The Little Middie Daughter, The little middle daughter, Just sight years old today; Her hate is bright as sunshine, Her look is sweet as May. So plump and round and dimpled, Pray what can grieve her now, The little middle daughter, For a shade 8 on her brow, “Please, would you tike it, madam!” The little malden cries, And something like a dewdrop Is trembling in her eyes, “To wear your sister's dresses, Cut down for fitting vou, While Jessie, ten, and Mollle, six, Have always something new? “You see, when Jessie's gowns and capes Are fashioned o'er on mae, They soon wear out, oh, yes Indeed, As fastas fast can be, And Molly never gets them, she's ike a fairy queen And Jessie's like another. And I'm the ong between. “I wish you'd tell my mother (Oh. not that U'm afraid, Except to Furt her feelings(. ‘That her little middle maid Would be the gladdest being 11 she might have from town. Just ence, and all hers only, A single whole new gown." Ro, as I'm sympathetic, Dear mothers, heed, 1 pray, The little middle-daughter's plea, Which I send forth Jeiay So plump and round and dimpled, So swift your will to do. ‘lease when you buy the autumn things, Just buy her one thing new. -- TALE OF A DEAD MAN. Dy what means the subjoined reached me is a matter of no conse- quence, It relates to commonplace experiences which are not often elaborated, and which are c.irious enough to warrant cation. AS to the existence of astral bodies there is unquestionably a general un- belief. Still, there are thousands of publi- intelligence who are firm in the fuith least two entities, the physical body and an astral body, which is semi-spiritual, and which 18 very like the ordinary frame of flesh—blood, nerve, and tissue—and which differs from the man elements and the capability, at times, of separation from the corporeal frame and an independent existence, At death it does not lose its dividuality, and continues to live either for an indefinite period, or pos. sibly, forever, tient shadow of the body, and yet with a species of targibility that permits it, become perceptible to, and verse with, some in the flesh. of the human being that are held by the day. of a man who lies dead before me, his double, although I aud as if I were he, 1 shall speak, The gradual approach of dissolution, the illness, the physical, mental, moral and emotional disturbances which pre- cede and accompany it, Jated with exactness, What is presented as characteristic of moribund is a pervision of the facts, My life, including its eating, was not especially remarkable, 1 was of a robust youth; was religiously educated in the straightess fashion; had the whieh without overexertion furnished me with a moderate co'upetence. I en- joyed, as a rule, superb health, and also enjoyed an almost total exemption from injuries. Life thas passed equably and uneventfully until I had reached u half century. It was at this period that slight rip- ples began to disturb the level of the hitherto pacific surtace of the sea of life, Sleep, always nndisturbed and re- [restiing, vegan to be broken, had I fallen asleep when my head touched the pillow and the rest would last for hours without interruption. Now it would be hours before I would drop into a fitful and restless slumber, which would be baunted by frightful visions of demonia¢ forms, bottomless chasms and towering heights, adown which 1 was hurled like Lucifer from the battlements of heaven. My splendid appetite began to fail; my disposition for physical and mental exertion lessened; my average. good nature became tainted; my verves, al ways sheathed in impenetrable de- fenses, became bared, as age wears the enamel fron 4 tooth, leaving its teu der fibers exposed to incessant and pain. ful contact, Irritation took the place of the ordinary endurance of my na- ture. Strange ‘and violent paios at times seized me with ferbetty. All these changes did not come In a month, or a year,or In five years, They were almost imperceptible in Shelf APprvach, It was a half score of years before all these changes forced themselves on my attention, and I dis. covered that I had grown thin and was losing my strength. Well meaning friends contributed to the hastening of my awakening from the unconsciousness of failing “What in the world alls you? Have you been sick?’ *No, I never felt better in my life,” 1 would reply, at the time a chill shad. DOE My nerves as their re- think I am not looking well?” “Oh, you're so thin and pale, You want to see a doctor.’ Another effusive acquaintance: “Why, old boy, you're getting old. Anything the matter with you?’ Then 1 suddenly began to notice the deaths among my acquaintances, It came to me with the suddenness and pang of a dagger thrust that So and So, who were younger than 1, were dead. I glanced about amorg the people 1 knew, searcning for those who were my chums and companions ten and twenty years before, and I discovered with a throb of pain that only here and there one remained, I began unconsciously taking an ab- sorbing Interest in the death notices, “Younger than 1!” was the sinking comment when such was the fact, and and for a moment I came to the verge of hating those who had thus set an example of death at their age. When the decease of the octogenarian and those who climbed to the very sum- mits of the century was announced, I warmed to their memories as those who afforded examples of the capacity of men for long life, I grew weaker in health and de moralized in temperament, The slight pondent moods, and lost my taste for society, amusement, labor and study. The inevitable burden of life was un- endurable and I lost all ambition, The waste in which there was nothing save Meanwhile, so far as I know, and yet my fancy supplied scores of diseases, | felt the languor heart times felt the a difficulty, and at In this labyrinth of and suf- fered as polguantly as if they bad been real, I consulted medical men, amined me ; nerious tone; a little tonic, less work and a rest, No organic trouble; some who ex- quence,” were, drifted over the sky of my brain I now and then lost cohesion in impaired, and I would forget dates and faces, It was at this period that night be- dreaded inferno with infinite tortures. Sleep was in brief snatches, disturbed by atrocious visions, 1 swung heaven high precipices; 1 was through caverns of hideous might monsters, and constantly awoke shiver. ing and sometimes screaming with af- tright and bathed In perspiration, The waking period between the mo- ments of sleep were more intolerable after a time than the nightmare «f slumber. They were the arenas of re- trospection in which memory and con- unceasing battles, A chased reproachful, gentle blue eyes of a dying wantonly shot in a grove one glorious June afternoon; the most minute opportunities; thee on such about me and even to neglected action--all detarls; occasions orous upbraidings, After a time the most terrible phan. them all, made its appearance, and bovered leering at me in the somber night. It was the suggestion of death, “You must diel” it sald and flew AWAY. “Well, what of it? Tens of billions bave died, and everybody living must also die. There's young Blank, with all his youth and wealth, be is sure to die some day, and so has the beautiful Miss Fleurette and the newly married couple, the Jevnessess—all of them; not one of them will be spared! Sup. pose | must? They'll all follow along sooner or later,” Aud yet these reflegtions, that every son and daughter of man must undergo the same fale gave me no consolation. I was not willing to share the common lot; I wanted to live, only to livel It may be that I was not more of a cow ard than the majority of human be- ings when they first begin to contem- plate the approach of the great butclier. For months and months I fought his appearance; I feit for myself a great commseration, an acute sorrow that I was obliged to die. It was ouly when I found him close enough to feel the breath of his nostrils that I ceased to fear him. Early, orthodox, religions training made self felt potentially, and there idea of an “angry God frothing with rage,” and an ocean of flame rolling on forever ils sulphurous bil ows, with its shrieking and damped souls, filled me sion. Again, the suggestion of anni Miliation would possess me with its awful menavce. To be obliterated, to be separated forever from friends whom I loved, was even more terrifying than the anticipation of eternal torture, In time the inspection of these vari- ous horrors dulled their bideous mten- sity, as the victim on the wheel is said to become insensible to pain after the first few blows, A species of numb- ness, a lethargy permeated me, The subject grew wearisome, I sad: “I am but an indescribably minute speck in the universal collection of hu- man atoms, I am of no possible econ- sequence compared with the stupend- ous mass, If there be a future in which there is a judgment of human actions it is no more than just that I pay the penalty of my offenses, All the trillions of specks that have lived and died, and who will live and die, will have to meet the same fate, Why should I distress myself in regard to a future life any more than one of the animalculse which inhabit a drop of waler in the mid-Pacific? 1 am of no more consequence in the mighty ag- gregate of the {ilimitable universe than this tiny and invisible creation. I will worry no longer." In time all these phantasms, visions, doubts and apprehensions disappeared. Then a profound peace took possession of my soul. It was not the pacific re- pose of hope, but the belief which came from the disappearance of the black broods that incessantly threat- ened dire results, of the thundering waves and the casti- | gating winds. ing. cradle like moton. The { tide drifted me along a shore from | which a delicious perfume, balsamic and lethal, filled the atmosphere. | Twilight came, as tranquilized by the heavy odors, 1 floated languidly and paiulessly on and on, till twilight deepened into eternal dark. ness, VICTORIA'S DRAGOONS. Famous Regiment of Which England's Queen Has Be- come Chief. The The First Grand Dragoon regiment, | is not only one of the most distinguished { cavalry regiments in the German anny, | but in military history It will live us i sodes which occured at eritical moments i la Tour on the 16th of August, 1870, when there depended for the moment | ont a mere handful of horsemen the fate Twice during that battle did the Ger- man cavalry, in order to avert the im- pending catastrophe, vide to certain destruction: and on one of these ocea- gions it was the First Grand Dragoons almost triumpbal onward march of the enemy and thus helped to beat back the wellnigh overwhehning tide of advance The formation of the regiment dates the 21st of February, 185, on day King William Frederck the Third issued an order to the following effect: “1 have determined (0 raise thires new guard cavalry regiments in place of the existing light cavalry regi- ment, and to from them from the three national cavalry regiments which have fought with the army during the war, | in order, not only to give to the prov- inces to which these regiments belong { and to whicn they owe their orizina fi esh proof of my Kindly feeliugs toward them, and which they deserve, but also ito testify my satisfaction with the { spirit shown by the light guard cava. | Iry regiment during the war.” The | three regiments thus formed becune : which i sara, The dragoons were composed of ithe guard dragoon squadron, $ { the Queen’s dragoon regiment, | en and horses from the national regi. ments were selected with care. men who had obtained, during the war | the decoration of the Iron Cross were given to any who had served during the War. --— - To Introduce Indiaand Ceylon Texas. Prominent among the arr vals of San Francisco recently from Australia was R. BE. Pinco, late inspector of Estates and Chairman of the Haputall Plant. ers’ Association, of Ceylon. He comes to America as the representative of the tea planters of India and Ceylon, to in. troduce Indian teas into this country. He claims that India and Ceylon teas are supplanting those of China and Japan in England, 125.000, 00 pounds having been shipped to Great Britain this year. He says the tea of his country 1s now handled eniirely by ma~ chinery, and declares that it is a great China and Japan, which 18 prepared by band. yi Retriever to the Last Simm ——— A gentleman was out shooting near Totnes the other day when he had the misfortune, which has previously oc- cured to other sportsmen, to shoot his dog. Fora moment he was too much inept abide one, and before he h 0 Aim . lt retrieves, had come up to him, bringing in its mouth its own tell, which had been shot clean off, The dog’s name was Pouto, fe a GLADSTONE'S PORTRAITS. Variety of Phases of the Old Man's Countenance, Mr, Gladstone is not an easy subject, though be is one in whom painters may well delight, His strongly-marked features, the deep lines and furrows which time and thought have plowed upon his face, the lustrous speaking eyes, and the heavy locks, once black, but long since whitened by the passage of the years, provide the artist with tempting materials for the display of his powers. It might seem, indeed, that his was one of those faces which it is impossible to mistake, and which even the least skillful of painters can portray with accuraay. So far, how- ever, from this belpg the case, there are few men of distinction whose like- ness it is more difficult to fix upon can- vas, For the expression—which alone can give life to the portrait—varies in the case of Mr, Gladstone from hour wo hour, almost one might say from mo- ment to moment, Those who know him well will tell you that he has one face for the House of Commons, an- other for society, and yet a third for his own library. And in Parliament what an infinite variety of moods it is that he presents to those who watch him! Now, with head sunk deep within the folds of the collar, the dimensions of which are by no means so extrava- treme old age, wrapped within itself, lost in reverie that deals with men and and scenes undreamt of by the present As vou scan the drawn over which that startling, you fina it difficult to believe the veteran can ever again roused to any interest in the afiairs of But in an instant is The eyes flash forth the Ores wasted features, wal ais the Crow ded which is peculiar to Mr. it is impossible for the art. suasiveness (:ladstone, however great may be his mastery the is io trait all these varying phases of stateman’s fare, His business select some happy mom nt in which he is Seen at his best in a particular mood, and to fix that moment upon CANVASR, w————— Scotch Names the Queesrest. In England there is a great variety of personsl nomenclature, and, though we have plenty of Smiths, Browns and Robinsons, we have nothing approach- ing to the poverty, in this respect, which characterizes many localities in North Britain. In certai~ parts of Scotland, not only have the surnames been few, bu: there has been a strong disposition to ring tbe changes on a very Ww Christian names fs ¢ result that to with tl its desire is in tinguish between persons of precisely lias provide each with a special “to-name,’’ by which be can be Known, The list the sate name, been obliged to label, or Scotsman of volers occur Hiys # mn *10- that in the official Scotch fishing town such names’ as “Deadly,” Pum,” “Den,” “Cock,” “tost” “Bo,” “Sandyke,’’ “Helen's James," and so on. Such appellations as these are not peccessarily nicknames, as we under- stand them, Sometimes they are ja- tronymics, sometimes they are local in “ are mere Occasionally they are simple wvaria- tions npon a single Christian name, William, who becomes ““Jock’s Wall»? His son, again, who is called William, becomes “J ck’s Wall's Willianme,” while the last namod’s son, if also cal. Jed William, becomes “Jock’s Wull's Williamie’s Wullme,” A further form is “Waullsikie,”” but that, probably, is rarely used. The system till obtains in Scotland, and if it were wtroduced into this country it might prevent some of the confusion which exists among our John Smitns, Thomas Browns and William Robinsons, so AI I 5a Cae Rats Not the Culprits The Lewiston (Me.) Journal tells a story about a West Minot farmer who, to save a barreiful of apples in his cel- lar from the supposed depredations of pears, however, that it was a female mefober of his family who had a fondness tor the fruit, Happening in the cellar the morning after the farmer had prepared to “bag the rodents, she started to help herself as usual. On putting her hand in the barrel she found herself caught in a steel trap. Tn lier the other ote in the barrel, and, as luck put It direetly into the PRICE OF CHAMPAGNES. What the Epernay Grapes Cost~-The Bancerre Crop, The following extract from a French paper, relative to the price of some champagne grapes of this vear’s harvest may prove mteresting in these times of a talk about a champague hear of the price of a bottle of cham- pagne of some bigh-closs brand, it is known that in the Epernay district at the rate of 34 francs a kilogram({ two pounds), This has put up the price of a c.sk containing 200 litres (about 200 quarts) to 1,400 francs, or $280. It has been calcuiated that this year a fine worth to its proprietor 1 centime (one fifth of one cent) for each grape.” So much for the true, genuine grape Pittsburg Dispatch. But all champagne millions of bottles throughout world, could noi be produced in the French province, For instance, reads ina review of a wine crop pub- lished this year in the Journal Des De. bats of the Sth instant, in regard to the Sancerre, tome 250 miles distance from Champegne, that the crop has been sold, before harvest. ing, to the makers of champagne, at the rate of fifty francs (19) the hectoitre, or 100 litres, just as it comes out from therefore tate COLAaLl the press machine,’ How different this price 's from that the genuine grape of 1 those while other dis Ss 11 Lik wines trists = ve 1 It must be known that it is due to that process that champagne sparkles being treated and improved, isa quiet, delicious, stil] wine, with an admirable Hght, rose-tinted color, the for home, the twin brother of the cham- pane of restaurants and official ban- wine (Juels, - ————— Thay Sin Against Their Mothers. The of a mother over the conviction of her son in the district sourt of Douglass county, drove the judge from the bench and turned lawyers to tears, There Issomething Infinitelvsad about the devotion of a mother and the human heart can never resist throb of sympathy when that mother's love naserts Courts and balliff’s, judges and lawyers, court rules and stern decress, all yield for a moment to the overwhelming of woman's All reverence sorrow in sympathy. a moment. From his mother’s the one who is ever a boy {0 ber man in the eye of the law, is dragged by f sexorable justice to the punshment he And then we wonder why iamentations a itself, power and ail jut it is only for arms but a 3 ove, bow in has merited, that mother’s love which appeals to all humanity with irresistible power, not strong to keep that from evil and evil acts would have given her life to save his any time, All she asked in return was for lnm to be true to himself, Yet he was not. The sin which wrong doers commit azainst society 18 very small compared with that whith they commit against thelr mothers, was boy She enough Ways @ Quong Lee's Revenge. Quong lee, a Brideport {(Conn.) Chinaman, is preparing to go into the The Bridgeport Farmer said Quong thought be had overcharged by a truckman. It continues: “Quong was mad, and, ‘Me no likee the tluck- pay too much. In my clountie man owns horse and wagon, charge you six cents and carry your goods five miles, Too much, Chinaman washee thiee shirts for 26 cents; take two hours. Tluckman makes 25 cents in five minutes. Me get a borse and tluck velly quick. Horse cost $60 and tuck $100, Get tiuck painted red in Na Yolk this way: lee, move goods all over cily, six cents’ Technical Education in Japan. 1t 1s reported from Japan that Vise count Ennomoto, the new Minister of Education, is giving special sttention to the introduction of technical educa- tion mto the primary schools of the empire, and that he has tarned to Italy as a model. His schemeis to include technical education in the curriculum the preparatory schools, and to give children technical training from the outset. Ati A A "Noble Passion’ Rare, “A great love does not of necessity imply a great intelligence, but it must FCOD FOR THOUGHT. | lowest, | The paths of glory lead but to | grave, A tiue philosopher is a citizen of the | World, Even reproofs can be Kindly given, The greatest good 8 done most | quietly, He who does not look before, lags be hind, The greatest cunning is to have none at all, | Happiness is not perfection unless it | is shared. { It is the guilty man who makes ex- | planations, Some men should never be seen ex- | cept In a crowd, Great possessions may bring great | misfortunes, | Life is half spent before one knows | what life is. { Wise men avoid | create them. i He who allwuss the i i dangers. Focle ! smells trubble iz | sure, by and by to find it, You cannot always tell the amount { of gas in a poem by its meter, Envy is just as natural to the Leart | of man as blood is to his body | Everything that 18 nice grows on the | other side of a barbed-wire fence He who will flatter another will | him, if he gets a good chance, rot If yon care to boss your own ranch al sixty, save your cash at thirty {One of the first exhibitions of wisdon .8 to avoid the company of fools A man who is good eompany for hi self is always good company for othe Six women can talk at along first rate, and no two wen that, once this world i There are people in only wisdom everything. There ars more people who y gel themselves govern ihem- | selves, The pensioner is mightier than sword-wielder reducing the plus, It takes live men to make a live | town. Dead men are only fit to innabit cemeteries, I think I would rather be every now and then than in everything, A whipping never hurts sc much as the thought that you are being whip- ped. cons sls 1 BUS than the sUr- in swindled to lowe fant If you want to sleep late in the morn- ings, wake up your mind to get up early. If you put your eyes on your neigh- bor’s row, the weeds will grow up in your own. It is safe to say that half the people who try to go to heaven are going out of carie ity. Never think, Thmking of a trouble makes it larger, and thinking of joy makes it less, i When a man steals he steals for him- self, but when a woman fieals she steals for others, We sometimes teach actions the very things we do n« them to know, “That girl has s0 much = said a man on the streets to-day, * she is almost good-looking.” Ouly a very pretty young girl and a very rich old man can afford to be in- dependent of pleasing others, When a thief steals » thing, action after getting away is © start that some houest man is a thn You are even with the weeds now that the frost has come; but the killing frost always comes too late to do any good, others by our it want ney, ”’ . Hs ‘that aS BLS start a ef Any boy will save money lo buy a gun, Itisthe boy who saves money who nas no gun in view, who deserves the most credit, if your heart is larger than your head you injure yourself, and if your head is | larger than your heart you injure your | neighbors, A big man can be excused for walk- tng on the streets with a little man, but a little man appeary to a poorer advant- | age beside a big man than at any other time, The doctor who culs a man open after deat: and tells what is the mat- | ter with him has the advan age of the | doctor who Is co..pelled to guess what | is the matter with the patient before | death. Cheered by the prasence of God I ! will do at the moment, without ww Xi- | ety, aacording to the strength which be sha | give we, the work that iis provi- dende assigns me 1 will leave the rest; it is my affair, If all that has been said by orators id pets since the creation of the in the praise of women were ap- plied to the women of America, it would not do them justice for thelr con- duct during the war, Kind words produce their own image in men’s soul 8, and a beautiful ivage it is. They soothe and quiet and com- fort the hearer, They shame him out of his sour, morose, unkind feelilige. We have nol yet begun to use kid words in such abundance as they ought to be used. Pessimists are wont to portray ia bitter, burning language the woes which must surely accrue to a state of civilization wherein the sale of fair and lasbands ob-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers