Bead Leaves. A .took ago—how beautiful ■ To-dey—how Mirn thej Us | glory of the formt fled— l-'ks splendor from the sky. I trample on the felling leaves That yesterday, like gems, Fleshed brlghtnrw on my wondering gftg From ooantleeH diadems. "hey anrwar my heedless fast | With arispneoe in thslr tons: "Tread tightly for the beauty's asks Thine eyee in iw have known; We ware bnt shadows when we glowed In crimson, of thy pride; We ettll are ahadowe of its fall, dnd Just before It glide 1" I would the withered leaves were fata. That I might eliun to tread Their dying verdure In the dost With which my hnpee fall dead; For whan, In ortmaou and In gold, Ify ripened Joyn ehall flame, The brief, bright Imauty of tha I saw Is theirs to no re the same I PRESENCE OP MIND I have always Iteen celebrated for mj presence of mind in emergencies. Grandfather used to say that he ne 'or had a girl who was not afraid of a mouse or a spider, and how mother's daughter ever came to be so bravo he couldn't guess. That was before I married, and, of course, I have not become timid with advancing years. I am Mrs. Jasper Jackman ; my hus band is, of course, Mr. Jackman, and our place is known as Jackman's Nook. Nook, indeed ! If there was a corner to the world, I should fancy it was put away in that, for it is the most out-of the-way habitation that ever existed. It is, indeed. You can't Bee it until you are within fifty feet of it, for the trees j and tho nasty rocks. Now, you know I'm not the least bit nervous, but, having lived with father and mother and tho rest all my life, I did not enjoy being sbnt up all alone like a—a—a—well, a hyena in a menag erie, while Mr. Jackman attended to busi- i nosa in town; and I often thought if house-breakers were to make an attack upon the house, what should I do, a poor littlo woman, with no one to call upon ? For I count Bridget as a great cipher in every occasion of life that does not involve soap-suds. I told Jasper that absolutely, if I had I known what a place Jwk man's Nook was, I was not sure but that I should have thought twice before refusing old Dr. Muligitawny, whose palatial residence is on Fifth avenue, New York city, as, of course, everybody knows. However, after you have once said " yes" to the gentleman who " pops" the question to yon, you may ay " no" ever after to all other questions, for all he oares, for hell have his own way al ways. Mother-in-law Jackman having mode Jasper promise that I must live always at tho Nook was considered unanswera ble ; and, after all, what could we do ? No one would hire or buy the place, and we had it on our han Is. Of course we llvod there. I alwai i knew that doing so would be the cause i ? my showing the presence of mind for which I am ccle bratcd in my own family—if nowhere fllse. And so it came to pass. One stormy night in November, in the /ear 18fl3—it was the 4th, I tliiuk, for baby was just 1 year old on the Ist, and there was some of the cake I had made for his " bressed ittlo birfity birfday " still left in tho pantry, and a cake of that Bizo certainly never would last longer than that in our house. It was he most unpleasant day I ever remem ber to have lived through. The ground was soaked. The bare branches looked like so many skeletons, and the Bky was the oolor Bridget's tin pans were when I first got down stairs this time last year. In the city it would have been some fun to sit in the window and watch the folks go past, looking like so many drowned rata, bnt at tha Nook (I should think it waa a nook) there was nothing to be seen—absolutely nothing. I hod not a book which I had not road, and the note-paper was out, for Jasper had forgotten to bring me some from the city, and I had finished all my sewing. spent my time as best I could ; bnt how I did wish that the regiment which was encamped about half a mile away was near enough for mo to watch them drill- -if they do drill in such weather. I'd thought thera too near lieforo on ao oount of Bridget, whom I have caught a score of times talking to men in blue jackets at the gate, and wished them off to the seat of war, or anywhere else, over and over again ; but that afternoon what a relief they would have been 1 I was tho more lonely that Jasper had o&id that morning, "My dear, if it rains as it docs now to-night, I sha'n't come home, but will stop at your father's." And how oould I blame him in ouch weather? Yet it was dreadfully lone some. If you are sociable with your seivants they always presume upon it, and I do so love to talk. Of course I watched the clouds with interest. If it should prove fair at last, Jasper would oome home, and if it rained he wouldn't Every now and then there would be a pretense at clearing off, and I began to hope for a pleasant sunset; bnt it waa always a false pretense, and at tea-time it poured as though thoro wore going to bo a second flood. Biddy asked me, as it was so near the Hudson, whether it wasn't likely to be a-risin',and whether in that case "we wouldn't be drowned?" And I said "Yes." It was too bad, I know, but it was really some amusement on auoh a day to frighten the stupid girL, I had my tea alone—and I do hate to have tea alone if any woman in the world hates it—and then I put baby to sleep in her cradle in tho sitting-room, and took my knitting, and was as comforta ble as I could bo under the ciroum atanoee, when 1 bethought me of the morning's papor. I called Biddy to bring it to mo, and sho came to me at once. "It's well thought of, missus," she said, ns she laid it in my lap. " It's yerself will be intlierested wid tho raid in'. There's aooounts of tho house breakin' in it." " Of what ?" I ejaculated ; and, though I assure you I'm not the least nervous, mj heart was in my mouth for a mo ment. "Of the house-breakin', mum, and how the thaves in the wurreld got into Misther Dinsmore's house, that's sitiAted the same ns this, neighboring nobody, and tuck all they could lay their hands on, to say nothin' of half murdorin' the ould gentleman The saints be above us this night—" There it was, sure enough, headed, " A bold and outrageous attack upon the residence of Mr. Dinsmore!" I read it through, and then I said to my self : " Jerusha Jackman, remember your presence of mind. Don't let it fail you In cases of emergency. Should a nouse breaker take advantage of your solitude, let him find you prepared." It was as though some invisible what's-his-name had addressed me from tho chimney. I answered, "I will! "and you cau't im agine how bold I grew at once. I re hearsed all that I should do in case Biddy came to me in the night, saying, " Missus, there's some one in the cellar!" all I should do if I found anybody in the wardrobe when I retired, and I had the satisfaction of feeling that I was prepared. I might wake up to find the spoons gone—l might be murdered in my bed; but it would be unawares, and they would inscribe upon my tombatone the words, " She showed her presence of mind to the last" I felt quite self posseased and happy, though I was cer tain—yes, morally certain —that some thing remarkablo would happen before morning ; that I should be, as it were, weighed in the balance and not found wanting before the sun arose. I did not foel like retiring early, and sat by the fire till the clock struck 11. Then, just as the lust stroke died away, Biddy came down from her bedroom like a red-flan nel ghost, with eyes and mouth wide open, and something of importance evi dently on her mind. I put baby down in her cradle and arose, drawing myself np to my full height, and feeling that I was tho only one to lie depended upon in this awful emergency. "Bridget," said I, "hew many are they ? Is it one or more ?" " Mum ?" said Bridget. " Tho thieves. I mean." said L "Oh, it isn't thaves, mum," said Biddy. " It's only that thafo of a wind that's took the roof elane off the chick en-house, and there's the wee bits iv chicks a-stharvin to death wid cowld." "And in this dreadful rain, too," said I. "It's clared off flne," said Biddy, " and the moon's up." "We must go out and put them in the wood-house," said I. And so say ing, I tucked baby up in her blankets, and, wrapping a shawl over my head, went out into the night air. It had grown very cold, but it was clear, as Biddy had said, and we paddled round in the mad catching the poor little chickens. We had them all at last ex cept one, and we heard its little voioe— mute, twee, twee— somewhere, and, of course, could not lie so heartless as to forsake it. And at last there it was, tangled up in some dead vines, and as cold as a lump of ice. By the time we gave it to its mother, who was very glad to see it, the clock struck 12. Baby had been alone throe-qnartcra of an hour. " Muzzer's darling 1 sound asleepy yet?" I said, as I went to the cradle. Merciful powers I shall I ever forget that moment ? Baby was not there I In a moment the truth flashed ou my mind. House-breakers had entered the dwelling In our absence, and stolen my treasure. Perhaps they were in the house yet, or some of them. I felt the strength of a tigress, and, leaving Biddy howling in the dining-room, rushed up stairs. Sure enough, there was a light in my tiedsoom, and I peeped in. The mo ment I did so I felt I was powerless. The roblier who had stolen my baby was there, and the terribly muddy boots of another were sticking from under the bed ; and, oh, horrors I another had got into it, and had hidden, as he imagined, under the quilts. Ou my presenoe of mind depended the recovery of my child and my own life. In a moment the plan flashed upon me. There was but one door to the room, and tho windows were high and barred, for 1 had contemplated the time when baby should W large enough to climb up and lean out. Noiselessly and suddenly I drew that door to and locked it on the outside; then, with the key in my hand, and trembling like an aspen leaf, I stole down Btairs and cried to Bridget, "I've locked them in ; they shall give my baby buck ; come with me !" and away I went across the garden and down the road to tiie first house. That was " Mulligan's Tavern," a very low place, indeed, shunned hy all re spectable folk; hut I knew there were always men there who were afraid of no body. Tho greatest brutes would not refuse aid to a woman at such a time. As we came near I saw a light iu one of tho windows, aud heard voices and loud laughter. It was uo time for cere mouy, BO I burst the door open and ran in. There were four men playing cards, and old Mrs. Mulligan behind the bur. "O 1 please excuse me," I cried; "but do oome right away. There are house breakers in my house, and they've sto len my baby." " Hthole the baby?" cried old Mrs. Mulligan. " O, do oome !" I implored. "Go, Pat," said the old woman; " never mind tho gome. It's Missus Jackman ; more betoken she's the neit neighbor to us. Take yer pistols, an' away wid ye, Iwys. An', missus, just take a drop of acreechin' hot whisky to kape the life in ye." Of course I refused the latter offer, but in a moment the men were on their feet, and I lelt like blessing them—those half-savage creatures who had become my protectors. I don't know how we got to the house, or up-stairs. I rememV>er an awful tu mult, a smell of gunjiowder. oaths and shouts. Then there was silence—then a loud laugh. "It's thrue, ltoys !" said old Mulli gan's voice. "I know Misthor Jackman, aD' it's himself. It's a great misthuko— that's all." A singular mistake to enter a man's house, and endeavor to shoot him in his own bed I" said u voice I knew to be my hust/and's ; and at that I rush>d into the room. He was there, and so was baby, for he held her in his arms ; and there, also, was Mulligan and his friends and their pistols, and half the furniture was broken and the stovo U]>set But as for the house-breakers, they— I began to see the truth. Mr. Mulligan was back ing out "I'll lave Mrs. Jackman to explain," he said. " An' I'm proud I didn't kill ye, though ifa outo' friendship I'd have done it; for if yotir own wife took ye for a house-break>r how would I know better ? The top o' the night till ye, an' I'll lave the lady to explain." All! I did really wish that the ground would open and swallow me. You see, my husband hail come home while we were hunting up the chickens, and, find ing baby wide awake, had taken her up to bed, and gone to sleep. And the robber under the lied was his muddy bfxrts, with, of course, no foet in them ; and well there were none, for they were riddled with bullet holes. Mr. Mulli gan had fired at them, fortunately. When I thought of the awful danger Jasper and the baby had been in, I went into strong hysterics at onoe, and fright ened Jasper so that he was glad to for give me when I came to myself. It was a terrible mistake, and might have end ed seriously, of course ; but I will say, now and always, that it was .laser's fault, and that if he had been a house breaker we might all have lieen thank ful for my great presence of mind. JOHN T. RAYMOND, tho actor, says ot his experience in London : " The peo ple I met were most delightful. They received us cordially, and treated as splendidly —as individuals but they couldn't stand onr play, • The Gilded Age.' The fact is, they couldn't under stand it. Of course the character of Col. Hellers was plain enough, and they laughed at it. Tho Colonel's spec ulations took enormously, but all the localisms of tho play fell flat. When tho stovo fell down in tho third act, it all went for nothing. The andienoe didn't see anything funny in that. On the other hand the trial scene, which we consider rather ordinary, was one of the few redeeming feattirea of the play in tho eyes of the Londoners. They were almost willing to regard that much of it as a success." Tna Rev. Dr. Onyler says that 100 years ago the shining lights were not in the pulpits of tho large cities, but in the rural parishes. During the last oentury, and in the early part of the present one, " the ministerial throne* stood in such secluded places as Bethlehem, North ampton, Morristown, Franklin, Litch field and Greenfield Hill. There stood the theological anvils on which snoh men ss Bellamy, Edwards, Barnes, Em mons and Dwight hammered out their systems of dootrinal divinity. Country quiet gave time for study and hard thinking. Jonathan Edwards never could have written the immortal treatise on the ' Freedom of the World' be hind the bell-pnll of a noisy city street and s crowd of call era." I'ollHh Masnacros. A Polish periodical gives interesting statistics connected with the merciless repression of the insurrection of \B(>3-'4, hy the Czar's lieutenants. From this duta, which appear to have been com piled very carefully and dispassionately, it appears that, within tlio space of two years, 83,431 Poles were condemned to perpetual expatriation, and transported to Siberia, or to other outlying provin ces of the Itußsiati empire. Above 10,000 more contrived to effect their es caj>o to foreign countries ; but the great er number of them suffered the loss of their entire property, confiscated by the state, and have abandoned all hope of ever returning to their native land. Three hundred and sixty patriots were hanged in cold blood by their captors. Pecuniary mulcts to the amount of 82,000,000 rubles was levied upon tho "Vistula provinces," and 2,700 estates were se questrated, the majority of them being subsequently conferred by the Czar upon Itussian noblemen fortunate enough to merit his special favor. Public libraries wore either destroyed by MuruviefTs or ders, or deprived of the more valuable portions of their contents, which were conveyed out of the country and distrib uted among tho state libraries at Ht. Petersburg, Moscow, Kieff, and other great Itussian cities. The outrages com mitted upon defenseless women and ecclesiastics are also tabulated in those returns, and constitute one of the most revolting records of modern history. Uravestones at Auction. The proprietor of a marble yard oppo site Woodlawn cemetery, Brooklyn, business being slack, made up hi mind to sell by auction his stock of head stones, footstones, monuments etc., and retire from active business. "It is a somewhat unusual thing," said the man, "as folks don't throw on their things and drop around to buy a monument its they would a dishpan or potato masher. Still, as there are over six thousand dol lars' worth of monuments, why the thing may go after all." But, after ad vertising in the city papers and industri ously canvassing the adjoining towns, there was no one at the sale hut the auc tioneer, the owner and a reporter. "Well, gentlemen," the auctioneer be gan, "what am I offered for this fine— er—suppose we wait awhile?" So they waited, and about two hours later a country carryall drove up, and a lady alighted, and began to examine the monuments. Soon after a prominent eitv publisher arrived, and the group of five persons stood around for a few mo ments, and then went tbeir several ways. The owner sadly remarked: "The thing i won't go." Canning Reynard. A New Jersey fox that had been tamed secured the friendship of dogs, hut, from his peculiar odor, cats kept aloof from him. They would not walk upon any spot wle re the fox had been standing He used his knowledge of this to deal pussy out of his breakfast. As soon ru the servant poured out the cat's allow ance of milk the fox would run up to tin spot and walk around the saucer, well know ing that the rightful owner would not touch it. Day after day the cat lost his milk, until the trick was found out, and the milk placed in a spot where tin fox could not reach it. After he had been stopped from robbing the eat ht tried his cunning on the dairymaid al she was bringing the pails from milking As she was passing along the fox went up to her and brushed himself agains. oneof the milkpails. The milk becaml so tainted with the smell of the fox thai the maid dare not take it to the house, and thoughtlessly pound it into a pan and gave it to him. The erafiy animal repeated the trick several times, hul when he found that the spoiled milk wai given to the pigs instead of to himself he gave up his attempts. A tircat Many 110 It. One day they hnppoued to IK* talking Ixdore Eiuile Augier alnmt a family whose means had Wen materially di minished, but who had not therefore censed to live in a most expensive man ner. "I never heard of anything of the sort," said one of tho company; " they are ruined, and yet tbey live in as stylish a manner as ever." "O that is simple enough," said Augier; " formerly from time to time they paid some of their debts ; now they pay none. They have retrenched their creditors." GKN. GRANT'S first and last and only Presidential vote was for James Bu rh&nan, and, according to a Washing ton correspondent, theso are the circum stances under which it was cast: "He was living in St. Louis, and had Won out of tho city during the day. He reached the suburbs about snndown, and stopped near a voting precinct on business. He was asked if ho had voted, and replied that ho had not, and neither could he, owing to tho distance that he was from his home and the lateness of the day. The judgea at the polling place, Wing sure that ha had not voted and could ot reach the place where he was entitled to vote in time, permitted him to vote there, knowing that he would Mat a Democratic ticket That is Gen. Grant's personal statement of his first Presidential vote." EDUCATIONAL HUMOR. ONOB, S teacher was explaining to a little girl the meaning of the word cuti cle. " What is that all over my face and hands ?" " Freckles," answered the littlo cherub. A SMALL child, being asked by a Sun day-school toucher, "What did the Israelites do after they crossed the Red sea?" answered, "I don't know, ma'am, hut I guess they dried themselves." A MINISTER, in one of his visits, met s boy, and asked him what o'clock it was. " About 12, sir," was the reply. " Well," remarked the minister, " I thought il was more." "It's never any more here," said the boy ; "it just begins at 1 again." THREE little boys, on a Sabbath day, were stopped on the street by an elderly gentlemen who, jierceiving that they had bats and balls with them, asked one of the number this question : "Boy,can you toll mo where all naughty boys go to who piny ball on Sunday?" "Over back of Johnson's dam," the youngster replied. "SAM," said a young mother, "do you know what the difference is between the body and the soul? The soul, my child, is what you love with ; the body carries you about. This is your body (touching the boy's shoulders and arms), but there is something deeper in. You can feel it now. What is it?" "Oh, yes, I know," said he, with a flash of in telligence in his eye, "that is my flan nel shirt." Bams*' Educational Monthly. Chinese Monuments* At the entrance to the villages and at various points a series of monuments were met with, in shape resembling a large portal with smaller ones on each side. These monuments are called by the Chinese "pilaows." They are only put up by the special favor of'he emper or, and serve to commemorate either the virtuous action of some widow or virgin or else the deeds of a warrior. Here is the translation of the inscription upon one of the tablets: "The people of the K.'ishing F'o, having petitioned the vice roy of Ming C Sin n (Che K iang and Foo Kien provinces), and lie having hum bly presented to our sacred glance, for our especial pleasure, the document, now I (the emperor) do command the erection of this pi Lao w for the purpose of exhorting the people to deeds of filial pi ety. Tung Che, eleventh year, third month." Then follows the reason of the pilaow being erected. Rendered into English the story goes thus: "In the year of Tung G'hc a family resided in in Bashing Foo, consisting of the pa rents, two sons and one daughter. The two wins left their homes to go to Tientsin for the purpose of trailing. The daughter meanwhile was bethrothed, but refused to get married while her pa rents were alive, as she must attend to their wants. The mother fell siel; and died, and shortly afterward the father also feel ill. The doctor informed the daughter that nothing could save her sire unless it was a decoction of human flesh. The girl immediately resolved to immolate herself upon the altar ol filial piety and in strict conformance with the sacred edict, offering herself for the sac rifice. She heroically bared her arm, and allowed the doctors to cut a portion of flesh from it. The decoction was made, hut, alas! the old man died and sc did the daughter. Now, the people, upon learning this act of devotion from the expectant bride, resolved to present a memorial to the viceroy in order to keep ever present the virtuous conduct of this devoted girl."—Cor. S. F. > 'hrom clc. A Helenddants Objections. They were trying an assault-and-bat tory ease in Detroit, when tlio defendant objected to tlio jury which tlio constable had gathered together. Beginning at number one, the court asked : " State your objections to the jury man." "I Wat him out of SSO on a horse trade, and I know how lie feels," was the reply. " And this one?" " Ho and I couldn't agree on a game of cards one day, about two weeks ago, and I punched his aged head. Ho hasn't forgotten it, yon bet 1" " Well, here's tho third man." "Ho has a grudge against me for licking his brother-in-law." " And tlie fourth ?" "We have never lieen good friends since I shot six of his hens." "And tho fifth ?" " I know him of old. Ho say a I stole 'lis shot-gun." " And do you object to tho sixth and last?" " I decidedly do. It isn't four days ainoe I got ready to throw him off a wood-dock." " Wouldn't it he safe for you to dis pense with a jury and lot the court try the case ?" suggested his Honor. ." No sir I" was the decided reply. "I don't say that I've got anything in par ticular against this court, but this court may have formed an opinion that I am tlie man who bagged his twenty-six game fowls one night last month. I've heart, that he had his suspicion#." The case waa adjourned to secure six iurvman bom out of tha city. THOL'HHT.* 01* MAN. BY ROBKirr F. ixrrr. In the earlier ago# man kind was bat th germ from whence emanated • grander, nobler structure, so to speak, Ntructare which ww capable of Wing developed in intellect by the rijx-jiini/ ot age, by the existence of audi virtue* and tushs aa culture, enlightenment and education. Ko through the progreaa of age, man, the chief ruler over all earth and sea, hue become, by hi# sujxrior mental judgment, the only object that i* capable of planning, diacerning and shaping hi# to-day and hia to-morrow. Man has an immortal living concept, while animals have but a fleeting or temporary concept. To-day we see th architect planning the saft t methrd of buililing some structure, or the engineer applying steam fhat he may be enabled to work with more comfort and to better profit. Ho it is with man. He may build up his reputation by applying enough energy and reason, and he will l>e the profiler thereby. While man i bleased with a concept extra, the animal known nothing more then to e-,t the grasses and live. So man, endowed with his superb judgment and steady will, gains foothold over all suhorde nates. Re ason is one of the existences that builds up and gives symmetry to the physical man, to a certain extent. N< one can live who is utterly devoid of reason ; yet we may sometimes see creat ures who seem to be poSM-ased of hut little of mental development, but they are not utterly devoid of this. The mind controls the physical body by it* immortal living concepts. The prosecu tion of investigation comes on, and tin* tends to develop a spirit of enterprise, and also proves a food to the t: exercise. Ho through the combined forces of nature inevitably oomes the casting of the future. We leen pronounced a scientific lie, but there comes hack a wave, dashing to pieces that particular wave which washed from the memory for a time that self same scientific tide in human research that had been theannihilator. So things, like history, repeat themselves ! The fundamental and philosophical principles of life and living make the in vestigations of generalities more plain, and so through the course of ages w have left the old foot-j>ath#, and, amid the many science-waves of opposition have gradually abandoned—as Robert Ingorsoll says, "That state, when man could havo been seen emerging from a cave, w:ii a spoonful of brains in the back of his head, to hunt a snake for his dinner." Comparative genealogy will prove the state of living at the opening era of mankind's history. Through successive geological epocha that man has lived traces of progress are visible. There was a time when man lived in open lewdness, knowing it not for such, as he mingled with animals, and by this he partook to a considera ble extent of the habits and manners to which they were addicted. But nature never meant man to be s brute wholly. It meant that he should be something grander. Man has some characteristics that no other leing pos sesses. He lias the power of knowing right from wrong, how to live, and how to lie influential in the world. Here again we see the grandeur of man and his noble mind. With his eye for beauty, lie sees the Wautioa that are in tended for him. He knows that a beau tiful poem or sentiment is good for ths mental powers, that virtue is a nobis thing, that vivid scenery enraptures ths soul, and revives in him thoughts of ths true grandeur of nature. The past! It can never come again, nor do we wish it, for all its revelry, its dead and its charnel houses it cannot come! With all its horrors of war. it* persecution of heroes, its crowned heads uncrowned, wo wish it not 1 With all its ruin, its military pomp, its inhu manity to man, we are glad that the past is passed ! With it* long catalogue of bloody tragedies, its atrocities of Kings and Queens, its rises and falls, we are truly glad that the age of reason is hero, and here to stay ! BKKTO*, 111, MARIK MABCAL took a walk in New Orleans with a rival of the man whom she was soon to marry, in order to tell him that he must cease his attentions. Her affianced husband saw them to gether, and, refusing to hear her expla nation, peremptorily broke his engage ment. She therefore desired to die, and tried to throw herself before a locomo tive, but she slipped on some wet grass, and only lost a leg. Her lover is tyiw convinced of her loyalty, and will marry har. THE census returns of Kansas indicate a population of nearly 1,000,000. To peka has advanced to tlio second place, its ]*>pnlatinn being nearly 16,000 ' Atchison, 15,130, The population of the central counties shows a wonderful growth in the last ton years. Republic oonnty, 14,000; Haline county, 12,673 ; Mcpherson oounty, 16,000*; Butler oonnty, 18,600; Sumner county, 20,800.