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 <tli of Novem
ber next, lor I shall he mayor then and
able to see that the reception given is a
proper one."
"Ah, quite so!" answered Ixird Bea
ronsfield. dropping his eyeglass, for he
had studied Mr. Pottridge through and
knew the man by heart.
Leaving Whitehall, Mr. Pottridge
sauntered toward Regent street, ami as
lie walked along life seemed rosy to him
because of Miss I>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 <m the
silk cushions of a carriage) were riding
to the police com tin Mrs. Pounceforth-
Keanc's own vehicle, while Mr. Pot
tridge, the shopman ami the mercer fol
low.sl on foot to give evidence.
• ••••••
One would think that in a case where
the offence was flagrant and the Luti
mony so clear the magistrate might
have sentenced the defendant straight off
to six months' imprisonment, and in
deed, had the thief been a person of the
lower ordeis, it would probably have
been her fate to tie convicted summarily.
__ But it turned out that Pouneeforth-
Kcane was the real name of the elegant
shoplifter, whose husband was a person
moving, as reporters say, " in the l>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 *li<mniaii and the
civil-spoken mercer. All three were
crestfallen, as if they had committed a
blunder. "This will be a very had
affair for inc." grumbled the mercer.
" I would have lost a hundred yard* of
lace sooner than appear in court against
a lady like this."
"Well, but she's a thief," cried Mr.
Pottridge. rousing himself and *peaki-g
with spirit. " What harm can she or
her friend* do you?"
" Are you quite sure you saw her steal
the things?" asked the mercer, gloomily.
" Beside*, supposing she did put them
in her pocket, she says that she told my
shopman to send her the hill."
"I'm hanged if sl;e did," ejaculated
the shopman, indignantly.
" Silence, sir.'Jj answered the nien-er, ;
with a stern frown. If this be really a
ease of theft you are self-condemned. for
you ought to have kept your eyes about
you. For sometime past I have noticed
that you have been very negligent in
business."
The shopman collapsed; Mr.
Pottridge, lie trudged back to
feeling half inclined to go and as* Jxird
Brnconsficld what he ought to do. The
ease hail la-en adjourned for a week, so
lie traveled hack to Smallls>rougli 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, an<l looked abroad over
mountain and valley—over avenues ol
eim, groves of orange, olive and fig;
over plain* recently rich with harvest,
hut now I tare will parched ; Up to the
perpetual snows of the Sierra Nevada;
down diaxy precipice* into deep valir-vs.
cool, shady and fragrant with poplar,
acacias, the cypri-ss and myrtle, the
oleander and rose. " Beautiful for situa
tion." we said of Jerusalem. Transfer
tlie phrase and. with more justice, let it
be said of Granada. Th*- waters that
Illlike sweet and cool it* atmosphere, and
bring to it In-altli, flow into the Darro
and tic-nil. that embrace in the valley
below; and as I stood upon the lofty
tower and took in the magnificent pano
rama, from Sierra to Sierra, I exclaim
with Moore:
* There is not in the Wide weald a valley MI
sweet.
As that rale in whose Ixsctn the bright
waters met* •
Tlie laat ray ol feeling and file may depart,
Kre the tiloom ol thai valle) shall fade from
my heart."
The net earnings of tlie railroads of
the I'nih il State* fur IsC* were $1*17,575,-
177, a gain of $17,000,000 over the net
earnings for 1M77.
Hanging Females in Fngland.
Tlie gallows lias la-en busy in England
witli female criminals, and notably, of
late, the recent execution of a woman in
Wardsworthprison Is-ingtin-third with
in a year. More then a dozen women
have* suffered death under (Jneen Vic
toria, many of them being phenomena]
criminals. In April, tel.'* we believe,
Sarah Freeman was liangul at Taunton
for the poisoning with arsenic of her
mother, brother. Imsliand and son. In
April. RMO, Sarah Thomas was hang**)
at Gloucester, for boating out tin- brain*
of lier mistress, an old woman of sixty
one, with a stone. She went to the gal
lows in an ungovernable fit of rage,
wrestling and biting so desoetately that
it was witli difficulty two stor.t wardens
could force her Up the ladder, and her
scream* of anger and terror continued
until *he holt was drawn. On Uio 21st
of August, of the same year. Mary Ann
fleering was hanged in front of I .owe*
jail for having poisonrd her iiuslmnd
and two sons, so as to get tlie htirial al
lowance fiom tlie friendly society to
which they belonged* Two day* later
Rebecca Smith suffered at Devises for
the murder of her baby, aged four
weeks. Her show of fervent piety hail
provoked much sympatliy lor in-r. but
after her conviction she broke down and
confessed that she had poisoned her
seven other children. Finally, on the
13tb of November the Mannings wen*
hanged Iwfore Itor*cmong< r lane jail.
Mrs. Manning *m hang**! In black
satin and a long lace veil. Sin- and her
husband shook hands on tlie drop.
Dickens wrote of the execution, mem
orable to this day. that" a sight *o in
eoneivahly awful aa the wick<*dness and
levity of the Immense crowd could be
imagined by no man and presented by
no heathen land under the sun."
Extraordinary Hailstorm.
The account* of tlie hailstorms in auc
tion* of Dodge. Washington and Oeau
kee are so extraordinary that they ex
ceed belief. Iftbeae account* bo verified
no such hailstorm ever Ix-fore occurred
In the United State*. The hailstone*
are represented as large a* goose egg*,
and that their force was so gr at that
they killed hog*; and one <lo*eril>er 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*'<l up another is sure to come in it*
i place. If Jet alone it will not stop grow
! ing until it i>< 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<f a big
( one at that. From it ean he produced a
fiber infinitely superior to Indian jute.
I hi* discovery wa* brought about by a
1 French gentleman. M. Kmile 1>- 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<h the Jersey agricul
turist* received of the prize which vai
contained in their former enemy.
The cultivation of the "Devil's
Plant" is to be generally followed in
different part* of New Jersey. As the
| plant is also to !*• lound in this State,
|tt is anticipated that Pennsylvania
fanners may tind it to their profit to de
vote some attention to it. The discov
ery is calculated to have an important
effect upon the trade of the country.
It* ultimate result will undoubtedly he
♦o rrtider the United State* indepcndi nt
of the world for a commodity which is
now costing our manufacturer* fully
slO.ft(m.ono annually. The total impor
tations of liemp, (lax. ramie and jute
into this country are valued at over
$30,000,000 a year. The jute alone,
represent* one-tiiird of this amount.
The supnly come* exclusively from
India, and the latter's trade in it ha* be
come the leading staple of Bengal. In
this country jute is u<-d for numlx-rb-ss
purpose*. among them for rope and car
pet lawk*. It is also frequently mixed
with linen in the manufacture of clotiut.
England, and in fact the whole of Eu
rope, are dependent upon the Indian
plantations for their supply. The New
Jersey buraau is authority "for the state
mcut that "extensive jute rope manu
lai turers of Pliiladelphtahave offered to
buy any uuantity at the highest jute
market price; that the long fiber is
equivalent to that of the Calcutta prime
jute, and that the manufacturers :ulmit
tiic superiority of the American variety
over the imjiortcd." In the face of this
testimony it is not too much to hazard
the opinion that ere many years America
will not only supply the home demand
for the staple, but will also he able to
inaujturate an export trade. At least,
so think those connected with the rater
prise.
In April of last yrar the Rcnortl an
nounced that the government cf India
bail offered a premium of s4s.onn to any
individual or company which could in
vent the lest machine r<r the preparation
of ramie or Indian gt ami. The treatment
of those plant* in that country, a* well
a* in China, is entirely by hand. This of
fer came to the notice of Xlr. M Ix>
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.