I* Vict la. I *ing thft Hvmn of Hie Conquered, who fell in the bottle of life— The hrnan of Urn wouiultW, the heeten, who died overwhelmed in the strife; Not the jubilant eons of the victor*, for whom the reeonmling acclaim Of nation* wan lifted in chorus, whose brown wore the nhaplet of fame - But the hymn of the low and the humble, the weary, the broken in heart, Who strove and who failed, acting bravely a silent and desperate part; Wlioee youth boro no Bower in its branches, whose hopes burned In ashes swsy, From whose hands slipped the prise they bad grasped at, who stood at tno dying of clay With the work of their life all around them, nnpiliad, unheeded, alone. With death swooping down o'er their failure, aud ail bat their faith overthrown. While the vc.ee of the world ahou its chorus, it* (xean for thoaewho bavo won While the trumpet iasounding triumphant, and high to the breese and the sun day banners are waving, hands clapping, and hurrying foot Thronging after the laurel-crowned victors 1 stand on the field of defeat In the shadow, 'mnagst thane who are fallen and wooncled and dying-and there Oh ant a requiem low, place my hand on their pain-knot tod brows, breathe a prayer. Hold the hand that is haplem, and whisper, "They only the victory win Who have fought the good fight and havo van quished tnedemon that tempts us within; Who hsve held to their faith unoak, history I Who are life's victors ? Unroll thy long annals and say— Am they those whom the world called tbo vic tors, who won the success of the day? The martra, or Nero ? Tbo Spartans who fell at Thermopylae tryst, Or ths Persians and Xerxes ? Hi* judges or So -rates ? Pilate or Christ ? W. Story. THE INVISIBLE GIRL. Haying decided to finish the jeer in Italy, I looked about me for a dwelling to be bad upon reasonable terms. I found what I wanted in the outskirts of the ancient city of Lucca, one of the loveliest spots on the peninsula. The house was quite new and in every way desirable, while the rent asked for it was absurdly low. I questioned the agent in regard to this circumstance*. Having my money sale be could afford to be truthful. " There is nothing against tho house itself," he said, " but the grounds have the reputation of being haunted. Ht range sounds are said to bo heard near that ledge of rock in tho park yonder. We Italians are superetitons, signer," he added with a bow, " but I presume to an American a ghost is no objection." "So little," I replied, laughing, "that I am obliged to you for the opportunity of makiag the acquaintance of this one." Snch superstitions are common in Italy, and the agent's story made very little impression upon me. Luring s tour of inspection around the premises I came upon the rock in question. It consisted of two walls of gsanite, perhaps twenty feet in height, meeting at an oblique angle, oovered over their greater extent with wild vines. It struck mo as an exceedingly beautiful nook, and appropriate for my hours of out-door lounging. On the following morning, provided with s book and s cigar, I went thither, and disposed mjself comfortably in the shade of an olive. I had become ab sorbed is the voltune, when I was startled by the sound of s voice near me. It was apparently that of a wonmn, wonderfully soft an 1 sweet, and was singing oae of iba bdlad* of the coun try. I could distinguish the words aa perfectly as if spoken st arm's length from me. 1 started up in amazement. I had no visi ore, and my only servant waa an old mgy Nevertheless, I made a thorough exploration of the neighborhood, and satisfied myself that there was no one hi the grounds The only public road was hall a mile distant. The nearest dwelling waa directly opposite, across a j level plain—in sight, bat far ont of ear- j shot. la a word, I could make nothing e.' *. I observed that when 1 left my origi nal position under the olive the voice became instantly silent. It wss only Within the circumference of a circle of about two yards in diameter that it was audible at all. It appeared to proceed from the angle Viet ween the two walls of rock. The miouteat examination failed to re veal anything bat the bare took. Yet it was out of this bare rook that the voice issued. I returned to my former station in downright bewilderment. The agent's story occurred lo ma, but even now I attached so weight to it. lam a practical man, and was firmly convinced that there mnst be aoaae rational explanation of the mystery, if I ooold bnt discover it. The votee waa oertainly that of a young girl. Bat where was she? Wss ths old fable erf the wood nymph a truth after all? Had 1 discovered a dryal embosomed in the reek I sin tied scornfully, even aa the fancies tm through my head.; For more than bell an boor the singing continued. Then it censed, and though I waited patiently for ita renewal, I heard no more of it that day. When I returned to the house I made no mention of the matter, resolving to keep it to myself until I had solved the mystery. The next morning, at an early hour, I returhed to the spot After a tedious Interval the singing began again. It went softly and dreamily through one verse of a song, then ceased. Presently I heard a deep sigh, and then in a slow, thoughtful tone, the voioe said: "Ob, how lonesome it is I Am Ito pass my whole life alone in this drear y place?" There was no answer; evidently the person was merely soliloquizing. Gould sho hear me if I spoke, as I heard her, supposing her to bo a living being at all? I determined to hazard the ex periment. "Who is it that is speakingf I asked. For some moments there was no reply; then, in alow, frightened whis. per, the voice said: " What was it ? I heard a voioe." " Yes," I answered. "You heard mine. I s|K>ke to yon." " Who aro yon?" asked the voioe, tremulously; "are yon a spirit?" "I am a living man," I returned. " Can yon not sec me?" "No," answered the voioe. "1 can only hear yon. Oh, where are yon? Prsy do not frighten me. Come out of your concealment and let me see yon." " Indeed, I don't wish to alarm yon," I replied. "I am not bidden. Tm standing directly in front of the spot whence your voice seems to come." " Yon are invisible," was the trem bling answer. " Your voice comoa to me out of the air. You most bea spirit. What have I done to deseive this?" " Havo no fear of me, I entreat yon," I said, earnestly. "It is as much of a mystery to me as it is to yon. I hear yon speak but yon are likewise invis ible." " Are yon a real living being?" asked the voice, doubtfully. " Then why do I not see yon,? Come to me. I will ait here. I will not fly." "Tell me where I am to come,*' I said. " Here in my garden, in the arbor." " There is no arbor here," I returned, " only a solid rock out of which yon seem to be speaking." " Saints protect me," answered the voice. "It is too awful. I dare not stay here longer. Spirit or man, fare, well." " But yon will come again," I pleaded. "Let me hear you speak onoe more. Will you not be here to-morrow at tbo same hour?" "1 dare not—but yet your voice sounds i as if you would do mo no harm. Yes, | I will come." Then there was utter ailenoe, the mya- I terioos speaker had gone. I retornmU homo in a state of stupid tioning myself if I had not a-rosea and if the whole own not a delusion. I was faithfnl to pointment with the voice on the teen devoted to the interest# of building up the town or community in whioh these sarno people have met with success. Many a paper located in some nnhoard of town or county has been the mcansof bringing the natural advan tages to public notice, built up the vil lage into a town, labored for tbe pros perity of the county, assisted every one else to a front seat and then failed be cause a short-sighted public no loager see s direct income from the money ex pended to support it. When railroads were building, when public institutions were wanted, the local press was kept oiled and editors kept from starvation; bnt now it is as popular to send to somo noted city for fashionable dress goods, clothing,"furniture, carpets, etc." The above sound doctrine from the Bur lington llnrkeye is verified by the fol lowing from the Western H'truttead: "A largo portion of the people do noth ing to support their local papers, and yet roap the benefit every day of the editor's work. A man will say, ' Ad vertising does not pay in my bnsinees. I have to keep my men on tbe road, and get my customers by going after them,' and yet the fact is thst the town in which he does business would be unknown, the railroad over which be ships his goods would be uu heard of, if it were not for tbe news paper which he says does him no good. The local paper is of sdvantage to every man in the community, and when a man refuses to contribute to support the newspaper on tbe ground that he docs not need it, he might a* well reinsi to py his taxes for the support of the courts and polioe force on the ground that he never breaks tbe law and does not need the officers. There are men who believe themselves honest au- tiau* were precede 1 by abstinence, and the allowed neither ani mal food nor wine. A healthy man of average weight irn- I hi In* eighty ounces of water, in liquid state or mixed with solid food, every twenty-four hours. The office of marquis was formerly to guard the frontiers and limits of the kingdom, which were called the marches, from the Teutonic word marcho—a limit. Tho empiro o' Japan raised 38,900,- [ 000 bushels of wheat this year, all win ter wheat. The only improvements in wheat cnltnro and separation over the practice of *<-mi-civilized nations wero introduced into Japan a hundred years ago by the Hollanders. In the yoar 1710 the weight of fat cat tle in the London market averaged only 370 pounds st the sverage ago of five year*. In 1705 this was increased to 482 pound". In 1830 tbe weight wa 050 pounds, nearly double that of 1710. It is probable that the average weight at one year leu ago (say four years old) is at tbe present moment folly three times that of 1710, and tbe beef—owing to the superior quality of the cattle and the 1 letter methods of fattening—fully fifty , per cent, more nourishing and economi cal to to the consumer. What Foods Are Most Kconomical 1 With an advance of twenty to 100 per cent, an l more, in the priea of staple foods, tbe shove is npw s most import ant question to orer forty millions of our people, and one of much interest to seven or eight millions more. Probably there are not two millions who take no thought or care as to the cost of their daily diet. Meats, floor, potatoes , corn meal and milk, are the main arli- I cles of sustenance for the great masses. | Fish, riea, beans and oat meal (receut- I ly), with lesser amounts of some other j article-, are consumed; but those alto | gother do not, we j udge, cinstitute one, tenth of the food of the entire people, | perhaps not more than five or six per i cent. Dried or smoked beef, ham and I cheese, rank high, but dried fish out ranks all others. The nutritive value of dried eodfish is remarkable, and it deserves special attention, 100 pounds of it supplying as much nutriment as 341 pounds of beef I It is obesp and abundant everywhere, because very portable, and easily kept. It yields labor-sustaining aliment at from one third down to one-ninth the cost of beef in difforeut sections of the oountry. It is easily digestible, and if properly freshened and cooked it can be made palatable and aoceptable to a very large class needing to practice eoonomy. Of the relative value of potatoes, dour and corn tneal we speak elsewhere. At the average price of beans these are the cheapest strength-sustaining of all direct products of tbe coil, if not charred or hardened ia baking. The drought has greatly d i mintshed tbe yield, and tho present price is high, but they are still comparatively economical. The occupation of aoy elass of per sons has much to do with deciding the most economical foods. It is ostimsted that in a temperate climate an average man needs each twenty-four hours, simply to sustain life without increasing his weight, about eleven end a halt onnoes of boat-producing, and four and a quarter ounces of flesh-forming foods. Laborers and those putting forth much exertion need most of the flesh-forming food, tuoh as lean meats of all kinds, egg*. cheese, fish, beans, peas, oatmeal, bread, cabbage, roots, etc. . Those exposed to cold need more of the heat-producing foods, as fat meats, coramo*l and generally those articles containing large amounts of oil or starch, or both, of sugar, etc.—America* Agriculturist. The *mer's Daughter. Pgf; J " Bat you know, pa," said the farm er'* daughter when ha spoke to her ebont the addresses of a B •lubber's eon—"yon know, me to marry a man of culture." "Bo do I. mv dear—eo do I; end there '■ nobeUtr culture in the country than agriculture—than agioxllun.." m- W# TIIK FAMILY IHK.TOR. Ltvpm uf Mft ad vine* people to educate the stomach. When it is once accus tomed to simple food, vorsrioua appe tite, distress and disease will disappear. The naiU of the toes aboold be properly trimmed at frequent intervals. Young people are apt to overlook this, and by neglect the nails, npon great toes especially, get a cnrvatnre inward that may cause great trouble in after life. Where the nails get this curva ture, a tendency of the edges to curve inward and to forta a cylinder, they cause one of the most painful affections possible. The trouble often from too short a shoe and allowing a nail to grow too long. Where the trouble is slight, the cutting of the nail , deeper at the center than at the corners i will relieve it. If the nail is very thick I and hard it should l>e scraped in the center by means of a piece of broken glass, and when thin enough the corners may be lifted and a bit of cotton or i lint put under each corner. If troubled with wakefulness on re t tiring to bed, eat three or four small | onions; they will act as a gentle and soothing narcotic. Onions arc also ex cellent to eat when one is much exposed to the cold. Children, -specially boys, often MI (for greatly from chilblsins. In their fond ness for winter sports, especially skating, children, if their feet are not actnally frorec, let them get very cold. While tbc feet are very cold they go suddenly to the lire an 1 warm them, j The consequence is s derangement of I the circulation in the feet, and a painful | itching and boring, which are apt to rc | turn whenever the feet become cool, and are afterward warmed. In esses where the system is not in good condi tion, chilblains may become very trouble some, snd require the care of a physi cian. It is said that kerosene is very efficacious in relieving the pain from ordinary chilblains. Soma liare found relief in the use of a wash of one part of muriatic acid in seven parts of water, but that was before kerosene came into common use. IVar*. The pear as a fruit stands next in popularity to the apple, and has, like it, been known and cultivated from time immemorial. It ia mentioned by the earliest writers as a fruit growing abundantly in Nyria, Egypt, as well aa Greece, and it appears to have been brought into Italy from those places about the time that Syria made himself master of the latter country (W B. G), and from thenoo it spread over Europe to Britain. Homer mentions the " pendant pear 'as one of the fruits of the orchard of Laertes (Odya. 24 G 21*9 1). Thcophrastus often speaks in praise of them and of the great produc tiveness of old pear trees ia his works. That learned physician of ancient times, Galen, considered pears as containing in a greater degree more strengthen ing and astringent virtues than apples. The Greeks and Homans have a- veral kinds of pears whose names included their Uste and form. Pliny describee about forty varieties cultivated in Italy. Of all pears, he says, the Omstumine is the most delicate an J agreeable ; this frnit Columella places first in his cata logue. Then there was the Frier man pear, which was esteemed for its abundant juice, which Pliny o pares to wine. The Tiberian pears were so named because they were the sort Tiberius, the emperor, preferred, and they grew to a larger rise than moat pears; others were named after the persons who had introduoed or cultivated them. Some, Pliny tells us, aro reproached with the name of proud pear*, because they ripened early and would not keep. There were also winter pears, peers for baking, etc., as in the present day. Nevertheless, Pliny did not oonaider this fruit, in an uncooked s ate, good for the constitution, for hs states all pears whatever are bnt a heavy meat, even to those in good health, nnlesa boiled or baked with honey, when they become extremely wfaol