A JUMENTARY MEDITATION. 1 sometimes list to my grandpa’s clock As I'm sitting sad and lone, Ana h adore to me that its strange “‘tick Is ala of its own, In oheasant retrospect. It fills my mind with a gracious cheer— Does old clock's dial-ect. Ah! when shall time wind up its work And its spring refuse to flow, While its hands which never a moment shirk On an endless strike shall go. But its old face shows not a shade of fear From its patient toiling clique. And "twill still do business year by year While its tock io trade is tick. et I Mn THE CHILIAN'S OATH. The city of Valparaiso is one of the most important upon the Pacific coast. Take them altogether the people o Chili show the most enterprise and seem the best adapted for republican government of any in South America, yet the common people are of a dark, revengeful nature, and few foreigners find favor in their eyes. But with the dark-eved mnidens of Chili it is differ. ent, and Y:nkee sailors always ljke to run into *Valparaiser’ for a cruise on shore, and a happy time they have gehstallys Ned Wilton landed from the brig Vesper, which had sprung a topmast snd stove in her quarter in a storm in the south Pacific It was a two weeks’ job to refit, and as Ned was a man to be trusted the ‘‘old man" gave him a free run on shore. Ned wasn't much of a man to drink, and most of his time was spent in rambling about on the beautiful mountain slopes, get- ting acquainted with the dark-eyed beauties of the city and country, and enjoying himself generally. One day while exploring the country ten miles to the north and east of the city, he was attracted by the sound of voices loud in dispute, and then came a woman's cry for help. Dashing through the bushes Ned came out ina | little open space, where he saw a | beautiful girl, whom he had met ata fandango in Valparaiso, struggling ia | the grasp of a dark-looking Chilian, who, if be was not a villain, ought to have had a quarrel with his face. here, my man,” said Ned, | you'd better drop it, or you may chance | to get yourself into trouble.” “That advice might be as well ap- | “See plied to yourself, senor,” replied the | man, with a dark, savage frown. “If | you will take my advice, given in the | most friendly spirit, you will take | yourself off and attend to any business | of your own which vou may chance to | have on hand. No man ever inter- fered with Manual Gogena who did | not repent it." “I'll have to leave it to the young | lady,” said Ned, quietly. that I'm in the way I'll walk, as you | say, but not before.” i ‘No, no!" eried the girl. “Do not | leave me alone with this man.” “That's all right,” said Ned. "You | see that the senora claims my help, | Manuel Godens, «nd I'll have to | trouble you to get up and travel” The man drew a knife and made a | dash at him. Ned knocked it out of | his hand and then and there gave him such a thrashing as he had never re. ceived in his life Theo, stripping him of bis weapon, he kicked him in- | dustriously down the slope, for it | “riled” him to have a man draw a | knife. The Chilian at last took to his heels, and when once out of reach of Ned's No. 8 boot turned and shook his hand at him in a menacing manner. ‘‘Hear me, Americano.” he hissed. | “] vow to the saiot not to take rest or | sleep until I have reveage on you!" Ned angwered by a contemptuous | laugh, and whirling on his heel went back to the lady, who was trembling with fear. ! “Let me escort you safely from this | lace,” he said. “You are hardly sale | ere.” “Thanks, senor. That "man is my sousin, and this morning he undertook | to escort me to the house of my uncle, | who has a cattle ranch over yonder. | But when we reached this place he | seized me and swore that he would | carry me to the haunt of the bandit | Rosas and there keep me until I prom- | ised to marry him." “He is a land pirate,’ said Ned, *and | deserves keel-hauling if ever a man | did.” 3 “I do not understand that, senor,” | said the girl, with a merry smile. | “But I shall be your debtor forever if | ou will go with me to my uncle's | ouse.” “f am quite at your service,” sald Ned, gallantly; “but I don’t know the | way you wish to go.” ‘“This way, senor.” She struck into a forest path, after | a glance at the manly face of the Yan- | kee sailor. That glance was enough, | for it showed her that she was abso- | lutely safe with him, no matter where she might choose to go. An hour's ride brought them to an opening, and | on the slope of the tablado befors them | they saw a fine ranch surrounded by buildings and corals for cattle. “This is the place, Senor America. no,” she said. “Will you not come to | the house and let my uncle thank | you P” : “] don't want any thanks for an act which no man could have refused to perform ; butl will go In. Will you ive me your name? Mine Is Edward | Wilton, and I am second mate of the brig Vesper.” “And mine is Isola Mendez. I re- member you, senor. I danced with you at the fandango in Valparaiso last week." They entered the house and were met by Senor Mendez, the uncle of Isola. He heard her story and thanked the young American warmly for the he had performed. But Ned stop him, “It annoys me to be thanked for so slight a service,” said Ned. ‘Please «do not say anything more about iL" +] will try and thank you In some other way, senor,” sald ero, warmly. “Now you must make a stay with me, if your business will allow it, andl w lL, try to make it pleasant for Jou : +] have a week of liberty on shore,” said Ned, “and then I must beofft. I “If she says | Three or four days passed pleasant ly. the ranchero doing his best to in- vent new pleasures for the young American. Isola was a pleasant com- panion, and Ned was very sorry when the time drew near for him to leave. The last day of his stay the two rode out among the foothills, and it was plain 10 see that they were very deep- ly lu love. As they halted for a mo- ment in a breezy canyon a dozen horsemen suddenly surrounded them. Ned made a gallant fight, and shot one of his assailants and mortally wounded another before he was over- powered. In the lender of these mountain bandits he recognized Man. uel Godena. “I told you that I would not rest until I had revenge, accursed Ameri- cano,"” he hissed. ‘Now Isola—-" But the girl, giving her horse the rein, broke suddenly through the ranks of the men who surrounded her, for they had not taken the trouble to secure her, und set off at a mad gallop, closely pursued by four of five of the banditti. But there was not a man in Chili who could rids with Isola Men. dez, and as they passed out of sight all could see that she was grining rapidly and was likely two escapes. A cry of rage burst from the lips of Godena. “Now 10,000 curses on the girl!” he cried. “I meant that she should wis ness my punishment of her Yankee Jover; but at lesst we have him se- pure. Place him against the rock there, with his hands and feet bound. Make him fast so that he can not fall down.” The men obeyed, and Godens dis- mounted with a pistol in hand. Ned, neld in his place by his bonds, looked him boldly in the face. Advancing a pace the miscreant almed at him, changing his aim from time to time to distress the prisoner. But Ned did not give the slightest sign of fear. At last the pistol exploded and the ball tore through the fleshy part ot his shoulder. “One!” said Godena, producing an- Again he fired and the other shoul- “You black-hearted hound!" are mistaken. Godena, with the grin of a fiend, Again he fired, in- sailor, but this time he missed. “Poor practice,” said Ned. ‘Try The fourth pistol cracked, and Ned arm had been pierced. Godena was very angry. for in spite of the torture, Reload- wisonor, and again and him with the muzzle of “Why don't you end it, cowardly cried Ned. “I will end it" replied Godena, | “Thus | Manuel Godena avenges himself." He raised the pistol in his right hand At the same time a score stockmen and rancheros chased the canyon, and the bandits Then when he came back to life his bonds had been removed and he lay upon the knee of Isola Mendez “Do not move,” she said softly. Ned Wilton recovered from his wounds, but not soon snough to sail in Indeed. he never left Mendez. — Boston Globe. taille A Question of Discipline, A German was boasting in the pres- ence of some Russians about the obe- dience and discipline of the German army, citing numerous instances from the war between France and Germany. “Gentlemen,” replied one of the Russians, “what you say about the dis- nothing at all when compared with what occurs continually in the Russian army. But I will merely recite one instance of what occurred at the be- gianing of the reign of the Czar Nicho- as, when the discipline in the Russian At that time, before the telegraph was discov which were a few miles apart. The soldier made the signal which was re- poate by the soldier st the next ed thousands of miles, “One day a soldier at a station near time, and, dreading the punishment liberately hdoged himself on the signal tower. The soldier at the next deliberately but promptly hanged him- In consequence of the dis cipline which prevalls in the Russian army, next day it was discovered that all the soldiers at the signal stations from St. Petersburg to Warsaw had towers. Of course, a much stricter discipline prevalls at present, and ——" “That will do,” replied the German, “1 give it up.” Texas Siftings A——, The walking craze is the latest agony among a set of ung clubmen who live and have their be in athletics. ‘A ten-mile spurt after dinner is con- sidered a fair distance Ww start with, but ambitious pedestrians increase this from one to two miles nightly until twenty or twenty-five miles are cover. ed. Flat shoes, with low, broad heels, are wovn at the pastime, Our views aro incidental vier accept your invitation with pleasure _ senor. i i A M7ZSTIFIED EMPEROR Fooled by the Tricks of a Very Olever Youth. The Three Oreat Wonders—How a Conceited Chinme Monarch Was Hoodwinked by Three Simple Feats of Jugglery—He Couldn't Do It Now. Many hundred years ago China was ruled by an Emperor who was looked upon during his reign as the most re- markable man of his ume But though Tal Tsung posssessed a more than ordinary mind he had been train- ed in the superstitious school of those days, and considered himsell the greatest of all men, and descended from a line of emperors of divine origin. So conceited did he finally become that he caused it to be announced throughout the empire that he would give an important office to the subject who could produce any invention or abject that he could not explain. So great a reward naturally atiracted the attention of bold adventurers all over the empire, and so many presented themselves that certain days were set apart for an examination of their claims, But one day a youth, having the bearing of a person of rank, and with two attendants, presented himself at the palace gates and demanded an audience with the Emperor. After some little delay they were lod before Tai Tsung, who, sat upon a throne in the court garden. “I have three tests I wish to sub- mit” said the youth. “Two had their origin in thy country, O, Tal Tsung, and the other comes from my people.” Taking a package from one 7 his attendants he placed it upon the These wore coll of rope, an umbrella of native “Your Imperial Majesty observes,” said the stranger, surrounded by thy officers to add to our numbers or to deplete | thy wish. You look!" and unable | who bad thrown aside his outer gar. gleaming silver, tossed it up into the | air. The effort was a slight one, yet | the rope rose as if propelled by great force, and when above the palace | walls disappeared. A moment later down it came, and upon it the Emperor | his officers enw sliding down a before they recover from their astonishment a | young man had reached the ground and, saluting bis Majesty, banded him 8 sqaure package wrapped in rice paper. **Canst thou tell from whenoe came this messenger?’ asked the youth. “Porhaps he came over the palaces wall" suggested one of the Emperor's advisers. “Surround the wall with soldiers,” said the youth, who overheard the re mark. and these precautions being taken he took his cast-off garment and threw it over the new comer. who erouched upon the ground. Over this | was placed the large umbrella Then | uttering an invocation the young man tore aside the robe-—-the new comer had disappeared. “This is some trick of the imagina- tion,” said the empéror. “Did you sli ses it?" turning flercely to his follow. ors. “Yes, your majesty,” answered his chief adviser, *it {s some trick—our ayes have deceived us” “Did not the messenger leave a package” replied the youth “True, he did," said the monarch, who now unfolded the package, finally holding up to view a small painting representing a pastoral scene. A range of snow-capped mountains were seen in the distance, skirting a valley covered with green grass, and in the foreground, in bold relief, stood a pure white cow. “The picture is a gift to your majesty.” sald the youth, “and sosses this peculiarity: That wnile the cow is but the expression of the skill of the painter, it has certain of the instincts of the living animal Your majesty observes that now, in the light of day, the cow is feeding: but take the picture into the darkest room in the palace, or examine it at night, and it will be found that the cow, thinking it night, has passed into an enclosure and is lying down.” “Watch this man,” said the Em. ror, “that he does not fly away with is messenger,” and, with his chief adviser, ho took the picture and re- tired to a darkened room. At the en- trance he halted again to look at the painting and saw the cow standing upon the green. Crossing the thres- hold and drawing the curtains the Emperor was amazed to see the pict. ure stand out in startling distinctness when all else was Invisible in the room; but the cow was now seen Wo be lying down bobind a fence. “Can you explain it?" asked the Emperor of his attendant “Jt is magic,” replied the the latter. “l see you cannot explain it” re. torted Tai Tsung, ‘and, until you can could | As they returned to the garden the cow was seen standing as before and, Emperor said: “You are my adviser, for I cannot explain your works, aad now, for my consideration, exhibit the third test.” “As thy adviser I would sugges that the third test be made to thee alone. Itis called the talking string and, by its use, one of thy subjects ean hear thy words from afar.¥ “Leave us alone!” said the Emperor “0 his attendant, and when they had de the youth unwound from an ivory stick a cord having upon each end a bamboo cup. “Hold it to thy ear, sire," he sald, “and for great distances it will carry words to thee." Emperor was incredulous, yet he held the cup to his ear, and when the prince had the end of the wtiff with the tension, he listened, out of the voice that there are things yet new to thee in high life and other things yet to learn, my mission is ended. The talking string is thine.” Astonished, the Emperor replied to the wiling string and summoned the prince to his side, now eager to have «9 wise a mun as his counselor. But the la ‘er would not accept his favors, and after a week of feasting and merriment he departed for his own country in the unknown West. To the Emperor the acts and gifts were nothing less than magical; but in reality they were simple affairs. The appearance of the young man apparently descending from the clouds is a bit of jugglery familiar in India even to-day. The pisture was skilfully made by using phosphorescent paint, prepared by the natives of certain por- tions of ths East nearly a thousand ears ago. By using ordinary paint or the day ploeture and luminous paint for the one at night the illusion was created. In other . words, the cow pictured lying down behind a fence was put on in luminous paste and was seen only at night--a simply arrange ment, easily cond to-day. The ‘‘tatting string” was the tele pnone, which, like many of the sup- posed modern inventions, was known centuries ago and used as a toy by the people, appearing to many as having some mysteriou significance. Basiness Capacity. A popcorn vender on one of the streets near the junction, in Kansas City, says the Times, is turning =a pretty penny, while it seems that an other eng «ged in the same trade is not doing so well. A daily patron of the successful merchant. after buving his sack of corn yesterday, asked: “Why is it that you don't keep one stand? Yesterday you were neariy two blocks down the street and the wera al somes other piace. Why don't you get one place and keep it, and you will have a regu- lar custom?’ The Italian responded after persua- sion. “No regula costomas. People Pussa Meri. He popa corn siow, Wind blows Mana passa him comin’ uy a f anotha Seen cana down street? M BANA. ge corn goin’ down sireet before he reacha me buy. To-morrow maybe other way. Ia below Him mika de appetite, 1 Him thinka staya one buy Diow go People know nobody but ——— - mpl —— Modern Mummifoation, The facts disclosed in the process of anroiling a mummy present in strikiog contrast the difference of the mode of embaiming pursued by the ancient Egyptian and that carried out in mod- ern times. Now the embalmer can conduct in minutes a pressrving pro- cess which cost the Egyptians as many days, and if alter his process is com- pieted he should take paing to seal up the preserved body with ail the skill possible to modern art, he might leave years not a lineament need be wanting for its identification that would not have satished even a contemporary of the dead person. We are inclined now to experience regret that in Egyptian times the art was not advanced enough to leave the emba'mead in such likeness of life. But whether it is worth the trouble in theses days to revive the art, in the more perfect type of 4, for the and women of thirty centuries hence, is a wide question. Cremation is at this moment, becoming the fashion, but possibly some persons would rather be so immortalized and preserved for scien tific study, like William Gilbert's flies in amber, ‘shining in eternal sepuichres.” Lond on Lancet Game of Shadow Bef The game of shadow buff differs very materixlly from blind man's buff, but it is equaliy as amusing. A large piece of white linen should be fastened neatly up at one end of a roum, so that it hangs smoothly. Buff (not blinded) seats himself on a low stool, with his face to the linen, and a table, on which is a lighted candle, should be placed about four or five feet behind him, and the rest of lights extin- guished. Buffy's playfellows next pass in succession between the candle and him, distorting their features in as grosque a manner as possible hopping. limping and performing va- rious odd antics, so as to make their shadow very unlike their usual looks. Buffy must then try and guess to whom the shadows belong, and i he guesses correctly, the player whose shadow he recognizes, takes his place. Buff is allowed only one guess for each per son, and must not turn his head either to the right or left to see who passes, AIA SH American and German University, The average age of the American college student at graduation. is cer tainly not greater than that of the German student in leaving his uai- versity. The American student Is, however, not only a better educated man, in the best sense of the word, than the German student at a corres. nding age, but the average Amer can college graduate, who has not yet entered upon any professional study whatever, either in law, med. jeine, theology or science, but has spent three years atan academy of the grade of Andover, Exeter, or East. hampton, and four years at any of the jeading colleges of New England, is, by any fair test to be instituted by a committse of British or European ed- ucational experts, a better educated man than the average German student who has completed both gymoas- tum and his university studies AMEITING WORSE THAN PARTING. Ab | how cadder thanto say farewell : Has lost his spell ! 1 won part Mathew Pied. b EMINENT OLD BOOZERS, Distinguished People Who In Thelr Day Transported Prodi- gious Jags. Great men have their weaknesses the same as little men, says the Keokuk Gate City, and the number of thé Intellectual giants who have lacked the moral courage and stamina to control their appetites for strong drink forms one of the most astonish- ing portions of biographical history. Going way back we find Plato taking matutinul cock-tail, Horace warming his system [frequently by means of alcoholic stimulants, while Aristo- phanes, Euripides, Alcmus, and Soe- rates were all given to imbibing wine freely. The austere old Cato was often the efforts of the habitual lushers. Tasso would violate the orders of his physi. cians to aggravate his mental irrita. bility by potations, and Goethe used to make it a business bottles of wine dally. When Goethe attended the theater he was never guilty of annoying the audience by go ing out between the acts for a drick, but with commendable consideration had his glasses of punch served to him st his seat. Schiller, who did most of his work at night, wrowe regularly under the influence of Rhenish. strong voffee, and champagne, with which he would lock himsell up in the evening and stimulate his jaded brain through the hours of the night Ben Jonson hid a record for being constantly pickled, and this habit entitled him to stand among the first of his class, The poet Savage used to get on some high old times, and would spend his woek's salary in an evening's revelry. Churchill drank porter to excess, and Addison bounded his valk at Holland house by a bottle of port at each end, aad sometimes lingered so long over the bottles that he was compelled to apologize for his illegible writing, made so by his shaky hand. Domes. temperance. Pitt drank wine 10 ex- cess, but his head was so strong that red 4 RisO from his given Ww octisionally 10 4 3 i yacKkslone often suffe Fox was ness AUGUi~ twel. rive i Care away wrole his under the infl of sh TRS Anes of bottles that wine (port) which, Ben successive Fielding, Steele, and Sterne also bowled up freely. Keats, stung by the ridicule of the envious, flaw to dis- sipntion for relief, and for six months be was hardly ever sober. Hayden, the painter, says of Keats: To show vou what a man of genius does when his passions are aroused, Keats once covered his throat and tongue with cayenne pepper as far as he could reach, in order to enjoy. as he said, the delicious coolness of the claret in all its glory.” The Iast time | saw him was at Hampstead lying on his back in a white bed, helpless. irritable and hectic. He mutiered, as I stood by him, that he would cut his throat if he did mot recover. Poor, dear Keats." Moral: Be good ————— Our Kaleldoscope, — wonderful gifts to their possessors, but, after all, good common sense and hard work will accomplish more in the battle of life. The man of industry and common sense often gets nearly to the man of talent and genius is still resting under the shade of a neighbor- saloon. A man may have talent, but if he is lazy be is soon distanced in the race by competitors less speedy, but who have staying qualities thas will land them winners every time. A man may be a genius, but if he is not well-balanced he is liable to bolt the track at a critical moment and lose where, had he stuck tw his work, the victor's laurels had surely been his Look about you a little says Texas Siftings: in all the walks of life you will see these truths exemplified. There is a man whom everybody admits is a genius, but be lacks bal. last. Strong drink is his besetting sin. And so, dispute his brilliant in- tellect in a given direction, he is weak snd foolish in another to an extent that proves his utier ruin in the end lacks energ;, and eventually he proves a failure, 100. So, when you hear a man spoken of as genius, reserve your admiration, and envy, until you dis- cover whether or not with his genius he has common sense and willingness—-nay, a desire—to work, and work hard at that [If so, then stand afar off and worship him, for un- less you are yourse'! up aad doing with all the might there is in you the chances are you will never get within good speaking distance, anyhow, — Pritchard, in Arkansaw Traveler. —————————— The Rod. A rod of brass and wall-eyed pike, When over sandy shoals they throng, Adapted both to “cast” or “strike.” Of split bamboo and lithe and long; With pliant tip that wavers like Some shivering aspen slim and strong. And at the butt the clicking reel With braided silken line is wound, A miniature of fortunes wheel hen a good fish the lure has found, And in your nervons grip you fesl Ita shining circle whirl around. A food plain roll by ali that's fair whip the water like a throng, In northern lakes all lonely where bass belong 00 song. Sapris aad alt yg mars, t beyond era h About Watches, “Watches,” sald a jeweler “are fun. ay things. Do you know that there is ruined, 00, at times w carelessness is the prime cause. then, if it refuses 10 run, shake it un. til everything is out of know how 10 4 care of a watoh. — FOOD FOR THOUGHT, Merit needs no title. “I will,’ {4 a miracles worker, Love is mutual understanding, A man withont faults has no friends, Ovnr heaviest burdens are those we borrow, One way be educated and yet un. learned, The authority of custom is the law ct the imitator, The man who won't bend will some day have to break. Genius may be swift, but perseverence has the surest feet, Illinois has rore miles of railway than any cther State, The man who dyes his whiskers never ! fools but one person, The invention of the anchor 18 as cribed to the Tuscans, No woman can be a eal unless she can tolera & a man, Honesty 1s too simple to be included in the study of political economy. A fact is as difficult to change as for & bigot to be conscious that he is one, Bomebody has Invented an “illumi. nated cat,” guaranteed to scare rats. The purchasing power of money fs confined to this earth, The man who never looks ahead will always te behirdhand, Tombstones are mare charitable than a good many living people. The most expensive thing that can happen to you is to be wrong. No rich man was ever happy unless he used his money to make others so. It makes the best of us mad all over to be told the truth about ourselves, The hog, eating corn, thinks be has a nice time, but the butcher knows better, “Knowledge 1s power,” but like a firecracker it sounds better the first tUm=, A reformer to be successful must al- ways be prepared to take lus own { drugs, It is interesting to hear two ““sholars convince each other that they are both Wrong. If a man Is convinced he is right, he will be mistaken if Le tries to convince another of it. | Relic hunters are already disfiguring | the Hendricks monument at Indianap- | olis, Ina, An undertaker has been arrested at Pittsburg for obstructing trafic with a funeral, | You can’t make somebody else happy | without getting in the same condition | yourself, | If ethics were practiced before they | were preached it would be difficult to | find & preacher. | When the individual has determined | his own right, he !as a good idea of { the nights of others, | There is no question but wowen are | super or to men, bui it sounds better | for a wan to say so. : | The principal difficulty in teaching | morality, is the neeessity of assuming a | state of perfection. Be you want to find out how much {clear dog there is na man, find out | how he treats his wife, There are men you would growl that | the wind was in the wrong direction if | it was raining money. { The man who worships a golden calf | san never know the delight of owning a | cow that gives milk. | Happiness 13 the most contagious | thing on earth, if you are only exposed | to it in the right way. More shoes are manafactured at | Haverbil', Mass., than in any other eity of the United States, | Noreward can be greater than con- | sciousness of performing a duty en- | tirely free of expectation, We pever do anything well until we realize our own worth, and nothing ex- tra good until we forget it, If we 2ould look deeper into the hearts of the people it wouldn't be near so hard to love some of them, Silence never shows itself to so great an advantage as when it is the reply to calumny and defamation, There is nothing that injures the force of faith so mnch as an assumed knowledge of what to expect, A man in Providence, R. I., has a pet spider, which has spun its web in | its owner's ba’, where it lives, | Heavenly hope is like a star in the | firmament, which shines the brighter | us the shades of sorrow darken it, | ‘Nothing is more bitter than to suf- | fer ; nothing sweeter than to have suf. fered,’ =aid the old mystics with truth, The India rubber tree grows wild in Lee county, Fla, and 10 Fort Myers it is used as a shade and ornamental tree, The 1 ‘ce of life is like two men try. ing to hide their modesty by each in- sisting the other to be better fitted to lead off, The man who thinks he Is a fool = far wiser than he who has never bad experience enough to know what a real fool is, A true friend is one who won't say “{ told you 80," every time you take a wrong step and feel sorry about it af. terward, The best thing with which to polish eyeglasses and acles with is a bit of newsyaper, oisten the glass and rub dry. a pea. mr? he Runa year. In January ‘an crop is made, and ia D-cember that of Burmah. suffragist ’
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers