The Stars.
They're nestling on the streamlet,
And trembling on the sens;
They're spnrkling in the dew-drop,
And peeping through the trees!
And while like spnrkling diamonds
They deck the brow of night,
They hide behind the cloudlets,
And gild them with their light.
Hut oh, ttiose silent wntehors,
So nidinnt in the sky,
Are to us all bright beacons.
To guide our souls on high,
And from ttiose fnr-o(I regions
They soar through clouds of uiglit.
With glorious, radiant fingers.
Into the realms of light!
The Curtain Patterns.
Willie Vane was only a rash boy in
Myrtle A Kuban's great Chestnut
street paluee- a pale, big-eyed child,
■jrt Ji brown hair drooping over Lin fore
head. and a sensitive little mouth.
He was merely one of tin- bits of
human machinery which math- tin
great, glittering whole revolve so
smoothly.
At the store nobody gave him a
second thought or a second look: but
here at home he was " Willie," the j
youngest, and the pet. Ilis chair in i
the window seat was kept sacred to |
him; his little shelf of lmoks was tin- 1
disturbed, anil the ugly little terrier j
dog by the lire was petted anil ca- i
r easts I ami treated to occasional bones ,
because it was " Willie's." For even |
ciwh boys oct-asionally have homes ami
mothers!
" Why don't yon eat your turnover.
Willie?" said Mrs. Vane, watching tin
progress of bis supper with true ma-j
ternal anxiety. " 1 bake.l it on pur
pose for you, with ftntu-I seeds seat
tered inside, anil the edge stamped w itb
a scalloping iron !"
"Just wait a minute, mother!" said
Willie, who had darted away from tin
table anil was scratching away with a
lead-pencil on a bit of buff wrapping
paper. "One minute I There, I.ita ! j
1 thought 1 could carry the pattern in j
my eye. What tin you call that?" j
triumphantly holding up the piet of j
paper.
Manuelita Vane—a tall girl, who ;
was stitching away at a roll of pearl
white llannt-1, carefully envelo|<ed in
old linen—leaned over to look at hi>
trophy.
"Stalksof flower-de-luce," said she.
"with wild vetch vines tangled around
them. Oh. Willie! where did you ,t-t :
such a pretty pattern ?"
Willie chuckled, ami laying down the '
pa|M-r cut deep into the turnover apple
pie, ami rewarded himself by a mouth,
ful thereof.
"Could you embroider it, Lita,"
said he, "in deep, deep blue—almost (
black—on an olive-satin ground or old
gohl ?"
"Could I?" said Manuelita. "Of
course I could. But what docs al|
this mean? What are you talking
alxmt, Willie?"
"Just this," said Willie, swallowing
a second mouthful of apple pie. "Three 1
times two bysix, ain't it? A nil tw its
six is twelve, and twice twelve is
twenty-four, ami ten times twenty
four is two hundred ami forty."
"Willie," cried Manuelita, "are you
crazy?"
" Sot a bit!" nodded Willie. " Now
listen—you and mother were crying as
1 came in, because the rent was over
due ami tin- landlord was insolent; and
1 was wishing that I was big enough
to pitch the fellow downstairs or to;
£arn enough to settle with him anil
move our traps somewhere else. Now
here's the way, clear and square, to
earn two hundred and forty dollars.
Hay a hundred and twenty of it clear
protlt."
" Willie," salil Mrs. Vane, " I think
you must be dreaming."
"No, I'm not," said Willie, chasing
the last delicious crumlis of the apple
turnover around the plat" with evi
dent relish liefon- he pushed it back, i
" Only hear tne out. There was a lady
customer at the store to-day, Mrs.
Hampstead, of No. Broad street,
looking at that very pattern of curtain
light blue flower-de-luce, all wreathed—
with dark blue vine-leaves, on old gold
satin, for four windows. Hand-em
broidered, Mr. Bellail said—lmported
from Paris. And she would have
taken it at ten dollars a yard, only
Mrs. General Ourleyton bail just or
dered it for her boudoir. At least that
was what Hetlall said. And couldn't
it be duplicated? Mrs. Hampstcad
wanted to know. And Sellall said no,
not possibly. Now, Lita, if you'll em
broider the design—l guess you can
work it out from these scribbling* of
mine—l'll go to Mrs. Hampstead and
sell it for you."
"Oh, Willie!" cried Manuelita, with
a gasp at the comprehensiveness of
the idea. " Hut where on earth should
we get the material—twenty-four
yards of satin f"
"Get the Old Miser to lend it to
you," said Willie, succinctly.
Manuelita shrank back.
" I couldn't ask him," said she.
" Then I will," said WUlle, "if you
try the experiment, Litu. <'oiiio—
nothing venture*!, nothing won. Say
yen."
" Yes !" whispered Manuelita.
And away scampered Willie to un
fold his schemes to an old wotxl-cn
graver who lived in the top story of
the house, and who, having been |
nursed through a tedious attack of in*
llainmatory rheumatism by .Mrs. \ ane i
and her daughter, was popularly sup- 1
posed to care somewhat more for them
than for the other lodgers.
He was old ami he was shabby, ami
In- had a small account in tie- sa\ings
bank, which three facts had won him
the appellation throughout the tene
ment house of the Old Miser, but bis
real name was Jenkins.
•• Lend you a hundred dollars, eh'?"
said Mr. Jenkins, looking up at M illie
Vane through his goggles like a huge
specimen of the lobster tribe. "II umph!
that's a pretty cool request, ain t it.'
What should 1 lend you a hundred dol
lars for?"
" llecause we need it," Willie an
swered. valiantly. " And la-cause
I.ita and mamma are so—so poor !
And ltecuusc—"
•• llecause," said Mr. Jenkins,quietly,
" they were good to me when 1 was
sick ami alone. That's the best reason |
of all. Well, what are you going to do
with a hundred dollars?"
"Speculate, sir," said Willie bravely.
And then he explained his ideas.
"There are the germs of an enter
prising business man about you, young
fellow," said Mr. Jenkins. " Yes, I'll
lend you the money. Or, rather, I'll
lend it to your sister."
* * ♦ ♦ *
Mrs. Hampstcad was sitting in her
iHimloir at No. llroad street, writing j
cards of invitation to a musical lunch j
party, wherewith she w;is intending
doubly to enchant the senses of an es
pecially favorid few, when the blue- i
ribbotnsl maid showed in a little lad 1
with a bundle under his arm.
- lie would insist upon seeing your
self, ma'am," ->aid Matilda, the maid.
" It's th> boy from Myrtle A Iluban's,
I think."
" Would you Is- so kind as to look
at these curtains, ma'am?" said Wil
lie, without allowing tin- grand lady j
time to express any surprise- at his ap-i
pearanec. "It's the wild vetch and
tlowi-r-di-luce pattern peacock blue
on old g-'hl, yon know."
And as he iinfohled the glittering !
fabric, exquisitely embroidensl in the
artistic pattern, Mrs. Ilatiqistead ut
tered an exclamation of delighted sur
prise.
" It's exquisite !" she cried. " It's •
superb! Even more lieautlful than
the other. Hid Myrtle & Ituban send j
it here? And how much do tliev ask !
for it ?
" It's ten dollars a yard," said wise
little Willie. "And there are twenty
four yards. Enough for four win
dows."
"I'll take them," said Mrs. llarnp-1
stead, promptly. "Tell Mr. Myrtle -"
"Please, I don't come from Myrtle I
& Iluban's," said the lwy, valiantly.
" My sister embroidered the curtains.
I saw how much you were pleased
with the pattern last month, so 1
copied it as nearly as I could, and
Manuelita—that's my sister—worked
it. And if you are suited with it we
shall 1h- very glad, ma'am."
Mrs. Hampstcad took off her jew
eled eye-glasses and starts! at the
Imy.
" I never heard anything so extra
ordinary in my life!" said she. "Doj
you mean to tell me that that exquis
ite work was tlone by your sister?
Here—in this country?"
Willie's face beamed with pride.
" Every stitch of it, ma'am," said
lie.
Ami he carried hack with him the
rich lady's check for two hundred and
forty dollars.
But this was not the end of it. The
next rlay a card came up—Mr. Hamp
stead's card and Mr. Hampstead him
self followed it, to Manuelita's secret
dismay. *
"If I could only have had time to
brush out my hair!" thought the girl,
not knowing how lovely she looked In
the picturesque disorder of her fair,
yellow tresses, as she sat at the ever
lasting embroidery frame.
. The gentleman raised his hat as
courteously as if she had leen a prin
cess of the Mood.
" 1 am Mrs. Hampstea I's emissary,"
lie said. "She wishes to order a man
tle lamhrspiin to match the curtains,
and she hopes that you will undertake
| the commission,"
" Gladly r cried Manuelita, with
j sparkling eyes.
Ami the two sat down together to
i design the pattern, as enthusiastic as
two children.
"He's the pleasanteat gentleman I
oversaw," Mid cugerMahuelita, when
Willie asked her about the visitor when
lie r*tirnNl from the store. " Itut I
thought you Haiti she wore eye-glasses
anil a false front of hair, Willie?"
"So hliw ilhl," naiil Willie. " Hut all
ladle* wear those wiggy eoneern* now
adays."
" lie must lie a great deal younger
than she," said Manuellta, thought
fully.
" Marrleil her for her money, prob
ahly," said Willie, as he sat down to
his supper.
Mnnuclitu began the lambrequin the
next morning. Old Mr. .lenkin* had
lieen repaid his loan with Interest, the
landlord was paid, a wore of petty
debts had been settled in various direc
tioiis, and still there retnaimsl a little
residue in the family treasury. No
wonder that the golden-haired girl
sang at her work.
Mr. Ilampstead railed the next day
to take Miss Vane tn a "Needlework
exhibition," w here tle re was a deviro
of water-lily buds, something similar
to the llower-sh'-luee stalks.
Afterward he bought a Imok of old
engravings, with illuminated borders,
for her to look at ; and there was the
llennaissanee to diseuss, and the grow
ing pattern on the old gold satin to
criticise.
And one day Mrs. Ilampstead her
self wrote a note to Mannelitu :
"I want you to eoine and look at my
conservatory portieres," she said.
"They are stiff and ugly, anil I know
that you could remodel them. 1 have
heard so much of your artistic skill
that I am liegiuning to have great
faith iu you."
And Manuelita intend the rieh
lady's carriage and was driven to the
llroad street puiuee. Mrs. Ilampstead
welconnsi her with the sweetest grace
and eordialitv.
"My dear," she said, " I'm glad to
HOI* you."
Maniielita glanced timidh atlior. • >h
how old and wrinkled HIIO seemed to
lie his wife!
" Your luiHliiuid told me " she
began.
" My husband !" rcpoati-d the elder
lady. "I have no husband, child. 1
have 1 wen a widow for fifteen year*.
It ih't jxiHHildethat you mistook I.ovel
for -inv husband ! It isn't possible,
my little, nhy lieaiitv, that you are ig
norant that he loves you ?"
Maniielita turned first p-d then
pale; she might have fallen if her arm
hail not lw n gently drawn through a
stronger one.
"Mother," said Mr. Hump-dead,
Hiniling. "go and look at the conser
votary itortiere*. 1 will wait for you
here."
The end of it all i* easy to lie eon
jertured, Mr. Vane's pretty daughter
is queen of the llroad stnwt palai-e.
and lln. .Hwnpatead aauor hnMb>
sjiled into a graeefnl dowager.
Mrs. Vanee toils no longer now, and
little Willie has exchanged the drudg
ery of the store for a preparatory
school.
And all this romance grew out of a
tangle of flower-de-luce blossoms and
wild vetch leaves.
So truth is oftentimes stranger than
flctioo, -ff'l'ti Forrest Wmi*.*.
Tortures of the Sun Ounce.
A gentleman who has s|wnt three
years among the Sioux Indians at
standing Itnek agency said to a New
York reporter ; Great preparations are
male for the sun danre. A huge,
straight tree is brought from the forest
and plantisl in the selected ground.
Alxiut it are luiilt aliout forty clusters
of poles. with four {Miles in each of
these elusters. There are covered
places arranged for the spectators. The
young bucks who are to {terform the
dance are strip|wd to the waist, and
are expected to perform the ceremonies
for three days without eating, drink
ing or sleeping. They la-gin by stand
ing in the sun the first day, tooting
whistles, dancing and looking at the
sun as long as they can stand. .Some
times they fall from sheer exhaustion.
On the second day they are prepared
for the closing ordeal. The medicine
men cut four strips of skin loose from
each man. two strip* in front and two
lwhind. These strips are cut alMiut an
eighth of an inch deep, and in such a
way that a stick may lie thrust through
liehind, to which a string of raw hide
is attached. The men are each tied to
one cluster of the four |Mts in such a
way that there is no escape without
, tearing the strip* of skin apart. The
; pain is very great. The skin is so
elastic that it breaks with great diffi
culty. Often a man Is obliged to pull
all day before lie can break the four
strips of skin and release himself.
Those who endure the pain liest are
the bravest men. Those who fail from
exhaustion are railed women, and are
' lined heavily. It Is a sort of religions
ceremony, nnd is oliserved with great
earnestness. The Indians are great
gamblers, and have a gam similar to
poker. They are all familiar with onll
nary playing cards.
HOKAL AMI RKLIGIOUM.
Che llllil.- *n.l lis Circulation,
No book has ever hail the circulation
of the llible. The Mritisli and Foreign
Mihle society alone, since its organiza
tion in |sM, lias circulated nearly
94 # MOO,<MO copies. To this we may add
the issues of the Ameriean Mihle so
ciety, organized in IHHJ 40,000,<XJ0.
Also, we must add the issues of the
National Mihle society of Scotland,
which distributed nearly 500,000 <-op
ies, in whole or part, last year. There
areother liable societies -the Ameriean
and Foreign, the Russian, tierman, ete.
What hook had a circulation of 150,-
00(t,lM)ii jn the past seveaty years? The
llible has lieen translated sinee lh(t|
into 220 languages. When you hear
young gentlemen with the modern cul
ture intimate that tills work has been
superseded, it is well enough to bear
liesc fuel* in mind.
Krlifllou* Ni ManiMl Nolr*.
There are 5,741 Presbyterian chunh
es in the I niUsl States.
The Weslevans of Kiigland during
the last twenty years have added more
people to their church than John Wes
ley did in fifty years.
Protestant missionaries entered Ja
pan in is',*), but they were compelled
to wait a dozen years before they
could do any direct Christian work.
The i'htir>hmmt, in speaking of Ir.
Newman Smyth, says of him: "The
more Presbyterians of this sort the
letter it w ill lie for the church of the
future."
Two American Seventh-day A*l\en
list missionaries were killed by the
nuib in Alexandria during the riots-
These w ere the only Americans killed
so far as known.
Tin- lb v. Mr. tiring. Reformed mis
sionary in Japan, takes his wife with
him mi hj> preaching tours. She start*
the hymns and enjoys it as much as
Mr. tiring enjoys pr arldng.
t*f the imputation of the glolie
1 -jii,inai.im y i ari* nominal Protestants,
2iN),isni,immi are Human Catholics and
17 ",<**l,l* wi are Mohaiiiiuisluns. Thin
arc less than lO.OOO.Otst Jews.
Ninety y.-ars ago the first English
missionary offered himself, and now
the w hole numls-r of evangelical for
eign missionaries is . r ,.iss, and they
are leaders of a native h*i of JJO/tOO
helpers of all kinds.
There are twenty Maptist theological
seminaries, with sl4o,)*io property
and 11,000,000 endowment, eleven
Congregational, with $1,43X,01J0 prop
erty and ♦ 1,009,00n endowment, four
tis-n Methodist Kpiscopal, with ♦>2 | >.-
t"" property and $5<)0,000 endowment-,
and thirteen Presbyterian, with
♦ 1.4*9.000 property and #2,642,000 en
dowment.
Do Red Color* lead to ( rime.
The Chicago .Vi-im says a physician
of Chicago asserts that red colors arc
powerful factors in crime; that their
predominance in cities excite murder
and other crimes, and that firemen's
ri*l shirt* are account-able for most of
their tights. The physician says :
No one will deny the exciting effect
of red upon the Inferior animals. At
certain seasons it transforms even the
timid deer into a demon of fury. Any
one who has interview ml a vicious "bull
in close paddock won't need much ar
gument to convince him of the mad
dening effect color exerts on the bull.
A child wearing a rod sash will change
a gander or turkey-gobbler Into a ver
itable harpy. Hatchers used to Is*
thought unfit to sit as jurors in capital
caws, because their occupation was
sup|H>*4-d to blunt their sympathies and
make them fierce and careless of life.
There is no doubt that they are more
truculent than those of other callings,
but I don't think the cause of their
harder hearts is the one assigned. If
my theory is correct, the color which is
constantly present liefore their eyes,
both in the blood and the flesh of their
victims, is chargeable with a portion, if
not all, of the unenviable mental con
dition.
Now, as to the frequency of the re
currence of red in cities. A man with
half an eye can see that it is the pre
vailing color. Nearly half the busi
ness house and three-fourths of the
dwellings are built of staring red
brick. Dead walls are brilliant with
the color depicting scenes that would
excite if done in more somber hues.
The pigment is used in signs of all
sorts to catch the eye, and just now
shop windows fairly blaze with it. The
women have fashion's warrant for
adorning themselves with colonCthat
were not thought to sort with mndesty
a few years ago. And Just now we
have a eamivai of crime of the very
kind that the exciting color produces.
Murder and suicide follow each other
in almost monotonous procession. The
outburst of crime Is certainly eotetn
poraneou* with, If It Is not traceable
to, the predominance of red.
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS.
I I'li-graius arid telephonic dispatehes
are now, in France, transmitted sim
ultaneously over one wire.
I- ilings of h-itd placed in a mold
of steel anil subjected to a pressure of j
2,000 atmospheres are converted into a
solid block. At 5,000 atmospheres the j
Jcad becomes a liquid.
It is haid that Jr. (<*liring, of
Landshut, in Havana, by means of an
enameling liquid, i.-ntb-rs any species
of stone or cement harder than gran
ite. The process, it is forth.-, ••eported,
admits of being applied to metal
which is completely protected from
ru*t.
The amount of |heat poured down
annually on th<- surface of our earth
exceeds a million times the heat pro
ducible J>y all tlic coal raised, which
may be estimated at 2*O,(XX) tons a
year.
The Italians are rapidly adopting
the cremation process of disposing of
the dead; and it is surprising how
many | ample in this country have of
n-cent years begun to think that the
speedy consumption >f tin- body bv
the ilaines is infinitely better than the
slow combustion in the grave.
I'rofes.sor Fairehih! thinks there are
reasons to helieve that the common
house fly, with numerous lenses, ea
pable, as lias lately Iss-n proved, of
eininge "f foeus, lik- the human eye,
by a eireiilnr timsele, overlooked by
early entomologists, can avoid the se
rious ditliculties we *meet with in
liiglu-r powers, and cotiM distinctly
r<-cognize objects only 20,0"0,')0 , *th of
an inch in diameter.
A Mi—-uiri d'H-tor prop oc* the use
of the arc ehs-tric light f--r killing the
moths from the eggs of which the de
structive cotton worm i- hateh<*l. It
is well known tliat l-ru-ii tins or
burning rubbish will attract these
jiests, and it is probable that the bril
liant ehs-tric light would d- -troy in a
short time enough moths to make good
the cost. At any rate, the exj>eriment
is wortli while being made.
Mini-ters' Sons Who Were " Signer*."
The New York o><rr<r lias tlii- li*t
of ministers' sons and grandsons who
w re among the signers of tlic I>eclar
ati-.n of Indc|M-nden< It is probable
that several others lie-side those here
named were grandsons of clergymen,
but taken as here this enumeration i
shows that at least one in seven of
the signers was a clergyman's son,
while probably not one man in a hun- j
dred was at that time of the cloth. i
John Hancock, of Massachusetts,
was the son of a faithful and indus- j
trious pastor, and was Uirn near the
village of Quincy, Ma-s.. in 17-17. His
father was devout, a friend of the poor,
a patron of learning. He died while
John was an infant, and left him to j
the care of his brother, a wealthy j
merchant of Hoston. 11 is grand tat her
was also a clergyman.
ltoliert Treat I'aine, of Massachu- j
setts, was the son of a clergyman, and j
his mother was a daughter of thcUev. .
Mr. Treat, of Ilamstable county. lie i
was U>rn in Ihwton in 17-41.
Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island,
was the son of a daughter of one of
the tirst Maptist ministers of Rhode
Islam), and was htrn in Providence,
March 7,1707.
William Williams, of Connecticut,
was the son of a clergyman who was
for more than half a century pastor of
the church in Lebanon, Conn. He was
lorn April IS, 1741. His grandfather
was also a clergyman.
Philip Livingstone, of New York,
was descended from a Scotch minister
of the gospel of " exemplary character." I
Francis Lewis, of New York, was
the son of an Kpiseopal minister, and
his mother was a clergyman's daughter.
Francis, their only eliild. was Istrn in
Llandaff, Wales, in 1714, and was left
an orphan when five years of age.
The Rev. John Witherspoon, I). I>.
president of the New Jersey college,
was the son of a minister in the
Scottish clmrch, and was ltorn at
Tester, near Kdinborough. February 5-
1722. lie was a lineal descendant of
John Knox, the great reformer, who
prayed " Hive me Scotland or die."
Francis Hopkinson, of Pennsylvania,
was the son of a daughter of the Riahop
of Worcester, Kngland. He was Isvrn
in Phihsieiphin in 1747. He was a
poet and wit as well as a statesman.
George Taylor, of Pennsylvania, was
the son of a clergyman, and was born
in Ireland in 1716.
(ieorgo Ross, <>4 Pennsylvania, w-as the
son of an Episcopal clergyman, and
wnaltorn in New Castle. Del., in 1740.
Csar Rodney. of Delaware, was the
son of a daughter of an esteemed
clergyman.
Samuel Chase, of Maryland, was the
son of np Episcopal clergyman, mid
was bora April 17,1741, in Somerset
A fUl>r HK a llcar's Pet.
TIIP Chico (Cal.) Itin,rd tells this
strange Btorv: Ili-n ry Plynn. whore,
sides up in the hills near Inkship, in in
town UHIHV, and had the following in
eident to relate, in which a bear of the
cinnamon specie* alsluctcd hi* three
year-old daughter, not with any desire
to harm the child, but through a
strange kind of affection, it appears
that Mr. Plynn it'irtol one morning t >
take a horse to pasture, almut two
miles distant from his house, and as
his little girl seemed anxious to go. he
put her upon the horse's back and let
her ride a short distance, perhaps
forty rods from the house, where ho
put her down and tohl her to run
home. He noticed that she continued
standing where he left her, and on
looking back, after going a little fur
ther, Haw her ploying in the sand. He
soon passed out of sight and was gone
about an hour, < xpeeting, of course,
that the child would return to the
house alter playing a few moments.
On returning home he made inquiry
alout her of her mother, who said she
hail not Ms-n her, and sup|>ood he
had taken her along with him. On
going to the hJ iot w here he left her he
saw huge Is-ar tracks in the sand, and
at once came to the conclusion that the
child haul Is-cn carried off bv the Iw-ar.
The family immediately made search
through the forest, whieh was grown
up to almost a jungle, rendering their
search very slow. .Ml day these
anxious parents search'd for a trace
of their child ; nor did they stop when
darkness came on. but remained in the
woods, i ailing tie- lost one by h< r name.
Morning came, ami their search was
fruitless. A couple of gentlemen from
below, who are traveling through the
mountains buying stock, < arm* to the
house, and, Is-ing informed () f the
circumstance-, immediately set out to
find her. The gentlemen wandered
aUmt. and as they were passing a
swamp sjmt where the undergrowth
was thick heard lor voice. They then
called her name arul told tc r to < >me
out of the bushes. she replied thi.t
the bear would riot let lu-r. The men
then crept through th<- brush, and
when near the s|t where she and the
bear were they heard a splash in the
water, which the child said was th
Is-ar. On going to lu-r they found h<-t
standing upon a log extending alsmt
half way across a swamp. The ls-ar
had undertaken to cross a swamp on a
log. and being pursued left the child
and got away as rapidly as possible.
She had rereivwl Home scratches a!>out
the face, arms and legs, and her clothes
were almost torn from her Issly; but
the )>ear had not bitten her to hurt her.
only the marks of his teeth leing
found on her back, where, in taking
hold of her clothes to carry her, he had
taken the flesh also.
The little one says the lear would
put her down occasionally to rest, and
xvould put his none up to her face,
when she would slap him, and
the ltear would hang his head by her
side, and purr ami rub against h'-r like
a cat. The men asksl her if she was
cold in the night, and she tohl them
the old biar lay down Ix-side her, and
put his "arms" around her and kept
her warm, though she did not like his
long halt. She was taken home to her
parents.
The Erie Canal.
A few figures given below will show
; the import an op of the Erie canal. The
i principal lines of transportation from
tlie W cat to the Hast include ten thou
sand miles of railway, seven hundred
i miles of river, sixteen hundred miles of
i lake and sixteen hundred of canal. Of
the freight brought over them nearly
i one-fourth of the whole quantity
j comes through the Erie ranal alone,
! though it is open only six months of
| the year.
Exclusive of its branches the canal
is three hundred and flftv-two miles
long from Albany to Buffalo, and it
has nearly eight thousand Imats upon
I it, which travel nine million five hun
' dred thousand miles in a season. The
, numlier of men and boys employed on
the IsMts is twenty-eight thousand,
and the uumlier of horses and mules
used in towing is alstut sixteen thou
sand.
In the busy seasons atmut one hun
dred and fifty IMIAU reach tidewater
through the Erie canal daily, and bring
more cargo than twenty miles of rail
[ way trains could carry.
The time of transit Iwtwcen Huffalo
and Allany la almut eleven days, and
the cost of carrying a barrel of flour
; between those points varies from forty
j to fifty cents.
The railway train attracts attention
in every village through which it
passes, bnt the canal-boat glides
through the narrow inland water way
unnoticed, so unobtrusive is it; and
yet should a delay occur at one of the
lorks, in twenty-four hours hundreds
of boats would accumulate, with M
much grain on board as would feed a
cation for at least one day.