11l Spring-Time.
Kvcry.ytwr when young April, just wakened
wmra round
With her robins nil ready to wing,
I New the dear Owl that 1 wtill am alive
To wnleome snot her new spring.
Hint shore, nnit not under, the blossoming
ground
My limbs steady and strong,
That still 1 enn brentlio in the sweet vernal air
And hour Nnturo's marvelous song.
The brooks, making melody under the sky,
Cull the blood of youth buck into ago—
The heart ol the universe seems keeping lime
To ilelights in which all can engage.
The flower el' life and the flower of love
Are everywhere blooming to-day—
Death and darkuess no longer slu'.k blind
through the world—
So let us take hands, and Isi gar.
—Jamej 7 fitldt.
Miss Veutiior's Romance.
There was <>no question which puzzled
Ute good people of Clinton —the mystery
tliey could not fathom—itnd that was,
why Miss Ventnor had not married.
Talented, handsome and wealthy, surely
it must have been iter own fault. Al
though thirty-live years ol age, slie could
still have queened it over the lx\st society
in the village.and liail lier pick ofthe uiar
riageahje men; but her cold dignity and
reserve raised an effectual barrier. Keep
ing lioth society and suitors at respectful
distance.
Miss Ventnor had resided in the village
of Canton ten years, and the people were
no better acquainted with her than on
the first day she came among them. She
lived in a little vine-covered cottage, sur
rounded by tasteful,even elegant grounds.
The trim servant site employed knew iiut
little more about iter than the people.
She never made calls nor received any.
She contributed to several magazines, ami
spent a large portion of her tune in read
ing, although in summer site worked
hours, even days, among the flowers in
her garden.
One beautiful morning, as Miss Vent
nor was busy culling a bouquet of flowers,
she heard a baby voice exclaim:
•flit, nitty, pitty Powers!'
Turning, site saw a child about three
or four years of peeping through the
railings with Iter tiny hands outstretched.
*I)o you want some flowers? Come
here, little one.'
The eltild entered the gateway, and
without any hesitancy approached Miss
Ventnor. She was dressed in white
material, richly embroidered, and with a
jaunty little sun-hat shading her golden
curls. Around her neck was clasped
a heavily wrought gold chain, from
which was suspended a locket, almost
too large and heavy for such a child.
One glance into those deep hazel eyes,
ami Mis.s Ventnor. self-possessed woman
though she usually was, trembled vio
lently with agitation.
' Little girl, what is your name?' she
questioned, her voice sounding strange
and husky.
'Gmcio.'
'Graciewhat? Whose little girl are
jou ?'
' Why, papa's, of torse.'
' Where dee's your papa live?'
'lie's 'laying up there in that big
house,' indicating the direction with a
nod of her golden head.
' The hotel, you mean?'
'I (less so.'
"Aren't you afraid to go into the
streets so far and alone?',
Tlie little girt looked up in surprise,
and shook her head.
'Not when papa and mamma an- witli
me all the time.
Miss Ventnor looked around, but to
her astonishment saw no one.
' Where are they? Ido not see them.'
' Here,' replied the child, tapping the
locket with one tiny white hanif. ' I
don't kiss papa in here much, but I kiss
mammaevery night. I>on't you want to
Me '(etf
Miss Ventnor knelt down, nnd with
trembling fingers unfastened the locket.
It contained a lifelike picture of a gen
tleman, with brown, wavy hair, deep
hazel eyes, and proud, aristocratic fea
tures, and a lady s sweet, childlike face,
with large, appealing violet eyes, and a
erown of yellow hair.
She gazed longest at the face of the
gentleman, and a look of pain swept
over her face as she noted tlie Arm. al
most cruel, lines aliout bis mouth and
thought of the words last *|>okcn to Iter
by those lips.
'Won't you kiss papal' asked tlie
child.
Miss Ventnor touched her lips to the
picture, then hated herself a moment
after.
' Now kiss mamma.'
Miss Ventnor shook her head, while a
hard look came into her dark eyes.
'Why not? I kiss mamma's picture
most, for papa's up there, too, and mam
ma's only in here.
' Where is your mamma?'
' Dead, papa says. They put Iter in
the dark ground; but I (less tlicy took
her out and put her in here.'
•Dead?' repeated Miss Ventnor, the
hard look vanishing from her eyes and
a tender pity stealing into it* place. Ah!
that word will stop the most bitter cur
rent of thought.
' I dess I must go now.' said the child,
' paid' 11 he so scared.'
' You never could find trie way alone.
Come into the. house and I will send
Katy with you.'
' W ho'a Tnty ?'
'The girl that works forme. She will
take you safely to your papa.'
' Yes, I'll go with Taty/
After a few minutes Katy, n good
natured, rosy-cheeked girl, stood ready
to escort her little charge.
• Remetnlier, Katy, do not go into the
hotel, only in sight of it,' Miss Ventnor
said lor the second time.
' Very well, mis*.'
' I need not have taken that precaution,
thought she, bitterly. ** she entered tlie
house. 'lt Is not likely Hint he lias any
desire to seek me,' she added with a
sigh.
A few days later, the same little girl
was seen in mint of Mis* Ventnor'sdwel
flng, stoutly tugging at the hand ot a
fine-looking gentleman somewhere about
flirty year* of age, in her effort to draw
him toward tlie gate, and adding Iter voice
in entreaty.
'I hi tome, papa! Rli# live* here—the
My. that kissed your picture and
wouldn't kiss mamma.'
The gentleman had seen Katie from tlie
window of hi* room, and supposed her
to Be tlie person Grncie talked so much
about, and mentioned a* having kissed
his picture. He scarcely gave this a
second thought, judging site lind simply
done so to please the child, because site
had requested it; so, a* Gnu-ie would not
allow liim to pass the door, hut persisted
In her entrenties to enter, he thought lie
would call and tlutnk the girl for his
rbild's safe return to him. lie entered
tlie gate, with Grace triumphantly danc
ing nt Ids side, and walked up to tlie
little porch. Katy stood at the entrance
watering some plants.
' Good morning.'
'Good morning, sir.'
' I called to thank you for tlie trouble
you took to bring my llttlo girl home
tho other day.'
'lt was no trouble at all. sir,' re
turned Katy, modestly.
(trace stood silently by with a pout
upon her lips.
' What is tlie matter with my little
girl, now?'tlie gentleman asked, kindly
stroking her head.
'That isn't her,' she said in a grieved
tone. ' I want to see t'other oris.'
' It is my mistress she means,' said
Katy; 'please walk in, and I will call
her.'
Miss Ventnor, sitting by the window,
had heard his voice, and a face so white
met Kitty's eyes that she started hack
in alarm. Miss Ventnor siniled a forced
smile.
' Do not he alarmed, Katv. I an. only a
little dizzy. I have worked too hard
with tny pen lately. I must take a rest.'
* Little Grade and a gentleman are in
the parlor, and want to see you.'
' \ cry well, I will he down in n
moment,'she said, just as calmly as if
iter heart were not striving to break its
prison with its wild throbbing.
The gentleman stood with his back to
the door, studying n rare painting, when
Miss Ventnor, looking very pale and
haughty, swept into tlie rootu. Grade
sprang forward, shouting gleefully:
'lt is her, papa—the one that kissed
your picture.'
A wave of crimson swept over Miss
Ventnor'* face. Little Grade had un
consciously dealt a terrible blow to her
plide.
The gentleman did not seem to notice
tlie child's remark. His eyes were fixed
upon Miss Ventnor'* face, and his own
was pale as ashes. He took a step for
ward.
' luiogene, am I dreaming or do I
again look upon your face after so many
years ?'
Then he sank into a chair nnd buried
his faro in Ids hands. After a few mo
ments ho looked up.
'Forgive me; I should have said Mrs.
Atwood.'
' I do not claim that name,' she said
coldly.
'Have you never married? I have
always thought of you as George At
wootl's wife. Are you really Mi-s Vent
nor still?'
* I am.'
' Will you tell me why you never mar
ried liiiu —or another?'
'Because I did not love.'
'Oh, Iniogcne, can I dare hope that
you have remained single ail these years
because you could not forget that you
once loved me ? Nay, forgive me—hear
nicout,' a- lie -.aw tlie flash of haughty
pride which swept over her fare.
' Iniogcne, ,an you forgivenie when I tell
you I have never ceased to love you. and
ln>\y I he ve suffered for those cruel words
which parted us ? 1 thought then 1 was
only doing my duty,nnd was just to my
self. You remember I embarked im
mediately for Kurope. I had not been
one day out at sea, when I Ixvanie con
vinced that I was wrong in my mad
jealousy of George Atwood. As soon as
I reach's! England, I sent a repentant
letter, begging you to forgive and love
me again; out the answer which 1 re
reived nearly crushed ni heart.*'
'Thu answer ?'slie Interrupted. 'I
n-'ver nsa'ived or wrote any letter.*
' What can this mean ? I certainly
received a lett'T in your hand-writing,
stating that my repentance hud come too
late, as you were already the wife of
George Atwood.'
' It was a base forgery.'
' But who could have les-n guilty ol
such a thing 3 I would have sworn it
was your writing.'
'No doubt it was George Atwood
himself. He used often to bring me my
mail, and he could imitate handwriting
to perfection.'
'The rascal."
'Husll —Is' not severe! George At
wood is dead and at the bar o a higher
tribunal than ours.'
'Dead? I had not heard of this. You
are right; I will not judge him. and will
strive not to hate Ids memory. After I
read the contents of that letter, I wa ill
for tnany Weeks, and after my recovery
spent years of restless wandering in
foreign lands. In a tiny English cottage
I met Graele's mother. My heart was
strangely drawn toward her. and 1
thought by marrying I could forget my
first love. | trust T did not wrong the
sweet girl who became my wife; I loved
her deeply and tenderly, hut more as a
father love* his child, and I daily thanked
God for her sws't, trusting love, which
made a better man of nie. I made the
few years she spent with me entirely
happy and when I laid my darling away
to rest, I mourned her tenderly anil truly.
Iniogcne I have told you my story. Can
you forgive, and love me well enough to
lie my wife?'
'I can. Ernest, for, strive as hnrd a* I
would, I could not forget you, and that
is why I have never married. I, too.
will ask you to forgive nie. I was proud
nnd willful.'
'My darling, there in nothing to for
give. Though parted so long by plotting
ones, let Us Imtli strive so to live that the
years we spend together shall he an
atonement lor w hat w'c have missed.'
' And. Ernest, let us no longer think of
him who caused our estrangement, hut
rather of little Grarle. who wo* instru
mental, in God'* hands, in bringing ti*
together. She has stood therein the
corner some time, lost in astonishment
and entirely neglected by us. Come
here, Grade.'
She sprang into the arms outstretched
to receive Iter, and was clasped to Mis*
Ventnor'* bosom.
'Grneie.' n! t nff father, ' this is to lie
your new mamma, and you must love
her dearly.'
'Oh, won't that he nice. I'll have a
mamma now out of tho picture! Why
don't she kis* you now, papa?'
'Yes, Imogene, why don't you?'
The good people of Canton tilled out
the romance to suit themselves; hut It
was astonishing to learn how many
knew all along thai Miss Ventnor hud
corresponded with Mr. l'eyton a great
while and had Ix-en engaged to him a
year. But what difference did it make
so long a* they were happy?
In Norway th* IHUISC* are painted
every color of the rninlxtw. and. more
than that, tool* and common Instru
ment* are a* flaming in color a* a bur
ber pole. Boat* are red. blue and yellow,
and the girl* who row tliem are equally
bright. In the harveat field the men
wenr scarlet stocking*, and the rake* ore
half red and half yellow.
England 1* the chief market for the
hog product of the l'nited .States; France
come* next.
TIMKLV TOPICS.
The Clinton (Iowa) llrruhl says the
following i* the way tlicy hurt the feel
ing* of the street loafers in that city:
Copies of the city ordinance forbidding
loafing or congregating on the streets,
printed in large type on cards, have
neon hung in sonte of tlio corner win
dows xvitli salutary effect. Once in a
while a fellow braces himself for a
square "loaf" before the window, and
as his eye mechanically wanders over
the conspicuous warning card In- sud
denly grows uneasy and soon has busi
ness down the street.
Tin- bravery of a Human stoic was dis
played by Police Judge Tilden, of Cleve
land, Ohio, when In- tried Ids son for
stealing a coat from a juryman and
found him guilty. It was a trying
ordeal for tin- judge, and when In- rc
fcrrt'd to the sad spectacle of a father
prosecuting his own son In- hurst into
tears, while his powerful frame shook
with the violence of his grief. It was a
mournful scene, and called for sympathy
fur the judge in his affliction, not h-ss
than admiration of his courage in thus
showing that love for hi* offspring could
not stand in the way of his duty to the
State.
Mr. Horace White, Knglbh consul nt
Tangier.*, says: "In the contemporane
ous account given by Jackson of the
plague which depopulated Weotern Bar
nary in lTte.i ami I*oll, he stub-* that a
Mogador, at hi* recommendation, many
persons had recourse to a renusly which
liud proved most efficacious in Kgypt—
namely, anointing the Isxly with olive
oil, and he knew of no instance of its fail
ing when properly applied and sufficient ly
pt-rscverisl in." During the outbreak of
the plague among the Kgvptlun troops nt
I Icy r*'lit in IKtrt, the inhabitant* of a cer
tain village nltrihuted tlu-ir escape from
disease to the fact that their clollies and
persons were generally well saturated
with oil.
There has been an extraordinary nat
ural phenomenon at Kappelsdorf, a vil
lage near Krfuft. a form-** in Prussian
Saxony. A lake n'-nr the hamlet *tid
d' lily r<>*'- witli a violent Isiiliiig move
ment and overflowed it* hank-. A vil
lager saw a column of boiling water rise
to a considerable height from the middle
of the lake, when it broke and was scat
tered in every direction. < >n<-utmost lon
able fact i* that during the suih(< n and
unexnlaitK d ri-e of tie water many p'-r
-son* fieard subterraneous noi-'-s. Dc-p
ft—tires "p'-re-d all round the lake, froin
which a sort of -t'-ani ascended. The
ground over which the water spread was
covered with small shells and dead fish.
Who wouldn't take ov*b r* on the
half—hell from the ltroad river. S. ('.?
A man in lleaufort w.a* regaling him
self in this way ia front of a counter in
an oyster saloon, when the lu*< ious bi
volve gritt'-d s<, harshly unj- r hi* teeth
that he was induced to find out tin
cause. He ascertained tlint the ntollu*k
contained a ina-sof pearls, which tifxin
bcinij counted turned out to In- thirly
four in innnber. and ofthe si/>-o( a grape
seed, Iwsides the one lie unwittinglv
-(vkllowed. Thirty-four genuine pearls
the "sj/,- ~fa grape seed. 1 arc a prize
not to despiseil. Hut this i a world ol
•he it. and tln re are a* many supprts*-
titiou* jx-arl* in it as genuine ones.
A singular instance of human
< nslulity is report'*l from Munich. The
nctres.s. Ail'-lc Spitz—l'T. who was si-n
-tencsl then- almut six months ago to a
term of imprisonment for having swin
dled the putdie out of ntaiiv million* liy
her hanking institution* (the Da'bau- r
Hanken). conducted, as slie a*s/Tt-i|, fur
the furth'Tanee of the int'-r>s't* of the
Ic-tnan t'atholie religion. Iri'sl again,
aft'T let ItlM-tntion from prison, to i-nrn
a living on the stage. Finding that this
could not be done, #he ha* returned to
Munich and again opened a hank. De
posit*. on which she pays eight per cent,
niontly int'tasit. are brought to her in
ahunoanee. and, "f'siur"". another ent.u>-
tropin- will occur.
Tin' (alitor of Tntlh iM-licv#
that land in Kngland is diminishing in
value for agrl< ulturol purposes, and gfves
hi* reason thus: The fit-on why land in
Kngland must lieeomc l*>s and less valua
ble for agricultural purposes is that rapid
communication is destroying distances,
and the coat of tbn transit of corn Iron
< -alifornia and otln-r place* where it '-an
lie proilui cd on plains that jiay no rent
and that require no "high farming," is
every year diminishing, and every year
will still further diminish. The' reply
for long was. "Yes, imt land will always
Is- valuable for grazing purpose*." I
doubt thi*. The importations IMHII of
live stock and of dead meat are assuming
enormous proportions.
While Amorlrsn*, the nioet rrs,tl--* |wo
ple under the sun, wnnder from State to
State, from Esst to West, mad the Atlantic
: co#t to the Pacific sloj*. there sre not
wanting po-itivc proofs that Kuro|s-.< Ita
emigrslir.n is sgsin setting toward the
I'nited States, and that the tide, now that
it is ts-ginning to turn, will in future ex
hibit a gradually increasing volume. Ihir
ing the first quarter of IH7W, jut ended, the
total arrival* at thi# port reached 13,1*44 ;
of these 11.22H were alien* and 4,71(1 citi- I
xens of the I'nited State*. Ihiring the cor
responding |*-riix|of IH"9 the total iiunils-r
of passenger* landed at thi* port was 12,-
937, of whom 7,I'JS were alien* and 6,WW
citizen*. The increaf in alien* tliia rear
waa 4,100. What arrival# there have Ixen
at other points w olerve disclose about
the same proportionate increase.
A correspondent of the Kuriinglon
f wiryr tell* a rather sensational story
of an alleged discovery of the artificial
manufacture of silver by Dr. T. Fnfri**,
Jr., of the lowa Wesleyan university,
which carries one back to the days of
the old alchemists. Dr. Fnrriss. it
seems, when taking his class through a
curse of instruction in the primary
chemical compounds, was in the hain't
of setting aside the refuse waters, ami
one day was startled by tlie unusual
silvery reaction which had taken place
in these solutions. Thi* led him to in
vestigate. Kesult—-the artificial manu
facture of sliver, a business on which the
doctor Is said to have entered now on a
large scale. Of eotirse. details of the
m-w process arc kept rigidly secret from
the scientific world, though credulous
capitalists may lie attracted hy the glit
tering prospects, just OS tlicv have been
In the past hy other impossibilities.
The Indian Chief Maw, accompanied hy
ssversl other ssvagw, stayed several days
in a Nan Francisco hotel, on their Way to
Washington. Moses ia described a* an In
dian of the Fenimor* Cooper type, physi
ally, hut hi* picturrsqueneaa wa* spoiled
hy a suit of civillxed clothes and ■ stiff,
while hat. The Chronirlr reporter found
the parly in their room. Mian was silting
properly on u chair, hut one chief liiy on
the lied, with hia feet on the pillow, an
other ant in n bureau drawer, anil a third
reclined in a ruarhle wuali Ixiwl, until an
aechlental turning on of the water con
vinced hint that lie had mistaken the uae of
that article of furniture. " Young < *hif,"
the writer adtla, "hear* a tanking rexem
hlnnce to Theodore Tilton. and xca-aick--
ncss, of which he i* anything but well,
make* the resemblance exact, and, aingu
larly enough, Howliah Wampo i* a very
fair counterpart of Henry Ward Beecher.'*
The late aniccrof Afghanistan WOK uni
vtmlly culled the " madman " through
out hi* dominion*, and so great wit* the
awe in which lie wan held hy hi* sub
ject*. I lie Timrn of India any*, that no
one (lured tell him of the defeat of hi*
troops on the IViwar Khotnl hy the Kng
-1 i -11 invader*. Shere All aat in hi* coun
cil-room waiting for new*, hut no one
ventured to tell Tiirri the result. At last,
the mother, of AIHIUIIII Jan sent her lit
tle girl to tell her father. lie wita talk
ing eagerly a* the child entered, and she
tried hard tohlurtout her message, •• My
mother say* I am to tell your liighne**
—" hut the ameer kept putting his hand
on her Iter mouth, a* the discussion wan
important. At last lie turned to her,
" Well, what is it. Ilttleone ?" The child
came sidling up, all eye* UIKIII IMT. "My
mother say* I am to tell your highness
the Sahib* have crossed the Khotal."
An Instant stam|H*le from the neighbor
hood of the ameer closed the council.
Yuma, C'al , has a famous rooster, and
this i* the way it came about: It is em
phatically a self-made bird. The firm
of_ Sisson & Wall.'ice, amongst other
things, sell egg*. It so hapixmd that
all the egg* were sold out of a particular
can *ve one. MauilltM tie- nut want
on getting hotter and hotter, and prc*en'-
ly the -jrg began to warm up to the situ
ation. Tie' progress of the novel solar
gestation was watched with an absorb
ing curiosity by the store people. About
the time the mercury reached P-'t de
grees in the shade the i hick'n began t<
peek its way out of the shell, and it
emerged as defiant an infant rixistcr as
ever wore spur*. It grew apace, and to
day it* habits areas eccentric ne its man
ner of birth. It is exceedingly fierce,
and will nttaek n man, a dog. or any
thing that comes in its way. All a visit
or hit* to do to insure a delivery of bat
tle by this pugnacious rooster i to hold
Up liis f'Kit. and straightway the bird
will fly at him viciously. Wo have
heard of many ways of hatching ( hick
ens, hut a rooster hatched hy natural
heat in a tin can is a little ahead of out
previous experiences.
The Hutch settlers in Smith Africa arc
exceedingly fond of physic, ami although
extremely penurious in all other ways, mg.
gardly, in tact, to the last |-m>y, they will
not scruple nt the slightest symptom of ill
ness to send for a doctor. Should a sur
geon once obtain repute, deservedly or
otherwise, his fortune i certainly made'
The mewl ridiculous circumstance* oft n in
sure to him this good luck, and the amount
<>f money he receives yesrlv is sometimes
very surprising, fimera! < 'inynghame
was told that a nodical practitioner lost his
credit by simply prescribing the n—of lib
eral ablutions to an elderly ladr. Her
husband was dreadfully angry, making hi
rrmontrsno in the following terms:
•' Young man, you are a stranger in this
country, and recommend new customs,
which are enrtrary tntisngc* which xtc know
to Iw the true rules of health. I have U-en
now married to mv *vrow' for thirty-five
years, during which time water has scarce
touched her bodv. It ia not, sir, by your
persuasion that such inroads can Is- made
into our msnners; you are ignorant c>f our
made of life and do not understand our
wants.''
Many eminent edumtor* have held that
• written examination is not necessarily a
thorough lost of knowledge. This was
practically exemplified in the case of IJeu
tenant Itrv.mhead. lie went up for exam
ination Iwfore he left Kngland for South
Africa, hoping to Is* promoted to a cap
taincy. "Hie examiners found he had not
the requisite knowledge of inilitarv tactics,
and accordingly the disappointed Itrom
head went to Xnliiliml a lieutenant Itrom
head, together with l.ieutenant ("hard, had
under hiin eighty men, ten of whom were
sick in the hospital, when the fatal Zulu
charge waa made. The incident that fol
lowed ia known as the " l<efene of Korke'e
Drift," and the annala of warfare furnish
few episode* where more courage and
bravery were dispiaved than hy the little
hand at Koike's Drift, lieutenant Itr m
head heard of the advance of over 3,(44)
Zulus only a short time before the attack.
Mthough he did not show hie theoretical
knowledge of fortification on examination,
he made a very moi practical exhibition
of his talents. With the meal sacks and
biscuit boxes at hand he 'constructed a
most skillful barricade. The 3,(4X1 attacked
the seventy at three p. m . and kept up the
assault, without ceasing, until five o'clock
the next morning. Then they withdrew
defeated, leaving Mtlnl their number dead
and .'Wirt wounded. The little hand had
thirteen killed and nine wounded, hut they
held the fort, l.ieutenant Hr-nmitcad haa
ben breveted major f<w his gallant conduct,
although regarded as utifit for a captaincy
a short time since.
A KahjU
Among the numi of the
South African hush, otic (J the most
formidable is the puff-mldcr. so called
from it* habit of inflating its head and
neck just before striking its prey. Its
mode of nttnek is to throw hack its
head, and strike downward with two
hooked teeth that project from its up
per jaw. inflicting a wound which Is
almost invariably fatal. Its fondness
for preying upon mice, which are Its
chief food, frequently leads It into
houses of the colonists, who find It a
very troublesome guest, inasmuch as its
liody ia so tough and elaatle ns to defy al
most any weapon except a charge of
shot. On one occasion. the wife of a
missionary living In one ofthe remoter
settlements of tape Colony, noticed on
the floorof the room In which she was
sitting the empty skin of a mouse, out of
which the flesli liad hern sucked as clean
a# could have been the Inside of an
orange. Detecting at once the well
known tface of the puff-adder, she cau
tiously search'sl the whole nwwn. and
at length, lifling a corner of the matting
upon which her haliv was lying asleep,
found the snake roiled up underneath.
With great presence of mind she re
frain rsl from disturbing It, and, stepping
to fhe door, ealhxl in one of her Dutch
servants, who speedily made an end of
the intruder with Ida gun.
Trees begin to die at their tops—men
begin U dye there, too.
UI'MKI.WM.
A Vw KniUixt Custom lllrndlinc I'wfSl
OecxMllon ,i,d Swlil Hrrrrnll'i'i,
In referring to the customs, recreations
and itniUMeinerits of the farmers of New
Kngland, one is sometimes told of the
husking parties which prevail to a
greater or less extent among them; hut
it may lie surinis"! that few dweller* in
cities know much about the gonuirte
New Haiiiphire or Vermont husking
parties. Ix-t me tel. them about it.
After the Indian corn has been gath
ered into the barn, the ears, incased j n
their rough outer husk, are broken from
the stalk and piled up in a large mound
on the hnrn floor ns high as a man's
howl, and then tin* fitniMr i* ready for
the husking, which process consists in
stripping the husk from the er.
The iicighliors, old and young,—not too
young to enjoy the sport—me invited
from far and m ar to attend the husking;
and lie it known that it is an event that
I no one cares to miss.
The women and men, girls and !>oys,
married and unmarried, arrange them
selves on Is-nchf*, Imxes, milking stools,
| or nnvlhing that will serve for a low
I seat, around this immense pyramid of
: corn. 1 hen the Labor liegins; and as
I it is known for a certainty that tlu re are
more >r let.* red ear* of com in every
former's field, though they cannot be dis
covered until tlte husk i* pimially r--
1 moved, and in the findnnj of the red ears
j the fun logins, tlu re is great interest at
tache! to that accident—if it may lie
so called; for sometimes then 1 method
in such finding.
All farmers'lads arid lasv-s know full
well that the lucky tinder of such a prize
; iw a red car. if of the feminine persuasion,
i* entitled to a ki*s front the young (or
old as to that matter) man M ated next
; her. while the work of the evening g>* -
1 on with spirit; and at cvi. such (pi-
I s'lde in the evening's • ni'-rtainnunt a
flurry Do< casioncd such a* one experi
ences but seldom, except nt a husking
! party.
) The flurry, however, i not of long
duration, for all are anxious, a> a matter
| of court" — not to find red '-nr# it may Is
j supposed, hut to g' t through with the
I job so as to participate in the further cn
jovni'-nts prepared for them.
When till is completed and the last
; husk stripped from the corn, the coui-
I nany is invited into the house, when-a
i iiirge brow n enrth'-n pan fili'-fl with
: snmking hot baked tx-ans is placed on
the table of tie- great kitchen, ni wavs the
largest room in the house, and all Call to
with a will. The repast ended the room
I is cleared for a dance, and a* some one
in the party can always play the fiddle,
the real sjwirt of the evening Is-gins; and
i of turh sport, no one ignorant of an old
fashioned New Hampshire husking party
<an have any OOBMptioU. Th<- agility of
the rougher sex i lu re brought into re
(Ui-ition to its follnt CXtant, and woe
'to him who cannot "cut a pigeon's
! w ing" gracefully, as well with the one
foot as the other, or execute another
gymnastic exercise, the pp. i narneot
which I cannot recall, but which I will
II'TC d'-serils*.
The proc-e, *i. .n-i-ts of a Mice— ion
of leaps in a |x>r|*>n<li< u<ar position,
. and striking the feet sideways to
together at c-ast ts ic and mnictinic*
thri'-<- fx fore tou< hing the floor. Thin is
a |>ositivc rs|uintii< nt with all good
dancers of tin-stranger sex, and it is so
taught by nil instructors of the art of
! dam ing, or tea* at the time referred to,
which wa many years ngo, ju.t how
! many need nt here lie said.
| The pigeon's wing ".nsists of raising
I one foot from thcflixir. carrying the fixit
well back and vigorously giving it a
i rapid lat'Tal motion, immediately chang
ing to the other foot for the same exer
: cise.
I The husking i* done hy daylight, but
; tlie dancinp is done by candle-light, and.
as a Ixiy. I have wondered how it were
| (tossihle for these hard-working fanners
and housewives to exhibit so much
| agility as one never fail'-d to experience
! OA the Virginia fifrl "r huhrr'l Unrnpiftr
were gonvthrotigli witli hv I Kith > loner*
! and fiddler.
Tliese w-rc grsxl old times. Whether
the custom* he dcocrilied are now k'T't
up the writer cannot say; but one thing
can I* aid. no happier people ever ex
isted than the New Kngland farmers of
forty or fifty years ago, ((reports 1m- tnic,
and licfon- railroads and manufacturing
villag" s tuni'sf the loads of the rising
generation, and '-nticed them from tlo
farm to ae< k what *eeni<s| to them easier
and more lucuraiivc employment.—tar
ing It. Barnst, in Hostsm f\turitr.
A liood Word for the I>og.
Finpllv any animal ha* iwcome an
thoroughly eivilirssl as the dog. Tlie
domestic eat. with all its love of locality,
has a taste for vugnlxindi/.ing. atol tiierc
is a hankering for the jungb * still in its
bl'sxl. The horse i* fond of his stable,
but iflie is otherwise aff'S-t ion ate lie is
not demonstrative. Tothcdog, a return
of his attachment scents to be a prime
neeiasity. Iftlie family leaves its home,
the cat stays behind and makes friends
with the new-comers, while the dog fol
lows to the fresh domicile and settle#
himself quietly in his new quarters. Ib
is grateful for kindness, never forgets
benefit*, and forgives injuries if tlicy arc
inflicted by hand* of which he ia fond.
It is needless to say that Id* affviion Is
returned. lie is uscftii and be knows it,
liocnuse his usefulness Is so promptly ami
lovingly commended, lie shan-s a sense
of propriety, partakes of the sport. Is
glad when gladness rules his home, and
melancholy when there is sodnews there.
No wonder that he ia made much oH No
wonder t hat men's regard fiir him ia per
iietuated in all ages and in all clim<w ; that
Ids merits are commemorated j n pocius,
and his exploits recorded in history—that
" anecdotes of dogs " are quite as com
mon as anecdotes ol men. and frequently
much mop- to the credit of the quart*
ropeds!— Tribunt.
** I Swan."
A woman sl*,ut fifty years of age stopped
on the Catnpn* Martins yeateplsy to buy a
dozen orange* of a fruit pediiler. Bhe
counted aajhe picked them out and put
him into a paper sack, and he counted
only eleven for the dozen.
" Here, sir, you have chested me out of
one orange! " she called out.
"Oh, no, I haven't," he coolly answered.
"Yes,you have, sir! You shall count
'em over again!"
He complied, and somehow or other there
were fourteen instead of twelve, and he
said:
" Ah ! I must be getting carries* indeed. 1
I make two orange* by re-counting. Ilrs j
your doaen."
The woman received the package, looked
longingly at the two k threw back, and
whispered:
" I swan! but I wish 1 knew eoough to
keep my head abet I r —D*trvtt IV* /Wm.
44 BOW-WOW! ,f
The .Tew fork DO9 fthow.
Kesrlv 1,000 (1 ng w<-rr on exhibition St
the ll.inl nun 11 ;il IVncli Khow of tbfl Weit
inin-ter Kennel Club, in (iilmor*'* Garden,
New ork. Crowd* thronged the garden
in llm afternoon arid evening, ami even more
interest wan manifested in the exhibition
than waa shown I net year. The boxes con
taining the dog* were arranged in an elli|i
tieal form shout the garden, ami each bore
a number. There were three row* of ken
nel* extending around the garden, two far -
ing the Iraek uncd in the walking match
and one looking directly into the large open
apace in the center of the building. The
numbers on the kennel* were arranged in
cotineculivc order, and it waa very eaay to
find any animal from the catalogue.
1 he eight* alioiit the garden during the
afternoon were corioii*. Many club men
accompanied by Indie* were present, and a*
th y paaaed from kennel to kennel the live-
Ileal expression* of admiration were heard
for the emoolb, rilky fur and the " perfectly
lovely eye* of the jwt*. Among the visit
or* in the afternoon u Henry liergh, who
made a complete circuit of the building,
exMiiiiiiing apparently with a profe**ional
eye the accommodation* for the dog*. He
wa* accompanied hy one of the committee,
and expremed him*. If a* well *atified with
the . are that had been taken to make the
animal* comfortable. He llioiigbt tlie ex
hibition wa* a very creditable one.r
I hiring the day and evening the judge*,
manager* ami <onirnittee were bueily en
gaged in attending to their numerou* du
ties. In the afternoon the judge* l*-gan to
award the prize*, and later in the dav the
l*.xe* containing the dog. which had borne
ofT the fir*t honor* were decorated with blue,
n-dard yellow ribl.in*, indicating prize* of
the firt, second and third cla**.-* respect
i ively. Unac-urtomivl to the alrarge and
unuaual surrounding*, the diig* kept up a
continual harking and yelping that, a*
night drew near, and a* they gri-w hungrv,
I U-caine aluioet deafening. i*e*;<ite thi*.
j however, httndredsof jwrnon* ajient hour*in
watching the lazy mastiff*, the bright-eyed
| *|*>rting dog* and tlie frolii kaome JKXXJI**,
! while the numerou* litter* of pupfne* were
j a source of cu'llc** enjoyment to the ehil
i dren. Arineil with < alslogue*, visitor* went
; the round* of tlie garden, patting the harm
less-looking animal-, who*e i-lw-k coat* were
a* smooth a* velvet, and keeping a reapect
ful ili-tance from the bene* marked " iVin't
1 touch," or " Hand* off." Tlie men apie-aml
, to I* moat interested in the large collection
J of sporting dog*, while the ladio w<nt into
; ccstacies ov.-r the little pug*, toy terrier*
and poodles, some of which were very di
| tninulive, and all of which wire combed
and )>ru*hed especially for the occasion.
Tfie majority of the animal* were in
j l-oxe# of ordinary size, in which were bed
"f *traw. Many of the kennel*, however
were form-lied with *oft rug* and mau, and
j presented a very pretty appearance. The
noodh* and pug* were tenderly cari-d for
by iheir ma-ter* and mi*ln**e*, and in -pite
I of the din many aleiil a* soundly a* though
j at home. The noie seemed to have no
' elfe* t 11 j* in many of the dog*, and they
curled tbeninelvee up in corner*, utterly
ohliviou* to the harking of their comrade*
and the whittling of the pa**en--hy. Ocx-a
-1 ionally an owner or keeper would take hi*
dog from it* kennel, and the animal would
! go bounding over the floor, leaping up to
li' k the hand of *oßielady with the greatest
ifb-e. The prohibition wa abort, however,
and he soon returned in obedience to the
famiiinr whitle and wa* tied up again. A
huge hound wa* taken out of hi* kennel in
j ihe afternoon, and *prang away, dragging
I hia maater down the garden at a fearful
j pace, to th< great amu*eroent of the feed
i tor*.
< h> ing *<> mi what to the situation of the
kennela, the intcre* of uncritical spectator*
j centered around the boxca of the terrii r*
ami pug*, which were arrangd in the mid
dle of the floor from a*t to went. Many
ladie* and gentlemen well known in *ocial
circle* had *ent their prl* to the exhibition,
and naturally the little animal*. mo*t of
I them with ilv-r redlar* and daintily decked
out in bright-colored ribbons, attracte<l
I in neb notice and favorable comment. Only
i * b-w ot the*e dog* were for *ale. An im-
I ported ring, owned by Mim Henrietta
Hrownell, of Providence, K. 1, and face
tiounly calle<l llotbnia, attracted mucb at
tention. Tlie little fellow wore a erinuum
IKIW and i* valued at •10,(100.
A rl' linduranrc.
" lgo-t month." write* a correspondent
of the Ixindon /xtn.-/ awl H 'atrr, " gri-atly
to thf sorrow of the i hiidrcn. our cat, a
! half Porvian. disappeared, and her sc
( customed place hy the hearth 'knew
j h*r no more.' Search wa* mail* high
, rind low. but no trace of puss could be
: found. A* time went on we conjectured
either that our favorite had been stolen
bv a *ailor and taken for a voyage or
' killed, and *o resigned ourselves to our
los*. (.real, then, waa our surprise iaat
| Friday on accing pu** quietly waik in.
*carcd v able to tand—a verbid *keh*ton
enmrd with fur—and take her teat be
j fore the fire. I ne*d not aav ahc waa fii
' and carrc**i*| ,uf Hbxtum. The next day
|we barnid her adventure*. It seem*
on the 24th of February pu** had *traved
in to pay a neighbor a visit, and tfien
| finding a clank of the flooring up—a
man waa altering Uie ga-p!pe*—had re-
I tired into this hole to seek mW. In due
course the plank wa* nailed down and
the cat made a prisoner. Here. then,
without food, drink orair.mi** remained
until the 20th of March, when hT incev
-ant scratching made the occupier of the
house fancy a rat must have a net there
and take up the fl.wiring to lay poison.
She waa taken out considerably more
dead than alive, hut kindlv nursed and
fed with little drop* of beef tea, and the
next day found strength to crawl home."
A Frontier Terror.
" The man with the gold tooth " i at
present the terror of the frontier. Hi*
real name i* Middleton. He began hi*
career as an outlaw in 1*77 at Sidney,
Nebraska, where he killed a man in a
dance house, and in the courts of which
place he waa convicted of murder He
escaped from Sidney, organ!iced a hand
of robbers, plundered, burnt and mur
dered until the fail of 1877. when he wa*
lodged in jail, only to tunnel himself out
wit It a coal scuttle. Reorganizing with
fifty men he stole 3.000 head of cattle
from tlie Ponca Indian*. ITie robbery
of a German settlement on tlie Klkhom
W to hot pursuit by a squad of horse
men. The trail was followed for three
days. On the morning of the fourth day
the Germans awoke to find their pickets
murdered and every horse stolen. In
firing at Sheriff Gnmer in Keith's ranch
*' the man with the gold tooth " shot off
one of his own fingers, hut escaped. He
gets his name front a front uppar tooth
msde entirely of gold. lie is thirty-five
year* old. six fret tall and wears s fierce
black moustache, under which the tooth
shines like s grain of com. Two needle
guns, four revolvers and two dirks make
up bis armament.