The Endless Procession. Down the vista of tho ages, (tainU snd sinners, loots and sages, Marching onward, alow and aolmnn, Wo, in never-ending ooltimn; Here tho honest, here the knave; With a rhythmic atop sublime, To the grave. lake the rolling ola river, doing on and on torever, Never resting, never h laying, Never for an instant straying, I'eer and peasant, lord and slave, Kqnal* soon to mix and mingle In the grave. Duty oannot, nor can pleasure, For a moment break the measure; They are marching on to doom, They are moving to the tomb, All the cownrd, all the brave. Soon to level all distinction In the grave. Since the tnorningjoi creution, Without break or termination, Kver on the line is moving, All thelovod and all the loving, All that mothers ever gnvo— On to silence and to slumber in the grave. Here no bribe tho bond can weaken, Here no substitute is taken; Kach one lor hiinsoll- no other, Son or father; no, nor brother; Love the purest cannot save; Kach alone the roll must answer At the grave. Who commands the dread procession That shall know no retrogression T Who can lie the great director ? 11a' that grim and silent specter, Him that sin to satan gave; Death, the tnighty king and terror, And ths grave. Vfank J. Ottawa. How Pottridge Spoilt His Luck. Mr. Thomas Pottridge, of Small borough, had been renowned in his na tive town for his constant run of luck, so that at the age of forty he was reck oned the " warmest" man there—an al derman who had been twice mayor of his city, a church warden and a very * popular character among the fair sex by reason of his being a bachelor, fine or two tilings more only were wanted to complete his happiness—namely, a good wife, a niee little estate in the country, and the honor of knighthood. Mr. Pottridge wished to become Sir Thomas Pottridge. Having long cherished this idea, and resolved, indeed, that he would not propose for the hand of pretty Miss Lucy I)ott, the banker's daughter, until he could make her a ladyship, Mr. Pott ridge ended by thinking that he could best secure his object by causing him self to be re-elected mayor, and arrang ing if possible that H. ft. 11. the Prince of Wales should pay a visit to Small borough during the term of his office. Intent upon this scheme, Mr. Pottridge came up to town to call upon Lord Beaconstield. Ixird Beacohstield heark ened kindly to the grocer's prayer. Sinallborough was about to inaugurate some public baths, the first establish ment of the kind ever seen in the town, and nothing could be more suitable than that the heir to the throne should pre side over the ceremonial. "Truly." said the Premier politely, when he had heard the alderman speak, " the cleanli ness of the people must always bo a mat ter of interesting concern to those who are brought into relations with them. I shall be happy to take her majesty's commands on the—ahem!—public spiri ted proposal which you have laid before me. "If you can manage it, my lord. I should be glad if the visit could take place some time after the ott. He began to stare Into the shop windows, admiring pretty things which he was tempter! to buy for his love. He was turning over this i fiuicy and fumbling wistfully at the pocket where the check-hook lay when suddenly he beheld through the window a curious sight. An elegant lydretuu d lady was seated at the counter examining pieces of Brussels lace. The shopman averted his head for an instant mid she deftly whipped up a yard of the costly texture and transferred it to Iter pocket. The shopman spread over the < ounter a number of square flat boxes containing cambric handkerchiefs and once more turned away. Again the lady's deft ' hand went to work and a couple of handkerchiefs found their way under her cloak. " Now that woman must have capacious pockets," soliloquized the astonir.hed Mr. Pottridge. "She's ' a cunning thief, anyhow, and I'll just step in and warn the firm." He hesitated a moment nnd whilst he hovered about the doorway the lady came out escorted by an oliwquious commissionaire witfP medals on his breast. A footman, one of a row bask ing on a bench like oysters, rose and signaled to the coachman of a hand somely appointed brougham, who at ®nce drove forward. Evidently this lady was not an ordinary thief. She was a tall, dark person of alwiut thirty, . perl) ly dressed and very handsome. Perceiving Mr. Pottridge and seeing hit glance fixed on her a" she waited for her carriage the eyed him with aristocratic super< illousne s nnd thereby settled her fate, for 8 mall borough's alderman, who eon Id not brook the disdain of a shop lifter, hurried into the mercer's and ex plained what ha>l happened, speaking in so excited a voire that a number of ens toners heard him. Great commotion was caused by his SMnouncement, and the shopman who had served her was quickly fired hy the idea that he had let himself he outwitted. Darting out of the shop he accosted the thief an she was stepping into her car riage and Said : "Will you come hack, tf you please? There is some mistake." "What mistake?" nakid she, turning sound with a flash in her eyes. But she grew ashy pale. **Come back, please," repeated the shopman, a pushing young man, whose voice broke from emotion. A small crowd had already collected mm the jady was obliged fo retrace her ncya; but as she was aim at to enter (fee shop she slipped her hand into her packet and let a piece of lace fall on to the pavement. " No, ma'am, that won't do,'' cried Mr. Pottridge, seizing the thiol's wrist. "You're going to pre tend those things fell by accident into till) folds of your .Irene; we know that trick." And officiously acting as searcher he plunged his hand Into tho pockd despite the lady's struggles and drew out a second piece of lace, three cambric handkerchiefs, two pairs of new ft loves, one pair of silk stockings and a adv'ssilk cravat. "Well, I never!" ex claimed the pushing shopman, and there was a murmur among tho by standers, including the lady's own foot man, who looked like a powdered figure of consternation. " How dare you," screamed tho lady, urple with rage and mortification, as she glared at Mr. Pottridge; "I'll prose cute you for assault. I told the shop man here that I meant to buy these things. Ist the bill he sent to my ad dress; I'm Mrs. Pounccforth-Keano." " 1 d essay," resumed tho shopman, " hut I'm going to give you into cus tody;" and running to (lie door, he beckoned to a blue-coated member of tho force. line of the partners of the firm, a gray, civil-spoken man, who had been summoned from his study, now came forward; and ho was at first disposed to rebuke the haste of his shopman, hut it was too late. The policeman had already entered, and all the shopmen and shop-girls, the customers and the desultory people crowding around the door, were instant in chorusing that the thief should !>e made an example of. Mrs. Pounoeforth-Keanc, seeing public opinion so dead against her, uttered a howl, and fell swooning to the floor. " Never mind that, we'll soon rouse her," said the policeman, facetiously, for lie ilid not yet know that he had to deal with a lady who kept a brougham. "The magistrate is sitting now at Marlborough street; we'll jusl go there at once and have her charged." •I'liis arrangement was acceded to, and in a few minutes the lady and the policeman f who had got abashed hy this time from hnding himself seated est ranks of society." Mr. Pouneeforth- Keane was sent for, and arrived breath- j less in a hansom from one of the best clubs in Pall Mall. At the sight of him his wife, who had been lockeifup for an j hour in a police cell, wept profusely, anil ; Mr. P. K. w:is himself much agitated. He asked for a remand, and tendered 1 bail, saying he should produce medical evidence to the effect that his wife had ' lately suffered severely in health. The ' magistrate, a timid, man, who had grown-up daughters to marry, and was terribly afraid of society—stammered out something like an apology, and readily j acceded to the application for hail. So very soon Mrs. Pouncrforth-Keanc Lit tered out of court weeping like a victim, on her husband's arm ; and Mr. Pottridge walked away with the *lirougli in the evening, nnd by the time lie reached his native town he had worried himself up into a state of contempt for the mercer and the metropolitan stipendiary, who seemed to draw a distinction between well-dressed and 111-dre.**ed plunderers. Meeting Mr. Bungs, the brewer, near the railwny station, he gave him an ac count of what had happened, and was hearkened to with sympathy until he mentioned the name of Pounccfortli- Keane; then Mr. Bungs pursed up his lins. "Why. bless me, that's the cousin of I-ord Keynso'e, brother-in-law of our lord lieutenant!" " W hat difference does that make?" stammered Mr. Pottridge, like a man who feels less sure of his ground. "Oh, nothing, except that I don't see why a lady of that sort should commit robberies,' rescinded Mr. Bungs. Further down the street Mr.i*<>ttridgc, who was rubbing his pate in rather vio lent perplexity, encountered Mr. Dott, the linnkcr. whose daughter Lucy he loved. " Pounecibrtli - Krone !" ex claimed Mr. IJott, as soon a* lie had heard the grocer's story. " Why, Ixird Keynsole. hi* cousin, hank* with us." " Well, hut come, Dott," retorted Mr. Pottride, impatiently. " Is that a reason why Mrs. Pouncefor.h-Keane shouldn't lie a dishonest lade?" " No. but I think the whole thing im probable," answered the hanker, "and I must confess I should he sorry If any thing unpleasant happened to isird Kpynsole's family." Mr. Pottridge was not in a very good humor when he went to bed that night A magistrate himself, lie knew what shifts are often made to withdraw well connected offender* from .justh-e, and so far as he was concerned he would have eared but little had an appeal boen made to him, ml mitcrvxtrdiam, to acknowl edge that he had, perhaps, been mistaken In fancying that he saw Mrs. P. K. pocket some lace and handkerchiefs. But Mr. Pottridge could not bear to he pooh-poo hod at or threatened with un pleasant consequences If he did his duty. He was an alderman,, a grocer with a blameless conscience, and he feared no man. Feeling that his character for ver aeitv and common sense was at stake he resolved to give his evidence against the wife of lord Keynsole's cousin witli no more hesitation than if she were the commonest jail-hirei. From that elate, lieeweveer, tilings l>e fan tei get wrong somehow with Mr. 'ottridgc. It seemcdas though hi* long luck had forsaken him. On the* morrow of liia ad venture-in london, Mr. Ghiicklc worth, the principal solicitor in the* town, wliei wan lord Keynsole's legal aelvUe-r, passed him in the street with out nneiifing. nml later in thee clay Mrs. C'. sent n stiff note* begging tiiat Mr. l'eit tridge weiuld se*nd in his hill, nnel inti mating that she* wemld thenceforth pur c-hase- her groceries at another house. Now the Chuekleworths had always been excellent e-ustemie-rs of Mr. Pot trielge. This was luul enough, but worse was tee folleiw. Ne-xt elay some inspectors oj weights and measures arrive-d at the alderman's shop einel found a pieee of larel slie-king under his se-ale-s. They dee-lared the-y sheiulei make* a report of the fact. Scarcely hael they gone, leav ing the grocer soocchlcs* with eon fusion, than two well-elre-sseel strange-rs entered anei heiught some tea, brown sugar, eoe-em, pepper anei a pot of mustarel; after which they stated that the-y were public analysts, who we-re- going tei ex am ine- the quality of the-se good*. They examined them, in truth, so fast that two days later Mr. I'otlridge received a summons to answer a charge of putting birch twins in ids tea, sanei in his sugar, turmeric in hi- mustard, clay in his cocoa, etc. Mr. Pottridge ihrugged ids slieiulele-rs at first, taking it for grante-ei that the- charge- would he- elistnisse-el by his brother magistrates, Messrs. Dote Bung* anei company: hut be-fe>re the* cat* came on tor inuring it fortuitously tran spire-el that Mr. I'ottrielge hael ls-e-n up to london inte*r\'ie-wing lord Beacons ile'lel feir tile purpe>se-s we* know, anei tllis made the other aldermen furious. Mr. Hungs, the* brewer, was partie-ularly angry, and deelared that I'ottrielge- was a traiteir, insomuch as the poor gres-e-r, instejul eif having a friendly bench tee judge Idm, found a very ste-m une-. "I am seirry feir you. Mr. I'ottrielge," said Mr. I>>tt, who sat as chairman, "hut rne-n in your position sheiulei se-t an example. You are fine-el £2O on each count, witli costs; total, £120." 111-starresi I'eittrielgc I He le-ft tlie e-ourt politie-ally and socially done-feir, for he e-ould no lemger heipe- to Is- rev elected mayor nor to marry Miss Ihitt. lie- sheiulei have, moreover, tei re-sign Ids alele-rninnship, anei Ids personal charar te-r. as we-11 as that eif his tea, sugar anel mustarel, was ruineei. So ruined was Mr. I'ottridge that when lie went to london to givee-vi dene-e against Mrs. I'ounceforth-Keane 11*0 first question asked him by tlieeoun sel for tlie* eb-frnse—a lilllst'-ring Olei Hailey barrister —was, "1 helie-ve- veiu have just iie-e-n ceinvicteel of selling adulterate-el good* anel at false* weight?' " lot me explain." stamme-re-d poor I'ottrielge. "No explanation-, sir. Give me a plain answer, yes e>r no!" " Ye* then. " Well, then, if yeiu are- linlile- tei make mistake-* alieiut yeiur weights, you may err in eithe-r tilings." " Perhaps." replie-d the greiecr. des perately. " I may have he-e-n mistake-n in thinking this laeiy was a thief. I have hael enough eif lieitlie-r alieiut the busi ness." "You ought tei Is- ashamed of yeiur flippant conduct, sir;" cried thecoun.se]. I.arslily, and the wretched grocer llob blcei eiUt eif tlie witness-lieix fe-eling very mean indeed. After this confession of possible error on the part eif the cldef witness tlie i-ase against Mrs. I'ounec forth-Ke-ane was, eif course, dismissed, anei Mr. I'eittridge slunk eiut of court witli a magisterial reprimand ringing in his ears. To conclude this littie story one has einly to add that when H. R. if. the I'rine-e of Wales graciously went to open tlie hatlis at Small borough it was Mr. Hungs wliei was mayor and eventu ally got knighted. whl v Mr. I'otlridge was neit even inviteal to ,ie dinner at the te>wn hall. whereof lie paid his share like the otl icr rate payers He is no longvr regardeei as a lue-ky man.—London Truth. For Hoys to Remember. A gentle-man advertised (or a bov to assi*t nim in aia office, and ncariv fifty applicants presented themselves. Out of the- whole number ho in a short time *o lce-tcd one- anel dismissed the rest. " I shouiel like- to kneiw," said a friend. " on what ground you selected that boy. who had neit a single rccommendation. "You are- mistake-n, my ft lend," was the reply; "he- Itael a great many, and ifyeiu care to listen I will enume rate a lew of them. He- wiped his feet when lie came in anei e-)eise*d tlie eloeir after him. tliereliy showing that lie is careful. He instantly mive up Ids seat to an old man wliei is lame, sheiwing that lie is kind and thoughtful. He- toeik <*(T his eap when became in,anel answered my question* promptly and respectftilly, showing that lie is polite anel gentle manly, lie picked up the- liook that I hael purpose ly iaie! em tlie finer and re placed It upon tie- table, while *]] t.)io re-st either steppe-el over It eir shoved it aside; anei lie waited quietly for his turn, inste-ad of pushing or crowding, which evinces nn hnnfett and orderly disposition. When I talked witli him I noticed that his elotlic* were eleanlT brushed, his hair in nice order, and his teeth as wliite as milk, and when lie wiote his name I alse> ne.tie e-ilth.it his finger nails were clean, instead of being tipped with jet like- that hanelse.nie little fellow's in the blue jacket. Don't you term those* things letters of recommenda tion? I elo, anel I we.uld give more for what I can tell aln.ut a boy by using my eyes for ten minut<*s than ail the fine let ters you e-nn bring me." Woman's Strategy, "Jack." saiel a pretty girl to her small bre.tber the other elay, " I want you to do something for me—that's a good fellow." " What is it?" growled Jack, who is the brother of the period. " Why, you kne.w that wig anel mus tae-lie you use d in tlie t heat rim Is." "Well?" " Well, won't you just put them on and go to tlie concert to-night? Augus tus and I will he there, and. Jack. I want you to stars at me the whole even ing through your glasses." " What:—you want me to do that?' " Yes; and as we e-ome out ye>u must stand in the door and try and slip me a note —take rare that flus sees you, too.' " Well, I declare!" " Because you see, Jack. (Jus likes me, I know ; but then he's awftil slow, and lie's well off and lots of other girls are after him. and—and he's got to be liu.- ded up a little, as it were." TIIR MOORISH ALIIAHIIRA. WHat Lr, I'landiriNari In m S|MIIIIII I.CL - Ur of this Moat Hxan* rhohls Salui. Tno Alliambra made u|>on me one of the profoundest impressions of my whole life, and I would ix-glad to repro duce it while hereupon tliespot in some thing like adequate language. Rut that I feel sure I cannot do. Even Washing ton Irving fell short of the reality in his elaborately drawn picture of tlie history, architecture and legends of, 1 am com pelled to believe, one of the most re markable palaces in the world; and yet he had three years in which to study up the subject and execute his task, for in n-sided that length of time in the A Ihnrn hra. The guide to-day jioints out to curious visitors tlie rooms thai were oc. cupicd by Washington Irving. Entering the inclosure through the great gateway, we are surprised to sw at our right a large, partly-completed marble structure of elaborate Grecian architecture, but evidently of compara tively mish-m date. Tins is an abor tive attempt o! Charles V. to eclipse the Alhnnihra. It is at once an imperti nence and failure. Had Charles com pleted It according to the original de sign. it would have iss-n but a monu ment of his stupidity and bod taste, and tin- noble old palnee of (lie Moors would not have sufl'erwl by tin- comparison even a temporary eclipse. Except as a signal example of mail folly, it should In putted down and removed. Turning to the right of tin palace of Charles, and making a slight descent, in a moment more we are in one of tin courts of tlie A lhamhra. We hold our breath for a moment in rapt amazement and delight, and then exclaim, Ix-nuti ful! iM-autiful! Aladdin's palace in the Arabian story, is before us in solid reality. It was impossible to take it all in at a glance, and so we tarried long in that "Uter court, feasting our eyes and regaling our senses until iiotli swam in a sea of joy. Away, then, we went, from court to court, from room to room, in adeiirium of delight. Walls of laeo, done in mar ble, rose around us; ceilings of cedar wood, inlaid with ivory and tortoise she I, and rich with blue, Vermillion and gold, looked down upon us; domes, looking like purest frost work, flecked with exquisite tints, and dropping witli frosty stalactite*, hung around us; clus ters of marble pilfnrs, supjwrtirig bal conies of open tracery-work, also in marble, surrounded the court*, and look ed as if the work of <-nch.mtment; rich mosaics, in many colors, sometime* madelx-autiful wainscot, dome and ceil ing; while the bath still held it* crystal treasure in which the goldfish disjMirted, challenging tin-sunbeam with it* golden scales, and the fountain of lions still played as in the days when Boabdil was master of the A lhamhra. Once seen, and never to be forgotten. Hour after hour went by, and still we were riveted to the charmed spot. But the sweetest ordon finally overpower Uie senses by excess; and so, alter a while, we stole sway and ascended the \ ela tower, aner de clares that they indented fence-rails like bullets, and tiiat two I ours after Uie storm Uie roads were covered witli hail. Of course, under sudli a heavenly bat tery. all Uie growing crop* in a belt of country t srn miles wide were totally de stroyed. It is really a calamily, but we indulge the hope Uiat tome of tlie narra tor* saw double, and that an immense diacount must be made from their re ports.— JfitocwAee Witetmtin. A Ficnlc Experience. " What the country really wants," said Mf. I'hlppe to me, thoughtfully, its lie locked his fingers over.his knee, "is a law making it a penitentiary offence to go to a picnic. \Vhnt is a picni.-?', inquired Mr. 1 hipps, pursuing the *ub ject farther. " I Will describe it over to you. In the first place, you want to get the thermometer up to lou in the shade, and to keep it there steadily witli not wind enough blowing to mak.' a leaf tremble. Then you get In the ears, anil go out to some place a few mile- nearer to the equator than where you live; and wi.en you alight from the train -ou discover tiiat the picnic ground Is right on top of an adjacent hill. I here is no vehicle within rea. li, and so start up the side of tin- precipice with a hask.-ttul of provisions ujon each arm, and a Iw.ttle of mixed pickles j n your coat-tail pocket. There is no shade U|xjn the precipice, of course, and as you push upward you tea-omr hotter and hotter, until you feel convinced that the me rcury must have crawled up to at least MO decrees; and meanwhile the bottle of mixed pickles gradually gets to weighing a ton. "Hut you do reach the top finally, and as soon as you are in the shade of the woods you sink down exhausted, and 1 grnp for a drink of water. Somebody opens your lunch-basket to get a cup, and then the discovery is mad. tiiat the jar of raspberry jam on everything, in cluding vourffiiurbrush and" the dean shirt collar tiiat you brought along to wear home in the afternoon. " At litis moment some one ascertains that there is no water on the ton of the hill. The nearest spring is a full half mile downward, at the bottom of the precipice, and tlie water lias to he brought up in buckets. Its are drawn to sec who shall go for it, and you are on.- .if the victims. When you get your first two buckets up you are .trenched with pcrspirati n, and you feel pretty nearly ready to go Into a hospital for re pairs. At tliis critical juncture one of tin young Indie# declares that it would be so nice if there could in- aswlng, and the lending male idiot of the Party produces a rope from a bundle. You suppose, of course, that he intends to put it up; but upon inquiry you are alarmed tiiat neither he nor any other of the men knows anything about climbing trees. As you, on the trip pp. have impudently boasti-d of your youthful feat* in gath ering chestnuts, there is no escape for you, and so, taking one end of the rope in your mouth, you embrace tie-trunk of the tree and U-gin. When you slip back two or three times th.- ladies laugh, and the men who don't know how to climb mak* amusing n-marks alxiut the disordered condition of your clothing. " You reach the lower branches. The men who were totally ignorant "f tree .-limbing show by the novice tTi give you that they know more abn fixing swing-rojK-s than a man ought to tie al lowed to know in a free country. When the rope at last is tuhuaU-d, you grasp it and glide down with such rapidity as to remove the skin from tlie palms of your hands. " Next, the fattest young lady in the patty, the girl who "turns the nsl.ii at 111 pOßjta, asks if you will push Mr in the swing; but. of course, you are far too intelligent for that, so wander off a piece until you meet nnotlier girl who ays you must danee with her, because they liave Ui have one more gentleman to make up tlie set. If you luul your rhoiee U-tw*-n losing a leg hviunputa tion and dancing a plain coullion. you would prefer amputation; hut there is no help for it. and so join tlie party. "At hall past twelve lunch is ready, and you answer the call with the fVw-ling that it is tlie only agrevabl*- .►ecurrenec of tlie day. Tbn dink bM bttt spr-ad upon the grass; and you ohsiTve that tlie ant* have gotten into the sugar, that some energetic spi.l.T has spun a web from the pi. to the lemon ade pitcher, and that a colony of strad dle bugs is frisking about over the cold ham. 1 say nothing about the bop-toad that light* in among tlie sandwiche*, or of the humhlelM-e* that haunt the pre. serve jar so that you daren't put a spoon within four feet of it. This kind of tiling has to 1m- on a picnic, and we must submit to it as a matter of duty. " After lunch, you think it "would he nice to go down the hill and take a swim in the cToek Yw undress, and really do have a nice bath. Just as you an* about to come out, the fat girl and tin girl who wanted you to dance come meandering along, end they sit down within twenty feet of your clothes, with out perceiving lliem. They have come for a little chat; and they talk, and talis, and talk, a il they have made up their minds to have on.- final and conclusive conversation, o as to leave notliing to IM- talked about any more forever and forever. Meanwhile the sun is coloring you so that you resemble a boiled lobster, and although you clear your throat, and splash, in the noisest man ner possible, they positively refuse to hear you. At last, however, they get up to go, just as the picnic party is "com ing down Uie hill to catch the train. " You jump out. and .lrcss in furious basic, for fear you will be left ; and be fore you can get your shoes buttoned you hear the whistle. You run for it. and get into the ear. hot. wet and mis erable, only to find that your lunch bas ket has been left on the bill, and that your share of the expenses is exactly fifteen dollars. " Nice picture, isn't it ? Well, that's our American picnic! That's exactly the experience I went through last Thursday week- H lever doit again. I want my friends to run me right into an insane asylum, on the double-quick." —Maj Adeltr. The Origin of " IMxle." A writer to the Baltimore (tazctte in quires airnut tlie origin of the word '• Pixie," and the editor replies as fol lows: Homo years ago, long hofi>rc tlie war, a very musical family by the name of Dixie lived in Worcester. Mass. One of tlie brothers. Walston Dixie, we be lieve, decided to apply bis Intents in the negro minstrelsy line and soon the famous Dixie Minstrels were known from one end of the country to the other. This same founder of tlc troupe wrote the celebrated song "Dixie's lxui.l," which attained such i>opularity. It was verily the land for him, as be found in the Southern States the germs of the quaint negm songs which lie brushed up and placed in his pro gramme. The South adopted Uie song and hence allowed this gifted minstrel of Massachusetts to give tuat section of the country a new name, which will always stick. Many songs were adopted and sectionalisrd in this way. Our own "Yankee Doodle" was written by an Englishman as a satire, but our ancestors pickdft it right up and gars It a home. THE "DETIL'I) PLANT." * whlelt llai Hrn a fm tmrr i |,MI "'•',• br Worth SMMMHI.OOO ■ Year to thr t ounlnr-.lfovr It ha* Proved a BIVHIM. " See hyor, boy; d'ye knov/ wot pesky fool own* that UK-re track patch?" The scene wiu the other aide of Camden. ju*t -in the border of Cooper'* creek. It was a Jersey countryman that a*k.*l Uns question, and a* lie poke he pointed to a large tract of land thickly studded with green plant*. It wa* the sight of the plant* that inspired his distrust. Jiiglit before him was one of the linest pieces Of ground in the neighborhood, and yet what he characterized a* a ' darned old weed " had been allowed U,Uke complete possession. I'he " weed " is what is known in bo tanical language as the " A bullion (tvusntur ." Kv-ry fanner knows it by sight, hut few would recognize it by its scientific name. To them it i* a pest, and a tind one at that. It makes its apprar ance among the eorn, tlie potatoes, the , l "Try liushes, in fait her*-, there and ! everywhere, and no devlee known totiie farmers will rid them of it. If one is i P*>JJ*'< head and shoulders above the tallest of tall men. It will thrive in j the hottest sun, and it* seeds— for each I plant scatters ounces promiscuously j every season—have such a tenaciou- life j that tin y will resist the hardi-st Irost. In fait, both plant and *e<-ds will survive ; any amount of ill treatment. " Devil's I lant is tiic sobriquet which many farmers iiave given it, and if an explana | tion is asked for they will solemnly aver j their la-lief tlint only the evil one could I have saddled such a pest upon the aim- Cultural community. \ <-t the " Devil's I'Jant" ha* proved to be a blessing in disguise, an- Franc. ■ who has resided in America for afiout | nine years. He is an authority on fibrous plants, and has written several reports on the subject for the National Agricultural Department. During the Centennial lie came to reside in Phila delphia, and devoted some of his spare time in an examination of the fibrous plant* of New Jersey. The A'nUilon nyvtnrur attracted his attention, and a little investigation brought him to the conclusion that the plant possessed no inconsiderable value. He commenced | operating by a secret process of his own invention, and found that the hark I around the straight stern contrtliK-d a | very valuable fib r. With little more : labor this filler was brought to the condition required by manufacturers, ; and several to whom it was shown pro nounced it equal to the jute imported |by tiiem from India. M \a- Franc also lound that tin- short fibers could Ic made into a new tissue which can be employed in the manufacture of a new filler. This important discovery was not to be allowed to slumber. M. bo Franc reported it to the New Jersey Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries, and also determined to go into the manu facture of jute and the raising of the " Devil's Plant." The bureau gave it* I , ' o '"P.'" r&, ' or >- issui-d, under it* s< al, j an offer from M. Franc to nay eight dol lars per ton for the straight jute stalks, not li-as than three or four feet in height, delivered in Camden. The circular also ad vis<-d farmers to go into the cultiva tion of the plant, and gave important information relative to the sowing of ' weds, methods of planting and other [•articular*. This circular was the first information whi Franc, who ha* invented aprocess which is claimed to be the very thing for which the English government is seeking. With this invention he ha* prepared some American nunie, and produced a staple next in appearance to silk. He ha* also ascertained that thr ramie plant is indigenous to the soil in this part of the country, and as it in regard to impor tation ranks next to jute, it can be made to join with that plant in increaaing the wraith of the country. Imported ramie is extensively used in this country by manufacturers, who mix it with silk and woven fabric* It is also made Into sewing and shoe thread on a large scale. Xlr. I** Franc goes to India next season to submit his invention and claim the bounty from the government. Should it he accepted. Brother Jonathan will liave another feather in bis rap of in ventions, for the machine which Is de manded will ermtean immense revolu tion in the textile trade of the British poa session.~rhiladeJptkia Record. Skwpy Tom, wl o made at Chicago the fastest pacing time on rtoord—one mile In is an Ohio bores.