Cite Centre gentorrnt. ♦ BELLEFONTE, PA. The Largest, Cheapest and Best Paper FUHLISIIKD IN I'RNTKK COUNTY. From tli© New York Obi©rv©r. INTERNATIONAL LESSONS. Third Quarter. HI HIV. IKSHt N. OROt'T, D. B. SEI'TKMIIKK 11. Lesson 11 . IDOLATRY PUNISHED. K.i. .'t2 :20—3A. (loll.** TKXt:~*'Lml© hllUrni k..| >.ur-©lv©© from Mola. AIUSMI "—I. JHU 21. Central Truth .-—Only spiritual worship is true utid acceptable to (Sod. Not long after the event- connected with the giving of the law on Sinai, Move* was again called up into tin mountain. Here, alter some other com munications, God met him in a glorious cloud, the sight of which was like de vouring tire. It was at this time that God showed to him the pattern of the tabernacle, and gave directions with re spect to its furniture and service, and the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priest's ollice. Solemn charges were added with respect to the keeping of the Sabbath. Also the two tables of testimony were given to him. His stay lasted forty days and forty nights, dur ing which he neither ate nor drank. Meanwhile, quite other scenes were transpiring in the camp below. To the people the absence of Moses seemed long. More than a month before they had seen him pa*s into the luminous cloud and disappear from sight. What if the "devouring tire" had consumed him? In their impatience they 10-t fuith in God and in Moses. They imit set out anew; under a new leader, which would be Aaron, and under another symbol of the divine presence, if not another God. So they said, "I'p, make us gods which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, we know not what has become of him." Aaron had not the courage and faith to refuse. He took the earrings and other ornaments of gold which they brought him, and made an image. Doubtless it was like the Egyptian Apis, to the worship ol which they had been u-ed in Egypt. It had the form of a calf, or agricultural ox, and represented the powers of nature. Then he said: "These be thy Gods, < > 1.-ruel, which brought thee up out of the land of Israel. The Lord was greatly displeased. He told Moses what had been done, and threatened to destroy the whole people. So fur as appears only the earnest inter cession of Moses saved them. As Moses went down from the Mount he heard the sound of revelry in the camp : for Aaron had proclaimed "a feast to Jeho vah" in honor of the idol. In his in dignation he cast the tables out of his hands and bioke them. This lesson is an account of the punishment inflicted upon the people for their sin. (>nc question likely to arise in connec tion with the lesson is. What was there so very sinlul in what they did It was a direct and plain breaking of one of those commandments which had hut just been given them. Amid great signs, and in the most solemn manner, God had just-aid to them: "Thou shall not make unto thee any graven nuuge or likeness" for the purposes of worship. It was thus an act of disobedience in the very face of Jehovah. It was also a violation of covenant vow, for they had said : "All that the Lord hath sjioken unto us, we will do." But this was not all. Idolatry is a peculiarly dangerous sin. It is not like ly that Israel meant to cast oil' Jehovah. Aaron said when lie had finished the calf, "To morrow is a fea-t to the Lord." Idolatry is a transgression of the second commandment, not of the first. It is an attempt to escape the sense of the spiritual presence of a holy God. In part it is nn ellotl to make worship easier, to save the trouble and weariness of spiritual effort, to escape labor of tbe soul. Then, it is an attempt to hung God down to man's spiritual level. The thought of the worshipper never habit ually rises above tbe moral level of the creature it has framed to represent him. The image never includes —it excludes —the idea of God's purity. It is a de vice of men who liked not to retain a holy God in their knowledge. Itorig inates in a sensual tendency, and leads to sensual practice. This is always the case. The heathen gods never made their worshippers pure. It was natural that, having got their calf to represent Jehovah, Israel should give themselves to licentious revelries. No special difficulty is to be found in the manner in which punishment was inflicted. It was needful that it should be made to appear that God is earnest in his commands, and that *m is both hateful and unsafe. And he may choose his own agents for the fulfilment of his righteous will. But was tbeie no dis crimination in the judgment inflicted ? Doubtless there was much. First, the penitent were invited to stand apart and show themselves on the Lord's sole. Then it is to be remembered that when Moses stood in the csmp "he saw that the pieople were naked." Many were freah from theirorgiea ; not yet sobered to decency and quiet. These still thronged the camp, while the more orderly had taken warning, and gone to their tents. On these grosser offenders the avenging Levites fell. Tbu God made himself known as holy in his ha tred of sin, and discriminatingly just in his punishment of it. There is nothing more touching in AII the story of Moses' life than his manner of speaking to the people after the sin and its punishment were over, together with his prayer in their behalf. There was truly in it all "an intensity and self denial of love, unequalled by that of any man except Paul." The result, too, indicates at once the power and limitationsof prayer. It prevailed in part. By his angel, God would still go before bis jieople. Nevertheless, it was still needful that, in visiting, he should "visit their sin upon them." MACTIOAI. itOOKSTION*. I. God U T*ry e*rne*t in oil hi* re quirement*. The w*y of obedience i* the only w*y of |>oace end *afety. Judgment* may bo delayed, but, save as wo take refuge by repentance un of'capital has been invaded in railroads, etc., in the South, exclusive of large amounts ex pended in the Southwest, Syndicate- have been formed in va rious Stat"-, Mich a- the (icorgin I'a eific, with iw capital of 812,- r KXt,tMMi; the ('ineiuuati and fieorgia. with a capital of B'2'2,tMH>,(XW>; Norfolk and \V cetera Va , about 813,,tXH); tbe ]/uisville and Nu-li ville, about ;?•>,<(Hil,ooo ; the Jlaltiiuorc and < >iiio, 8 j,(XX),ti(X) in a new south ern road, while your enterprising pa per recently contained au article ex hibiting the large amounts being ex pended in the extension of the Chesa peake and Ohio to Newport News, thus opening up the most direct route for shipments to Kurope. Tin -o large sums ate being invented in the con st ruction ol' main lines as a general thing, from which numerous branches will speedily he extended in every di rection. Indeed, there is tin ii a boom in southern railroad stocks that fortunes are rapidly made bv judicious invest ments. In a recent article in the New York //< rn/il u i--tnted t*BLin Atlanta, < a., "one gt ntl< man $l0O,l)(H) i,n the in and Virginia i d 87d,(XM, and -till nnjlicr In Augusta ami other < teorgia eitiea were chared Ua the rise of fieorgia railroad M", tr> 1 K.~; of ( entral fn>m to 11!; Memphis and Charleston from >|(l to !•.', etc." The enterprising gentlemen who con trol these southern roads are offering such imlucenients a* will make it to tbe interests of settlers to eome south, where climate, health,easily improved lands—now rapidly increasing in prices—all conduce to afford a fine field for permanent investment or speculation. Cotton factories are springing up in all directions, and having the advan tages of close proximity to the raw material, which can be purchased from the producers direct, thus saving trans portation, commissions, storage, etc., with ample water power and cheap lalror, no factories in the world can successfully compete with them. The large amount of northern rapitnl now invested in the construction of various manufactories all over the Snub shows that these advantages are be ginning to be appreciated. The min eral resources are also receiving serious attention, and mines are being explor ed and millions expended in develop ing these almost inexhaustible re sources, as the most casual inspection of any northern mining journal will prove. Northern capitalists are also form ing companies for the purpose of loan ing farmers money at seven per cent, interest. One gentleman has 83/HX),- 000 so invested. The want of capital and the incubus of enrpet-hag legis lation have heretofore greatly retarded the prosperity of the iSouth, but with these removed she enters upon a ca reer unexampled in the history of this country. Northern men arednily visiting this sectioh in search of homes, finding, as they do, from the experience of tneir neighbor* who have been hero, that they are cordially received by all classes of the people. Lands at pres ent are cheap, and even where they are poor from the effects of injudicious farming, they recu|*rat with wonder ful rapidity. Your correspondent recently drove over a farm near this city which was purchased a year or two ago for 113 tier acre, which uow has about one hundred acres in pcauuts, which will produce eighty bushel* |H.T acre, worth here now 81,10 per bushel, beside* corn which will make fifty bushel* per acre, ami other crops in propor tion. One hundred bushel* per acre is not an unusual crop of peanuts, which shows that money can be made by farming here. The people do not take so much in terest in polities a- formerly ; are more liberal in political opinions, and are developing a degree of business enter prise that augurs well for the future. The sympathy for the wounded Presi dent is universal, but this is is not at all surprising to any one familiar with the characteristics of the people. It has frequently been asserted by prominent southern men that a foreign invasion would at once and forever disabuse the northern mind of the de lusion that there exists anywhere south any degree of hostility towards the t ienerul (iovernmcnt. It is to be hoped that a similar effect may he produced by the conduct of the south ern people in respect to the great na tional calamity thr igh which the country is now passing. ilie American Itmlcii. < I.OMV; HAYS or nir. -o:\sov AT -\RATO- I. % —EXTRA VAC \M P. IMIOI'N 1>EI. The last days of August never ait nosed greater crowds than thronged the hotel piazza*. The M aon i-draw ing to a close in a blaze of glory never equaled in the brilliant annals of this world renowned resort. Of all place* in the world this is the spot to see the greatest extravagance in dress and manner* to which n lady can resort, and in justification of this remark I would lit re note n drc-s observed on the promenade. A white brocade short skirt, the flounces kilted and lined with red. An overskirt of scarlet brocade, with red and white bows, the jacket of white, with shoulder eape and cutf- of scarlet, and scarlet hat elaborately *et off with red and white plume*. The lady wa* a blonde, young and pretty. Hp ... are Worn nil tie -treet here lit only for the ball room. White i* the fashionable color and is trimmed elab orately with I nee. A plush or br<>- cade jacket i* sometimes worn with white muslin if the morning is cool, and the efleet i* very jaunty. Hat* are not generally worn this season ex cept to breakfast, and the ladies ride bareheaded in the omnibuses and often in the open carriage* to the lake. a funny sceue occurred on the front piazza of one of the large hotels a day or two since. A very pretty little widow was approached by a married lady, whose husband is given to flirting, and quite n lively l)iil ensued to the amusement of the few outriders who were present. The enraged married lady insisted that the widow had been easting soft glances at her husband while at the dinner table, and "that she must not do so ngain-" To which the little widow replied good naturedly ; "My dear madam, |*>int your hu*hnn met with everywhere— at the race*, at the lake, on the road and on the piazza* of the various hotel*. It i* fun to watch them. Talk about "women tlirt*"— thi* is a slander—the men are the ex |Krt*. They practice flirtation, they are nil the time on the lookout for it and are actively engaged in it, ami they flirt all the same, married or single. The racing season just concluded ha* Iwcn remarkably successful. Tlie fashionable hnbilur* of Saratoga turn ed out rii mnMr, decorating the grnnd stand with their elognnt toilets. Haratoga is a very "rosebud garden of girls" thi* year. I never saw *o many young ami pretty women at any former season. And the jrunt**e dorre is also well represented. Have you ever observed bow very handsome, a* a rule, our middle-aged men are? This will strike an observer at once in Saratoga. I know it has Iteen said that American men are all cither very young or x'ery old, and I technic Sir Charles Coldstream* at a very early age, Rut thi* is not true. I think our American men, between the ages of forty and fifty, are very insinuating to susceptible female*. According to Ralzac, it is at the age of fifty-two that a man is most dangerous to the heart of a woman; and he ought to know, for it i* said of him that each of his stories is dug out of a woman's heart. A* the train was approaching Cleve land it parted in the middle, and the leIl-rope snapped ofr like a thread, the end of it striking an old woman on the bonnet. "What's the matter ?" she exclaimed. "Oh, the traiu's broke in two," replied a gentleman who sat in the next seat. "I should say so," the old lady said, looking at the broken bell-cord. "Did they s'posc a trifling little atriog like that would bold tbe traiu together ?" A WEMTKKN SIOKV. he Roy the Western robber who was recently lynched, wa; outwitted once. It was in November, 187!', and the scene the Wonion l'ass Road near Rocky Rancho, nine miles below jycadville. In the coach were seven gentlemen and one lady. At inter vals during the day road agents had been the topic of discussion, and the lady remarked that all the money she possessed was safely tucked away in her left over-shoe. Curly llookcr was driving, and, and it looked as though the journey would lie made in safety, when the stage stopped ami Curly cried down through the boot: "For heaven's sake, keep quiet and don't shoot The next moment there eante a woril of command, ami a murderous looking revolver, at full cock, appear ed at one of the window*. A second weapon of like dimension* came in sight at the opposite window, and the woman screamed in truly feminine fash ion. The door was opened, and a slight form, the face concealed by a domino and black felt hat, appeared. "Step out, ph-asc," said the owner, blandly : "101 l must be paid by all pilgrims at this point." "Hands up," said the voice ngaiu as the first passenger stepped out, and be lively, too, for I haven't shot a man since yesterday and am aching to get in practice again !" Ilis commands were obeyed to the letter. AH were ranged in line in the snow, and the boyish looking leader fir-t searched your corre-|Miiuletiu l'iie first thing found was a railroad pa-*, and scanning it f>r a moment, the hundit sai>) ; "I always re.j>cet the pre**; I am Rilly I*- R iv, and 1 a-k you to let me down ea*v." All were examined except tin- lady mid u gentleman at her left, ami lit tle money xxa- found. "Ibg pardon, Mi--," sud IA! ltoy, ax he rilled Imr pocket.-. A- the road agent lurne'i to the remaining pa-*ctigcr, the latl< r .-aid-: "I haven't got over ito my name, hut if you'll let me go I'll tell you where vou can get over sto t. 1/■ lioy had already found tin- pa-- M tiger's pockct-l> jok, and a- it ia not heavily laden, replied : "Well, lire away, it's a bargain." "In the left overshoe ol the wo man' answered the tell-tah . I)epite the woman'* protestation her shoe was removed and the money appropriated. Then order- were giv en to return to the stage ; they were obeyed; Curly Hooker was told to drive on, and in a few moment* the stage xva- howling away from the eventful spot. An indignation meeting was imme diately held, and it was suggested that the passenger xxlio had betrayi d the lady should either IK- lynrhed IT thrown out !<•,0(10 of the pur chae money. 'I he expre--age rate on so great a sum is so heavy that I thought it safer to adopt this method of carrying it through. I knew very well that if therohber found nothing he would search our baggage, and so played the roll of informant and out witted him." On arriving at Leadville the lady, who proved to be Mi-. Winnie l'urdy, wa presented with J? 1 .*HH by the agent. A lot ( IIIM; IM IWKNT. From tl# !or-Uj Mfhi One of the most touching things we have rend in a long time is that story of a roldier and a poor lone xvonian near Franklin, Ind. The roldier came to her house nt night and demanded her money of her life. She hadn't much money, or life either, hut she preferred giving up the former rather than the latter, so she brought her store and placed it in his hand. He looked it over carefully to sec that she didn.t palm off any twenty cent pieces for piartcr, and facetiously told her that he should credit Imr only ninety four cents on the trade dollars, chiding her for taking tbein at their face value. Haven't you anything else of value?" itifpiired the bold bad bur glar, looking about the scantily fur nished npartment ; a "child's bracelet, ring anything will be thankfully re ceived. She had nothing more she replied, with a sigh. A thought struck him. "Your husband was a soldier, was he not V She acknowledged that he was, and killed in the war. "Then he must have had a revolver," he continued, searching her counte nance. "Ah you grow confused, you stammer; your manner bctrnys you. Oct that revolver at once and give it to me." In vain the women implored him to spare that harmless trinket, almost the sole memorial of the hus band she had lost. She had pawned many things when in distress, hut had always held on to that. Hut the rob ber was unrelenting. Sobbing bitter ly the poor woman went to a bureau drawer and removed the precious relic, around whieh clustered so many tender rccollectinus. "Must you have it?" said she, as she advanced with trembling steps toward him. "Yes, I must," laid the robber extending bis haud. "Well, theu, take it," said she, gently prosing the trigger for the Inst time, there wa* a loud report and the robber tumbled over dead. The community ought to |euioii that wo man. ♦ KX.I'JtKSIDKNT 111 < lIANAN. REi-Rcm CTION or A I.RTTER or |&GI, Z<*nin r In the eurlv part of Mr. Lincoln's administration ex-President Rueliuiiau in a letter to a life long friend, briefly and pointedly referred to the closing scene* of his own administration; and now that his acts, I after a lapse of twenty years, and when nearly all the member* of hi* cabinet are in their graves,) are passing the ordeal of se vere criticism, and the Philadelphia Tin ics rails upon the public urn of that day to put upon record all they know lor u-e of tin* coming historian, we propose to let the dead president speak for himself through hi* written word. The extract herewith append ed is taken from the original. The o|*-ning ami closing paragraph* of the letter being purely personal, we omit them. WIIEATI AM>, neur L.tnmsler, 1 September -I, l k Gl. j ' I had M hard time of u during my ndmiuitration ; but upon a eureful re view of all my conduct I should not change it :n M single important measure it t fun were now 111 my |x>wi-r. When the official documents and the fart* eoine to he pr< -enti-d to the public. I entertain no apprehension to what will be tlu-ir verdict. I 'n the one side I had beeli Violently opposed by the Republican* from the lieginiiing, and on the other side the leading secessionist* were estranged from rne from the date of my message on the It I of In-ceruber, and soon after, when I returned the ih -oleiit letter of the "south Carol Ilia (silll rnistioner* to tliem unanswered, all in tricoiir-c, political •. r ■ rial, between them and lilts* If ceased. I was on the next day, or a day or two after, violent ly attache I in the Senate by .1 elferson I'avis and In* followers, and the leiicr wh'cb I had returned was submitted by liim to ltd lash and puhltahed in the (Jbtymim O ' I purmiwd my own leady course from the beginning "1 he t'iiarleston authorities were distinctly notified, over and over again, that il they attacked Fort Sumter 1 should consider this attack as the commence ment of a ci\il w>r I need scarcely say that I agree With you 111 npfirn ,nj l/if lirafrmt.'-n < f thu U .IT Ay thi •tortrnnirnL 1 have never held any other language •lIICS tlie Confederates commenced it by the attack on Fort.Sumter, ft would probably have commenced early in ■fanuary had tlie Senate confirmed my nomination of a collector for the port cf Chariea'on. "f remain, very respectfully your friend, .liar- I'.o lIIVAV." \ i:\Aoirs I'lroiTiiMiH. II I* RIIEI MI TI AN >R*TCN IMI wisitrr HISIMTI. 111. 1 ISIT EXIIM.XriI. leu lie rtilU4*)|>l.U Tines. 'l'll, ye*; I'm taking things easy jut now, -aid Henry <. Yennor, the Canadian weather prophet, to a re porter of the 77Irs last evening in a Chestnut street jewelry store. "I'm working only when the humor seiz.<* me, and beside* there is so much to *•• in and alsjut the citv that my time is almost wholly occupitd with my wife in vi-iting place* of interest. I cannot siav any longer than Mon day, when 1 want to run down to Washington for a day or two. My almanac for I**' 2 will then require some attention and I will close up the work a* much a* possible before re turning to Montreal. .1. M. Stoddard A' Co., of i'hiladelphiit, will publish it and will have it ready for the pule lie by the middle of October. It will contain nothing Imt original matter, which I am preparing from month to month as 1 go along. I have the Canadian part of the almanac al ready prepared, and 1 nm writing the American part in this country. lam holding back the probabilities until the last moment, notwithstanding Mr. Stoddart's urgent demand for them. I am a trifle uncertain about one or two of the fall month*, and I want as much time oil them as I can get. "1 am always misrepresented," lie continued. "For instance, I make a forecast of the weather for n certain month and bring the prediction* down to quarters —not weeks, mind you— and accompany them with nbout forty word* of explanation. Then when they are published I see that some one has taken the liberty to insert the days of the week and exact dates, with the explanation* in the wrong place*. I never make predictions so close as that. 1 must have five days' time to cover them safely. People look upon my work a* purely sensa tional and are always ready to make adverse criticisms when a miss occurs. What I would like to see is more peo ple studying the weather and making predictions. Anybody can do it hv patient study and observation. If they would they could have a chance to make good 'hits' and to get abuse*! when predictions failed. "The American Signal Service is a good thing and 1 hold it in the high est esteem. Rut it must always re main imperfect. You will see by the report* that a storm is now raging along the coast of the Southern States and is traveling east and north. A day or two ago 1 saw the Signal Ser vice predictions and I said to Mrs. Vcnnor: 'That cornea wonderfully near my figures.' I said that the storm, with high winds and rain, would reach this section somewhere about Sunday, August 28. Now, if the storm doesn't strike n- tomorrow it will probably not come at till. The Hijjnul system iw entirely different from mine, but J think we will not quarrel right away. I eti}>jxtec there is room for improvement on both aide*. 1 nee Montreal an my storm centre and make all my ob-ervation* and fore eat* from that point. Uy comparison I can tell that when there will be a certain kind of weather in Montreal another kind will prevail in the (South ern Hi ales and <-t ii I other kind* in oth er sections. I have la-en quoted on , saying that the basis of my work i* a | 'comparison of raiiw- with cause, effect with elli-nt, and season with season,' or -oiin of that rort. I don't think anyone hi ard me say that, It I never 0 entertained Mich id' it*." Mr*. \ etuior, wife of the "prophet," ; enjoy* her trip through "the Mate*/' greatly and i- i nthuriaxtie over Amer •'•an scenery. ivcring his official voice. "I.ittlc t iracie—grant!pa *little j* t ! I I brought her with me. Is she there?" "I guc-x he i* not wide awake yet," said the curious passenger. "Huppo-e you help him to his feet." Conductor* 3r>- expert in helping people to their feet, and this ,ne wax 100 exception to the rule. _!!' t— .k | the old man by the coat collar and i stood him up, but he sank down again the t,i xt moment, limp and mo tionless. .lust tlun a dejnit hand came in. "The baggage nia-t< r want* to know | what you're goin' to do with that mite of a deal liox over tlcre. lie d< n't - ; want anv of that kind left over, and there ain't no direction on it but i '(iracie.' "That* her!.' said the old man. ami 'h" stood up feebly. "Take me there. We're going a long, long journey— (iracie and me : a long, long journey, but it don't M-cra a* if 1 knew the j way right clear." They took him into the depot and laid him on otic of the bcnche*. and put hi* old carpet-bag under bis head, nut be *till fretted for hi* "leetlc (iracie —hi* pet," and at last thrv consoler! him by telling him she wa* resting, was asleep, and must not be disturbed. "We've a long journey to go," be kept saying to himself; "and grand pa* baby rnusn't get tired. It's a ■* long way, a long way." The little "box," with (iracie writ ten upon it in lead pencil, wa* safe enough with the other "freight," and the old man slept peacefully at Inst. Some kind soul threw n rig over him near morning and asked him what train be wa* waiting for; but ail the answer he made wa* a feeble "Thank'ee ; call me at sunrise. We're going a long journey,(iracie and nte." lie was called at sunrise by a voice that none may refuse, aud when a flood of rosy light shone into the dreary room he wa* up and away gone on hi* long journey. Only the worn out body was there, and yester day it was laid away with "little (iracie" in the strangers' lot at Mount Llliott, alnue, unknown, yet possibly in as "sure hope of a gracious resur rection" a* if marked by thirty feet of mouumental clay. . - - • A GOOD wife greets her husband at tbv door with a smile and a kiss — provided be gets it before midnight, and hi* breath don't per*pire the fumes of poor whiskey. But after that hour the fountain of her friend ship frecae* up, and she stands on the top stair* with a broken wash dish iu one hand and her ma triage certificate in the other. "lit what condition was &e pa triarch Job at the end of his life?" aked a Sunday-school teacher of a quiet looking boy at the foot of the x class. "Ikwd," calmly replied the boy. J* —• Thk meanest woman on record is the one who boiled codfish in a fire proof safe to keep her neighbors