Coming Home.
* Come, Kitty, come !" 1 said;
Bat itill sh waited—waited,
Nodding oft her pretty head
With " I'm coming soon.
Father's coming home, I know,
I cannot think what keepa him so,
Unless he's Just belated—
I'm oomlng soon."
" Oorae, Kate I*' her mother called,
" The ■nppet'a almost ready."
But Kitty in her place installed.
Coaxed, " I'm oomlng eoon.
Do let ma wait He's aura to 00m#;
By this time father's always home-
He rows so fast and eteady.
I'm oomlng soon."
"Come, Kit!" her brothers cried;
But Kitty by the water
BtiU eagerly the distanoe eyed.
With " I'm oomlng soon.
Why, what would evening be," said she,
" Without dear father home to tea 1
Without his ' Ho, my daughter' -?
I'm coming soon."
*' Come, Kit!" they half implore,
The child is softly humming,
Bbo hardly heart them any more;
But " I'm oomlng soon "
Ia in her heart; for far from shore—
Gliding the happy waters o'er—
Bhe sees the boat, and cries, " He's oom
lng !
We're coming soon!"
—Jfnry Mapft Dodgr, in St. Akhola*.
MAUD HESKETH
" If any one bat yourself bad told me i
this I would not have believed a word of 1
it." So said Percy Herbert to his friend
Harry Liaton, as they smoked their
cigars outside the library window of the
house they were staying at. "It seems
perfectly incredulous that a girl like
Maud Hesketh could be what yon de
scribe her."
"It is a fact nevertheless, Percy; she
is a complete fortune-hunter, and, far
from disguising the fact, rather boasts
of it than otherwise; it is not much more
than a month since I saw her, and then
she certainly did not hesitate to speak
her sentiments on the subject. lam
glad I have arrived in time, old fell aw,
as I verily believe you sre on the svo of
falling in love with her."
" I do love her," said his friend slow
ly, and with a sigh; "and was vain and
foolish enough to think she some
thing for me. However, the charm is
now broken, for if there is one thing I
have a contempt for more than another,
it is a mercenary woman. The woman
I marry must love me for myself alone,
and not for what I possess."
The above conversation was overheard
by Maud Hesketh herself, who had re
tired to the library for an hour or two's
quiet reading; and bearing her name
uttered by Percy Herbert, ourioaity to
hear what he had to say about her made
her creep to the open window, where,
screened from observation by the heavy
curtains, she listened eagerly to all that
was said. Never was the old adage,
" Listeners hear no good of themselves,"
so thoroughly verified as in this instance;
and, overwhelmed with shame and dis
may, she fled to her own room, where,
locking her door, she gave way to a pas
sionate burst of team, none the less bit
ter for knowing that the accusation
brought against her was a true one, for
in a thoughtless moment she bad uttered
the words which were now to part her
from the man she loved better than life.
Maud Hesketh was the eldest of a
large family, as poor as they were
proud ; for until the last two or three
years their father had been a man of
large landed property, but owing to the
loss of a chancery suit was completely
ruined- -nothing remaining of his great
wealth but a few thousands. The crash
had been sudden and most unexpected,
for not only themselves but all their
friends had regarded the winning of the
suit as certain; and great indeed bad
been the consternation when their loss
became known. The old home was
given up, and they retired to a secluded
country town, where, unknown and un
sought, except by a few, they could lire
quietly and cheaply. It was a great
and a sad change for all, but for Maud
especially, who, not having been long :
introduced, and always Being made
much of, not only for her beauty and
brightness, but also for her supposed
wealth, the sudden reverse of fortune
was almost more than she could bear ;
and she was often beard to say thatj
never would she marry any man who
could not restore to her all the luxuries
and pleasures she bad lost. But un
fortunately she had made that remark
to Mr. Liston, an utter stranger to her,
who, staying with a lady friend in the
neighborhood, had come with her to
eallnpon the Haaketha; and who, bear
aa young girl make such a remark,
not knowing the circnmstanoea of
the ease, had very naturally drawn his
own conclusions.
One of Maud's greatest friends was
an old aohooi companion, who was now
married, and it was at her house that
aha met Percy Herbert, a favorite
cousin of Mrs. Oarlyoo's, who was
very anxious to bring about a match
between the two.
Mr. Herbert waa possessed of consid
erable wealth, and waa considered a
gnat catch, so that when Maud first ar
rived die congratulated herself upon her
good luck, and laid herself out to be as
fascinating as possible. ißut before
many weeks had passed over her bead
she made two discoveries—first, that her
heart waa irretrievably gone, and,
secondly, that money had nothlag to do
with it; for it waa the men bunsnlf she
waa in love with, so that it was doubly
galling to her to hear her former mere*
nary views brought to light, and to fssl
that not only had she forfeited Percy
Herbert's love, but also his respecft
"Oh! what must he think at ate?
How be must despise ma I" mid the
wretched girl; and, burying her face in
her hands, die thought long and earn-
MUV as to the best way of proving the
falsity of Harry Lisbon's opinion. "I
know what I will do I" she exclaimed;
'•I will play Mr.'Lieton off against him,
and lot him *OO that I can flirt with a
poor man aa well aa a rich one."
80. removing all traoea of teara, she
dreaaed herself for dinner with nnnanal
care. Never were tables 00 completely
tamed on any one as they were on poor
Percy Herbert that evening; forever
since his friend had opened his eyes to
Maud's apparent deoeit, he had been
wondering bow he ooold best give her
to understand that she need not for the
future shower any of her fascinations
upon him; and now, without giving him
one opportunity of snubbing her, she
entirely ignored hia presence and de
voted herself to hia friend, who was as
much astonished at the aspect of affairs
aa Percy himself.
This went on for days, till Percy, who,
in spite of all, loved her devotedly, was
driven almost wild with jealousy, and
openly accused hia friend of having pur
posely deceived him with regard to her
fortune-hunting propensities and of
making up the story to further his
own ends.
Meanwhile Mrs. Carlyon regarded
with dismay the evident failure of her
darling project; and, moreover, feeling
very sore at Maud's victim being her
favorite cousin, determined to take the
girl to task; so one night, on returning
to their several rooms, she followed
Maud into hers, and shutting the door,
placed her hands on the girl's shoulder,
and looked earnestly into her face.
" Maud, what is the reason of your
behavior to Percy f Why are you so
changed toward him ? I did hope that
yon sud he were learning to love each
other, but since Harry Listen came you
have scarcely noticed him
"Perhaps I prefer Mr. Listen to
your oousin; I suppose there's no harm
in my doing so ?" said Maud, in a half
defiant tone, and longing to escape from
the searching eyes bent on her.
" Harm ? No, certainly no harm in
your doing so; but I must confess I
don't understand yonr choice; for al
though Percy is my own oousin, I mast
aay he ia infinitely auperior in every re
spect to Mr. Listou. Besides, Percy
has a handsome fortune, while the other
has not a penny to bless himself with."
" And so you, with all the rest of the
world, think 1 am incapable of disinter
ested affection ? I thank you for your
good opinion of me, Mary;" and with
flashing eyes and burning cheeks she
turned away.
" I don't understand yon, Maud,"
said her friend, with a sigh; " bnt it is
very evident that my interference only
angrra you, so I will say good night;
but I sincerely wish Harry Liaton was
at the bottom of the aea."
When quite certain *he WM alone,
Maud's overwrought feelings gave way.
Very bravelv had she acted her part,
bat if she Bad succeeded in making
Percy miserable, ten thousand times
more wretched was she herself. Only
one little bit of consolation was there
for her throughout it all, and that was
that all her flirting with Harry Liston
was doing him no harm, for, though
meeting her more than half way, she saw
that beyond the flirtation there waa no
deeper feeling in the matter. Btill, how
was it all to end ? Her visit was fast
drawing to a close, and the farewell ball
Mrs. Carlyon was giving in ber honor
was to come off that night.
Mand and her hostess were lingering
over their five o'clock tea, after superin
tending the last finishing tonches to the
ball-room, when the door opened and
Percy Herbert entered the room, look
ing very pale and with an open letter in
his hand.
" Oood gracious, Percy I what is the
matter ?" exclaimed hia oouain. "You
are white as a sheet."
For answer he threw the letter ou to
her knee.
Kagerly ahe to >k it up, but before she
had read more than a few lines she let it
drop from her hands, and turning to her
oonain with a face almost as white as his
own she said in an agitated voice ;
"Oh I Percy, it cannot surely be true
—the 8 bank gone ? Why, that is
the one nearly all your money ia in."
"It is," he replied ; "so, according
to that letter, I am a rained man ! "
" Oh 1 no, no; it cannot be as bail as
that; there may be something saved.
Ob! Percy, if not, it would be too
dreadful 1' and the good-hearted little
woman's eyes filled with tears. " Bat
yon will not leave us to-night; it ia
too late for yon to do anything this
evening ? "
" No; as yon say, it ia too late to do
anything now ; bnt I must leave by the
first train to-morrow morning. But,
Mary dear, keep all this quiet for to
night, you know," he said with a poor
attempt at a lsuph. "I might not get
auy partners if it became known I was
penniless;" and taming from hia
consin he looked toward Mand, but her
chair waa empty—ahe bad flown.
Mand bad escaped to her room, feel
ing utterly bewildered at the news she
had just heard; and tbongb deeply
grieved at Percy's misfortune, still she
individually felt happier than she had
felt for weeks.
"Harry Liston, your reign is over,"
cried the girl, joyously ; " and all I now
want is an opportunity of proving posi
tively to Percy that Mand Hesketh ia
not the little fortune-hunter his friend
described her to be."
Am ahe stood in her ball dress a few
hours later a pleasant smile paased over
her faoe as she looked at herself in the
glass. Her dress waa perfeet—a pres
ent from Mrs. Carlyon—and very lovely
did Maud look in it
" I wonder if he will like it" she
murmured ; sod if she only could have
seen the expression on his face as she
entered the room she would not heve
had many doubts on the cnbjeot Maud
had no lack of partners, for she was
quite the belle of the ball; but the only
one she oared for had not even spoken
to ber, and she waa beginning to feel
utterly weary and sick of the whole
thing when a familiar voice at ber elbow
asked her for the next dance.
"You shall have it with pleasure,
Mr. Herbert" she mid, turning tohim
with a bright smile; but before she bad
time for another word her partner whirl
ed ber away. The first few bars of the
5?* 1 d "°? h * d <"*dlj begun before
Perot Herbert claimed bar
"I thought yon did not intend asking
me to dance to-night," ahe —M. as they
walked through the ball-room into the
conservatory.
" I did not think you cared to dance
with me; you certainly bsve not shown
soy preference for my society for BOOM
time past"
" Perhaps I hare bad a reason for
not doing bo; but," abe added quickly,
" I moat tell you bow very sorry I am
for what I beard thia afternoon. It is
indeed a aad loss,"
" Tee, it's not pleasant, I mast con
fess; bat thank heaven I am strong, and
not very old,and have always longed for
a life of adventure; so, if the worst is
realised, I shall try my fortune in a new
country. I suppose we shall soon have
to congratulate you, Miss Heskath ?"
he said, after a slight pause.
"Congratulate me; what do yon
mean? I am not engaged, nor am I
likely to be."
" You astonish me. I thought Liston
was to be the happy man I"
" Mr. Liston is nothing to mc, nor
ever >• ill be," she said, hurriedly.
"On I X had forgotten he was a poor
wretch like myself now; so I suppose
that's the reason."
•'Mr. Herbert, why do you speak
to me like thia T What have I done
that you should think that I only oared
for a man for what be possesses f If I
loved him, poverty would be no draw
back: it is unkind of you to speak as
Jon do." And poor Mand, with beating
nart and varying color, looked very
much like breaking down. Utterly
amxsed at her words, and thinking his
ears had deoeived him, be looked eager
ly at her. Oonld this be the girl his
friend had warned him against ?
" Mand, do you mean what you say ?
Would you really marry a poor man T"
he said, passionately, while bo clasped
the girl's hands in his. " Answer me,
child 1 why hsve you treated me so bad
ily the last month ? We were good
friends enough before Liston oame."
Looking into his eyes and seeing all
the love that tieamed there, Maud told
him all ; how she had heard the oonver-
I sation between him and Liston, and its
result.
"Ho,"said Percy, "but for the loss
of my fortune I never should have won
my wife I Qood oorues out of evil after
all I"
" But I may only be an incumbrance
to you while you are poor," whispered
happy Maud. " Don't yon think we
: should wait until yon are better off 1"
" Wait! No thank you ;no more
; waiting for mc ; a second Harry Liston
j might appear, and what should I do
1 then f No; as soon as ever my affairs
are settled I shall claim you, and," tak
ing the girl in his arms, "it won't be
my fault, ray darling, if you ever regret
twoonrfng Percy Herbert's wife."
Eight With a Hlg Eel.
Our fresh water boys do not often
catch an eel large enough to draw a
loat. Land and Water, the grcst Lon
don newspaper ot the hunters, fishers
and naturalists, tells the story. One
day three amateur fishermen were ang
ling near the "Ore Stone,"off Torquay
an English watering-place on the south
eastern coast of Devon, when one of
their number, surprised by an extreme
ly vigorous bite, was still more astonish
ed to find himself ntterly unable to ban!
in his tine.
Calling his comrades to his aid, they
at last succeeded in bringing a huge
conger to the surface of the water; but,
partly from want of strength, and partly
from a dislike to snch close quarters
with a by-no-means contemptible oppo
nent, tbey determined not to bring the
fish on board, bnt, hauling up the large
stone with which the boat was moored,
they made for the shore, towing their
captive after them.
On landing they aoooeeded in bring
ing their fish on dry lind, and attempted
to kill it: but the conger twisted itself
with such s tins-constrictor-like embrace
around the arm of its would be murder
er that knife, and line, and fish were
speedily dropped again.
Our hero, preferring personal safety
to the glories of the combat, instantly
quitted the field of battle for its native
element, the hook still in its month.
The host no one had made fast, but the
conger's lins being caught around the
thowl-pina, our three fishermen bail the
pleasure of witnessing both the escape
of their prey and their boat proceeding
seaward, as though in tow of some pow
erful submarine tug.
It was useless to whistle, or to give
boat and fish peremptory orders to
return under pain of severe displeasure.
The conger wss deaf alike to threats or
eotreaties; so there was nothing for it
but to strip and swim after tbe fugitive.
This was done. Tbe boat was brought
back, ami tbe conger reappeared again
on terra Jin,in. The fish's bead, despite
tbe ghastly barking noise it made in its
own vigorous opposition, waa placed
nnder a great stone, and he who had
swam after the conger bewitched boat
seised tbe knife and " jnst went for "
that eel.
Stroke after stroke be hacked and
hewed, until at last, lo I the whole body
wriggled back into the sea, and only tbe
bead waa left under the stone as a token of
affection when absent. The reports of
the actors in this little drama were
doubtless colored; bnt, judging from
the head tbey brought ashore,the weight
of tbe oooger oould not have been under
thirty pounds. >
Haw Drlaklag Predacee Apepleiy.
It in the eaeential net are of nil wine*
end spirit* to eend en increased amount
of blood to the brain. The flnrt effect
of taking e glean of vine, or stronger
form of alcohol, ia to aaod the blood
there feater then common; hence the
circulation the! give* the red face. It
inoreanea the activity of the brain, and
H vorke feater, end ao doea the tongue.
But, aa the blood goea to the brain
feater than common, it return* feater,
and no apaoial barm revolts. Bat. #up-
Ka man keepa on drinking, the blood
rat to the brain ao feat, in anofa
large qnantitiee that, in order to make
room for it, the erteriea have to enlarge
tbamaalvea; they inoteaaa in aise, and,
in doing ao, they praaa against the more
yielding flaccid veina which carry the
blood oat of the brain, and tbna dimin
iofa their site, their porta, the reanlt
being that blood ia not carried to the
erteriea of the brain feater than fa
natural or healthful, but it ia prevented
flora leaving it aa faat aa nana]; hence
a doable eet of centre of death are in
potation. Honor a man may drink
rnongh of brandy or other epirite in a
few boa re, or even minute*, to bring on
a fatal attaok of apoplexy. Tni* ia,
literally, being dead drank.-/**(////.,
THE OLDEST MAN ALIVE.
Ks*rk*kl( swr ml Hade mil Ntmi ml
■alilMMire - Bars Three Year* Harare
Waahtaalas llla Treses! Asa 14 Years.
At No. 107 Harsh Ann street, in re
sponse to the reporter's summons, the
door was opened by Unole William Hoott
himself, who asked the writer and his
companions to come in and take a seat in
a manner which savored of old-fashioned
politeness.
"Unole Bill" is a fine, intelligent
looking old colored man, about five feet
eleven inches in height, well-proportion
ed, and still muscular, with bushy gray
beard and bair. The first question asked
him was, of course, whether his age was
aa great as reported. Unole Bill at once
replied in a clear voice, " Tee. sir ; 149
years, sir." This reply caused an excla
mation of surprise and wonder from both
the sergeant of polioe and an officer who
had accompanied the reporter. Accord
ing to his own statement the year of Hoott's
birth would have been 1729, three years
before Washington wss born, and when
Baltimore city bore the now-forgotten
title of Jones' Town.
At the suggestion of the reporter
Uncle William related the history of his
life. " I was born." said he, "in Cal
vert county, Md. When asked the
year, he replied : "Deed, marster, I
cau't remember the figures." His father
was a slave, and lielonged to Miss Percy
Lawrence, of Calvert oounty. His
mother was a free woman, and the
mother of "twenty-six head "of chil
dren, as Uncle Bill termed them. Wil
liam was the fourth child. He has no
idea what became of the rest. He re
mained with Miss Lawrence until he was
forty-eight vears of age, at which time
he was made free, on account of his
I mother being free-born. After leaving
Miss Lawrence, Scot* went to live with
a CoL Hoskina. With the colonel he
remained three or four years, and acted
as his body aervaut.
i At the time, about the year 1775, the
Indians were a cause of peat annoyanoe
to the people of Maryland and other
colonies. As CoL Hoskins was on ac
tive service, his dnty being to protect
settlers of the frontier, be traveled a
great deal, during all of which time he
I was accompanied by his faithful servant
Hoott says that during one of his cross
ings of the "Itockv mountains," proba
bly meaning the AUeghanies, with the
: colonel and his regiment, he was one
day captured by Indians and held as a
Srmoner for two and a half months,
nring which time he was treated with
kindness by the savages.
He was finally released through the
j instrumentality of Col. Hoskins, who
always expressed a strong liking for
him. Hoott does not remember by what
means he was released.
Upon being asked how he came to be
captured, be said:
"We were quartered in the moun
tains, and the guards had all been sta
tioned so as to prevent any sudden
I attack by the Indiana There were
lines or bounds laid out, beyond which
! we, the servants, were not allowed to
go, except between ten and twelve
o'clock in the morning. One day I was
obliged to go after something, what it
I wss I now forget, and failed to get back
in the specified time. As I was return
ing I heard a whirring sound in the air,
and then felt something catch me about
my arms and chest. I was an terrified
that at first I did not stop to think what
it was, but tugged with all my strength
to 1 onsen myaef," Happening to turn
his head, however, he aaw an Indian,
; and then he knew that he had been
captured. The reporter here asked
! Uncle Bill what were his feelings at the
; time. His reply was simply, "Ugh P
and a perceptible shudder.
After leaving Col. Hoskins be obtained
employment in Gen. Howe'a (the Eng
lish general i service. Hoott says that
; after being with the general about a year
| in this country, the.general took him to
| England with him.
He remained in the general's family
service for some years, after which he
traveled with the general's brother,
Isml Howe, as his body-aervanL With
his lordship, Hoott says, he traveled
{ through Europe, Africa and Asia. He
spoke naively of his wonder and sur
prise when in Japan be first beheld a
native. From the genera] he received
wages which the general told him were
equal to 948 dollars a month, and with
the general's brother 9100 a month. The
reporter here asked him what kind of a
looking man his lordship was T Hoott re
plied that he was a large man. The re
porter then pointing to the sergeant,
asked if he resembled that gentleman.
Hcott scanned the sergeant closely for a
few moments, and then said: "Not
abont the face, sir. bnt be was large,
and bad broad shoulders like be has."
Hoott says he remained in England
thirty-two years. He was asked who
held the throne of England at this time,
end the answer was George 111. After
remaining abroad for the long period
mentioned Hcott returned to America.
He aaya that he waa twelve months in
oroeaing the Atlantic, making thirty
three years exactly that be waa away
from thia country. After arriving in
bia native country he obtained employ
menu with Mr. Findley B. Bmith aa a
farm hand. With Mr. Hmitii he remain
ed three years, after which be waa five
veers employed in the same capacity by
lir. Zaohariah Tannyhill.
Hince that time Uncle Bill aaya be baa
traveled from one State to another, ac
cepting employment wherever it could
be found. The reporter naked him bow
long it baa been si oca be left Mr. Tanny
hilL Scott replied that be did not know
oaotly, bnt it waa over fifty years ago.
He was asked, i 4 course, whether be had
evw seen George Washington I Beott
■aid that be had, and that the general,
when a schoolboy, often visited Muw
Lawrence, his former mistreas. and call
ed bar Aunt Percy. He had often waited
on him.
ITnolo Bill then stated that ha bad bean
married three times, had six " head " of
children by hia flrat wife, eleven by the
eeeond, end none by the third, who waa
•till living with Mm,
Uncle William aaid that ha waa certain
of hia age, because of aoma paper* that
had been given him by Mir* Lawrence,
and which long tinea had crumbled to
dost. He also stated that often be bad
carried ••Marater" Diaoey, now eighty
jeata old, when a baby, on hia ahoalder.
With regard to hia health, Uncle Bill
aaid ha thanked the Lord that he had
ahreya bean healthy, bnt for the part
,<l% ymre be had bean very weak. Ha
-•* m J a
:K . a
baa loat his teeth and complains of weak
ocas in the kneea. He seems to think
that be will not live much longer.
A reporter saw Mr. Hnowden Disney,
who states that be is seventy-seven years
of age, that he has known Boott since he
can remember, that Beott nursed his
father when a hoy, and that his father
died thirty-five years ago at the age of
seventy-six years. His (Mr. Disney's)
father always spoke of Hoott as a man of
middle age when be first knew him as a
boy. Hoott was a religions man, 'and
Mr. Disney stated that he bad been a
body servant to General Howe. He has
reoently walked out on the Reiateratown
road several miles to bold religions meet
ings. Mr. Disney is a feeble old man,
with white hair aud beard. lie expresses
the fullest belief in Hoott's great age,
and thinks that he is even older than be
claims to be.— Baltimore Bulletin.
An Epideadc of Bomb-Throwing.
A correspondent writes from Rome,
Italy, to the New Tork Evening l*o*t as
follows: The deeds of darkness which
hsve shaken Italy siuoe the attempt on
the king's life in Naples are frigbtfnl,
sod they are too nearly connected with
that event and with each other not to
indicate a common source. Two days
after that act of Passanarite at Naples,
' while the people of Florence were re
joicing at the king's escape, a lighted
bomb filled with dynamite was thrown
into the crosd, and killed two persons
I and fatally wounded others. Two days
; after this a bomb was throwu into tne
; procession at Pisa,but fortunately with
out fatal consequences, although several
; persons were slightly wounded. About
the same time eight persons attempted
' to take possession of a number of guns
, in the arsenal at Peaaro, but fled at the
j cries of the sentinel. Twice large ob
jects were fouDd on the railroad track
from Veuice to Bologna. At Corneto
Tarquinio a crowd of workiuginen
marched through the streets late at
| ] night, calling ont, " Long live the red
, j republic !" Three guards who endeav
! ored to still them were wounded by
■ stones thrown by t'.( a young ruffians.
Various instances of the killing or
wounding of men in authority and high
' ly honored for their public and private
virtnes are noted.
Another bomb—described by Zanar
delli, however, aa s very little one—ex
ploded at Han Hepulero, bnt without
virUma. Even the proverbial " honor
bright " of the brigands seems to have
deserted them, and they hsve failed to
send back to bia family s gentleman
whom they captured near Capua, after
j receiving the sum of twenty thousand
dollars for his redemption. A station
keeper on the road from Naples to Rome
■ was fonnd dead at his pout two nights
I before the king's return to Rome. This
alarmed the nulroad authorities, and in
the short time that remained they
changed all the station-keepers along
the route.
i The train which brought the royal
| family to Rome was escorted by the
entire administration of the railroad,
j The chief functionaries were oontinnally
i looking ahead from the windows of the
ears at the bridges; at every hundred
feet were stationed these soldiers, the
station-keepers were doubled, and the
j switches were turned by the chiefs of
! the stations. Every precaution was
taken for the security ot the king, but
while the officers were anxious and
trembling be was am ding and uncon
cerned. Although be was aware of all
these precautions he gave orders to al
low the people when the train stop ped
tc> approach him, and be received ad
dresses and the queen flowers as usual.
The Mysterious " Hex."
Philadelphia possesses a mystery in
the shape of an invisible benefloent
fairy, who writes a cramped band, works
by means of the postofßoe instead of
wands, magic lamps, etc., and sends its
gifts in cheap yellow envelopes to the
needy poor, orphan-asylums and hospi
tals, with no sign of its identity inside
beyond the single word " Hex.
1 nese gifts of " Hew " are magnificent
in proportion, and bestowed with great
wisdom and the keenest insight into
the necessities of each case. "Hex" is
I supposed to be some eccentric and
chantab'e millionaire, who means to
put bia money to good nres while be is
alive, and not to leave it for trustees and
; executors to qnarrcl over when be is
dead.
If there is an eccentricity in giving
money while the giver is alive, and not
by legacy, rich men will do well to
imitate it. Many posthumous bequests
in this country hsve failed ntterly to
reach the class for whom they were' in*
, tended.
Edwin Forrest bequeathed his im
mense property to snppo t a borne for
aged actors, and bnt one old man has
ever enjoyed the stately mansion and
its Inxnries. There is scarcely a town
or city in the country which has not itn
testimony to give of a charitable legacy
which baa failed to answer the purpose
of its toatator.
Trustees and executors are open to 1
temptation, and the care of a large, on
protected toast is the strongest ore
which can be thrown in their way.
" Hex " is wise to distribute his tens of!
thousands himse'f, and to do it without i
the delay of a day.
About ten years ago a man of vast
wealth was showing to s friend his col-i
lection of historical pamphlets, which
was the finest in the oouatow.
"I am going to give them to the
Pennsylvania historical society," he
s-dd, "and this branch of my library to ;
the Franklin library. I have no family, j
as yon know, and 1 intend to give aaray
all that I have before I die, leaving my
self only a comfortable annmtv. I have
no faith in posthumous charity."
"When do you intend to do it?"
asked bia friend.
He hesitated. Nest month; I shall
not pot it off. As soon as I return from
St, Louis."
He started that evening for St. Louis.
The next day his friend took op a news
paper and read that the boat was burned,
with moot of the pausing era. He waa
dk*d, and his money want to the State.
He bad put it off a day too long.—
Youth't Companion,
Experience at Charleston, a Q.,shows
thai the sources of artesian awaits are
affected by tides which are aa regular as
the ocean tidaa, bat precede them fay
■boat an hour.
Items at IsteresU
A joint affair—Ether natism.
Bplling.—Bee 80— cat. Pea 80—Pat.
Attending a ball—Minding a baby'*
!°V whinker*— Mule*' Uib. n fly
time.
Can yon spell oonsent in three letter* t
Y-Erti.
Where doea the weather go to when it
dear off t
There ia nothing like a shorthand
reporter to take a man down.
When hair diea it turn* gray. When
a barber dyea, hair tarn* black.
Geographically the ialand of Ceylon ia
a little larger than Great Britain.
It ia possible for a man to know hi*
own mind and yet know very little.
An old horseman aays an apple is
better than a laab for breaking a oolt.
Fear is a condition of indolent weak
nees which surrenders as bodily to the
enemy.
It ia perfectly safe to hare some men
j owe yon a grndge, for they never pay
I anything.
Kind heart* oau make Lsoember blitfa* an
May.
And in each morrow And a Nw-Year'• day.
The three degrees of medioal treat
ment : Positive ill, oomparative pill,
: superlative bill.
New York State has 200,000 militia
well equipped and thoroughly instruct
I ed in rifle practice.
Oovernor Wade llampton received
i eleven wounds daring the war, one of ,
! them a saber thrust.
An advance.] thinker savs, "Revolu
tion in dreas ia needed." He should
wear a roundabout jacket.
It i* estimated that Colorado's gold
and silver yield for 1878 ia in the neigh
-1 borhood of $45,675,803.43.
•' Halloo, Charley ! What's the mat
| ter ? Training for a race ? " —" No,
: Tom. Racing for a tram 1 "
The savings (tanks of Vermont now
i hold over $8,000,000 on deposit ; an
increase of $7,000,000 since 1860.
The Brazilian government has gi anted
s privilege to a gentleman for the manu
facture of paper from the wild flg tree.
Norman Ixxskver astonishes the scien
tific world by declaring that oentnriea
of chemical study has been on a false
basis.
Which two letters of the alphabet are
like the most cruel of the Roman em-
I perors? N and P. Why N and P?
Because they are near O.
" Why should we celebrate Washing
ton's birthday more than mine ?" asked
a teacher. " Because he never told a
| lie 1" ahonted a little boy.
There isn't much difference between
a man who sarm a ghost and the man <
who swallows a bad oyster, so far a
their looks are concerned.
'a wm'i ruci.
He kissed her fan and then said he
"This fan, whene'er yon ply it.
Will waft a kite to yon from me ! '
Bhe Unshed and said abe'd try It.
Tr.e Memphis yellow fever relief com
mit' ..as distributed the funds left on
hand tretween the four orphan asylums
of that city. The fifteen hundred tents
supplied by the government are to be
burned.
A word, a look, which at one time
would make no impression, at another
time wounds the heart; and like a shaft
living with the wind, pierces deep,''
which, with its own natural force, would
scarce have reached the object aimed at
The Nevada bank, with the largest
capital ($10,000,000) and reserve (*V
700,000) of any bank in the United
Htatcs, has but a half dozen stockholder*.
The directors are James Flood, James
G. Fair, John W. Mackev and Louis
McLane,
" I vender, uncle," mid a little girl,
1 "if men will ever yet lire to be live
hundred or a tbonmnd year* old?**
" No, my child," responded the old
man; " that was tried onoe, and the
I race grew ao bad that the world had to
| be drowned,"
, Worda are nothing to paint a mother's
, lore, a mother's consolations. A baby's
I smile contains the diTinest essence of all
, earthly ao 1 socment; a child's lore
, soothe* without weakening ; it tie mar la
I ao ranch that in blessing it one is bleas
(! Ed by it unaware*.
During 1877 181 German vessels were
- i wrecked, and with them perished 425
t! men belonging to Uieir crews and seven
i passengers. This loss of life was, how
II ever, proportionally small, the total
, j number of persons on board of the lost
vessels having been over 14,000.
raa o*o,r mvrsHKaca.
' 4 Aha ' I have it now." a* ortsd,
As b* caught a flattering bird;
44 Canst t*U DM what's the diffstsno*
Twin this and a ton* you're beard f
" oos." he whispered eweet sod low,
44 One is a bird in the band.
And t'other, yon most rant* know, *
is often beard In the band." 1
Geologists having reported that there
is in Japan enough workable coal to
produce a vearly yield equal to that in
Great Britain for 1,000 years, the
Japanese government have agreed to
grant a loan of fi,500,000 for the pur
pose of working them.
" Twoaoola with hot a single thongfat *
is a rapturous enough sentiment inTore,
but it takes on an element of misery to
one soul, at least, when the girl is wrap
ped np in visions of a beautiful present
and the young man is engrossed in per
plexing speculations bow to raise the
money to purohaae it
This advertisement is found in a num.
ber of the Boston AWslm /W. edited
by Thomas Fleet in 1785: "Tbbe eoldL
by the printer of this paper, the vwy*
beat negro woman in this town. Sim
has had the smallpox and measles, is m
hearty as a horse, as brisk aa a bird, and
will work like a beevor."
as ciwsiaaas rows.
°W2?e"BSSiS2£ e<
•at we'll have to finish this west
Par wehavwat any roam.
—Jtk**re flam.
** **•** yea, Masts*
vgWUgWAmw.*.*
■saves, we'v* treks our pen.
-OmmMb Kmrprlm.
Hsr yetle vtosa, m tow sad sweet,
Bassos from brsrsc Us *ant—
Hetbold ! coefoand it, oomm
Aaethar fsisili tssl miiiil
mesflsy Amtor.