re
covenal damage*. The Kxprtxs ha* now
drought suit against the ca-hierfor the
amount * f tue •lamagea which it was
a>mpelled to pay. The result of this
suit will be looked for with inter
est. If tlie principle lie established that
the person giving tlie information and
not tlie newspaper publishing tlie same
is n*s|Hnible, people wlx> are inter
viewed by reporter# will doubtless !>e
more oan'ful wliat statements they make
for the press.— Rome t-cnlinel.
Too Many Snake Bile*.
During the haying season an honest
old farmer out ou the Gratiot road em
ployed tlin*e young men from the city to
help cut and store his timothy. None
of them liked work half as well as
whisky, and a conspiracy wae the re
sult. About noon one iiw one of the
trio fell down in the field, snouting and
kicking, and the other two ran to the
farmer with wild eye* and called out
that their -onipaniou had been bitten
by a rattlesnake and must have
whisky. The farmer rallied to the
house and brought out a uuart. and the
three harvesters Rot a big drink all
around on the s.y. while tlie "bitten"
one had a lay-off of half a day. The
next forenoon a soi-ond one was bitten,
and again the farmer ru-lied for his
U>ttle. It was a nice little job for the
boys, and on the third day the third one
nut in his claim for a bite, and jelled
for the whisky bottle. The farmer
took tlie matter very coolly this time,
and after making particular inquiries as
to the sise of the snake, location ot the
bite, the sensation and so forth, he
slowly continued:
"Day lie fore yesterday James was
bitten and drank a quart of good
whisky. Yesterday John was bitten
and drank a quart more. To-day you've
got a bite and the best thing you can do
is to smell their breaths i M lay in the
shade while the rest of us cat dinner!"
The man got well in ten minutes, and
not another rattlesnake was seen during
the season.— Detroit Free /Ve.s.
The Children of Knot Drinkers.
Dr. Martin, of the Salperriere Hos
pital, Paris, has made a series of inter
esting observationson nervous affections
among the offspring of alcoholic parents.
His results may la' summed ur> as fol
lows: In eighty-three families in which
one or more members showed nervous
exeitability with a history of alcoholic
origin, there were 410 children. Of these.
106—more than a quarter —had oonvul
sions, and in the year 1874, 189 wen
dead; 241 were still alive, but eighty
three, *. e., more than one-third of the
survivors, were epileptic.