THE LANCASTER UffELIAGENCER,
PunzAginsvartuur.W.XatinDAMßr ,
"11 ~g 1 •,•,,
ist: l ''d."sairtit'''&' - ' 434 P.
G. SMITiE..
TERIV—TWO'Doilars per - amnitn, iiayable
all canal In advittaie.' .-. .1
TRH LATMAS . iEfL DAILY INTII4I.IOIII I OEIL At
publlithedevou eirelling,Stuldsy excePl4xl.
Por 0 ,1 1 1 1 1 2 m ip advance.
OFFICE—SOUTIIWPST COM,(1:11. OP CE*TILE
(WARE.
Vortrp.
NIPBINGIi FIRST GIFT.
Oh ! Spring, If thou hadot nothing brought
Have thy sweet self to win us,
If only thy fair hand hod wrought
A spell of beauty In un,
Need were that we should slog thy praise
Who thrill to thy caresses,
And feel the gladness of thy days
That all our being blesses!
For we had thought thy coming slow,
And had no heart to wait thee!
Forgive us, love, since long ago.
We all went out to Meet thee.
We went by each nutrodden way,
We sought in silent places,
For well we knew our patient faith
Should lind thy flower truces!
And, hidden hat( by sore dead leaves,
We saw a vine-lite growing;
Sure never fullest Autumn shexa v IN
Awakened Joy so glowing.
Hereafter Summer's roses !nay
In red or white salute so,
But lids is memory's orowning
The day we found arbutus!
oh! clover on the uu•adow slopes
Oh! dninles by the river.
Olf ! lithe bud to light thin oprq,
Oh! cedar green forever!
Not 11114,0 Wlua our heart today
As lids. whom , brown cllsgulsen
or whit h.,' ItqI.VCS Mid lances gray
(lave us snub glad surprises.
So ally and swam beneath our f 4.1.1,
preen laves and manna flowers,
The AHOW-Wlllll . , blushing pink to tuovt
tin.•ll looks of love as (Mrs
And Spring no ntore may hide annoy,
Nor shun our smiling laces,
Slur',
linger wheresoe'or she may,
We know her t rystl rig platen.
11.8111. VAIN.
'rho pril rain—the April rain --
1 beer the Plellnalli M 1,1111.1:
Now OW lit Li , , IL,V
Nil/W 1111111011111 , 4 311 tlu• groom!,
tell me why . en April shower
Is pleasanter to hoe
Than ralllou drops of oil), raln
l'iti sure It Is for ono.
I wonder if 'Lk really SO- -
Or outy holm thr whlle,
That tells of h blIdS nntl 11.,“1"
Anil Summer's vowing suillr,
Whalu'ar it, Is, Um April show,
Maker 1111 , 110111.11 114.1111;
I GK . ) It rush of youthful Hood
Come with the April rain.
AMI Sim. were I LI little bull,
Within tine datritsmito grout,'
I should love to hour the Ale it rain
Ho gently (tilling round;
Or tiny tiny dowers were
lty Stsituie SWaddl , hl up,
How 1,11.1.11.11L1y the. April shower
Would bathe lily hidden rup.
'rho small brown geed that rail Its! down
On lilt' VON Autumnal earth,
Is ',uniting fro.] Its veriqiii•lits forth,
liajtilellig In Ito birth,
spears of pail• linen gram,4
At . .. stalling In the light,
nin• nlurnr upgs Its fohliql lean
As If It full delight,
Tho roblu slugs On Ow lontl..ss
Aug] upward turns Itl.. ey.•,
And lovinv much r11..1,111 ,• lil.llllS
Conte 1111.•rltt;; fr.. the
vlcy—
\n doubt. In• longs the Itrighl green loaves
About .1114 lumtr to ac,•.
feols tio,witying wind
Phly lu the full-nobed
The otattn. dour Is open wide,
And chverfnl sounds are Insad ;
'Fin, young girl sings st tarry Whisd
A Ming Ilk,'
'rho sns•plng child hy the old worn sill
I'vers out with winkle •• t•ye,
And Ids rlngluds rah with idinhh:, nand,
As the drops tsomo paltering by.
WIII; bounding heart beneath Ila,slc>
'Ills; truant. boy IS 4.L.
And ill,lll. an • darting by
31 ito•rry shout
Ay, sport away, ye Joyous throng.
I.'or yours Is I,lne April day;
I Wm . ..your spirit...lnure
II your pun• and healthful play.
ftliscettancotts.
The San Francisco Locksmith
I ant :1 locksmith by trade. My call
ing is a strange One, ILnd posSUSSVS a cer
tain faseiliation, rendering it one of the
most agreeable of pursuits. Many who
follow it see nothing in it lint labor—
Mob of nothing but Its returns In gold
and silver. To me It has other charms
than the money it produces; consisting
of ocuasional calls hi open doors and
peer into long neglected apartments; to
spring the stubborn locks of safes and
gloat upon the treasure piled within;
to quietly enter the apartments of la
dies with more beauty than discretion,
and pick the locks of drawers contain
ing peace-destroying missives; eviden
oes of wonderim.; affections, too ; to
force the fastenings of cash boxes and
depositories if records, telling of men
made suddenly Hell, of corporations
plundered, of orphans robbed, of hopes
crushed, of families ruined. Is there no
eharm in all this? no f o od for specula
tion? 110 semi,' for the range of active
fancy? happy jut being a lock
smith, though toy face may be hew.' to
umd with the soot if the for g e, stuff my
hands stained with rust.
But I have a story to tell not ex:u•tly
u story either for a story implies a com
plete its well as the beginning of a nar
rative—and mine is SI lircvly more than
the introduction of one. Let him a•Lo
deals in things of fa n cy W rile the rest.
In the Spring of Is:in—l think it Ras
In April-1 opened a little shop on
Kearney street, and soon worked my
self into a fair business. •
Late one evening :t lady, closely veil
ed, entered my shop, and pulling from
beneath her cloak a small Japanned
Lux, required mu to open it. The lock
%vas curiously constructed, and I \Vast all
of an hour In lilting it with a key. The
lady seemed nervous at the delay, and
at length requested inc to close the
door. I wits a little surprised at the
suggestion Litt of course emnplied.—
Shutting the door and returning to my
work, the lady withdrew her veil, dis
closing as sweet a face as can be imag
ined. There was a restlessness in the
eye, and a pallor in the cheeks, how
ever, which plainly told of a heart ill
at ease, and ill a moment every emotion
for her had given place to pity.
o Perhap..4 you are not well, madam,
and the night air Is too chilly?" said I
rather inquisitively.
tfi l
"Sir, in requesting, you to e ose the
door I had !mother object than , escape
the attention of passers by."
I felt the rebuke in her reply and did
not answer, but. thoughtfully continued
toy work.
'"rat little box eontai 11S valuable pa
pore—private papers —aild I have lea
the key, or it has been stolen. I shouh
tint wish to have }•ott remember that I
ever• came here on sue' an errand," slit
euntiuued with moll' hesitation, am
giving me a look which it was no difti
cult matter to understand. . .
"Certainly', madame, if you desire it.
f I cannot forget your face,l will at
lea-t attempt to lose 'the recolection of
ever seeing it here."
The lady bowed coldly at what I con
sidered a line compliment, and I went
on with my work, satisfied tlnd no sud
den partiality for nu had anything to do
with the visit. Having succeeded, after
much filing and cutting, in turning the
lock, I was suddenly seized with a curi
osity to get a glimpse at the precious
eontentsof the box, and suddenly raising
the lid, discovered a bundle of letters
and a daguerrotype, as I slowly passed
the box to its owner. She seized it
hurriedly, and placing the letters and
picture in her pocket, locked the box,
-recompensed me for my trouble, and,
drawing the veil over her face, pointed
to the door. I opened it, and she passed
into the street, she merel,, whispered
" Remember !" and passed on towards
the Plaza. In a few days the incident
had entirely passed front my mind.
About two o'clock in the morning, in
the latter part of the May following, I
was awoke by a gentle tap upon the
window of the little room back of my
shop, in which I lodged. Thinking of
burglars, for they were frequent in those
days -I sprang out of bed, and in a mo
ment was at the window with a heavy
hammer In my hands, which I usually
• kept, at that time, within convenient
reach of my bedside.
" Who's there?" I inquired, raising
the hammer and peering out into the
thick darkness—for it was as dark as
Egypt when under tho curse of Israel's
God.
" Hist!" exclaimed a figure, stepping
In front of the window; "open the door
—I have business for you."
"Rather past business hours now, is
It not; but who are you'?"
"No one that would harm you," re
plied the person lu a soft, whispering
voice.
. -
"Nor one that can !" I replied rather
emphatically, by way of warning, as I
tightened my grip upon the hammer,
and proceeded to the door. I pushed
back the bolt, and slowly opening the
door, discovered the stranger already
upon the steps.
"What do you want?" I rather ab
ruptly inquired.
"I will tell you," answered the same
soft voice, "if you dtne open tile door
wide enough for me to enter."
"Como hi," said I resolutely, throw
ing the door ajar, and proceeded to light
a candle. Having succeeded, I turned
to examine the visitor.
He was a small. and =ally dressed
gentleman,. with a heavy raglan around
his: shoulders ,and.,a blue navy cap
drawn suspiciously over the eyes. ,As
I advanced toward him he seemed to
hesitate a moment, then raised the call
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, •
VOLUME 71
- -
from his forehead and rooked me curi
ously In the face. I did not drop the
candle, but I acknowledge to a little
nervousness as I hurriedly placed the
light upon. the table, and silently pro
ceeded to invest myself with two or
three Tory necessary articles of clothing.
As the Lord llveth, my visitor was a
lady, and the same one for whom Iliad
opened the little box about a month - be- .
fore! Having completed my hasty toilet
I attempted to stammer an apology for
my rudeness, but utterly failed. The
fact is I was dumbfounded.
Sm ill ng at my discomfiture, she said,—
" Disguise is useless ; I presume you
recognize me?"
I believe I told you, madam, that I
should not soon forget your face. In
what way can I serve you ?"
" By doing half an hour's work before
daylight, and receiving five hundred
dollars for the labor," was the response.
"IL is not ordinary work 7' said
I, uuiuiringly, "that commands so lib
end a compensation."
" It is a labor common to your call
ing," returned the lady. " The price is
nut so much for the labor, as the condi
tion underwhich it mustbe performed."
" And what is the condition'''
Ida
uired.
" That you will submit to being con
veyed from and returned to your own
door blindfolded."
I de:LS of murder, burglars, and almost
every other erizne to yin:dilly, hurriedly
'resented themselves In succession Ile r
politely bowed, and said—
" I must understand something more
of the character of the employment, as
well as the conditions, to accept your
" Will nut five hundred dollars answer
in lieu of an explanation?" she asked.
" No, nor five thousand !"
She patted her foot nervously on the
floor. I could see she had played entire
ly too low nit estimate on my honesty,
and I felt sonic gratification in being
able to convince her of the fact.
" Well, then, if it is absolutely neces
sary for Me to explain," she replied, "I
must tell you that you are minimd to
pick the look of a fire proof vault,
and—"
" You have gone quite far enough,
madam, with your explanation" I in
terrupted ; nut at your service,"
" As I said," she roll tinned, "you are
required to pick the lock of a vault, and
rescue from death a man who has been
emilined there for three days "
IME=I
squired. •
My hushand," was the somewhat
-cluetant reply.
"Then why so much secrecy? or midi
,r how came a man confined in such a
)I:tee
" I secreted hint there to escwe the
observation of my husband. Ile SUS
pected as much, and closed the door
upon him. Presuming he had left the
vault and quitted the house by the back
floor, I did not dream until to-day that
he was confined there. I know he is
there ! Certain suspicious acts of my
husband this afternoon convinced me
la he is there beyond human hearing,
nd will be starved to death by my
rutal husband, unless immediately res
ted. For three days my husband has
of left the house. I drugged him less
um an hour ago, and he is now so corn
letely stupefied that the lock may be
icked without his interference. I have
fuelled his pockets, but cannot tied
e key. I",u must, rescue hint. Now
ud yjai know all, will you accompany'
"'Po the end of the world, madam,
such all errand."
" Then prepare youNclf, quick !
sere is a cab at the dEmr."
I was a little surprised, for I had not
earl the sound of wheels. Hastily
drawing on a coat, and providing
my
self with the necessary implements, I
was soon at the door. There, sure
enough, was the cab with the driver in
his seat, ready for the mysterious jour-
ey.
eniered the vehicle, followed by the
uly. As moon as I was seated she pro
need a heavy handkerchief, which by
MMIMEICtC=I=
lamp, she carefully bound round my
eyes. The lady seated heNelf beside
Inc and the cal) started. I could feel
her tremble. In half an hour the vehi
cle stopped—in what part of the city 1
am entirely ignorant,asit was evidently
driven in anything but a direct course
from the point of starting.
Examining the bandage to see that
my vision was completely obscured, the
lady handed me tny bundle of tools with
which I was provided, then taking me
by the arm, led me thrd a gate into a
house 1 knew was of brick and after hik-
tg nw along a passage way, which
ould not have been leas than fifty feet
in length, and down a flight of stairs in
to what was evidently an undergrouni
laisement stopped beside a vault, and
removed the handkerchief from my
eyes.
" Ifere is the vault, open it," she
whispered, opening the door of a dark
lantern, and letting a beam of light
upon the lock.
took a bunch of skeleton keys, and,
after a few trials, which the lady seem
ed to watch with the most painful anxi
ety, sprung the bolt. The door swung
upon its hinges, and my companion
whispering me not to close it, as it was
self-lucked, sprang into the vault.
I could see it was one of those large
iron vaults, that were formerly BO fre
quently constructed to protect valuables
from the destructive and terrible con
flagrations that devastated the city in
earlier days. I heard the murmur of
low voices within, the next dmoment
the Italy re-appeared, and leaning upon
her arm a man with a face so pale and
haggard, that I started at the sight. I
would lc now it again among . a thousand
How he must have suffered during the
three long days of his confinement In
the vault.
"Remain here," she said, handing me
the lantern, "I will be back in a mo
ment."
The two slowly ascended the stalls,
and I heard them enter a room immedi
ately above where I was standing. In
a few moments the lady returned.
"Shall I close it, madam?" said I,
placing any hand upon the door of the
vault.
"No!" she exclaimed, hastily, seizi ig
oy arm, " it waits another occupant,'
"Madam, you certainly do not Intend
"Are you ready?" she interrupted,
holding the handkerchief before my
eyes. "Here is your money."
The'thought hashed across my mind
that she intended to push me into the
vault, and bury me and my secret to
gether. She seemed to read my sus
picion, and continued—
"Do not he alarmed. You nre not the
man."
could not mistake the truth of the
fearful meaning of the remark, and I
shuddered as I bent my head to the
handkerchief. My eyes were as care
fully bandaged as before; I was led to
the cab, and the purse of money placed
beside me, and then was driveu home
by a more circuitous route, if possible,
than the one by which we came. Ar
riving in front of the house the hand
kerchief wits removed, and I stepped
from the vehicle with my purse, and In
a moment the cab and its mysterious
occupant had turned the corner and was
out of sight.
I entered the shop, and thepurse of
gold which counted even five hundred
dollars, was the only evidence I could
summon in my bewilderment, that all I
had just witnessed was nota dream.
A month after, I saw the gentleman
taken from the vault, leisurely walking
along the street with a lady on his arm.
I do not know, but I firmly believe the
sleeping husband awoke within the
vault, and his bones are there to-day!
They still reside In San Francisco, and
I frequently see them promenading
along Montgomery street.
Why Do We Oil Our Whetetoaes
We oil our whetstones for several rea
sons. The first is that almost all stones,
unless oiled, become glazed or burnished
on the surface, so that they no longer
abrade the metal. The second reason is
that most stones, after being oiled, give a
finer edge than they do in a dry or mere
ly wet state. The pores of the stone be
come in a measure filled up, and while
the action Is rendered continuous, Its
character is altered. A dry stone is
very apt to give a wire edge to a
tool, and although this sometimes :hap
pens when oil is used, it does not occur
nearly so often. It has been said that
a little carbonic acid dissolved in the
water Which is used to moisten a whet
stone or , a grindstone will greatly in
crease the friction, and thus promote
the. action of the .stone upoh.the steel
initruineiat. If this he true, and there
be.rto unforeseen, drawbacits,,, carbontc.
acid will prove invaluable to all who
have to sharpen tools or grind metalic
surfaces.—Mining and Scientific Press.
1 ~~ ~. ~.
The Res In the Great landslide Case
BY MARK TWAIN
From the htufrale, Expresit]
It was in the early days of Nevada
Territory.; The mountains are very high.
and'steep about Gerson, Eagle and War'
shoe valleys—very high and very steep,
and so when the snow gets to melting,
off fagt in the Spring and the warm
surface-earth begins , to moisten and sof
ten, the disastrous landslides commence.
Yon do not know'what a landslide is
unless you have lived in that country
and seen the whole side of a mountain
taken off some fine morning and depos- -
ited down in the valley, leaving a vast,
treeless, unsightly scar upon the moun
tain's front to keep the circumstance
fresh in your memory all the years that
you may go on living within seventy
miles of that place.
General Buncombe was shipped out
to Nevada in the invoice of Territorial
officers, to 'be United States Attorney.
He considered himself a lawyer of parts,
and he very much wanted an opportu
nity to manifest it—partly for the pure
gratification of it and partly because
his salary was Territorially meagre
(which, is a strong expression.) Now the
older citizens of a new territory look
upon the rest of the world with a cairn,
unnialignant contempt as long as it
keeps out of the way—when it gets in
the way they snub it. Sometimes this
latter takes the shape of a practical
joke.
One morning Dick Sides rode furi
ously up to General Ifuncombe's door,
in Carson City, and rushed into his pre
sence without stopping to tie his horse.
He seemed much excited. He told the
General that he wanted him to defend
a suit for him and would pay hint five
hundred dollars if he achieved a victo
ry. And then, with violent gestures
anti n word of profanity, he poured out
his griefs. Ile said it was pretty well
known that for some years he had been
farming (or ranching as the more custo
mary term is,) in Washoe District, and
making a successful thing of it, and
furthermore it was known that his
ranch was situated just in the edge of
the valley, and that Tom Morgan own
ed a ranch immediately above it on the
mountain side. And now the trouble
was that one of those hated and dreaded
landslides had come and slid Morgan's
ranch, fences, cabins, cattle, barns and
everything down on top of his ranch,
and exactly covered up every single
vestige of his property, to a depth of
about six feet. Morgan was in posses
sion and refused to vacate the premises
—said he was occuping his own cabin
and not interfering with any body else's
—and said cabin was standing on the
same dirt and same ranch it had always
stood on, and would like to see anybody
make him vacate.
" And when I reminded Min," said
Sides, weeping, " that it was on top of
my ranch and that he was trespassing,
lie hail the infernal meanness to ask me
why didn't I stay on my ranch and hold
possession when I see him coming!
Why didn't I stay on it, the blathering
lunatic—and by George, when I heard
that racket and looked up that hill it
was just like the whole world 1, VMS a rip
ping and a tearing down that mountaiii
side—trees going end over end in the
air, rocks as big as a house jumping
about a thousand feet high and bursting
into ten million pieces, cattle literally
turned inside out and a-coming head on
with their tails hanging out between
their teeth—Oh, splinters, and cord
wood, and thunder and lightning, and
hail and snow, odds and ends of hay
stacks and things, awl dust—Oh, dust
ain't no name for it—it was just clouds ;
solid clouds of dust !—and in the midst
of all that wreck and destruction sot
that cussed Morgan on his gate-post, a
wondering why I didn't stay and hold
possession ; likely! I took just one
glimpse of that specticle, General, and
lit out'n the country in three jumps
exactly.
" But what grinds me is that that
Alorgan hangs on there and won't move
oil 'n that ranch—says it's his's' and he's
going to keep it—likes-it heaven he did
when it was higher up the hill. Mad
Well, I've been so mad for two days
that I couldn't find soy way to town—
been wandering around in the brush in
a starving condition—got anything here
to drink, General? But I'm here now,
and a-going to law. You hear nu•'''
Never in all the world, perhaps, were
a man's feelings so outraged as were the
General's. He said he had never heard
of such high-handed conduct in all his
life as this Morgan's. And he said there
was no use in going to law—Morgan had
no shadow of right to remain where he
was—nobody in the wide world would
uphold him in it, and no lawyers would
take his ease and no judge listen to It.—
sides said that right there was where he
was mistaken—everybody iu the town
sustained Morgan ; Hal Brayton, a very
smart lawyer, had taken his ease; the
courts being In vacation, it was to be
tried before a referee, and ex-Governor
hoop had already been appointed to that
°lnce, and would open his court in the
largest parlor of the Ormsby House at
two that afternoon.
The innocent General was amazed.
He said lie had suspected before that the
people of that Territory were fools, and
now he knew It. But he said rest easy,
rest easy and collect the witnesses, for
the victory was just us certain as if the
conflict were already over. Sides wiped
away his tears and left.
At two in the afternoon Referee Roop's
Court opened, and that remorseless old
joker appeared throned among his sher
iffs, his witnesses and a " packed" jury,
and wearing upon his face a fraudulent
Solemnity so awe-inspiring that some of
his fellow-conspirators had misgivings
that maybe he had not comprehended,
after all, that this was merely a joke.
An unearthly stillness prevailed, for at
the slightest noise the Judge uttered
sternly the command :
"Order in the court!"
And the Sheriffs promptly echoed it
Presently the General elbowed his way
through the crowd of spectators, with
his arms full of law-books, and on his
ears fell an order from the judge which
was the first respectful recognition of
his high official dignity that had ever
saluted them, and it saturated his whole
system with pleasure.
"Way for the United States Attor-
ney
The witnesses were called—legisla
tors, high Government officers, ranch
men, minors, Indians, Chinamen, ne
gross. Three-fourths of them were
called by the defendant Morgan, but no
matter, their testimony invariably went
in favor of the plaintiff Sides. Each
new witness only added new testimony
to the absurdity of a man's claiming to
own another man's property because his
farm had slid down on top of it. Then
the Morgan lawyers made their speeches,
and seemed to make singularly weak
ones—they did really nothing to help
the Morgan cause. And now the Gen
eral, with a great glow of triumph on
his face, got up and made a mighty
effort; he pounded the table, he banged
the law-books, he shouted, and roared
and howled ; he quoted from everything
and everybody, poetry, sarcasm, statis
tics, history, pathos, and blasphemy,
and wound up with a grand war-whoop
for free speech, freedom of thepreas, free
schools, the Glorious Bird of America
and the principles of eternal justice!
[Applause.]
When the Gcn. sat,down he'; lid it with
the comfortable conviction that if there
were anything in good strong testimony
a big speech and believing and admir
ing countenances all around, Mr. Mor
gan's cake was dough. Ex 7 Governor
_Hoop leant his head upon his hand for
some minutes, thinking profoundly, and
the still audience waited breathlessly
for decision. Then he got up andstood
erect, with bonded head, and thought
again. Then he walked the floor with
long, deliberate strides, and his chin in
his hand, and still the audience waited.
At last he returned to his throne and
seated himself. The Sheriffs comman
ded the attention of the Court. Judge
Roop cleared his throat and said:
" Gentlemen, I feel the great respon
sibility that rests upon me this day.
This is no ordinary case. On the con
trary it is plain that it is the most sol
emn and awful that ever man was call-
ed upon to decide. Gentlemen, I have
listened attentively to the evidence, and
the weight of it, the overwhelming
weight of it is in favor of the plaintiff
Sides. I have also listened to the re
marks of counsel, with high interest=
and especially will I commend the mas
terly and irrefutable logic of the distin
guished gentleman who represents the
plaintiff But, gentlemen, let us be
warethow we allow human testimony,
human ingenuity in argument and hu
man ideaft of.emilty to. Influence us to
our undoing at a,moment so solemn as
this? .Gentiernap, . it ill becomes us,
worms as Nye are, :to meddle with
the decrees of Heaven. It is plain
e XT .'T VI ` 1 ) ✓
I.,A.SCASTEIt, 'PA, WEDNESDAY XOTOTJIM }Mal 20: .I'B7'o
to t .me. that, HeaVen,,,.. ttk inserittk
ble wiadom,• has seen ert ,to,move
•defendant's ranch for a. purpose. -We
are but creatures,-and we must submit.
If Heaven has chosen to favor, the• de
fendant Morgan in •this marked and
wonderful manner; and if Heaved, tm
aritisfied with the position of theMatgat
ranch upon the, niotin'tain side, his.
chosen to remove it to a
,pusitioh mote
eligible .and more adVaiatagietnia for tta
owner ,it ill. becomes us, insects as, We
are, to question the legality of the act.
No—Heaven created the ranches and it
IS Heaven's prerogative to rearrange
them, to experiment with then'', to shift
them around at its . pleasure. ' It is for
us to submit, without repining. I warn
you that this thing which has happened
is a thing with which the sacrilegious
hands and brains and tongues of men
must not meddle. Gentlemen, it is the
verdict of this court that the plaintiff,
Richard Sides, has been deprived of his
ranch by the visitation of tend ! And
from this decision there is no appeal."
'Buncombe seized his cargo of law
books and plunged out of the 'court tooth
a raving madman, almost. He pro
nounced Hoop to be a miraculoug ass, a
fool, an inspired idiot. In all good faith
he returned at night and remonstrated
with hoop upon his extravagant deci
sion' and implored him to walk the floor'
and think for an hour, and see if he
could not figure ont some sort of modifi
cation of the verdict. hoop yielded at
last and got up to walk': He, walked
~two hours and and at InA his face
lit up happily and he told Buncombe it
had occurred to hiritthat the ranch un
derneath the new Morgan ranch still
belonged to. Sides, that his title to the
ground itself was just as good as it had
ever been, and therefore he was of the
opinion that Rides had a right to dig it
out from under there and—
The General never waited to hear the
end or it. He was always tin impatient
and irascible man, that way. At the
end of two weeks lie got it through his
understanding that he had been played
upon with a joke.
MARK TWAIN.
On the Decay of GlrLq.
It is becoming a serious question,
whiell should interest us all more or
whether or not that, class of the
human family commonly designated as
"girls," is not slowly but surely dying
out, and whether or not by the time the
present stock of babies are breeched and
crinolined a real, genuine girl, such as
we read about in books, and now and
then meet in every life, will not be a
sufficient curiosity to be placed in a
glass case and exhibited in a museum.
When we speak of girls, be it under
stood that we mean precisely what we
say, and do not include in our category
that portion of femininity facetiously
termed old girls," we have exhausted
all chance and probability of matri
mony; and turn up their irate noses at
the holy institution, and the loves and
luxuries thereuntopertaining ; nor do
we allude to those other girls who have
reached the age when marriage is
usually 'considered imminent and liable
to occur at any moment, and on the
slightest eligible provocation; but our
remarks are directed especially and en
tirely to the short dress brigade. Alas!
that our civilization has touched such
point that, girls, the dear, thoughtful
little girls, can be described only by
their clothes!
We were taught that when a child of
the female persuasion attains the age of
six or thereabouts, she then entered
upon the magic domain of girlhood, and
that in every well-regulated family and
community she remained there until
her school days were over over and she
was fitted by nature and education to
enter the noble army of husband-hun
ters. Accordingly, a girl was a girl from
six to seventeen at the very least, anti
should treat herself and be treated by
others as such. Having arrived at a
ripe age ourselves, we have a vivid and
pleasing recollection of the girl tribe as
they once existed. Bright, sparkling,
unsophisticated creatures, over whom
the fresh sunlight of life's morning was
just breaking • whose hearts, unseared
by care or folly, were yet warm and
tender with the simple tastes, the inno
cent desires, the pure affections of child- I
hood ; the gentle buds in humanity's
garden, whereon the dews of heaven
still lingered, and whose hidden leaves
of loveliness gave promise of a fair and
spotless ilower—such were girls, ere the
untimely and unkindly frosts of frivoli
ty and fashion killed them, and left us
only the barren, unseemly stalks.
A children's party twenty years ago
was a spectacle joyous alike to gods and
men. A room full of happy children,
unadulterated boys anti girls, romping,
laughing, playing " blind man's buff"
" puss wants a corner," " I languish,"
"clap out," and the whole list of anti
quated games that are now banished as
far from the precincts of "our best so
ciety" as the almanacs of the last cen
tury—coming in the afternoon and
going home at nine o'clock, dressed
plainly and neatly, and anxious only to
have a glorious, jolly time.
Sucli.were children's parties then;
such are they not, emphatically not,
now. A spacious hull, or saloon drawing
room, with a baud of fiddlers and horn
blowers perched upon a platform at one
end, an array of chairs stretched around
the sides of the apartment, a flood of
radiance dropping from the dozen clum
(tellers, and in the centre a solemn con
course of little manikins and woman
kins in gorgeous apparel, bearing the
visible impress of the mantua-maker's
and tailor's art, fragrant with rare per
fumes, and resplendent with the crown
ing agony of a Parisian hair manipula
tor. They toil riot, neither do they
spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these. Art at
mosphere of intense and suffocating
gentility pervades the scence. The
young gentlemen, the oldest of them
perhaps not fourteen, survey with criti
cal eye the polished proportions of their
boots, adjust with fastidious touch their
immaculate kids, give a final twist to
their exquisite cravats, cross the floor
with the studied ease of a full-edged
carpet knight, make a profound obesi
ance to tiny elfs, who ought to he in
bed, receive a gracious assent and take
their places for the Lancers.
And then they dance, gravely, ele
gantly, and with a deliberate politeness
and aplomb quite astonishing to the
uninitiated. The young gentlemen
may forget themselves and be a trifle
boyish and natural now and then, but
the young ladies never do. Not a trace
of the child or girl about them. The
silks, satins, laces, ribbons and jewels'
upon their diminuitive bodies cost twice
its much money, probably, as the entire
wardrobe in which 'their fathers and
mothers were marred—unless these
parents happen to have been "born with
a silver spoon in their mouths," and
mamma has charged them to be:careful
and not rumple their dresses or disar
range their bows, and they are "so
careful," indeed. ,The sitting down
process of a fashionable female child of
the period, at a fashionable children's
party, is something immense to con
template. It gives one new views of
existence, and makes us think that the
chief end of life is to get fine clothes
and know how to display them to the
best advantage. Of course, at such
gatherings as these the guests are not
expected to arrive before dark at the
earliest, and retire in the region of mid
night.
Now, the boys manage to get a large
share of this nonsense shaken off them
in the rough contact of the streets and
the school, but the girls have no avenue
of escape, and grow up In the same ar
tificial manner. We say grow up, but
this is a mistake—they are always grown
up. They are taught to believe that the
highest merit they can possibly possess
Is to "behave just like a little lady,"
never to be a tom-boy ; to be at all times
and in all respects miniature editions of
their mothers and adult female relatives,
and to be ready to assume at theearliest
practicable moment their proper rank
and station in Vanity Fair. The boys
of their acquaintance are not so much
playmates as husbands in prospective—
beaux whose merits and demerits are
calmly discussed, whose antecedents are
duly weighed, and who, if entitled to
the honor, may walk with them to and
from
. school, or sit on the steps by their
side in midsummer evenings
It was once *Med, had jaste and
worse
.pollcy for school girls to . The '" in_
society' while pursUing their studies,
but now they . arehever out: Of it, The
era of formal presentation t 4 the world,
the official declaration - On . the part Of
parents that Miss Lanrs . l,llatilda is
ready,tor the market, mv i l?e . itg . l44llted,
by dozig, dresses and a grapd reception
at *Amity Miguddlit, ;IMLAY* aitts.
islajiO4,haa ."liperi eel:4l*W! .or,
al years before, had almif .dokenloye
affairs, been engaged. once or twice,
kept up a vigorous correspondence with
ii T, T, T T:4 - T 1"="1,74Til
di , ier 4; ar t d s t uq t , you,fl%, and is -11S,1
thoroughly positedha regard ti? 4L4 4 111 17
dtife of wedded bliss,, aridiih4.,X9*gre7;!
ments of st:domestic establishritent,:ite. l
the most sonorous' belle of four and:'
twenty. , • . • t
In thti day and generation whena
young 1.44 y "comes out," thehaan who
expeets to find in her a gusliing dartisel;
free froth g uile, Mal knowing nothing'_,
of "the decoitsbf the ; world, thejlesh
And the devil,' , is egrigiously
Her learaingon:these points hi generally
complete and exhaustive, for has she !
not graduated from a system which in
culeates this' knoWledge almost from the
cradle? W Meet every day girls of
sixteen and under, who should be, and
possibly are, still at school, and who are
charitably suPposed to be yet in their
tutelage, with no thoughts beyond the
next examination or the net holiday,
but whose faces show the marks 0fd4. 7
siltation and late hours, anti are kradder7
ed by that peculiar Nazi expression
;which tells of no mental and physical
weariness. The cup of life to them
ought to be comparatively untasted,hut
they have already half drained it. The
charm, the novelty, the bloom upon the
peach has heen rudely, brushed away,
and the scarcely matured fruits is even
now touched by the angel' of decay.
Shall we ever, ever haveany girls any
more? or must we remember thorn only'
as beautiful phantoms of a vanished
dream?
Timing a Hash of Lightning.
Scientific men assert that a flash of
lightning does not endure far more than
the millionth part of a second. How
did they find this out? Obviously, MA
by any ordinary means, for such 51001
portions of time are utterly beyond the
cognizance of our senses, and even of
our thoughts. Watches which mark,
quarter seconds are not uncommon.—
We have seen men try to count the
beats of such a watch, and it is but
rarely that we have met any one who
could succeed. Not only could they
not count them aloud,' but they e,ould
not even think of the numbers so as
to keep a record of them In their minds.
How, then, was it 'possible to measure a
portion of time so much less in quantity?
Almost every boy ha.s whirled,a fiery,
brand in the air so pis to make a "round
robbin." How doesithappen that such
u moving point seems to make a fiery'
circle in the air? In this way : An im
pression made upon our sense of sight
cannot be instantaneously removed. Ii
lasts for about one-eighth of a second.
Hence, if the moving point completes
the circuit in less than the eighth of a
second, it will make a new Impression
before the old one has expired ; the path
which it describes will be constantly
visible, and the circle will appear com
plete. In the same way, if a wheel with
many spokes be caused to revolve rapid
ly, the spokes become invisible and the
wheel appears solid. But if the wheel
were illuminated by a flash which did
not last long enough for one spoke to
take the place of another, the spokes
would be visible and the wheel would
appear at rest.
A they years ago we saw . ,such an ex
periment tried in RoeheSter, The
lecturer had a wheel which was paint
ed white, and on the white ground
was painted a number of red rays.—
When whirled with a very moderate
velocity, the wheel appeared of a dim
pinkish hue. If, while thus revolving,
it were illuminated by a flash of burn
ing gunpowder, tile spokes would not
be visible, the flash of even the best
gunpowder lasting longer than the time
required for one spoke to takti the place
of another. But when, instead of gun
powder, fulminating mercury was used,
the spokes were visible and the wheel
appeared to stand still, so much more
rapidly than gunpowder does fulmina
ting mercury explode.
By driving the wheel a little faster,
the flash from the fulminate failed to
show the individual spokes; showing
that even tile flash from fulminating
mercury lasted long enough to allow
each spoke to move into the place of its
predecessor before the impression made
by the latter had faded from the retina.
A Leyden jar was now charged and
discharged before the revolving wheel,
and then the latter. could not be driven
so fast that the spokes would not be vis
ible and the wheel appear to shunt still.
Now, if we knew the velocity of the
wheel and the number of the spokes, it
would be easy to tell the time required
for one spoke to take the place of an
other. Suppose the wheel had. 100
spokes, and moved at the rate ;of 1,000
revolutions per second ; it is obvious
that If the individual spokes be seen,
the duration of the dash mast be less
than the one hundred thousandth part.
of a second.
Such is a .1 . ude outline of the method
by which the duration of a flash of
lightning is measured. Of course, the
apparatus used In determining this du
ration is much more delicate than that
which we have described, and which
was used merely for illustration before
a large audience. But the general prin
ciple is the same, and in this way it was
determined that the duration of a flash
of lightning is less than the millionth
part of a second. Hence a carriage wheel
in rapid motion, seen at night by means
of a flash of lightning, appears at rest.
The swiftest race horse would not have
time to make a perceptible movement
of muscle, but would appear as if carved
in some inanimate material and even
the swiftest locomotive and its train
would appear as if some icy hand had
been laid on its energies.
That a flash of lightning endures for
a certain period there ran be no doubt,
but this period, when compared with
the duration of any mechanical opera
tion, is infinitely small. Stand beside
a target at which bullets are being fired
from a distance of say 200 yards, and
first you will see the flash, after a short
interval you will hear the thud of the
bullet, and finally you will hear the re
port of the gun. In this case, you might
see the flash, and afterwards be shot by
the bullet. Indeed, so much time
elapses between the flash and the arrival
of the bullet, from a distance of 250 yards,
that it would be impossible to hit an
active man, at that distance, if there
was a cover to which he could spring
when he saw the gun discharged.
How different•with lightning! There
tlie:Llash and thestrokearosimultaneous.
If we see the dash we are safe. He that
is killed by lightning never hears the
thunder.— Technologist.
A Good llog Story
Om Dana; Animals tel Is a good dogstory:
"'A Chelsea man, once on a time, before
the running of horse cars, came to Bos
ton with his young wife, to attend the
opera. The lady was so fascinated that
she refused to leave until the final drop
of the curtain. Then, to the consterna
tion of both, it was found to be so late
as to raise a serious doubt whether the
I:2 o'clock Chelsea ferry-boat could be
reached ; and that was the last trip for
the night Nevertheless, they hurried
down Hanover street, but only to find,
as they feared, that the boat had gone.
There was nothing left for them but to
foot it alongeommemial street toCharles
town bridge, and through Charlestown,
over Chelsea bridge, a long, dreary walk,
and one which at that time had a bad
reputation, by reason of some recent as
saults committed on belated pedestrians.
The lady was greatly alarmed and very
unwillingly went forward. But as they
were hurrying along, a strange, savage
bull dog accosted them, much to the
disrust and alarm of the lady, - who bid
him "be off," of which however, he took
no notice, but after smelling around
finally made up his mind that they
would answer his purpose and that he
would theirs and so deliberately trotted
along after them. When they reached
the long and dreary Chelsea bridge,
nothing induced the lady to venture
forward but the presence of this strange ,
dog. As they were nearing the 'centte
of the bridge, &slouchy man was discov
ered ahead leaning against the rail of the
bridge, who Immediately, on discover
ing the approaching party, began to
move forward toward them to the special
consternation of the trembling woman.
The gentlemen spoke in an undertone
to the dog, who seemed to understand
the position. and to be master of it too,,
and left his place for the front; as they
approached the suspicious man, greeted
him with a savage growl and appeared:
I ready for a spring. The sight and sound
I of the dog acted like a charm on the
I man, and he slunk away from the path
and allowed the party to go along nn
challanged. The trio readhed home-in
safety;' and, it islitirdirtiecesgary , -to
Say, the strange friendly dog was cor
dhtlly welcomed into the, Ifous i eind fed
and lodged like a prince 'or d tie
hadsilirotn . hrtheeit tti be. ' echeirt ,
morning the dog teak hie , 7derpartnrei ,
without Leaving his name or t residence,
and was never afterward 4 seen Jvi the.
persons whom he had so mySterhimslY
and effectively befriended.
rie Rao
.5 tieitareaSE44sorre4eroi asefiet,-Fiefiver
. ed.betare thekkeroh9r , Cit irrani 4 4 4
sadlfaishaff
rrit'iTaiieth tigers ffirnied and reeeta'-'
ed the:difFerentilnothins in the why de-
Auiribed, Sollows mecessatily, that the
Sun derives. its , phy.sieal constitution as
.welL as its power to send out light and
heat from the slide procesS, So fur as'
the iota?' is Concerned; it was the
last, but by far-the grandest of the
bodies formed out of chaos. , All the
'Planets had been thrown from the neb
ula and had progressed in acquiring
their present organizations. The ten
dm:ley-hi throw off 'rings had been es
haunted ; and now the residlum of mat
ter or. atoms, subject still to:the original
forces, of attraction and repulsion, wraps
itselfi k p iiito an enormous sphere which
becalm at once the centreof the system
and its source of light and heat. 1)o the
resources of theory suffice to throw any
light on the wonderful process by which
the contracting nebula was at lentEth,
contracted Into the' blazing orb of the
,Sun ?- far' as the formation of tht ,
planets was' concerned, our course was
throughoutone of plain sailing, and the
ingenuous reader must have been struck
with - the numerous coincidence of facts
with the dedtteDons of theory; but
when.stv come to consider the fontm
tion of. the San, the difficulties in our
waysensibiy ineretufe. This, however,
results not sontuch, we think, from any
defect in th e theory p'r4ostsl, as from
the - delleiency of our knowledge in re
gard to the Sun itself. Facts are annu
ally accumulating du our hands, and we
are now in a better position - to show
their connection with theory than could
have been done a century ago. The
spectroscope spay still farther increase
our knowledge, and then we may gain
a better Insight into solar phenomena
than ,we now can possess. We shall
employ our theory mud see how far it
thrOws light on facts so far as they are
known and well accredited at the pre
sent time.
As we have already said, the Sun re
volves once in about twenty five days,
from west to east, with its axis turned
towards the north. This, as intimated,
seems plainly to conneetits motion with
that of the planets, which move all in
the same direction, and appears to es
tablish the unity of their origin.
So' we have also said that the planets
increase itt 'density asthey approach the
Sun. From this it might be inferred,
that the density of the Sun should be
much greater than that of Mercury and
the other planets; but it has been cor
rectly ascertained, that it is not more
than one one-fourth as dense as ourown
globe, or a little more than that of
water. This, however, may be readily
accounted for. The structure of the Sun
is much more complicated than that of
the planets: Like the latter, it has a
a solid nucleus, but, in addition, it has
at least three envelopes around it; first
an atmosphere, then the photosphere,
or volummouit covering, from which we
derive our light, and a :third envelope
between the photosphere and the solid
,part underneath. The nucleus and its
first covering were discovered by the
dark spots on the Sun's surface, which
are immense openings, through which
both may be seen and clearly distin
guished. The thickness of these two
lower envelopes, which represent to us
the apparent diameter of the Sun, is
considerable. Some have thought that
they j.nerease its diameter at least one
thiril, if not fully onethall, If this be
borne in mind, it will be easy to per
ceive, that the solid part of the Sun is
ntueh smaller than the body which is
de.sbribed as the Sun in our books on
astronomy. After its envelopes have
been removed, instead of being nearly
nine hundred thousand miles in diame
ter, it may not, in fact, be more than
six hundred thousand miles ; and, as
the envelopes are gaseous and very rare
in their character, we have the best rea
son for supposing, that the Sun itself is
very dense, by far the densest body in
the system, as is required by theory.
But if the diameter of the Sun be cur
tailed in this way to the extent of one or
two hundred thousand miles, still It
would he an Immense body, containing
a mass of matter greater than that of
Jupiter:or Saturn, or of all the planets
taken together. The result of such a vast
number of atoms all pressing towards a
common centre, may he easily conceiv
ed. As atoms cannot touch each other
or be brought in actual contact, In con
sequence of the power or repulsion with
which they are all endowed; their pres
sure upon each other must be such as
to generate an almost insuperable re
pulsion, and as a consequence, a degree
of molecular activity in the interior
part of the Sun, which would produce
all the conditions of an inconceivable
degree of internal heat. This antago
nism of atoms, in the closest conflict
with each other, would present the
nearest approach to a perfectly elastic
body, which, when once thrown into a
vibratory motion, must continue to vib
rate forever. Such, we conceive, has
been the condition of the Sun from the
beginning down to the present time.
In this last irrepressible conflict of at
oms, we find, if not strictly a perpetual,
at least, a permanent source of its heat,
one that cannot fail for millions of
years, or as long as the wold stands.—
Such a state of molecular activity must
have the effect of reducing the atoms
on the surface of the compressed sphere
to the form of a gas or vapor, which,
with Its intense elasticity, must extend
to a great distance front its surface. As
the heat of the Sun excites therepellant
energies of watery particles from all
parts of the ocean, much more must a
similar, but a much more energetic pro
cess of eVaporation be continually taking
place from the surface of the Sum. By
the dark lines seen on the solar spec
trum, the very elements of which the
Sun is composed have been identified.
They arc mostly metallic, and, as it
would seem, with a predominance of
iron. The exhalations, as we may call
them, from the inner surface of the Sun,
which are doubtless liquid, are then com
posed mostly of atoms of iron, and its
first covering consists of an atmosphere
of iron. Intensely elastic, it is not per
fectly transparent, and may be seen
surrounding the dark portions of the
solor spots as a penumbra. It leas a
somewhat bluish appearance, which is
usually accounted for, by supposing that
it is the comparatively dark portion of
the Sun seen through a meditun not
perfectly transparent. Thus a dark
mountain appears blue when seen
through a hazy atmosphere.
The metallic atmosphere, owing to
the highly excited repulsion of the par
ticles, must expand itself in all dime-
Eons to au immense distance. But
above and beyond it must meet with an
ocean. of rare substitutes qr gases, which
have been puShed tip by the evapora
tion from beneath, but which still re
mains permanently attached to the
Sun by the force of gravitation. If we
suppose that this external gaseous en
velope is oxygen, or prevailingly so for
which we have good reasons, we shall
then have all the conditions at hand to
account for the formation of the photo
sphere, or the bright portion of the Sun
which we see with our eyes. A heated
atmosphere of iron coming in contact
with one of oxygen would result in
combustion and fire, or flame of the
most intensebrilliancy. The student of
chemistry well knows, that a rod of iron
sufficiently heated, when placed in pure
oxygen, is consumed liken piece of wood
and emits a most dazzling and brilliant
light during the process. The ashes, or
the new substance formed, is au oxide
of iron, which no doubt, weighs more
than the original piece of :iron.
The oxides formed in the Sun's photo
sphere would fall down upon its surface,
like snow, hail or rain, when our own
atmosphere is overcharged with ascend
ing vapors. If the molecular activity
of the Sntt's,surface should have the ef
fect of 'deoxidizing these oxides, in
whole or In part, after they had fallen
down, they might then rise again into
the upper regions and go through an
other process of combustion, and so on
forever. This would be in some respects
analogous to the rise and fall of vapors
on the surface of the earth. The rivers
continue to run into the sea ; they never
become erepty nor the sea full, in con
sequence of this circuit. In this event,
the Stitt having such an inexhaustible
supply of fuel with which to feed its
flame can never lose itslbrillianey, or - at
farthest,igtOW pule very gradually in-:
deed.. . ,
. _
But if there besao4w wer in the Sun of
deoxidizing, the,oxides which fall down
on,ita surface, they would remain there
Gallo =nix deposits on its surface ofnaolt
en metal, The 'vast, dithoSt, bottomless
ocean btioxygen above would In Itself be
sufficient] to keep up the combustion and
flame:fer•ages.upon ages. ~There would
be f ipaiis piase,howev,er act:lmperative
ly more 'lipid termination 't'o the era of
combustion. The oxygen Would he all
. . . .
almothed, o coPa t4Luitiiap in to . .hi b,.t,
enters_ will All, tip the metq email ult 7
dergeaffliymiectealie iiteofilte;nntil
externarshellis conned around ita inter
nal liregoirrd Its lightgbesout in perpeturt
darkness. , .itssubqueidatisktrY•miOlt,
thee: be the same as that through winch
The .Moonlias long ago passed which
has 'absorbed all its oxygen And other
gases and is now nothing[more then en
,extinct volcano ; without any atmos,
Pbere. • •
The supposition that the' Sun is sur
rounded by an immense atmosphere of
[oxygen, is by no means a mere specula
tion: , It is-based on facts and is sup
ported by analogies in the geological
history of the earth. During a total
eclipse of the Sun when its light is total
ly excluded from view, •it is surrounded
with a ring of light the corona, whibh
resembles the 'glory" with which
painters encircle the head of otir Sayi,
our. It appears suddenly, as soon as
the eclipse becomes total, and Is always
witnessed ivith a strong emotion by the
peasant no less than by the astronomer.
It extends to a distance equal at least to
one-third of the Sun's diameter; some
times its.breadfli is Said to he 'equal to
its entire diameter. It Is now generally
supposed to be due iMun atmosphere
surrounding the Sun, reflecting a por
tion of the light, and extending to a
height, of more than two hundred thou
sand Miles at least, and most likely to
double or treble that distance. Flame
like pnituberances are seen floating in it,
which are, with gooclreason. believed to
be clouds, some of which are calculated
to have an absolute height of not less
than eighty thousand Miles. If we sup
pose that it is pure oxygen, or strongly
charged with this gas, we have an ample
explanation of the iutousity and bril
liancy of solar light. When we come to
consider the formation of the Earth and
the Moon, we shall find that therels
•good reason to suppose, that there were
once such atmospheres around them
also, a/intim/ they had much to du hi
giving them their present forms. In
tile laboratory of nature, oxygen is the
most active and universal of all its
agents.
We are aware, that other theories of
the Sun have been advanced which are
not without their plausibility. Some
who adopt the nebular theory, suppose
that the Combustion going on in the
photosphere is kept up by the fall of
aerates into the atmosphere of oxygen;
others have supposed that it is due to
electrical influences. The exposition
given above we have advanced, because
it seems to be the most simple, awl the
most in harmony with the facts in the
case, as well as with theory and :undo
gies drawn from other parts of our sys
tem. When we get to know more about
the Sun itself, we will be in a condition
to speak more positively in regard to
existing views of its wonderful economy.
For the present no censure at least can
fall upon us, if we suppose that the com
bustion now going on in the Sun can be
explained on the same principle as that
of the burning of a candle. The two
are analogous. How this process is kept
up has been explained by Professor Airy
is a most interesting article on that sub
ject, to which we must merely here refer
our leaders.
Mount Vernon
A lady of the highest respectability,
writes to the New York Obscrect a s fol
lows of the present condition of things
at Mount Vernon :
" I need not inforMYou what its ap
pearance was one year ago, after the
civil contest of four years, without any
income; it was in debt, and for want of
funds, obliged to. dismiss the superin
tendent, who removed his furniture
from the mansion, and left to the gaze
of the world its nakedness and decay ;
a heart-sickening sight it was to the as
sociation and all interested.
" Congress came to our rescue with an
appropriation of $7,000, which has been
well expended by Gen. Michler, and
already Mount Vernon wears another
aspect. The mansion roof, walls, tim
ber, floors, and paint, inside and out
side, have been renewed, where neces
sary, and the burnt conservatories re
built.
" A few friends of Mount Vernon in
New York and New Jersey have cheer
fully contributed agricultural imple
ments, harness, oilcloth, wall paper,.
carpet, furniture, window cornices, cur
tain material, a few engravings framed,
etc., but not a tithe of what is needed or
necessary, in order to give the place an
appearance of an abode. As the gar
dener has time, he is widening and re
pairing, and, with a heavy roller, har
dening the walks, clearing up the un
derbush, &c. ; all Work at Mount Ver
non progresses slowly, as daily during
the stay of visitors all hands must drop
their work and attend to them, for the
benefit of the visitors as well as the pre
servation of the place We hope we
shall soon be able to place Mount Ver
non as It was when the home of a liv
ing Washington.
' In the 'grand banquet hall, we hope
to feast the eye of the visitor with all
the relies of Washington and Lafayette
that can be accumulated. The hall Is
in readiness, newly oil-clothed and
painted, with a glass case prepared for
the safety of small articles. A full suit
of Gon. Washington's clothes have al
ready been restored to their original
home. All relics of these great men en
trusted to the associations shall be re
ligiously cared for, for the benefit and
gratification of the million.
" The whole country has a common
and filial interest in the preservation of
Mount Vernon. The association having
it in charge is not a private company
using it for their own selfish purposes,
but it is open to all who may choose to
contribute to its support, and among its
managers are sonic of the noblest and
best women in the land. Within the
last year or two, the neglects of the past
have been remedied ; needed repairs
have been made, and the domain is in
a fair way of being put into a condition
to be a pride and a pleasure to every
patriot.
" Funds are generally wanted to pro
cure valuable memorials of Mount Ver
non. And in this city, and in other
places, there are relics and mementoes
of the "father of his country,", books
and papers, &c., which would be rich
contributions, if private interests could
be sacrificed to the common gratification
of the people. We hope that a fresh
interest will be awakened in the subject,
and the association will be enabled to
complete its patriotic and judicious:de
signs."
Bee Notes For April
This is a very important month with
the bees, indeed it maybe said that the
month of April decides the prosperity of
most stocks. Bees need and should Have
considerable care during this month.—
Strong colonies have been breeding
more or less for the past three months,
but now they commence in earnest and
the last of this month should find them
very populous, and drones ought to ap
pear in good stocks by the first of May.
Finely ground unbolted rye Hour fed to
them now is very important, so much so
that no good bee-keeper can afford to
have his bees without it. Spread it
about an inch deep deep in shallow
troughs, and put it about a rod from
the hives. On all warm days they will
not be slow in convincing us that they
fully appreciate the favor we have con•
(erred upon them. This answers the
purpose of fresh pollen (bee bread), and
is eagerly appropriated until the real
article can be obtained from flowers.
This feed stimulates early and extensive
breeding, and also helps to lengthen out
the supply of honey until flowers ap
pear, so that no swarm dies for want of
a few pounds more honey. It would be
a shame for them to come to grief now,
when they are so near through. I have
no doubt that a judicious feeding of
about three-fourths of a pound of honey
per day during this month and next, to
even heavy stocks, Wiiuld be amply paid
for fn large early swarms and surplus
honey during the season. But this
would require some care not to excite
robing, and must not be omitted a sin
gle day.
The larva: of the bee moth should be
looked after as the season advances.—
In the morning there are usually more
or less found on the bottom board stiff
with cold, but if not destroyed will find
their way up among the combs again
during the day. If hives have not been
properly ventilated, or from any muse,
some combs are mouldy, out them out
now, for they are-worse than nothlii,g ip
the hive. .All upward ventilation
should be shut off now, if It has not been
done before.
There Is a woman at the almshotlße
in Pittsfield, l'ilass.,Bll- years old and
blind, who yet dances ay well and
as much, apparent enjoyment as per
sons who are three score years and ten
her junior.
./ - r - A T H T
NUMBER 16
. . . .
The .liMltri ,
. •
Veto Olnimitei • , „
I==
. • Ettaxnrrom 0/1.4.11111:11, ~i.
HAnnisannoi .A p. 01. 7 01870.
719 the spiatq 4,04 gouse ,Representa byes
Co
of (he mmonweeita of rehfity/tekhz : '
GENTLEn.kg'—..9enitte bill t
iled "'An Act to 'fieititato and. seen* , the
construe2zion'of..an , additional railway, con
nection bet Ween the ~v itFeta., l ' OLT° 5t 1 4.9.4. 0-
hauna and the great laßes,,Can da and the
northwestern states, bt 'e:t tending thnald
and credit of tvrtaia oarpprations to the
'Jersey Share, Pine Oris.4 lintlalo Rail
way Company, and in IMO hiapnor to aid
the construction or the Plttslatii - gb, 'Vir
ginia and Charleston Railway, the Clivix
field and 13.11tialq Railway, and the Erie
and Allegheny Railway," was only pre
sented fbr Executive approval on yester
day, the rib inst.
Regarding it as inuong the most import
ant over submitted Tor consideration, "both
fa the principles it ?to/ell - es, and the con.
sequennes of my action thereon, I have
examined P. with as nth ch wire as was pus
in the abort time allolged, and the
pressure of other duties at)thls late stage of
the, session, I , or, these seasons it would
have been. 4e.sirahla that She views about
to be' announced, Amalfi have been the
subject of more mature reflection. Enter
taining; however, firm convictions that the
proposed measure is not only iu conflict
with the Constitution, but at `war with the
'best interests end lams policy of the State,
it is deemed all. imperative duty to
guard against all possible misconstruction
by returning the bill promptly to the Sen
ate, in which it originated, with the fel
lowing'statement of the reasons lie' with
holding my approval.
There are in the sink Mg f tied of the State
nine and one-half millions of dollare,
500,000) in railroad bonds, viz: s6,lloo,tiee
in hands M the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, and $5,500,000 of the bonds of the
Allegheny Valley Ithilread Company, tho
payment of tbe latton.guarauteed by. Wu
Phihuleiptibl,4ll,l Erie Railroad Company,
the Northern Central Itallwav Company
and by the Pennsyl Railroad Com
.pany. These $13,000,0e0 are a part of the
proceeds, of the sale of the mainline of the
public Works, srild in 1857 ; and the $3,500,-
000 are bonds substituted fora like amount
of bonds which wore proceeds of the sale
of other portions of the public works, made
subsequent to 15.57. TheNVlinle $9,500,000
therefbre, are proceedsof the salts ofpnblio
improvements formerly owned by the
State ; and the bill under consideration, if
approved, will take this iiitire sum out of
the Sinking En rid and distri be to it among
the four railroad companies named in the
Lill, in the proportions therein recited.
In the consideration of this tined impor
tant subject two questions naturally arise:
First. lias the Legislature the constitu
tional power to enact this law? and
Second, If the power exists, is it exPedi
out to exercise it?
the Lust question he answered in the
negative, the bill should not be approved. If
in the affirmative, then thoseennd question
assumes a grave importance. What then
uro the written constitutional provisions
bearing upon the subject? The latter :douse
of the Llth section of the first article of the
Constitution deolares that:
"No law hereafter enacted shall create,
renew or extend the charter of more than
ono corporation."
The eighth section of the eleventh article
is as follows:
"No billshall be passed by the Legislature
containing more than one snbject„ which
shall be clearly expressed. in the title, ex
cept appropriation Inns."
The proposed act is not an appropriation
bill within the recognized meaning of this
section of the ,fundamental law. hvery
one familiar with the histor i r of our State
Constitution knows the objects of which
these clauses were inserted and adopted.
Our Stato had been cursed with omnibus '
legislation, enacted by what in commoo
legislative parlance was known as the sys
tem oflog-rolling. Measures which alone
could not stand upon their merits, and
which often had no merits on which to
stand, were fastened together in one bill,
and by ingenious combinations of local
interests, the mostinoongruous, and some
times iniquitous provisions were forced
through in the same act. Essentially di-
verso, conflicting and even rival and hos
tile interests and parties, who could agree
upon nothing else, were thus induced. to
unite in a common raid upon the Treasury
'of the State. This evil became in time so
intolerable that the people were at last
' impelled to protect themselves against
it; and they did so, by these plain consti
tutional prohibitions. The people in their
sovereign'capacity declared and wrote it in
I their Constitution, that "nu bill should. be
I passed by the Legislature containing' more
than one subject, and that "no law here
after enacted shall create, renew or extend
the charter of more than one corporation."
It is contended, and with some show of
plausibility, that the bill under considera
tion embraces but the one subject of rail
roads, and this and this alone, is expressed
in the title ; and that the act does not create,
renew or extend the charter of more than
one corporation. Technically, this may be
so; but we are considering grave questions
of constitutional law, where different rules
of construction nmst, prevail, and judged
by these it is clear that the provisions of
this act aro in manifest violation of the let
ter, spirit, intent and object of these plain
constitutional provisions. In the case of
the Commonwealth vs. Clark (7 Watts and
Sergt's. Rep. 127) the late Chief Justice
Gibson, in delivering the unanfinous opin
ion of our Supremo Court, said :
" A. Constitution is not to receive dtech-
Meal interpretation like a common law in
strument or statute. /1 Ia to be interpreted
an as to carry out the great principles of the
Government, not to defeat them"
Apply this authoritative, sensible and
well established principle of constitutional
construction to the case it: hand. The Con
stitution declares, in substance, Max omni
bus legislation and log rolling enactments
shall cease; and to that end, "no law here
after enacted shall create, renew or extend
the charter of more than OHO corporation ;"
and Mio bill shall be passed by the Legis
lature containing more than one subject."
The bill returned Includes four different
railroad companies as principals, and nine
others as guarantors, amt by a liberal
construction assumes that they all con
stitute but 0110 subject. By this omni
bus system the proposed act combines
the interests, local rivalries and cupidity
of nearly every section of the State, front
the Delaware to the Lakes, and lifei thereby
secured its passage. The several corpora
tions, it is true, are not, technically, created
by this law, but were first incorporated by
other bills, with the manifest intent, to be
followed by this act, - which artfully com
bines the local interest of all the other bene
ficiary companies, breathes into them the
breath of life by the appropriation of the
public moneys, and secures the very identi
cal ends prohibited by the Constitution.
Thus, by a liberal construction of the act,
and a narrow and technical interpretation
of the Constitution, the sound rules and
principles applicable to both aro reversed
and misapplied, and the effort made to re
concile the statute with the prohibition.—
The attempt is a failure. The Constitution
cannot be evaded or nullified in any
such manner. As ruled by Chief Justice
Cribscm, it most "be interpreted so 101 to
carry out the great principles of the govern
ment, andoot defeat them."
But there are other provisions of the con
stitution prohibiting each legislation.
The 4th, sth and 6th sections of the X 1
article are as follows:
" Sec. FS'. To provide for the payment
of the present debt, and any aditional debt
contracted as aforerraid, the Legislature
shall at its first SCS§i(on after the adoption
of this aniembuctit, create a sinking l und,
which shall be sufficient to pay the accru
ing interest on such debt, and annually to
reduce the principal thereof by a sum not
loss than two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, which sinking fund shall con
sist of the net annual income of the
public works, from time to time owned
by the Stale, or the proceeds of the sale
of the same or any part thereof, and of
the income or proceeds of sale of stocks
owned by the State, together with other
funds or resources that may be designated
by law. The said Sinking Fund may be
increased from time to time, by assigning
to it any . part of the taxes, or other reve
nues of the State, not required for the or
dinary and current expenses of Govern
ment, and unless in ease of ear, invasion or
insurrection,no the said Sinking Fund
shall be used or applied otherwise than in
extinguishment 'lithe public debt, until the
amount of such debt is reduced below the
sum of five millions of dollars."
"Sec. V. The credit of the Commonwealth
shall not in any manner or event be pledged or
loaned to any individual, company, corpor
ation or association," nor shall the Com
monwealth hereafter become a joint owner
or stockholder in any company, association
or corporation."
"Sec. VI. The Commonwealth shall not
avmtme the debt, or any part thereof, of any
county, city, borough or to wnship; or of any
corporation or ' association; 11111083 such
debt shall have been contracted to enable
the State to repel invasion, suppress do
mestic insurrection, defend itselt In time of
war, or to assist the State in the discharge
of any portion of its present indebtedness."
Theso three sections are part Of the Con
stitutional amendments adopted by a *vote
of the people in 1857. They speak, for them
selves, and in no doubtful language. The
4th section inquires the Legislature to ere-
ate a Sinking Funtll , --to consist, among
other things, of the net, annual income of
the public works, from time to time owned.
by the State; or theproceedh of the sate of the
sarao'r and declares further that, "unless
is case of war, invasion or insurrection, no ,
part of the Sinking Fund shqll b 44 ufed 9(lolP
plied otherwise thanln extfilYttiaamcnt Of the
public debt." 'How is it pooslble to reconL
elle these plain declarations of the Constir,
tution with the provisions,of the Wlltinder
consideration? These nine and 'a lien
millions of bonds are the proceeds of the
EXiIKLES
BUSINESS ADTEIErISEMENIN, ;•E2 a ye.. per
SqUri] of ten lineA; $8 per. year for caoltadd I -
tional - squrtra7 --
Lha first._and. ...ents for_ ./A HoLaaarion
insortlon.
- -
Op.N ERA APVEICTISING, • Curtis II nue TO
Sirgt, and teents - for each - .fibSequeirt timer.
ii
•
qf {1
1111 1 •
I; 1•../
lien: .• '.l3u Ui
.S nbeAl; Olion4.lieJetteal
.1
A 4
3 -.1P"!1•P'-"Irsi
5,9
SFIT ' e 4 I'll
lieatitA, l 10' Co g": ' -gr ie t 'Vtrgt•itts'ertlent'
creffX 1 . 1 4 :4,:eqUeFit Insertion.
,LLOAr.+AND OTLI,Jfit NQTII:I.4
MEW:LS.I3IIr notictv.
Admirds,tEntors'
17.1ti n o ce ni c e
6s .
7 : ! ,
Other'. 14otteet.," t6ll
threP
sviles °Cam public storks , and they are in
the Sinking Fthtd er.ated by the act of 2'2,1
in compliance with this same
soction of Los fundautmatal law. The Con
dochtros ,as
_plinly us language
'can ne'Part bf the Reid Sinking
Fpntl'aliall be used or' applied otheritiec ,
t/sin,, ;01 ,extingnightatot of the. public
debt." The bill,propuses t)apply the wholc
of the nine and one halt' millions to the
eonstruction of sundry enumerated rail
roads.
'the N' section declares that the ereditof the
Conntionwealth Ant/ not in townie - nine/ . or
oornt he pledged or loaned to rinyemiir,timit,
ethopupy,.corporation emeeietioi, This
bill proposes, not technically a loan or
pledge of credit, bat more; it proposes
pay for the construction of the railroads flu
these corporations. How can this to dune
consistently with the constitutional 'weld
• ? Does not the greater include the
leas? In principle, or substance, how does
the thing authorized differ front the tiling
prohibited, except perhaps in degree:
Time, the one prohibits the lean or pledge
..f credit, and the oilier apimmriates the
' money to pay for the work, but the actual
result is the same, viz • the taking of the
proceeds of the sale of the public works out
of the Sinking Fund and appropriating them
to the eimstruction of railr.,ails.
The VI section declares that "the C,oit -
monwealth shall not assume the debt, or
any Dart thereof, of any county, city, bor
ough or mwnship, or of any corporal,.
u,lnociation."
'rechnically, the bill tinder ennsinZwation
inity not authorize the ltMstiln lttt rat of ii„,
debts of these railroad companies, bill it
does more. It actually pro s id e s f,,r th e ir
payment, and it takes frounthe State Try:l,-
111'y the ileeessarV Means with which to d o
it. These are all clear violations of lb. ,
very plain provisions of our written eon.
Stitutlon. An effort Is made to ewe's , iron,
tho.so conclusions, under Thu ruling of the
Supreme Court in the ease (F U ratz vs. I lic
Pennsylvania railroad company Wright,
-1-171,w1iieh seems I, assume that these bomb:
in the Sinking Fund aro nut the putt-dol.,
of the sales of the public works. But the
court in that ease polities its opinion on
the ground that the net there in qui•sti , ol
thorized the Sinking Fund Commissioners
to exchange depreciated securities for liaise
of more value. Irene the attempt is to au
thorize the exelionge of seettrities
edly good tbr others of most questientible
value. This I regard as a 11104 i taportallt
distinction, and line on which the legisla
Lion of last session may nano he justified.
Moreover, I consider the anstitnptioli that
the bonds now in the Siukitig Fllll.l ore
not the proceeds of Mt; sate of thc
works, mg wholly untenable, unwar
ranted and untrue. The purchase money
WILY the premeds of the sale of the
the public works as understood at the time
and ever since. 'Not only the 'loo,otsl re
quired by the law providing for EMI sale to
be paid down at the time of the bid, but the
whole seven and oite-ltalf mullions, which
the same law desigitates as " the whole
amount of sales to be paid in the bonds of
the company." And if anythiug can make
this mere plain it is the fact that ilio same
men, at the saute session of the Legislature,
passed those constitutional tunentiments
1857, and also the act for the sale of the main
and they naturally used the same
words and expressions to express the same
ideas. 'rho words of the Constitution have
already boon Waited, and the 12th section
of the act fur the sale of the main line, ap
proved 16th May, 1857, declares:
" That the entire proceeds of the sale al l
said main lino shalt be paid to the Sinking
Fund, and applied to the payment of the
State debt." Surely it cannot be neeensary
to argue this question further. It is very
clear that the framers of the Constitution
intended that the whole of the proceeds of
the public works should go Into the Sinking
Fund, and should be appropriated to MI
other purpose than Limo payment of the
public debt; and the practice of the (recent
went ever Since 1857, in all its departments,
has conformed to ;these constitutional re
quirements. Nu manipulation of words,
no artfully drawn phrases, and no subtle
distinctions or contracted or misapplied
rules of intorpretation,:can explain away
these plain constitutional restrictions on
the power of the Legislature; or enable it,
In defiance of them, to bankrupt the 'rreas
ry of the State through moans prohibited
by the fundamental law of the land.
Having thus demonstrated the unconsti
tutionality of the proposed law, I might
well bo spared the discussion of its expe
diency.
It is possible, however, that different
views may be entertained as to the legal
question involved. I have, therefore,
deemed It proper to submit the following
propositions as conclusively establishing
tho inexpediency of this scheme.
First. By the terms of the act the State
is to excluingosix millions of bonds (tki,ooo,-
000) secured by a mortgage upon a road
worth many tines that amount—for six
Inihlluna ($$,000,000) of bonds to be issued
by a commuly ns yet unorganized, and
whose road is not yet commenced.
,Second. The contract of guaranty re
quired by the bill is illusory, for it fa Un
derlain who is to execute it, and if entered
into by responsible parties It binds them
eo nothing, except the construction still
equipment of the contemplated road. The
manner In which the road is to be con
structed and equipped Is wholly tillpro
tided for. Upon tins vital point the hill is
entirely and otninously
Third. The Interest upon the six mil
lions ($6,000,000) bonds to be Stirriaidered
payable, according to a recent decision of
the Supremo Court of the United States, lit
gold. Tho interest on the bonds recely&
would bo payable In currency.
Fourth. The State is now receiving up
on the bonds to be surrendered four Min
, trod and sixty thousand dollars ($4.110,000)
per annum; and under existing lasts Is en
titled to receive that amount annually, un
til the whole be:paid. If the contract of
guaranty mentioned in the bill were per
torniod Lu the letter, the State could only
receive three Inindred thousand dollars
($300,000) per annum for the next three
' years. The loss therefore to the revenue
by this:exehange would be one hundred
and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000) an
' mildly for the first three years, and there
after the whole amount would be lost un
less paid by the projected road.
!Fifth. Other bonds to the amount of
three millions and a half dollars ($3,000,00M
most amply secured aro to be excluinged
for second mortgage bends oil a prospec
tive railroad, the first tnortgage being al
readyanthorized for sixteen thousand dol.
bars ($16,000) per mile, atisevou
Wrest.
Sixth. It may well he doubtod whether
the proposed road rrorri - sersey Shore wouhl
ho a success. Almost potry. now road
through such undeveloped regions has ex
perienced a period of insolvency. 'rho
connection of the Stato with similar enter
prises presents a sad history of disappoint
ment and failure, of which the Philadelphia
and Erie road is a conspicuous illustration.
The competing roads already in existence
render the proposed security entirely haz
ardous, if not worthless.
Seventh. As already stated in my last an
nual message a largo amount of the debt of
the Commonwealth will shortly fall due.
During the next three years over nixie mil
lions of dollars ($9,0041,000) will mature.—
Should the securities now in the Sinking
Fund be exchanged for unavailable bonds
the State could not meet her just obliga
tions. Tints would lead to renewals and
these would in time impair our credit. The
people have declared and have the right to
expect that the debt shall be paid off as mo.
vided in the Constitution, and their taxes
reduced.
Aqiht/i. This bill proposes to remit the
State to the pursuit of a policy of public
Improvements by which in years past she
identified herself with enterprises of doubt
ful expediency, and which her citizens have
with great unanimity coadomned.
Ninth. On what sound principle of pub
lic policy, equality or justice can all the
securities of the State be distributed to these
four railroads, to the exclusion of the hun
dred others in the Commonwealth equally
nieritorious, and to the exclusion also of all
Mealier interests of the State? What have
the great agricultural, mining, manufactur
ing and other interests done, or omitted to
do, that they should be denied all partici
pation in the public bounty.
Other objections to this measure might
be stated, but those already given are
considered sufficient to satisfy every impar
tial mind that the proposed scheme is as
gross a violation of the Constitution as of
sound policy.
It is therefore most respectfully suggest
ed that the bill be reconsidered in the light
of these objections, which may not have
been fully . presented during the few days
occupied in the discussion and passage of
this act. JOHN W. GEARY.
Slow Negroes are Marched to the Po
How negroes are to be managed as voters,
can be gathered from occurrences taking
place in all parts of the Union. At the
recent election in Morristown, Now Jersey,
John Whitehead, a United States Commis
sioner called the negroes together in a
Methodist church. After they were organ
ized and supplied with tickets, they proceed
ed in procession to the polls, headed by Mr.
Whitehead, and every one of them, forty
seven in number, voted the Radical ticket.
In the town of Catskill, New York, at the
late charter election, a body of thirty
negroes, headed by a leading Radical poli
tician of that place, marched to the polls In
military order, where tickets were given
them, and they voted for the Radical
candidates., This is a sad spectacle. Persons
brought Op like cattle to the place of voting,
nd Federal officers, in truth•depositing
their ballots. This is tho meaning of negTo
suffrage. For this the Fifteenth Amend
ment was fastened upon the Constituthut
by force and fraud, and a new and danger
-0118 element introduced.into the Govern
ment of the conntry. This if a serious
matter, and it, is quite evident white inen
aFe conSideringit itt a prOliet: Plifr e t,
P f * -
A land certificate of 640 atlres was sold..
at clic rib ri ateorti i can a, Texan, tile other c
day, at forty cents per acre, c.!